Tank Journal Archive
I have a sump! Very excited. Thanks to GCEBiker hooking me up with a really cheap sump. I have a few questions to ask everybody before plumbing it in.
Firstly - i really dont like the idea of drilling a hole in the back of the tank since the tank is full and I have never drilled glass before. If im being stupid let me know - but im not too confident right now. I currently have a small overflow box in the tank that was put in when we were going to drill the tank and then changed our mind.
I was looking at doing the VaultBoy mark2 overflow - which is easier and doesnt involve drilling. Should I a) Keep the small overflow box and start the overflow form in there or b) get rid of the overflow box altogether?
Also, what size return pump would i need?
Lots to do in the next few weeks and i have no time at all so its going to be fun! We just bought a house and get it today so renovations are going to take over, and also my wife is pregnate and so when the baby comes in August Im going to have absolutly no time! I do like the idea of my child watching a tank from birth though and so i think i need to set up a tank at home! we will see
Firstly - i really dont like the idea of drilling a hole in the back of the tank since the tank is full and I have never drilled glass before. If im being stupid let me know - but im not too confident right now. I currently have a small overflow box in the tank that was put in when we were going to drill the tank and then changed our mind.
I was looking at doing the VaultBoy mark2 overflow - which is easier and doesnt involve drilling. Should I a) Keep the small overflow box and start the overflow form in there or b) get rid of the overflow box altogether?
Also, what size return pump would i need?
Lots to do in the next few weeks and i have no time at all so its going to be fun! We just bought a house and get it today so renovations are going to take over, and also my wife is pregnate and so when the baby comes in August Im going to have absolutly no time! I do like the idea of my child watching a tank from birth though and so i think i need to set up a tank at home! we will see
I would keep the overflow box in the tank as this will allow you to take the water from the surface of the display tank. This will allow you to skim/filter the dirtiest water in the tank.
Instead of building the Mk2 I would build 2 of the Mk1 overflows... They both work as well as each other but the original would be cheaper and by having 2 individual overflows you have redundancy built in.
Congratulations on the pending birth and good luck!
Instead of building the Mk2 I would build 2 of the Mk1 overflows... They both work as well as each other but the original would be cheaper and by having 2 individual overflows you have redundancy built in.
Congratulations on the pending birth and good luck!
thanks mate - appriciate the encouragment.
So - since you are the expert i will ask you, the overflow box is really quite small - only 20cm x 10cmx 10cm - this wont be too small? I was worried that the water would be sucked out beofre the new water has entered - thoughts? Also - if I made 2 of the Mk1 models - would you have them both coming off the overflow box or maybe one at each end? I wasnt planning on it but i could lower the water level and add a full length overflow box similar to yours - might make it easier and i do have glass laying around.
So - since you are the expert i will ask you, the overflow box is really quite small - only 20cm x 10cmx 10cm - this wont be too small? I was worried that the water would be sucked out beofre the new water has entered - thoughts? Also - if I made 2 of the Mk1 models - would you have them both coming off the overflow box or maybe one at each end? I wasnt planning on it but i could lower the water level and add a full length overflow box similar to yours - might make it easier and i do have glass laying around.
The water will never be sucked out faster than it goes in... Only the depth of water spilling over into the box will change.
A coast to coast overflow is the best you can get. The greater the length of the overflow the more efficient it is. So if you are thinking about going down this path I say go for it!
If youdont decide to go for the coast to coast I would buld 2 of the mk1 with one a mirror image of the other so that both inlet tubes can fit into the overflow box.
A coast to coast overflow is the best you can get. The greater the length of the overflow the more efficient it is. So if you are thinking about going down this path I say go for it!
If youdont decide to go for the coast to coast I would buld 2 of the mk1 with one a mirror image of the other so that both inlet tubes can fit into the overflow box.
Update time - I still havnt got the sump on becuase im waiting for the return pump to be ordered/arrive - things take a long time when its through a school! I also have a new rock with corals from Tony (GCEbiker). Once they all open up ill get some pics on here. I was telling Tony about a coral that just appeared in my tank from under the rock. I had never seen it in there or didn't purposly add it, but it has been under rock the whole year and has just 'walked' about 1 foot from where i first saw it to a new spot in the light. It looks like a morph of some sort but im not sure if it is bleeched from a lack of light or if this is the colour it is suppossed to be. I found another one this morning that is a lot more purple and has attached to a small rock.Any ideas of what it is???? It looks quite nice.
This one came out from under the rock
This one was very small and has opened up a lot over the past 3 days
This one came out from under the rock
This one was very small and has opened up a lot over the past 3 days
Well it has been a long time since I have been on here! Time for an update i think.... Unfortunatley not a good one.
Since the tank is situated in the classroom I teach in it is always difficult to maintain enthusiasm and care for the tank over holidays. To make things worse, my wife and I had a baby girl just before christmas holidays and then i really didn't want to leave home for water changes etc...just wanted to play wiht teh baby(:
My fortnightly water changes slipped to monthly and then due to my lack of care the tank crashed. I came in with fresh water to find 2 dead fish and 3 fish completly missing.
On the one hand this is really dissapointing and my clowns of over 4 years have dies :( The one positive I can see is that I can restart the tank from scratch with a new bunch of students this year, allowing them to watch from the beginning to adding fish and corals etc.
I have kept some of the water and rocks and have collected 3/4 new water from the ocean to get it started up. Im hoping that since it is already good water from the ocean I shouldnt have much of a cycle (is that right)?
I have dropped the small HOB filter that has been working (just) for the past 2 years and am addind a sump. I bought a cheap sump last year but it was too big for the tank unfortunatley and i havnt had the time to build a bigger stand so I am going for a cheaper container option fo the sump. I have a larger skimmer in teh sump and a red devil return pump. I built the Vaultboy overflow and it works well, however my pump is returning the water much quicker so back to bunnings to get a ball valve to slow it down. Hopefully this will work correctly and will be running smoothly tomorrow.
I have some more ocean water ready for water changes over the next fortnight and a new clean up crew is in...although i do need more...
Hopefully, with some encouragment, I will be a little more dedicated over the next year and will stay on top of the maintanence.
Also, I have my leds over the tank although i am having troubles with permission since it was a diy job and need to have it all signed off to say that it is safe...annoying but fair i guess. The plan this time is for easy fish and corals....I want something that is sustainable and on a cheap budget... I know 'cheap' isnt usually associated with marine aquariums however I really see it as a personal challenge to not be spending $1000's on startup and ongoing costs of the latest additives etc. Im not wanting a showpiece that will win tank of the month, just an enjoyable, interactive learning experience for the kids as we study the ocean and great barrier reef.
Well, hopefully that is a good update of where Im at... Have a good day everyone :)
Since the tank is situated in the classroom I teach in it is always difficult to maintain enthusiasm and care for the tank over holidays. To make things worse, my wife and I had a baby girl just before christmas holidays and then i really didn't want to leave home for water changes etc...just wanted to play wiht teh baby(:
My fortnightly water changes slipped to monthly and then due to my lack of care the tank crashed. I came in with fresh water to find 2 dead fish and 3 fish completly missing.
On the one hand this is really dissapointing and my clowns of over 4 years have dies :( The one positive I can see is that I can restart the tank from scratch with a new bunch of students this year, allowing them to watch from the beginning to adding fish and corals etc.
I have kept some of the water and rocks and have collected 3/4 new water from the ocean to get it started up. Im hoping that since it is already good water from the ocean I shouldnt have much of a cycle (is that right)?
I have dropped the small HOB filter that has been working (just) for the past 2 years and am addind a sump. I bought a cheap sump last year but it was too big for the tank unfortunatley and i havnt had the time to build a bigger stand so I am going for a cheaper container option fo the sump. I have a larger skimmer in teh sump and a red devil return pump. I built the Vaultboy overflow and it works well, however my pump is returning the water much quicker so back to bunnings to get a ball valve to slow it down. Hopefully this will work correctly and will be running smoothly tomorrow.
I have some more ocean water ready for water changes over the next fortnight and a new clean up crew is in...although i do need more...
Hopefully, with some encouragment, I will be a little more dedicated over the next year and will stay on top of the maintanence.
Also, I have my leds over the tank although i am having troubles with permission since it was a diy job and need to have it all signed off to say that it is safe...annoying but fair i guess. The plan this time is for easy fish and corals....I want something that is sustainable and on a cheap budget... I know 'cheap' isnt usually associated with marine aquariums however I really see it as a personal challenge to not be spending $1000's on startup and ongoing costs of the latest additives etc. Im not wanting a showpiece that will win tank of the month, just an enjoyable, interactive learning experience for the kids as we study the ocean and great barrier reef.
Well, hopefully that is a good update of where Im at... Have a good day everyone :)
hey Matt, yea its good to be back...Plans for the rebirth - nothing to major. Just a few easy but colourful lps and some fish. I'm not interested in any hard to keep sps or expensive fish at the moment, just wanting somthing that keeps running with maximum enjoyment learning.... Hopefully have some zoas and morphs in soon and I would like to get some torchs and maybe hammers to blow around in the current. In then a school of chromis, a few clowns (have to for the kids), flame hawk maybe ;) and possbily some interesting little critters for kids to spot....We will soon see. At the moment its a bit of a case of being up int he air and seeing what evolves.
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