230 in the making!! Pics added april 10th/06

[KrazyKuch]

I though I would document the progress of putting in our new 230!!!

He is the opening before demo started!
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c184/KrazyKuch/PICT0007.jpg

He it is with cabinets removed and drywall taken out!!
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c184/KrazyKuch/PICT0010.jpg

He is the new stand I made for the tank...looks solid enough!!
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c184/KrazyKuch/PICT0013.jpg

He is the stand in place!!
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c184/KrazyKuch/PICT0020.jpg

Finished putting the plywood on and the foam.
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c184/KrazyKuch/cb79a4e1.jpg

Updated view...did some more demo, man did the previouse owner suck at doing drywall!!!
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c184/KrazyKuch/0f5a3ea9.jpg
This is as far as I am atm....will post more pics when I get more done!!

[Razz]

Personaly I would consider turning at leats two of the 2 x 6 inwards, the warpage may allow the tank weight to bow out the front and back of the stand, even with a solid plywood front warpage is a mean problem.

[KrazyKuch]

here is the tank coming into the house!!!
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c184/KrazyKuch/fb781d4c.jpg

Unstraping the tank
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c184/KrazyKuch/28c43f8e.jpg

lowering the tank
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c184/KrazyKuch/cabc632a.jpg

Getting Ready for the big lift!!
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c184/KrazyKuch/140a26c8.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c184/KrazyKuch/b02acf9f.jpg

Sand castle inside the tank!!
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c184/KrazyKuch/6ee037d6.jpg

After discussing with ed how long it would take to fill the tank with R/O i decided to go the garden hose way and a bottle of conditioner!!!
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c184/KrazyKuch/e0eb206f.jpg

Intake for one close loop
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c184/KrazyKuch/110f8415.jpg

This is one pump for the Close Loop, mounted to the bottom of the stand!
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c184/KrazyKuch/bd139502.jpg

Me priming the close loop!
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c184/KrazyKuch/a894aacd.jpg

Full of water!
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c184/KrazyKuch/be2ab464.jpg

Wall built around!
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c184/KrazyKuch/b6149bd9.jpg

Drywalled!!
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c184/KrazyKuch/a5f8fc8a.jpg

This is as far as I am atm....will post more pics when I get more done!!

[saltynuts]

the last pic is funny! but all looks good!

[Ruth]

You know I would seriously consider plumbing that closed loop pump with hard plumbing. Maybe go with a union valve to make servicing easier. That vinyl tubing gets brittle over time and holy cow would you have a mess if it decided to let go.
Other wise it looks good. I have a 230g glass tank and I know that if I ever have to move it I better not ask the same guys to help me move as that helped get it in my house and up on the stand. They are probably still recovering.

[KrazyKuch]

I would have but the Posidon PS4 pumps come with a barb fitting so I have to go with vinyl tubing!!

[Ruth]

Well it's your tank and your floor but I do know if it was me I would seriously think about changing pumps. The idea of a closed loop is for flow and although that pump is only doing 1200gph for just about the same price you could put on a Sequence Dart, seriously up your flow and hard plumb it in. JMO and no insult intented. I know that we all do things different and that every tank is different as far as what we want to keep in it. I would just be nervous of that vinyl tubing is all.

[KrazyKuch]

I chose these pumps because I got 3 for the price of one, and I am putting educators on my close loop, which means i needed pressure rated pumps.

But I totally understand what your saying and I will prob upgrade in the future!!

[Willow]

/unkinks neck..

looks good so far.. im with ruth, dart! those t4's will add an assload of heat to your tank, 1 of them on my 90 adds 4 deg alone.

[KrazyKuch]

But if I go with the dart i have to upgrade my pipe size to 2" and I really don't want 2" sticking into my tank....hell the 1" is bad enough!!!

that and I am short $800 dollars to make that upgrade....I still have to fork out $1000 for the lights.....

I will have to make the change in the future cause I simple can't afford that kinda a dough atm!

Also more pics added!

[Ruth]

Boy it's a drag when $$$ and life get in the way of what you seriously want to do with your aquarium!!!
I would just keep a very close eye on that and be ready to shut down your closed loop if you see any salt creep around that tubing. $800 would probably be pretty cheap compared to the damage of that much salt water on your floor.
I would love to redo my closed loop on my 230g as it only has 2 returns and is run by a Mag 24 and it bites for flow and noise. I have 2 Tunze 6100 running in the tank to give it more flow and IMO it's still not enough. This is the first really big, drilled tank that I bought and I bought the whole package from a LFS in Edmonton that I try not to shop at any more because of their terrible service. My 190 I designed and drilled myself and it is far better for flow and design if I say so myself.
Don't know what you are looking at for lights but I have a 2X250W with VHO's for sale that I have never used and just looking to get back what I paid for it (I think $750 but will have to check). PM me if interested.

[Funky_Fish14]

Looking great Kevin! Cant wait to see this come together!

Looks like the drywall on the bottom left is a bit short :razz: haha.

Thanks for sharing!

Chris

[jgoldsney]

Of course you could always drain the water and drill one of the ends for a suction point......

Looks good though

[michika]

Ruth,

If one of the two closed loops pump leaked, the water would go directly into the sump, as well the water level would only drain to the first hole drilled on the closed loop which would act as a siphon break. The sump is also drilled with its own overflow so should the water level in the sump rise for any reason it will go straight to a drain in our basement.

One of the nifty features of the posidon is that if they run dry they will shut themselves off. I'm not aware the the dart pumps offer a similar mechanism.

Heat isn't an issue, the tank will be properly vented and a approximate 4 degrees of heat from pumps would only serve to reduce the workload on the heaters we've installed. It might be an issue had the tank been smaller, but with an approximate water volume of 300g its more of a helping hand then a hinderance.

Thanks for the offer of the lights Ruth, but we're going with 3x400w MH. Hope you find a buyer!

[Skimmerking]

looks good man I take it Ed was the one with the grey hair and the beard I knew it...


mike

[Ruth]

Looks like you have it covered in case of a failure - good thinking - I know that I would not have been nearly as smart and would probably end up with a room full of water. If I ever have to tear my 230 down I am sure going to do things differently to set it back up again. I have 3X400W over mine as well and find it great - I just wish I had supplimented with VHO instead of PC.

[michika]

Nope, Ed has the had and glasses!