Chaeto in the overflow?

[Sea~Horse~Whisperer]

Has anyone ever filled their overflow chambers on the reef ready tanks with chaeto? It seems like such a waste of space. I would add a screen over the drain pipe to prevent any chaeto from getting into the plumbing. Not that I think it would clog. It is a straight shot to the current sump.

I built a nice big sump w/ pressure locking baffles for my 75g. that has a large center hamber for a fuge and chaeto. Sadly I mis measured by about 2 inches and I can't get it under my stand. I didn't realise that I wasn't able to remove the center brace (between the doors). It is held in place on top and bottom by 2 dowles and screws at both ends. The only way to get to the screws or remove the dowles is to remove the tank from the top of the stand. If I'd do that, I may as well just set the sump in thru the top of the stand. I do not want to empty the 75g tank just to install a sump. Remember, I already had to drain the old 75g that was leaking and resetup this new one.

Any other ideas on how to get the sump under the stand? If I could just move the piece between the doors 2 inches to the left I could slide it in. Grrr.

The sump I have now is small. Between my return pump and the skimmer, there is no room for a fuge.

So....will it work to add the chaeto to the overflow chamber?

Thanks,
Angie

[jojo22]

I would think it would do fine. I would just add checking on it to make sure it is not slowing the flow thru the drain to your daily schedule.

[Fatman]

I just had hair algea growing in mine, and it was actually doing a really good job of keeping phosphates down, then I cleaned it up and boom cyano / algea bloom.

[dakar]

depends on the flow of water into and ultimately out of your overflow.... if the water is being skimmed off the top of the tank and then straight to the standpipe I don't know that you'd actually accomplish anything. Now if water can come in from the bottom/middle as well and actually be forced to flow through the chaeto that it could help.

One of these days I'll have to really look at the commercial RR tanks to see how they are designed for flow.

[Sea~Horse~Whisperer]

Ok, I came up with a better solution to keep macros in my too small sump. Since there wasn't any room for baffles and an area for the macros, this is what I came up with. It actually works very well. Plus it filters out some of the micro bubbles. Yeah!!! It is just 2 sloted baskets, sip tied together with the top end of each cut out so I can add / remove macros as needed.

Angie

I added a 150 65k lamp to the sump. I will out compete the HA for nutrients one way or another. It's my own fault. I got lazy and stopped rinsing the Hikari mysis. I did a 30g water change on the 75g tank yesterday, and I will always rinse the frozen foods from now on. I know what caused it.....now to cure it.

[Fatman]

Why not cut it in half, so that it still holds the cheato but it gets more light. PS considered getting a bigger sump or adding a seperate tank for a refugium?

[Sea~Horse~Whisperer]

I have a big beautiful sump I built. It's too big to get under the stand. I mis measured. It's about 2 inches too long to get around the center brace between the doors. My only option there is to empty the tank and slide it in from the top of the stand. The center brace between the doors can not be removed since it is held in place by both screws and dowles that are accessed from under the tank / top of the stand. ;( The sump water level was low in that pic. It gets plenty of light. The lamp is directly above the basket

[hummer]

go to.....www.melvsreef.com.......and he shows all of us how he did it to a 55 gal tank the site is amazing and verry informationl hes got all kinds of stuff there and lots............................of pics and videos ok :):):):):):):)

[Sea~Horse~Whisperer]

The sump I have is too long, not too wide. There is no way to get the glass sump under the tank unless I remove the center brace from the top. Nothing on Melev's site can solve that problem. :( My sump is also glass. It isn't shaped like the acrylic ones he builds. It's just a standard glass 30g tank. (36 inches long)

[stevebla]

a 29 is not as long as a 30L the width is the same so your baffles might work.

[Sea~Horse~Whisperer]

When my husband comes home (he's in balmy AZ at 76 F.) , we are going to use a jack to brace the tank and remove the center brace at the back of the stand. ( I will drain 50% of the water into a brute can) We will use a sawzall(sp?) to cut the screws ans dowles. We will use metal brackets to reattach the center brace after we get the new sump installed. About time.

This is the sump I built with the pressure locking baffles. I will be removing the pressure locking baffles and siliconing the baffles into place. I don't want to take the chance of the baffles not holding when I know there will be no way to remove the sump from the stand for repair later. This sump will not come out unless I tear down the tank for some reason or another.

Angie

[Sea~Horse~Whisperer]

ohhhh I miss my edit button. I hate leaving typos in a post, lol.

[hummer]

sounds great lets see some pics.. of it and dont wory about typos and iwhy did thay 86 the edit botton irealy loved that button!!!!!