Phil's new 46 gallon frag tank

[Phil]

so starting to build my 46 gallon 36"x24"x12

http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o694/Philbuist/Camera%20Awesome%20Photos/preview_image_0_43655932x_zps178498df.jpg?t=135735 3011

here is is laying on its side.I had it build at Marine Aquaria. It has a rear center over flow and two holes drilled in the back panel for returns.
Its 36"x24"x12" euro braced and a frosted bottom pane.

http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o694/Philbuist/Camera%20Awesome%20Photos/preview_image_0_33504742x_zpsba223521.jpg?t=135735 3066

I built a steel stand my self out of 1 1/2 square tubing. then put 3/4 plywood on top and bottom and screwed them in with self tapping screws and counter sunk them.

http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o694/Philbuist/Camera%20Awesome%20Photos/preview_image_0_95763042x_zps35286fb4.jpg?t=135735 3076

My little helper with his saw and square. we cut a opening in the top for the drain line and bulk head. I have my sump ready to install tomorow and had it built at concept aquatics. Should be a quick build im hoping to get my return pump tomorow and plumbing.

[intarsiabox]

Looks good, off to a great start! What were you welding in the middle of the back legs of the stand?

[Phil]

Lol good eye I had a apprentice at work cut all the tube on a band saw. I told him what I wanted 4-36",4-24" peices and what was left leave for the legs. He forgot and cut two of the leg peices so I had to weld them back together. I was going to sandblast it and paint it but I ran out of time. It onley cost me $70 bucks for the steel and 30 for the plywood

[Phil]

so today i got the tank on the stand and installed the bulkhead fittings and i installed the locklines returns.
http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o694/Philbuist/Camera%20Awesome%20Photos/preview_image_0_59206352x_zps4268e0d0.jpg?t=135742 5799

i went to town and also picked up a few things i got a mp10wes and a 1" check valve and 2 1" true union valves and 1 1"1/2.

http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o694/Philbuist/Camera%20Awesome%20Photos/preview_image_0_22433472x_zps8401f557.jpg?t=135742 5780

All thats holding me up now is to get the sump in and figure out what return pump to use. Im thinking of useing a water blaster 5000 then double teeing of with 2 gate valves to run two reators on the same return pump.

[Phil]

got the sump into the stand lastnight.
http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o694/Philbuist/Camera%20Awesome%20Photos/preview_image_0_14292072x_zpscd9e2838.jpg

heres a close up of the sump concepts made for me.

http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o694/Philbuist/Camera%20Awesome%20Photos/preview_image_0_94644062x_zps66945243.jpg?t=135749 4070

also order a water blaster 5000 and a ebo jager 200 watt heater last night from reef supplies.

[intarsiabox]

Why the frowny face in the title of your last post? Sump looks great. It sure looks like you maximized the space usage under the stand! What are you going to use for a skimmer?

[Proteus]

Yes looks great. Looking forward to seeing it stocked so I can pop over

[Phil]

Waiting for mail order lol. Ya the sump just fits I thought the more water the better so it holds more than the display tank. Skimmer I'm going with a Vertex Omega 150 Protein Skimmer.

[intarsiabox]

Just a question on the sump design. The 3 baffles on the left, does the middle one have a slot cut out of the bottom? I am assuming the baffles are to eliminate bubbles or are you storing ATO water in the sump as well?

[Salt2Death]

Phil Buddy she looks great! Can't wait to see the frag'n!


Sent Via The Pirate Ship...

[Phil]

The center one on the left is cut on the bottom like a arch.

[intarsiabox]

The center one on the left is cut on the bottom like a arch.

That makes sense, just couldn't see it in the picture. Concept did a nice job on the sump.

[Phil]

Ya they did. I went in on Xmas eve (Monday) and they had it finished ready to go for Saterday morning. So they were really fast. And I seen a wicket tank there that gave me an idea for my next display tank. It was a L shape but it was like a tank ontop of a tank. Say a 48x36x18 but the back pane of glass came up and was the back pane for a smaller 48x12x12 and the water came over the edge of the top tank like a waterfall into the bottom tank. The only issue would be lighting.

[Phil]

i went with t5s. i picked up this 6 bulb with dual moonlight strips fixture (sunlight supply) from marine aquaria. got a wicket deal on it. a new fixture for less than used lol. I went t5 because its a shallow tank , color options, and price.

http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o694/Philbuist/Camera%20Awesome%20Photos/preview_image_1_81439682x_zps6f4a7caa.jpg?t=135751 7194

here it is on the tank.

http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o694/Philbuist/Camera%20Awesome%20Photos/preview_image_1_21494292x_zps087b4abd.jpg?t=135751 7257

the tanks gonna be controlled by a neptune apex the same that i use on my other tank.

[Phil]

got my water blaster 5000 and heater today in the mail and then went and picked up a bag of dry rubble and a tunze osmolator.
http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o694/Philbuist/Camera%20Awesome%20Photos/preview_image_0_44408372x_zps0121a492.jpg?t=135795 7722

http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o694/Philbuist/Camera%20Awesome%20Photos/preview_image_0_81610362x_zps0708fb4a.jpg?t=135795 7707

i also put as much of the dry rock in my current tank to seed it for a while. Tomorow i may start some plumbing.

[gregzz4]

Gonna be one helluva frag tank :biggrin:
Lots of peeps don't have nice gear like yours on their DTs

[Phil]

so got my brs order friday and the went to rona today to get some fittings
http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o694/Philbuist/Camera%20Awesome%20Photos/preview_image_0_39526022x_zps737095ee.jpg?t=135926 0748
gate valves, true union ball valves, and check valve + fitings
http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o694/Philbuist/Camera%20Awesome%20Photos/th_preview_image_0_19110842x_zpsa263637d.jpg?t=135 9260729
the grizz stoped by and i got two tlf 150 reactors off him.

so heres my starting point off my return pump
http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o694/Philbuist/Camera%20Awesome%20Photos/preview_image_0_97253912x_zpsd1697d70.jpg?t=135926 0710
i then made this header to come off it. i teed off and reduced to 1/2 inch with gate valves to feed the reactors and installed a 1" check valve to {hopefully} stop anywater from coming back into my sump in a power outage.
http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o694/Philbuist/Camera%20Awesome%20Photos/preview_image_0_35759262x_zps4201f4df.jpg?t=135926 0657
heres my return bulkheads that i have to pipe too im going to put gate valves on each line to control the flow on each.
http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o694/Philbuist/Camera%20Awesome%20Photos/preview_image_0_54907002x_zps6ee036c6.jpg?t=135926 0673
i forgot a few fittings today so hopefully get them tomorow to finninsh up.

[Salt2Death]

Phil it's looking amazing and I love the frags from you!!!


Sent Via The Pirate Ship...

[Phil]

return pump plumbed 1" true union ball valve into header with 1/2 gates to run my reactors. then a check valve.http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o694/Philbuist/Camera%20Awesome%20Photos/preview_image_0_72485732x_zps4347567f.jpg?t=135933 1653
1" come up to a tee then 1" gate valves into my line lock returns. put a few unions in so i can dissasemble it if needed.
http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o694/Philbuist/Camera%20Awesome%20Photos/preview_image_0_24617312x_zpsd9974908.jpg?t=135933 1611
1 1/2 drain line done just with 2 45s. left the rest to do when there water in the tank so i can test for sound differances.
http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o694/Philbuist/Camera%20Awesome%20Photos/preview_image_0_75447592x_zps93962d75.jpg?t=135933 1631

[reefwars]

looking good phil man:)

[Phil]

ya just taking a little brake lol. hoping to get water in it tonight just need to do the over flow pipe.

[Phil]

ok filled the tank with water and onle 1 leak!?!?!?! it was a union missing a rubber oring i found it on the floor and replaced it and no more leak :)

Now problem #1

my overflow is too small for a herbie in 1 1/2
http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o694/Philbuist/Camera%20Awesome%20Photos/preview_image_0_70085782x_zps82364d91.jpg?t=135934 7035
so im gonna try 1 1/4 and if that wont fit im going to use 1"
any suggestions are welcome.

problem # 2

now i know this was going to happen so i didnt glue the drain line in.
http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o694/Philbuist/Camera%20Awesome%20Photos/preview_image_0_85445672x_zps214467d0.jpg?t=135934 7051

Whats the best way to make it quiet and less splashing? put a 90 half in the water or run the plumbing down to the bottom on the sump?

[subman]

Just run the piping into the water. I liked to have it close to the bottom and a ninety so the water would swirl keeping debris up so it would make it to the filter socks

[Phil]

so i had the tank running for about 6 weeks now and just got around to building a skirt for the stand.


side view before painting trim.
http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o694/Philbuist/Camera%20Awesome%20Photos/preview_image_0_95600962x_zps3edb8647.jpg?t=136297 4726

front view
front panel is held on by magnets still have to put the trim on the front and u can allso see i put a ledge around the tank too.
http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o694/Philbuist/Camera%20Awesome%20Photos/preview_image_0_86209452x_zps464649fa.jpg?t=136297 4710

finnished side other than needing another coat of black paint.
http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o694/Philbuist/Camera%20Awesome%20Photos/preview_image_0_88823262x_zps59cc46d0.jpg?t=136297 4696

[Phil]

got my skimmer today from steve at redcoral. Vertex omega 150
http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o694/Philbuist/Camera%20Awesome%20Photos/preview_image_0_16371742x_zps4d8bfdb0.jpg?t=136340 3113

here it is in my sump brakeing in.

http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o694/Philbuist/Camera%20Awesome%20Photos/preview_image_0_24765662x_zps16546dc2.jpg?t=136340 3095

i can tell right away that this skimmer is a light year ahead of my swc on my other tank.

[Phil]

picked up a light fixture today for the sump and installed it. u can see it with the front panel off.

http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o694/Philbuist/Camera%20Awesome%20Photos/preview_image_0_25715362x_zpsb6235563.jpg?t=136356 7011
http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o694/Philbuist/Camera%20Awesome%20Photos/preview_image_0_73488782x_zpsedad50ed.jpg?t=136356 7026

i finished painting and putting all the trim on the stand.
http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o694/Philbuist/Camera%20Awesome%20Photos/preview_image_0_50202342x_zps6996fd75.jpg?t=136357 9616

i got my apex jr set up and mounted along with the ato and mp10wes.

http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o694/Philbuist/Camera%20Awesome%20Photos/preview_image_0_13807012x_zpsa29d73fc.jpg?t=136357 9602

[Phil]

so i figured its time to update this build. what stared as a frag tank got turned into a zoa garden.

http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o694/Philbuist/Camera%20Awesome%20Photos/preview_image_0_60628362x_zps08c6c51d.jpg?t=137635 3180

as u can see i got rid of my t5 fixture and replaced with a mitra :)
also added a sand bed.

http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o694/Philbuist/Camera%20Awesome%20Photos/preview_image_0_23008812x_zps29cf6c86.jpg?t=137635 3142
some of my zoas

http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o694/Philbuist/Camera%20Awesome%20Photos/preview_image_0_56127692x_zpsc750ded4.jpg?t=137635 3098
top down

[whytey]

Looking good Phil good to see you went with the GHL mitra

[Azzkr]

This will be a sweet frag tank. Looks like it will be a full reef tank now and no longer a frag tank lol Great job

[explor3r]

Well done I love the idea of displaying the frags in rocks it looks more natural.
Now thats a skimmer:razz: