Martin's 180g Reef Build

[martinmcnally]

Originally Posted by gregzz4

And about your Barracuda ... use lots of Spa-Flex and I mean LOTS
The more the better. I found with my 1262 Eheim pumps, even just a small piece of rigid pvc caused noise.
I have since clamped my spa to the wall with spacers to keep the rigid away and all noise is gone. Except for the return line of course. That is not clamped to any walls and is quieter as is.

Hmm I will have to see if I can use more flex once I get the rubber pad installed and the pump broken in.

Weird about the ABS never heard that. I've had ABS for 5 years on my other tank.

Thanks for the comments.

[gregzz4]

So ABS has never given you grief? No unusual amounts of algae? Slow growth? Deaths? And all that?
As long as you are comfortable with it, 'carry on my wayward son', just wanted to give you a heads up.

The spa flex may have saved my build as there was a time when the wife said ' No way, that is too loud', and I agreed. I changed a bunch of stuff and all is now good.
Use as much of it as you can between every fitting, even your closed loop.
It's amazing how much noise it takes away.
The biggest difference I found was to leave as much room as I could between the pump and the first mounting location.
You'll get the vibration sounds transmitting through your pumbing if you clamp anything rigid to anything solid, like a pipe to a stand.
In my case, I had a piece of Spa clamped to the wall behind our stand and it was humming downstairs. I had to re-position the spa after I un-clamped it to stop issues with the tank, but I got rid of the nasty hum by our front door.
Also, I have re-done my sump plumbing 3 times already with testing, so, because your tank is empty, you may want to fill it and test everything like I did, then think about it for a day or 3.
I am glad I haven't rushed it.

Keep up the posts and pics

[MMAX]

I was going to comment on the ABS also. Know a guy that had a 200gal reef and he lost everything. Couldn't explain it for the longest time but all signs pointed to the ABS piping leaching stuff into his water.

[martinmcnally]

Yea, I've never had an issue with ABS at all been using it as I said for at least 5 years. Was just doing some reading on it and a lot of people say its a myth.

I will be removing most of it from the return pump today to replace with flex however the stuff in the overflow is pretty much permanent and I dont want to rip out the bulkheads and replace them already since I am planning on moving some inhabitants in today.

That's one of those urban reefing legends that just doesn't seem to want to die. True ABS is not only safe, but used by many hobbists. Myself included.

[Bblinks]

Nice build Martin, can't wait to see it wet.

[HaZRaTTy]

Possible plumbing idea?

Consider running your emergency into your Fuge, dialing your herbie to whatever flow you want through your fuge. This would remove some clutter and PVC, and still do the trick that you want it and you would control the flow through your fuge from your valve of your main drain?

But other then that I don't see anything wrong with it!! I can't comment on the waste pvc pipe.