The why, oh why, 38 stair, 290 gal build revised

[reefwithareefer]

Originally Posted by Roskoreef

what is your ORP normally, i only ask because im wondering if my probe is off, mine is unsually around 440 and drops whenever i muck up the tank or dose certain stuffs, but always makes its way back up.. although my tank is new..

My ORP was usually hovering around 270 and hit a high 300 and a low of 250. ORP will fluctuate depending on numerous things. Feeding, what you are dosing, stirring the substrate etc can all cause ORP to go up and down.

You apparently should clean your ORP probe at least once a month in a vinegar bath. It could take a day for the cleaned probe to read properly again.
From what I have read, an ORP of 440 is pretty high and bordering on causing issues for your tank. My understanding is 375 to 400 is a good ORP reading

These articles really helped me understand what ORP/ozone is/does and what causes it to fluctuate, even though scientists do not fully understand ORP either.

It is dry and technical reading, took me reading it 5 times before it begun to sink in, but the links may clear some things up for you.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-12/rhf/feature/

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-03/rhf/index.php

[Myka]

Originally Posted by reefwithareefer

Hmmmm, Maybe sniffing the ozone will make me smarter and I will learn to do one thing at a time to figure out what changes I do, make what differences....

That is a big reefing secret right there.

[sphelps]

For your two pumps you don't need an electric valve, you need two standard check valves, one on each pump outlet. Then it's a simple matter of using a flow sensor or float switch to determined if the main pump shuts off and trigger the back up.

[reefwithareefer]

Originally Posted by sphelps

For your two pumps you don't need an electric valve, you need two standard check valves, one on each pump outlet. Then it's a simple matter of using a flow sensor or float switch to determined if the main pump shuts off and trigger the back up.

That is a great idea. Thanks.
I am assuming I should have the back flows, before the inlets?
Would I use the Apex BOB to trigger the back up?

[sphelps]

Not sure what you mean by back flows and I'm not an apex guy but I assume you need to use a BOB to connect some sort of sensor to determine pump failure. As far as valves and plumbing goes all you need are the two check valves, one on each pump output and that's it.

[reefwithareefer]

Originally Posted by sphelps

Not sure what you mean by back flows and I'm not an apex guy but I assume you need to use a BOB to connect some sort of sensor to determine pump failure. As far as valves and plumbing goes all you need are the two check valves, one on each pump output and that's it.

I mean back-flow preventor, same thing as a check valve.
Yes, I would use the Apex to sense the pump failure, so it could turn on the back up pump.

I was thinking the check valves would be at the inlet , just because of the way the two pumps plumbed together.

I was thinking that I had to have the check valves at the inlet side, but the more I think about it, the outlet side makes more sense. I just worry about stagnant water in one of the pumps getting into the tank.