Tearing down 55 FOWLR and setting up 40B FOWLR

[gradth]

So I am offically sick of my 55 gal set up. Been a pain in the butt for most of the year. Sump is not working well, cant seem to keep it clean, bla bla bla. So Im going to set up my 40b and move what I have in the 55 over to the 40. Just 4 fish and rock really.

 

So while im in the process Im trying to decide whether to drill or not to drill. I really dont want to pay a shop 50 bucks to drill it. Kinda scared to drill myself. I have overflow setup currently and can use those. But im also thinking part of my issues are coming from the overflows. Would like to have one built in over flow in the back middle with a durso type drain and return.

 

So thats the first issue. Second I have to decide about lighting. My current set up is a 4 ft t5 fixture. So it hangs over the 40b about 6 inches on each side. Any ideas?

 

I already had a stand I built(not pretty, but will work) for a different tank, just had to tear the top off and redo the top to fit better.

 

So this is my current plans and things I have for it.

40 gallon Breeder.

20 gallon long sump

aquac remora hang on skimmer(would rather do a in sump, but im a dummy and sold the good one I had).

 

t-5 light fixture

hang on overflow

 

I will get some pictures up soon. Just looking for some input.

 

Im trying to make do with what I have lying around and not spend a bunch of money(wife). Rather spend it on my big tank.

 

Oh yeah, Fish only with live rock.

Stars and stripe puffer

Sailfin blenny

Diamond gobie

Niger trigger.

Thats the extent of the live stock minus some hermits. Pretty sure my sand sifting starfish bought it, cant find it and have a huge cyno issue lately(scratch)

 

Any ideas or advice would be great.

[ReeFit]

drill it, its a no brainer, get rid of the HOB skimmer, i have a venturi style skimmer if you want it, clean the sand really well. can you mount or hang the light fixture more like a pendant style above the tank? I doubt you can do a stand pipe or durso in it because the bottom is probably tempered. I suppose you could drill low and do a 90 degree elbow up with a durso pipe attached. not sure how well that would work.

[gradth]

Yeah that would be great, how much for the skimmer/

 

The 40b are not tempered and can be drilled on the bottom. My goal is to keep things from running behind the tank. Drives me nuts.

 

I thought about hanging it, just thought it might look goofy.

[R-3]

I will buy your T5 fixture What kind is it? I also could trade a 250w DE setup that would be perfect for a 40b

[ReeFit]

you can have the skimmer. I actually have 2 of them. there noname cheapy but they work pretty dang well actually. It will either need to have a pump put on it or T off the main pump to supply the water to them, which is the way i had it setup. If you wanted to throw a frag at me that would be fine. Your welcome to come check them out sometime if you want.

[gradth]

I will buy your T5 fixture What kind is it? I also could trade a 250w DE setup that would be perfect for a 40b

 

Its just a 2 bulb fixture, but the bulbs are brand new. what kind of set up is your 250w?

 

 

 

you can have the skimmer. I actually have 2 of them. there noname cheapy but they work pretty dang well actually. It will either need to have a pump put on it or T off the main pump to supply the water to them, which is the way i had it setup. If you wanted to throw a frag at me that would be fine. Your welcome to come check them out sometime if you want.

 

That would be awesome. Dont have much for frags, you picked through them last time, but your welcome to take a gander at what I have.

[gradth]

So I got my parts. Charles is gonna build me a overflow. Wanted to get some thoughts on my plans before I drill.

 

This is my plan so far with a durso and return. Granted the pipes all have to be cut to size but you get the idea. Sorry, crappy cell phone pic.

 

Look ok?

[ReeFit]

looks like your supply and return are the same size. that wouldn't be a good idea.

[newfisher]

You are on the right track imo..loose the remora (put it up on RC, I've had a few and they are junk). Drill...drill...drill for sure. Trade the light to R3. I have found lots of random flow to work the best in a FOWLR. Keep the rock away from the rear glass as it will allow better flow from behind. Have you thought about a closed loop? An mp10es if you can swing it or 2 koralia #2's with a big return should be the least amount you would want. +1 on having a bigger overflow than return or drill somewhere else for a 2nd. I run a large reactor full of nitrate rubble in the sump along with kalurpa ( macro algea) and filled 1/3 of it with live rubble and a pc light. I have about 125lbs of large live rock in the 90g display fowlr and a giant skimmer. I have several large ,happy,hungry fish and low nitrate,no algea issues. Just my 2 cents

[ReefSafari]

But im also thinking part of my issues are coming from the overflows.

 

I am curious if you can elaborate on this, as I didn't drill mine and am going to setup a overflow on mine....I am curious as to why one is superior to the other? Do the hang on the back overflows not work as well?

 

Welcome to the 40breeder club(rock2)

[jgf86123]

Not really David, drilling always lessens the problems, and one of the main problems with an overflow is losing, crap, can't think, but basically the suction lol.

 

Plus, drilling does allow you to hide stuff better :P

[ReeFit]

I am curious if you can elaborate on this, as I didn't drill mine and am going to setup a overflow on mine....I am curious as to why one is superior to the other? Do the hang on the back overflows not work as well?

 

Welcome to the 40breeder club(rock2)

 

hang on the back overflows are usually limited to flow, typically 600gph, unless you upgrade to a nice spendy one, which kind of warrants drilling. Drilling allows you to not have to deal with a siphon tube as well.

[Rick]

Is there a reason your not going with a herbie overflow? Others may be almost silent whereas the herbie IS silent.

 

Are you drilling it yourself? Let me know if you want help with it.

[dee77]

Do you still hve the sailfin blenny

[Rick]

I am curious if you can elaborate on this, as I didn't drill mine and am going to setup a overflow on mine....I am curious as to why one is superior to the other? Do the hang on the back overflows not work as well?

 

Welcome to the 40breeder club(rock2)

 

Hob can be set up to work just as well. On my old 40g I set up a herbie overflow on a Hob overflow and it worked great. (It could be shut off and restarted without doing anything) If it's set up right then it can't lose suction unless the water level drops below one end of the u-tube (it would normally need to be off for a few weeks to evaporate enought to do this). Just be sure to use a plain u-tube rather than the ones that have fittings for pumps to suck air out. They just add a place for potential failure that doesn't exist otherwise. (As long as both ends of a u-tube stay submerged they can't fail unless there is a way for air to enter them)

[ReefSafari]

Hob can be set up to work just as well. On my old 40g I set up a herbie overflow on a Hob overflow and it worked great. (It could be shut off and restarted without doing anything) If it's set up right then it can't lose suction unless the water level drops below one end of the u-tube (it would normally need to be off for a few weeks to evaporate enought to do this). Just be sure to use a plain u-tube rather than the ones that have fittings for pumps to suck air out. They just add a place for potential failure that doesn't exist otherwise. (As long as both ends of a u-tube stay submerged they can't fail unless there is a way for air to enter them)

 

Now you got me scared...(scary)...maybe I should have drilled mine too...(scratch)

 

Anyway...sorry to hijack your thread...back to your 40b build...

[gradth]

looks like your supply and return are the same size. that wouldn't be a good idea.

 

Meaning the bulkheads, or just the pipe? The return I just have a 1 inch pipe. The durso is 1 1/4, necked down.(that was straight from the durso site). I only have a drill for the 1 inch bulkheads.

 

You are on the right track imo..loose the remora (put it up on RC, I've had a few and they are junk). Drill...drill...drill for sure. Trade the light to R3. I have found lots of random flow to work the best in a FOWLR. Keep the rock away from the rear glass as it will allow better flow from behind. Have you thought about a closed loop? An mp10es if you can swing it or 2 koralia #2's with a big return should be the least amount you would want. +1 on having a bigger overflow than return or drill somewhere else for a 2nd. I run a large reactor full of nitrate rubble in the sump along with kalurpa ( macro algea) and filled 1/3 of it with live rubble and a pc light. I have about 125lbs of large live rock in the 90g display fowlr and a giant skimmer. I have several large ,happy,hungry fish and low nitrate,no algea issues. Just my 2 cents

 

Remora will go, I think Reefit has a skimmer for me(whistle). Probably willing to trade with R3, just hadnt gotten together with him about it. I have a couple of K'3's im gonna put in it. All though my puffer seemed irritated by the flow. My 55 is a cyno heaven and I have been unable to rectify the issue with the crappy skimmer and HOB overflow.

 

I am curious if you can elaborate on this, as I didn't drill mine and am going to setup a overflow on mine....I am curious as to why one is superior to the other? Do the hang on the back overflows not work as well?

 

Just dealing with both, I have come to hate the noisy things. Not to mention more then once mine has lost suction and flooded my house.That and Im trying to get away from having things hanging on the back. I want the tank pretty much flush with the wall. I hate crap hanging on the tank. I really want everything to be accessable without having to move the tank. I do so love my pennisula 180 for that reason.

 

Is there a reason your not going with a herbie overflow? Others may be almost silent whereas the herbie IS silent.

 

Are you drilling it yourself? Let me know if you want help with it.

 

Charles said to go with a herbie as well. No real reason, just had the parts for a durso laying around. Couldnt find any good diagrams of a herbie. None of that is set in stone, I think they both seem to take about the same amount of room.

 

I planned on drilling it myself(scary), first time for anything I guess. If your free and wanna lend some advice Im always willing to have experience around.

 

Do you still hve the sailfin blenny

 

Yep, hes quite happy in his little pvc cave Steve made for him. So im guessing moving him over wont be much of an issue.

[ReeFit]

i would just reduce your supply to 3/4 once it gets out the 1" bulkhead. what really matters about your return size is how much flow your putting into the tank. there are calculators online that show what size your return line has to be based on how many gph your putting into your tank.

[ReeFit]

i have dual 1.5" durso's on my 125G. with a 2400gph pump.

[gradth]

i would just reduce your supply to 3/4 once it gets out the 1" bulkhead. what really matters about your return size is how much flow your putting into the tank. there are calculators online that show what size your return line has to be based on how many gph your putting into your tank.

 

So the bulkheads ok, just neck it down to a 3/4 and that should work?

[ReeFit]

So the bulkheads ok' date=' just neck it down to a 3/4 and that should work?[/quote']

 

yea, you could use a 1" to 3/4 reducer at the end and that would probably work, you may still need to throttle back the pump some too depending on how big it is. a 1" line can handle about 600gph max.

[gradth]

Robert, are you refering to below the tank or above, or both?

[ReeFit]

The supply line from the pump should be reduced to 3/4" in the display tank. The return line to the sump at 1" will only be able to handle up to 600gph of flow. Does that make more sense?

[Rick]

......Couldnt find any good diagrams of a herbie.........

 

They are actually pretty simple. The main/lower drain is submerged at both ends and gets a valve. (With it submerged it will not allow any air at all to enter and will be silent) The valve is adjusted so it matches the return rate. The second drain is higher and is primarily a backup drain and is out of the water at both ends. It's important that the bottom be above the water as well so it will allow the full volume of flow if it is ever used. (If water blocks the bottom it will take several second to attain full flow which could cause a problem) Note that both drains must be capable of handling 100% of the flow individually for safety. On mine the only time the second drain is used is when I restart the system. When I do it takes a couple of minutes for the primary drain to catch up and during that time the second drain keeps it from flooding.

 

FWIW, the other popular drains work by adjusting the amount of air (which is what causes the noise) allowed in rather than by eliminating it which is what the herbie does.

[Rick]

1" pipe can flow a lot more (many times) than 600 GPH under pressure. It can only "drain" about 650 GPH though. The reason I make this distinction is because it appears to be suggested that a smaller return line would keep the flow less than the drain which is not the case. The size of the return line compared to the drain is only relevant if it is small enough to reduce the GPH with pressure behind it. I.E. You can reduce it to 1/2" and have a 1" drain and it will still flood if the pump is capable of more than the drain can handle.

 

What is the flow from the pump? What size is the fitting on the pump? (I would use that to determine the return line size) In some cases the larger return line can actually slow the return rate due to the added volume of water that must be pushed up through the pipe to the tank.