Filter questions, maybe a DIY in the future?

[Bifferwine]

I use hose clamps or cable ties to secure the vinyl tubing. The outlet of the pumps are usually made for PVC fittings. You may have to go to the hardware store and buy an adaptor for it.

 

[yote]

You'll have to get a thread to barbed adapter for your pump if your using the vinyl tubing.
If I'm thnking right you'll need 1/2 threaded to what ever size your tubing is barbed.
Your over flow should have come with a hose to run to your sump.If it didnt,try a 1 1/4" spa flex hose.Most hardware stores carry them.

 

[hotimportknight]

Does walmart quality as a hardware store that would sell one? its almost 10:00. What about the part that is in the bottom of the overflow, its got a female opening you have to put the 1" tubing into, how do you seal around that? or get it to stay?

 

[yote]

Wal-mart might have a fitting that will work.I dont for sure cause I get enough those stores from doing their HVAC work so hardly ever shop there.

Any way you can post a pic of your over flow?

 

[Bifferwine]

I don't think Walmart will carry it. The overflow is probably made for PVC too. Which means you'll need an adaptor for that also :(.

 

[hotimportknight]

How high off the bottom do I want to have my first and last of the 3 baffles for the bubble trapping device? I took some pics of the overflow and my sump im trying to mock up here on the floor, is 2" too high off the bottom? whats a good rule of thumb for placing those? I suppose not too far off the bottom to keep too many bubbles from getting under the first one, but I dont want to impede the water flow either...

The hose is the perfect diameter for the inside flow, but its not snug in there, Its a female opening you have to slide the tubing into, could I push it up in there with a bunch of aquarium silacone around it, then tuct tape it until it sets up? If anyone has any better ideas please let me know!

 

[hotimportknight]

I'm thinking about making an acrylic box to set the return pump in upside down, have the bottom of the filter flush or a little off the bottom of the aquarium and make sure the box is sealed from the sand outside. Maybe drill some small holes all around the pump box to let water in if its lower, or do you think it pick up water ok and it will flow over the pump box if its about 4-5 inches off the bottom at the highest point?

 

[hotimportknight]

Here is what I was trying to describe how the pump will sit, only I couldnt really describe it well with out pictures.. here is 2 of me holding it where I think it could sit, then build a small box and seal it in the tank...

 

[hotimportknight]

Imagine with me here if you will, the cardboard is acrylic, and the black dots are holes drilled into it (wasnt sure how far to go down with it, prolly could go a little further to increase water flow?)

Am I completely off base here, or would this work? Cause it would allow for maximum space for the fuge then, and also not suck up sand/gravel...

 

[fishbait]

typical rule of thumb for baffle spacing is 1" apart and 1" from the bottom.

you will want you're return pump sitting on the bottom. with the intake being six or so inches from the bottom as you have it in the pic will cause it to suck air when just a little water evaporates from the system.

you can also ditch the bulky bubble trap that came with the skimmer. the baffles in the sump will catch all the microbubbles from the skimmer.

the nylon hose will not stay put just stuck up in the overflow box's bulkhead. you will need to glue in a 1" piece of pipe, use a slip to threaded adapter, then screw a threaded to barbed adapter on to that. then the nylon tubing can be slipped on.

 

[Bifferwine]

Put the baffles one inch off of the bottom.

 

[hotimportknight]

Alright, so what If i just shorten up my rig for the pump, make the holes down to an inch from the bottom, right now the rig is 5 inches from top to bottom, say I shorten it from 5 down to 3 and scrunch the pre-filter up, would that be adequate?

 

[hotimportknight]

What if I just run a few inch tall piece of that acrylic across the end, almost like it would be a new compartment, but only a few inches high to keep debris and sand out of the pump, would that be safe to lay the pump down on the bottom of the tank and do that? How high will the water get in the other compartment? is there any way of telling with out having it set up to see how efficient the pump is compared to the overflow? Is it safe to have my pump just seperated by a short devider? or is there something else I could do? Im quite open for suggestions right now...
Something like this??

And will this work for my skimmer? I wanna start putting in those baffles kinda, im excited to get all this new stuff, and I havent gotten any where yet... Think its safe to silacone in these baffles? ill measure them better once I start placing them for good, 1" up and 1" apart. Do i want a 4th baffle, even if its shorter than the rest on the bottom to keep the sand from washing away and stuff?

 

[yote]

Dont forget to leave yourself enough room to get that sponge off your pump.
The sponge will need to be cleaned at least once a week or so.

 

[yote]

I dont see anything wrong with it.
Thats sorta like how I got mine set up.Does the job fine for me.

 

[hotimportknight]

Is yours in your fuge like that though? I'm thinking Ill have to find something to divide it and still allow water through to keep algae and stuff from floating over there and getting sucked into the pump area, but no wire mesh thats metal, what does that leave me?

 

[hotimportknight]

And its ok to have my skimmer operating in that little of an area? Shouldnt hurt anything, who cares if some water gets gone through again, right?

 

[hotimportknight]

I'm gunna run to a hardware shop between classes and take all the plumbing I have and all the parts I have and find ways to connect them all. Just out of curiosity, is PVC cement safe for saltwater aquariums? I mean people use it for there water, is it going to effect the fish in any way? Or how else do you recommend attaching those pvc fittings into the ends of stuff for my tubing to go on?

 

[bjohanson1234]

I'm gunna run to a hardware shop between classes and take all the plumbing I have and all the parts I have and find ways to connect them all. Just out of curiosity, is PVC cement safe for saltwater aquariums? I mean people use it for there water, is it going to effect the fish in any way? Or how else do you recommend attaching those pvc fittings into the ends of stuff for my tubing to go on?

I have used PVC glue before. I ran it for a day or two with some fresh water before hooking it up to the main tank. Not sure if that was needed but I was just being careful. Just to make sure that it want putting off any fumes that would disolve in the water. That stuff burns the nose and I just didnt want to cause any discomfort to my fish and their gills.

Brian

 

[Bifferwine]

I use PVC primer and glue, and unlike bjohanson, I haven't rinsed it before putting it on my tank. I've just put it on my tank as soon as it dried.

Something I can think of that would "separate" your fuge and pump from the macroalgae without impeding water flow is plastic mesh. Here they carry it in the garden section of Home Depot and Lowe's. It looks like black plastic chicken wire... I think it's galled garden wire or something. It comes in a roll. You can cut that and make a "box" around the pump.