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Boomboy
12-01-2008, 02:54 AM
FRONT PAGE FTS.

CURRENT

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/fishpics039.jpg





Well, i thought i would start a build thread for this tank, because im a little stuck on a few things, and opinions would be great, any even. Well i ordered the tank a while ago, and i should be picking it up on tuesday,
the tank is 28x28x24, with external 1.5" herbie overflow,
the return back through the overflow with a manifold system on top.
Also have 2 drains on the bottom and 2 returns for the CL.
Im going with a 2" SSB because i love the look of sand and also plan on building up the rock work in order to get a unique look to it rather than just a big island in the middle of the whole thing.
I ordered a vertex 100 for the whole thing.

A few problems i have run into is, the skimmer take up about half the sump( which i will be using a 20H and putting baffles in myself) but i would really like a fuge in the system. but it doesn't leave to much open for that.

The CL system, i was planning on using a QO 4000HH with a SWCD and the return a QO 4000 at about 5' of head.

i was reading about the Algea Turf Scrubber and thought that might be a good idea too to add to the system, im sure i can DIY something up for that.

For lighting i have a 250W lumex max 3 reflector powered by an icecap ballast. i will add 2 24W actinics later on.

Not really sure what to do for the stand or canopy though, i want to keep the cost down as much as possible and keep it a clean look. i was thinking MDF board paint it black with magnets or hooks on all 3 sides and the same for the canopy.

Any one know what type of paint i use to paint the inside of the stand so that water doesnt rot it. ive seen a few members on here do it. its some kind of white paint.

Here is a pic of the stand. for anyone to get an idea about it. with the skimmer in place too.

As for livestock, i will keep what i have now, but im giving away a damsel to anyone who wants it, your to take, he will eat anything you put in the tank as long as he can get it in his mouth (edmonton). and i might venture into some sps for this tank, probably more the easier ones to keep. looking at getting alot of smaller fish for this tank instead of 3 or 4 big ones.


http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/wedding421.jpg


Here is what i thought about doing in order to make more room for a fuge, but then i would have a hard time getting to the pump when i need to do maintance. of course it would be supported.
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/wedding423.jpg

Its final resting place, but just a little more over the the left where the current one is now.
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/wedding437.jpg


The new skimmer, my first in-sump skimmer
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/wedding402.jpg


I had a problem it was producing to much foam, i know it has to break in but i had everthing fully open so i couldnt turn it down any and it was still pumping it out. I think it was due to the water level being to high.
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/wedding403.jpg


And of course me putting up the christmas tree for me and my wife. Our first Christmas together.
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/wedding417.jpg


Isnt it purdy!!!!!
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/wedding426.jpg

mseepman
12-01-2008, 03:10 AM
Wow....a Christmas tree already!

The tank sounds great...I imagine the paint you might be looking for is Krylon Fusion. Not sure if it is water proof...whatever paint you end up using...watch out for it having anti-mold incredients which would be dangerous for your tank inhabitants.

Best of luck

fishytime
12-01-2008, 03:14 AM
Gonna be a cool tank man. If you are going to use mdf you will need to take a few extra steps than just paint. Mdf does not respond well to moisture. It will need to be sealed, primed, painted then possibly cleared with a marine grade finish. Mdf may be a cost effective material for other applications, but when you factor in the extra cost of finishing it properly, not to mention the time it will take to finish it properly, you may be better off using a wood veneered ply. Do let us know how the vertex settles in. We are thinking about bringing them in at the shop but they are new so......

Boomboy
12-01-2008, 03:30 AM
wow got replies already sweet. yeah ive thought about sealing the mdf too and if it would be worth it. and i will let you know about the skimmer, from just opening it up, it seems well worth the price, the acrylic is really thick, it doesnt feel cheap.

Well i showed my wife the thread and she said " why am i not in there!" so here is a picture of us both, we just got married about a 1 1/2 months ago, so here is a picture of us. a happy wife is a filled fish tank. hahah


http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/wedding.jpg

mseepman
12-01-2008, 03:47 PM
Well, it sounds like you have the main principle of married reefing down...a happy wife IS a filled fish tank! You can't get a better start than that!

lastlight
12-01-2008, 03:58 PM
I swear in that pic he's already planning his tank. I know the look. Trouble is so does the wife...

Parker
12-01-2008, 04:06 PM
Congratulations on the new tank and the new marriage!

Boomboy
12-01-2008, 04:14 PM
Today 10:06 AM
Parker Congratulations on the new tank and the new marriage!

why thank you very much. both bring me great joy, one more than the other, guess which one that is.

Today 09:58 AM
lastlight I swear in that pic he's already planning his tank. I know the look. Trouble is so does the wife...

i actually think i was already planning it too, hahahh maybe not at that moment though.

Today 09:47 AM
mseepman Well, it sounds like you have the main principle of married reefing down...a happy wife IS a filled fish tank! You can't get a better start than that!

i just thought of that while i was typing it, but hey at least i learned it early on.



anyone got any thought about how to put a fuge into the space underneath the sump area, without getting a custom sump made, maybe even a diy way or something,

i was thinking for the bulkheads for the CL that both for would thread x slip, is that the best way, and for the overflow, one would be thread x slip i was going to just screw a strainer into it and the other emergency bulkhead would be slip x slip, and for the return through the overflow it would be slip x slip. i read somewhere that have slip bulkheads are better than have threads less change of leaking. but will the plumbing glue get into the water after a while?? anyone got any experience on that.

Parker
12-01-2008, 05:05 PM
I can't quite tell the depth of your stand but what about pulling the sump all the way forward in the stand and having the fuge above and behind the sump? Would give you room to get at your pump and skimmer out front.

Boomboy
12-01-2008, 07:05 PM
Today 11:05 AM
Parker I can't quite tell the depth of your stand but what about pulling the sump all the way forward in the stand and having the fuge above and behind the sump? Would give you room to get at your pump and skimmer out front.

My sump area is a 24 x24 roughly its a little bigger but i need that space around it. i could pull it to the front, but then plumbing would become an issue, having the one tank slightly higher than the sump so that the fuge would drain into the sump. i wanted room for the ATO container in the stand but im thinking i will have to put it outside of it, it might make it easier to get at also to fill up. i have today and tommorow off work, so i will think about it a bit and play around with a few things, i might end up having another 20G in there for the fuge, but then i would have no room to add anything else to the sump, like a phosban reactor or one of these.

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/Carbon-and-Phosphate-Remover-GFO-Media-Bags-&-Reactors/c109_85/p679/BRS-%22DUAL%22-GFO-and-Carbon-Reactor/product_info.html

im very surprised at how fast the space fills up. of course this is my first sump. but i would like to fit everything in.

Boomboy
12-02-2008, 06:10 PM
well i went to see how the tank was doing, and they havent even started it yet, they "plan" on starting this weekend. so who knows probably wont get it till after christmas at this rate. i wish they would have said that to me in the first place, instead of saying 2 weeks, says a month and a half, im fine with that. but to make me think it will be done sooner, i hate that. oh well gives me more time to plan and sit around.

Boomboy
12-16-2008, 10:01 PM
a little update- the tank isnt even begun to being built, im pretty frusterated with them, i ordered this tank a 1 1/2 months ago, and they said that there isnt even a finish date on this thing, and that they will get to building it maybe by the end of this week. im really thinking about taking my 400 bucks back and going with someone else or just something else.

other than that, i just painted the inside of the tank white, and going to silicone it after to seal the bottom area in case of leaks. ive decided with a 25G fuge out front and a 20G in the back with the drain from the tank being t'd of into the fuge then flowing into the return section on the back part. i can still get to the skimmer and return pump from the sides.

im not going to bother posting pics as, its just the stand except with white now.

Skimmerking
12-16-2008, 10:39 PM
hey don't get upset man, its only time wait til you have the tank over flow on your floors and your misses finds out first hand, or the RO unit blows up. its sometimes slow, reefing has to be slow. it will come man. other then that lets see your progress the painted stand.. that is progress IMO

Boomboy
12-16-2008, 10:55 PM
haha yeah, maybe i will show you a picture once i get the skin on it, think im just going to paint it black to hide all my mistakes. and im going to get going on making the sump, i show some pictures on that once i get them. anyone got any 20G and a 25G (same footprint as the 20 just taller) lying around that i can buy in edmonton.

Boomboy
12-16-2008, 10:56 PM
wait the RO unit can BLOW UP!!!! not sure if i should get one, ive heard stories of it being left on but BLOWING UP holy cow. what kind of pressure are in those things :mrgreen:

Boomboy
12-18-2008, 01:29 AM
well in waiting for the 80 i built a 10G AIO, for i dont know some kind of frag station and to put smaller corals and such, but here it is. there is more to do to it, maybe once im finished with everything i will show pics of it all.

p.s. i havent spend anything on this, it was stuff i already had.

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/wedding018.jpg



http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/wedding026.jpg



and here are the teeth i did by hand with a saw



http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/wedding023.jpg

Boomboy
12-20-2008, 02:05 AM
i got most of my plumbing, all i need is 2 more unions for my gate valve and my gate valve, but i need to order the gate valve still, kinda waiting on the boxing day sales.

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/wedding448.jpg

its not nearly as much as other people, but i can really add up fast.

Skimmerking
12-20-2008, 02:20 AM
looking great man, I will be up in Edmonton for a Army Hockey tournment, like to stop by and see how your doing with the tank....

Boomboy
12-20-2008, 02:27 AM
theres nothing really going on with it, i still dont have it, and im waiting on being able to get wood to my house, because all i have is a car. its hard to get an 8ft 2x4 in there. ive kinda neglected my 20, so im putting on my corals into the 10G, so that it smaller water changes. and have the 20 as a FOWLR. things are moving at a snail paces, i wish i had the tank, because i have only 1 more week off of work, and we all know that is the best time to get stuff done.

Boomboy
12-20-2008, 02:29 AM
here are some pictures of my 10G AIO. for where all my smaller corals are going, which i have very few of.

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/wedding457.jpg

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/wedding446.jpg


still working on the canopy. putting light i already have from my 20 into them. EDIT- oh yeah and i am in the process of painting that eggcrate black. its drying as we speak.

Parker
12-20-2008, 02:44 AM
all i have is a car. its hard to get an 8ft 2x4 in there.

I have a beater pickup I picked up for doing my renos, I could haul some lumber around for you some Saturday. I don't plug the thing in so it's not likely to start till it warms up a bit.

Boomboy
12-20-2008, 07:21 AM
thanks i appreciate it. i think im going to have to drag one of my friends into doing it for me. are you the person who gave me that ride to southgate one time?? :biggrin: i know asking a random question. i dont know many faces with canreef names on here.

Parker
12-20-2008, 07:59 AM
Nope, wasn't me.

Boomboy
12-20-2008, 04:36 PM
oh ok :biggrin:

Boomboy
12-23-2008, 08:26 PM
GREAT NEWS, the TANK IS DONE!!!! yeah, now i just have to wait for it to arrive from calgary. WOOT WOOT! probably wont come in till after christmas because the lfs i bought it from doesnt go down there alot. but we will see.

Boomboy
01-02-2009, 12:04 AM
so ive run into a little bit of a snag, ive gone out and bought 2 tanks for the sump and refugium, but the problem is that they dont both fit underneath, i measured for 12" for both tanks for 24 " but they have black trim which i didnt account for so now it totals 25, which is 1/4" to big, so if anyone has any ideas on how to do something else with them let me know,

i was thinking i just put the fuge directly under the overflow(its external) and the other in the tank, and just run it back into the return pump and back in, the only problem with that is that the closed loop pump would have to go into the fuge area so it would create heat to the system. which might not be a downside, not sure how hot it will get in the system yet.

anymore ideas are grettly welcome.

in total i will probably have around 110G system, with the fuge and the sump.

80 for tank, 10 for sump and 20 for fuge, ( the fuge is a 25G, sump is a 20G)

steve fedyk
01-02-2009, 05:21 AM
You can file the trim down where the 2x4, sit tight against the tanks. Just don't trim One tank do both and that should work for you.

Boomboy
01-02-2009, 11:31 PM
sounds like a good idea. i will give that a try maybe i can get it down enough.

on a happier note but also a sad one. i received my 2 pumps in the mail today, a QO4000 and a QO4000 HH


http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/wedding491.jpg

the sad part about it was that one of the pumps wasnt put on properly i dont know what the heck these people were thinking when they did this. so all the inside parts were broken.

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/wedding487.jpg


so i opened it up and the whole inside was busted apart.

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/wedding489.jpg

but on the happier note, my tank is supposed to be in on saturday and i will finally have it YEah.

fishytime
01-03-2009, 12:07 AM
One step forward, two steps back?

Boomboy
01-03-2009, 12:19 AM
isnt that how it always is in this hobby.

fishytime
01-03-2009, 12:30 AM
Well at least this step back wasnt your fault in any way.

Boomboy
01-03-2009, 02:55 AM
the way this is going, i will get my tank and it will end up having a scratch on it or break the first day i will it with water.

Boomboy
01-04-2009, 09:27 PM
Good news tank is in.

Boomboy
01-04-2009, 09:44 PM
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/wedding497.jpg




http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/wedding493.jpg




http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/wedding495.jpg



The happy owner finally has his tank.


http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/wedding498.jpg

Skimmerking
01-04-2009, 10:32 PM
Dude love your tank well done . i likes it alot...:biggrin:

Boomboy
01-04-2009, 11:38 PM
Dude love your tank well done . i likes it alot...:biggrin:
thanks alot man, i design it myself, im glad i went with the extra 4 inches on all sides, it really makes it alot bigger. rather than just 24x24x24.

JDigital
01-04-2009, 11:45 PM
Sweet tank man!! Looks fantastic!

Your gonna need a ladder to do any maintenance tho! :lol:

Boomboy
01-05-2009, 12:44 AM
Sweet tank man!! Looks fantastic!

Your gonna need a ladder to do any maintenance tho! :lol:
i know what you mean i cant even get my arm in without a step stool. but man it going to be sweet.





on a side note, im building my sump and im not sure what water level to put my skimmer at, the book says 6"-8" but what is the best anyone else that has a vertex100 can let me know. or what works for other people. this is my first time with an in sump skimmer.

Skimmerking
01-05-2009, 12:58 AM
make your baffles to the height of 8" then you can always add a piece of plastic in there to rise it up. that is the standard for alot of the skimmers

fishytime
01-05-2009, 01:27 AM
make your baffles to the height of 8" then you can always add a piece of plastic in there to rise it up. that is the standard for alot of the skimmers

I would go the other route. Make the baffles 10" to increase the volume of water in the skimmer compartment and lift the skimmer up. I used a shelf made from eggcrate with a few blobs of silicone to dampen vibration.

Boomboy
01-05-2009, 03:31 AM
well ive got plenty of eggcrate, so i think i will make it 10". id rather have more water volume too, more room for error every little bit counts.

Boomboy
01-05-2009, 03:32 AM
anyone know of any good sites for DIY rock. i want a certain look in the tank, but i dont think i will find all the right piece of rock that i want. and BRS is all sold out.

fishytime
01-05-2009, 03:54 AM
Perhaps I should mention-make sure you have enough hieght to get the collection cup off the skimmer body after it is lifted.

Boomboy
01-05-2009, 05:09 AM
i have more than enough, i probably could have 2 skimmers on top of each other. i wanted my stand to be a showcase tank, so that you dont have to bend over to look into the tank. its 40 " tall. ive got plently of room. thanks for the heads up though.

Boomboy
01-05-2009, 03:14 PM
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/wedding512.jpg

Boomboy
01-05-2009, 03:15 PM
what colour should i paint the back? ive done white before and black, i liked both and both have their downsides. but im not sure if i want to go blue.

fishytime
01-05-2009, 03:50 PM
Splatter it with purple and pink. That way it already looks like its covered in coraline.:mrgreen:

Boomboy
01-05-2009, 04:13 PM
Splatter it with purple and pink. That way it already looks like its covered in coraline.:mrgreen:
Hahahaha thats A GREAT IDEA
like this right

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/100_3943smaller.jpg

Mrfish55
01-05-2009, 04:54 PM
anyone know of any good sites for DIY rock. i want a certain look in the tank, but i dont think i will find all the right piece of rock that i want. and BRS is all sold out.

I think some of the best man made rock comes from GARF, here is a link to the how to http://www.garf.org/class.html#mold

Boomboy
01-05-2009, 05:31 PM
I think some of the best man made rock comes from GARF, here is a link to the how to http://www.garf.org/class.html#mold
thanks appreciate it

Boomboy
01-06-2009, 10:41 PM
Well i thought i would get started on my manifold for the return, ive done some research on them, but still up in the air about which design works best for me.

Here is a picture of the ones i thought of.

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/Manifold-1.jpg



The points sticking out are where the loclines would come out of. and the front view of the tank, is the back side with the holes for the CL and also the overflow.

The only problem with the right one is that the returns on the CL system is pretty close to the top and i dont really want the loclines touching each other. but the first design is that i will lose alot of space to be able to reach my arm in, i would have to reach over the manifold. any thoughts.

Skimmerking
01-06-2009, 11:08 PM
stay away from the 90 angles in the corners, go with the 45 in the corner s better flow. that that i would let you know less head loss

Boomboy
01-06-2009, 11:16 PM
i thought you only get head loss on vertical pipes not the horizontal ones, and i cant really get away from them because this is going on the top of the tank.


edit: i guess i put 45's in and it would work, i just came from the rona and i bought more, now i have to go out again:cry:

Skimmerking
01-06-2009, 11:22 PM
a sudden turn in water flow will slow it down.. come on man you knew that.

lol:lol::lol::lol:

Boomboy
01-06-2009, 11:23 PM
yeah i did, but it just makes it harder to sit on the top part of the eurobracing, well kinda but now i have to go out to get 4 more pieces i think i will wait till the rest of the plumbing comes in.

Boomboy
01-07-2009, 12:47 AM
oh yeah i forgot, where can i get cheap glass, i went to speedy glass and they charge 10.75 sq/ft i ordered 4 pieces and it came to 75 bucks, so i said no thanks and left, but i really would like to get some glass cut for it. what is the minimum thickness i should get for the glass also.

Boomboy
01-07-2009, 08:58 PM
Yup got another question.... lots of questions. ive got rona enamel black spray paint. the ingredients are as follows

Acetone, propane, xylene,aliphatic naphtha and isobutane.

i also have a empty can of krylon fusion paint and the ingredients are as follow

acetone, propane, toluene, butane, V.M.&P naptha, xylene, 2-butoxyethanol, methyl isobutyl ketone.

now to me and most people that doesnt mean much, but the label doesnt say anything about lead being in the rona one, like other ones do, so i was wondering would it be safe to use on the pipes in my overflow??

tang daddy
01-07-2009, 10:28 PM
as far as I know spray paint is ok to use in fresh and saltwater as long as the paint is fully cured, try this spray your piping and let it dry for 2 days then soak the pipe in freshwater to wash any residue(shouldnt be any but just incase) and you should be sailin towards the sunset.

Btw love the new cube are you painting the back or using acrylic overlay?

Boomboy
01-07-2009, 10:53 PM
i am painting the back black,though i am having a hard time getting it to stick all over. i will post pics when im done. i thought about it, and the bulkheads and loclines and manifold will all be black, so it is hidden, black kinda gives all the colours of corals pop, and it hides stuff better. its an external overflow, so i just put some eggcrate in the one spot , there is no way and fish are getting threw there, unless its a pipefish.

JDigital
01-07-2009, 10:57 PM
i am painting the back black,though i am having a hard time getting it to stick all over. i will post pics when im done. i thought about it, and the bulkheads and loclines and manifold will all be black, so it is hidden, black kinda gives all the colours of corals pop, and it hides stuff better. its an external overflow, so i just put some eggcrate in the one spot , there is no way and fish are getting threw there, unless its a pipefish.

Or a small clown... Wouldn't be the first time a fish has gotten sucked threw eggcrate.. :wink:

Boomboy
01-08-2009, 12:40 AM
you couldnt even get a dime through the opening, so how could a small clown get through? there is a picture of it up above, i have eurobracing so they cant get over the top of the eggcrate.

JDigital
01-08-2009, 01:14 AM
Mine got thru, fishytimes got thru (multiple times).... Trust me, small fish get thru. :wink:

Just don't buy small fish to avoid the problem I guess. haha!

fishytime
01-08-2009, 01:29 AM
We should probably say that both Josh's and my clowns are less that an inch long. My clown made the trip into the overflow literally every night for about a month. It was part of my morning routine to get up, put the coffee on, then rescue his dumba$$ from the overflow. He finally did get the hang of it. Since then a small candy cane goby and a carpenters flasher wrasse have been rescued as well as a shrimp or two. Stuff can get through. Dont glue or tape any plumbing parts inside your overflow, chances are you will need to take them out at some point. If not to rescue livestock, then to clean strainers etc.

Boomboy
01-08-2009, 03:14 AM
i had no idea about not gluing anything. i will have to glue one thing but its in the middle so i think it will be ok. but the rest i wont glue.

fishytime
01-08-2009, 03:54 AM
Let me be clear. The plumbing parts that go inside your overflow do not need to be glued or taped(depending what fittings you have). All plumbing outside the tank will of course need to be either glued or taped. I didnt want the way I phrased things to cause you any problems:redface:

tang daddy
01-08-2009, 04:12 AM
for the guys who said that little fish will fit through eggcrate that is correct!! however if you want to prevent gobies,pipefish and all other small dummies do the following....

Home depot sells gutter guard basically plastic mesh, 1st cut 2 pieces of gutter guard a little larger than the piece of eggcrate, 2nd lay 1 piece of gutter guard down on the eggcrate, 3rd lay the other piece of GG over the 1st piece of GG only this time staggering it so that the hole is so small that only a small piece of mysis can fit through. Hold all 3 pieces together with black zap straps and voila you got the alcatraz of overflows.

Boomboy
01-08-2009, 04:27 AM
Let me be clear. The plumbing parts that go inside your overflow do not need to be glued or taped(depending what fittings you have). All plumbing outside the tank will of course need to be either glued or taped. I didnt want the way I phrased things to cause you any problems:redface:
well i have to glue the return because it comes through the overflow, how else am i going to do it, the middle hole is for the return manifold and i cant have the water leaking

Boomboy
01-08-2009, 04:29 AM
for the guys who said that little fish will fit through eggcrate that is correct!! however if you want to prevent gobies,pipefish and all other small dummies do the following....

Home depot sells gutter guard basically plastic mesh, 1st cut 2 pieces of gutter guard a little larger than the piece of eggcrate, 2nd lay 1 piece of gutter guard down on the eggcrate, 3rd lay the other piece of GG over the 1st piece of GG only this time staggering it so that the hole is so small that only a small piece of mysis can fit through. Hold all 3 pieces together with black zap straps and voila you got the alcatraz of overflows.
GENIUS, except i dont want a huge roll of gutter guard for such a little piece of eggcrate. but i think i will put that on my list of things to do.

Boomboy
01-08-2009, 07:37 PM
So is this right?? i doubled it up. just want to make sure before i silicone it into place.

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/wedding529.jpg

JDigital
01-08-2009, 08:22 PM
Looks ok.. but it will affect your GPH running thru the system... There is alot more surface area covering the eggcrate now.

Boomboy
01-08-2009, 08:25 PM
i think the water level will just be higher now, i dont think it will effect my flow. you cant really tell but its 2 inch high, and 1 ft wide. im only running about 600gph through my sump anyways. and another 600 through CL. i hope thats enough if not i can always add a powerhead in the back later on down the line.

JDigital
01-08-2009, 09:43 PM
1200GPH is only going to give you about 15x turnover... I'm guessing this is softies tank?

Boomboy
01-08-2009, 09:56 PM
well for sps you need 20X. and lps can run with that. probably wont get to many sps, never have yet. and if i do i will just put them near higher flow areas. sps prefer water quality over flow alone.

JDigital
01-08-2009, 10:14 PM
I've always been told 45-60x for SPS plus good water quality. This advise comes from people like Snappy (Coral Master) who have amazing SPS tanks. But if you not gonna have SPS it don't matter.. :smile:

Boomboy
01-09-2009, 01:32 AM
nope im not, maybe one or 2 at the most, and if i need to, i can always upgrade my pumps later on down the road. or add a MP-40 :biggrin:

tang daddy
01-09-2009, 02:29 AM
So is this right?? i doubled it up. just want to make sure before i silicone it into place.

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/wedding529.jpg


Wow dude you work fast!!

But yea you wont have any fish making it past that.

Boomboy
01-09-2009, 02:36 AM
yeah its because im not working right now, so i have to keep busy and i really want to get this thing filled with water.

and now thinking about my pumps, i kinda wish i had a stronger pump for the return, my drains can handle the flow, so at least i know in the future i can always upgrade to 1500 gph if need be.

Boomboy
01-09-2009, 05:03 AM
Here it is with the background done, im liking it, but really because its deeper than im used to, im not really looking at the background alot. i also finish most of my manifold too, just waiting for my bulkhead to line it all up.

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/wedding552.jpg


http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/wedding538.jpg



i wish i had a nice camera like alot of you, then i could actually show what the tank looks like in person all i have is a HP Photosmart hahah oh well.

Boomboy
01-09-2009, 07:19 PM
not really sure what to do here, i was just thinking instead of putting my return through the manifold i could use the 2 holes in the tank. the only thing i would be worried about it 1. that the CL is no longer a CL due to running through a manifold and 2. unless i put the nozzles pointing to the surface i would get alot of drainage from them, never used locline and was wondering if it would still drain all the way to that level.

Boomboy
01-10-2009, 06:03 PM
Anyone know how to create a good syphon break in the return, considering that my 2 returns are quite a bit lower than the overflow?

Skimmerking
01-10-2009, 06:40 PM
that is easy my friend
just drill a hole in the return pipe just above the water line and that will act as a siphon. I would put it in the back facing the wall of the tank thou so you dont get any spray thou IME

JDigital
01-10-2009, 06:44 PM
Use some True Union Check valves?

I've had then on all my tanks, and never failed me.. the swing gate has no metal springs to rust, so should never stick open.

Boomboy
01-10-2009, 07:32 PM
i was thinking check valves but they can fail and it reduced flow on the pumps but alot.

Boomboy
01-10-2009, 07:32 PM
that is easy my friend
just drill a hole in the return pipe just above the water line and that will act as a siphon. I would put it in the back facing the wall of the tank thou so you dont get any spray thou IME
do you mean in the sump part or in the tank part?

JDigital
01-10-2009, 07:38 PM
i was thinking check valves but they can fail and it reduced flow on the pumps but alot.

I'd never build a system without them... and because there isn't any metal parts there really is no place for it to fail. At least not on the ones I use. It's just one extra fail safe..

Based on how low your returns come in on your tank and siphon break is going to be tricky becuase the water is gonna drain down to those return bulkheads, which is why I gave the suggestion of check valves. Unless I missed something on your plumbing system.

JDigital
01-10-2009, 07:43 PM
ok... You posted this earlier... but later on you mentioned your CL was running thru the manifold instead?...

So does that mean your sump return is coming back thru the 4 bulkheads in the tank?

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/Manifold-1.jpg

Boomboy
01-10-2009, 09:09 PM
no that diagram is kinda messed up , it would return just through the top 2 holes

Skimmerking
01-10-2009, 09:45 PM
hey man i see that you went with the 45 in stead of the 90 you will see alot better flow and less head loss on 45 then 90 and it looking pretty fancy now

JDigital
01-10-2009, 10:04 PM
do you mean in the sump part or in the tank part?

He was talking about the Tank water line. Which means for a siphon to work, your return plumbing needs to higher than the water line... You will usually see a siphon break on plumbing that comes up over the tank rim and back down under the water.

That's why I suggested check valves, because I was (and still am) under the impression that your return plumbing comes back in on the top 2 bulkheads on the back of your tank?

Boomboy
01-10-2009, 10:31 PM
He was talking about the Tank water line. Which means for a siphon to work, your return plumbing needs to higher than the water line... You will usually see a siphon break on plumbing that comes up over the tank rim and back down under the water.

That's why I suggested check valves, because I was (and still am) under the impression that your return plumbing comes back in on the top 2 bulkheads on the back of your tank?

yeah that is correct, the returns are just the top 2 on the back wall of the tank. originally i was going to use those for the CL but changed my mind after i got the tank.

hey man i see that you went with the 45 in stead of the 90 you will see alot better flow and less head loss on 45 then 90 and it looking pretty fancy now
yeah i did, it does look better with the 45.

Boomboy
01-14-2009, 09:18 PM
i was just working on my plumbing and i was wondering if putting the union under water is a bad thing, and if i want to keep it above?

Boomboy
01-19-2009, 09:40 PM
well ive got a few things in the mail and now i can finish the plumbing but before that i need to get the glass in for the baffles in the sump, i took apart my stand to get them in properly. i will get some pictures later.

Boomboy
01-20-2009, 12:11 AM
well here are some of the things i got, the rest are bulkheads and loclines and such. The only thing i am not pleased with is that when i ordered my product from BRS and the charge came up on my credit card, the credit card company charged an extra 1.25 for the dollar exchange, so for something that was 260 was now 410, so i wont be buying from them any time soon. Got a little work ahead of me to be able to get water into it, but im excited because im getting there.

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/wedding556.jpg

I also got my 2 tanks to fit finally but i had to take the tank off to do it.

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/wedding557.jpg

more to come once i get my sump built and finished and put the tank back on the stand.



and a little preview of what the loclines look like in my manifold.

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/wedding562.jpg

Boomboy
01-22-2009, 02:11 AM
and presto the plumbing is DONE!!!! and when i mean done i mean that all the piping is in place not glued yet. so not really done but the harder part is done. ON WITH THE PICTUREs, cause i dont like to talk much.
oh yeah please point out any problems so i can fix it before i glue.

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/wedding563.jpg

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/wedding565.jpg

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/wedding567.jpg


http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/wedding568.jpg

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/wedding569.jpg


http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/wedding570.jpg

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/wedding571.jpg

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/wedding573.jpg

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/wedding577.jpg

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/wedding578.jpg



you might notice in the pictures the sump glass isnt in yet, i have yet to order it. hence also why i haven't glued anything.

Skimmerking
01-22-2009, 02:49 AM
looks great man, What i would have done was put barbed connections on there with 90's so the plumbing was close to the tank, so you dont have all that plumbing pipe sticking out the back......

other then that that is what i would have done . looks good to me tho got to love the plumbing.....:mrgreen:

now get that tank turned around and start filling it

Boomboy
01-22-2009, 04:03 AM
thanks man.
i needed room for an ATO bucket so that gives me the room also, you wont even see it once im done. i think i got all the unions and ball valves i need in there. hope the rockscape turns out just as nice once im done too.

Boomboy
02-07-2009, 02:31 AM
well i picked up some rock. so now aquascape time.

and on with the pictures.


picture of the sump i built. YEAH IT HOLDS WATER first try too.

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/fishpics004.jpg





and with the power of magic, the sump area is complete. YEAH.

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/fishpics016.jpg


http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/fishpics017.jpg



picture of where is sit in our apartment. you'll notice that i painted the manifold black, but really didnt matter, as i will have a canopy.

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/fishpics018.jpg



and the little bit of rock i have to work with. got another 25 pounds in the tank i am taking out.

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/fishpics022.jpg



i will post pics of the aquascape i do and you guys can let me know what you think.

BlueAbyss
02-07-2009, 09:05 AM
Lookin awesome so far! Keep up the good work, I love the clean lines and lack of visible equipment.

Boomboy
02-09-2009, 12:23 AM
and now the scape is done, let me know what you think, ive got tons of rock left over, i cant use it all. so i can change a bit, and the rods will be covered in putty.

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/fishpics027.jpg

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/fishpics028.jpg


http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/fishpics030.jpg

karazy
02-09-2009, 12:28 AM
that scape is awesome!

rocketlily
02-09-2009, 12:41 AM
Very nice!!!

Boomboy
02-09-2009, 01:11 AM
thanks guy, the only problem is all of it is dead rock, so i will have to wait longer for the tank to get mature, before i add the fishies.

Parker
02-09-2009, 07:14 PM
It's getting close.. lookin' really good!

Boomboy
02-09-2009, 11:01 PM
i know so close, just water. im so excited.

Boomboy
02-15-2009, 09:33 PM
Its filling up.

Skimmerking
02-15-2009, 10:01 PM
ya fun for you but no pictures of it filling up, wow and you call your self a reefer who cares...:redface:

Boomboy
02-15-2009, 10:11 PM
your right i apologize hahah. but ive already ran into problems i broke my front plate on my CL pump so now i have to order a new one. but luckily i can still fill it up. and i will get pictures of the water :mrgreen:.

Boomboy
02-15-2009, 10:33 PM
as promised sorry its mostly full already.


http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/fishpics.jpg


oh and im not really happy at all with the return flow and with my CL flow, to bad i cant get another pump, the wife wont allow it. going to have to put powerheads in the tank after all.

Boomboy
02-15-2009, 10:59 PM
AND NOW MY STUPID A$$ vertex skimmer wont even turn on.

Skimmerking
02-16-2009, 12:58 AM
u have to plug it in man.. sorry couldnt resist.

Boomboy
02-16-2009, 04:40 AM
u have to plug it in man.. sorry couldnt resist.
hahah the only time you chime in, is to give me a hard time :D no worries,

also found out my pipe that flows from the overflow into my refugium doesnt work so i have to take that out and cap it, not enough flow pushing through it so it just sucks up air.


also a quick question, my herbie seems to be sucking air everyone once in a while, and it gets noisy, i cant seem to get the little air bubbles out of it. do people get a little air bubbles or is it usually no air bubbles.

karazy
02-16-2009, 04:48 AM
maybe try adjusting your gate valve just a little bit more and see if you can get it so no air bubbles are happening

Boomboy
02-16-2009, 06:57 AM
no thats not it, i have it at a height where its about 1/2" from the overflow, its making bubbles but none are reaching the bottom, i think i might have some kinda of air leak. i have to take out the refugium line from the overflow maybe that is where its coming from.

Boomboy
02-16-2009, 07:34 AM
got my skimmer working again, i think the impeller was stuck on the rod because it was turning without the front plate on but once i put it on, it wouldnt turn, so thats working, thanks goodness because i dont have money to put down on a new skimmer.

but the stupid air that is coming through i think there might be a leak in my gate valve anyone else ever had that problem.

mseepman
02-16-2009, 08:55 PM
Can you take pictures of the top of your herbie so we can get an idea of the water height?

Snaz
02-16-2009, 10:07 PM
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/fishpics.jpg


In ancient times...
Hundreds of years before the dawn of history
Lived a strange race of people... the Druids

Looks great! - STONEHENGE!!

BlueAbyss
02-17-2009, 12:35 AM
Wow this looks crazy... are the rocks attached anyhow or just stacked? Almost looks like it might be a little precarious? It looks really good though, can't wait to see it stocked :biggrin:

Boomboy
02-17-2009, 05:27 AM
no they are attached, i use fiberglass rods from canadian tire to attach them together and some putty. i put in the sand after so all the rocks are on the bottom.

ive found 2 leaks one is in the fuge bulkhead, so fixing that one, the other is in the pvc where the CL intakes are. not really sure how to fix that one?

the water height is literally about 1/2" down the the top of the water level, but i till take a picture, the height always changes around a bit when i put different flow through the fuge.

Boomboy
02-18-2009, 10:46 PM
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/fishpics036.jpg

JDigital
02-18-2009, 10:52 PM
Looking good... how high off the water is your light?

BTW, tank doesn't look level... Water line is all outta wack!

Boomboy
02-19-2009, 12:19 AM
um not really sure about 6" i guess.

yeah the tank isnt level, the carpet on the floor is making it slant to one side, i can tell because the carpet on one side isnt flatten and the other side it, not really sure why it is doing that, i guess the tank is not perfectly straight on the stand so its shifting the tank to one side.

JDigital
02-19-2009, 01:26 AM
um not really sure about 6" i guess.

yeah the tank isnt level, the carpet on the floor is making it slant to one side, i can tell because the carpet on one side isnt flatten and the other side it, not really sure why it is doing that, i guess the tank is not perfectly straight on the stand so its shifting the tank to one side.

I give some thought to emptying the tank as much as possible to get it level.

GreenSpottedPuffer
02-19-2009, 04:06 AM
um not really sure about 6" i guess.

yeah the tank isnt level, the carpet on the floor is making it slant to one side, i can tell because the carpet on one side isnt flatten and the other side it, not really sure why it is doing that, i guess the tank is not perfectly straight on the stand so its shifting the tank to one side.

I would drain and level that. You may not have to drain it all the way but at least half way or so. Its not worth risking it. If you leave it like this, there is a lot of pressure on the seam/corner that the tank is leaning towards instead of distributed evenly around the tank.

Looks good otherwise!

Boomboy
02-19-2009, 10:28 PM
what should i level it with ? shims?? under the stand or tank? the stand has a plywood bottom on it.

JDigital
02-19-2009, 11:32 PM
shims, stainless steel washers, anything that won't compress over time. And I would put them under the stand under the plywood base.

Boomboy
02-21-2009, 12:29 AM
ok i leveled it off so i dont have to worry about it anymore, even though i wasnt that much.

Boomboy
03-14-2009, 01:12 AM
a few update pictures.

added a scopas tang. it is beautiful

now for the pictures

FLASH
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/fishpics038.jpg


NO FLASH

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/fishpics039.jpg

rocketlily
03-14-2009, 02:39 AM
I hope you're as happy with my Scopas Tang as I am. I hadn't even thought of adding one until asmodeus suggested one to me. He has been a very friendly fish and enjoyable to watch. I added a pygmy angel tonight and he hangs around him sort or acting like a big brother.

Boomboy
03-14-2009, 05:36 AM
I hope you're as happy with my Scopas Tang as I am. I hadn't even thought of adding one until asmodeus suggested one to me. He has been a very friendly fish and enjoyable to watch. I added a pygmy angel tonight and he hangs around him sort or acting like a big brother.
well it was that or a yellow tang and everyone has one of those, i love all those black dots all over them. very active swimmer, kinda timid right now, but we will wait and see what happens.

what do you feed yours??

rocketlily
03-14-2009, 02:17 PM
I make a mixture of mysis and a little bit of brine. I have to chop it up quite small as he is still very little. Sometimes I add in a drop or two of Selcon or a pinch of Cyclop-eeze. Every second day I give him a piece of Nori to shred.

My thoughts on the yellow tang were the same as yours. The problem I have now, is what fish do I get next, that is very peaceful that will add some yellow to the tank.

Boomboy
03-16-2009, 04:38 AM
I make a mixture of mysis and a little bit of brine. I have to chop it up quite small as he is still very little. Sometimes I add in a drop or two of Selcon or a pinch of Cyclop-eeze. Every second day I give him a piece of Nori to shred.

My thoughts on the yellow tang were the same as yours. The problem I have now, is what fish do I get next, that is very peaceful that will add some yellow to the tank.
well there are so many colours you can add to your tank, for me i find that the less colourful ones are really different because most people have those colourful ones. :D:D i like to be different.

i also found that because the scopas is so small it wont eat the bigger pieces. and i had a little bit of hair algea, now its all gone, and i use tap water..... i know i know. im hoping it will produce more hair algea for the little dude. hehe as funny as that sounds.

where do you get your nori from?

rocketlily
03-16-2009, 12:26 PM
Because I use so little, I have 2 different packages I purchased from 2 different SS LFS's. Looking at the packages, it doesn't say Nori it says "seaweed". The Scopas loves it. When it's put in the tank he rips it to shreds within a few hours.

Boomboy
03-17-2009, 04:53 AM
i cant seem to get this guy to rip mine to shreds, he seems to like my frozen food but when i put in seaweed, he doesnt jump on it. mmm

rocketlily
03-17-2009, 12:48 PM
I put on a few drops of garlic powder and selcon and let it soak in before hanging it up. Maybe it's the smells that attract him.

Boomboy
03-18-2009, 04:47 AM
thanks for the help



so i came home today and guess what, my tank was almost overflowing, luckily the emergency drain worked, the funny thing is when i got home i usually check the tank first but today i went on the computer instead for about 30 minutes. i guess the one got clogged and in turn the ato turned on and my salinty went down to 1.022, so i drained out a bunch and going to let it evaportate and get the level back to where it should be. i also took off that mess that was around my eggcrate covering the overflow in the main tank, it allows more effective surface skimming.

but man that was a close call,

though im left with the question my tank was to the brink of being full and so was my sump?? where did all the water come from?? ato stayed on?? but it was sumerged under the water? i checked it and it turns off once underwater. so hmmm maybe someone elses herbie drain has clogged and this happened also?

Snaz
03-18-2009, 02:21 PM
ATOs scare the willies out of me. I have read too many horror stories.

Boomboy
03-19-2009, 02:52 AM
if you spend the money on more expensive ones, im sure it is fine, its great to have an ato, save alot of the time and frusteration keeping the salinity in check.

JDigital
03-19-2009, 03:31 AM
if you spend the money on more expensive ones, im sure it is fine, its great to have an ato, save alot of the time and frusteration keeping the salinity in check.


I don't regret adding the Tunze ATO my system... saves me daily work on the tank of having to top off... I'll take the risk of it getting stuck on, if it saves me that work.. Plus my skimmer skims better without the fluctuation in water level, I've also noticed the corals look better.

Skimmerking
03-19-2009, 03:32 AM
here is a no brainer for ya if your sump isnt drilled for it
get a piece of glass and drill a hole 5/8" and make sure that it will fit in the corner of the sump
And get a float switch and have it connect to your RO unit and then you dont have to worry about the water over flowing or put it on a tub say like 2-3 gal if you are the nervous type.
I like it on the RO unit my salinity never goes up or down.

I have been running one eversince i got into the hobby. April 02 and it hasn't failed me yet

rattler
03-19-2009, 06:01 AM
yea, a normal entry level ato unit can fail. I bought a bulk reef system ato with a timer (for a second fail safe). This has been running for three months with out a failure or hiccup !!

I'm sold!!

Cheers!

Geoff

banditpowdercoat
03-19-2009, 06:14 AM
If you wire up 2 floats, one that is in water that controls whatever ATO you choose. Then the other, is a HIGH LEVEL that will shut it all down. Thje high level will NOT be in the water, so wont get salt creep or buildup. Will allways be ready and working. My ATO consists of a $20 Omron timer and 2 floats, all from ebay. Works great and never had a problem.

Boomboy
03-20-2009, 01:45 AM
i have the one from BRS, and it works great, i also have it on a timer just incase, i would easily spend 200 bucks on a more expensive one, but tried to keep the cost down by buying this one. works great for me, the problem wasnt the ATO it was the drain it clogged, i really need a better pump like a QO6000 but i cant get one at the moment as in saving money, and needing a new computer for school in september. priorities i guess, thats what the wife says. hahah no kidding, im smart with my money too, thats why i spend it all on the tank :mrgreen::mrgreen:

Boomboy
03-22-2009, 11:19 PM
so im having some issues with micro bubbles, and im at the point where they are starting to annoy me, are there any quick fixes that people find in keeping the bubbles to a minimum. ive got my fuge flowing back into the skimmer section and have filterfloss between the glass dividers any other tricks or something i can do to help reduce the bubbles. also the water doesnt drop more than 1" over the last baffle and the intake of the pump is about 5" underwater. i will take a picture later so you understand my setup better.

edit- im also having a problem getting my surface to flow into the overflow, im getting alot of it just going around in circles to the point where i can clearly see it going around. ive redirect my outputs around but it doesnt seem to want to flow into the overflow, any ideas there would be helpful also.

Boomboy
05-31-2009, 08:04 PM
i know i havent updated in a LONG time, the tanks been running for 4 months now, got a few new fish, and added more rock to the display looks more natural now than it did before. got a few more zoas also, will get pictures up later battery is charging, also picking up 2 new kitty's tonight, they are 6 weeks old, i will post pictures of them also because come on who doesnt think kittens are cute.

Boomboy
06-01-2009, 03:23 AM
well here are some pictures that i took with my crappy camera.

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/HPIM1713.jpg

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/HPIM1715.jpg

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/HPIM1717.jpg

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/HPIM1701.jpg

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/HPIM1698.jpg

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/HPIM1697.jpg

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/HPIM1702.jpg

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/HPIM1709.jpg

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/HPIM1708.jpg






and here are the kittens we got, they are 6 weeks old and we got them for free from an aunt.




http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/HPIM1729.jpg


http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/HPIM1730.jpg

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/Boomboy85/HPIM1725.jpg

Boomboy
06-03-2009, 03:24 AM
im getting some hair algae between one of my corals, its the 4th picture down, the top green ones. and it seems to be irritating my corals alot, what have people done to get rid of it between the corals??