Smallblock's 72 bowfront build thread

[smallblock]

Here are some pics of my setup and how its going. I got most of it in January and I have been slowly working on it ever since. Its a glass 72 bowfront RR tank. The lights are a Current Nova ho T5 x8. I finally got it running on Sunday may 10th and I'm very pleased about the progress.
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[smallblock]

That was everything when Maple pulled up with it. It was really a mess and I hated what the stand looked like. It came with a wet dry sump that had a crack in it so I tossed it. The gbtas were in the tank. The guy thought he had only two but to maples surprise there was one hiding in the overflow when he broke it down. More pics
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[smallblock]

In the last set of pics, the stand after i re stained it, After I half a cleaned the tank and my lights on upside down. More pics
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[smallblock]

The last set was basically my plumbing that i replaced and my sump. The sump isnt finished. I need to put in some baffles but i need to get a skimmer to make sure where to place them. I plan on having the drain on the left return in the middle and a small fuge on the right.
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[smallblock]

Thats it for now gotta let my rock finish cycling and then I'll be ready to add some things, Thanks for all the advice to get me this far.

 

[smallblock]

Live stock wishlist.

Pair of naked clowns
Pair of watchmen gobies (got those)
Yellow Tang (got that)
GBTA (got that)
Powder blue tang maybe
some sort of cucmber maybe
Emerald crabs ( got 1)
Cleaner skrimp ( got 1)
Blood red skrimp (got one)

I have a coral beauty and a ble green chromis that I'm gonna put in because they get along so well together with my tang shrimp and gobies

Oh yeah a Clam and Coral (NO ZOAS hate em lol)

 

[weaglereefer]

Tank is on the small side for a PBT.

Also, I know the rock stack is already made, but consider moving it back as close as possible to the glass while still leaving it freestanding, space is precious, especially if you add some branching and plating corals. You could also have a nice clam garden up front.

 

[weaglereefer]

Oh, also, check PM about the drain tube, looks dangerous as currently set up. You should never use a valve on the drain side to throttle back the flow of the drain, it should be all gravity.

 

[smallblock]

yeah I forgot about that maybe i can get a baby one and then when it gets too big sell him

 

[smallblock]

Mag 7 wont keep up

 

[weaglereefer]

The issue is that the overflow running at full siphon and then throttles it back via the valve. Over time algae, crud, a snail, etc, can get in the pipe and clog it up or change the flow enough that the tank overflows or runs dry.

 

[smallblock]

I worded that wrong drain is outrunning the mag 7 notice i y piped the return I know the water level is high in the pic. Lemme run this by you when i get it dialed in I usually keeep it at that bleach spot in the silicone u can see in the pic but it will stay all night but a 6 pm the next day it will have dropped to the siphon break and will be sucking just a little air. I was wondering b/c of evaporation it drains easier the next day due to the lower water level in the sump and therory here less resistance in the drain pipe b/c of the lower water level. Am i thinking straight

 

[smallblock]

this is where i normally keep the water level in the overflow
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[weaglereefer]

The point is, you don't want the drain to be a siphon, it will be loud. All you need is a vent hole in the u-bend somewhere so air can be let in, then open the valve all the way.

 

[smallblock]

I drilled a hole right in the top of the first elbow. Thanks for all the help by the way I've never had a rr tank. Is there anyway someone could send me a pick of thier overflow?

 

[fish scales2]

Google "durso drain pipe" or goto melevsreef.com and you will see what your drain should look like.

 

[smallblock]

The hole has been there the whole time. I do understand about the danger of halving the ball valve slightly closed due to unexpected restrictions. At this time I am experimenting with the overflow, with eliminating the danger of the ball valve in mind. Lemme get this straight and do mind that this is coming from an newb. Is it desirable to have the elbow and vent completely submerged. This eliminates noise correct? The height of the siphon break (hole) determines where water will rest after siphon ends and only gravity is causing final draining after the pump is off correct? Am i missing something? I think you can outrun the drain with an x amount of gph. Seems to me that a pump that can produce x amount of gph would be desired so that one can throttle down to the point where the siphon break is completly submerged therefore silent. A restriction in any RR system setup like this with even lower gph seems like would cause an overflow unless using a auto shutoff on the pump?

 

[mapleredta]

Looks great dude. Glad it's come this far!

 

[texhorns98]

Think of it this way. Your pump pushes water back up into the display through your return line, right?

Your overflow box is there to serve two purposes. Protect your sump from overflowing if your return pump is turned off (for maintenance or a power outage) and to provide surface skimming as the water is pushed into the box.

Now, assuming you have the correct drain SIZE, you should not have any problem with outpacing your drain. I personally run my water level to about 1/4" below the teeth on my box. If/when the pump stops, the water will still spill into the overflow box for a minute and the drain continues to feed water into the sump until it reached the bottom of the elbow.

When first setting everything up, you can stop your pump, let everything settle, and then check the water level on your sump. Add as much as you'd like to a point you'll feel comfortable with it getting and then mark that spot with tape (on the outside). Then kick your pump back on and watch your sump water level drop as your tank fills up. Pretty soon, you'll hear water overflowing into the box and all will be right with the world!

Sorry for the ramble, I hope it made sense.

 

[texhorns98]

Also, the way to raise the level in the overflow box depends on your pipe situation. If you have a fixed pipe, you'll need to make it longer. If you have an adjustable pipe, you just need to slide it up.

IMPORTANT!! I forgot to mention when setting up, to remove the drain pipe completely if you can. That way if you ever need to take it out, you will have room for that extra little bit of water that would normally be kept in the overflow box by the fact the pipe is still in there. OR, you can just leave room for an extra gallon or so in the sump and you'll be fine. Seems obvious, but I didn't want to send you down the wrong path!