creative minds...Help!

awcamp · 11-09-2003, 11:22 PM

O.K. here is my problem...
I recently setup my 125g reef and currently all is well. My tank is an island between my living room and computer room (can be viewed from 3 sides). Because of this arrangement it would not be visually appealing to stick powerheads on the sides that are open for viewing. My water returns to both sides of the tank from the canopy but does not create enough circulation on its own. I would like to do something like a disguised middle column maybe by using an adhesive to attach rocks to the outside of plexiglass. I'm thinking I could leave holes throughout the column and locate the powerheads within the column which would allow me to circulate water in many directions. Anyone ever tried this kind of thing? Anyone have a better idea or foresee problems with this?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated,
Thanks,
ASH

cyberchef · 11-09-2003, 11:33 PM

Sounds like it might work. I've seen powerheads that were set down inside of rockwork and unless you knew where they were, you couldn't see them. I've also seen a mag drive pump mounted inside of the canopy (above the tank) where all you could see was the intake pipe and the return. I'm looking inot doing the same thing with my 55 in the near future.

awcamp · 11-10-2003, 01:40 AM

Thanks!...A pump inside the canopy is an idea I hadn't thought of. That actually sounds easier and may accomplish the same goal.
Let me know if you try it...I'd be interested in hearing how it works out.

cyberchef · 11-10-2003, 01:54 AM

Some one here on ARC I believe did it before, may have been Andy, but I'm not positive. It's going to be a bit before i can get to it. I'm looking at mounting the pump with intake and returns to a piece of acrylic/plexiglass, that i would silicon in place, in one of the back corners of the tank.

robsweet · 11-10-2003, 02:32 AM

An interesting idea... One question - if the pump is mounted above the water level, how does the pump get primed? What am I missing here?

Rick O · 11-10-2003, 05:41 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by robsweet
An interesting idea... One question - if the pump is mounted above the water level, how does the pump get primed? What am I missing here?

The impeller would still be below the water line.

Schwaggs · 11-10-2003, 07:08 AM

Ash,

If you use "the powerhead inside the plexi island" idea, make sure you make it big enough so you can get the pumps out for maintainance without tearing the whole thing down.

bamann345 · 11-10-2003, 11:15 AM

Check out this article.....I have something like this on a 125 at school.......

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issu...2003/short.htm

Mafiaman · 11-10-2003, 11:45 AM

I've also seen fake inclosers for tunze power heads so you can set them anywhere in your tank that you'd like.
One down fall is the small tunze turblla moves about 1200g an hours

Rover · 11-10-2003, 12:12 PM

I was going to suggest the Tunze as well.

cyberchef · 11-10-2003, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by robsweet
An interesting idea... One question - if the pump is mounted above the water level, how does the pump get primed? What am I missing here?

You could use a piece of airline tubing and a PH or your lungs to syphon out the air from the pump/lines...

I was planning on one of these 2 methods as the intake and return would both be underwater once in place even tho the mag pump would be above the waterline.

Stanfill Reef · 11-11-2003, 10:17 PM

I read the article above and have a question. When using PVC piping, do you use normal PVC glue to connect the pieces?

bamann345 · 11-11-2003, 10:53 PM

yes....I do, but I just let it dry overnight.

Geoff · 11-14-2003, 05:31 PM

like this.

it is slightly submerged in that pic, but the one on the other side is completely out of the water except for the inlet and strainer. in order to prime it i have a X piece of PVC that has a cap on it. i cap off the outlets. i take the cap off of the X piece which is facing up. fill it with water using a cup and quickly put the cap on it before the water drains out. then remove the caps on the outlets. turn it on to remove the last remaining air pockets, and you are good to go. i have the pump on a timer. the water does not flow out. it is a true CL. all you see in the water is the inlet screen and the two outlets. i have eductors on the outlets so they are a little big, but lots o flow.

sorry, do not have any recent pics of this side. i am going to replace the old Quiet One that is powering it with another mag 12. i can take some pics if interested.

G~

cyberchef · 11-14-2003, 10:51 PM

I'd like to see pics Geof. I was planning on using a triangular piece of Acxrylic to mount the pump to and then silicone that into one of the corners. Hpow is your mounted to the tank?