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Unread 03/25/2006, 08:58 PM   #101
The_Nexis_One
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I'll be buying a SCWD for a mag pump in my tank wide overflow. The plan is to pump overflow water back into the tank through that alternating SCWD. This will increase the flow without increasing actual turn over and will hide the mechanism from view.

I'll probably also look into a couple conchs and the strombus - sounds like a good plan.

Thanks,
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Unread 03/27/2006, 07:32 AM   #102
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Well the seagrass in the picture here taken on 3/25 already has a new leaf start. the leaf in the middle is just over a week old and its about 4 inches. So far the new growth is awesome. Now if only the one further back would send up some leaves.




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Current Tank Info: 100 gal lagoon/seagrass, 100 gal sump, Lifereef 72" skimmer, 180 inwall, 125 inwall seagrass/lagoon in progress
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Unread 03/27/2006, 07:36 AM   #103
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All seagrass I've had seemed to grow the root system first before new leaves.


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Unread 03/27/2006, 07:38 AM   #104
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Quote:
Originally posted by The_Nexis_One
I'll be buying a SCWD for a mag pump in my tank wide overflow. The plan is to pump overflow water back into the tank through that alternating SCWD. This will increase the flow without increasing actual turn over and will hide the mechanism from view.

I'll probably also look into a couple conchs and the strombus - sounds like a good plan.

Thanks,
John.
Sounds like a good idea with the SCWD I've had one hanging around for awhile and havent quite determined what to do with it. Perhaps I could eliminate some powerheads and hook it up like you describe. I have two overflows the only problem could be modifying one for a pump hook up. The fighting conchs are great one in a tank the size of yours should be sufficient.


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Current Tank Info: 100 gal lagoon/seagrass, 100 gal sump, Lifereef 72" skimmer, 180 inwall, 125 inwall seagrass/lagoon in progress
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Unread 03/27/2006, 07:40 AM   #105
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Quote:
Originally posted by andycook
All seagrass I've had seemed to grow the root system first before new leaves.
Interesting, the plant in the foreground apparently has its priorities mixed up.


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Current Tank Info: 100 gal lagoon/seagrass, 100 gal sump, Lifereef 72" skimmer, 180 inwall, 125 inwall seagrass/lagoon in progress
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Unread 03/27/2006, 09:45 AM   #106
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Quote:
Originally posted by graveyardworm
Sounds like a good idea with the SCWD I've had one hanging around for awhile and havent quite determined what to do with it. Perhaps I could eliminate some powerheads and hook it up like you describe. I have two overflows the only problem could be modifying one for a pump hook up. The fighting conchs are great one in a tank the size of yours should be sufficient.
Not sure how much turn over you have in your tank, but if a single overflow could handle it, you could make one overflow into a closed loop and the other go to/from the sump. You could cap both your return and drain lines from under the tank, and just put the pump 'in' the overflow box w/ SCWD and directed returns. The only caviat to this is that the closed loop would need to be unplugged 'with' the return pump, else it would run the overflow box dry. You could solve this by cutting a hole in the overflow box and installing a bulkhead so you could seal it if you ever removed the SCWD (but that sounds like a lot more work).

I'm a big fan of A. Calfo's suggestion of reducing overflow through the sump while maintaining proper flow dynamics in the tank. In my Lagoon, I'm not worried about the additional flow over the overflow since it's 'tank wide' and I have plenty of space for any added water height, though I only expect a little (max .5" I estimate) as this will be run off a Mag 5 and I might put a bleeder on it to cut the flow back (don't want to uproot anything ).

I've got a Queen Conch in the display and it does a great job of keeping the cyano off the sandbed, I was tempted to put it in the Lagoon, but wasn't sure if it would damage/eat the seagrass or macro's. (Display is basically a FOWLR until I get better lighting for it.)

Thanks,
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Unread 03/27/2006, 10:08 AM   #107
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Not sure about the queen, but so far my fighting hasnt touched the seagrass. My only concern with using the overflow bulkhead as source for CL draw would be pulling air into the pump. Best case microbubbles, worst case destroy pump.


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Current Tank Info: 100 gal lagoon/seagrass, 100 gal sump, Lifereef 72" skimmer, 180 inwall, 125 inwall seagrass/lagoon in progress
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Unread 03/27/2006, 10:34 AM   #108
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I've had both queen and fighting.. they are great sand bed vacuum cleaners and did not munch shoal, star, manatee or turtle grass in my display. They did however 'trample' the smaller grasses as they dragged themselves all over the tank and did enough damage to the relatively fragile stargrass that I decided they had to come out. I miss them, they were so biotope correct but ultimately so destructive. Kinda like horseshoe crabs..

PS: David, sent you a PM.

>Sarah


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Unread 03/27/2006, 11:31 AM   #109
The_Nexis_One
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Quote:
Originally posted by graveyardworm
Not sure about the queen, but so far my fighting hasnt touched the seagrass. My only concern with using the overflow bulkhead as source for CL draw would be pulling air into the pump. Best case microbubbles, worst case destroy pump.
If you use the stand pipe - true. But if you cap the bulkheads under the tank, you'll have an area of standing water up to the tank level (somewhere in the overflow teeth).

I helped the LFS tinker with setting one of these up a while back, it was just an overflow box with the pump in the bottom - tank was never drilled and this was the only box. (just for circulation in a AGA stock tank with daily water changes). The water fell over the overflow and just filled up the corner box. It was returned (overflow) as fast as it was pumped out. The level changed with evaporation (just like a sump would). Your's might be a little different with one corner as a CL and the other with return/drain. but it should work very similiarly IMHO.

guess it'll be something to tinker with.

Best of luck
John.


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Unread 03/27/2006, 06:09 PM   #110
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I wanted to try the set up on melevs site, but Anthony Calfo advised against it, but I may still try it at some point. I could also remove one overflow box and use that bulkhead for the CL.


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Current Tank Info: 100 gal lagoon/seagrass, 100 gal sump, Lifereef 72" skimmer, 180 inwall, 125 inwall seagrass/lagoon in progress
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Unread 04/01/2006, 02:12 PM   #111
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I just got back from the LFS, and they had what I believe were strombus grazers (euplica versicolor) they looked just like nassarius except they were feeding on algal film on the glass, and their mouthparts were noticeably different. The owner informed me that he had gotten a couple as hitchhikers, and now he has lots of them. He also told me that one reeftank owner that had bought some complained that they were taking over the tank. It sounded like them so I bought some. I'm going to check with Dr Ron once I get some photos up if they are the strombus grazer, and they are reproducing well I'll probably be looking to move some out.

Also I picked up some iodine supplement and a test kit to see how it affects the macro and seagrass growth. Anyone with experience with the iodine suggestions are welcome.


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Current Tank Info: 100 gal lagoon/seagrass, 100 gal sump, Lifereef 72" skimmer, 180 inwall, 125 inwall seagrass/lagoon in progress
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Unread 04/04/2006, 04:13 PM   #112
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It appears my new snails have laid some eggs, the sacs on the glass are about 4 times larger than nassarius egg sacs, but dont appear to contain more eggs. So by the end of the week I should know if I'm gonna have a bunch more.


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Unread 04/04/2006, 04:28 PM   #113
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Quote:
Originally posted by graveyardworm
I wanted to try the set up on melevs site, but Anthony Calfo advised against it, but I may still try it at some point. I could also remove one overflow box and use that bulkhead for the CL.
I thought Calfo left? Did you speak with him in person?


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Unread 04/04/2006, 04:39 PM   #114
graveyardworm
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The thread that Anthony responded to was some time ago, but he has continued to visit and respond in various forums.


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Current Tank Info: 100 gal lagoon/seagrass, 100 gal sump, Lifereef 72" skimmer, 180 inwall, 125 inwall seagrass/lagoon in progress
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Unread 04/05/2006, 06:55 AM   #115
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hey graveward, do you have recent photo's of your set up?
love to see em.


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Unread 04/09/2006, 07:27 PM   #116
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Alright I got some new pics.

Mangrove tank with caulerpa prolifera, halymenia, and afew loose pieces of shoal grass I'm hoping will develop roots.



Refugium kinda slow going, I've got cheato, C. peltata, 2 species of gracillaria, botryocladia pseudo, and some mini halimeda.



Lagoon tank, Thalassia on the far left, shoal grass under the yellow. Once I can get the new light fixture the LR will be split into two piles, some on the left, and some on the right with open sand on the far left, far right, and middle.

Now some closeups of algae

C. peltata and cheato



Gracillaria



and for growth comparison the gracillaria when I got it



and the mini halimeda stuff




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Current Tank Info: 100 gal lagoon/seagrass, 100 gal sump, Lifereef 72" skimmer, 180 inwall, 125 inwall seagrass/lagoon in progress
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Unread 04/09/2006, 08:07 PM   #117
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Looking really good.

John.


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Unread 04/09/2006, 08:12 PM   #118
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graveyard,
I run melev's design for a CL on my 65, and love it. The only thing I would suggest is to go with a pump with a little higher head pressure if you are going to use the SQWD. I started with the mag-drive, and the SQWD killed the flow!

Nathan


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Unread 04/09/2006, 10:19 PM   #119
The_Nexis_One
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What sized mag pump did you use on the SCWD? Any estimates of flow before/after SCWD?

Head pressure will be the difference between inlet and outlet regardless of the height of the pump from the surface. I'm curious though how much the flow/power/resistance the SCWD draws for it's mechanics.


John.


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Unread 04/11/2006, 02:09 PM   #120
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I started out with the Mag 950, then went to the 12, and still hardly any flow, at least compared to the flow I would get without the SCWD. I finally went with a Coralife Turbo-sea 1100, and because of the higher head pressure, it ran great. So after I solved the pump problem, I started having problems with the SCWD. It kept freezing up, and I would have to take the whole thing apart, which was a total PITA. I replaced the SCWD, and after a month or so, it started doing it again!

I have since done away with both the SCWD and the Coralife, and now run a Sequence Dart on the CL, which kicks butt! I've also been thinking about adding one of those gadgets from Oceans Motions...it never ends.

Nathan


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Unread 04/11/2006, 02:49 PM   #121
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Quote:
Originally posted by moosejac
...it never ends.

Nathan
good Lord, that's the truth!


As far as the SCWD/pumps... I've watched the vid's of the device in operation, they appear to put out plenty of water - but I'm not sure what pump they used. I need to find out more info on that.

I believe that the SCWD works like the HydroFlo heads in that it has a high speed impellor that converts flow into mechanical rotation through high gearing. ... the draw back is that if you push it too hard, it increases the wear on the plastic gears/impellor and it soon jams. This happened a lot at our LFS when they were experimenting with the HydroFlo's on return lines. In the morning they were always putting them back on - they would have jammed during the night and been blown off the return line!

I hope to be ok with the SCWD on my small lagoon as I really just want something to create motion rather than increase flow. I may even run one leg of the SCWD to the other end of the tank to get true swaying movement rather than countering rotation.....

but as you say - it never ends.. I'll probably end up with a dump bucket or some DIY wave maker and the SCWD in the 'box-o-parts' pending reclaimation as some other DIY component.

Thanks for the input,
John.


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Unread 04/11/2006, 03:59 PM   #122
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I think there are two SCWD's now, the older one has a input and output hole diameter of less than 1/2 inch, and I believe the newer one is closer to 3/4 inch. Running a 950 GPH pump on the smaller one is a waste and will shorten the life of the pump and the SCWD. That size hole only good for 100 GPH unless you put pressure behind it.


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Current Tank Info: 100 gal lagoon/seagrass, 100 gal sump, Lifereef 72" skimmer, 180 inwall, 125 inwall seagrass/lagoon in progress
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Unread 04/12/2006, 11:16 AM   #123
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David and John: this has nothing to do with mechanical aspects of a seagrass tank, but I thought you would both enjoy it. Eric Borneman was nice enough to post shots of his old seagrass tank over on MD's forums and I wanted both of you to see it. Hints from Eric on Thalassia can be found on reefs.org, and he was a great sounding board on my article. http://www.marinedepot.com/FORUMS/Topic31985-4-1.aspx 2nd page, two pics.

>Sarah


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Unread 04/12/2006, 01:02 PM   #124
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Hi Sarah, the link doesnt seem to be working. I'm having a little trouble with the shoal grass, the blades have almost all come off. So I've moved some to my mangrove tank, and I've moved the rhizome to my refugium where its just floating around, any suggestions?


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Current Tank Info: 100 gal lagoon/seagrass, 100 gal sump, Lifereef 72" skimmer, 180 inwall, 125 inwall seagrass/lagoon in progress
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Unread 04/12/2006, 03:32 PM   #125
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David is there anything in the tank that might be cropping the blades and causing them to fall off? Or.. are they simply turning dark and falling off on their own? A little bit of leaf loss isnt abnormal.. to lose all the leaves is. I would keep the rhizome buried where it is and hope that it has enough stored energy to throw up new leaves. Gotta admit, I'm a bit perplexed honestly. Hmm. Lemme think.

>Sarah


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