Finally. It's happening. Fiji Cube 81 EXT.
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Love the Kasa bar for controlling my tank. We have a condo down in Cape Coral Fl. I left 3 of my boys in charge of the mysis feedings. Each time they would feed, I'd turn off the pumps while I was in FL.
On a side note. You looks so much like a high school friend's younger brother. His name is Rich too lol...Rich Forrester
On a side note. You looks so much like a high school friend's younger brother. His name is Rich too lol...Rich Forrester
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That is funny. I get that a lot. Sometimes even the name is the same.
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Okay.
Work has had me tied up. Now that I've gotten a break I will share an update.
Instead of posting a bunch of pics and trying to explain it all I made a few videos. You HAVE to bear with me because I am NOT good at these things. So please ignore the "you knows" because it annoyed me also. I don't really speak like that. But here we go ...
Work has had me tied up. Now that I've gotten a break I will share an update.
Instead of posting a bunch of pics and trying to explain it all I made a few videos. You HAVE to bear with me because I am NOT good at these things. So please ignore the "you knows" because it annoyed me also. I don't really speak like that. But here we go ...
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I know what I did seems like too much to support an 81 gallon display tank but it's what I had at my disposal, and I am taking full advantage of it. And who knows. There may be a bigger tank in my future, and I'll be ready for it.
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Love love love the setup in your basement. Great video
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Just watched your upstairs tank video. Tank looks great!
Very nice, thanks for the update
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2 month update.
Everything is going very well. I am very happy with the Fiji Cube and the Top Lid. Those being my largest investments as far as single items go it's a relief to be content with the choices.
I think the video is better than posting 50 pictures.
Everything is going very well. I am very happy with the Fiji Cube and the Top Lid. Those being my largest investments as far as single items go it's a relief to be content with the choices.
I think the video is better than posting 50 pictures.
How's the tank man? I just got an 81g INT and am debating running a basement sump. Hows the electric bill running that DCP-20000 in the basement?
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Everything is doing well. Going through some diatoms on the sand. Probably because I rinsed it in tap water. All in all it's good.
The pump is doing well. Running about 65% power. Still very quiet. As far as the electric bill, don't know. It's gone down but I went from 3 systems to 1.
No one will ever regret doing a basement sump. If you can you should.
My tank just about sits directly over the basement mixing station (which is in my basement garage), do you have any advice for snaking the plumbing through the wall? Any details would be a huge help.
I figured I would use flexible PVC to plumb down to my DCP-18000 but how I get there is the mystery. It seems difficult to go through the ceiling
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I went right through the base board just using 90 degree fittings. That put me between the 2 rafters because my TV room is sunk in. Then put trim rings around it for appearance. Caulked it from the back.
I suspect you will have to drill through the floor. If I had to do that I might ... might ... might consider using bulkheads. That is something I would really have to think about. Sounds good but ..... not sure. If you don't want to do that flex PVC would work but that will NOT be easy. It most likely can be done with some super patience. The flex is still pretty rigid it doesn't like going one way then the other in a short span. May be able to feed it up the wall from the bottom. Heat it wrapped in a towel in the dryer may help.
My real advice here is to use sweeping 90 degree fittings. Drill up through the wall from the basement. Use hard plumbing.
1. Drill holes from basement into the inside of the wall.
2. Drill holes in wall directly above your new holes from the basement. Whatever height you need.
3. Glue a piece of hard PVC into one end of the 90. This is for upstairs. Use a fair amount of length. Something someone can hold with 2 hands.
4. Put some glue on the 90 and slide it into the wall with the open end facing down.
5. From downstairs put glue on hard pipe and send it up through the hole.
6. Have one person upstairs holding the 90 by the pipe and one person downstairs sending the other pipe with the glue on it into the 90 and twist.
You should be able to see the 90 inside the wall with the right lighting. The person upstairs holding the 90 firmly will ensure a tight fit. To do the last hole you can always drill an extra hole so you can see.
7. Mount the downstairs pipe to a strategically placed piece of wood using pipe mounts. I use the galvanized strap type.
That would be the best way to go in my opinion. Saves money. Less risk. You have to be careful with flex PVC. If it's not made in the US it most likely won't be food grade and it's not cheap.
1" PVC Schedule 40 Sweep 90 Elbow Socket, 406-010S
To order in Box Qty's please use increments of 25 406-010S - 1" PVC Schedule 40 Sweep 90 Elbow Socket
pvcpipesupplies.com
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If your basement/garage has a finished ceiling you will need to cut it out. No matter what in my opinion. To be 100 percent of no future problems.
That is some helpful insight, I forgot how ridgid flex PVC actually is. Drilling through my floor is bad for resale unfortunately lol. Drywall it is with sweep 90's!
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Had some time and thought I would give an 8 month update.
Some challenges at the moment ...
I need to get some more flow in parts of the tank. If I turn up my MPs to help, my LPS gets blasted too hard. I have to add another MP or something similar to get more flow in the back of the tank. Maybe an MP10.
Since my sump is in the basement using a vacuum on the sand is challenging. I ran another 1/2 inch line from the tank to the basement to use for a siphon. It has worked but not to satisfaction. Thinking of using a canister filter.
There are 2 corals that are very inconsistent. Look good one week and the next not so much. I have not zeroed in on the cause yet. Thinking about an ICP. I wanted to wait until a year in but this has me stumped.
Some good news.
Set my lighting using a PAR meter. First time ever and I will always use one to set my lighting from now on. Took all the guess work out. After fumbling around for days. I set it at 150 on the sand in the center of the tank and every thing else just fell in line.
I was NOT able to avoid the uglys. First was the diatoms. Then the cyano. Then the algae on the sand. I did absolutely nothing about any of it other than a good sand cleaning and vacuuming the rock off. Now things are good. I'm cleaning the glass every 3 days and that seems to be the target from my past experiences. It tells me where my nutrients are.
Balance is starting to set in. My routine is closer to being consistent and testing is at a minimal. Just ALK and MAG now. Once a week.
Here is a short video of how it looks right now.
Some challenges at the moment ...
I need to get some more flow in parts of the tank. If I turn up my MPs to help, my LPS gets blasted too hard. I have to add another MP or something similar to get more flow in the back of the tank. Maybe an MP10.
Since my sump is in the basement using a vacuum on the sand is challenging. I ran another 1/2 inch line from the tank to the basement to use for a siphon. It has worked but not to satisfaction. Thinking of using a canister filter.
There are 2 corals that are very inconsistent. Look good one week and the next not so much. I have not zeroed in on the cause yet. Thinking about an ICP. I wanted to wait until a year in but this has me stumped.
Some good news.
Set my lighting using a PAR meter. First time ever and I will always use one to set my lighting from now on. Took all the guess work out. After fumbling around for days. I set it at 150 on the sand in the center of the tank and every thing else just fell in line.
I was NOT able to avoid the uglys. First was the diatoms. Then the cyano. Then the algae on the sand. I did absolutely nothing about any of it other than a good sand cleaning and vacuuming the rock off. Now things are good. I'm cleaning the glass every 3 days and that seems to be the target from my past experiences. It tells me where my nutrients are.
Balance is starting to set in. My routine is closer to being consistent and testing is at a minimal. Just ALK and MAG now. Once a week.
Here is a short video of how it looks right now.
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