55 Gal FOWLR - seeking criticism

[turbo]

Hello. Not sure if I'm posting this in the wrong forum? I want to put up some pictures and info on my FOWLR, and receive a little advice or criticism or encouragement haha.

So anyways my gf and I are taking this on as a joint project. We are both one thousand percent brand new to this hobby. In the future she would like to have a reef aquarium, and we're talking about starting up a nano sometime in 2013.

I've done a lot of lurking on the major reefkeeping forums, and other essays available on the subject of marine aquariua (mostly thru google searches) but I admit I've never browsed this particular site. Was referred here from LFS.

For now it's a 55 gal FOWLR. If I should go ahead and post stats and questions etc just-a lemme know thanks! I have a few pictures up and we're gonna try to get some more posted.

[tim the toolman]

Welcome to the jungle lol. Lots of good reading to be done on this site for sure. And lots of people willing to give great advice. Good luck with your salty future!

[Nizzmo]

Key to success is super filtered water changes!

[turbo]

yeah that's the first bit... a RO/DI filter is on the "wish list" hahaha

We're using SeaChem alpha for reefs to dechlorinate the water. I'm just filling 5 gal pails in the tub at the slowest flow rate (i.e. coldest water) possible.

Anyways I'm just sort of working on my sump right now. The burning question I have is whether a single pump setup is appropriate? I really want to keep it simple with the plumbing. This tank and setup will always be FOWLR.

So my idea is this: there is a way oversized overflow box (eshopps Pf-1200) hanging off the side of the tank right now just waiting on a little more plumbing. Anyways, I'm thinking of letting it gravity drain into the intake on my protein skimmer (Weipro SA-2015), and then run a small hose from the spigot into chamber 1 (10 gal sump with 3 chambers). I'm going to pack the rest of my LR into the middle chamber and then I have a pump called HQB-2500 (2000 L/h) which I'll put in chamber 3, and this will go directly back to the DT.

So I guess the theory is that since the overflow box exceeds the pump, and since the pump matches the skimmer (actually it's a little small), I should be able to run the pump full blast and the whole system should operate smoothly riiiiiighht??? haha

I did put a ball valve on the return line. I've read a lot that people suggest you add a tee into the drain before it gets to the skimmer, but that's if your drain exceeds the flow capacity of the skimmer (it must be), which mine does not.... so I have no tee. Instead, I figure that the one ball valve should control all flow rate since there is only the one pump!

[Nizzmo]

I'm not sure, I'm almost as new as you! I just noticed a huge difference in my tank quality when I didn't use dechlorinated tap water. I work at a brewery so I have to haul buckets of filtered water home with me ( sucks).

I've never done a sump so I'm very interested in how you do yours! I'll keep my eye on this post

[turbo]

sure thing i'll put some pics up too as the day progresses. it's pretty ghetto because i didn't really frame up enough room for anything bigger than 10gal in my cabinet. it's just too narrow!!! <12" - a definite oversight. oh wells have to be happy with what i have. i bought literally everything second hand (except the overflow box), and after researching the model of skimmer that i bought, i learn a lot of people consider it to be a Hong Kong POS; but I saw the guy's tank he had it in operation and skimming.

i guess the biggest downfall is that i probably won't be able to keep a refugium, so mandarinfish is out (d'oh!) ... maybe in the reef someday.

Anyways, if anybody reading this thinks that the single-pump idea I outlined is bad/good or could use improvement feel free to share your opinions. tyvm!

[kien]

My one criticism so far is that I don't see any pictures here :-)

[turbo]

Okay so hello again. I have to admit I failed pretty badly with plumbing this thing in. First thing was getting past the guy at the LFS (because he also sells the PVC and fittings and stuff - more of the 1" product than Home Depot carries).

He thought it was a terrible idea to have a direct-feed from the overflow to the protein skimmer. He said that it was wrong, not the way "we" do things, my house will flood, oh well hardwood floor isn't so bad, so is the aquarium in the basement? on and on lol. Finally he sold me the stuff I wanted. According to him, I need two pumps minimum (one return and one feeding the skimmer) and the skimmer must reside in the sump.

And as I got about building I had to change up some of the original design on the fly (partly because my vinyl hose is NOT flexible enough) and partly because my cabinet is so narrow that to avoid the structural members I actually had to drill my drain holes in a vertical line rather than beside one another.

So I actually teed the two 1" PVC drains into one 3/4" vinyl hose, because that matches the inlet on the skimmer. So, uh... is this bad or what? Does it defeat the purpose of having two drains... or is it GOOD because we will see high pressure coming from this hose into the protein skimmer???




the other dry-assembled contraption there is the return piping.



and finally...

[turbo]

ok so i ran a wet test and the drain is able to handle the flow from the pump. i pumped freshwater full blast from a 5 gal pail to the external side of the overflow and it just went down the drain and back into the bucket. the water level never changed but holy mackerel it's loud haha!

and this ruined my evening: the inlet on my cheapskate protein skimmer is now broken, and i thought it would be okay if i just jammed a hose onto it and clamped it. this is not okay, though. this leaks. so i am presently unable to use this protein skimmer AT ALL until I can repair this little problem.






I'm left with the following questions:

1. will the proposed drain and vinyl hose be ok? it worked for 45 seconds will it work for 10 years? am i asking for trouble by joining the two drains into one?

2. will my overflow box always be so freakin' lowd???????

3. how the heck can i use this protein skimmer now?? any plumbing experts or material engineers offer some advice for an adhesive or cement? i can't say what type of material this skimmer is made of.

[intarsiabox]

I don't know anything about your particular skimmer so not much help there. I see that you have two drain lines on your overflow that you tee'd off into a single line. This cut yur drain capacity in at least half depending the output size of the tee. I'm not familiar with eshopps overflows either but maybe it needs to be at full capacity for it to be quiet. If you want to continue to use an external skimmer I would have one drain line go to the skimmer intake and the other go directly into the first chamber of your sump (not the return section).