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Few more pics to show how the nozzles are hidden.
Steve's 180 of Madness
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- Thread starter Eagle_Steve
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There is also a false bottom under the mound of sand and rocks. This allowed me to run a pipe under there, and feed water under it. Egg crate and screen was used to build the base. Should have taken pics of it. Basically a RUF setup for the whole thing, minus some of the edges, as I was not cutting egg crate to be that round lol. The 180 has RUF, as does the 500. @Paul B is not the only one who swears by them lol.
Next trip to FL will allow me to get some more critters for the sand, but I did mix in some sand from the 500 and the 180 to get some life in there.
Next trip to FL will allow me to get some more critters for the sand, but I did mix in some sand from the 500 and the 180 to get some life in there.
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I also may end up playing with water level via return pump speed and some programming.
Would be cool to simulate high and low tide. I have a setup in mind for when I get moved that would involve that. Probably better to play with it on a smaller scale, as opposed to a massive tank.
My thought for this involves 2x overflows.
All done via the same overflow box.
Think of it this way. 3 holes in tub. 2 holes at the height they are at now, 1 hole about 1.5-2" below the other 2. I would then add slots into the overflow box below the "high tide" waterline. The slots would allow surface skimming at "low tide". Pump speed would be set to XXX% for this and the gate valve on the lower drain tuned for full siphon at that speed. That would be "low tide" setting.
The pump would then got to XXX% at "high tide". Due to this exceeding the drain capacity of the the lower drain, the upper drain would come into play. This should also allow for surface skimming to take place, as the flow should be high enough to push water over the top weir. I would then adjust the gate valve on the second full siphon drain to accommodate a full siphon on the additional flow. This would be "High tide".
All the while, I would not exceed what my emergency drain can handle at whatever % I deem "high tide". This should allow for a high and low tide. While it may be quicker than what actually happens in nature, I could vary the speed upwards a little at a time to make it slower raise and then lower the speed slowly to makes it slower going down.
As for the ATO, which I know everyone is like how the heck is that going to work.
That is easy. 4 sensors (I always use 2 for redundancy) 2 down low and 2 up high. If the pump is at "high tide" then it uses the top 2 for ATO determination. If it is at low tide, it uses the bottom 2. Simple enough. I do not think the time to change from one to another will be long enough to make a difference, as I will just time how long it takes to change and set the ATO to be off during that time plus a few minutes.
Ohh wait, what about the skimmer?????? Easy also. I run my skimmers very dry, so an inch or 2 in the sup still would keep it on the drier side. Yes I may end up with a little wetter skim twice a day, but 1-2" is not enough to make most skimmers setup super dry to go wanky.
I am also open to thoughts on this, as it is merely something I want to play with, as the idea I have in my head involves some tidal nems and other tidal critters.
Would be cool to simulate high and low tide. I have a setup in mind for when I get moved that would involve that. Probably better to play with it on a smaller scale, as opposed to a massive tank.
My thought for this involves 2x overflows.
All done via the same overflow box.
Think of it this way. 3 holes in tub. 2 holes at the height they are at now, 1 hole about 1.5-2" below the other 2. I would then add slots into the overflow box below the "high tide" waterline. The slots would allow surface skimming at "low tide". Pump speed would be set to XXX% for this and the gate valve on the lower drain tuned for full siphon at that speed. That would be "low tide" setting.
The pump would then got to XXX% at "high tide". Due to this exceeding the drain capacity of the the lower drain, the upper drain would come into play. This should also allow for surface skimming to take place, as the flow should be high enough to push water over the top weir. I would then adjust the gate valve on the second full siphon drain to accommodate a full siphon on the additional flow. This would be "High tide".
All the while, I would not exceed what my emergency drain can handle at whatever % I deem "high tide". This should allow for a high and low tide. While it may be quicker than what actually happens in nature, I could vary the speed upwards a little at a time to make it slower raise and then lower the speed slowly to makes it slower going down.
As for the ATO, which I know everyone is like how the heck is that going to work.
That is easy. 4 sensors (I always use 2 for redundancy) 2 down low and 2 up high. If the pump is at "high tide" then it uses the top 2 for ATO determination. If it is at low tide, it uses the bottom 2. Simple enough. I do not think the time to change from one to another will be long enough to make a difference, as I will just time how long it takes to change and set the ATO to be off during that time plus a few minutes.
Ohh wait, what about the skimmer?????? Easy also. I run my skimmers very dry, so an inch or 2 in the sup still would keep it on the drier side. Yes I may end up with a little wetter skim twice a day, but 1-2" is not enough to make most skimmers setup super dry to go wanky.
I am also open to thoughts on this, as it is merely something I want to play with, as the idea I have in my head involves some tidal nems and other tidal critters.
Do you need one at "low tide"? Would you expect to need to top off during the time it is at low tide or could you just wait to top off everyday once you get to high tide? Also, what is your plan for "beach erosion", I would think the sand would always try to level itself out but I would guess you could probably make it so your flow is always pushing the sand "uphill". Cool project though!!
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I plan to hold tide to match nature. There will be evap, so want to compensate for it.
In regards to erosion, the way the flow is setup now, nothing has eroded so far. The flow is mostly up top coming from the "beach" and then it pushes back into the "beach" once reflected from the side the overflow is on. I guess this helps to hold it there, but the sand is really crushed coral, so a bit more resistant to "erosion" in this setup.
All else fails, I will break out my old tonka toys (yes the metal ones that would cut you up) that my kids played with (and lived), then do what all the other beaches do and put it back lol.
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I think a 6" strip of corrugated steel would look cool around thatI have, but due to cost, not available locally and the fact I need at least an 8' x 1' piece steered me away from it quickly.
The fixture is 61.5" long and 18.25" wide. This puts me at 98" overall if not factoring the bends around the corners. I could skimp on the back side, so 96" would work just fine. Plus I could even not do but a small bit to wrap around the right side, as there is a wall there.
I also have the option of just doing a drop down of wood around the edge of the shelf. That really doesn't interest me much, as it would need "something" on it to just not be bland.
Here is what I am working with. Fixture would be same height as lights. Take off a few inches for the shades.
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I might be able to powder coat that with a clear, if I wind it up somewhat in the oven. Hmmmmm.
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Feed me fool. The brittle done told me via chat that you feed that tank.
dang brittle star. Just had to rat me out, but the stone has a whole shrimp and is back in his hole.
dang brittle star. Just had to rat me out, but the stone has a whole shrimp and is back in his hole.
sfin52
So many pedestrians so little time
Isn't that one that will eat fish?Feed me fool. The brittle done told me via chat that you feed that tank.
dang brittle star. Just had to rat me out, but the stone has a whole shrimp and is back in his hole.
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Yup. It has not eaten either pinfish yet lol. It gets fed food daily and also sits in front of the skimmer flow through and catches everything that the fish in the 180 miss lol.
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Lights out fuzzy Steve-a-pora. Other half is just as fuzzy. Wouldn’t have know a few weeks ago I accidentally dragged the colony in half lol.
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@dantimdad I got the shades. Thanks a ton. Little shorter than I thought they would be, but putting one on the 360 over the 32 BC and it appears they are just enough to stop glare. You were right about them being a little loose looking. I am going to drill and tap them and add in a small "set screw" (plastic screw) that will catch at the "dip in" on the lower part of the light.
Again, much appreciated. Now I have no excuse to not get the kessils and t5s back over the 180 lol. Well, still undecided on the shade for the t5 fixtture, but the tank can run on the kessils just fine for a bit. It trucked that way for years lol.
Again, much appreciated. Now I have no excuse to not get the kessils and t5s back over the 180 lol. Well, still undecided on the shade for the t5 fixtture, but the tank can run on the kessils just fine for a bit. It trucked that way for years lol.
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Thanks a ton.
It will get interesting in the next few months and then really interesting when I move back to FL in just over a year. Crazy is fun, so I do crazy lol.
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Got a new blue carpet. Just couldn’t resist this little one. Already digging into tide pool tank on the “deep end”. Also added 5 Talbots.
MrsBugmaster
2500 Club Member
I still have 3or 4 metal ones that my son played with. Thought I would save them for his kids, but they have no interest in them, only electronic devises. So now they are just rusting away in our mini barn. Told my daughter that when I’m gone not to just throw stuff out cause some of it may be worth something by then.
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So, I had an idea in regards to the high/low tide thing.
I am thinking of ditching the Apex for this, as I want it back on the biocube and already have that part figured out.
Being as I have a box full o fpumps, timers and ATO stuff. I think I can get away with doing it like this.
Overflow will be built like the below. There will be 3 drains. 1 high, 1 low and an e-drain. Both high and lo drain will be controlled via gate valves
The thought for high and low tides and pumps is as follows.
- Low Tide Pump runs all the time
- High Tide Pump on Timer outlet 1 and runs from XX to XX then off from XX to XX, etc.
- Low Tide ATO pump on timer outlet 2 and it has a delay of XX to turn on for sensing XX minutes after the low tide pump.
- High tide pump is same as low tide, but on outlet 3 and uses high tide pump times for delays and such.
Yes, this would require 2 return pumps, but the high tide pump could be a smaller one, as it is just there to add some additional water volume so the first drain "overflows" and the water rises to the level set by the second drain. Using a smaller pump would also allow for the tide change to be gradual for the change to high tide. It would also allow or a slow drain back when shut off via the bottom pipe having to "catch up".
While not a true tide change timeframe, as that would require a long list of code to raise and slow speed, which I do have figured out, I do not think it is actually needed. This is more for aesthetics than functionality. I think i the valves are tuned correctly, then water level will slowly rise and then slowly fall once things equal out. The great thing about water draining and setting gate vlaves, is you can make it pretty consistent. Water level rises above first drain, this creates more pressure down, so once the second pump shuts off, the added pressure allows the low drain to "flow" more due to that pressure, even with the valve set to XX.
I plan to owkr on this sometime this weekend for at least building the overflow box. That will be fun, as I am doing this in an oval stepped tub lol. Luckily, I have some project board and a few shape gauges to use.
I am thinking of ditching the Apex for this, as I want it back on the biocube and already have that part figured out.
Being as I have a box full o fpumps, timers and ATO stuff. I think I can get away with doing it like this.
Overflow will be built like the below. There will be 3 drains. 1 high, 1 low and an e-drain. Both high and lo drain will be controlled via gate valves
The thought for high and low tides and pumps is as follows.
- Low Tide Pump runs all the time
- High Tide Pump on Timer outlet 1 and runs from XX to XX then off from XX to XX, etc.
- Low Tide ATO pump on timer outlet 2 and it has a delay of XX to turn on for sensing XX minutes after the low tide pump.
- High tide pump is same as low tide, but on outlet 3 and uses high tide pump times for delays and such.
Yes, this would require 2 return pumps, but the high tide pump could be a smaller one, as it is just there to add some additional water volume so the first drain "overflows" and the water rises to the level set by the second drain. Using a smaller pump would also allow for the tide change to be gradual for the change to high tide. It would also allow or a slow drain back when shut off via the bottom pipe having to "catch up".
While not a true tide change timeframe, as that would require a long list of code to raise and slow speed, which I do have figured out, I do not think it is actually needed. This is more for aesthetics than functionality. I think i the valves are tuned correctly, then water level will slowly rise and then slowly fall once things equal out. The great thing about water draining and setting gate vlaves, is you can make it pretty consistent. Water level rises above first drain, this creates more pressure down, so once the second pump shuts off, the added pressure allows the low drain to "flow" more due to that pressure, even with the valve set to XX.
I plan to owkr on this sometime this weekend for at least building the overflow box. That will be fun, as I am doing this in an oval stepped tub lol. Luckily, I have some project board and a few shape gauges to use.
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I think so too lol.
The goal of this is to be able to figure this out for a large scale application. I would love to tie a tank into the soon to be tank in FL that was a tidal mangrove lagoon. Kristy loved that setup previously. Just think, I could do that and have tidal creatures in there. Nems that are exposed at low tide, crabs that chill on the sand/rocks at high tide and then scrounge around the exposed sand/rocks at low tide, all that good stuff. Even if the change was somewhat quick compare to a real tide change, there would still be stuff for them to pick at when the change is done. And if not, then an autofeeder on the light to drop down some pellets when the change is done lol. Either way, I think it would be awesome.
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