Perseverance Reef

[Mschmidt]

You need to have a siphon break that keeps water in the overflow. Also, you need to make sure that there's enough flow going through the overflow to keep the air bubbles moving out of the siphon tube into the overflow. Not enough flow causes air to build up inside the tub and once there's a big enough air bubbles the siphon breaks and the sump will pump and drain down the sump and overflow the tank.

do I then set the flow from the return then set the syphon?

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

do I then set the flow from the return then set the syphon?

Kind of.. it's a balancing act. I like to get my returns pushing about what I want them to, Then start playing with the overflow, with the ability to fine tune both the pump and the gate

With only one valve, it's a lot easier.

 

[tbrown]

do I then set the flow from the return then set the syphon?

Basically what @Lost in the Sauce said. I get my overflow siphon started first and set the "pump off" level of the tank then I have a bypass "T" from the return pump. I open that and turn on the return pump and then close the "T" until I get the tank level where I want it. Keep an eye on it for a little bit and adjust as needed - little adjustments. Once everything is dialed in check your running level occasionally just to make sure your overflow tube isn't growing algae or doesn't have a snail or fish inside causing a blockage. I have a dual siphon overflow but I don't have enough flow to run both siphon tubes.

 

[Mschmidt]

Kind of.. it's a balancing act. I like to get my returns pushing about what I want them to, Then start playing with the overflow, with the ability to fine tune both the pump and the gate

With only one valve, it's a lot easier.

Basically what @Lost in the Sauce said. I get my overflow siphon started first and set the "pump off" level of the tank then I have a bypass "T" from the return pump. I open that and turn on the return pump and then close the "T" until I get the tank level where I want it. Keep an eye on it for a little bit and adjust as needed - little adjustments. Once everything is dialed in check your running level occasionally just to make sure your overflow tube isn't growing algae or doesn't have a snail or fish inside causing a blockage. I have a dual siphon overflow but I don't have enough flow to run both siphon tubes.

Thanks both!

 

[Fishy888]

To resurrect a post, this is one of my fears with adding a sump to my fw tank. I have a gate valve but to keep syphon I should just restrict enough to keep water in the drain section of the overflow?

My problem was getting an overflow with dual siphons. The flow between them always differs so a few extra bubbles accumulate in one u-tube while the other doesn’t get an accumulation. I finally figured out how to keep that problem at bay but it required me checking the u-tubes at least once a day. Getting an overflow with a single u-tube will be a huge help.

 

[Fishy888]

I got my checker today. Before I started emptying the DT I tested the system water first and got 176 ppb phosphorus, or 0.540 ppm phosphates. Then I tested the tap water and got 175 ppb phosphorus, or 0.537 ppm phosphates.

I knew there still had to be phosphates somewhere in here because there was more cyano and green micro algae growing than a lack of flow alone could account for. Call it reefer’s instinct. I also knew the tap water surely had phosphates in it. I just didn’t expect the tank water to have pretty much the same amount of phosphates as the tap water. I rinsed out the couvettes immediately after testing and I had the couvettes pointing the same way for both tests.

I have a bit more water to drain then I’ll be moving everything. I’ll have to dose about 7 days worth of LaCl to get where I need to be but now I’m not flying blind anymore. The only reason I got away with flying blind was that I had a good reading to go on from before. After the Salifert kit was rendered useless however I didn’t make any further reduction than the 1 ppm I knew I had. I don’t want to crash ALK or the system.

I’ll post an update when I’m done moving everything.

 

[Mschmidt]

My problem was getting an overflow with dual siphons. The flow between them always differs so a few extra bubbles accumulate in one u-tube while the other doesn’t get an accumulation. I finally figured out how to keep that problem at bay but it required me checking the u-tubes at least once a day. Getting an overflow with a single u-tube will be a huge help.

I got the eshopps 1200, but the initial plan was to use only one of the tubes till I needed more flow.

 

[Mschmidt]

I got my checker today. Before I started emptying the DT I tested the system water first and got 176 ppb phosphorus, or 0.540 ppm phosphates. Then I tested the tap water and got 175 ppb phosphorus, or 0.537 ppm phosphates.

I knew there still had to be phosphates somewhere in here because there was more cyano and green micro algae growing than a lack of flow alone could account for. Call it reefer’s instinct. I also knew the tap water surely had phosphates in it. I just didn’t expect the tank water to have pretty much the same amount of phosphates as the tap water. I rinsed out the couvettes immediately after testing and I had the couvettes pointing the same way for both tests.

I have a bit more water to drain then I’ll be moving everything. I’ll have to dose about 7 days worth of LaCl to get where I need to be but now I’m not flying blind anymore. The only reason I got away with flying blind was that I had a good reading to go on from before. After the Salifert kit was rendered useless however I didn’t make any further reduction than the 1 ppm I knew I had. I don’t want to crash ALK or the system.

I’ll post an update when I’m done moving everything.

At those numbers you will be about perfect if you get the phos out of the tap water.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

Do you not have a RODI system?

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

All of your fussing with LaCi is for Nothing at all if you're feeding your tank that water.

 

[tbrown]

Do you not have a RODI system?

I have 2 and neither is hooked up.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

I have 2 and neither is hooked up.

That's not helpful.

 

[tbrown]

That's not helpful.

I know.... I need to get some fittings and some new filters for them. Laziness.

 

[Fishy888]

All of your fussing with LaCi is for Nothing at all if you're feeding your tank that water.

I agree. I’ve been using RO water from the store for small water changes and top-offs. No DI but it’s better than straight tap water. I was going to get lights in March but I decided to wait and get the RO/DI then. I would get it sooner but flow has to be taken care of fairly quickly.

I’m only using tap water because I’m changing out 100 gallons of my 120 gallon system volume. The system is never getting moved again if I get my way. Even if I have to move it again at some point I shouldn’t have to do this drastic a water change before I get my RO/DI. I’ll be using the RO water though for the typical 10% to 20% water changes and top offs until I get the RO/DI.

I’d buy RO/DI if anywhere close sold it. I’d need 17 buckets to do a water change like this and the closest place that sells it is about an hour away. By the time I drove to and from the LFS and bought the buckets and the RO/DI water I could buy a brand new RO/DI unit with new filters and membranes included. I’ll have my RO/DI by March, possibly sooner if I can sell some tools I’m not using.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

I agree. I’ve been using RO water from the store for small water changes and top-offs. No DI but it’s better than straight tap water. I was going to get lights in March but I decided to wait and get the RO/DI then. I would get it sooner but flow has to be taken care of fairly quickly.

I’m only using tap water because I’m changing out 100 gallons of my 120 gallon system volume. The system is never getting moved again if I get my way. Even if I have to move it again at some point I shouldn’t have to do this drastic a water change before I get my RO/DI. I’ll be using the RO water though for the typical 10% to 20% water changes and top offs until I get the RO/DI.

I’d buy RO/DI if anywhere close sold it. I’d need 17 buckets to do a water change like this and the closest place that sells it is about an hour away. By the time I drove to and from the LFS and bought the buckets and the RO/DI water I could buy a brand new RO/DI unit with new filters and membranes included. I’ll have my RO/DI by March, possibly sooner if I can sell some tools I’m not using.

Can you use this?

 

[Fishy888]

Heck yes I could use it!

 

[Fishy888]

I’ve just about got the DT filled now. I just started the circulation pumps. Another 35ish gallons left but I’m much closer to being done than I was 10 hours ago.

I’m taking my time so that I don’t totally shock my animals. I decided to wait until later this evening to start the next round of LaCl for that reason. Slow and steady….
For this morning I’m going to make sure no corals are buried in sand but I’ll wait until this afternoon to mess with the aquascape beyond that.

 

[Stang67]

If you ever check out my build thread I have 77 pages. Most is just text. A good way to get the party started here is like this:
@Mschmidt @Projects with Sam @Mibu @LRT @Lost in the Sauce @Stang67 @Jedi1199

Ladies and gentlemen, meet my friend @Fishy888 and his build thread. Any constructive criticism is welcome!

Why am I only seeing this bc I thought I gat a stalker. No notifications or pushes geez oh man. Well here now so let's see what we got....
Hi Fishy888 nice to meet you!

 

[Stang67]

My wife wants to rearrange the living room which is where Perseverance Reef resides. I’ll be moving the system across the room. Since I’m getting the Hanna checker today I’ll be measuring my tap water as well as the tank water for phosphates. I don’t have a RO/DI unit yet but that’s coming. In the meantime I’m using water from the supermarket (RO, no DI but it does go through a bunch of filtration before and after the RO stage) for top off water (and the occasional batch of LaCl). I’ll have to use tap water for the major water change today.

I should be able to move the stand ok as long as I drain 75% of the water from the DT and the sump. It’ll take a while but it’ll look much better once I’m done especially since I’ll be able to get the cyano in the DT dealt with. I’m going to have to redo the aquascape one more time.

This will have to be the first and last move for this system however for the sake of stability. It’ll be on the wall with the stairway so it’s likely my wife will be happy with me leaving it there. It helps that there are several outlets close by that I can tap into for my system since I’m creating a second bank of outlets for heaters and lights. I’d like to plug both banks into different outlets so that I don’t ever trip breakers because of current draw. That’s a whole other world though.

This may be the source (or at least a contributing factor) of your issues. I recommend a simple Rodi unit. For your tank size the little ro buddy off chewy or Amazon for less then 100 would be what I recommend.
Those store machines can be somewhat unreliable. But I am also a control freak and like to do everything myself when it comes to the tank.

 

[Mschmidt]

Why am I only seeing this bc I thought I gat a stalker. No notifications or pushes geez oh man. Well here now so let's see what we got....
Hi Fishy888 nice to meet you!

well, welcome!

@Fishy888 I'm filling otherwise empty tanks with water for my 120. It'll take a week to make that much but now I have a 40 full and salt mixing in it. Buckets and bins are your friend for this. If the water you're pulling is as bad as the tank, you might as well use the mixed stuff, until lost gets you that ro/di unit. IMO at least.