New 180G

[Quinster]

Well as some of you have heard, I had a rude awakening one day coming home from work.....the center brace let go and my tank was a bow front...not sure how long, but just REALLY happy thats all that happened!

So long story short planning started on a replacement tank....going to do it the way I wished I did the original one, just didn't have the opportunity as the tank came with the house when I bought it, it and my old tank were both running (it was originally a FW setup).

So the first planning was the closed loop system. I have played with powerheads, and internal/external non drilled closed loops, I figured it was time to do the whole shabang!

First the Sequence Reef Flo Dart...3600gph going through an OM 4 way

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v638/Quinster/New%20180G/Picture002.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v638/Quinster/New%20180G/Picture003.jpg

and some of the wiring...my new Reef Keeper 2

Bench testing

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v638/Quinster/New%20180G/ReefKeeper2Trial.jpg

On the board and wired

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v638/Quinster/New%20180G/RK001.jpg

The faceplate/control will be mounted on the front of my stand once the new tank is in place.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v638/Quinster/New%20180G/RK002.jpg

It can control fans/heaters/chillers all via a temp probe, will also shut down lighting at specified temps if your cooling system can't keep up to the heat of your lighting, all lighting (Metal Halides, T5's, Moonlights), pH monitoring and control, wave maker, night mode to shut down wave making and/or pumps, feeding delay so pumps are off during feeding and restart after the delay time you program. There is also a data logging feature (due with the newest firmware update). Great bang for the buck.

Tank brought in this weekend...will be drilled (actually done with a router) this week

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v638/Quinster/New%20180G/New180G1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v638/Quinster/New%20180G/New180G2.jpg

and here is the layout for the holes and overflow

Front view;

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v638/Quinster/New%20180G/FrontViewBulkheadSizes.jpg

Top view;

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v638/Quinster/New%20180G/TopViewBulkheadSizes.jpg

[Quinster]

Prep work for the drilling

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/New%20180G/Holes1.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/New%20180G/Holes2.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/New%20180G/Holes3.jpg

The fun begins

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/New%20180G/Holes5.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/New%20180G/Holes6.jpg

One done....8 to go

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/New%20180G/Holes16.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/New%20180G/Holes4.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/New%20180G/Holes9.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/New%20180G/Holes12.jpg

2 hours later....bulkheads ready to go in!

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/New%20180G/Holes17.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/New%20180G/Holes19.jpg

[Quinster]

R2D2?

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/New%20180G/Picture003.jpg

Got the rough in done...going to get the teflon tape and finish it up!

Next the tank plumbing!

[Quinster]

overflow and bottom plumbing installed in the new tank...

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/New%20180G/Overflow.jpg?t=1166657522

[Quinster]

oops, try again....


overflow and bottom plumbing installed in the new tank...

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/New%20180G/Overflow.jpg

[Quinster]

Old tank gone....

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/New%20180G/Picture016.jpg

Cutting the stand and moving bracing for all the new plumbing

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/New%20180G/Picture019.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/New%20180G/Picture020.jpg

prepping for the lift

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/New%20180G/Picture021.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/New%20180G/Picture022.jpg

Did you know 2 people can lift a 1/2" 180 gallon, just your legs get shorter and arms longer...Right Tbone (Trev)?

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/New%20180G/Picture024.jpg

Plumbing the 4 Way and Dart

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/New%20180G/Picture043.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/New%20180G/Picture044.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/New%20180G/Picture049.jpg

Water testing for leaks

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/New%20180G/Picture051.jpg

Dart running

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/New%20180G/Picture056.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/New%20180G/Picture055.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/New%20180G/Picture057.jpg

and 1/2 full with sand and live rock

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/New%20180G/Picture061.jpg

got it 3/4 full last night, just have to finish the plumbing to the sump and return pump...

[Quinster]

Lighting being installed in the canopy...new reflectors

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/New%20180G/Picture067.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/New%20180G/Picture070.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/New%20180G/Picture071.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/New%20180G/Picture074.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/New%20180G/Picture078.jpg

and finally....let there be light!

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/New%20180G/Picture079.jpg

NEW OM Omni Flex Nozzles

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/New%20180G/Picture081.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/New%20180G/Picture082.jpg

with flash

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/New%20180G/Picture085.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/New%20180G/Picture086.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/New%20180G/Picture087.jpg

top down

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/New%20180G/Picture091.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/New%20180G/Picture092.jpg

inside canopy

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/New%20180G/Picture089.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/New%20180G/Picture090.jpg

[Midknight]

Sweet looking tank. How did you do the 2 returns in the front?
What are the covered with?

[muck]

Looking great Quinn!
I hope you don't mind i moved your thread to the Tank Journal Forum. :wink:

[Delphinus]

Cool!

What's the timeframe from the 1st photo to the last?

[christyf5]

Wow great thread! :biggrin: Looks like it was a ton of work, even though you posted it all today :razz: Great planning too. I'd like to do a closed loop on my tank one day, thanks for all the detailed photos, they're a great help (even though that one of all the plumbing coming off the dart did scare me a little :wink:).

[Quinster]

Thanks all for the reply's...

Sweet looking tank. How did you do the 2 returns in the front?
What are the covered with?

The 45° elbows were coated in hot glue then rolled in Sea Floor crushed coral substrate. With time I hope they will be almost invisible, at least less than a white elbow would be...lol

Cool!

What's the timeframe from the 1st photo to the last?

It was a lot longer than I wanted it to be, especially with my old 180G sitting there with bar clamps holding it together...not visually pleasing, or comforting for that reason. In total I think it was 2 1/2 - 3months. There were some setbacks due to some errors when the tank was manufactured, as well as plans changing with the closed loop design, but in all, very happy with the change, no matter how long it took.

[Ruth]

Very nice job. I use the OM 4way on my 190 and run it with a sequence (hammerhead). Very nice piece of equipment and so far (knocking furiously on wooden head) no problems at all. I split my returns leaving the OM thereby giving me 8 returns to the tank.
I really like your light as well. Are you running T5's /MH combo in that?

[Midknight]

The 45° elbows were coated in hot glue then rolled in Sea Floor crushed coral substrate. With time I hope they will be almost invisible, at least less than a white elbow would be...lol

Cool. I am going to try the same thing on my mom's 75 I am building. But I was going to attach Hyrdo to the outputs.

[Quinster]

Very nice job. I use the OM 4way on my 190 and run it with a sequence (hammerhead). Very nice piece of equipment and so far (knocking furiously on wooden head) no problems at all. I split my returns leaving the OM thereby giving me 8 returns to the tank.
I really like your light as well. Are you running T5's /MH combo in that?

I am running Sun Aquatics lighting for the MH - 4x250w, 2 14K, 2 10K, and 4x54w HO T5's 2 Giesemann Actinic Blue Plus, 2 Giesemann Pure Actinic

[Quinster]

Thanks for the comments everyone, been a long time in the making!

Some more pics....as the corals are going in (sorry for the not so perfect pics....will do better when done);

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/New%20180G/Picture095.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/New%20180G/Picture096.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/New%20180G/Picture097.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/New%20180G/Picture098.jpg

can't forget the 75G LPS and softie tank...

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/New%20180G/Picture099.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/New%20180G/Picture0100.jpg

[Quinster]

Some full pics....

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/New%20180G/Picture0101.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/New%20180G/Picture0104.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/New%20180G/Picture0105.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/New%20180G/Picture0107.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/New%20180G/Picture0109.jpg

[danny zubot]

Smokin' Setup! nice job.

[Quinster]

Finally got a nice picture of my little buddy

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/Updated%20180G%20Pics/StripedGreenMandarin.jpg

[Joe Reefer]

Do you think the fish look look in the tank beside them and want be in it. (grass is greener syndrome). :mrgreen:

BTW nice setup.

[Quinster]

Do you think the fish look look in the tank beside them and want be in it. (grass is greener syndrome). :mrgreen:

BTW nice setup.

Thanks for the comment!


another little buddy...both mandarins are female, and with all the hiding room, so far all I have seen is a couple 2" chases around a rock...then all happy again

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/Updated%20180G%20Pics/SpottedMandarin001.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/Updated%20180G%20Pics/SpottedMandarin004.jpg

[Doug]

Good pics Quinn.
I seen the tanks a couple weeks ago and they look even better in person. The soft coral growth in the smaller tank is amazing, how they have all grown together.

[Quinster]

Some top down pics...

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/Updated%20180G%20Pics/180G032707003.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/Updated%20180G%20Pics/180G032707004.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/Updated%20180G%20Pics/180G032707007.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/Updated%20180G%20Pics/180G032707009.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/Updated%20180G%20Pics/180G032707006.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/PrairieReefSupplies/Updated%20180G%20Pics/180G032707011.jpg

[Paverdude]

WOW great tank

[Quinster]

Thank You :biggrin:

[christyf5]

Oh man, that clam pic makes me drool. Gorgeous...simply gorgeous :biggrin: