Nice tank I've thought about doing something like this but think the evaporation rate would be to much and I'm already having humidity problems. From the video it looks like you need a bigger pump to get the water to flow evenly around the glass. You might need to put a T fitting on the top of the output to smooth out the surface that might help too.

The only check valves that I know anything about work much like the shut off valves used on waste collectors for beckett skimmers. There is a ball inside a much larger tube. The inlet to the tube is smaller than the ball. When the water is flowing in the "on" direction, the water flows around the ball, when the flow is reversed, the ball is sucked to the inlet tube and stops the flow. I hope this makes sense. If not, let me know.

The reason they fail so often is because there has to be a perfect seal when the flow is reversed. Even a tiny foreign particle, or a small amount of calcium build up, can let water past. Even a drip left un checked can empty a tank over time.

There are two, less than ideal, solutions that I can think of.

Raise the return pipe to the surface of the water in the main tank and angle it back down so you don't have an actual fountain. When the power dies, the siphon will break at the surface. You could also do the same thing but instead of going all the way to the surface, you stop the return pipe at the highest piece of livestock. So if your only having clams and a few small rocks, the pipe could just raise about 6" or so above the sandbed, be hidden a little by rock work, and then as long as you don't have anything alive above the siphon break and your sump can handle the volume, you wont leave anything exposed to the air at all. This is what I would do.

The other, much more complicated, option would be to create an external siphon break. The best way to show this would be a picture but I don't have the time to post one. You would plumb the return from the pump so that the pipe raises above the highest water line and then does a u-turn back down and through the bulkhead in the bottom. Where the u-turn is, you would drill a small hole and attach a small tube or pipe that would drain into the top tank or even the second overflow tank. When the power fails, the siphon would be broken by allowing air into the top of the "u". The water would level out in the tank side of the return at the level of the water in the tank and the water on the pump side would drain down to the sump.

I hope this all made sense and helps a little. I also agree that a little more flow, controlled in a way to keep the surface smooth, would make for better viewing through the sides. My lighting is almost identical to what your planning. I have a 10K 250 with 2x75 actinics and am very interested in seeing the 14K running. I think its an awesome idea and very unique. Good luck getting it dialed in to your liking and keep us all updated.

ReefWaters

at this point the flow is cut back to about 30% on the tank. i'll take pics so everyone can see the ripples it makes. i'm surprised by the evap. rate of the tank. i'm only loosing about half to 3/4 of a gallon more then i was before.

i have the check valve made but haven't installed it yet. it will be in later this afternoon.
i put about an inch of sand in the tank and it's been running now for 2 weeks.

the concern everyone had was with salt creep. after 2 weeks of running, very little to no salt creep at all. i'll post pics of what has built up.

lighting is in the works. i should have it in place by this comming week. again running 2-75 wtt vho's one aitenic(sp) and one 10k plus a ushio 250 mh 10k. all about 10-12" about the water. with a pully system to raise and lower the light for viewing.

i'm currently working on a group buy with MAAST.com members for clam stock. i'm looking to get about 10 or so to put in the system.

i transplanted my sun coral into the clam tank and will most likely leave it in there for easy feeding of it. ( eats the same items as the clams to).

water quality in the tank is every high. and i've been testing consistanly to check for any variances. i did run into a slight salinity spike the first few says. i added about 1.5 gal to much salt water to the system and as it evap. it spiked the salt lever about 1.028. which is now down to it's normal 1.024 leavel with water changes.

ph is at 8.1-8.2
calcium is at 420-440 with kalk drip
0 nitrate and 0 nitrites.

again pics to be posted as soon as i have some free time.

thanks for the intrest

the pully system is the only thing i'm not sure will work out at this point.

i have no idea how it will work at this point.

rxdi

it's because of leaveling. i releaveled the tank and it is flowing on 3 sides. just the way i wanted it. the pump is a mag 5 but flow is cut way back.

Why are you topping off with saltwater? Just use fresh RO/DI water for topping off to maintain salinity.


I too have a suncoral, and have to feed it meaty foods such as Mysis and Cyclop-Eeze. What foods do you feed your clams - phytoplankton, right?

melev,

when i first set up the tank i had to add water to the sump. when i did so i added water above my top off float. so as it evap. the top off wasn't let in enough ro/di water to control the salinity. but it's all correct. and the level didn't get to out of wack. no harm to any of the corals or fish.

i'm feeding a phyto and cyclo. mix. i just put dt's, cyclopeeze and tank water , mix it in a small cup and feed that. sometimes i'll put in some brine too. they love it.

i spot feed with a turkey baister

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by bagedtaco [/i]
[B]rxdi

it's because of leaveling. i releaveled the tank and it is flowing on 3 sides. just the way i wanted it. the pump is a mag 5 but flow is cut way back. [/B][/QUOTE]

i ment to type leveling.. hehe.. i can't spell for @#$%

I very much appreciate you creativity in this project.

Just a thouht on the pulley system. Instead of using a pulley to lower of raise the light you may consider a rolling track enabling it to roll to the side instead. For fixtures that light you could probably even retro fit Home Depot track lighting rails.

jlehigh.

that's an idea. i'll try to work something out. the only problem i have is that my sealing is 15ft and slopes to about 13. the angle would make it difficult to get the lights to stay in place. now if i suspend it then hang the slider/track then that may work. but i'm not sure how sturdy the track light system is. i'll have to go check it out later today on my way home from work.

thanks for the idea.

Why not use an up-and-over concept... Like an over flowing bathtub, with just enough gap as to not draw if a pump fails. Or, setup kind of a waterfall slab into the tank, if you want to go deco. :)

Rich

The pully system might work if you use thin cable, not string, and lots of pullys. The more pullys you have the easier it is to raise. Just a thought.

update pics... the light is on and shot of the first clam in the tank. other clams will be going in later this week.

[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v634/bagedtaco/P1010056.jpg[/img]
this shot was with out flash with natural sunlight only

[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v634/bagedtaco/P1010055.jpg[/img]
this shot is with flash and natural sunlight only
[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v634/bagedtaco/P1010054.jpg[/img]
this shot is with flash and natural sunlight only
[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v634/bagedtaco/P1010061.jpg[/img]
this shot is with flash and natural sunlight only

the rest of the shots are of my display tank shot in tif format with no tripod

[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v634/bagedtaco/P1010025.jpg[/img]

[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v634/bagedtaco/P1010024.jpg[/img]

[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v634/bagedtaco/P1010023.jpg[/img]

What a neat tank. Very nice! Can't wait to see it all filled out!

Thank you for the update. That looks like a pretty big suncoral colony.

Yes, more pics! That is a cool tank!

more pics to come as i add 8 new clams to the tank

damn that looks Sexxy!!!!

musttt rreeee ssssssiiiisssstttttttt



uuuhhhhhhh ohhhhh
;)

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by bagedtaco [/i]
[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v634/bagedtaco/P1010061.jpg[/img]
[/QUOTE]

Absolutely gorgeous.....Thanks for the update. I can't wait to see pics once you get the group order done.

How did you manage to keep the front panels dry for this shot?

B

Looks good, hows your evaporation rate? Hows the noise level from the water falling down the sides?

Great tank!! I really like the idea...thanks for sharing the pics.

Did you get the lights rigged up? If so, how?

ok here's an update... pics will follow.

the front panel is dry. i set the tank a tad bit higher in the front to keep the front dry for viewing.

on the evap and noise.

evap. rate is about 2.5 gall. total for clam, sup/fug., and 60 gall main display tank. not bad at all i think. the noise is very minimal. it's not as loud as my 3 mag drive pumps. to be honest its very plesant.

here ya go everyone. enjoy. i'll post more pics after this weekend. pick'n up a few more clams later tonight.

[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v634/bagedtaco/shipment.jpg[/img]

[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v634/bagedtaco/drip.jpg[/img]

[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v634/bagedtaco/clam1.jpg[/img]

[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v634/bagedtaco/clam2.jpg[/img]

[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v634/bagedtaco/clam3.jpg[/img]

[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v634/bagedtaco/clam4.jpg[/img]

[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v634/bagedtaco/clam5.jpg[/img]

[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v634/bagedtaco/clam6.jpg[/img]

[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v634/bagedtaco/clam7.jpg[/img]

[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v634/bagedtaco/clam8.jpg[/img]

[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v634/bagedtaco/clamtank.jpg[/img]

[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v634/bagedtaco/clamtank1.jpg[/img]

i'll take some better pics when i have some more time

mrpink44:

the lights are up. i'll take a pic and post it later

thanks everyone