Journal Attempting a True Dutch

[Kwyet 453]

I changed out the sand today. What a long job! I haven’t heard from AGAIAC support, but I’m not surprised. If the ability to update an entry isn’t already provided, it would cause them headaches to let one person do it.

While I was working today, this happened:




That’s a UNS double tap that snapped cleanly off just after the threads. I was so glad that I had just turned the pump off and removed it from the tank! It must have been ready to go, because I barely bumped it when it happened. Anyone else ever experienced this? Do I need to replace double taps periodically for safety?

 

[JayP 434]

I changed out the sand today. What a long job! I haven’t heard from AGAIAC support, but I’m not surprised. If the ability to update an entry isn’t already provided, it would cause them headaches to let one person do it.

While I was working today, this happened:

View attachment 20520


That’s a UNS double tap that snapped cleanly off just after the threads. I was so glad that I had just turned the pump off and removed it from the tank! It must have been ready to go, because I barely bumped it when it happened. Anyone else ever experienced this? Do I need to replace double taps periodically for safety?

I had one of the Chihiros double taps fall apart a couple weeks ago.

 

[Mr.Shenanagins 453]

I changed out the sand today. What a long job! I haven’t heard from AGAIAC support, but I’m not surprised. If the ability to update an entry isn’t already provided, it would cause them headaches to let one person do it.

While I was working today, this happened:

View attachment 20520


That’s a UNS double tap that snapped cleanly off just after the threads. I was so glad that I had just turned the pump off and removed it from the tank! It must have been ready to go, because I barely bumped it when it happened. Anyone else ever experienced this? Do I need to replace double taps periodically for safety?

What kind of hose is that? Looks like vinyl, which may not be flexible enough and was putting too much stress on the barbed end.

 

[Kwyet 453]

What kind of hose is that? Looks like vinyl, which may not be flexible enough and was putting too much stress on the barbed end.

I’m not sure anymore, but it is pretty stiff. I’ll see if I can match it to any of the spare tubing in the closet tomorrow.

 

[Mr.Shenanagins 453]

I’m not sure anymore, but it is pretty stiff. I’ll see if I can match it to any of the spare tubing in the closet tomorrow.

I’d recommend any bends like that to use silicone, Amazon has some reasonably priced hose.

 

[Kwyet 453]

I’d recommend any bends like that to use silicone, Amazon has some reasonably priced hose.

Silicone kinks too easily. This is just coming off a water pump that I hang in the tank to do water changes. I do have a short length of silicone on it to graduate down to the double tap size, and that’s already annoying, lol! I’ll report back tomorrow though, and include a picture of the whole thing. Thanks!

 

[Rachel Smith 1]

That’s a great challenge. A true Dutch setup takes a lot of planning, but the finished result can look incredible. Looking forward to seeing how it develops.

 

[Kwyet 453]

That’s a great challenge. A true Dutch setup takes a lot of planning, but the finished result can look incredible. Looking forward to seeing how it develops.

Thanks! The tank is entered in the AGAIAC, so I won’t show it again until the results come out in November. I like how it turned out, although it has some problems and I wish I was both a better trimmer and a better photographer. Well, those are the 2 main things to work on for next year I think.

 

[Rob23 15]

Silicone kinks too easily.

I've been enjoying the addition of the plastic "sweeps" that Jardli is including with its silicone tubing. They definitely help prevent kinks when bends are needed.

 

[Kwyet 453]

I found the piece of tubing that this came from, but there aren’t any markings to say what it’s made of. I used it with metal lily pipes before. As you can see, there really isn’t much of a bend in it though. Any bending is done by the short length of silicone hose or by the Python hose on the outer end. I did somehow catch it against myself when I was hanging it in the tub, and that’s when it snapped off. I’m not really sure how it happened, but I’ll be more careful with it now that I know it’s an concern. Unfortunately the Python hose won’t fit for that short length between the double tap and the other connector, that’s why I used this snippet of tubing.