Joe's Starfire 210 [Archive] - Canreef Aquatics Bulletin Board

plutoniumJoe

10-26-2009, 03:53 AM

I have been working on this build since April. I have what I think is about 90% of the materials that I will need to get this tank up and running but I am sure that many more surprises will pop up.

The Old Tank
I currently have a 75g with a 20g sump. I love it and it is really showing the signs of a maturing tank. Good sps growth and healthy fish. I wanted a tank for about the last 10 years but my wife didn't give in until my 40th. I ran a saltwater tank when I was in university and missed the tranquility it provided. Short sightedly we thought that the tank would be great in what might some day be our dinning room and although it is a great focal point, lugging water and other tank maintenance is tough when you have to go through the entire house.

The New tank.
I have a couple of tangs and wanted to get something that would be adequate for them and future fish. Length wise I wanted at least 6ft. I had visited Green Spotted Puffer's tank and I liked how wide it was although he suggested 30" I'm going with 28". I have two 250MH and I didn't want to upgrade the ballasts so I thought the maximum depth could be 24". So those are the dimensions. 72X28X24 =200Gallon.

mseepman

10-26-2009, 04:07 AM

plutoniumJoe

10-26-2009, 04:15 AM

I don't know if the second floor would hold a 200g tank and we were planning on refinishing the basement so I went to work on planning our new "Family Room" to include our fish family members.

The basement room is about 14X28 and we mostly used it for junk storage and piano. A year ago a pipe that led to the kitchen burst and I had to take down the valance on the right to get to the pipe to fix it.

http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu72/jgalat/IMG_3910.jpg

I know many would have just fixed the valance but the 1970s paneling had to go.

My plan was to put the aquarium against the far wall where the piano sits. Behind the wall is a cantina in the garage. In the floor of the cantina is drain. Unfortunately there is about a 30" concrete foundation a third of the way up the wall. The rest is wood frame so I figure I could somehow drain over the foundation into the drain to make water changes easier.

http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu72/jgalat/IMG_3921.jpg

On the right side of the wall is a shutoff that leads to the outside hose so that you can turn off the sprinkler without going outside. I figured I could tap into this line and run a line to the ro/di near the tank.

http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu72/jgalat/IMG_3985.jpg

I had to use a pressure fitting as I had a tough time getting around the back to sweat the joint properly and I was afraid I would burn down the house if I got too aggressive with the torch. The line went perfect I just needed to get it to where the tank would be. I knew that the wall was going to be behind book cases and the tank so the easy thing to do was to cut the drywall, drill the studs, and run the line. All went well and I even patched the drywall good enough that the cuts aren't noticeable.

plutoniumJoe

10-26-2009, 04:18 AM

Sounds great! I've been planning a big tank upgrade for a long time too so I know how you feel. I'm looking forward to this thread. Post lots of pics as you put it together.

Where are you getting the tank made?

I will be building the tank myself. I have the glass and I built the sump and things went pretty good. I hope I am not biting off more than I can chew though.

mseepman

10-26-2009, 04:21 AM

Wow, you're braver than me.

You must have a drawing of what you are putting together...would love to see that on the thread.

I bet this is going to be one very interesting build!!

dsaundry

10-26-2009, 04:25 AM

Taggin along.:biggrin:

kien

10-26-2009, 04:27 AM

Subscribing :-). Who can resist a large tank build?!?!

mseepman

10-26-2009, 04:41 AM

Certainly not someone who has a tank like yours!!:biggrin:

Subscribing :-). Who can resist a large tank build?!?!

hillegom

10-26-2009, 05:26 AM

In the second pic, there is about a 1.5 inch copper pipe that could be used as a drain.
I do not know if that is close enough to your aquar. though.

plutoniumJoe

10-26-2009, 01:41 PM

In the second pic, there is about a 1.5 inch copper pipe that could be used as a drain.
I do not know if that is close enough to your aquar. though.

Unfortunately it is on the opposite side of the room.

plutoniumJoe

10-26-2009, 02:07 PM

I removed the remaining paneling and valance.

http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu72/jgalat/IMG_3919.jpg

There wasn't any insulation where the foundation is, or between the two stories. I built out the wood frame and added 1.5" foam board insulation to the foundation. Now everything is flush and I have very deep window wells.

The floor is 3/4" plywood on 2X4 sleepers. It doesn't provide much thermal protection and I didn't think it would support the tank. I had the tiles tested and they are asbestos containing so I couldn't rip the entire floor out. I sealed the entire area and cut out the floor where the tank would be.

http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu72/jgalat/IMG_3987.jpg

In the picture you can see the new water line run. The other hole is where I ran some Cat5e for the aquarium controller to hook up to the internet. You might also noticed the paint color, yes that is RL Spa Blue. It makes you just want to relax, maybe even do some Yoga. The portion that will be behind the book cases didn't get hit with the brush yet.

muck

10-26-2009, 02:31 PM

Tagging along too.. :biggrin:

plutoniumJoe

10-26-2009, 07:36 PM

I couldn't rip up the old floor due to the asbestos. Since I had a sub floor in place I wanted to nail the new floor instead of float. Without going to a true engineered wood I found a bamboo floor that I liked the look of and was suitable for below grade installation.

http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu72/jgalat/IMG_3992.jpg

I know this is more of a basement build than a tank build but I am getting there. Trying to build the excitement.

Joe.

plutoniumJoe

10-26-2009, 07:42 PM

When I cut away the floor for the tank I was surprised to find either a drain or a clean out.

http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu72/jgalat/IMG_3986.jpg

I am thinking that this corresponds to the drain on the other side of the wall. If it is just the cleanout would it be possible to use it as a drain. I don't know where it would vent to, there was nothing in the wall. There is a bit of concrete on it that I could chip away at.

Any advice would be helpful.

Joe.

sphelps

10-26-2009, 08:15 PM

plutoniumJoe

10-26-2009, 10:25 PM

I wouldn't open that, best to run a line to the drain on the other side of the wall.

Floor looks nice btw, don't know if you thought off this but it might be a good idea to mark the old floor as asbestos so that any future renovations by other people will know. I'm don't know about residential but any parts in commercial property containing asbestos has to be marked.

Thanks for the input. If I have to go that way I was thinking of just branching off the closed loop and draining to the other side for water changes.

I will try to make a marking somewhere, but the floor is down and nailed. I was thinking of putting a label under the base board as it will have to be removed before they tear up any floor. Hopefully people would test, the sign will save them $50 and a week delay.

plutoniumJoe

10-27-2009, 12:42 AM

I want to be able to keep everything "fishy" under the tank, including an area for electrical. As the tank is 6ft I figure a 3ft sump would suffice and still give me enough room otherwise.
http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu72/jgalat/IMG_7478b.jpg
I got the glass cut for a 36X18X18 so potential for 50gallons. Of course when I got the glass cut the first time I forgot to take into account the thickness of the glass itself, so my sides were about 3/4" to wide. After a few practice tries I tried cutting 1" off the sides. The first one went well and straight, the second was good but a bit like a country road. I took out the old belt sander did what I could to clean it up. I siliconed everything together and it was pretty good, the slight curve of the cut made the side piece pivot at about the 1/3 mark on the way up. As I was making final adjustments the top or the bottom would pull away leaving some air bubbles in the silicone. Being a wood worker and having plenty of bar claps I simply clamped the bottom then applied some pressure to the top and things looked better. Of course a second clamp at the top would make things look better still. A couple gentle twists and all air bubbles were out. I sat back and admired my work and about 30 seconds later pop. The long piece broke. Back to the glass shop and attempt #2 but this time I had new sides cut as well.
http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu72/jgalat/IMG_7480.jpg
I cleaned all the old glass with razor blades and a wire wheel. Once things were clean I dry fitted, re-taped and glued it up. I didn't end up using the corner clamps, got a good deal for 4 at LeeValley but I am happy with the GE 1200. http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu72/jgalat/IMG_7481.jpg
I just used duct tape to pull it together and it held. Seams were good with almost no bubbles. http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu72/jgalat/IMG_7482.jpg
I let the tank sit for about 3 days and it looked like there was a small bubble that formed about half way up one side. I did a leak test and the bubble grew until I realized it wasn't a bubble in the seam but a fault or fracture in the glass. A small dime sized portion of the class popped off. I thought for sure the tank would blow again but it held. Left water in for about 2 weeks and everything A-Ok. So I am not sure what to do from here. I crazy glued the piece back in, but I know structurally that does nothing. I was thinking of siliconing one of the small 1" strips over top just to give it some added strength. The water line won't go up to the point but I don't want a weak sump.

sphelps

10-27-2009, 01:03 AM

The chip could spread into a crack down the road, best to replace the pane. It sucks but better to fix it now than find a flood later.

plutoniumJoe

10-27-2009, 03:41 AM

I know the chip could spread but it is round in shape as opposed to sharp if that makes sense. I know that the extra few bucks to replace the pane of glass is better than replacing the new floor.
This picture is from the long side.

http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu72/jgalat/IMG_7535.jpg

and this is from the end.

http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu72/jgalat/IMG_7536.jpg

kien

10-27-2009, 07:23 AM

When I see those chip pictures it just looks to me like the structural integrity has been compromised.. With that much water pressure over time, I would lose sleep over that little chip, hehe. But then what do I know :-)

plutoniumJoe

10-28-2009, 02:44 AM

Shelps and Kein, Thanks for the advice! I think I just needed the nudge not to be so cheap. The extra $25 for the new pane will be well worth the piece of mind. I ordered the glass today, if I get the time I will cut out the old pane tomorrow.

kien

10-28-2009, 02:56 AM

Sweet! Now we can all sleep at night knowing we won't wake up to another, "OMG my tank exploded! I'm getting out!" thread :-D. Seriously though, that is a very small price to pay for that peace of mind.

plutoniumJoe

10-28-2009, 02:59 AM

Most of the pictures and work posted was done over the summer. Now things will start to happen in real time. The tank build thread I hope will motivate me to do things in a timely manner.

I probably would have built the stand of wood but my brother-in-law is a welder and had some 2X2 steel. I figured the strength of the steel and the smaller space it takes up might be a bonus.

We welded up the steel.
http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu72/jgalat/CornerWeld.jpg

This is my brother-in-law not using a mask, he is from Naples, where they measure a man's testicular fortitude by their reckless behaviour. He tacked and I welded(I wore a mask!). He is adding corner braces, he insisted that it would help if people tried to shift the aquarium once it was loaded. I told him it wasn't going to happen, he wanted to do it anyway. He repairs cranes! Who am I to argue with an overbuilder.

http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu72/jgalat/Brace.jpg

He grinded the welds.

http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu72/jgalat/Grind.jpg

And I spent most of the weekend grinding and using a wire brush taking the stand down to bare metal. I put two coats of primer on and I should be able to hit it with paint tomorrow or this weekend.

Thanks for checking it out.

Joe.

plutoniumJoe

11-03-2009, 02:38 AM

Finished painting the stand when I realized that one of the Corner Braces would be in the way of the overflow drain. I cut it out and hit it with some paint.
http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu72/jgalat/StandDone.jpg

I was going to leave it like that as I was out of white paint then I thought what would one of those people with the really great set ups do. So I went out and got more paint. Need to get the garage up to a suitable temperature and hit it again to cover up the yellow.

http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu72/jgalat/Corner.jpg

Boomboy

11-03-2009, 02:53 AM

wow can you make me one? :biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:

fishytime

11-03-2009, 03:35 AM

Nicely done! Reminds me of Khaos's overbuilt stand....I love it:lol:

fkshiu

11-03-2009, 03:38 AM

Now THIS is a real man's man!

http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu72/jgalat/Brace.jpg

hillegom

11-03-2009, 03:59 AM

OMG
Quite a bit of UV light there thats for sure. Hopefully he has sunscreen on!

Jason McK

11-03-2009, 04:21 AM

Sweet Build looking forward to further posts and pics.

J

lorenz0

11-03-2009, 04:25 AM

wow your brother in law has balls. well at least he is wearing safety glasses (even though that is still not enough). looks like a cool project

lastlight

11-03-2009, 04:47 AM

plutoniumJoe

11-03-2009, 12:58 PM

Stand looks really nice. I'm not 100% sure from looking at the picture but it the bottom not flush like the top? Looks like after building a big flush rectangle the thing sits on 4 corner legs? What sort of surface will this rest on?

The feet sit a couple of inches lower than the bottom brace. They have a four inch plate welded over them to help distribute some of the weight. The stand will be sitting on a 4" slab in the basement.

lastlight

11-03-2009, 03:34 PM

Good old concrete...awesome then! Don't mind me. I'm no engineer. Dropped out after 1 1/2 years but I still like to pretend...was just curious =)

plutoniumJoe

11-03-2009, 09:15 PM

Good old concrete...awesome then! Don't mind me. I'm no engineer. Dropped out after 1 1/2 years but I still like to pretend...was just curious =)

I think it is a good point. I figure it will be about 2000 pounds when it is all said and done. I wanted to build the entire bottom rectangle on the ground to distribute the weight over a larger area but my brother in law insited that the feet will make it easier to level in the end.

I will test fit it in the next day or two but I might have to use some self leveling concrete to prepare the pad if things are off.

Joe.

scherzo

11-05-2009, 12:43 PM

Lookin' Good Joe!

Can't wait to see it in person..

plutoniumJoe

12-15-2009, 03:41 AM

Well it has been well over a month since my last post. Not much new has happened as I have been busy at work and I was waiting to pick up some stuff that I had sent to Florida.

The one Item I am happy with that I timed to be delivered to my hotel in Orlando was a Bubble Magus BM200P. I heard mixed reviews on quality and packaging but I can say that I was quite pleased with the product delivered.

http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu72/jgalat/IMG_7816.jpg

The packaging was excellent and not only did it arrive in great shape to Florida, I then shipped it back to canada and had to stuff all my wife's hair products in the box at the last minute as they were in her carry on and the other bags had already been put on the belt.

I hope to finish the sump soon and get the skimmer on a test run.

Joe

plutoniumJoe

12-26-2009, 09:20 PM

The Christmas break gave me a little time to make some progress. I had a friend come over and help me glue up the 5 basic pannels.

http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu72/jgalat/Tank%20Build/fts.jpg

There are too many holes in the bottom of the tank to properly leak test so I will have to wait until I get it on the stand and plumb the true unions.

http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu72/jgalat/Tank%20Build/overflow1.jpg

I was able to get some cut offs at Sabic Polymers for $3 a sheet and debated on using a 1/4 blue sheet or a 3/8 smoked black. I opted for the smoked black. The overflow has 24" of linear overflow minus about 4". With a 1.5" drain I think this should be enough for a Panworld 100XX. The second hole if for the emergency overflow for the Herbie it is for a 1".

http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu72/jgalat/Tank%20Build/overflowtd.jpg

Next comes the euro bracing.

Joe

Skimmerking

12-26-2009, 09:40 PM

looks great man, coming along nicely

plutoniumJoe

12-26-2009, 10:26 PM

looks great man, coming along nicely

Thanks, it probably won't be as polished as your in wall but I am hoping it will fit well with the calming effect I am going for in the room.

Joe

Skimmerking

12-26-2009, 10:35 PM

thanks for the kind words I didn't think that mine was that great.

plutoniumJoe

12-31-2009, 04:13 PM

Got the tank in place and to my surprise I caught a Mermaid.

http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu72/jgalat/Tank%20Build/IMG_5589.jpg

Next years Christmas Card photo.

http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu72/jgalat/Tank%20Build/IMG_5594.jpg

Next comes plumbing.

Joe

blueyota

12-31-2009, 04:18 PM

I heard mermaids were expensive to feed !!!!!!:lol:

kien

12-31-2009, 04:20 PM

Cool. I wish I could teach my livestock to pose for me when I take pictures.

globaldesigns

12-31-2009, 04:46 PM

Now that is a cute photo... Nice size tank!

JDigital

12-31-2009, 04:47 PM

Hope you got a lid, I heard mermaid/mermen are jumpers....

http://www.themermale.com/uploaded_images/10706_w-784845.jpg

scherzo

02-06-2010, 04:37 PM

Any updates? You're going to have a good solid 2 week break coming up! Any plans for working on the tank?

plutoniumJoe

02-13-2010, 03:34 AM

Any updates? You're going to have a good solid 2 week break coming up! Any plans for working on the tank?

It has been too long without updates. Things have slowed down considerably due to work and my wrestling season. After practice I just don't have the motivation that I need to get things going. But I have made some progress.

I plumbed the tank and gave it a full leak test. The tank held up great but when I turned the OM4-way on, my connections (threaded) to the bulkheads in the bottom where all dripping. I think I was too cheap with my teflon. Also I had a leak going into my OM as I was afraid of tightening too much as the male connectors went in too far and stopped the OM from revolving. Needless to say I tore it all apart and redid all connections with added teflon tape and a dab of silicone for insurance. Re-connected and everything turned out great.

Once that was solved I started testing my overflow to sump and return. Plumbing went well but when I fired up the return pump it sounded like there was marbles in it. I talked to BRS and they gave me some suggestions to try but unfortunately it didn't solve the issue. I phoned Panworld and they also gave me some advice but in the end we determined that the pump had a problem either with a bearing or the pump head. As I am in Canada they told me I had to go to my retailer. Now I bought the pump in probably August in anticipation of a quick build but never got the pump in until January. I called Bulk Reef Supply back and they asked why Panworld would not warranty the pump and I told them "because I am in Canada and they told me to contact you." BULK REEF SUPPLY WAS GREAT ABOUT IT!!!!! They said no problem we will send you a new one, just send the old one back. They didn't even wait for their traditional Friday Canadian mail out and they covered shipping on the new pump.

New pump arrived within 6 days and works much better.

plutoniumJoe

02-13-2010, 03:47 AM

Full tank shot showing OM 4 Way nozzles locations.
http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu72/jgalat/Tank%20Build/IMG_8091.jpg

Plumbing shot from underneath.

http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu72/jgalat/Tank%20Build/IMG_8092.jpg

Return Plumbing to sump.

http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu72/jgalat/Tank%20Build/IMG_8093.jpg

Thanks for looking.

The Grizz

02-13-2010, 03:47 AM

I totally agree with your bother-in-law about the cornor bracing it is a large stand / tank and you dont want a wobble. That is why I built mine like this for a 165 gal - 8' tank:
http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/xx291/GRIZZtheWELDER/165%20gal%20tank%20build/100_3053.jpg

Nice build so far, that tank is shiny, how mant $$$ did that set you back?

plutoniumJoe

02-13-2010, 03:52 AM

[QUOTE=The Grizz;491839]I totally agree with your bother-in-law about the cornor bracing it is a large stand / tank and you dont want a wobble. That is why I built mine like this for a 165 gal - 8' tank:
http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/xx291/GRIZZtheWELDER/165%20gal%20tank%20build/100_3053.jpg

I love your stand. In retrospect I would have put several more points of contact with the floor like you have . Right now when the tank is full I am not confident with it's stability and I think I will have to secure it to the wall to reduce vibration etc.

Love your stand.

The Grizz

02-13-2010, 03:57 AM

You could just bolt in a couple more vertical braces in between the main legs, from the top frame work and make them touch the floor.

cole004

03-01-2010, 07:51 PM

Great looking Build can't wait to see more photos

plutoniumJoe

03-09-2010, 01:31 PM

Well it has been a while with not much happening. I was off work for the two weeks during the Olympics and although it would have been a great time to get things done we escaped to Miami (South Beach) to visit family. My dad's condo is right on the bottom tip on the water and every morning we would go out and look at the fish by the sea wall. Beautiful Parrot fish and some said baby marlins. My dad's favorite quote as I did this was "Imagine that tropical fish in the tropics". I finally got fed up with the mocking and informed him that he was actually in the sub-tropics as my iphone indicated that they were at 25 degrees and not 22.
http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu72/jgalat/Parot.jpg

When I got back I finished off the plumbing and had initial problems with my return pump. Once the replacement arrived things were starting to look up... but the tank seemed "un stable". Even though the legs are perfectly level the tank still vibrated when you gave it a shot. It reminded me of the glass of water in Jurasic Park when the dinosaur walked by. I thought at first the stand just needed more points of contact with the floor so I welded in 3 more legs (2 in back and one center front) but I still wasn't satisfied. I added some plywood to the walls under the tank and built up the gaps and added shims which seemed to do the trick. I then drilled the the back cross beam and the side beam and bolted them to the studs in the wall. The city of Vancouver phoned and wants to put a sign outside the house indicating that the area under my tank can now be used as a safe haven in case of an earthquake.

I am going to try to start building some of the rock structures that will hide the closed loop this week. We will see how far I get. My plans for getting salt water into the tank by Christmas(last) now seem so unrealistic.

plutoniumJoe

03-23-2010, 04:57 AM

Finally got the RO/DI water in the tank and raised Salinity to 1025. It has been running for a few days now and the water has cleared and things look pretty good.

http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu72/jgalat/Tank%20Build/IMG_6565.jpg

I am pretty happy with the rock structures I built but the closed loop needs some modifications as the two back outlets are blasting all the sand away from the front of the tank.

http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu72/jgalat/Tank%20Build/IMG_6567.jpg

I am hesitant to do the full tank move over and instead think I will cycle the new tank with a sacrificial chromis or two and see how things go that way. I just couldn't imagine moving everything and having it all die.

scherzo

04-01-2010, 04:32 AM

plutoniumJoe

04-05-2010, 10:18 PM

I have been running the tank for about a month now and I am happy with how things are going. I had to adjust the outlets of the 2 back 90s of the closed loop as they were blowing the sand away from the front of the tank. I cut the 90 flush so that their stream is wider and it seems to fix things except now I get a bit too much at the top. The eruobrace keeps everything in but I might have to dial it back a bit, we'll see.

I put a Blue Chromis in about a week and a half ago and he is doing well. Ammonia and Nitrites are 0. Added my two clowns on Friday and I can say they have settled in nicely. I thought with such a larger tank they would be all happy and free like birds but they still just hang out near the overflow like they did in my 75 and rub up and down against each other. Ahh the life of a fish.

I think I will try to move over the rest of my livestock next weekend and then try the corals slowly or should I just do it all at once and shutdown the 75?

plutoniumJoe

04-06-2010, 07:24 PM

I've been working on my reflectors that I have been planning on making since January 09. http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=48082 This is a picture of the second one. Just one more to go.
http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu72/jgalat/Tank%20Build/IMG_6738.jpg

http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu72/jgalat/Tank%20Build/IMG_6737.jpg

I went with the scattered finish but will use the smooth finish aluminum for the t5s.

Joe

mseepman

04-06-2010, 09:26 PM

Wow, this is really coming along. Nice work...you're a real DIY guy!

plutoniumJoe

04-07-2010, 12:52 AM

Looks good!

We went to Hawaii during Olympic break too! Snorkeling in Hanauma Bay! So we got to see fishies too!

What are you doing for ATO? Are you still going to do it by hand?

(PS.. next meeting is at your house.. ;) )

For ato I bought a bulk reef supply auto top off. When I refinished the wall behind the tank I ran a water line to where the ro/di will be under the tank.

Haven't hooked it up yet but maybe tomorrow.

plutoniumJoe

04-07-2010, 02:10 AM

Wow, this is really coming along. Nice work...you're a real DIY guy!

Thanks Mark. It progresses in spurts. The DIY is just a matter of necessity.

plutoniumJoe

04-09-2010, 12:25 AM

I've been working on my light rack the last couple of days. I am trying to come up with something that will hold 3 250s plus 4 t5s. Right now my t5s are from my 4ft tank so they will be too short unless I stagger them. I want the option of upgrading down the road to 8 36" t5s.

I am also thinking of different ways of supporting the rack. Right now I think I will use aircraft cable and suspend the rack fr the ceiling. I am trying to come up with an easy yet secure way to raise and lower the rack when needed. Does anyone use pulleys and if so how do you set the height?

plutoniumJoe

04-09-2010, 03:13 AM

So this is what I have so far.

http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu72/jgalat/Tank%20Build/IMG_7076.jpg

I still need to make one more reflector but I am getting good at it.

What look like feet on the rack will hold the t5 strips depending on what I end up using. For now it will be the 48" staggered but time will tell.

Here is a FTS with the prototype reflector mounted on some PVC and held up with 2X4s.

http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu72/jgalat/Tank%20Build/IMG_7077.jpg

Everybody in the tanks seems happy so we will keep going.

My wife really likes the way the rock looks now "all clean and everything". I am slowly adding the old live rock from my 75gallon as I transfer fish. It won't look as tidy but oh well.

plutoniumJoe

04-09-2010, 10:41 PM

Well one step forward and two steps back. I noticed some moisture from the emergency overflow for the Herbie and realize that the seal to the bulkhead is leaking. I will have to drain the overflow and take apart the connection and re-seal.

It is a bit anoying as I will also have to replace the pipe to the sump because it is all glued up and no way to get it out without cutting it.

Anyway I guess it could be worse.

On a side note does anyone else who runs a herbie notice that your water level changes from daytime to night time. It seems that during the day my herbie never uses the 2nd overflow and at night the water rises in the display to the second overflow. It is weird and troubling.

Joe

plutoniumJoe

04-14-2010, 12:28 AM

I had a rough start to the weekend on Friday. During my original leak test the overflow bulkheads didn't get much of a go. Needless to say the emergency drain on the Herbie was showing some signs of leaking. I the joint from the bulkhead to the drain pipe seemed to be the problem. Everything below that is glued up and I there was no way to undue the joint and fix so I cut the bottom pipe away.

It was very tense as I was using a saws all and the power caused the bulk head to work its way loose and then bang around. Once the pipe was cut I realized how stupid I had been but the damage or lack their of had been done.

http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu72/jgalat/Tank%20Build/IMG_7078.jpg

That was just the start of my troubles. With the pipe gone I tried to loosen the nut to the bulk head but the threads of the bulkhead had gotten so beaten up that it a bugger in a half. I still couldn't loosen the drain pipe from the bulkhead as I couldn't get a grip on anything. The bottom pane of glass sits on 1/2 foam then I have 1" plywood under that. The hole I cut for access to the bulkhead is too small to get much into it and the tension was mounting.:frown:

I also knew that it didn't even matter if I was able to get the nut off the bulkhead I still wouldn't be able to get it over the the threaded pipe nut.

I tried using a blade held with pliers to cut between the two but nothing was working and I couldn't get any decent access to it to get any kind of grip. I finally had a eureka moment and thought what if I just use a cutting wheel on a dremel and cut the nut.

http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu72/jgalat/Tank%20Build/IMG_7080.jpg

Voila! Everything replaced and water tight. :biggrin: I don't know how many more frustrating evenings it might take but it was a close one.

plutoniumJoe

05-09-2010, 12:02 AM

Well I haven't posted in a while but I did the big move two weekends ago. Everything went better then I thought with no losses. It was also pretty cool that within a day the cyano in the new tank cleared up. The skimmer also got the load that it enjoys and I couldn't be happier with my Bubble Magus.
http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu72/jgalat/Tank%20Build/IMG_7325.jpg

The lights turned out pretty good but I have to work on leveling them and finding a better way to hang them. I think I will just go with chain.

http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu72/jgalat/Tank%20Build/_MG_7327.jpg

I will also add t5s to the lights as soon as I get a chance and maybe some LEDs.

Joe

fishytime

05-09-2010, 01:35 AM

good to here the transfer went well.....thats gonna be ton of light:biggrin:

plutoniumJoe

05-09-2010, 03:21 PM

Right now it is 3 X 250MH. The T5s will only be 2 X 54watt as I don't want to replace the ballast at this time. For LED it will only be 6blue and 6white.

plutoniumJoe

06-12-2010, 04:28 PM

Well I have added the T5s to the rack. They are a bit short but they will do. I am running them both with Fiji Purples and it is a nice transition light and makes the corals pop at night.

http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu72/jgalat/Tank%20Build/FTSJune.jpg

I have also added two strips of 3X3Watt LEDs that make great moon lights. I stopped running them for now as I need to set up a better way to put them on a timer as I don't want them running full power all night, it's too bright.

I am still working on the cabinetry and hope to have the doors and the top on this weekend (wishful thinking, looks like it will be a gardening weekend).

I also added an exhaust fan that you can see in the top left of the picture and will need to hook that up to a humidistat.

Thanks for looking.
Joe.

Sebae again

06-12-2010, 05:29 PM

Your tank looks great! What brand of leds are you using and where can you buy them?

plutoniumJoe

06-12-2010, 05:46 PM

Hi Sebae,
The LEDs are Prolight 3W that I got off ebay. http://cgi.ebay.ca/20x-White-3W-LED-Lamp-Prolight-Star-110Lm-High-Power_W0QQitemZ320536596310QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_D efaultDomain_0?hash=item4aa1784f56#ht_3088wt_962

I bought blue and soft white.

plutoniumJoe

07-21-2010, 09:51 PM

Well things have been up and running for a couple of months now and no real big issues. I did have a bit of a problem with the return pump being too loud. It is a PanWorld PXX100 and I thought it was supposed to be quiet but the noise was shaking my fillings loose. The room is supposed to be a media center but with the noise coming from the pump it wasn't going to work out.

I had the return line bolted to the wall so that it was suspended above the tank. I had put the black foam insulation that you put around pipes around it to help dampen the noise but it was useless. In the end I think the wall was reverberating the pump noise.
http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu72/jgalat/Tank%20Build/IMG_7730.jpg

So.. I unbolted the pipe and reassembled it so that it sits on the rim of the tank. Below I cut away a section of solid pipe and replaced it with clear vinyl. Things are better but once I get the doors on the cabinet it might be acceptable.

http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu72/jgalat/Tank%20Build/IMG_7731.jpg

plutoniumJoe

07-22-2010, 04:34 AM

The summer heat was also causing a problem with my tank getting up to about 84F. I had already installed an exhaust fan that I thought I would need once I encased the lights but it didn't seem to make a difference. The Halide ballasts were stored under the tank and generate a metric butt load of heat. So even when the lights were off there was still a couple of hours of radiant heat coming off the ballasts.

I also didn't like the way the three cords had to come up the back of the tank to the light rack. I decided that I would build a shelf in the garage to hold the ballast and simply drill a hole through the wall and have all the hot stuff on the other side of the wall.

http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu72/jgalat/Tank%20Build/IMG_7734.jpg

It worked well, heat fluctuates between 78-80 and the wires are all cleaned up.

The blue wire on the left is for the eventual surround sound speakers that will be mounted in that corner.

- Joe

Greenmaster

07-25-2010, 06:15 AM

Nice... the tank looks good. Are your clown's hosting anything?
I would have built my own tank but the local glass company's said they couldn't be accurate enough.

plutoniumJoe

07-25-2010, 03:20 PM

Thanks, the polished edges were all perfect but the sides that I didn't get polished had about an 1/8 of variance on them.

The clowns have just started to host in my bubble tip anenome. It is still too small for both of them so they sort of take turns then return to their corner of the tank. I am very exited about the hosting and can't wait until it is their permanent home.

Chaloupa

07-25-2010, 04:12 PM

Your tank is absolutely STUNNING! Love the orange shoulder tang. It's an amazing fish!

Youngster Dan

07-25-2010, 06:10 PM

I enjoyed reading your thread, the tank looks great.

scherzo

07-25-2010, 07:19 PM

Looks great Joe...

How is the Arduino working out for you? (I chickened out and bought an apex :( )
Also looking at your other pics.. did you plumb your RO/DI directly to your sump for your ATO?

plutoniumJoe

08-02-2010, 07:00 PM

Looks great Joe...

How is the Arduino working out for you? (I chickened out and bought an apex :( )
Also looking at your other pics.. did you plumb your RO/DI directly to your sump for your ATO?

I am still working on the Arduino. What I have so far is:
1. Temperature for both hood and water.
2. PH probe working with Arduino.

What I need to still do:
1. Wire the 5v - 120V relays for controlling, lights, ATO, Dosing Pumps, exhaust fan.
2. Ethernet shield and data logging.

I have all the parts I just need to get down to putting it all together.

--------

As for the sump

http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu72/jgalat/Tank%20Build/IMG_7732.jpg

I do have the ATO running directly into the the RO/DI. I have it on the BRS ATO switch and set to a timer that turns it on for an hour early evening and early morning. The waste water goes back out to the garage and the drain on the other side of the wall there.

I would like to build a mixing tank for my water changes that is tied into the system. It would sit in the garage as well and once the water goes down the drain on the sump side I could pump the new saltwater through the wall into the sump.

All in due time.

plutoniumJoe

08-02-2010, 07:07 PM

Your tank is absolutely STUNNING! Love the orange shoulder tang. It's an amazing fish!

Thanks for the kind words. I really like the Orange Tang as well, a great natured fish. He doesn't seem to bother anybody and eats just about everything.

http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu72/jgalat/Tank%20Build/OrangShoulder.jpg

In the picture you can see some of the ICH, or something similar, he developed in the first couple of days of having him. It is visible on the orange streak. It all disappeared after about a week and hasn't returned (knock on wood).