# Nicklfire: 75 Gal Planted, Bulkheads,Starphire,Loc-Line Updated: December 19/2010



## Nicklfire

Well hello my friends!

This will be a journal of my new custom aquarium i'm getting built.

It will be a standard 75 Gallon Aquarium BUT

*Tank:*

-Rimless
-Will have Starphire Glass from viewing (here is an example of what the difference is http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h299/kyle1284/starphire.jpg starphire is on right ) 
-It will also have 4 3/4" bulkheads thread-thread. 2 on each side. On the left side it will connect to my Canister filter and inline heater. The right side will be connected to my Aquamedic 1000 diffusers which hooks up to my 10lb pressurized co2, also will be connected to my laguna powermax UV sterilizer which also connected to a PUMP.
-The bulkheads inside tank will be connected to Loc-Line

*Light:*
Fishneedit 4x54w T5

*Stand:*
AllGlass

*Substrate:*
Flourite Black (not the sand)

*Plants:* 
Unknown at this point

*Fish:*
possibly apistogramma triple red

Keep tuned to updates! This will be a long journal


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## DR1V3N

zomg. difference between the 2 sheets is dramatic 

Looks like they really used thick pieces to highlight the difference. The left looks like coke bottle glass compared to starphire.

I'm such a rimless nut too. Please post by the second play-by-plays. This is already sounding heavy-duty!

What dimensions are you decided on? If it's ADA style (to match the possible stand) then are you thinking the 3:1 ratio?


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## 2wheelsx2

Do a 75 gallon cube Shawn! Use the Tek t5 retrofits....that would look pretty cool. Can't wait to see this going. I have a project of my own that I will journal this summer and am looking for ideas to steal from other people since I'm not that creative.


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## Nicklfire

Talked to my buddy and the tank should be here on Monday! Ended up needing a EuroBrace which i kind of expected.

Also i picked up my stand last weekend, nice All Glass Black one.

I'll post some pictures this coming week.


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## 2wheelsx2

Can't wait to see the tank. I'd really like to see if Starphire is worth it.


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## Nicklfire

i think it will be worth it. I'm only getting the front viewing glass in starphire because of the cost.

Here is a pic of a 720 gal tank, ALL starphire.


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## eternity302

I just did some research last night on the glass! But WOW, I didn't know the difference will be that noticeable!


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## lotus

Wow that tank is amazing and so clear!!


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## jay_leask

that is amazing clarity....wow is right


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## snow

Nicklfire said:


> i think it will be worth it. I'm only getting the front viewing glass in starphire because of the cost.
> 
> Here is a pic of a 720 gal tank, ALL starphire.


If this guy here has the money to do such are large reef tank you would think he would get a nicer stand.


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## big_bubba_B

something that beutiful would be in a main roomnot in a corner of the basement man i would watch that for hours i know when i went to anthonys just sat and watched his tanks. and yes is awsome starfire glass. sholtztom has a awsome 220 i think and is starfire verry nice tank


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## 2wheelsx2

The problem with most pics is that they only show the starphire tank. It would be more instructive to see one against a regular and both filled with water. I am not sure that I would see a difference, as the clarity is not different, it's the slight green tight. New tanks are all going to be clear.


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## Nicklfire

I know what you mean though regarding the difference. I guess when i have it setup i will know for sure how much a difference it makes


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## 2wheelsx2

Yeah, they do compare well when not filled with water and plants and have the background painted black or blue. If I had to have the tank be visible from both all sides, and it was a show tank, no question, Starphire all the way. But I was just told that to do 2 panes of Starphire in a 30x30" cube is 50% more than a regular rimless glass tank. For that kind of premium, I'd really have to think about it. How much extra did your starphire glass cost you, if I may ask?


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## Nicklfire

I made a deal with a buddy of mine so i didn't pay for it, unsure what the exact cost difference was. I agree with you that it's a premium and not necessary, i guess it's just the "new" thing going around lol. I wanted to try it out at least.


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## 2wheelsx2

Cool. At no cost, I'd try it out too. Can't wait to see your tank stocked and scaped.


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## eternity302

mind I ask, why do i not see that green with my own tanks?
my empty 55gallon tank sitting in the living room... been staring at it... nope.. it's clear, not green! Why's that?


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## 2wheelsx2

That's because you have no reference. Put a white sheet of paper on one side and look through to the other and you'll see the tint. Plus with planted tanks, there is so much green already, I'm not sure you could tell. That's kind of the point I was making. Once everything is in, it's not as easy to tell.


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## eternity302

Thanks Gary!

But one of my other question is, is the glass any stronger than the regular? And how easily is it prone to being scratched?

Thanks =)


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## 2wheelsx2

I think Shawn would be the better person to answer that, as I don't have any personal experience, yet.


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## Mferko

snow said:


> If this guy here has the money to do such are large reef tank you would think he would get a nicer stand.


and finish the walls in the room


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## CanadaPleco

eternity302 said:


> Thanks Gary!
> 
> But one of my other question is, is the glass any stronger than the regular? And how easily is it prone to being scratched?
> 
> Thanks =)


Scratches the same as regular glass. I don't know how much of a difference I notice with the starfire.


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## Nicklfire

Update: I got all my Loc Line Pieces that i ordered, now i gotta go home and make sure i ordered enough and didnt short change myself lol.

I got

2 threaded strainers for both inlets on the bulkheads (i can tell the 3 inch strainers i picked are too small, i'll need to make an extension to get it up at least 5-6 inches off the bottom)

about 24 inches of the modular loc line piping 3/4 inch

4 flare nozells (3 inch wide)

2 MPT connectors (basically an adapter from threaded bulkhead to loc line)

2 round nozzels (in case i want more flow instead of the flare nozzels)

2 Y fittings (basically just a Y fitting)


I'll try to take pictures tonight of everything, including all the parts and after i setup the loc-line


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## eternity302

=) We need pictures as you go along! Keep us updated!


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## Nicklfire

Here is a picture of the Aquarium and the tank, sorry for quality, i'm not much of a photographer with this camera and the sun is bright!










Move Dog

















Side Shot you can see the bulkheads sorta:

























Shot of inside the tank, 2 bulkheads per side.









Here is a picture of all the locline parts, the pipe in the top right is a completed one









Picture of the stand:









Picture of the loc-line in position at the moment, i will have to figure out once it's setup what angles i want, i can easily adjust them to any direction and add more links to make it taller or wider.. etc.


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## eternity302

=) Thanks for sharing, but WOW that looks good so far!
You're making me regret not picking up this type of stand, it looks like it's got alot of room in the inside compared to the stingray!


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## 2wheelsx2

That looks GREAT! I can't remember, what are you going to run for filtration again?


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## Nicklfire

On the left side i think i may do a rena xp3 or xp4, not sure yet. Maybe i'll get others input on how much pressure they get on a tank of similar size.

then on the other side i'll be running a pump that connects the co2 reactor, inline heater, uv sterilizer.


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## davej

Have you considered that if you ever have a seal go on your xp filter, or other pump in other loop? It will be a rather catastrophic failure. Draining your tank down to the level of the nozzles on the line lock? Talking from experience these things usually happen in the wee hours of the night / or while you are at work. Mine happened when the housing of a return pump cracked that was on the outside of my sump. only about 20 gallons was enough to ruin my hardwood. That was only a couple of inches from the top of the tank plus the sump. Just thinking out loud.


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## Nicklfire

I'm always open for suggestions


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## Smiladon

davej said:


> Have you considered that if you ever have a seal go on your xp filter, or other pump in other loop? It will be a rather catastrophic failure. Draining your tank down to the level of the nozzles on the line lock? Talking from experience these things usually happen in the wee hours of the night / or while you are at work. Mine happened when the housing of a return pump cracked that was on the outside of my sump. only about 20 gallons was enough to ruin my hardwood. That was only a couple of inches from the top of the tank plus the sump. Just thinking out loud.


I think this is a great experience he has shared. Maybe someone here has an idea to prevent this from happening? Maybe you can raise the intake pipe to 75% height of the tank (going up through corner). If my explanation is not presented properly, I can try to make a diagram.

As far as filter goes, I use XP3 (+ sponge IV) in my 75Gallon planted and I am very happy with it so far.

EDIT: 
Picture in attachment. 
You can do it the "red" way where the pipe is in a corner of tank or the "green" way where the pipe is just in the back of the tank.
I would do the "red" way on the right hand side (near the wall). This way it wont look too ugly and can be hidden behind stem plants or driftwood.


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## jkam

I'd also be extremely scared because of the position of the drain. If the filter fails or the builkheads fail then the tank gets drained completely.


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## Nicklfire

I think there is risk at any point when you start drilling tanks and plumbing them, all you can do is plan ahead and double and triple check everything.

Heck there is a risk just having a aquarium, who knows when your seals will break or you glass suddenly cracks, or your brother throws a baseball a little too much to the left and breaks your tank.

There is only so much you can do to prepare.

I'm lucky enough that i'm not the first to do this, so there is lots of documentation around the net.

Maybe i can buy a Electronic controller which i can attach a probe to monitor water levels and if it drops past a certain level it can send me a text message, email, and have a audiable alarm all at the same time..


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## iKuik

Nicklfire said:


> I think there is risk at any point when you start drilling tanks and plumbing them, all you can do is plan ahead and double and triple check everything.
> 
> Heck there is a risk just having a aquarium, who knows when your seals will break or you glass suddenly cracks, or your brother throws a baseball a little too much to the left and breaks your tank.
> 
> There is only so much you can do to prepare.
> 
> I'm lucky enough that i'm not the first to do this, so there is lots of documentation around the net.
> 
> Maybe i can buy a Electronic controller which i can attach a probe to monitor water levels and if it drops past a certain level it can send me a text message, email, and have a audiable alarm all at the same time..


Looks expensive, I'd say to save the hardwood + any extra worries it could be worth it.

Just buying a controller to text you wont do anything to help the problem if you know what I mean. You could try some sort of failsafe like a drain running out the side of the house from underneath the tank 

I'd say just have a solid backup plan ready.

Just my two cents...


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## scherzo

*Nicklfire: 75 Gal Planted, Bulkheads,Starphire,Loc-Line Updated: july 9*

Have a look at some people's reef tanks that deal with this problem. Reefers are constantly dealing with flooding issues. They would almost never put a drain or a return near the bottom of a display tank. I think that the chances of having a seal or clamp fail is much higher than a seal on an aquarium. They even calculate the amount that will drain into their sump to ensure that there is enough space for an overflow or clog. the majority of pipes will also try and be run over the sump to minimize flooding.

Having said all of this, many reefers also run closed loops with one or both ends run well below the water line. I guess there is much less maintenance on those loops as compared to a filter/drain line.

One thing that you should definitely do is have ball valves on the other side of bob your intakes and returns. This will allow you to do easy maintenance and also hive you the ability to re do the plumbing without emptying he tank.

Jeff


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## scherzo

*Nicklfire: 75 Gal Planted, Bulkheads,Starphire,Loc-Line Updated: july 9*

Oh, and I have a controller too (for my reef) but it cost me $600+ including float valves etc.. It is great! You can hook up a water bug and have it email your phone if it detects water on the floor... But $600!


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## Nicklfire

Yea i will definitely be putting a ball valve right under all 4 bulkheads, that much was a no brainer.

I never really anticipated the "what if" factor to the other problems but there are TONS of people out there with the same setup as me and i have been unable to find anyone who has had a problem, that's good..but also at the same point i was hoping to find someone WITH a problem so i could learn from it.

Tom Barr is another one who has a similar setup as this one on his 180 Gal, i've run the questions past him as well to see what he has to say since he has alot more experience with this type of stuff.


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## Smiladon

Hopefully you can find a viable solution for this issue. I've never had this kind of setup, so I wouldn't know.

I've had Rena XP3 for about 1.5 years now and its been flawless so far. This is my only experience that is relevant to this topic.


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## scherzo

I was thinking about your setup today while I was planning the plumbing on my reef tank. If a seal ever broke on my filter on my FW tank it would drain half the tank. I guess the only difference is that in a reef tank or your setup there are bulkheads which are a point of leakage.

I would say that if you plan carefully you should be ok. Maintenance may be hard if you ever have to change the bulkhead because you would have to drain the entire tank to do that. On reef tanks with overflows you just have to drain the overflow. My friend had a bulkhead bust on him a few months ago so he had a leak. It was easy to fix as the tank didn't have to be emptied to change it.

I've (we all) have had FW tanks for many years and personally I've never had a seal or a hose blow on me (knock on wood). I just know that on saltwater tanks we are always afraid of it happening.

I honestly hope it works out though. Tom's tank looks awesome.


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## Luke78

Just starting reading from the beginning until now , it seems your on the way to having your setup just the way you like it.Best wishes and keep us updated , photos are nice !  You mentioned in your first post that you would be keeping apistogrammas ? what kind exactly ? are you adding any other stock as well ?


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## Nicklfire

scherzo said:


> I was thinking about your setup today while I was planning the plumbing on my reef tank. If a seal ever broke on my filter on my FW tank it would drain half the tank. I guess the only difference is that in a reef tank or your setup there are bulkheads which are a point of leakage.
> 
> I would say that if you plan carefully you should be ok. Maintenance may be hard if you ever have to change the bulkhead because you would have to drain the entire tank to do that. On reef tanks with overflows you just have to drain the overflow. My friend had a bulkhead bust on him a few months ago so he had a leak. It was easy to fix as the tank didn't have to be emptied to change it.
> 
> I've (we all) have had FW tanks for many years and personally I've never had a seal or a hose blow on me (knock on wood). I just know that on saltwater tanks we are always afraid of it happening.
> 
> I honestly hope it works out though. Tom's tank looks awesome.


Yea i think there is a certain amount of risk that we have to admit to if we are in this hobby. I myself in 7 years (knock on wood) have never had any type of failure with anything, including filter seals. Of course all these stories that we are looking at are worst case scenario and yes i have thought about it.but with all the thinking i think i'll end up putting it in the basement and finally actually making my guys room i wanted lol. This way it's a basement with just carpet so if something did happen it wouldn't hurt much.

I will be keeping a close eye on the plumbing and quadruple checking it all 



Luke78 said:


> Just starting reading from the beginning until now , it seems your on the way to having your setup just the way you like it.Best wishes and keep us updated , photos are nice !  You mentioned in your first post that you would be keeping apistogrammas ? what kind exactly ? are you adding any other stock as well ?


Thanks so much for being part of the thread  Yea i was thinking of keeping spistogrammas as they are great looking fish and i have yet to keep them. I am fond of the Triple Red and Double Red, but maybe when it comes down to it, i'll have 3 different types. It could be a Very colorfull tank 

the tank will be heavily planted as well so it will be a nice contrast of colors


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## 2wheelsx2

I think regardless of the volume leaked out, unless it's 1 or 2 gallons, you're jeopardizing your floors, if it's on hardwood. I had a few gallons leak out in my 125 on 2 different occasions because of my Eheim 2028, first from the main gasket, and then a cracked adapter. So no matter what you do, unless you run internal filters, there is some risk in running external filters.


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## Luke78

Nicklfire said:


> Yea i think there is a certain amount of risk that we have to admit to if we are in this hobby. I myself in 7 years (knock on wood) have never had any type of failure with anything, including filter seals. Of course all these stories that we are looking at are worst case scenario and yes i have thought about it.but with all the thinking i think i'll end up putting it in the basement and finally actually making my guys room i wanted lol. This way it's a basement with just carpet so if something did happen it wouldn't hurt much.
> 
> I will be keeping a close eye on the plumbing and quadruple checking it all
> 
> Thanks so much for being part of the thread  Yea i was thinking of keeping spistogrammas as they are great looking fish and i have yet to keep them. I am fond of the Triple Red and Double Red, but maybe when it comes down to it, i'll have 3 different types. It could be a Very colorfull tank
> 
> the tank will be heavily planted as well so it will be a nice contrast of colors


Shawn ,

Apistogrammas no matter what kind, are full of activity and colour for sure and a joy to watch.Keep in mind that most if not all of them, will stay between the lower to middle parts of the water and sometimes visit up top.They love their hiding places, lots of plants(you mentioned heavy planted) pieces of driftwood or large rocks/pebbles , little caves.A larger female to male ratio will give you better odds of fry surviving and less casulties amoungs all of them.Breeding sometimes makes them very nasty towards their own kind and others in the aquarium.Thats a few things off the top of my head , any questions let me know here to help as ive kept over a dozen species of these guys.


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## 2wheelsx2

Shawn, quick question. I am in the process of ordering my rimless tank and 2 things came up: Filtration and glass finishing.

1. My tank is going to be 30x30 square tank with Eurobracing, so looping the canister input and outlet over the edge is not an option unless I skip the bracing on one edge. The better option is to drill and hard plumb the 2078 into the side of the tank (don't want to do the bottom because I will have plecos and will be using sand as a substrate). I plan to have the intake 6 inches from the bottom and outlet 6 inches from the top and use locline like you to direct the flow in a circle. How's that sound to you?

2. Are the tank edges polished? I am thinking of having the one visible edge 45 degree bevelled to give it a finished look. Just wondering if yours is just straight finished so that it's not rough or is it beveled?


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## Nicklfire

2wheelsx2 said:


> Shawn, quick question. I am in the process of ordering my rimless tank and 2 things came up: Filtration and glass finishing.
> 
> 1. My tank is going to be 30x30 square tank with Eurobracing, so looping the canister input and outlet over the edge is not an option unless I skip the bracing on one edge. The better option is to drill and hard plumb the 2078 into the side of the tank (don't want to do the bottom because I will have plecos and will be using sand as a substrate). I plan to have the intake 6 inches from the bottom and outlet 6 inches from the top and use locline like you to direct the flow in a circle. How's that sound to you?
> 
> 2. Are the tank edges polished? I am thinking of having the one visible edge 45 degree bevelled to give it a finished look. Just wondering if yours is just straight finished so that it's not rough or is it beveled?


1) I dont see a issue with this at all, are you going to do the sides or the rear? Because it's going to stick out alot on the sides with all the plumbing etc.. might look awkward? You also want to figure out what size bulkhead you want which will mean you will need to know what size locline you want. Diff size have different flow rates... I'd maybe suggest 1/2" for yours..

2) yea mine were polished. I like the squarish look personally so.. if it was me i'd just go for a strait finish, nice a clean. Clear silicone is probably preferable.. unless you want black. It's really your tank so it depends what look you want.. u know.

Also my tank is a thicker than normal glass. This was to give the glass greater clarity, as well make it a bit stronger.

Start your journal, i'd love to read it.


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## Nicklfire

Luke78 said:


> Shawn ,
> 
> Apistogrammas no matter what kind, are full of activity and colour for sure and a joy to watch.Keep in mind that most if not all of them, will stay between the lower to middle parts of the water and sometimes visit up top.They love their hiding places, lots of plants(you mentioned heavy planted) pieces of driftwood or large rocks/pebbles , little caves.A larger female to male ratio will give you better odds of fry surviving and less casulties amoungs all of them.Breeding sometimes makes them very nasty towards their own kind and others in the aquarium.Thats a few things off the top of my head , any questions let me know here to help as ive kept over a dozen species of these guys.


So can you keep like 4 different types together? i would love the opportunity to breed them, maybe help cover the cost of the fish themselves lol. Breeding isnt my main concern though. I think i have a big enough tank that they wont really bother one another, there will be lots of space, and by no means will i be close to overstocking. i'm more interested in plants then the fish themselves lol. What is the most colorful type?


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## 2wheelsx2

Nicklfire said:


> 1) I dont see a issue with this at all, are you going to do the sides or the rear? Because it's going to stick out alot on the sides with all the plumbing etc.. might look awkward? You also want to figure out what size bulkhead you want which will mean you will need to know what size locline you want. Diff size have different flow rates... I'd maybe suggest 1/2" for yours..
> 
> 2) yea mine were polished. I like the squarish look personally so.. if it was me i'd just go for a strait finish, nice a clean. Clear silicone is probably preferable.. unless you want black. It's really your tank so it depends what look you want.. u know.
> 
> Also my tank is a thicker than normal glass. This was to give the glass greater clarity, as well make it a bit stronger.
> 
> Start your journal, i'd love to read it.


The cube is going into a corner, so there will be 2 "rears". I plan to put all the wiring and plumbing on the left rear, which is the back of the long axis of the room, because there is a fireplace on that side of the room, so the tank being further out does not look as obvious on that side.

Ok, I'll get on that journal this weekend.


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## Nicklfire

Ok so a small update (pictures to come)

I did the plumbing that needed to be done. I had to silicone and install the bulkheads (keep in mind some bulkhead seals are silicone safe and some are not, mine are).

I than made a run down to the home depot and got all my plumbing supplies, i'm using all 3/4" plastic pvc threaded connections, i got a shutoff valve for each bulkhead and then at the end of each pipe there is a 3/4" to 5/8" Barbed brass fitting so the 5/8" filter hose connection can connect right to it.

I will get some pictures up soon.

Left on my to do list:

-get a inline pump
-get a canister filter
-get remaining 4 bags of flourite black (already have 3)
-get a light, probably will go with this one ( 4Ft/4Bulbs fixture ) which is about 200w, but i will take 1 bulb out so i can be at the 2wpg range
-got to connect my laguna powerclear 1000 uv sterilizer to the inline plumbing
-connect my pressurized co2 system to my aquamedic 1000 co2 reator to the inline plumbing

currently i have about 5" of water in the tank and just testing all the plumbing and joints for leaks


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## 2wheelsx2

Shawn, why did you choose silicone safe bulkheads? Seems salties use non-silicone ones? Just wondering. Shut off valves are a great idea, I'll have to remember that.


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## Nicklfire

The company who built my tank for me told me to do it that way so i just followed there directions, no reason other then that.

I bought a rena xp3 filter today because i could not find a used one anywhere

I was not expecting that it was going to be so tall so there is only approx 5 inches between the top valves of the filter and the barbed hose attachment. Luckily this rena xp4 hose does not deform when it bends a bit.

I hooked it all up and started the filter and everything worked fine , no leaks. I will turn the shutoff vales OFF tonight, and if there is a leak work case scenario the filter drains and nothing else.

Now i'll really need to get pictures


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## 2wheelsx2

Nicklfire said:


> Now i'll really need to get pictures


Couldn't agree more!


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## target

Shawn, are all your fittings 3/4"? I found a website that sells the full return kits in loc-line for a good price. Less than $50US for 2 return kits, including a hole saw. Just quickly pricing it out, looks like it would be around $75US for 2 returns and 2 outlets, plus $17 shipping. Not too bad a price.

Glass-Holes.com dope aquarium stuff


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## Nicklfire

I have recently been working on the plumbing part of my setup.

Basically on the left side of the tank the 2 bulkheads will be hooked up just to the Rena Xp3 canister filter

On the right side bulkheads basically i am going to try and fit a Uv sterilizer, co2 reactor, inline heater, and pump.

Here are some pictures, all i have hooked up right now is the canister filter, i tested some water just to make sure no leaks, but i have to put back on the hose clamps on the filter side of the hose


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## 2wheelsx2

Looks good Shawn. Just wondering if you ever considered a "T" for water changes?


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## Nicklfire

2wheelsx2 said:


> Looks good Shawn. Just wondering if you ever considered a "T" for water changes?


Yea i had thought about it quickly but i already have one of the water change siphons and it's quick that way and it hooks up to the tap so i dont really have a need for anything better.


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## 2wheelsx2

I guess that's a good idea. Why make things more complicated than they need to be. I have a Jehmco super safety siphon also.


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## Luke78

Believe it not where most of these little guys come, there are colonies of various apistos living so close together they barely run into each other.I would try my hand at keeping two kinds in your setup.The space alone should give each of them enough territory to claim.As for choices in terms of colour, i would try apisto agassizii,apisto diplotaenia,apisto iniridae,apisto nijsseni(my favorite) to name a few.Keep in mind theres several hundred of them out there and more are being found now a days.



Nicklfire said:


> So can you keep like 4 different types together? i would love the opportunity to breed them, maybe help cover the cost of the fish themselves lol. Breeding isnt my main concern though. I think i have a big enough tank that they wont really bother one another, there will be lots of space, and by no means will i be close to overstocking. i'm more interested in plants then the fish themselves lol. What is the most colorful type?


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## Nicklfire

Luke78 said:


> Believe it not where most of these little guys come, there are colonies of various apistos living so close together they barely run into each other.I would try my hand at keeping two kinds in your setup.The space alone should give each of them enough territory to claim.As for choices in terms of colour, i would try apisto agassizii,apisto diplotaenia,apisto iniridae,apisto nijsseni(my favorite) to name a few.Keep in mind theres several hundred of them out there and more are being found now a days.


Thank you for the input 

UPDATE:

I ordered my light from Fish need it. It`s a 4x54 watt t5 with ceiling suspension. I will probably only use 3 or those 54 watt bulbs to begin with.

I will also be doing the HC DRY START method for the first month or two, i will put together a seperate thread on how to `dry start HC` with day by day updates


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## 2wheelsx2

That would be great. I'd like to see one of the new 4 tube t5 setups.


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## Nicklfire

you will soon,

Light cleared customs this morning  should have it by friday, then i'll maybe suspend this weekend if i have some time and take some pics.

Then comes the 2-3 month dry start


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## Nicklfire

*New Light*

Got my new light, it's from fishneedit . This is my second light i have got from them, similar to the halide style fixture i had.

this is a 2x54w, changes are i will only use 3 of those for approx 2wpg .

right now it's just sitting ON the tank, so i could at least get some pics, these are minutes after opening the box. they do come with clamps you can use to attach to the tank. I also bought a suspension kit so i can hang it from the ceiling above the tank which will also give me the flexibility of more or less light (intensity wise)


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## pisces

wow,, great Job!!!


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## Nicklfire

just noticed how dirty the glass is.. ewwwww


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## Luke78

Starting to look good, liking that tree stump alot.Looks like the kittie is 'digging' the new light setup too


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## 2wheelsx2

Man, that looks great Shawn. It's got me rethinking the whole retrofit/canopy idea again.


----------



## Smiladon

It looks really nice Shawn. Once the water and plants are in, its going to look awesome.

Are you going to be glueing some plants on the driftwood?


----------



## target

I like the frameless look a lot. Looks really clean. Can't wait to see it filled, planted, and stocked.


----------



## CRS Fan

Now for the fun part, planting. I hope you have a fine pair of bent tweezers for planting. HC and dwarf hairgarss are a PITA . Can't wait to see the progress.

Best Regards,

Stuart


----------



## Nicklfire

2wheelsx2 said:


> Man, that looks great Shawn. It's got me rethinking the whole retrofit/canopy idea again.


I think you should keep with your plan. I think open top have a good look, but i think the look that you are going for will actually look better with a canopy and retro light. Your going for more of a slick type look which i think you will get with that canopy.



Smiladon said:


> It looks really nice Shawn. Once the water and plants are in, its going to look awesome.
> 
> Are you going to be glueing some plants on the driftwood?


Yea after the hc grows in and before i fill the tank i will be getting a good amount of fissiden fontanus (which is a unique looking type moss) and attaching to driftwood with glue(from tailored aquatics).

I may do some willow type moss as well, not sure exactly, might change my mind at that point 



CRS Fan said:


> Now for the fun part, planting. I hope you have a fine pair of bent tweezers for planting. HC and dwarf hairgarss are a PITA . Can't wait to see the progress.
> 
> Best Regards,
> 
> Stuart


I'm not looking forward to planting lol, i have my tweezers from my kit, but still not sure if those are small enough. might have to get out the regular eyebrow tweezers lol.

Thanks for the HC by the way 

I will keep the journal updated with the pictures from DSM (dry start method)

i will also try to document day by day growing


----------



## 2wheelsx2

Thanks Shawn. I was thinking that too. And the mockups Daniel has done with it looking like a monolith is pretty cool. We'll have to compare pics when we are both done.


----------



## Ra's al Ghul

Shaun,

The tank looks good, nice piece of manzanita wood.


----------



## Ra's al Ghul

*Nice setup*

Shaun,

The tank looks good, nice piece of manzanita wood.


----------



## Nicklfire

Just planted all the HC using the dry start method, i have started a seperate thread on the dry start method project, but will be updating this one as usual.

http://www.bcaquaria.com/forum/plan...orial-growing-plants-emmersed-5267/#post47646


----------



## 2wheelsx2

That looks like a rice paddy!


----------



## Nicklfire

haha sure does  only took me a hour. I have heard people it takes them 3 hours.. I could see it being alot longer if i used tiny portions.. and didnt have as much as i did.


----------



## 2wheelsx2

I guess that just shows I'll never grow HC properly.


----------



## Nicklfire

here's update of my tank, doing the dry start method, day 7 of it


----------



## 2wheelsx2

Looking good. If I'm not mistaken, there appears to be a few new leaves already.


----------



## Nicklfire

Finally got around to mounting my ceiling suspension mounts so i could hang my light from ceiling 

Basically just used some drywall anchor screws, then screwed into those. 
Light is not very heavy at all so it was easy.


----------



## 2wheelsx2

Your light is very front biased. Is that temporary? Also, any reason why you're not putting it lower to maximize the light (and growth) while it's still dry?


----------



## Nicklfire

Yea, basially took the pictures seconds after securing the top screw lol. I already lowered the light right above the tank, i want the light more front biased because that is where the hc is currently.

Looking at the last 2 pictures, i think the angle makes it look like it's WAY out front more then it really is.. it onto to the front a smidge.


----------



## 2wheelsx2

Hahaha....should have guess about when the pic was taken. I do that all the time too.

So do you have some way of shifting the light backwards later on? Or will just drill and anchor new screws and fill the old ones?


----------



## 2wheelsx2

Actually, have you plumbed in the filter yet? If so, I wouldn't mind seeing a shot under your stand, as I'll be putting on the bulkheads and painting the back of that stand this weekend and likely test fitting all the plumbing next week.


----------



## Nicklfire

Nope, no way to shift light backwards lol, this was my "spot" i chose. I'd have to redo it all over again and just putty the holes.

Yea i did plumb the filter, that was a while ago lol. 
page 6

took me a while to find all the proper attachments but finally i did, i think i went into enough detail but if not just ask a question.

If your going with pvc plastic fittings, there are people who say go with pipe dope for pvc or people say go with teflon tape. I went with teflon tape but the more reading i did i found out that teflon tape is more meant to be a lubricant for steel piping so that it fits snugger. You dont really want that for pvc plastic cause you CAN overtighten and break it. If i did it all over again i would go with the pipe dope made for abs. I'm no plumber.. but i think that would have been the best way to go. Regardless when i did my leak test it was all fine.


Just stay 2 weeks behind me and i'll make all the mistakes for us


----------



## 2wheelsx2

I knew I had seen it somewhere.  Thanks for pointing me there. Right now I'm more than 2 weeks behind you.  I'm already bugging Target to start on my stand and I'll get the tank up once the tank is in and just run it topless until the canopy is completed.

Currently the tank is still sitting on the garage floor.  But the more I look at your tank the more I like the lights, so I might do that for my 125 gallon.


----------



## Nicklfire

yea they are cheap in price, maybe a bit cheap in material.. but overall i'm very happy with them.


----------



## 2wheelsx2

It must need closer inspection to see the cheap material then, as it sure looks great in the pics.


----------



## Nicklfire

i think "cheap" was too harsh of a word.

If they were to use a thicker heavier grade of... material then it would feel a little better, but regardless i'm happy with it and it does not affect the functionality of the light itself.


----------



## Aquaman

Looking nice  going to look awesome I am sure. I am considering doing a 180 planted ...I got the BUG now after Lisa did a 120 planted for me. SO many plants ......not enough tanks 

BTW you pooch has grown  must of been a great summer for him/her 
.



Nicklfire said:


> Nope, no way to shift light backwards lol, this was my "spot" i chose. I'd have to redo it all over again and just putty the holes......


Don't ya hate doin that ...










Whats with the big loops of wire ....if its a safety device in case the unit pops of the ceiling ...I would say shorten or remove it. It wont do much good as it would hit the tank anyways if it did. You could build a rectangular cover to hide the cable and additional holes or 2 square ones . you can always make it project # 64 . 
Looking good ..cant wait to see some more pics.


----------



## 2wheelsx2

Aquaman said:


> Whats with the big loops of wire


Kinda hard to raise and lower the light without extra wire. Planted tank guys like to do that kinda thing.


----------



## Aquaman

2wheelsx2 said:


> Kinda hard to raise and lower the light without extra wire. Planted tank guys like to do that kinda thing.


cool ...I thought at first they were safty cables but upon looking at the other pics I see they are actually the power supply as well ...so i apears . So the cable that is looped actually goes down the center of the hanger to the light ...correct . 
What a great idea if thats correct ..could that loop in another aplication go up into the cieling ....if there was room ? ..oh skip that.... you would need to pull your wire/cable in order to get it up ..( please leave that alone.)... Gee YOU planted guys get all the cool stuff


----------



## Nicklfire

Aquaman said:


> So the cable that is looped actually goes down the center of the hanger to the light ...correct .
> What a great idea if thats correct .


Yup that's correct  It's great when i'm doing maintanance on the tank i can quickly raise the light a few feet and work on the tank and still have tons of light instead of having the take the light off the tank and put it on the ground.... etc etc.

also it's great for when i am trying to figure out the best light for the plants, maybe i have too much light and i want to make the fixture higher.. i can simply raise it a few inches... etc.


----------



## Nicklfire

on a side note the HC has really started to grow and spread. i'll have to update the pictures tonight and also the other DSM thread


----------



## Nicklfire

The projects coming along, still doing my dry start method with my HC plant. I'm just under 1 month into it, i assume by 2 months it will be pretty good. I still need to get a pump for the other side of the tank's closed loop system. Anyone got recommendations what pump i should get, i want something in the range of 300gph i think, the rena3 is not as powerfull as i thought it would be and the pump has to run a uv sterilizer, inline heater, external co2 reactor.


----------



## Nicklfire

Looking for advice for the closed loop system on the right side of the tank.

Basically what's happening is on the left side of the tank i have my rena xp3 filter and that's all.

On the right side of the tank i want to hookup a Aquamedic co2 reactor > external pump > laguna uv sterilizer >back to tank.

I have never worked with external pumps before so i'm unsure what type of fitting they use or what type of gph flow i am needing. I thought i should need about 400gph to push water through all that.

I need advice on what pump i should get and from where, and also what the best way to hookup this stuff.

I'm using rena xp3 tubing on the left side and would like to continue using it for the right side.

input appreciated


----------



## Nicklfire

someones gotta have an idea :


----------



## 2wheelsx2

Yeah, but they might not be reading your thread.  Maybe you should post this in the equipment forum. Might get some of the salties looking at it too.


----------



## Kitsune

I read your post... I had to think about it...

A few thoughts:
- the pump you are going to get is dictated by the two things: the treatment rate of the UV light, and the optimal flow rate of the Co2 reactor. The UV light probably does not matter since it is a closed system, so if you have a super slow flow vs a super high flow, your over all treatment of the water will be the same, unless there is a special reason for using the UV (like you want to sterilize 100 % of the water because you are using one filter for two tanks etc). Although too fast may not expose the bacteria to the UV light long enough to zap them...

- There is probably an optimal rate for the reactor. Too much flow will push down the CO2 , and prevent mixing, too slow and you'll have undissolved Co2 accumulating in the reactor. Can you find the manaul for the reactor? I would base the pump size on that flow

-In terms of the connection, I HATE flexible tube connections, cause all it takes is for the tube to fall off the bib, and water water all over the place. I prefer threaded, flanged, or glued connection (with unions so that you can take it apart).

- I think before you think about how you are going to hook up the stuff you need to think about what material you are going to use (flex tube, PVC, pex etc). I prefer PVC because it is rigid, and you don't have to worry about things flying apart (being kicked, pump too powerful etc). I have unions and threads to make sure I can rearrange it later, and glued parts for the rest. Using a hose clamp to make sure the hose doesn't fall off the bib is really scary for me (perfect for halloween though)

Good luck!


----------



## 2wheelsx2

Kitsune, I've heard that argument about flex hose and clamps many times, and it all seems to come from salties who use mega size high amplitude vibration monster pumps. I am just trying to get a perspective on why salties are so uncomfortable with it, since every canister ever made uses flex hose and clamps, includes the big 2080 Eheiim Pro III and the Fluval FX5 (950 GPH). Don't get me wrong, I've had canisters leak/fail, but it wasn't always the rigid plastic parts wearing out or the pump head gasket and never the hose.

On the original topic, I don't know what Shawn's using it for and I have no experience with UV sterilizers, but as far as the CO2 reactor goes, the fix is fairly simple. If the flow is too high, use a larger diameter and longer PVC pipe. In all instances, use as long a PVC as you can, no shorter than 21 inches and you'll never have CO2 burping problems, is what all my research from the DIY ones out there tell me. So in Shawn's case, he would only have to worry about the throughput for what he's trying to do for the UV and big a big enough reactor to match the flow.

Oh, BTW, after having said all that, I used rigid PVC with threaded and glued fittings into my canister. The only flexible part will be a foot of hose to connect the canister to the PVC.


----------



## Nicklfire

Just to update the thread i'm using a Laguna Uv sterilizer , which is meant for ponds and rated at no more then 500gph, the co2 reactor is a aquamedic 100 rated for a 500gal tank, so i think i'm under the flow rate


----------



## Kitsune

2wheelsx2 said:


> Kitsune, I've heard that argument about flex hose and clamps many times, and it all seems to come from salties who use mega size high amplitude vibration monster pumps. I am just trying to get a perspective on why salties are so uncomfortable with it, since every canister ever made uses flex hose and clamps, includes the big 2080 Eheiim Pro III and the Fluval FX5 (950 GPH). Don't get me wrong, I've had canisters leak/fail, but it wasn't always the rigid plastic parts wearing out or the pump head gasket and never the hose.


I have nothing against flex hose or clams, specifically. The companies out there like fluval, Eheim, etc have perfected their clamp technology (some of them are pretty impressive). If you look at the way they clamp down, you can kick it, drop it, etc and it won't leak.

If you use the right tools there is no problem. For example using mechanical couplings that bites into the pipe, like SharkBite fittings (which doesn't use friction to hold the pipe, but digs into the pipe to prevent it from slipping) than its fine. And a lot of plumbers know which fittings are pressure rated and which are not. The problem is just slipping a flexible hose from home depot and using hose clamps (http://www.homedepot.com/catalog/productImages/300/b4/b4c66dbc-dce6-47f7-8405-bdc02ad7b471_300.jpg), on a plastic fitting and thinking that its ok which causes flooding.

I would totally use flexible pipe (like PEX) if I knew how to make it not leak. Since I don't know, I go with the stuff that I KNOW won't leak, which is PVC... Its not a which is better than the other, but rather which I am comfortable with (and would recommend to other newbs).


----------



## Kitsune

Nicklfire said:


> Just to update the thread i'm using a Laguna Uv sterilizer , which is meant for ponds and rated at no more then 500gph, the co2 reactor is a aquamedic 100 rated for a 500gal tank, so i think i'm under the flow rate


Nicklfire, I can't seem to find the 100 series on the web. For example the M series on has a rating of "max. 400 l/h (100 gal/h)" (http://www.aqua-medic.de/en/service/pdfs/reactor M _71110_.pdf)... Does your manual say what the max rating is?

How big is your tank again? 400 gph does seem like a large pump...


----------



## 2wheelsx2

Thanks for the explanation about the flex pipe and clamps. Makes sense, except I don' agree on the companies all getting it right. The clamps for Rena are flimsy looking things that I don't trust all. If it wasn't for the fact that there is not much pressure on it, plus the fact I had to heat the hose to get it on the barbs, I wouldn't use them at all.


----------



## Kitsune

2wheelsx2 said:


> Thanks for the explanation about the flex pipe and clamps. Makes sense, except I don' agree on the companies all getting it right. The clamps for Rena are flimsy looking things that I don't trust all. If it wasn't for the fact that there is not much pressure on it, plus the fact I had to heat the hose to get it on the barbs, I wouldn't use them at all.


I've actually never used the Rena ones... I have a fluval that i like (the valve is plastic though... I had to order a new one recently). It works well enough, except for when I asked my husband to move the filter recently, and he thought he was suppose to pull the hose out... not undo the no-leak clamp  water all over the place....


----------



## Nicklfire

Sorry was a typo

Aquamedic 1000
CO2 Reactor - Closed external CO2 reactor for aquaria up to 500 gal - Aqua Medic
Max flow: 250 gph

Uv sterilizer:
Welcome to Laguna - UV Sterilizers/Clarifiers
Maximum Flow 500 U.S GPH/1900 LPH.

My tank size is 75 gallon, but i was thinking of around a 400gph pump just because it's gotta push through that big uv sterilizer as well the big co2 reactor, also i was thinking of putting a hydor heater inline with it . I just noticed that the co2 reactor max flow is 250gph max, but i was thinking that because of all the inline stuff it will get down to about 250 all said and done.


----------



## 2wheelsx2

Why did you decide to go with the Aquamedic instead of a DIY, Shawn? I was thinking that I would stay away from diffusers when it came time to inject CO2 for the cube, so that I keep stuff out of the tank and was considering buying or making a DIY one. No time for DIY, or do you have a preference for that design.

As for the flow, with the bioballs in the design of the Aquamedic, I would think that you'd have at least 10% loss right there straight out of the box. So that brings you down t about 350. If you plan the heater and the UV inline in front of that, you'd be pretty close to 250 I would think. Of course, you can also rig up a bypass so that some of the flow goes straight to the tank. That would allow you to adjust the flow rate too.


----------



## Nicklfire

I had this aqua medic already and it's pretty easy to tie into a inline system and i have never had the problem of air bubbles with it. Plus it stays OUT of the tank and stays inline. 

I wanted a higher rated pump because i know the loss from the co2 reactor, hydor, uv will take alot of flow away.. correct 

I guess the only problem was that i have never worked with a pump before so i am unsure how to correctly install it with fittings etc.


----------



## Kitsune

I agree, the Co2 reactor will be by far the biggest head loss in your system.

The UV units won't have that much loss across the unit, relative to the rest of the system....

The inline hydor is interesting idea (are you sure you want to do that? You won't really know if it broke until you pulled it out... mine recently broke and I didn't realize it for a long time....  ).

The questions about the pump fittings depends entirely on the pump you get though. Some have flange connections, some are threaded, some are quick connects (http://www.homedepot.ca/wcsstore/HomeDepotCanada/images/catalog/17103042_4.jpg)... But if you are looking for something more specific, try talking to gimlid (i hope you don't mind gimlid). He's a plumber and would be able to tell you which are pressure fittings and which are not.


----------



## 2wheelsx2

Kitsune said:


> The inline hydor is interesting idea (are you sure you want to do that? You won't really know if it broke until you pulled it out... mine recently broke and I didn't realize it for a long time....  ).


You couldn't tell by the drop in temperature? My house is at 20 - 21 degrees C and my tanks are at 26, so the temps would drop pretty quickly.


----------



## Kitsune

2wheelsx2 said:


> You couldn't tell by the drop in temperature? My house is at 20 - 21 degrees C and my tanks are at 26, so the temps would drop pretty quickly.


Well yeah... but don't you think its a lot of work taking apart that external unit just to see if its REALLY broken, or if there was an air pocket that prevented the heater from turning on?

But I see the point. The thing about the temp drop was that I don't check my thermometer daily, and I hadn't stuck my hand in the tank for months, so I had no clue when it broke  ...


----------



## 2wheelsx2

Kitsune said:


> Well yeah... but don't you think its a lot of work taking apart that external unit just to see if its REALLY broken, or if there was an air pocket that prevented the heater from turning on?


I didn't think about the air pocket thing. Hmmm...that could be a problem with inline heaters, although I've never heard mention of it before. Have you developed an airlock before?

I stick my hand in my tanks almost every day since they are all planted. And I have either external thermometers or Ranco temp controllers on my tanks (soon to have a DA controller on the new tank, so I see the temps of my tanks every time I go near them. But thankfully, I've not had a heater failure. Plenty of canister leaks, but no heater failures. I always caught the condensation inside the heaters and replace them before the seals failed.


----------



## Kitsune

Nicklfire, I e-mailed the manufacturer (out of curiosity, about the head loss coefficient, used to size a pump). Here's the reply:



> Hello,
> The manufacturer did not have the specification for head loss. They
> recommend a pump capable of 2,500 liters per hour(550 gallons per hour).
> Please let me know if you need further assistance.
> 
> Regards,
> ---
> Info - Shaun Stinnett
> Aqua Medic of North America
> 
> Aqua Medic of North America
> P: 970.776.8630 F: 970.776.8641
> 5803 Byrd Drive Loveland CO 80538


Sooo.... i guess you need a larger pump?


----------



## Nicklfire

Interesting, Well that's a bit better for me because it's hard to find something around 400gph believe it or not.

So maybe something like little giant?
Little Giant Pump Company

or coralife 
http://www.petsandponds.com/en/aquarium-supplies/c378118491/p17104935.html


----------



## Kitsune

Nicklfire said:


> Interesting, Well that's a bit better for me because it's hard to find something around 400gph believe it or not.
> 
> So maybe something like little giant?
> Little Giant Pump Company
> 
> or coralife
> Coralife 580P High Pressure Turbo-Sea External Pump - Pets & Ponds


I vote the little giant, just cause it has more documentation (has the pump curve, which could be useful for you, the O/M manual seems to be complete), "looks" sturdier (there's not material list, so I can't tell what type of housing it has), and has a manufacturer who specializes in pumps (Coralife does not). And i would guess that the Little giant has better support (its website actually lists the contacts for technical support, parts replacement, and has a Canadian contact number). I can't find ANYTHING on the coralife one.

Anyway if you are looking for fittings, the pump has NPT threads (which I believe is the same as PVC thread), so I vote that you go for PVC piping. You'll have to figure out how to get the PVC to work with the barbed fitting on the CO2 reactor side though.


----------



## 2wheelsx2

Is noise going to be a problem for you Shawn? I would vote for the little giant too, but I know a lot of people say there are quite noisy.


----------



## Nicklfire

Yea noise will be a problem, i did some research and found the same about those pumps..

Now i have considered iwaki, this one : 
Iwaki WMD-30RLT Pump


----------



## tang daddy

If you want something quiet and reliable ehiem pumps are your number one choice... if your gonna do a laguna then might aswell go with a quiet one since they are both loud, the quiet ones are cheaper too and can be run external!!

why do you want to run external? no sump room?
I have a quiet one 3000 on my reef and have lots of flow, as for the co2 it can be run T'eed off the main supply line so the flow isnt affected by much...


----------



## 2wheelsx2

tang daddy said:


> I
> why do you want to run external? no sump room?
> I have a quiet one 3000 on my reef and have lots of flow, as for the co2 it can be run T'eed off the main supply line so the flow isnt affected by much...


He's running it as a closed loop for the UV and CO2 reactor, so no sump. We're all following the "drilled for canister, but no sump" craze.


----------



## Nicklfire

BINGO  That's right!


----------



## tang daddy

Yes you 3 I slowly caught up and read all your posts, no wonder the drain was drilled so low on targets..

Anyhow you dont need that strong of a flow in a planted tank so a quiet one 3000 is probably good, but if you run a more powerful pump there is definately more humming and heat


----------



## mikebike

Where do you get the locline parts?

Thanks


----------



## target

mikeike said:


> Where do you get the locline parts?
> 
> Thanks


2wheelsx2 and I got ours from J&L Aquatics.


----------



## Nicklfire

SO!!!!!!!!!

After a final run back to the plumbing store 4 or 5 times... i finally got it all plumbed up and hooked up.

So on the Left side, i have a rena xp3 that's hooked up directly to the bulkheads. One thing i realized today is those xp3 are very sensative when you push that handle down, i learnt my lesson not to force it. Also i didnt realize but you need about 24" between the filter and the water line.. or else you get bad flow... that was another problem i had to figure out.

On the right side i got my inlet bulkhead hooked up to my aquamedic 1000 co2 reactor > 580p aquaeuro inline pump > laguna Uv sterlizer > hydor inline heater > back into tank...


Took a while and had to fix some minor leaks.. but it's been running all day without fail, i must say it was pretty frustrating at some points... At first i plumbed it wrong.. (in to out... out to in.. etc) lol. Was excited and got ahead of myself.

If i was to do this again i would use slip valves as i found out they are easier to work with then threaded.


----------



## Kitsune

Nice! So do we get to see photos? 

Slip valves? Do you mean just the hub/socket versions that you need to glue in?

After consulting with my plant specialist, I've come to the conclusion that I need a CO2 reactor as well. I'll probably do something similar to what you did. I'll make sure to consult you when the time comes to make it go.


----------



## Nicklfire

Yeap, you will get to see pics ;I gotta find my camera cord, not sure where it is at the moment : )


----------



## Nicklfire

Thought i should update with some pics.
Basically what you see here is the few plants that i have obtained, i have more that i'm getting in, alot more, but i needed to start somewhere. Alot of the hardware will eventually be hidden by plants, may not seen like much right now, but wait till it grows out


----------



## Nicklfire




----------



## Diztrbd1

looks great Shawn, look forward to seeing it with the rest of the plants. I really like that piece of wood you have in there also.


----------



## mysticalnet

meoww!!


----------



## Nicklfire

yup, cat loves it too


----------



## 2wheelsx2

Looking good Shawn. Very similar to what I have envisioned for my tank except no CO2.


----------



## Nicklfire

Here are some recent pictures of the AutoDosing system that i have been setting up. Was a early Xmas present 

Basically it's a 3 x peristaltic pump for dosing fertilizers.... so i dont have to do it.

It's similar to the pumps they use for hospitals for drips.

I will be doing all my macro and my micro using this system. Basically just mounted it on the side of the tank and started measuring exactly how many seconds of pumping at what speed i will need...

I am also starting to fight some algae which is growing on my java moss and some of my slow growers, my plant mass is not what it should be because i'm having a hell of a time finding decent plants that dont cost 30$.

Because of this i have raised my co2 a bit, and have cut my lights down to only 2 bulbs instead of the 4.

I need to find some plants soon to get this under control.


----------



## fraggalrock

Wow I love it!!!


----------



## 2wheelsx2

What are you doing with that locline extension that seems to be going up to the surface?


----------



## Nicklfire

2wheelsx2 said:


> What are you doing with that locline extension that seems to be going up to the surface?


The clear stuff is just a tube going from locline to surface, one thing that i forgot about when i designed this tank is i had no way to skim the surface to get the protein buildup off.. will have to think of something lol


----------



## 2wheelsx2

Nicklfire said:


> The clear stuff is just a tube going from locline to surface, one thing that i forgot about when i designed this tank is i had no way to skim the surface to get the protein buildup off.. will have to think of something lol


Yeah, I'm running into a skimming problem in the cube too. But fortunately for me I won't be injecting CO2, so I'm going to add a powerhead to "boil" the surface.


----------



## Nicklfire

Yea not sure what to do to resolve it. If i was to do this again i would have had a skimmy type thing in the corner like reef tanks do, to skim the surface water... 

Stuff you learn as you go along  Yea the co2 is the problem with the protein buildup..

The only thing i can do is raise that loclin to the surface, but then i have a black pipe going to the top. Maybe when i get more growth and it actually grows into the point i can hide it.. until now my extension will have to do lol.


----------



## tang daddy

yah where the returns are situated there is little you can do to skim the surface unless you add a surface skimmer!!

also why dont you wrap moss around the lock line and return tubes to hide it abit better! or perhaps rock around the return tubes and moss on the lockline....


----------



## gouedi

wow....really high tech...add auto water change next time...
but why not use root fertilizer. it makes red plants more red..


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## Nicklfire

Thanks to some more sources as april and my friend in winnipeg (theplantguy) i was able to get a bunch more plants, looking better now, Just gotta wait for it to fill now then i can do a pruning. Algae is under control now, getting a bit of it but nothing like last time. Maybe in the new year i can get a new camera and start taking some decent shots lol, colors really dont come through.


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## 2wheelsx2

It's looking really good, Shawn.


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## CRS Fan

It is starting to fill in nicely Shawn. Are you running the diatom 24/7 or just as a polishing filter once in a while? Grow already HC. I will be doing a journal of my 29 to 27 gallon tank swap in the near future. It is slowly coming together.

Best Regards,

Stuart


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## Diztrbd1

Looks great Shawn!


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## Nicklfire

2wheelsx2 said:


> It's looking really good, Shawn.


Thanks so much



CRS Fan said:


> It is starting to fill in nicely Shawn. Are you running the diatom 24/7 or just as a polishing filter once in a while? Grow already HC. I will be doing a journal of my 29 to 27 gallon tank swap in the near future. It is slowly coming together.
> 
> Best Regards,
> 
> Stuart


The diatom filter is only running like 3 hours.. in the last 4 weeks! It works great when i have it going but i have not needed it at all 

Looking forward to your journal


Diztrbd1 said:


> Looks great Shawn!


thanks man!


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## Luke78

Thats quite the difference from your previous post.Very lush and green.Question for you, i didnt see any fish in there ? or were they hiding ?


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## Nicklfire

The pictures dont do the tank justice at all, in person it looks way healthier and greener  

There are indeed fish in there  

There are about 14 apisto's in there that i got local from a guy, wild ones, was a great deal at about 7$ each.

There are also 4 otto's , 6 amano shrimp, and 6 julie cory's


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## BubBleBee

Awesome and inspiring.....the tank looks great....kudo's to you. I am also gettin a light fixture from fishneedit. You know there's a guy out in Quebec that sells the fixture's I'm goin through him rather the US.


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## Nicklfire

Really guy in quebec? 

Simon is a great guy, the owner in the states, i've always dealt with him. who's the guy in the quebec? 

I talked to simon a while ago about carrying the light in canada and being a reseller for him, never did finish that convo


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## 24/7

Looks Real nice Bro

You got it going on 
I like it.


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## 2wheelsx2

Nicklfire said:


> I talked to simon a while ago about carrying the light in canada and being a reseller for him, never did finish that convo


You should really do that Shawn, and then we can buy them from you.


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## jobber

I hope I see Shawn's tank appear in those aquascape contests/showdowns! Those plants are growing in very nicely and your auto-doser....wow!


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## Nicklfire

jobber604 said:


> I hope I see Shawn's tank appear in those aquascape contests/showdowns! Those plants are growing in very nicely and your auto-doser....wow!


HAha we can only wish  the next few months will determine that i suppose  Just hope they grow in bushy enough, just will take alot of trimming


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## jobber

we should make it happen one day. have yourself or someone on the site represent BCA on the worldwide stage. you're tank is quite inspirational. looking sharp..and green.


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## Gregzz4

'been 7 months...
Any updates?
Glad to see you replaced the Rena clamps with gears. You can get those in full stainless if you like. Auto Parts store HAS instead of HS part #'s.
Did the brass barb fittings ever cause you any trouble? Brass contains Copper and Zinc.
Lets see some pics


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