Lost in the RedSea... but building soon anyway

[Spartan1218]

I'll have some images for you to take a look at that I am putting together really horribly in Powerpoint. I'm about to just build a network diagram using my work icons. This looks awful.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

Get us some pics and we can help. I ran into the same issue when I put my new sump under the dualing 180s. But managed to find a spot for the uv.

 

[Spartan1218]

It's likely to be a few different images. I went for units where possible that were overflow to cut down on the required plumbing (like the Torq Gen 2 and UKS-180). I won the ultra reef skimmer in the partner raffle this year, but they wound up sending me a bigger model. I really hope that it works for my tank because I have heard a number of times that using a skimmer too big for your setup can cause it not to skim much or anything at all.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

It's likely to be a few different images. I went for units where possible that were overflow to cut down on the required plumbing (like the Torq Gen 2 and UKS-180). I won the ultra reef skimmer in the partner raffle this year, but they wound up sending me a bigger model. I really hope that it works for my tank because I have heard a number of times that using a skimmer too big for your setup can cause it not to skim much or anything at all.

I run larger skimmers on all of my systems. Trick will be tuning it. I tune mine to where it should be a wet skim, but due to over size, it ends up dry skim. That is what I want, so no big deal. The skimmers just end with the unbles popping in the neck of the cup, instead of below it. If you want wet, you just have to set it up so the bubbles pop a little higher up in the neck. Takes a bit of time, but super easy to get tuned.

 

[Spartan1218]

OK, good to know. I have absolutely no preference aside from it working as it should. Other than that, I don't care if it serves me breakfast.

 

[F i s h y]

Checking in. Also happy to help. Thnx @Erin O for the tag. Love meeting new reefers and helping enable

 

[Spartan1218]

Removed filter sock area and cleaned it up. Was careful not to dig at the seams that matter. Also got the ATO entirely out of the way. Filled it about halfway with water and let it sit to check it for any unfortunate misfires. Everything looks good. No water creep at all and I am ready to put in that Clarisea once I get my replacement. I literally have no idea what I am doing

 

[Erin O]

How are things progressing over here? Did you get the plumbing figured out?

 

[Spartan1218]

How are things progressing over here? Did you get the plumbing figured out?

Still working on the layout. I wasn't able to everything done and inplace for water before my surgery yesterday. It'll be a few weeks before I am able to get back to it . I have most of the plumbing parts worked out now at least, but I am still struggling with where I will put the UV and reservoir since they don't fit in the cabinet. I wish I had just a bit more space to work with.

 

[Spartan1218]

I just wanted to give a bit of an update. I have everything I need for the tank build and I have been able to put together some of the new plumbing. I replaced the stock diaphragm valve from RedSea with a Cepex Gate valve and converted the piping to 1" from the existing metric pipes. I have also managed to find the other adaptors for my return of 3/4" to the stock return pipe.

A bit more work on the plumbing includes a T-fitting for the UV sterilizer into the return. I will have a pump setup for the UV that will feed into the return line. I know it is easier to dump it back into the sump near the return pump, but I keep reading that I shouldn't do that, so I am plumbing it into the return. I am putting a check valve on both pumps so that they won't back up into the sump if they quit working.

With all that said, I am 2 weeks post surgery and still pretty handicapped. I can't get around very well and I certainly can't get down on my hands and knees right now because the surgical site is in a cast now. I'm supposed to have it off in a few weeks, so I should be able to get back to work around the 2nd week of Jan (right before my next surgery). A little at a time. I'll get there but I won't be able to get there fast unfortunately.

It's been cold this week and I'm in a cast. I have to wear a ski sock on the end of my foot to stay warm. This is my new, totally not a Russian spy, friend Vladimir Berelovich.

 

[fishguy242]

hi ,hope for a speedy recovery...
you have time, but i have never ran uv back through return line.
think could possibly draw too fast ??
normally pick up in 1st chamber ,out to return pump chamber...
@Eagle_Steve ,thoughts ??

 

[Spartan1218]

I'm absolutely up for any guidance. I had just read and heard from the BRS folks that I should do it that way. I haven't actually done it yet so I'm happy to do whatever I need to. It's so hard to know how to do some of this stuff because you can research it for days and find 20 different ways that people say you should do it.

In case it matters, I am running the UV for parasites at low flow. Thank you!

 

[Eagle_Steve]

hi ,hope for a speedy recovery...
you have time, but i have never ran uv back through return line.
think could possibly draw too fast ??
normally pick up in 1st chamber ,out to return pump chamber...
@Eagle_Steve ,thoughts ??

Any tank I have ever run UV on, where the UV pulled from the sump, was pull from right below drain with a pump and then dump in return section. Additional, I have run them where they pull from the overflow and run back into the DT. I prefer the sump for placement and pulling like described above. That is just me though lol.

Like the OP said, there are a 100 ways to do it, and in reality, no one way is really wrong or right.

 

[Spartan1218]

Any tank I have ever run UV on, where the UV pulled from the sump, was pull from right below drain with a pump and then dump in return section. Additional, I have run them where they pull from the overflow and run back into the DT. I prefer the sump for placement and pulling like described above. That is just me though lol.

Like the OP said, there are a 100 ways to do it, and in reality, no one way is really wrong or right.

The way you describe seems easier. I am definitely ok with that. Thank you much for the input!

One question is do we care that the water sent to UV would essentially skip all filtration?

 

[fishguy242]

kinda, but not necessary,i have done both,
prefer filter skimmer chamber first,
cleaner water to nuke...

 

[Eagle_Steve]

The way you describe seems easier. I am definitely ok with that. Thank you much for the input!

One question is do we care that the water sent to UV would essentially skip all filtration?

When I ran UV, I was running filter socks also. So the water was picked up after them and possibly after skimmer for some of it. The skimmer in my setups is always in the drain area before the fuge. If you had a fuge, you could also dump it in there and use that flow to push a little flow through the macro.