Hello Everyone!
I just got a new 46 Bow (All-Glass) Aquarium+Stand and decided to do my first SW Tank. Since this will be my first SW tank I had a few questions (after reading your beginner guide). They are mainly due to my drill set-up in the tank. I am hoping to do a FOWLR tank with some simple fish and go from there after a while (no coral for a bit). I do not know the specific fish I would like at first, but have a bit of time to figure it out after my tank is set up and cycled.
The tank came pre-drilled (there are two bulk-heads on the back of the tank:
I will have to do my own plumbing to and from my sump. The main problem I have is I cannot see many examples (pictures online) which show me exactly a Sump setup (plumbing) with this drill tank setup. Most examples I see are for over-the-top overflow setup.
WHAT I BELIEVE I WILL NEED TO DO:
1) Put a protective gate on the inside of the smaller higher bulkhead. Run the plumbing directly from this bulkhead into the Sump.
2) The Sump is a multi-champered tank(bought). It will go through a Protein Skimmer, then a live rock/live sand section (or perhaps refugium), then a return section (including a heater).
3) The return submersible pump will go directly into the lower larger bulkhead in the aquarium.
QUESTIONS:
1) First question is obviously with overflows. I understand since the bulkhead is near the top, if the pump fails it will poor into my Sump and be okay. If I do it this way, water is constantly be pouring into the Sump... although as long as the return pump pumps at the same rate as is coming in, it would be okay; maintaining this equilibrium will be hard I assume. Will I have to revert to a way similar to the hanging overflow system? If this is true, what was the advantage to drilling the bulkhead in the glass? Is there any way to hide everything in the sump-area? Some clarification on the exact details needed from the higher bulkhead to the sump (and what comes between them) would be much appreciated.
2) The return bulkhead. If the pump fails what prevents water from flowing back into the sump through this bulkhead? With the hanging-overflow a drill hole is placed in the tubing to act as a suction cut... how would I accomplish this with a drilled bulkhead setup? (1 way valve? or pipe to the top then back down...). What exactly needs to go between the return pump and the returning bulkhead?
3) Should a protective pipe cover (gate) go on the return bulkhead, inside the tank? Or just an elbow shape pipe is fine to control flow location?
4) I was hoping to use a submersive water pump. My tank is 46 G (if we want to flow 6 times the tank an hour... a flow rate of 276gph is needed). The Mag-Drive 700 has (Flow Rate at 4' Head: 475 GPH). Do you think the Mag-Drive 500 (Flow Rate at 4' Head: 310 GPH) will be sufficient for the tank? Having an overpowered pump will do no harm correct? Of course minimizing the costs is helpful.
THINGS I NEED TO BUY:
Plumbing Tubes (from bulkhead to Sump, and Sump to Bulkhead)
Sump (multi-chamber glass tank)
Coralife Super Protein Skimmer (Needle wheel)
Live Rock (20-30lbs)
Live Sand (How much?)
Stealth Aquarium Heater - 150 Watt
Danner Mag-Drive 500 Supreme Water Pump
Of course salt/test kit/termostate
So my main questions are:
1) What exactly do I do with the plumbing from the tank to the sump and sump to the tank? This is for a drilled tank. Anything I can do to hide as much as possible inside the Sump? Pictures would be great! Will a siphon overflow be necessary? What tool will be nessasary?
2) These are the basic tools I will need to start my tank cycling? Anything else of particular interest I should purchase? Is the "Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Tap Water Filter" worth it or a more expensive one necessary? How much live sand will be needed for an aquarium this size (also for sump area)?
Thanks a bunch!
~code
I just got a new 46 Bow (All-Glass) Aquarium+Stand and decided to do my first SW Tank. Since this will be my first SW tank I had a few questions (after reading your beginner guide). They are mainly due to my drill set-up in the tank. I am hoping to do a FOWLR tank with some simple fish and go from there after a while (no coral for a bit). I do not know the specific fish I would like at first, but have a bit of time to figure it out after my tank is set up and cycled.
The tank came pre-drilled (there are two bulk-heads on the back of the tank:
Top-Right: One is 1" diameter, which is 2" from the black strip at the top.
Left: Other is 1.25" diameter, which is 6.5" from the black strip at the top.
I will have to do my own plumbing to and from my sump. The main problem I have is I cannot see many examples (pictures online) which show me exactly a Sump setup (plumbing) with this drill tank setup. Most examples I see are for over-the-top overflow setup.
WHAT I BELIEVE I WILL NEED TO DO:
1) Put a protective gate on the inside of the smaller higher bulkhead. Run the plumbing directly from this bulkhead into the Sump.
2) The Sump is a multi-champered tank(bought). It will go through a Protein Skimmer, then a live rock/live sand section (or perhaps refugium), then a return section (including a heater).
3) The return submersible pump will go directly into the lower larger bulkhead in the aquarium.
QUESTIONS:
1) First question is obviously with overflows. I understand since the bulkhead is near the top, if the pump fails it will poor into my Sump and be okay. If I do it this way, water is constantly be pouring into the Sump... although as long as the return pump pumps at the same rate as is coming in, it would be okay; maintaining this equilibrium will be hard I assume. Will I have to revert to a way similar to the hanging overflow system? If this is true, what was the advantage to drilling the bulkhead in the glass? Is there any way to hide everything in the sump-area? Some clarification on the exact details needed from the higher bulkhead to the sump (and what comes between them) would be much appreciated.
2) The return bulkhead. If the pump fails what prevents water from flowing back into the sump through this bulkhead? With the hanging-overflow a drill hole is placed in the tubing to act as a suction cut... how would I accomplish this with a drilled bulkhead setup? (1 way valve? or pipe to the top then back down...). What exactly needs to go between the return pump and the returning bulkhead?
3) Should a protective pipe cover (gate) go on the return bulkhead, inside the tank? Or just an elbow shape pipe is fine to control flow location?
4) I was hoping to use a submersive water pump. My tank is 46 G (if we want to flow 6 times the tank an hour... a flow rate of 276gph is needed). The Mag-Drive 700 has (Flow Rate at 4' Head: 475 GPH). Do you think the Mag-Drive 500 (Flow Rate at 4' Head: 310 GPH) will be sufficient for the tank? Having an overpowered pump will do no harm correct? Of course minimizing the costs is helpful.
THINGS I NEED TO BUY:
Plumbing Tubes (from bulkhead to Sump, and Sump to Bulkhead)
Sump (multi-chamber glass tank)
Coralife Super Protein Skimmer (Needle wheel)
Live Rock (20-30lbs)
Live Sand (How much?)
Stealth Aquarium Heater - 150 Watt
Danner Mag-Drive 500 Supreme Water Pump
Of course salt/test kit/termostate
So my main questions are:
1) What exactly do I do with the plumbing from the tank to the sump and sump to the tank? This is for a drilled tank. Anything I can do to hide as much as possible inside the Sump? Pictures would be great! Will a siphon overflow be necessary? What tool will be nessasary?
2) These are the basic tools I will need to start my tank cycling? Anything else of particular interest I should purchase? Is the "Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Tap Water Filter" worth it or a more expensive one necessary? How much live sand will be needed for an aquarium this size (also for sump area)?
Thanks a bunch!
~code
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