Help

[cristianD2000]

I'm new to the hobby and need help setting up the sump and plumbing. It's a 125g tank. I live in Aberdeen, MD. if anyone is available this week please text me at 4437799498. Thanks.

 

[JumboShrimp]

If you take more of a left to right sequence of about 4-6 photos, instead of just the two, people here can probably talk you through it. Looks like you already have a good amount of ‘infrastructure.’ (Out of curiosity, how is the water staying in the tank in its present plumbing condition.)

 

[cristianD2000]

If you take more of a left to right sequence of about 4-6 photos, instead of just the two, people here can probably talk you through it. Looks like you already have a good amount of ‘infrastructure.’ (Out of curiosity, how is the water staying in the tank in its present plumbing condition.)

Thanks for the reply. All the valves are closed so no water is coming into the pump. I have two wavemakers running for flow. The live rock is from the same tank. One of the rocks has GSP on it and they came back to life after 4 weeks in a bin that had a heater and wavemaker. The rest of the coral and rock is in my 36g tank doing well the past 4 weeks.

 

[cristianD2000]

Here are better pics. If someone can walk me through it that would be great. I can also do video call if that is ok. Thanks

 

[JumboShrimp]

Soooooooo, let’s take this slowly. Is this where you are starting out? If so, it looks like you have decent ‘bones’ to work with. I can probably give you some suggestions and get you up running, but mine will be the K.I.S.S. method— very workable but nothing fancy...

First question: Are all 4 down-pipes draining water ‘from’ the tank? Or are two output drains and two ‘return’ pipes?

PS: What is your skill level— did you put that together or did you inherit it as-is?

 

[cristianD2000]

Soooooooo, let’s take this slowly. Is this where you are starting out? If so, it looks like you have decent ‘bones’ to work with. I can probably give you some suggestions and get you up running, but mine will be the K.I.S.S. method— very workable but nothing fancy...

First question: Are all 4 down-pipes draining water ‘from’ the tank? Or are two output drains and two ‘return’ pipes?

PS: What is your skill level— did you put that together or did you inherit it as-is?

I inherit the tank. This is what the original owner told me. "The small pipe is the pump pipe .. And the pump should go all the way on the right side of the tank if you're looking at it straight on. You're going to have to go to Home Depot or your local hardware store and get some more pipe with the union to hook up all the way on the right side the small". it's supposed to designed for only one return pump which I have.

 

[cristianD2000]

Soooooooo, let’s take this slowly. Is this where you are starting out? If so, it looks like you have decent ‘bones’ to work with. I can probably give you some suggestions and get you up running, but mine will be the K.I.S.S. method— very workable but nothing fancy...

First question: Are all 4 down-pipes draining water ‘from’ the tank? Or are two output drains and two ‘return’ pipes?

PS: What is your skill level— did you put that together or did you inherit it as-is?

I've never ran a tank with sump. I've had my 36g saltwater tank since August. No issues with coral and skimmer runs well.

 

[JumboShrimp]

That pump will work just fine. I’m a bit of a night owl— I’ll be glad to help you (post something) late tonight. Meanwhile, could you give me a couple of top-down photos of your pipe work... so I can see what you have going on up top?

(Example above)

 

[JumboShrimp]

And if you don’t already have a pair of these babies, you will want to buy/borrow a pair. Cuts PVC like butter! Lol.

 

[cristianD2000]

And if you don’t already have a pair of these babies, you will want to buy/borrow a pair. Cuts PVC like butter! Lol.

I have some

 

[Captain Quint]

................(Out of curiosity, how is the water staying in the tank in its present plumbing condition.)

All the ball valves are closed would be the reason.

 

[Captain Quint]

Here are better pics. If someone can walk me through it that would be great. I can also do video call if that is ok. Thanks

It is a 'down and dirty' sensible, easy plumb. How may we help?

 

[cristianD2000]

That pump will work just fine. I’m a bit of a night owl— I’ll be glad to help you (post something) late tonight. Meanwhile, could you give me a couple of top-down photos of your pipe work... so I can see what you have going on up top?

(Example above)

Here you go

 

[JumboShrimp]

Thanks! I’ll be able to help you for sure with that. Later, alligator!

 

[Captain Quint]

I'm new to the hobby and need help setting up the sump and plumbing. It's a 125g tank. I live in Aberdeen, MD. if anyone is available this week please text me at 4437799498. Thanks.

I wish we were close by. This would be a fun plumb job.

Are you wanting to replace the older long sections which more than likely contain some bad juju? If so it would be easy.

If not replacing you can simply clean them by removing the long sections and clean them as you would the barrel of a rifle with towels/washcloths soaked with vinegar and ramrods from a couple of lengths of smaller PVC to clean them out and rinse with a hose.

It would be fun.

 

[JumboShrimp]

@Captain Quint — laughing about the ball valves being closed! I had a brain-freeze wondering ‘who would have a nice looking tank full of water and rock and dead plumbing underneath? What kind of strange 3rd-dimension world of suspended animation IS this?!’ Lol

 

[cristianD2000]

I wish we were close by. This would be a fun plumb job.

Are you wanting to replace the older long sections which more than likely contain some bad juju? If so it would be easy.

If not replacing you can simply clean them by removing the long sections and clean them as you would the barrel of a rifle with towels/washcloths soaked with vinegar and ramrods from a couple of lengths of smaller PVC to clean them out and rinse with a hose.

It would be fun.

I wasnt thinking about replacing but it makes sense to start fresh. I bet the insides of those pipes are stained pretty bad. The guy did run a nice tank. This is how it looked before tearing it down.

 

[Captain Quint]

@Captain Quint — laughing about the ball valves being closed! I had a brain-freeze wondering ‘who would have a nice looking tank full of water and rock and dead plumbing underneath? What kind of strange 3rd-dimension world of suspended animation IS this?!’ Lol

I have them all the time my friend. lol.

 

[cristianD2000]

I wish we were close by. This would be a fun plumb job.

Are you wanting to replace the older long sections which more than likely contain some bad juju? If so it would be easy.

If not replacing you can simply clean them by removing the long sections and clean them as you would the barrel of a rifle with towels/washcloths soaked with vinegar and ramrods from a couple of lengths of smaller PVC to clean them out and rinse with a hose.

It would be fun.

How far do you live?

 

[Captain Quint]

I wasnt thinking about replacing but it makes sense to start fresh. I bet the insides of those pipes are stained pretty bad. The guy did run a nice tank. This is how it looked before tearing it down.

It would be cheap and easy to replace and much more of a healthy start for sure. And, if used for quite some time before you inherited the tank the PVC could be pretty brittle by now. I'm certain the 'up & down joints' are fine. It is the longer sections which tend to become compromised.

BTW. I think my old eyes spy a military uniform brother of arms. Thanks for serving if my eyes see correctly.