Another good advice from Dave, thanks for sharing !
Dave's RSM 500
- Thread starter David Shaw
- Start date
Another good advice from Dave, thanks for sharing !
A few new pics as promised
I was wondering what is the green pipe coming down from the left of the picture to the main pum chamber : chiller return ? Aren't you using the rigid pipe at the back for this purpose ?
David Shaw
Well-Known Member
Yes, its the chiller return, and it goes into the media tray, not into the pump area.
The rigid pipe at the back feeds the water into the chiller then the green pipe is the one returning the water. I have since put the return pipe into the filter sock as i was getting the odd bubble escaping into the pump area via the media tray (as i have now closed off the valve a little so the flow is slower entering into the chiller unit so it chills the water quicker, well in theory anyhow). That's the setup i noticed my LFS uses.
The rigid pipe at the back feeds the water into the chiller then the green pipe is the one returning the water. I have since put the return pipe into the filter sock as i was getting the odd bubble escaping into the pump area via the media tray (as i have now closed off the valve a little so the flow is slower entering into the chiller unit so it chills the water quicker, well in theory anyhow). That's the setup i noticed my LFS uses.
Choff
Well-Known Member
That seems odd. It should come straight down. I there are 2 pipes for the chiller. A fat one that was plugged that comes off your main pump to feed the chiller and then the smaller return below it. The chiller would connect on the left and then bypass the skimmer and a 90 degree elbow points down and you hook up a soft tube to return the water.
To me it looks like you are not using the return pipe and just bringing the soft like straight over
Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2
To me it looks like you are not using the return pipe and just bringing the soft like straight over
Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2
David Shaw
Well-Known Member
Ah right, so THATS what that grey tubing is for. The red nozzle that controls flow to the skimmer is in the way so there is no way to put my tube into the clips.
I have the outflow green tubing from the chiller going straight into the main tanks down pipe area of the sump (Top right). Both out flow skimmer pipe and down flow pipe from the main tank drop the water through the sock. I guess it's the same end result just not as "neat" looking.
I have the outflow green tubing from the chiller going straight into the main tanks down pipe area of the sump (Top right). Both out flow skimmer pipe and down flow pipe from the main tank drop the water through the sock. I guess it's the same end result just not as "neat" looking.
David Shaw
Well-Known Member
Ha, nah, i looked at trying to fit it last night and the red valve makes it a no go. Works fine as it is and i have fiddled around enough now, time to just enjoy the tank. Next big job is to clean out the sump and the pump area, but that can wait another few weeks.
Did my W/C today and bought 2 x orange spot gobies, they are vacuuming the substrate as i type. Orange spot's are my favourite fish and they keep the substrate looking really good.
Did my W/C today and bought 2 x orange spot gobies, they are vacuuming the substrate as i type. Orange spot's are my favourite fish and they keep the substrate looking really good.
dave, do they not get gravel all over your rocks?
David Shaw
Well-Known Member
No, not at all. The ones that do that seem to be the blue cheek ones, that take gravel in their mouths then swim to the middle of the tank spitting it out as they go.
The orange spots have never deposited on rocks or corals in my tank.
The orange spots have never deposited on rocks or corals in my tank.
Choff, Dave, I use this smaller return pipe as you mention but taken out from its support at the back so that it "hangs" down and returns the water into the left part of the sump. Seems to be working fine for me, no need for an additionnal soft tube this way and neater installation. I'm wondering however if it makes a difference to return the water there, or in the main pump area or in the down pipes area ?
David Shaw
Well-Known Member
My LFS has set their chiller up and i set mine to match theirs. I just have the green return pipe feeding into the sump. It works just fine so am happy as it stands.
Can you post a pic of yours so i can see what it looks like?
Can you post a pic of yours so i can see what it looks like?
Actually I find the design of the chiller connection a bit strange : water is cooled then returns to the sump, then the main pump brings it back... to the chiller. Kind of closed loop even if part of the flow goes back to the tank. Result to me : the water cools quite fast in the sump (dropping from 29 to 28C in a few minutes) making the chiller stops but when it does temperature goes up fast because of the downflow water which is at 30C). And chiller starts again after a couple of minutes...
Do you face the same ? Is it a question of flow in the chiller (how opened is your red valve ?) ?
Another consequence of this flow diagram is that since part of the main pump flow goes to the chiller, there is less water change in the tank. Don't know if it is annoying or not. This would not happen with an additional pump such as in the S-650.
Do you face the same ? Is it a question of flow in the chiller (how opened is your red valve ?) ?
Another consequence of this flow diagram is that since part of the main pump flow goes to the chiller, there is less water change in the tank. Don't know if it is annoying or not. This would not happen with an additional pump such as in the S-650.
RedSeaKev
RS Sponsor
Ok Folks, Chiller returns, if they are returned to the left chamber in the case of the S500 you will get less cooling as it is mixed with the main water returning from the aquarium, if the return is placed in the area of the media try it is going directly to the return pump area, granted it is diluted at a rate of 4 to 1 if you have the feed valve fully open, this is different for the S650 as you need a separate feed pump but again the ideal place for the return flow is the media area as the pump can collect and return to the aquarium.
David Shaw
Well-Known Member
Thanks Kevin. Makes perfect sense. Mine is now back pointing into the media tray.
David Shaw
Well-Known Member
Tank is nearly a year old!
...so a friend came over and helped me perform a complete annual deep clean of the tank. We drained the sump and scraped it clean as well as the pump chamber, cleaned the individual pumps, the inside of the piping work, scraped coralline build up from the skimmer grate and then did a 25 % water change.
The pump and sump areas got really dirty and we scraped off and removed as much detritus build up as we could. Still some calcium deposit staining on the glass walls but that is just cosmetic now.
Water is a little bit cloudy, but clearing up nicely, and i will keep changing the filter socks on the return pipes to get the water clarity back to crystal clear. It took us about 5 hours in total and definitely not keen to repeat the process anytime soon, making the process an annual 2 man job certainly helped. The usual weekly maintenance and cleaning should keep it running and looking good for another 12 months hopefully.
Tank running nice and quietly and our socks are drying out nicely!
...so a friend came over and helped me perform a complete annual deep clean of the tank. We drained the sump and scraped it clean as well as the pump chamber, cleaned the individual pumps, the inside of the piping work, scraped coralline build up from the skimmer grate and then did a 25 % water change.
The pump and sump areas got really dirty and we scraped off and removed as much detritus build up as we could. Still some calcium deposit staining on the glass walls but that is just cosmetic now.
Water is a little bit cloudy, but clearing up nicely, and i will keep changing the filter socks on the return pipes to get the water clarity back to crystal clear. It took us about 5 hours in total and definitely not keen to repeat the process anytime soon, making the process an annual 2 man job certainly helped. The usual weekly maintenance and cleaning should keep it running and looking good for another 12 months hopefully.
Tank running nice and quietly and our socks are drying out nicely!
deepseadiver
Member
Fantastic tank dave - keep up all the good work, hope my tank will eventually look as good as yours once i get it
David Shaw
Well-Known Member
Thanks Kevin, yeah almost a year old, it only seems like yesterday.
With all your advice and support the tank is looking absolutely great, fish are growing and the corals growing even quicker. It runs super quiet and i can honestly say it is one of the best products i have ever bought, worth every penny.
With all your advice and support the tank is looking absolutely great, fish are growing and the corals growing even quicker. It runs super quiet and i can honestly say it is one of the best products i have ever bought, worth every penny.