Water Movement from under the Sands

[pauliu]

Hi,

Let me descibe the plumbing of my tank. I use a Iwaki 55R pump for main circulation. I have three holes inside the overflow box, one return, one main overflow and one backup overflow. The water is going up from the bottom of the overflow box to the top, then splits to three directions, upper left (connected to a seaswirl), upper right and goes down. When near to the bottom, it splits to three directions again, bottom right, bottom left and a spray bar (a PVC tube with ten 2mm holes).

The resulting current is quite good, but I think at least I need to use Iwaki 55R to driver these outlets.

I have a backup overflow because of two reasons. First for noise reduction, I use a gate valve on the main overflow pipe to controls the water level of the overflow box, so the water level is always above the main overflow pipe, this eliminated all the noise. If the gate valve closed too much, the water can be return from the backup pipe. Second, just a secure reason, actually the backup pipe had save me on the first day after installation, one anemone was suck into the main overflow pipe and clogged.

Paul

[Pik]

Hi Paul!

Welcome to our BB. Thank you for taking time to write about your setup. I'm thinking of doing a very similar setup, but my thought is that I'm going to do the whole return system under the sand. Meaning, there'll be no plumbing ontop of the tank at all. The return will go up along the overflow, over the top of that, then down along it inside the tank (I'm assuming very much like yours). Once under the sand, it will split into various PVC and then connected to LocLine for the water outlet. Do you think this will work?

I guess my concern is what if the locline clogs?

[mini mee]

Hi Paul
Welcome to The Reef Tank.
Glad you stopped by to explain you're set up for us.
I think it is a very interesting idea and effective approch to water movement from hidden plumbing under the sand.
I have also posted que's on other bb's about plumbing and water movement from under the sand and alot of people are interested in the idea and some people are using it,which I did not realize until now.

Pik you bring up a good point that I had not thought of the possibility of the loc-line fittings cloging?

Paul, I will send you another e-mail, I have alot more que's

Best Regards
mini mee

[tdwyatt]

MM,

I think the concept is good. However, one thing to consider is the possibility of stirring up the sand as well as the detritus if your only output is on the bottom (Ask Cath about how long it takes to settle out the sand if the PH moves it...) I like the idea, but if you are using this method to keep detritus from settling to the bottom, a BIOLOGICAL concern would be (especially if you are doing a DSB) that the critters on the bottom will have a much more difficult time acquiring adequate nutrition, as well as removing the places that copopods, etc., use for harbours during the day. In a FOWLR system or a bare bottom tank, this would be THE TRICK! However in a DSB tank, the settling out of detritus is beneficial to the sand bed's infauna, and if your tank were set up with a food-chain-based ecosystem, using a strong bottom current may disturb normal feeding chains. I don't have any data to back this up, it is just an observation based on how tanks/systems normally operate. I encourage trying out different approaches to what we do though, I have seen the hobby change so dramatically over the last 20 years (for example, circa 1988, "...OMG!!! Did you see where Sprung is running tanks without undergravel filters ???") that I don't think that I would discourage any new approach to reefkeeping in so long that it is backed up with a well-thought-out process. Try it and see how it does! Just make sure to get back to us with how the long-term results do.

...That which was once the strange and unusual, now has become commonplace...

------------------
Tom <"{{{{>(
(TDWyatt)
Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something. -Plato

[mini mee]

Hi Tom
Actually I was thinking along the lines of currents being introduced that would be aimed at the reef to give me a coloage of currents affect.
The way we used to do it(did it with my last reef) was a sweeping of the substrate to pick up with a siphon the detritus matter or waste in one corner of the reef, the idea that I find interesting is creating higher up the reef a cross current effect.
linear and pulsed if I can do it in a more hidden fashion with concealed plumbing instead of power heads.
In recent bb talks with other reefers other fitting have also been discussed PVC 45's and all plastic sprinkler heads for sweep surge to seek out new ways to aquascape the reef in a more concelled fashion.
For my next reef I am thinking along the lines of a 4'*2'*2' reef tank with pinicale and cave aquascape, Thanks to my land down unda Mates if I can do it.
No hood for lighting but rather pendant daylight MH and pendant VHO leaving the tank top open for a more open to the air approach more gaseous exchange and with supplemental natural daylight and the bonus no salt spray to clean off the lamps or muffin fans to install, more along the lines of the Japanese way of reef keeping.

I will have many more que's for the reef tank gang so I hope everyone will post there thoughts


mini mee
ooops spelling

[This message has been edited by mini mee (edited 02-17-2001).]