Night Howler Frag Tank Build

OP
OP
N1tew0lf1212

N1tew0lf1212

...Cronies Secretary...
View Badges
Joined
Apr 9, 2022
Messages
4,520
Reaction score
23,610
Location
Loveland
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Caulk your baffles from the inside out. To get caulk in between baffles, I normally either A- set your tape lines, precaulk then squish the baffle into the caulk and tool the excess onto the tape, pull tape. Or B- using zip ties attach some clear 1/2” tubing to extend your caulking tip’s reach.
You got this bro!
I have enough clearance to do injection on the silicone for baffles and so far have been getting my free hand down so might wing it good idea with the tubing for hard to reach areas didnt think of that thanks bro....
 

Lost in the Sauce

BANGERANG!!!!
View Badges
Joined
Feb 10, 2021
Messages
18,889
Reaction score
91,536
Location
Southern California
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Sock chamber will be direct feed from overflow and dig the bigger fuge idea kinda why i made clearance to put skimmer in front of sock chamber. Fuge skimmer return was keeping basic i was going to have reactors to and from feeding into fuge or should i have reactors fed into return chamber? Dosing lines........? Where should i put dosing lines into fuge? Or should i put those into a diff. Chamber as well.
Direct feed makes sense.

I wouldn't necessarily worry about dosing line placements on your initial setup. You will want them to be you in a turbulent flow area and you might not know where the best one is until you've got it flowing.
 
OP
OP
N1tew0lf1212

N1tew0lf1212

...Cronies Secretary...
View Badges
Joined
Apr 9, 2022
Messages
4,520
Reaction score
23,610
Location
Loveland
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Direct feed makes sense.

I wouldn't necessarily worry about dosing line placements on your initial setup. You will want them to be you in a turbulent flow area and you might not know where the best one is until you've got it flowing.
Is that same for reactors will have a gfo and carbon....
 
OP
OP
N1tew0lf1212

N1tew0lf1212

...Cronies Secretary...
View Badges
Joined
Apr 9, 2022
Messages
4,520
Reaction score
23,610
Location
Loveland
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
You doing separate supply lines to two different canisters for the GFO/carbon ya?
Yes sir i am there is going to be 4 lines coming off of manifold one for gfo and one for carbon other two will sit dormant unless needed for something in the future.
 

Lost in the Sauce

BANGERANG!!!!
View Badges
Joined
Feb 10, 2021
Messages
18,889
Reaction score
91,536
Location
Southern California
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Yes sir i am there is going to be 4 lines coming off of manifold one for gfo and one for carbon other two will sit dormant unless needed for something in the future.
You can feed them both off of one and a T and use a valve on the exhaust side later if you need an extra manifold drop.
 

Projects with Sam

5000 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 2, 2021
Messages
6,749
Reaction score
27,055
Location
Western Springs, IL
Rating - 100%
3   0   0
I don't want to put the breaks on things but you're going to have to stay on-top of your sock because if it fills it'll go over all the sides, not just the in-board sides. I'd take the opportunity to cut that out and reset it lower before the silicone really sets up.
 
OP
OP
N1tew0lf1212

N1tew0lf1212

...Cronies Secretary...
View Badges
Joined
Apr 9, 2022
Messages
4,520
Reaction score
23,610
Location
Loveland
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I don't want to put the breaks on things but you're going to have to stay on-top of your sock because if it fills it'll go over all the sides, not just the in-board sides. I'd take the opportunity to cut that out and reset it lower before the silicone really sets up.
Could i drill emergency holes in the acrylic for if it flows over it could have access to flow past the sock?
 

Projects with Sam

5000 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 2, 2021
Messages
6,749
Reaction score
27,055
Location
Western Springs, IL
Rating - 100%
3   0   0
That would work! I thought it was glass. If the plate with the hole for the sock is acrylic and you can drill holes big enough for full-flow drainage (I guess (4) 1/2" - 3/4" holes in the quadrants around the sock) then that'll work great. just careful drilling. Is that cast or extruded acrylic?

I used to get old HDPE cutting boards from goodwill / IKEA for my sock holding plates in my early sumps because I was too cheap to buy cast acrylic and I didn't know how to drill extruded without cracking it.
 
Last edited:
OP
OP
N1tew0lf1212

N1tew0lf1212

...Cronies Secretary...
View Badges
Joined
Apr 9, 2022
Messages
4,520
Reaction score
23,610
Location
Loveland
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
That would work! I thought it was glass. If the plate with the hole for the sock is acrylic and you can drill holes big enough for full-flow drainage (I guess (4) 1/2" - 3/4" holes in the quadrants around the sock) then that'll work great. just careful drilling. Is that cast or extruded acrylic?
I know it can be drilled i cut the sock hole with a hole saw bit. And sounds good. I am going to be drilling in the am.....kept the holder acrylic just in case cause of reasons like this lol....first time sump builder and owner so working through it as i go lol.....
 

Lost in the Sauce

BANGERANG!!!!
View Badges
Joined
Feb 10, 2021
Messages
18,889
Reaction score
91,536
Location
Southern California
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I don't want to put the breaks on things but you're going to have to stay on-top of your sock because if it fills it'll go over all the sides, not just the in-board sides. I'd take the opportunity to cut that out and reset it lower before the silicone really sets up.
Good catch. I thought the front two sides facing the sump were even with the top plate.
 
OP
OP
N1tew0lf1212

N1tew0lf1212

...Cronies Secretary...
View Badges
Joined
Apr 9, 2022
Messages
4,520
Reaction score
23,610
Location
Loveland
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Good catch. I thought the front two sides facing the sump were even with the top plate.
Yea wasnt thinking i made it recessed didnt really think about it but glad someone said something....
 
OP
OP
N1tew0lf1212

N1tew0lf1212

...Cronies Secretary...
View Badges
Joined
Apr 9, 2022
Messages
4,520
Reaction score
23,610
Location
Loveland
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Yea wasnt thinking i made it recessed didnt really think about it but glad someone said something....
This is why i called on the pros you guys rock thanks for all the good constructive criticism. It is much appreciated.....
 
OP
OP
N1tew0lf1212

N1tew0lf1212

...Cronies Secretary...
View Badges
Joined
Apr 9, 2022
Messages
4,520
Reaction score
23,610
Location
Loveland
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Decided to just drill it real quick 5.... 1/2in holes on top will that do the trick
 

Attachments

  • 20220917_214336.jpg
    20220917_214336.jpg
    111.9 KB · Views: 37

Projects with Sam

5000 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 2, 2021
Messages
6,749
Reaction score
27,055
Location
Western Springs, IL
Rating - 100%
3   0   0
This is why i called on the pros you guys rock thanks for all the good constructive criticism. It is much appreciated.....
I learned that the hard way. I am just grateful I had a floor drain for all my learning experiences. Also helped it was all freshwater so not the same kind of $$ at stake!

I found that using the glass crayons my kids had to draw my design on the side of the tank helpful. Then I would sit back with some macroalgae and stare at it and think of the water paths and what happens if stuff clogs.

bad [freshwater] sump but good example of the drawing on the side. It filtered and polished well but was a pain to change the media/clean.
IMG_8800.JPG
this was a better one:
image0.jpeg
 
Last edited:
OP
OP
N1tew0lf1212

N1tew0lf1212

...Cronies Secretary...
View Badges
Joined
Apr 9, 2022
Messages
4,520
Reaction score
23,610
Location
Loveland
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I learned that the hard way. I am just grateful I had a floor drain for all my learning experiences. Also helped it was all freshwater so not the same kind of $$ at stake!

I found that using the glass crayons my kids had to draw my design on the side of the tank helpful. Then I would sit back with some macroalgae and stare at it and think of the water paths and what happens if stuff clogs.

bad [freshwater] sump but good example of the drawing on the side. It filtered and polished well but was a pain to change the media/clean.
IMG_8800.JPG
this was a better one:
image0.jpeg
Thats an awesome idea
 
OP
OP
N1tew0lf1212

N1tew0lf1212

...Cronies Secretary...
View Badges
Joined
Apr 9, 2022
Messages
4,520
Reaction score
23,610
Location
Loveland
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Well got after it and got the sump coned up skimmer on the way and pump as well. Super stoked at this point next up custom ato to match the sump.....
 

Attachments

  • 20220921_105105.jpg
    20220921_105105.jpg
    175.4 KB · Views: 22
  • 20220921_105111.jpg
    20220921_105111.jpg
    149.4 KB · Views: 18
  • 20220921_105115.jpg
    20220921_105115.jpg
    169.1 KB · Views: 17
  • 20220921_105123.jpg
    20220921_105123.jpg
    141.5 KB · Views: 18
  • 20220921_105138.jpg
    20220921_105138.jpg
    158.7 KB · Views: 26
Back
Top