JamRobo
10-18-2017, 05:26 AM
Well I finally have some time to write about the build. Ive recently started up a business with the plan of importing and selling corals online canada wide.
I had a room available to use with heat and water attached to the shop which is attached to my house haha. I was able to find a perfect tank
At a fraction of the cost of having one built, needed some cleaning up and re plumbing but will work great for what i plan on doing. Its 8x4' x16" tall with a center overflow. 1" thick bottom glass and 5/8 all around everywhere else. Heavy!
Once i got the tank home i designed the frame and headed to country lumber. 340$ later i had the materials to build the stand. Got home and framed it up, got it done and me and the wife had a late night painting, decided to go the extra mile and paint the inside as well.
Getting the tank in and on the stand was pretty challenging. We had to flip the tank on its side and managed to get it on a dolly cart and wheel it over to the stand. 4 guys and we could hardly lift it a few inches off the ground, we used our brains and pretty well flipped it on and then spun tn to line up. It was hell.
It took me some time to find all the bulk heads i needed to replace the old plumbing, and im not a plumber im a carpenter/builder so figuring out the plumbing system was a bit challenging but thanks to a few helpful people i was able to plumb it up clean and effective. I went withna herbie drain system and for the return plumbing i made sure to raise the plumbing above the waterline and drill small holes to prevent any back syphon.
It also took me some time to figure out the Sump / refugium situation. I ended up coming up with the idea of running a stand alone refugium that will receive the water from the center overflow and then drain down into an actual sump tank.
I found a 50G tank with a small hole already drilled in the top right corner which was exactly what i was looking for. Although after going ober everything i realized the hole was to small to drain and keep up with the main tank overflow. Luckily my dad works at speedy glass and was able to come over on a sunday and help me drill it! We started with a 2 1/4 hole but then decided to go even bigger to 3" so i can get a 1.5" slip bulkhead in it.
I just picked up the equipment sump tank today
That will house the SWC 230 Skimmer and return pump and possibly some reactors in the future.
So the main tank drains down into a filter sock in the 50G refugium which will be full of live rock and a planted full of miracle mud and 20 mangroves. Also a power head for water movement. The tank top will be covered so no light gets in from the grow light for the mangroves. I know they will grow to big eventually i will sell them and buy more then.
The water then drains down through the drain hole into another sock in the equipment tank.
Where it is pumped back up though the plumbing where it splits off and each side of the tank is controllable by a ball valve.
Ive also got a chiller and a UV sterilizer that i have the option of running off the return plumbing.
For the lighting i was able to find 2x 8 bulb tek lights off craigslist, and 2x radion xr30 pros
I came up with a plan to make the light mount out of some angle iron with pre dilled holes. I bolted it all together and then bolted all the lights to it. I found some ratchet pullys that will work great for hanging the light system from the cieling that gives me the ability to raise and lower the fixture. The radions are mounted in the center and then ballasts sit above on the rack. Looks sharp. Im going to mount a power bar with timer on it also and then extension cord up and around the tek lights will be on timer and i have a reef link for the radions.
I also took the plunge and bought a new apex system with a ozone generator. Not going to bother with the ozone just yet.
The tank is now over half full with rodi, its taking some time to fill.... its huge! Once its full im going to bring it to temperature then run the system for a day or so making sure everything is running exactly how i want it and filter out any dirt or debris that may have got in. Then its mixing time... 2 and a bit pales of salt later...
Still i have lots left i want to do to perfect this build and the new business! Hopefully look forward to doing business with you guys in the future!
Cheers!!
I had a room available to use with heat and water attached to the shop which is attached to my house haha. I was able to find a perfect tank
At a fraction of the cost of having one built, needed some cleaning up and re plumbing but will work great for what i plan on doing. Its 8x4' x16" tall with a center overflow. 1" thick bottom glass and 5/8 all around everywhere else. Heavy!
Once i got the tank home i designed the frame and headed to country lumber. 340$ later i had the materials to build the stand. Got home and framed it up, got it done and me and the wife had a late night painting, decided to go the extra mile and paint the inside as well.
Getting the tank in and on the stand was pretty challenging. We had to flip the tank on its side and managed to get it on a dolly cart and wheel it over to the stand. 4 guys and we could hardly lift it a few inches off the ground, we used our brains and pretty well flipped it on and then spun tn to line up. It was hell.
It took me some time to find all the bulk heads i needed to replace the old plumbing, and im not a plumber im a carpenter/builder so figuring out the plumbing system was a bit challenging but thanks to a few helpful people i was able to plumb it up clean and effective. I went withna herbie drain system and for the return plumbing i made sure to raise the plumbing above the waterline and drill small holes to prevent any back syphon.
It also took me some time to figure out the Sump / refugium situation. I ended up coming up with the idea of running a stand alone refugium that will receive the water from the center overflow and then drain down into an actual sump tank.
I found a 50G tank with a small hole already drilled in the top right corner which was exactly what i was looking for. Although after going ober everything i realized the hole was to small to drain and keep up with the main tank overflow. Luckily my dad works at speedy glass and was able to come over on a sunday and help me drill it! We started with a 2 1/4 hole but then decided to go even bigger to 3" so i can get a 1.5" slip bulkhead in it.
I just picked up the equipment sump tank today
That will house the SWC 230 Skimmer and return pump and possibly some reactors in the future.
So the main tank drains down into a filter sock in the 50G refugium which will be full of live rock and a planted full of miracle mud and 20 mangroves. Also a power head for water movement. The tank top will be covered so no light gets in from the grow light for the mangroves. I know they will grow to big eventually i will sell them and buy more then.
The water then drains down through the drain hole into another sock in the equipment tank.
Where it is pumped back up though the plumbing where it splits off and each side of the tank is controllable by a ball valve.
Ive also got a chiller and a UV sterilizer that i have the option of running off the return plumbing.
For the lighting i was able to find 2x 8 bulb tek lights off craigslist, and 2x radion xr30 pros
I came up with a plan to make the light mount out of some angle iron with pre dilled holes. I bolted it all together and then bolted all the lights to it. I found some ratchet pullys that will work great for hanging the light system from the cieling that gives me the ability to raise and lower the fixture. The radions are mounted in the center and then ballasts sit above on the rack. Looks sharp. Im going to mount a power bar with timer on it also and then extension cord up and around the tek lights will be on timer and i have a reef link for the radions.
I also took the plunge and bought a new apex system with a ozone generator. Not going to bother with the ozone just yet.
The tank is now over half full with rodi, its taking some time to fill.... its huge! Once its full im going to bring it to temperature then run the system for a day or so making sure everything is running exactly how i want it and filter out any dirt or debris that may have got in. Then its mixing time... 2 and a bit pales of salt later...
Still i have lots left i want to do to perfect this build and the new business! Hopefully look forward to doing business with you guys in the future!
Cheers!!