In the beginning...
- Thread starter Flagg37
- Start date
tygunn
Guest
It may not be silicone. Since acrylic doesn't bond to silicone as well they could have used some other type of adhesive.
Is the leftover adhesive hard or soft?
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Enderturtle
Guest
Isn't this Vincent's old tank? Sure he knows what he used to glue the top on.
Flagg37
Guest
So, I've decided to go with a traditional skimmer/sump setup like originally planned. I've already got the skimmer on the way, so now I'm looking at suggestions for a return pump. I'd like a DC pump that can be Apex controlled, but if you have any other suggestions I'd like to hear them. My overflow has a single 2-3/8" (1-1/2" pipe) hole in the middle and two 1-1/2" (3/4" pipe) holes on either side. With my head height (40") at full siphon on a 3/4" pipe, I should have about 1200 GPH (correct me if my math is off). That is sufficient that I can use one 3/4" pipe as my main drain with the 1-1/2" pipe as my emergency, and the other 3/4" as my return. That way if the main drain gets a blockage, then the larger emergency drain will start and stop it's siphon which should alert me to the problem. Does that all seem logical so far?
Vhuang168
Guest
My suggestion for the drain setup is to do a Bean Animal/Herbie and run the 1 1/2" adapted to 1 1/4" as your main siphon and the 2 3/4" as open channel and emergency. If the main 1 1/4" gets clogged, the open channel will take over and the excess will go to the emergency. The main drain will have a gate valve so you can tune it for the return flow so it will not be a full 1 1/4" siphon. Can even stop down to 1" and adjust from there.
For the return, I would either drill 2 holes for 3/4" return lines in the back pane or go over top and run sea swirls.
On the DC return pump, I would figure out what you want to control with the Apex. Pump speed? Do you really need to control pump speed on a return pump? Its usually set it and leave it. If you are going to run reactors T'd off the return, then having it adjustable from the Apex might be useful. But you can just as easily reach for the control box of the DC pump and adjust it there.
On/off? Any pump can be turned off by Apex through the EB8.
The only DC pumps I know off that are adjustable (speed wise) through the Apex are Waveline and the Red Dragon 3.
For the return, I would either drill 2 holes for 3/4" return lines in the back pane or go over top and run sea swirls.
On the DC return pump, I would figure out what you want to control with the Apex. Pump speed? Do you really need to control pump speed on a return pump? Its usually set it and leave it. If you are going to run reactors T'd off the return, then having it adjustable from the Apex might be useful. But you can just as easily reach for the control box of the DC pump and adjust it there.
On/off? Any pump can be turned off by Apex through the EB8.
The only DC pumps I know off that are adjustable (speed wise) through the Apex are Waveline and the Red Dragon 3.
Flagg37
Guest
I had thought about doing the beananimal overflow but my tank is in my living room and I'd like it to be as close to the wall as possible. Which means no external plumbing.
For the return pump, is there any news on when the apex pump is supposed to come out? Also, the dc pumps I've seen have preset speeds but if they're controlled by the apex do they become infinitely adjustable? I was thinking of having the reactors run off the return pump so having it be controlled by the apex would be wonderful.
For the return pump, is there any news on when the apex pump is supposed to come out? Also, the dc pumps I've seen have preset speeds but if they're controlled by the apex do they become infinitely adjustable? I was thinking of having the reactors run off the return pump so having it be controlled by the apex would be wonderful.
Flagg37
Guest
I finally got the door put on and I've got to say I'm a bit disappointed with it. First, I used up all of what I had left of my stain on the stand and had to buy a new can for the door. The new can was slightly darker than the first one so there is a noticeable difference between the two. Second, I've used this line of hinge on a cabinet in my bathroom and there was plenty of clearance but since this is a bifold door the opening is far more restricted.
It takes less than a minute to remove the doors so for now my plan is if there is major maintenance I'll just remove them and if it's something simple I'll just deal with it.
It takes less than a minute to remove the doors so for now my plan is if there is major maintenance I'll just remove them and if it's something simple I'll just deal with it.
Flagg37
Guest
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that the skimmer is in hand thanks to @Vhuang168 keeping me in mind when he finds good deals.
Once I get the return pump figured out I should be able to solidify my sump design.
Once I get the return pump figured out I should be able to solidify my sump design.
wpeterson
Guest
Oh man, cabinet is looking beautiful.
I had the same problem with the overflow in my DSA 90 - 2x 3/4" and 1x 1" so I ran a Herbie drain internally with a single 3/4" return line. The Herbie setup uses a primary siphon drain tuned to 99% of your flow and a secondary emergency drain for whatever is left. If you match your return line and emergency drain, you're probably OK - though ideally your emergency and siphon drains should be the same size.
I've setup our new tank with two 3/4" returns and two 1" drains, so it's easy to do a Herbie there. The main benefit of a Herbie is that it's very quiet if you tune the siphon drain properly without the complexity of the bean animal.
The bean animal setup is equally or more quiet and safer, but requires running three drains the same size, which is a lot to plumb unless you have a large tank, IMHO.
Tank is looking good! I hope it all comes together.
I had the same problem with the overflow in my DSA 90 - 2x 3/4" and 1x 1" so I ran a Herbie drain internally with a single 3/4" return line. The Herbie setup uses a primary siphon drain tuned to 99% of your flow and a secondary emergency drain for whatever is left. If you match your return line and emergency drain, you're probably OK - though ideally your emergency and siphon drains should be the same size.
I've setup our new tank with two 3/4" returns and two 1" drains, so it's easy to do a Herbie there. The main benefit of a Herbie is that it's very quiet if you tune the siphon drain properly without the complexity of the bean animal.
The bean animal setup is equally or more quiet and safer, but requires running three drains the same size, which is a lot to plumb unless you have a large tank, IMHO.
Tank is looking good! I hope it all comes together.
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rygh
Guest
I hate to say it, but think about redoing the doors.
They actually look really nice, nobody else will notice the slight stain mismatch, and yes you can take them off.
But if you are at all like me, both the imperfections and hassles will drive you nuts over the years.
You spend all that time to make it perfect and something you are proud of ... and it is not quite.
Plus, it is way easier to fix now, before all the plumbing is in and running.
They actually look really nice, nobody else will notice the slight stain mismatch, and yes you can take them off.
But if you are at all like me, both the imperfections and hassles will drive you nuts over the years.
You spend all that time to make it perfect and something you are proud of ... and it is not quite.
Plus, it is way easier to fix now, before all the plumbing is in and running.
roostertech
Guest
Very nice stand. How would you lock the door? I'm definitely will lock my stand. As my toddlers would love to "help" in the sump.