Problems / Solutions
And now is the most important post for all of you who read it. The most important reason why everybody should read a DIY threads is to learn on everybody's mistakes and not to do them again.
Here are few that really got me worried when i first turned turned on my system.
My refugium, last chamber before the sump, makes a lot of noise
It makes noise because water level in return area is low, and the water current is pretty high. This causes water to fly out of the combed ridges and fall down with noise. Few possible solutions could be implemented: increase the spacing between the teeth in the comb to relieve the pressure, eliminate combs completely, or prevent it from shooting out and direct the flow towards the plexiglass. I used flossed sponge and now the water hitting the sponge and trickling down the wall therefore noise is eliminated. I'll update the thread if i decide to go with more radical solution or whether new ideas will pop up.
My CPR overflow makes a lot of noise.
Given the fact that my pipe is 2 inches in diameter, there is a lot of air and turbulence inside the pipe. That creates a lot of noise, and CPR vent tubes do not seem to do much difference (probably because overflow was not designed to accommodate such thick pipe). One idea of mine is to modify vent tubes: makes them thicker, make them longer or both. another idea is to stick a long sponge in the tube to dampen the noise. That is the solution with which i will go for now.
My decorations floated up.
100lb of rock went in to my decorations, and i had no idea that it would not be enough to hold them in place. I am testing the system with fresh water, that means that decorations will be more buoyant in salt water. Therefore there is a small concern on my part. However, if i put live rock on top of it, and i am planing to do so.... a lot of it, i hope it will fix the problem. I hope...
Will keep you updated.
CPR overflow might stop siphoning
CPR overflow creates some large bubbles when siphoning water. That air gets trapped inside overflow tube and i asume eventually it may stop siphoning water when too much air gets inside. I repet, this is only my assumption. However, heavier salt water might not have same effect. I will connect overflow to my power-head in the air intake nozzle. That power head will constantly keep overflow primed. If it will release to much bubbles in my aquarium then i will connect vacuum pump to it, and direct the flow directly to the sump.
