coralcruze
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From your response, I'm guessing you don't remember who this is...lol. No worries keep up the good work.
Choss' 96 gallon Reef Savvy "Nano" Tank
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OP
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Ben is that you? Thanks for following along! I will have you over once I have this thing wet! How is your amazing tank doing?
coralcruze
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yup... its me man. Build is amazing man. Looking forward to seeing its progression.
My tank is moving along. Only issue is Neptune, everything else is great! here is a year old pic... everything is much more grown in now.
My tank is moving along. Only issue is Neptune, everything else is great! here is a year old pic... everything is much more grown in now.
OP
OP
My thread finally has a great photo on it (lol). I could stare at your tank all day long! Well, I will write a review of the Profilux when I have it up and running. For now I just stare at it and think - "man that thing is sexy".
coralcruze
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cant wait to hear all about the profilux... might switch over myself down the line.
OP
OP
Ok so it has been a while. September was a pretty big month for me as far as travel is concerned. I also finished a non fish tank related project which is a dining room table that I built for a small summer home out in Montauk. It was occupying my work area and I was determined to get it done in time for Thanksgiving since we usually celebrate that in Montauk. Here is a pic of how it turned out. Its similar construction to my fish tank stand - just Sapele not Walnut. Sapele is an African hard wood, which has beautiful colors brought out with an oil treatment. I thought I'd include a picture or two.
Table & meal by choerenz, on Flickr
My son Mats doing some homework
Mats at table by choerenz, on Flickr
Ok so on to where I am in the build. I started the plumbing but hit a snag. I am using schedule 80 unions to plumb the ghost overflow.
union schedule 80 by choerenz, on Flickr
These unions should screw into the bottom of the ghost overflow. The issue is the unions are actually about 1 mm wider than the width of the overflow box and the rubber gasket that goes in between the box and the back of the tank. You can see from this picture - imagine that the level is the back of the tank.
Union w. level by choerenz, on Flickr
Here is a better shot of the union attached to the box. It actually still turns freely so perhaps it is ok to move forward but I spoke with Felix from Reef Savvy and he said "Brother, I got you! " - he is sending me a thicker rubber gasket which should give me the extra mm I need to feel good about the pipe being completely vertical off the back of the tank. You have to love Reef Savvy - simply the best customer service you can ask for. Felix and his family are nothing but quality people.
Union by choerenz, on Flickr
Table & meal by choerenz, on FlickrMy son Mats doing some homework
Mats at table by choerenz, on FlickrOk so on to where I am in the build. I started the plumbing but hit a snag. I am using schedule 80 unions to plumb the ghost overflow.
union schedule 80 by choerenz, on FlickrThese unions should screw into the bottom of the ghost overflow. The issue is the unions are actually about 1 mm wider than the width of the overflow box and the rubber gasket that goes in between the box and the back of the tank. You can see from this picture - imagine that the level is the back of the tank.
Union w. level by choerenz, on FlickrHere is a better shot of the union attached to the box. It actually still turns freely so perhaps it is ok to move forward but I spoke with Felix from Reef Savvy and he said "Brother, I got you! " - he is sending me a thicker rubber gasket which should give me the extra mm I need to feel good about the pipe being completely vertical off the back of the tank. You have to love Reef Savvy - simply the best customer service you can ask for. Felix and his family are nothing but quality people.
Union by choerenz, on Flickr
OP
OP
While I wait on the gasket, I will work on the return lines. Here is a tentative layout for the plumbing right after the return pump. It will be connected via some flexible tubing to reduce vibrations. I will have a reactor plumbed off the right side, and the ball valve to the left is so that I can disassemble & clean the check valve without allowing all the water from the main tank back down into my sump. I suspect the sump will have some issues handling the siphoned water so I included a George Fisher Wye check valve. My thought was to include just one valve, even though the pipe will branch into two return lines. The thinking is that a single valve (that I clean regularly) would be better safety than having two in place (double chance of failure). I have seen many people add them right below where the return lines enter the tank. Anyone see any issues to my reasoning here?
Plumbing return pump by choerenz, on Flickr
Plumbing return pump by choerenz, on Flickr
coralcruze
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hope I can chime in a bit on the plumbing.
1. recommend to move the FT away from the wall a bit as that is too tight to get in there and get a wrench on if need be. OR
2. move the union down to a clear area below the tank and run your vertical riser to the ghost OF.
3. threads are a PITA they leak unless you plan on gluing permanently. as a general rule you should try and thread down instead of thread up on a drain down system.
4. 45's and 135's are better transition than 90's in terms backpressure in the lines. Check out head loss on plumbing 90's, is more than you think. If the pump is oversized than this does not matter but not as efficient.
5. Use of Cpex true union valves... a very wise choice as they are completely serviceable.
6. Whats the reason for use of check valve on a drain down system? I don't like check valves as they fail, so I am impartial.
7. why is vibration a concern? what pump? have you considered base isolators?
1. recommend to move the FT away from the wall a bit as that is too tight to get in there and get a wrench on if need be. OR
2. move the union down to a clear area below the tank and run your vertical riser to the ghost OF.
3. threads are a PITA they leak unless you plan on gluing permanently. as a general rule you should try and thread down instead of thread up on a drain down system.
4. 45's and 135's are better transition than 90's in terms backpressure in the lines. Check out head loss on plumbing 90's, is more than you think. If the pump is oversized than this does not matter but not as efficient.
5. Use of Cpex true union valves... a very wise choice as they are completely serviceable.
6. Whats the reason for use of check valve on a drain down system? I don't like check valves as they fail, so I am impartial.
7. why is vibration a concern? what pump? have you considered base isolators?
Last edited:
Mattres
Active Member
That table is stunning mate!
I reckon a lot of reef related pondering could happen over a glass of wine at that table.
Is there anyway to check if the sump will hold the siphoned water when the return pump is off so you don't have to use the check valve? That way you could not worry about it?
Felix from Reef Savvy seems like a top bloke, no wonder his tanks are in such high demand with service like that!
I reckon a lot of reef related pondering could happen over a glass of wine at that table.
Is there anyway to check if the sump will hold the siphoned water when the return pump is off so you don't have to use the check valve? That way you could not worry about it?
Felix from Reef Savvy seems like a top bloke, no wonder his tanks are in such high demand with service like that!
OP
OP
Thank you for chiming in! I was looking for some advice. Here are some responses. Love to hear additional thoughts
1. recommend to move the FT away from the wall a bit as that is too tight to get in there and get a wrench on if need be. OR
Tank is set at this point. I could move in worst case. Agree about the wrench issue. I will try a water test when I'm done and if issues come up then I will go through the effort.
2. move the union down to a clear area below the tank and run your vertical riser to the ghost OF.
Yes this would have been the move for sure. I glued them up (all three) before I realized the issue. I used Chris Acropolis' Reef Savvy 88 as a guide. According to Felix from Reef Savvy, those unions were schedule 40 which are slightly smaller. I will wait on the thicker rubber gasket from Felix as I think this will solve the problem. Or I but three new unions.... Here is a picture of Chris' 88
3. threads are a PITA they leak unless you plan on gluing permanently. as a general rule you should try and thread down instead of thread up on a drain down system.
The Ghost Overflow just happens to work this way with threads up. I purchases very high quality plumbers tape to ensure that I get a proper water tight fit.
4. 45's and 135's are better transition than 90's in terms backpressure in the lines. Check out head loss on plumbing 90's, is more than you think. If the pump is oversized than this does not matter but not as efficient.
I do have 45s planned where possible. That said, the way I am laying out this build, I left myself with very little room coming off a relatively small sump. The pump is a Reef Octopus Varios 6, which will put out 1,700 gallons per hour so it should be plenty strong to handle the restrictions in pipe (3/4") and 90s. Its a DC pump so I thought I'd start at 40%-50% and see if that suffices.
5. Use of Cpex true union valves... a very wise choice as they are completely serviceable.
Couldn't agree more. While I have used some decent True Union Ball valves from Lowes for my water storage & mixing station, they don't compare to these. I plan on using as many unions as possible so that in a pinch I can take the system apart, clean and reassemble with relative ease.
6. Whats the reason for use of check valve on a drain down system? I don't like check valves as they fail, so I am impartial.
The check valve is there because the way the returns work, they enter the tank through the back wall slightly below water level. There really isn't a good way to create a small siphon hole the way I would do it if I plumber the returns above the water level. In doing research the George Fisher Wye check valve seems to be the most recommended as you can easily clean it (it disassembles). I am setting up the return so that I can shut off the water back flow via a ball valve and take the check valve out completely for maintenance.
7. why is vibration a concern? what pump? have you considered base isolators?
Probably overkill. The pump is a DC and sits on rubber feet. Still I want the system to be absolutely silent. The only issue I have been thinking about is the relative restriction of the short stretch of soft tubing going through a 3/4" barb. It seems like the pipe inside the barb goes down smaller than the 3/4" diameter before expanding again.
Thanks again for all the feedback. Things are only partially glued up so I can still make adjustments.
1. recommend to move the FT away from the wall a bit as that is too tight to get in there and get a wrench on if need be. OR
Tank is set at this point. I could move in worst case. Agree about the wrench issue. I will try a water test when I'm done and if issues come up then I will go through the effort.
2. move the union down to a clear area below the tank and run your vertical riser to the ghost OF.
Yes this would have been the move for sure. I glued them up (all three) before I realized the issue. I used Chris Acropolis' Reef Savvy 88 as a guide. According to Felix from Reef Savvy, those unions were schedule 40 which are slightly smaller. I will wait on the thicker rubber gasket from Felix as I think this will solve the problem. Or I but three new unions.... Here is a picture of Chris' 88
3. threads are a PITA they leak unless you plan on gluing permanently. as a general rule you should try and thread down instead of thread up on a drain down system.
The Ghost Overflow just happens to work this way with threads up. I purchases very high quality plumbers tape to ensure that I get a proper water tight fit.
4. 45's and 135's are better transition than 90's in terms backpressure in the lines. Check out head loss on plumbing 90's, is more than you think. If the pump is oversized than this does not matter but not as efficient.
I do have 45s planned where possible. That said, the way I am laying out this build, I left myself with very little room coming off a relatively small sump. The pump is a Reef Octopus Varios 6, which will put out 1,700 gallons per hour so it should be plenty strong to handle the restrictions in pipe (3/4") and 90s. Its a DC pump so I thought I'd start at 40%-50% and see if that suffices.
5. Use of Cpex true union valves... a very wise choice as they are completely serviceable.
Couldn't agree more. While I have used some decent True Union Ball valves from Lowes for my water storage & mixing station, they don't compare to these. I plan on using as many unions as possible so that in a pinch I can take the system apart, clean and reassemble with relative ease.
6. Whats the reason for use of check valve on a drain down system? I don't like check valves as they fail, so I am impartial.
The check valve is there because the way the returns work, they enter the tank through the back wall slightly below water level. There really isn't a good way to create a small siphon hole the way I would do it if I plumber the returns above the water level. In doing research the George Fisher Wye check valve seems to be the most recommended as you can easily clean it (it disassembles). I am setting up the return so that I can shut off the water back flow via a ball valve and take the check valve out completely for maintenance.
7. why is vibration a concern? what pump? have you considered base isolators?
Probably overkill. The pump is a DC and sits on rubber feet. Still I want the system to be absolutely silent. The only issue I have been thinking about is the relative restriction of the short stretch of soft tubing going through a 3/4" barb. It seems like the pipe inside the barb goes down smaller than the 3/4" diameter before expanding again.
Thanks again for all the feedback. Things are only partially glued up so I can still make adjustments.
OP
OP
That table is stunning mate!
I reckon a lot of reef related pondering could happen over a glass of wine at that table.
Is there anyway to check if the sump will hold the siphoned water when the return pump is off so you don't have to use the check valve? That way you could not worry about it?
Felix from Reef Savvy seems like a top bloke, no wonder his tanks are in such high demand with service like that!
Yes Felix is the real deal. I've never had anyone stand behind their product like he does. Thanks for the compliment on the table. I have pondered a lot about my tank build after some wine and its probably why I made about 3 mistakes on my plumbing this weekend! I have thought about testing the siphon once things are wet. The good thing is the way I'm laying it out I can easily remove the section with the valve. Its a union and two union ball valves that hold it in place. should be easy peasy.
OP
OP
Update - new toy
Today I unpacked my skimmer which has been sitting idle since last black Friday when I pulled the trigger knowing I would be doing a major build this year. It is a RLSS R6i skimmer. I chose this one despite their new line of DBi skimmers which use a needle wheel and are slightly more compact. I wanted "tried and true" and this skimmer just got great reviews every time. Plus I got a huge discount which didn't hurt.
Skimmer closeup 2 by choerenz, on Flickr
Skimmer RSLL R6i by choerenz, on Flickr
You can see how big it is when compared to a nice bottle of Chardonnay
skimmer with wine bottle 2 by choerenz, on Flickr
Today I unpacked my skimmer which has been sitting idle since last black Friday when I pulled the trigger knowing I would be doing a major build this year. It is a RLSS R6i skimmer. I chose this one despite their new line of DBi skimmers which use a needle wheel and are slightly more compact. I wanted "tried and true" and this skimmer just got great reviews every time. Plus I got a huge discount which didn't hurt.
Skimmer closeup 2 by choerenz, on FlickrSkimmer RSLL R6i by choerenz, on FlickrYou can see how big it is when compared to a nice bottle of Chardonnay
skimmer with wine bottle 2 by choerenz, on Flickr
Very nice [emoji1303], table is absolutely beautiful. Nice skimmer choice I have heard a lot of good things about those skimmers..
No it’s not wet yet , like I said it’s a slow build. Our second boy changed a lot in our home. As well as still trying to finish schooling so it’s a lot going on right now. Sorry to let you down choss
OP
OP
Patience is a virtue! Take your time, I know it will be a great build.
Yes it is indeed and at times I feel like I no longer have any. Thank you for the encouraging words choss [emoji317][emoji12][emoji14]
Mattres
Active Member
Haha Maybe some mistakes but probably some great ideas to
Sounds like your sorted with the check valve and shouldn't be a problem.
One idea for the hose barb is instead to use a slip to male line fitting. The hose then gets pushed onto the male side thread with a tight stainless hose clamp so it can't pop off. The slip to male fitting I believe will have a inside diameter the same as your pipework instead of like the hose barb where it is much smaller.
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