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never2late 
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 Topic: DIY supplies
Posted: October 25 2007 at 2:19pm |
  O.k., so I am feeling totally overwhelmed with all this information I am trying to absorb. WHEW! I think I should go get a doctorate in nuclear physics, probably be easier!  I just want a nice tank. Enough whining. Question: Where do you get all the plumbing gadgets to set up your sump, HD has pvc and whatnot but where do you get those red handled shut off valves, acrylic (to build my sump), check valves(don't want my pumps siphoning my tank to the basement in case of power outage), Also need to find replacement "seals" for drilled holes in tank, 1" and 2". Don't know what they're callled, hope you know what I mean. I would like to make one trip into SL and get 'er done if possible. I made a huge mistake by making Gahlen's tank/setup the first one (only one, so far) that I've looked at.  Also, since i'm rolling, before I get too silly turning a 30 gal into a sump; which is curing LR right now, is it way too small to act as a refugium for a 190 reef? Should I look for a used 55-75+ ? Any help is greatly appreciated.
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jessedidthis
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Posted: October 25 2007 at 2:36pm |
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aquarium plumbing you will need.
http://www.coralreefsupply.com/index.php?aquarium=plumbing
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Will Spencer
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Posted: October 25 2007 at 2:37pm |
Hopefully I can help with some of this. I'll start at the bottom.
Sump: I suggest using the largest sump you can get that will fit under your stand. I have a 180 gallon tank and wanted something large without spending a lot of money so I ended up using a rubbermaid tub that holds about 60 gallons of water. It has been in use for nearly 4 years with no problem. If you can get a cheap 55 or 75 gallon tank and it will fit that would great too. In my opinion 30 will work, but there is no way all my equipment would fit in one that small.
Shut off valves: Home Depot or Lowes has the ball valves most of us use. If you are willing to spend the money and wait a while see if you can find a PVC gate valve online instead. The usually cost 3 or 4 times as much and aren't easy to find, but they do exist and it is much easier to control the flow rate with them. Again I was cheap and wanted instant gratification so I went with ball valves from HD.
Bulkheads and seals: You are guaranteed to find these online, but you should also be able to get them at any of the larger fish stores. I would take a guess that any of them locally would have them, but I would call first unless you were OK with going to several.
Hopefully someone else can chime in on where they get acrylic. I picked some up years ago, but I honestly have no idea where I was. 
Good luck with the single trip thing, it seems always to take 3 trips to HD, minimum, for me to complete any DIY project. |
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Mike Savage
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Posted: October 25 2007 at 2:39pm |
Home Depot has the valves too. Acrylic can be had at Regional Supply in SLC. I got my Check Valve at Marine Aquatics. Most LFS carry Bulkheads and will maybe have the seals. You can also get most if not all of the plumbing parts here: http://www.savko.com/ click on the links on the right side of the screen for the various parts.
A 30 gallon would be okay for a sump but too small to include a refugium IMHO.
Mike
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Mike Savage
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Posted: October 25 2007 at 2:40pm |
Oh, yeah. I would go with a 75 instead of a 55 because it is 18" front to back instead of 12 1/2"
Mike
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Deep Pitt
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Posted: October 25 2007 at 3:10pm |
Another good source for acrylic is Delvies Plastics, also in SLC (133 w. haven (2300 south) ). www.delviesplastics.com
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John
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200 Gal Reef
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never2late
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Posted: October 25 2007 at 3:38pm |
 Allright, love the help!! you guys are great! I think I may try the "Rubbermaid" idea for now. (setup costs are making TOP RAMEN seem gourmet ) Maybe i'll get one of those under bed kind, kinda shallow but lots of suface area. I guess I'm a little confused still, just when I thought I was starting to understand what everyone's talking about, What is the difference between a sump and a refugium? I thought it was basically the same. If you partition off the refugium isn't it creating a sump????????????
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CrimsRayne
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Posted: October 25 2007 at 3:56pm |
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Good question. (I unfortunatly don't know the "correct answer") If I were you I would call Marine Aquatics. Eric makes custom sumps and has bulkheads and whatnot too. As far as the rubbermaid idea... I would get the biggest tub you can fit under the tank. Shallow isn't a good idea either. Even if you have the ball valves and shutoffs there is still a certain amount of water that can still go from the tank to the sump (and vice versa) This is a good thread about that http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=20841&KW=flood
It also gives you room for macro, skimmer, or whatever else you want to put in there.
I have a HOB refugium with skimmer and macro on my 130 and it works great. The water is so clear. IMO you should get a skimmer if you can and grow macro if you want to. (note you will need a light for it)
Edited by CrimsRayne - October 25 2007 at 3:56pm
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"What we know from this hobby is too hard to share with the people who just want to look and not get wet." -Rioreefer
"The Puffer Girl"
Zoo freak :)
West Jordan
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Will Spencer
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Posted: October 25 2007 at 4:15pm |
Definately don't go shallow. My opinion is the taller the better. Just don't go so tall you can't get in it to work on things. Mine here is about 16" tall. At my office I have a sump that is closer to 24" tall. I love it! I only have to top off about once a week.
A sump is the tank beneath you main tank that has all of the equipment in it. A refugium is space where there is low flow and things like algae, pods, and other things can grow without being eaten by fish or coral.
A refugium can be a sump, A partitioned area within a sump, a separate tank with separate pumps feeding it or it can sit inside a sump like mine does.
I have a separate box inside my sump that acts as a refugium. It has one tube from my overflow that flows into it. There is about 4" of crushed coral in the bottom of it along with a few pieces of live rock on top. There is a ball of Chaeto algae in it and it has a 55 watt PC over it that comes on when the main tank lights go out. This is called an RDP refugium. (Reverse Daylight Photosynthesis.) This is supposed to help limit the PH swing from night to day. The water flows into the refugium and then over the top of the container into the main sump. (I'll see if I can find a pic.)
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Will Spencer
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Posted: October 25 2007 at 4:17pm |
Here's an old link:
Just in way of an update on that thread. I am still using the original styrofoam box. I has degraded a little, but not much over the last 3 1/2 years.
Edited by Will Spencer - October 25 2007 at 4:30pm
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Mike Savage
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Posted: October 25 2007 at 4:28pm |
Like Will said. A sump is extra water volume and hides equipment such as pump, skimmer, heater etc. A refugium is a "refuge" for pods and other microfauna to grow and reproduce without being completely eliminated by predators in the tank. These critters slowly make their way up to the main tank through the pump and feed the tank.
Mike
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Mike Savage
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Posted: October 25 2007 at 11:56pm |
There is a 75 gallon here that would be good for a sump and probably a good price too.
Mike
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never2late wrote: