First Test fire of my light system 4-400w 14k Hamiltons

[LFS42]

Looks good Steve.
I going to show the pics to the wife, mabey I can get her to finish the basement.


How is the finish date looking?

 

[steve F]

Hi Jeff,

HEY post some new pics on you web page, LOL.

I will let you know if the air exchanger does the trick. Ill bet they make them in stainless steel, but for now im going to put silicone on the surface. It was a pain trying to put the light system up by myself. I was trying to put 1/4" x 4" lag bolts in and the dam things kept breaking off even with a pilot hole. I west to 3/8 and that did the trick. I figured ill have to clean the room once in awhile, with all the salt flying aournd.

Ill keep you posted.


LFS--Well im hoping to get all the part So I can plumb the system next weekend, get the air exchanger by the next. Im still hoping for the 1st of april. You and you wife will have to come over and see it.

Steve
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Mercedes Benz T2

 

[LA-Lawman]

Hey steve,

The motorized ball valves? are the stainless or plastic and are they like a sprinkler solenoid? What controlls them and where do you get them?

-ben

 

[GSchiemer]

Yes they are for 2 criss crossing closed loops. 1 intake in the each side going to to 2 returns on the other. Changing every 2 mins or so by motorized ball valves.

I will have about 6 ports coming off of each return with pvc. So I will have 24 port or so changing from 12 to the other 12. No powerhead in this tank.

The hard part will be hiding all the ports with LR.


WOW my fish room is a tanning salon now 8O 8O 8O

Steve

I'm not a fan of placing pump inlets down low in the aquarium. I've seen too many problems with that setup. First question is how are you going to keep the inlets clean and clear after the rocks are in place? Even if you maintain access to them, do you really want to reach down into the tank every few days to clear those things? Can you even reach them by hand? And how do you keep sand and mobile invertebrates from getting sucked into the pump or onto the inlet when the pump suddenly turns on? And the biggest reason not to place bulkheads below the water line: leaks! In the event of a leak, the whole tank drains! You also can't repair minor leaks or replace the bulkheads without draining the aquarium. Remember that the bulkhead doesn't have to leak. Any leak on the input side of the pump has the potential to drain the tank. True union valves and check valves can help, but they enevitably fail after a few years and can't be guaranteed to hold back water. You can be sure of that.

Other than that, it looks like a great setup.

Greg

 

[steve F]

Ben---Well there are a few different types. There are Spears, Hayward and Jandy that I know of.

Spears and Haywards you can get if you do a search on www.customaquatics.com and are 389.00 a set(valve and actuator) ouch.

I picked up 2 sets of jandys valves at a swap meet(new) for alot less.

Billzie on this reef group can get you some sets for around $200 a set I think, PM him to be sure, They are around 249-269 on most internet sights.

Here is a pic of the valve and actuator. Now this one is 24v. I bought a 120v to 24v transformer and will put them on timers or relays or still figuring that one out, LOL

Steve
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Vision insurance Forum

 

[steve F]

Yes it is true that if there were major leaks you would have a problem. But if you buy the correct supplies(sch 80 bulk heads, in pic) and seal the closed loop correctly with the right glues I dont see having a problem.

I just changes all my galanized plumbing in the house to CVPC and same thing there, if I fail to glue something right my whole basement floods.

I also will be putting in strainers like jeff did in the tank and also will be putting in these Y-strainers on the intake before it hits the pumps.

http://www.ipexinc.com/download/pdf/ipex_rv_valves.pdf

now granted the strainer will not keep the small particals from going through but it will stop the larger stuff(snails from hitting the pump.

Mytank is only 24" high, so if all 3 strainers get clogged, then it will not be more than 1 min to clean them.

If you look at the tank of jeffs you will have to make a cross with 3 inlets so a fish or whatever will not get sucked in like if yu only had 1.

Also I will have these on 24/7. Jeff has been doing this for over 1 year with no problems.

But I do understand were your coming from

Steve
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Ferrari GT4

 

[GSchiemer]

LA--yes I will ahve to cover up the metal with something or rust here it comes.

Jason as for the 2 closed loops here is a pic (from Jeef hoods web page of what mind will look like)

Steve

I hate to dampen everyone's enthusiasm, but a setup like this is an accident waiting to happen. In addition to being unnecessary, IMO, it's a recipe for disaster. What happens when the power goes out (and it will one day)? What's to stop the whole tank from back-siphoning and draining onto the floor? Check valves, you say? Right! Check valves don't work. They will fail at some point in time, even if you try to remember to clean them weekly. All you need is a grain of sand, a piece of precipitated calcium, and the tank will empty onto the floor.
Oh, and how can you possibly clean the inlets after the live rock is in place?!
Personally, I wouldn't sleep at night if my tank were plumbed like the one in the picture.

Greg

 

[steve F]

Greg

These are closed loops, If the power goes out it just sits there, the water has nowhere to go.. The water goes out and right back in for circulation. My overflow is used for the sump and refugium and etc.

As for cleaning, thats why I went 30" front to back. I will not be aquascaping a rock wall up the back.


Steve
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Honda CB1000

 

[GSchiemer]

Greg

These are closed loops, If the power goes out it just sits there, the water has nowhere to go.. The water goes out and right back in for circulation. My overflow is used for the sump and refugium and etc.

As for cleaning, thats why I went 30" front to back. I will not be aquascaping a rock wall up the back.


Steve

That makes them a little safer, but doesn't address a leak in the plumbing, easily changing or cleaning the pump, replacing faulty valves, etc. I still think a loop through a sump with plumbing coming over the top and returning through an overflow box is a better alternative (more efficient, safer and easily plumbed). Water flow blasting through holes in the rockwork intermittently is not a good way to move water through the aquarium, IMO.

Greg

 

[steve F]

As for the cleaning/changing of the pump, true union ball vales on each side. In 10 year I have not heard of one ball valve that failed(im sure there are a few, but)

As for the circulation, there is no way of getting 6000g per hour though my overflow.

How do you move the water around the tank. Circulation must be all over not just the top and front of the tank. It needs to be in all areas of the tank.

Just curious?

Steve
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apollomist

 

[GSchiemer]

As for the cleaning/changing of the pump, true union ball vales on each side. In 10 year I have not heard of one ball valve that failed(im sure there are a few, but)

As for the circulation, there is no way of getting 6000g per hour though my overflow.

How do you move the water around the tank. Circulation must be all over not just the top and front of the tank. It needs to be in all areas of the tank.

Just curious?

Steve

I can write a book of stories on failed ball valves, check valves, etc. Believe me, it happens, especially under reef aquarium conditions. I have a few Hayward Sch. 80 ball valves in my plumbing right now that aren't working properly (one leaks and a few don't turn off and on completely any longer).

If you can move 3000 to 4000 gph through your reef properly, that's plenty of flow for even the most demanding SPS corals. In my 500 gallon reef, I use a 3/4 HP Sequence pump that pushes approximately 5000 gph through 4 returns that come over the back of the aquarium. I have 3/4 inch loc-line pipe at the end of each return. I can easily direct the current so that I get random water movement throughout the aquarium.

After doing this for many years I've become a great believer in keeping things simple and fail-safe, and even then things go wrong.

Greg

 

[steve F]

Hi Greg,

I do believe you on being safer and yes there are always possiblity of things failing, but I wanted movement in every area of the tank and I wanted no power heads.

Do you have any pics of your tank, Id like to see a few.

1) How do you get movement under and in back on the tank?

2) How many and what size drain lines do you have in your overflow to get 5000g through there?

3)If you point those returns down would it stir up the Sand bed(if you have one)

Sorry for all the questions, but I like to get as much knowledge and detail as possible.

Steve
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Colt Roberts

 

[GSchiemer]

Hi Greg,

I do believe you on being safer and yes there are always possiblity of things failing, but I wanted movement in every area of the tank and I wanted no power heads.

Do you have any pics of your tank, Id like to see a few.

1) How do you get movement under and in back on the tank?

2) How many and what size drain lines do you have in your overflow to get 5000g through there?

3)If you point those returns down would it stir up the Sand bed(if you have one)

Sorry for all the questions, but I like to get as much knowledge and detail as possible.

Steve

Here's a picture of my aquarium from a few years ago. I believe all the valves worked back then.

There's plenty of movement around all the rockwork without pointing a return there. Moving 5000 gph through four 3/4" returns creates a lot of movement throughout the whole aquarium in a random fashion. I originally had two Sea Swirls but found that I got better water movement without them.

I have two 1 1/2" drains in my overflow box. They handle the flow well enough.

I have a sand bed and it gets moved a little in certain places, but it's not a big deal. The returns are pointing slightly down and they criss-cross each other. This reduces the direct current and increases random currents. I had to play with them a while to get it right, but that's easy to do with the loc-line pipe. Fixed returns give you no flexibility.

Greg

 

[LA-Lawman]

Greg, I may have posted this before... Did you feature your tank building in the marine and reef Anual a few years back?

 

[Marcosreef]

Greetings,

Steve you have a nice setup in the works. Looks very well thought out. I am also glad to see fellow reefers share their experiences with each other (good or bad). This helps everyone learn better ways to enjoy our hobby.

I wish you well.

Marco

 

[GSchiemer]

Greg, I may have posted this before... Did you feature your tank building in the marine and reef Anual a few years back?

I did write an article for one of Fancy Publications "Marine Reef Annuals" a number of years ago that featured the construction of my reef aquarium.

Greg

 

[steve F]

Thanks Marco,

I to like everyones input, good or bad.

I do understand what Greg is saying, But I will agree to dis-agree on that subject.

Yes it has been a fun project. I have had reefs for along time(not for the last 2 years) and Im just taking my time and getting alot of input.

Thanks everyone for your coments.

Steve
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Mortgage life insurance Forum

 

[LA-Lawman]

Greg, I may have posted this before... Did you feature your tank building in the marine and reef Anual a few years back?

I did write an article for one of Fancy Publications "Marine Reef Annuals" a number of years ago that featured the construction of my reef aquarium.

Greg

I thought so. Those I beams are so familiar..... Nice tank man. Do you have a website so that the rest of us can awe over your 500g tank?

 

[GSchiemer]

I thought so. Those I beams are so familiar..... Nice tank man. Do you have a website so that the rest of us can awe over your 500g tank?

No website yet. No time yet.

Greg

 

[Nathan1]

Where'd you get the 14K Hamilton's from?

How do they compare to the 20K Radium, colour-wise?

How do they compare to the 10K Ushio/AB bulbs brightness-wise?

-Nathan