50G build, upgrade from 20g.

[hn1]

<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Ok, so my wife (harpua2002) convinced me to go to the salty side while we were dating so we set up a simple 20G with HOB filter and everything has pretty much thrived under our 2x65 PC lights. She already had a drilled 3' 50G tank waiting and it's way past time to upgrade. I blame you folks for enabling me and showing off such gorgeous reefs.... our 20G has turned into coral storage. No aquascape, purely "where will that fit?". lol </span></span>

<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">I realized after 122 trips to hardware stores that I really had no clue about plumbing and had a mental block regardless of how many posts, pages, videos, etc. I tried to learn from. Yesterday I got frustrated and desperate and posted this </span></span>http://www.atlantareefclub.org/forums/showthread.php?t=31414"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">http://www.atlantareefclub.org/forums/showthread.php?t=31414</span></a><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">. </span></span>

<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">I still can't believe how many offers of help we received. Everytime I start to get frustrated with club drama, I will remember how willing folks are to go way out of there way for one another. It kinda reminds me of my family... gripe and complain about everything until something is really needed and then it's all for one... blah blah. I digress....</span></span>

<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Huge thanks have to go out to Andre and his wife, who drove an hour to come help out last night. I'd also like to again thank Barbara, Barry, and Robb who were ready to spend a Saturday helping me with my problems. Just amazing.... :)</span></span>

<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Well, I got froggy yesterday and hit Lowe's for the last time to get what was needed for the return before we met Matt (MvM) to do a trade for frags. He made us a great trade that I almost feel guilty about. Thanks for the kick butt frags Matt! Like I needed more motivation to get this thing done right? </span></span>

<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Then we didn’t like the output options and look of the PVC so on a whim I called Marine Designs. OMG! They had loc line in stock! So after going for loc line and returning with that plus more LR, fish (both FW & SW), frozen food, etc. (This store is like Cold Stone Creamery for a fat kid, seriously!), we finished the return plumbing and waited anxiously for it to cure. After waiting several times, had a few leaks, we got to fill the system with tap and test it out. Everything looked good last night except for a small seepage leak at one union so we drained it, smothered on more cement and went to bed. This morning all looks good after our first run and we’re rinsing sand. </span></span>

<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Anyways, here's the actual start...</span></span>

<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">[IMG]http://i388.photobucket.com/albums/oo327/len2009/DSC_0705.jpg alt="" /></span></span>

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[radha]

Kewl! Convince my dad and mom to upgrade, please! All I need is a simple "You should upgrade from a 20 to at least a 30". I would really enjoy that! Please?

 

[oldschool52]

Looking good

Remember, wife and I told you we would help when you needed it. We only live 10 minutes away but it looks like you have it under control. If you need help, advice or just some company let us know since I'm retired and she works from home almost anytime and day can be arranged. Good luck.

Been there!!!!

 

[hn1]

Well after about 12 hours of messing with it, running to get water because we didn't have enough made up, panic when first plugging in lights tripped the GFCI, sandstorm, struggling to find the "sweet spot" for the overflow, etc. we got it done late last night. Neither of us are too comfortable with it yet though so we've got the system on a 24 hour watch! lol

Here it is, I'm sure we'll be doing more arranging of the corals today, but overall we're close. Most were already coming out and looking pretty happy considering...

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[camg]

I didnt see anything about the tanks cycle before adding your stuff...did you let it cycle?

 

[hn1]

camg;371044 wrote: I didnt see anything about the tanks cycle before adding your stuff...did you let it cycle?

No. Everything was swapped from the 20G. There should be little to no apparent cycle. We did add some more rock, but it was well cured and we'll be testing daily to make sure. If we see anything, we have water on hand for PWCs.

 

[tokejr]

Lookin' good!

 

[weaglereefer]

How does the overflow work?

 

[jonboyb]

Wow...a big red monti cap would look awesome in there :yay: Sorry....had to rub it in a little...LOL.

 

[hn1]

au01st;371115 wrote: How does the overflow work?

What do you mean exactly? It works well.... please see my prior "I'm a plumbing idiot thread if this is a technical question. lol

jonboyb;371194 wrote: Wow...a big red monti cap would look awesome in there :yay: Sorry....had to rub it in a little...LOL.

LOL. No problem. That cap has been a major driving force for completing this! I'm finally ready to pick up whenever. Just give me a holla! :yes:

 

[jonboyb]

Just bustin' your chops. It's ready whenever, but we're probably going to have to sacrifice one edge of it. Over the past 3 weeks or so it's grown about another inch onto the rock and I doubt it'll pop free easily.

 

[hn1]

Wow cool! Give me a call whenever. We're ready finally! Thanks for being so patient!

 

[weaglereefer]

I checked there, I just don't understand how you're controlling flow into the sump from the display. It looks like if the power cuts out you will drain several inches of water from the display. I also picked up on this from you finding the "sweet spot" for the overflow. There shouldn't be a "sweet spot", the overflow should handle your return pump, you shouldn't need to mess with it.

 

[hn1]

au01st;371281 wrote: I checked there, I just don't understand how you're controlling flow into the sump from the display. It looks like if the power cuts out you will drain several inches of water from the display. I also picked up on this from you finding the "sweet spot" for the overflow. There shouldn't be a "sweet spot", the overflow should handle your return pump, you shouldn't need to mess with it.

These are the things that I got frustrated over and what I found a challenge here. This is the type of info I was hoping to get from my original post. Unfortunately all the info I did find here and elsewhere online assumes a level of plumbing knowledge that didn't exist when I began the project and I found that there are roughly a billion opinions on how to do it. The overflow handles way more than the return pump (Mag 7) does so we had to throttle the overflow with the valve. We didn't want to throttle the return side for the sake of the pump. If we do have a power outage, we will drain just over 8 gallons of water into the sump. The sump is about 1/2 filled counting displacement so I think we may overflow a gallon or so. I'm also looking into a battery backup option just in case.

 

[weaglereefer]

Take a 90 degree elbow and stick it on the side of the bulkhead inside the tank. Sorry I didn't see your original thread, been a bit busy lately.

 

[hn1]

au01st;371288 wrote: Take a 90 degree elbow and stick it on the side of the bulkhead inside the tank. Sorry I didn't see your original thread, been a bit busy lately.

You mean so that it just faces up right? Makes perfect sense. I'm not sure why we didn't do that. Thanks! Any suggestions for how to screen it?

 

[weaglereefer]

Yup, so the open end faces up. I would look for one of those strainers like people use in overflows. Like this:

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[acroholic]

Len,
Its dangerous to regulate the inflow to your sump with a ballvalve. Like ares said, your overflow (to sump) should be an open, unrestricted pathway that you never need to mess with. An overflow ball valved down runs the risk of not flowing enough, allowing the return pump to outpace the overflow and make your tank spill over.

What you need is a 90 degree elbow, one side attached to the bulkhead of the overflow, the other side facing up, then pipe attached to that cut to the length you want the water level in your tank.

The only regulation of flow of water should be a ballvalve on the output of your return pump. If your overflow can handle the full flow of the return pump, then open the ball valve on the return pump all the way. If the flow is too much, then close the ballvalve down until your tank water level remains constant and leave it there. A ballvalve on the output side of your return pump will not hurt the pump.
Dave

 

[acroholic]

If you use one of these, make sure you clean it regularly, because as junk acccumulates on it the tank water level will slowly rise as the grids get clogged up, which they will from the bottom up.

Main issue to look out for with an overflow like you have is snails going in there, restricting water passage in your overflow, and your tank overflowing.

au01st;371298 wrote: Yup, so the open end faces up. I would look for one of those strainers like people use in overflows. Like this:

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[hn1]

We have one on there now but facing forward. It should be an easy fix if I can find the right threaded 90. Thanks a bunch!