Here's my plumbing

[georgiajams]

Hey all, just did my "wet run" of my plumbing. Thanks to all who replied to my previous posts asking for tips on plumbing. Here are a few pics to show my results.

In summary, everything went well. No leaks. However, I have 3 issues to deal with.
1- My overflows leak slightly. Not a big deal, as it is easy to fix with another bead of silicone. I didn't think this was a big deal when putting them in, however the problem is if the pump is off, water will flow into the overflows (gradually) and eventually fill up the sump and there you have overflow catastrophie. Thank goodness I put ball valves in the drain lines for when I'm doing this testing at least.

2- Durso standpipes. Work excellent, however the water overflowing the dam sometimes blocks the airhole. I'll either make the airhole a little bigger or run an airline. Or, bring the level of the standpipe higher (see next issue).

3. Overflow noise - not the gurgling, because the Durso takes care of that. I'm talking about the actual noise of the water falling over the dam. It's a 6in drop now. With 2700g/hr return pump it is really noisy. I'm looking for suggestions: (update: raising the standpipes decreased the noise dramatically, so it's ok now)

Other thread

[georgiajams]

This is the return side. Note that I took advice from y'all on putting ball valves everywhere. In this picture, the tank is to the left (all plumbing is *behind* the tank). The horizontal line toward the front is one of the drains. The 3/4in line obscured by the brace is an "accessory" line for general purpose (hooked in with a ball valve). I have two other 3/4 inch break offs. 1 for a SCWD (not plumbed yet), and one for the refugium located on the other side of the sump (pic coming next).

[georgiajams]

THis is the other side. Tank is on the right now. You can clearly see both drain lines coming from the right. The smaller pipe towards the top is plumbed off the return line and feeds the refugium there in the very front of the picture (doesn't have water in it yet). The pipe at the very far left is the return from the skimmer which is sitting above all this. Input to the skimmer is partially obscured, but it is the black flexible pipe behind the refugium input line.

[georgiajams]

OK, here's the top view. Kind of messy, as it still has various tools, beer bottles, and a lava lamp as an inspiration. However, you get the picture.

To the left is the myReef skimmer plumbed to a 1 1/4in drain to sump below. To the right you see the line coming from the pump below. The line sticking up in the air is where the SCWD will be attached. The main line is plumbed to the upside down "U" shaped thing that attaches to a spraybar at the bottom of my tank.

[georgiajams]

OK, the end. This is the front view. Note the spraybar at the bottom of the tank. Yes I have a hole in the top of the spraybar (at the surface of the water) to break siphon. The PVC at the bottom is not plumbed, but rather is support for my eggcrate to keep the rocks off the bottom of the tank. The spraybar will push all the detritus towards the front of the tank, under the rocks/eggcrate for easy removal. Sand bed will only be small, for looks only. Larger sandbed in refugium for the critters.

I'm looking forward to being able to enjoy this one day, as this is a lot of hard work. Much more than I thought. It is a great excuse to drink beer and listen to Phish though.

[Rick O]

Lookin good.

[wildernet]

I think my favorite part is the lava lamp action in the back. Is that to help get in the mood?

[georgiajams]

the lava lamp action in the back. Is that to help get in the mood?

Haha. Actually. until someone settles my lighting debate thread that is my tank lighting! 30watts of incandescent mood making color wonderment. With nothing in the tank, it kind of makes it look like those hot tubs that have the mini Pink Floyd light show going on in them.

Just think if I went to the closet and pulled out the trusty strobe light!? I could be on to something... strobe therapy! You heard it here first!

[wildernet]

I have a 4 ft. Black light that you could use and that would really set it off.
One of the coolest tanks I ever had was a 10gal freshwater tanke with painted glass fish and neons with glow in the dark plants and a mix of black and white gravel. The lighting...you gussed it blacklights all the way. From across the room the fish looked like they were just floating in space.

[coralkeeper]

That looks like a very proffesional job there!

just an idea that I recently put on my new tank is to cut some eggcrate to cover the top, open part of the overflow. Get it to where it just fits inside. Aaaaand no more fish in the overflows,
this has happened many times to me

Looks like your tank is coming along

Ross