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mn jeff
03/21/2010, 06:07 PM
I am in the process of building a reef tank and have two questions. This is a 58 gallon display that I'm building and I'll be keeping BTAs.

1) I have two closed loop intakes that I'm worried an anemone could get stuck in. They are feeding into an Ocean Runner 3500 (900 gph) pump that is 3 feet away from the intakes so it's not like it would get chopped up by an impeller if it got stuck. They don't feel like they have a lot of suction to me, but I don't know how much it takes to get an anemone stuck. Also, there are two, so if one of the intakes was blocked, the other could hopefully compensate and not cause too much damage to whatever might be blocking the other. My question is, should I put foam covers on the intakes or not worry about it? Here is a picture:

http://i804.photobucket.com/albums/yy324/jfanderson08/aquarium03103.jpg

2) There is an external overflow box with two standpipes draining down into the sump. The standpipes are a modified version of the Hofer Gurgle Buster http://home.everestkc.net/jrobertson57268/HGB/. Right now the overflow is just cut out of the glass with no mesh or teeth to block stuff from going into the box. What should I use, if anything, as a screen? I'm not too worried about anything getting sucked in, but it would be a problem if something clogged one of the pipes because the DT could overflow. Here is a picture:

http://i804.photobucket.com/albums/yy324/jfanderson08/Aquarium1002.jpg

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

clowns101
03/21/2010, 06:58 PM
1)Put foam over the intakes,dont want to take any chances!


2)I would just keep an eye on th eover flow.If an anemone gets close try your best to move it!

Gig 'em
03/21/2010, 07:00 PM
I would be worried about those intakes. An anemone getting stuck isn't as much of an issue as the anemone settling near it or drifting into it and getting sucked in and ripped apart. Anemone flesh is very weak against suction and will easily shred apart by even the weakest of intakes.