Surface Film Problem Solved- New to Board

[shcubasteve]

Whats up all,

New to the Board here. I'm Steve from South Florida.

Ive had my 150 gal running for 3 months now and have been battling a scum/film on the surface for about a month now. After some research here, I learned that, because my tank is drilled at the bottom, I could adjust the drains to skim the surface directly. I also moved the PH close enough to the surface to create a vortex. The funnel seems to draws scum in while also injecting a fine stream of bubbles into the water column. In a matter of minutes, the water looked cleaner and the sump skimmer was foaming like crazy.

check out the setup. You'll notice a lack of LIGHTING! I'm saving for the correct fixture to drop a bunch of $$ at. What do you think? Any suggestions?

Steve
-New to the board

[shcubasteve]

PH vortex video clip (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acQNwmMfySU)

[crsswift70]

So wait, you have the drain at the surface now AND you are pulling the scum in to the water by creating a vortex? I personally would just allow the drain to take the scum out. Also, most people work hard to keep bubbles out of the display, you are adding them :)

[rayn]

Not familiar with bottom drilled tanks, but there has to be a better way. How are you planning on hiding the pipe? I would watch the bubbles as well as salt creep will blow every where. May not notice it now, but when you get your high dollar lights on there, it may build up quick depending on the mounting height.

[shcubasteve]

Crss: its like having a belt AND suspenders? LOL maybe overkill but at the time I thought it couldnt be as bad as the scum I was seeing.
Rayn: there is no hiding the pipes. Ive gotten used to them but am still REALLY careful not to bump them or stack rocks with the potential of falling into the drains. no leaks as of yet.

[Palting]

You don't want the bubbles. IMO, you would do better directing the PH to the surface to agitate the surface to get rid of the scum.

I also noticed that your PH blades are not covered?

[lordofthereef]

The way your pipes are set up would have me extremely nervous. As you mentioned, just bumping something can mess things up. Have you tested this system in the event of a power outage? If something is knocked loose and you have a power outage it looks to me as if you run the risk of draining the whole tank. Not only will this damage your home, but you will potentially lose everything in the tank.

In your position, I would consider an overflow box. By the looks of things, your tank is pretty new and not heavily stocked. I think your could easily add an overflow box. I would recommend a coast to coast (aka Calfo) overflow with a beananimal drain system. You can find all the info. you need by searching those two keywords in the search section above.

Again, just suggestions, but these improvements would make things much safer and reliable.

[shcubasteve]

Lordofthereef..: It took me over a week of filling, draining and adjusting the drain/pipes to get the correct water level. needless to say this was all done outside on the porch. The return sits just above the waterline by about a 1/4" so when the pump shuts off (power outage, maintenance), ill get about a 1-2" rise in the sump before the main tank water level drops below the drains. I’m guessing about 2-3 gallons- no problem at all. I guess the whole point of a bottom-drilled tank is to avoid an overflow box and the associated hardware…? I have the thickest gauge PVC pipes cemented into the bulkheads. They are pretty stable, but still spook me when moving rocks around.

Thanks for the suggestions,

Steve
-still learning

[fatdaddy]

How's the noise level? I find that my stand pipe is very noisy and subject to blockage by curious snails. I recently added an overflow box as the primary overflow and use the stand pipe mostly as a failsafe although there is some flow. I also caged it to keep snails out.

I'd take a look at durso drains w/ an overflow surface skimmer.

Something like this: http://www.dursostandpipes.com/

I'm doing a similar setup on a 150g, but I need to drill through the side and will use a smaller overflow box to leave the full bottom usable for landscaping.

[fatdaddy]

And, I'd watch craigslist for lights. They float by occasionally.

[lordofthereef]

I guess the whole point of a bottom-drilled tank is to avoid an overflow box and the associated hardware…?

What hardware? You are right about not needing the overflow box, but then why are you wanting to avoid one in the first place? Not trying to be critical, just wondering how you came to this option being the BETTER option is all.

Because you mentioned that you were afraid of the potential of a bump loosening things, I suppose I wrongfully assumed that it wasn't all glued together. Being that it is glued, I do agree that you have far less of a risk at the entire tank draining on you :)

[Everyones Hero]

You could always make a center overflow out of acrylic tube or make a box out of a sheet of acrylic. If you got colored tube it would not only protect the drain from bumps but it would hide the drain & give you a greater area of surface skimming.

[shcubasteve]

Fattdaddy: the noisiest thing in my system is water dripping over the bioballs, everything else is silent. No snails yet, but keeping them out would be important.
Everyone...: interesting idea. Would work great for increasing the skimable area, but i would worry about draining too much water if the power went out, as mentioned above.

[lordofthereef]

The water you drain with an overflow box is limited by the height of the box, the same as the way you are limiting it now (height of your pipes). If you added a box and set it at the height of your current pipes you would drain no more water than you currently are.

[Everyones Hero]

The water you drain with an overflow box is limited by the height of the box, the same as the way you are limiting it now (height of your pipes). If you added a box and set it at the height of your current pipes you would drain no more water than you currently are.

Exactly. Put on a cylinder that's as high as you want the water level & cut your drain pipe by about .5".

[Uncle Salty 05]

With stand pipes that tall glued into the bulkheads my main concern would be the leverage produced by bumping a stand pipe breaking the bottom glass.

[fatdaddy]

water dripping over the bioballs

btw, bioballs are mostly not used with a reef system. The problem is that they work too well and release a lot of nutrients. It's better to rely on your protein skimmer to remove gunk before it has a chance to degrade.

[n8ball2013]

that setup spooks me. eek.

[scubasteve06]

Those drain positions on that tank look more like closed loop drains/returns. Are there not any other holes drilled in this tank besides the ones that are in use now? It seems really strange to have three holes drilled in the center of the tank like that unless they were closed loop drains/returns. Just my 2 cents, and not knocking your set-up just intrigued.

[lordofthereef]

Those drain positions on that tank look more like closed loop drains/returns. Are there not any other holes drilled in this tank besides the ones that are in use now? It seems really strange to have three holes drilled in the center of the tank like that unless they were closed loop drains/returns. Just my 2 cents, and not knocking your set-up just intrigued.

I am certain you are correct here. My tank was drilled the same way when I bought it (though it also had an overflow). I am simply trying to understand why the OP finds this a more ideal setup than using an overflow box. He mentioned omitting excess equipment by not using a box, but the only equipment needed would essentially be the box itself.

[fatdaddy]

With stand pipes that tall glued into the bulkheads my main concern would be the leverage produced by bumping a stand pipe breaking the bottom glass.

Maybe that's why they aren't very popular any more. I've had a hard time finding parts for mine. I suspect is something goes wrong, I'd have to build an overflow box.

They also require emptying the tank to do any maintenance.

[isildursbane]

Welcome to the Borg, Steve !-P

[shcubasteve]

Lordofthereef: I got a really good deal on the tank itself: FREE! as you would guess, it came drilled already. your right, the overflowbox would not add THAT much hardwear to the system- mainly the drain lines running down the back of the tank.

Scubasteve06: Nice screenname!. you are correct- no other holes, only the bottom three.

Thanks for the input all

Steve
-removed the PH votrex