Questions:

[14gtr14]

I thought it would be best keeping them all in the one topic instead of starting new ones for them all.

Sooo, I am away to uni in just over a year's time so I've decided I may as well sell my 4 foot tropical, sell my tropicals altogether in fact! And begin concentrating on a nice reef tank that I can take with me! At the mo, I'm planning to build an 18" cube (25ish gallon) reef. It'll be set up in mid to late July and will be rimmless/braceless.

Will 8mm glass be fine or will it need to be 10mm?

I now have a spare 15 gallon (2x1x1) that I could use as a sump/fuge. I hate all the hardware-in-the-tank-look so I would like to drill the fittings in the tank, but tbh i'm not sure on how to plan the plumbing for the sump and tank. The plumbing can't come out the base of the tank but can come out at the bottom of the back. One thing I'm scared of is the horror stories of the tank water syphoning onto the floor in powercuts so I would hate to plumb it wrongly that this happens! I know how I'm going to design the sump (3 compartments: inlet; refugium/macro algae//cryptic zone; output pump), but just the plumbing gets me just now!

I've ordered a 3000lph inline/submersible pump for the tank. Is this overkill?

I also have a lurvly Arcadia 3 series mini pendant 150w Metal Halide that, I must say, was a steal at £70!!

Also, any recomendations on live rock suppliers?? I don't want mega expensive stuff and LFS are too expensive at £10+ a kilo!


cheers,


Greg

 

[SkiFletch]

Dunno about the glass. As for the pump, do you have the pressure/flow curve for it? While it's maximum flowrate is 3000lph at no head pressure, once you try and push water up 3-4 feet, the flowrate will be significantly less. Gotta have the curve to find out for sure . You'd be looking for a return pump doing around 500gph (2000lph) at around 4-5 feet of head. If you design the plumbing properly, siphons are not a problem.

For LR, check classifieds and ebay... Keep a lookout for someone breaking down their tank

 

[14gtr14]

The sump'll be around 3 ft below the display tank. I bought the larger pump to help compensate for the loss. Didn't think it'd be -1000lph though!

Any ideas on main tank plumbing? I've been on melevsreef, all I can find is DIY overflow boxes and the actual sumps.

 

[AK77]

Hi mate,

8mm glass should be absolutely fine. My Juwel Rio 180 is either 6mm or 8mm glass (101x50x40cm), so 18" cube should be no probs.

AK

 

[SkiFletch]

If you want to drill the bottom of the tank, lookup Durso Standpipe on google. And if you'd rather drill the back of the tank, lookup whats known as a Calfo Overflow. These will allow water down into the sump and prevent siphon on the drain side. Then on the return side, you have two measures of safety. First, a check valve to physically stop water from flowing back into the tank. And second, drill two small holes (in case a snail crawls over one) in the return piping just below the water line. That way if the check valve fails, the display tank only drains to the level of the holes before they break siphon

 

[14gtr14]

8mm glass should be absolutely fine. My Juwel Rio 180 is either 6mm or 8mm glass (101x50x40cm), so 18" cube should be no probs.

Great, thanks!


What happens if the power comes back on though Ski? Surely the syphon won't restart?

 

[AK77]

If you've got the back drilled, then the syphon should begin again as soon as the power comes back on, because the pump in the sump should begin to raise the water level in the display tank. Check out www.dursostandpipes.com for info on the dursos. You could also go for a hang on weir/overflow box. I think virtually all of those remain primed in a power cut nowadays, so that when the pump comes back on, it just resumes as normal, rather than flood your room.

**Edit**

I saw on ebay a vendor in Scotland selling live rock for £7.99 per kilo. If you order less than 10 kilos, its £9.99 delivery on top. 10KG or more and you get free delivery.

 

[14gtr14]

DO you think this would work?

 

[SkiFletch]

That's almoast right. The only suggestion I'd have is to pipe the return back up just below the surface with two small holes drilled there. That way if your check valve fails, air gets in the return pipe and breks the siphon there. You can angle the pipes down deeper in the tank if you want via more pipe, loc-line, or similar if you want, but its important to have that anti siphon safety there cause eventually a checkvalve will fail.

 

[14gtr14]

OK, a new question!

How much silicone will I need for an 18" cube (8mm thick) + maybe another 30" altogether?

On ebay there is 310 ml clear silicone for £5 Will 2 tubes do?

Also, live sand. Some people say it's a con others say it's necessary! Who to believe?? I like the look of live sand better, but I just want some opinions.

 

[AK77]

Hi,

I would have thought 2 tubes should do both tanks. I'd also invest in some corner clamps too if you haven't already got some. Rubber tipped ones would be best, although you can just slip something like cardboard infront of the plate so that it doesn't mark the glass.

AK

 

[Discus]

Hi 14gtr14
I'm of to uni to is it ok to have a tank in you room? , or are to not staying on campus?. I was going to leave mine in my brothers capable hands .

Oh and were are you going?? and what are you doing??

Ollie

 

[14gtr14]

Hi,

I would have thought 2 tubes should do both tanks. I'd also invest in some corner clamps too if you haven't already got some. Rubber tipped ones would be best, although you can just slip something like cardboard infront of the plate so that it doesn't mark the glass.

AK

Bought a corner clamp at the market the other day. Was £2 for the one. I'll use cardboard or bike tyre inner tubes. Should be fine! Cheers for the heads up anyways!

Hi 14gtr14
I'm of to uni to is it ok to have a tank in you room? , or are to not staying on campus?. I was going to leave mine in my brothers capable hands .

Oh and were are you going?? and what are you doing??

Em, tbh I dunno, but I'm banking on it! I'll stay in the halls for the first year I think. Then get a flat. Dunno about your other two questions yet! Probably Aberdeen, St Andrews, Glasgow, Dundee, Newcastle or maybe Edinburgh. Studying most probably Engineering, Medicine, or some form of Biology! Thinking about going into the RAF maybe, if my results are fooked up...only if all these goddamn wars calm it though! I would looove to fly fighters: just big, expensive, boys toys!

 

[14gtr14]

Slight adjustment to my ideas:

The overflow at the back will be 6" long x 2.5" wide x 18" height. If this hangs over the back of the stand with no support underneath will it be ok? will i need some level of support? Will a durso standpipe fit in this? I think it will, but jsut need a littl bit of backup !

 

[SkiFletch]

Internal or external? Acrylic or glass?