Kaykay's DIY-approach nano setup. 2'x1.5'x1.5'.

[kaykay]

Help! Advice needed.

I just hooked up my chiller.

Overpowered chiller (1/4 hp for only 90L water volume).

Takes less than 10 mins to chill from 28deg to 27deg. Excellent.

But...

Problem...

- Eheim 1250 outlet is using 12/16 hose.

- Chiller is using 16/22.

- So I used a step-up connector to link.

- But I'm using 2 x Eheim 12/16 double taps before the stepping-ups for quick disconnect.

The water level at the display tank dropped by about 1cm.

As a result, no surface skimming is currently being done, as all water is only going to the underflow.

Previously the Eheim 1250 suffered no headloss.

Now it needs to travel to chiller before returning to display, via all the step-ups/downs.

What is the cause of the drop in water level in display?

a.) Underpowered return pump?

b.) The step-up & -downs?

If a.), then changing to a higher rated pump & leave the step ups/downs unchanged will do.

If b.), then gotta change pump and change all to 16/22 spec, including the double taps (ouch, they're costly!!).

Any bros got any ideas before I decide what to change?

[kaykay]

A pic of the double taps before and after the step-ups & -downs at the chiller.

[kaykay]

Help! Pls give your advice before I get more blisters on my thumbs for forcing the Eheim tubes into the PVC pipes!

Lol..

[sunny03]

Not sure how many return pump u have .. If 1 maybe you can consider change pump due to head loss .. Or change your ehiem pump outlet don't use the original ehiem outlet. bring the pump to hardware shop and find those pvc screw thread adapter and a reducer of your choice... That should do the trick and cost might be less then $5

[kaykay]

Not sure how many return pump u have .. If 1 maybe you can consider change pump due to head loss .. Or change your ehiem pump outlet don't use the original ehiem outlet. bring the pump to hardware shop and find those pvc screw thread adapter and a reducer of your choice... That should do the trick and cost might be less then $5

Thanks for the idea bro.

Just check, if I change to the bigger outlet with those blue PVC screw thread adapter, but 80% of the line remains at the smaller 12/16 size, will it make a difference?

Btw I have a spare 3,500L/hr return pump. I'll try replace the pump tmr to try first. If it resolves, then I'll prob shop for a 2,000L/hr pump.

[sunny03]

IMO don't think it will work. Cos you still need to pump the water a longer distance and height now... If you have only 1 return pump.. get another pump use it for chiller and as a 2nd return..

[MadScientist]

Stepping up and down causes some headloss, not a great deal. Most probably is the chiller. The coil/reservior are spaces, the pump will need to pump through them, resulting in pressure loss.

I would choose option a for both. Cheaper and save some electricity due to the slight pressure on outlet side.

[kaykay]

Thanks bro.

I'll try changing the pump first, which is the easier option.

If it still does not rectify the issue, then I'll prob run 2 pumps. 1 to the chiller, the other direct back to display.

[kaykay]

Thinking out of the box. 27.07.12.

Thanks Sunny and MadScientist for your suggestions.

I changed the pump to a 1,700L/hr pump (Newjet1700).

However, the water level remained as it was yesterday - low.

I was getting hell discouraged. You guys should know that it's not easy to replumb once the tank is running.

I tried topping up water. But the excess water only caused the water level in the ios to increase, but not a bit at the display tank where I want it to be.

Then I kept observing. All the water is returning to the ios via the underflow.

Then a thought struck me. Why don't I stop the water from entering the underflow?!!

I had a spare pc of black acrylic lying around. Well I didn't block all of the underflow. Just about 50-60%.

Guess what?

Heh heh heh..

Thinking out of the box works!!

Happy again.

[MadScientist]

Guess your pump couldn't keep up with the return flow

[JeffL]

good to hear u manage to find a solution

btw bro, does your firefish jump out of tank?

[sunny03]

Haha nice thinking .. But underflow will become white elephant

[kaykay]

I'm thinking both the return pumps could not cope the head loss and the step ups and downs.

And the flow is really restricted by the 12/16 hose fittings.

I am also really tired with the plumbing already.

Yup the underflow is kinda wasted now, but at least I'm still utilizing 50% of the underflow, and the surface gets skimmed too.

On a side note, the 1/4hp chiller is really neat. Cools the tank from 28deg to 27deg in under 8mins consistently.

Then it is idle for after another 40-42 mins before it kicks in again.

[kaykay]

good to hear u manage to find a solution

btw bro, does your firefish jump out of tank?

Hey bro, I've never had a firefish jump out of my tank *touch wood**.. And I hope I never will encounter one..

[sunny03]

Since you have two pump why don't use 2 return to your main tank

[kaykay]

Since you have two pump why don't use 2 return to your main tank

Hmmm good idea.. Very good idea indeed..

I have all the PVC parts too.

Thanks bro.

[kaykay]

Dual return pumps. 28.07.12.

Taking the idea from Sunny, I'm using an additional return pump to optimize the under and overflows.

However, I didn't want an extra piping exposed viewing from the front. So I ha to "T-in" 2 returns - one via the chiller 1,700L/hr, and one direct 1,200L/hr.

Removed the acrylic piece I used to block the underflow.

Voila!!

But....

I have to always keep in mind that, "in a closed loop system in our tanks, equipment will always be inter-dependent on one another."

Alas, the flow is too good for the skimmer. Micro bubbles are swarming into the display again. At an alarming rate.

Decision. I powered off the skimmer, hopefully permanently, as my ATS is doing a decent job now. I'm not getting much skimmate anyway. And it always stops foaming whenever I feed, or even when I dip my hand into the water. And consoling myself, I think it's taking up too much already-limited space in my ios too.

[MadScientist]

Selling? Haha

[kaykay]

Yup. Probably selling. You interested? Buble magus NAC 3+.

[MadScientist]

Cost?

[kaykay]

How about less than 50% of the retail price?

If you're ok with $60, i'll reserve it for you.

Used since 1st May till now = less than 3 months.

Previous owner also used it for few months as according to him.

[kaykay]

Nutrient export. 29.07.12.

8 days' worth of nuisance algae on my Upflow Algae Scrubber.

Yum yumm...

[kaykay]

Tank update 06.08.12.

Tested the water parameters today and these is what I've got.

pH 8.1

dkH 7.3

Mg 1400

Ca 450

NO3 50

Maybe I'm colour blind, but it's really hard to tell water colour compared to solid printed colours on the chart.

Maybe it's time to change out o this API NO3 test kit. The rest were tested using D-D kits. pH monitored inline.

Looks like time to build a bigger or more efficient ATS to export the high level of nutrients. Maybe a 3-D screen.

NO3 has been this high even before I decomm the skimmer. So the decision to remove the skimmer may not be a total mistake.

[MarcoVan]

Bro what's your po4 reading? And we're your live rocks cured? Any mishap in tank?

Anyway sole reliance on ats is debatable. I think it cannot fulfill the full function of a skimmer. I'll still suggest hooking the skimmer back up and run both together..

[kaykay]

Bro what's your po4 reading? And we're your live rocks cured? Any mishap in tank?

Anyway sole reliance on ats is debatable. I think it cannot fulfill the full function of a skimmer. I'll still suggest hooking the skimmer back up and run both together..

I don't have a PO4 test kit.

I don't know if the live rocks were cured or not at the LFS, but they're covered with coraline algae when I bought them. They're still as purple now as they were at more than 3 months ago.

Has had 3 deaths, but the first few fishes I introduced are still alive and kicking.

The reason why I removed the skimmer is due to the micro bubbles it produced after I changed to a higher-rated return pump for the oversized chiller.

I'm shopping for a skimmer though. An in-sump model that can fit a max foot print of 14cm x 18cm.

Any suggestions?