Overflows/Standpipes

Discussion in 'General Reef Topics' started by NOWICKI, Sep 15, 2002.

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  1. NOWICKI

    NOWICKI Astrea Snail

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    I've just been reading about Durso's Standpipe. I am curious, can you use the standpipe without the overflow box? Am I missing the priciple? To me it would make way more sense and a lot less noise.
    What about a drilled hole on the backside of the tank with a bulkhead and an L joint in the water?

    What are some of your favorite methods and ideas for getting water to a sump?

    Thanks,
     
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  3. Matt Rogers

    Matt Rogers Kingfish

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    You could do the backside thing, but I would still protect the inlet from sucking everything into it.

    That is why a normal pipe has the overflow protection. It also has better surface extraction that way and protects the pipe from being knocked out (if it is not clued into the bulkhead - mine wasn't - it was easier to clean.) and draining your tank - the overflow is good flood protection.

    My favorite would be the latter - a modified durso in a corner overflow that also has a 1/4" drain at the bottom that would gravity feed my cc skimmer (i have this old school thing going on. :) ) . The main drain from the big bulkhead would be tied off so I could send some through a refugium and the rest into the sump.

    whatever works for you - just think about flooding a bit! :thumbsup:
     
  4. Jeremy

    Jeremy Spanish Shawl Nudibranch

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    Down under, we just have a pipe that goes from a hole in the bottom of the tank, to the top of the tank. This means that the water can't flood, because it has to be over the top of the pipe to go down it, and critters and stuff can't get sucked down it because there is foam covering the hole in the pipe. Having no overflow box is also good because it doesn't take up as much space, and you can hide the pipe easily.
     
  5. NOWICKI

    NOWICKI Astrea Snail

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    EXACT!!!! :thumbsup1: :thumbsup1: :thumbsup1:
    That is exactly what I was curious about. ;D Is that method common and effective?

    Maybe the question is- Do I want to drill my tank? What are your opinions on hang on the back overflow boxes? Or other methods?

    Thanks,
     
  6. Jeremy

    Jeremy Spanish Shawl Nudibranch

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    Well, the local reef store swears by it. They have all their marine tanks conected this way. :thumbsup:
     
  7. Jeremy

    Jeremy Spanish Shawl Nudibranch

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    Hello again!

    I'm actually looking to get it done to my tank. I am getting a stand and the tank drilled and plumbed soon. That way when i get my sand, i will only have to do one big change over. Empty the tank, get it plumbed, put it in the stand, put the sand in and away i go. Are you going to get your tank plumbed 2?
     
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  9. NOWICKI

    NOWICKI Astrea Snail

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    I would love to do that! I have a sump, protein skimmer, fuge, plenum and all that good stuff planned but the first step is getting the water there. I also am planning lights and possibly a new stand/cabinet for surges and lights and top off.

    So in the $$ catagory, I am only planning. I do get an "allowance" that I am saving up so I have to decide what I want first :)
     
  10. Jeremy

    Jeremy Spanish Shawl Nudibranch

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    What size sump are you looking at? How big is your tank?
    IF your making a refugium (that is what a fuge is isn't it?), i have calurpa and it is GREAT. I think mine is feathery calurpa, but i aint sure. I was also thinking of putting a plenum in the sump. How deep should the sand be for it?
     
  11. NOWICKI

    NOWICKI Astrea Snail

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    I have a 26 gallon bow front and I am thinking and getting opinions about having a 10-15 gallon sump and either putting both a plenum and refugium (fuge) in the one sump or have a seperate 5 gallon fuge. A lot depends on if I build a cabinate. If I do, I will have a much larger sump and a seperate fuge. But if I have to stick with what stand I have now, I will have to have a tiny sump with everything in it. Tiny stand! Not to mention that it is a bow stand so I don't even have a square to work with  :p There is a pic on my site of the tank.

    How fast does your calurpa grow? can you frag it like coral?

    I will make my fuge about 5-6 inches deep with sand and I will make my plenum about 3-5 also. Ideally I want my display tank to have about 5 inches. I'm still trying to find some good sand with a good price  thats_crazy

    Let me know what you think,
     
  12. Jeremy

    Jeremy Spanish Shawl Nudibranch

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    I would go with the cabinet if i were you.  My calurpa grows like an inch every day.  to get a frag, i just cut or break it from its runner.  The calurpa has a runner shoot, which has roots that go into the sand.  The fronds come off the runner.   So just cut the runner and it will grow.   :)

    5 inches in the main tank is a lot. How much water will there be with that in it? ???
    I asked Karla, and she said if you have a DSB or plenum in your sump, you don't HAVE to have 4 inches in the main tank. I supose you wouldn't have as much bacteria or critters, but i recon 4 inches is astheticly wrong. But if thats what you want....

    I'm only going to have about 2 inches. With the plenum, i will probably have the plenum, then about 6-8 inches of sand, with my calurpa on top. That would be an ultimate filter! oh_yeah

    Bad luck about the shape of your tank.