Hey all,
I will be buying a used 75g reef system next month and this will be my first tank with a sump. I have some questions in regards to plumbing and whatnot. The tank itself is just an aqueon 75 that was drilled by the LFS and has been running for over a year. I am a little worried about seals and everything because this will be the largest tank I have ever owned. I will go through and re-do all the plumbing as it is all soft lines. Any ideal schematics for plumbing a reef tank to ensure that there is minimal noise? I would like to add valves on the return and overflow. Also, I want to add a check valve on the return line in case the pump ever dies.
The sump itself is just a 20L. There are no baffles in it at all, I am thinking I might want to either put baffles in or go with a completely new pre built sump. But at that point, I would be spending a lot more than I would like to for subjective reasons. I have heard that many have had success with baffle-less sumps so I might go that route for most room. My only thing is that I will not have a really good area for ATO. Since the entire 20L will have to drop in water enough to trigger an ATO sensor. So, maybe it is best that I keep the whole left side of the sump open with a filter sock holder on the left and two baffles in the return section? Eventually, perhaps I could add rubble rock and chaeto to the open area of the sump?
Please admire my awful handy work:
Beyond the sump and plumbing situation, I am overall just curious on how I should fill the tank. I plan to create a rock scape and add sand in first. Then, I will fill the entire tank with RODI water over the course of a couple days. Do I just fill both the display and sump up completely and kind of decide where my water line will be in the return section? Will I run into issues where there is a difference in volumetric flow rate between the pump and overflow line? So, one tank is filling quicker than the other? Then do I tune my valves based on that? This process is kind of scary to me. I am very handy but I always feel like my tanks are going to explode at any given moment.
I suppose the overflow line will be a fixed flow rate based on how much water I am supplying to the display. I feel like the only thing that can happen as far as a difference in tank fill rates is my display filling too quick and overflow not being able to evacuate the water quick enough. Should I mark a line on the tank and see if it stays at that line? if its overflowing, choke the valve on the return line?
Any advice would be highly appreciated!
I will be buying a used 75g reef system next month and this will be my first tank with a sump. I have some questions in regards to plumbing and whatnot. The tank itself is just an aqueon 75 that was drilled by the LFS and has been running for over a year. I am a little worried about seals and everything because this will be the largest tank I have ever owned. I will go through and re-do all the plumbing as it is all soft lines. Any ideal schematics for plumbing a reef tank to ensure that there is minimal noise? I would like to add valves on the return and overflow. Also, I want to add a check valve on the return line in case the pump ever dies.
The sump itself is just a 20L. There are no baffles in it at all, I am thinking I might want to either put baffles in or go with a completely new pre built sump. But at that point, I would be spending a lot more than I would like to for subjective reasons. I have heard that many have had success with baffle-less sumps so I might go that route for most room. My only thing is that I will not have a really good area for ATO. Since the entire 20L will have to drop in water enough to trigger an ATO sensor. So, maybe it is best that I keep the whole left side of the sump open with a filter sock holder on the left and two baffles in the return section? Eventually, perhaps I could add rubble rock and chaeto to the open area of the sump?
Please admire my awful handy work:
Beyond the sump and plumbing situation, I am overall just curious on how I should fill the tank. I plan to create a rock scape and add sand in first. Then, I will fill the entire tank with RODI water over the course of a couple days. Do I just fill both the display and sump up completely and kind of decide where my water line will be in the return section? Will I run into issues where there is a difference in volumetric flow rate between the pump and overflow line? So, one tank is filling quicker than the other? Then do I tune my valves based on that? This process is kind of scary to me. I am very handy but I always feel like my tanks are going to explode at any given moment.
I suppose the overflow line will be a fixed flow rate based on how much water I am supplying to the display. I feel like the only thing that can happen as far as a difference in tank fill rates is my display filling too quick and overflow not being able to evacuate the water quick enough. Should I mark a line on the tank and see if it stays at that line? if its overflowing, choke the valve on the return line?
Any advice would be highly appreciated!