Tanks plumbed together

If 5% of the chemical warfare compounds make it to the display tank by bypassing carbon, it's really not going to have much of an impact. That's how effective a good carbon is going to be. If you run it inline, it might reduce that to 4% of alloeopathic compounds removed on first pass. The 1% difference is not worth the flow issues it will create. Besides, it will get them on the second pass and it doesn't matter that much anyway. It's not like these softies only exude these compounds in spurts....they produce them non-stop. By the time the toxins that were missed in the first pass make it to the sump/refugium, there will be plenty of new ones added to them.

If you really want me to help you, tell me the brand of carbon you intend to use and I'll tell you if it's good or not.

 

I currently have a whole bunch of BRS Rox 0.8 carbon, and would be using that.

So a bag in front of the return pump, and inlet for the reactor at the exit for the return line would be good?

 

Well, this is somewhat the point of using an overflow, and pumping as a return, is it not?

I mean, you have it straight-gravity fed, but it's not that different in principle, unless I'm missing something.

 

You're using a reactor and a very good Lignite based carbon. Now that I know your carbon, your original plan never would have worked. Your bottom tank would have overflowed. Lignite is very effective. Unfortunately, it's very friable as well. (When talking carbon, friable basically is an indication of how easily it breaks apart). The flow you would have needed to run the reactor inline to the main tank would have crushed the Rox into dust turning both tanks gray. To stop this from happening, you would have to use a ball valve to seriously slow down the return pump. Then the gravity fed water would overwhelm your smaller tank.

If you want to add an additional bag of Carbon where the main tank drains into the softy tank, that will work. I wouldn't put any obstructions in front of the return pump though. However, since you're running a reactor I really don't think I would bother with the additional bag. I don't think it will make enough of a difference to justify the cost.

 

Alright, I just redrew my diagram to reflect changes and clarifications because of this discussion so far; what do you think now?

 

I think you have a winner there buddy!

 

Awesome! lol.

So, how would I figure out the amount of water to leave out of the BC to prevent a crazy cascade of water in case of a power outage?

Also, should I leave the BC as a separate tank while I cure the rock I'm going to need in it, or could it be connected?

 

heres a link to someone with photos on how there overflow works and stuf to add suno ti the rsm it might help you i want you to do this so i can add one to mine "Tom's RSM 250" - Page 4 - Reef Sanctuary

 

Ah, I'm doing a different overflow. That one requires cutting the tank to install; I plan on doing 0 cutting on my tank.

This guy uses the LifeReef overflow (like 100 bucks), and cut the top of the spot with the 2 switched fans on the left side of the tank.

I'm using the accessory kit to build an overflow. Looking from the front, it's on the right side of the tank, with pump #2. It's a small hole with rounded ends, that has a piece with 2 x 5/8th inch U-Tubes for connecting external equipment. They also include a piece that has horizontal slits and no U connectors, I think for ventilation.

It's a neater way to go about doing a project like this than cutting the plastic rim built on to the tank, IMO.

 

yeah i agree i would be a bit nervous about cutting im sorry if im a little silly here but can you tell me exactly how it works are you pumping water out of the tank then pumping back or gravity feeding i dont really understand how you hook an overflow to the accesories kit i have one of those.