Gilroy 425g Build Thread (All Apex, all the time)

[Newb73]

Yeah, check valves are crap. I've got a drawer full of them - Y's, ball check, flappers, spring loaded, even one with a small man inside (ok, maybe not) ...... all invariably fail to do that which you rely on them to do. Far better to either use a siphon hole (or two - dang snails) or just keep the mouth of the return right at the tanks surface. That's what I do and it's me proof LOL. Even 85' of 2" flex is only about 10 gallons.

Can't put returrns at surface...too much splash.

Siphon holes for stand pipes, but not for return...

I water proofed my stand and there is noting electrical in there so it would fill up like a bath tub and my hard woods and electrical gear would all be fine.

I basically use my flappers for one reason....to hold off the flow while doing tank maintenance w pumps off and for that, they work fine.

I have had them off for 3 hours with minimal issue.....but you can't count on that to stay that way long term.

One extra bit of insurance is I run 2x main pumps instead of 1 (so if one dies i'm still good) ......and one of them is on my battery back up apex set up with code to cycle them 5 minutes every hour.....but I doubt my battery lasts much longer than 3 or 4 hours. It's enough to put slowly rising water back into the tank for a little while.

The COR will have a built in anti reverse Siphon mechanism right?

 

[ca1ore]

Siphon holes for stand pipes, but not for return...

Whoops, forgot a word ..... Does siphon break holes help?

 

[Terence]

The point is that I am not trying to keep the tank from back siphoning, I am trying to keep 85 feet of pipe from back-siphoning. Putting a siphon break hole will keep it from sucking down the DT, but it will still drain out the plumbing all the way to the sump. Just did the calculation - about 22 gallons in that line!

 

[David Cher]

do you mind sharing the video on how fast is the effluent of the CR ?

is it possible ?

 

[Terence]

is it possible ?

I do not understand your question.

 

[David Cher]

Video on the output flow rate . Mine is very slow even though I set at 125ml/h

 

[Terence]

Video on the output flow rate . Mine is very slow even though I set at 125ml/h

There is no video needed. 125ml/min is just that - 125ml/min. If you think it is incorrect, simply measure it. If it is off, you can recalibrate. If you need more, up the time or the rate and the time. Each aquarium is different, but a target of 25-30dKh in the effluent is what you are shooting for - if yours is not there, lower the pH set point. If it is already low, calibrate the probe.

 

[Albertastorm]

Wow!.... just finished all 79 pages! Congratulations on your new tank! Was riveted to this thread and neglected my own thread and build to finish it! But I'm happy I did ...will be changing a few things because of your thread. Your get at it and get it done approach was very inspirational.
Have the apex and a bunch of accessories down in the fish cave still in boxes...but reading your detailed how-tos and seeing all the parameters I can monitor and the equipment I can control as given me renewed inspiration to get this tank going) Thanks for your dedication and commitment to this thread.

If my calculations are correct your 85 feet of 2 inch holds 13.9 US gallons

 

[Terence]

Thanks for the positive feedback. It keeps me going!

Also, tell everyone how you got to that number so they can check your figures!

 

[reef_ranch]

13.87 gallons is correct.

 

[Terence]

OK, I saw where I went wrong. 3.14 x 1^2 x 1020 / 1728 * 7.48 = 13.86

I knew how to calculate it, I just left off one part when I was keying it into the calculator.

Now that we have that straightened out...

 

[Terence]

I guess you can deduce how I feel about a month of Triton in just one picture...

From the small to the big I go!

Running my CaRx at 6.9 and dosing 36ml/day right now.

 

[Terence]

I also treated myself to another tech upgrade - I have been on the iPhone 6 for some time now and have been specifically holding out for over 18 months just for this phone.

 

[Terence]

For those that wonder how the DDR works, here are a couple of snaps showing the DDR tile before "refill", the refill process in the menu, and after.

 

[reefpaddy]

I also treated myself to another tech upgrade - I have been on the iPhone 6 for some time now and have been specifically holding out for over 18 months just for this phone.

Snap (but was on the S cycle prior). Looking forward to unlocking Apex Fusion with a glance [emoji4]

 

[Albertastorm]

OK, I saw where I went wrong. 3.14 x 1^2 x 1020 / 1728 * 7.48 = 13.86

I knew how to calculate it, I just left off one part when I was keying it in

With a sump of 200 gallons potato potato!

 

[Albertastorm]

I will have 200 gallon dedicated refuge ...before sump... so I love your comments and experience with nitrate removal from refuge algae growth!
But my issue is with running refuge water through sump and losing all those refuge goodies. Skimmer..etc....how do I stop that?

 

[Albertastorm]

Short of pumping water directly back to tank...separate line from refuge ...im lost.

 

[Terence]

I will have 200 gallon dedicated refuge ...before sump... so I love your comments and experience with nitrate removal from refuge algae growth!
But my issue is with running refuge water through sump and losing all those refuge goodies. Skimmer..etc....how do I stop that?

Don't understand what you mean. With a big enough refugium, you will still be able to have a skimmer nearby and also pump through it and up to the display and not really lose anything. Just make sure that area is low flow.

 

[Terence]

I just received two itty-bitty frags (the smallest frags I have ever tried to grow) of the Walt Disney acro from @vhuang168 . I cannot complain because he gave them to me free - now my challenge is to grow both of them into awesome colonies! If I get that little fleck on the right to grow it would be true miracle!