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Any more progress updates on this cool build?
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Nicely done build so far, lots of details and such
Keep the pics comin' :smile: |
This is a neat little DIY build.
If anyone is interested in his current updates you can see them on Nano-reef.com |
Can you post a link
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http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/30825...-custom/page-7
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no need to leave canreef he keeps his contest thread updated =)
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=90166 |
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But yeah my nano contest thread is here and my Nano-reef thread is here Thanks everyone for following along and Merry Christmas to everyone! |
Hey everyone! first off let me say I'm so incredibly sorry not posting anything in a very long time - at least in this thread! but in an effort to consolidate two threads into one, ill be grabbing the stuff from my nano contest thread and stuffing it into here along with a lot of updated stuff too! so if you don't mind holding on and bearing with me ill get everything sorted out and updated!
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alright so here we go! ill try and make this thread look seamless from start to finish!
this is when i started working on the filing cabinet turned sump stand here is the progress so far, http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF2930.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF2931.jpg Then I took out all the hardware and the drawers http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF2673.jpg After gutting the cabinet i took all the fronts off the drawers and used them to make the door so that it still looked like the original cabinet http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF2672.jpg Then I added a magnet lock http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF2674.jpg Then I drilled 4 holes in the top of the stand for the overflow and return plumbing to go though http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF2680.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF2937.jpg Then it was off to paint! http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF2933.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF2935.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF2939.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF2938.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF2936.jpg The next thing for me to is wait until its all try then run a seam of caulking around the bottom edge to make it water tight and then most likely cut one or two more holes in the back to add computer fans for a little air movement and circulation. |
The stand is all dry now and i think its time to introduce the tank behind the tank the reason why ill be able to keep the display tank so clean and unhindered with equipment and clutter…MY SUMP!!
its a standard 15g tank that when all is said and done will hold an aditional 7 gallons bringing my total to 20g http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF2942.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF2940.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF2941.jpg |
So earlier on i broke the back of my tank when i ran all of the plumbing in hard line with zero room to move…yes I'm a dumby somedays
but i got that all sorted out and this what i used http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3544.jpg |
Next i was off to get the overflow and glass fixed and the fans all wired up and put into the sump stand
http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3545.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3548.jpg Then i got to putting the whole thing together and i was trying to match the seams to the tank, very minimalistic, and considering its not going to have much volume in the overflow i think ill do just fine http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3549.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3551.jpg Now do you guys remember the fans and the heater vent that i had on the desk in the previous picture? well this is what I plan on doing with those. (A big thanks to Enigma for the idea on the heater vent!) http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3553.jpg Then i wired them up rather crudely to a USB to make sure everything worked and was blowing the right way http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3552.jpg Then i got them all secured and wire tucked away, now they are ready for the transplant into the sump cabinet http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3556.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3555.jpg |
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Then i got started on the glass that needs to be drilled and cut for an overflow and wave box, then the plumbing!
The hole for the wave box http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3562.jpg Next is my return line http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3567.jpg Then the overflow, untill i realized that i needed a new dremel bit to cut the glass http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3568.jpg soooooo then i moved on to the plumbing! http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3563.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3565.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3564.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3566.jpg |
Hey guys, heres an update on the tank! ITS ACTUALLY A TANK NOW!!!
i spend the last day cutting and setting and being stupidly anal about the silicone but its all done now! i just have to clean it up a bit and then its ready for the last stages of plumbing and then water!! http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3643.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3645.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3644.jpg I also got my sump plumbed to the bottom of the desk, i used flex line to make sure that if anything shifted it would have the room to move and not break things and stress stuff. I also plan on putting in hard wood in the house in the next 4 months so im not sure if that will effect it in anyway but i thought i would be safe rather then sorry http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3648.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3647.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3646.jpg |
This morning presented itself with a perfect oppertunity to get outside and not freeze! so here is the final product in all its tanky glory!
http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3655.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3656.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3652.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3650.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3651.jpg And here is my shop foreman! http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3658.jpg |
I finally was able to the the finishing touches on the plumbing and got the tank fully setup and wet today!!! I still have the baffle the sump and get to Edmonton to pick up my new Apex, then get it installed and setup, then its on to the foam and rock wall!!!!!
http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3692.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3691.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3690.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3689.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3688.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3687.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3686.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3685.jpg |
Hey everyone so here is an update for you! I went and picked up some aluminum today to make a mount for all my controllers and switches, I modified the tracks that the original drawers for the filing cabinet were on to make a sliding pannel that will pull out of the cabinet to let me have access to everything on the panel, its not done yet. I still have to mout the last apex box and the netgear wnce2001 i just ordered to get it all online and then run all the wires and plug it all in but so far its looking good everything fits snug as a bug, and when its slid in i miss the return line by only a fraction of an inch haha weeeeoooo for measuring haha
http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3711.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3713.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3714.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3715.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3716.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3718.jpg But thats all for tonight folks, I have to run. I have a date with my gorgeous girlfriend!! |
So i got a bunch of stuff done last night, and there is a lot more to come today and the next day. I got the rest of my electronics mounted and ready to be wired up, my apex is online now and waiting to be programmed
http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3732.jpg I also got my probes plumbed into my return line on the downside that will feed my fuge, i also finished that line as well too. believe it or not getting them to fit took me close to an hour and a half!! http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3733.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3734.jpg today ill be finishing the baffling in the sump and then wiring the cabinet with a GFCI plug to run everything!! |
Alright guys! today has been a good start so far, I got all the glass for the sump ready and siliconed in place
http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3738.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3739.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3740.jpg Then i got it put inside the cabinet and started putting my equipment in and sizing things up 1. Back right corner is the Tunze ATO http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3743.jpg 2. Right infront of the ATO chamber is the return pump, and to the right of the return and ATO is the fuge http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3745.jpg 3. Next came the skimmer http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3746.jpg 4. Then right at the front is the down pipes that feed the whole sump http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3747.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3748.jpg 5. the only thing left to do is to cut a piece of acrylic to sit just on the otherside of the tubes to hold my filter sock, then its water time!! While i had the sump out i took the chance to wire in my GFCI plug and then cut up an extension cord to wire the whole box to one single plug that i can plug into an existing outlet under my desk http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3736.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3742.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3749.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3751.jpg |
Hey everyone, time for an update!! over the last day or so i have been slowly turning this
http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3913.jpg into this!! http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3919.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3920.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3921.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3922.jpg I still have a ton more work to do on it to make it look perfect and fit the same way, i also need to try out a few things to make the foam look identical to the rocks then epoxy it all and cover it in sand but its getting there! ohh and yesterday this showed up in the mail! its 10 feet of 3/4 inch braided cable wrap! now i can clean up my wiring and make it look pretty too!! http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3914.jpg All clean!! http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3917.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...t/DSCF3918.jpg |
Alright so here is the finished product, in its final resting place
http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...ps57ca921b.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...ps579a0166.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...ps28cb19ce.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...ps2e5290df.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...ps47c82f58.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...ps97819fd3.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...pse135868a.jpg So now that that project is knocked off the list I have a few things left to go before splash down can commence!! I still have to build an acrylic shield that will house my 90 degree cords for everything to get plugged into, and will also fully encapsulate the rest of my electronics so they don't end up with water damage from being in the sump cabinet, and then i need to pick up, a two little fishies phosban reactor to run GFO and carbon and then i need to pick up a 150w heater and last but certainly not least i need to pick up a tunze 1073.050 silence pump to feed the reactor, the return to the tank, the refugium and the water fall Then i can start to cycle the tank as i build the LED's to light it all up!! |
Hey guys, i hope you all had a great christmas!! I got some more stuff done over the holidays. were getting close to getting saltwater into it now!! I drained all the fresh water out of the tank and the sump, I also plumed a Phosban 150 Reactor into my return line and cleaned up the extra wireing on the back side of my tank! Enjoy!!
http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...ps9a3f4e44.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...ps0c61b9fa.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...pscefb328e.jpg |
Hey everyone, so as promised I'm back with pictures for you guys. I spend the last 24 hours cutting and reworking my rock wall and when i finally stood back and looked at my new creation this is what I saw. Ill take you though everything from start to finish.
So i used: A Hammer A Chisel A Hack-saw with a masonry blade A Can of "Touch n' Foam" Landscape from Lowe's and a lot of time haha This is where i started with the old wall that you've all seen before http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...ps4076d67b.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...psbfeb2730.jpg Then came the destruction of the wall, i cut off the upper rock that was out of the water and the moved it over to determine where i wanted it to sit http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...pse2adcade.jpg Once i figured that out i had to cut some off the back of the rock so that it sat flush with my wall - thats where the hack saw came into play http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...psc52cd3d2.jpg After a few hours of cutting dow the rock i was finally ready to start putting it back into place, but I knew that i wasn't happy with the size of the pond so out came the chisel and hammer and away i went until i had chunked out a very substantial portion of the work i had previously done http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...ps961cd429.jpg Then out came the foam and it was time to start rebuilding... This is the new pond http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...ps8b1ffd21.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...psa228c3ab.jpg This what i ended up doing to the rock that was in the middle of the tank - I hammer out quite a bit of it and moved it around until i found a place for it http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...ps116665fc.jpg I added a leg to the ledge just for looks http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...ps833ff68c.jpg And finally this is the new scape from the front http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...ps4500f86c.jpg |
Alright so now that I have something to update you on Ill update you haha I came home from work last night and found a lovely big brown box at my front door! It had all kinds of goodies in it
http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...ps40b54c7b.jpg |
So I got the RO/DI system done and installed and its now making some sweet pure water!
http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...ps19645f64.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...ps84a8dad6.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...psb160d331.jpg On the way in... http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...ps5f514dcc.jpg On the way out… http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...ps8057d04d.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...pseb46b6b8.jpg |
Now that that is out of the way I turned my attention to protecting all the electronics inside my sump cabinet. I started out by rearranging the panel a little bit then planning out the back plate.
http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...ps843a82c0.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...ps2eaae59a.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...ps791846ae.jpg |
Today i spent most of the day taking everything I have built apart!
But dont worry it was all for a very good reason haha, so before some of you go and have a heart attack this is why I did it. Im getting pretty dam close to the last few things that need to be done and one of those final things is to clean up everything and tie it all together really nice and pretty like. So i started with a little paint First on the return manifold http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...ps54ae3256.jpg Then on all three of the overflow drains http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...psa50446c3.jpg They arent done yet tomorrow i have to mask them off and paint the exposed(still white parts) flat black then I have to paint all of the conduit hangers red to match. Then they get put back into a freshly painted sump cabinet where the white and red with stainless steel screws are going to look pretty spiffy i think heres the newly painted cabinet - no more missing paint or scratches from hundreds of bumps putting in and taking out that sump haha http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...ps599193be.jpg Then once I was done that I started into the wiring again, I had some wires that were bugging me and it just didn't quite look perfect so i went ahead and started to hack apart the wiring and then once i had a big mess of copper and plastic insulation i pulled out the soldering iron and got to work making it all function again This is the UBS that connects the APEX to the Energy Bar 8 - shhhh dont tell apex i think its a warranty issue :) http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...psde127a88.jpg then i tossed some shrink wrap on it to make it look pretty and then put it back in. You can see i also did that with the internet cable between the APEX and the Netgear Wireless receiver http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...pse2e8ae82.jpg Then i thought hey! lets get some light inside this box! so i started wiring up some LED strips that i picked up, the only problem is there is only one output on the controller box and i don't want to run one continuous strip all over the place, so im going to have to do some fancy wiring to get about 3-4 separate strips wired the way i want them to and all controlled with a magnetic on/off switch connected to the door of the cabinet :) as i said pretty spiffy http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...ps9754f361.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...psf134b6f6.jpg I still have to finish building the acrylic box and get some weather stripping to makeusre that its got a pretty dam close to air tight seal as i can get but thats for another day! |
So today i got a few things done, the paint is all dried and its time for final assembly to begin!
http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...ps5d90f2cd.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...pscd00b04a.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...pse9c71fcd.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...ps254a5d87.jpg Tomorrow I start the last of the wiring! I gotta get the fans up and running and finish the enclosure around the electronics and that should be all! everything else is just plug and play |
Progress!!!! but it comes just intime for me to have to go back up north for work...however Im going to be leaving it on a good note!!
I now have water in the tank and i get to go back to work and essentially skip the whole cycling process that kills everyone haha no one likes sitting around and waiting as things slowly get going so i guess you could call that a silver lining but here we got with the pictures I got the enclosure for the electronics all done and its extremely tight inside the sump cabinet, if you thought it was tight before this is what it looks like now! http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...ps5dbcc2cd.jpg there are still a few small details i have to get sorted out and if you look close the reactor needs carbon and the lines connected but I cant do that till i get the parts i orders (two little fishies reactor entender kit to make the output a nice downward tube instead of just a piece of curved hose, and I need to get or make a refugium light and get it hooked up and the fans need a power cord made up but thats all stuff for when i get back, right now its running and functional http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...ps11ab617b.jpg this is the power center all wrapped up and nicely sealed behind the acrylic door http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...psf80da775.jpg and with the tray pulled out i can open the door and get to everything i need to adjust or work on and then close back up http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...psb309cb0a.jpg WATER!!! as i you can see its all working and getting cycled but when i get back there are some final details i have to work out, unfortunately the plumbing handles all the increased water flow perfectly, i say unfortunately because there isn't enough back pressure in the line to feed the water fall, so im going to have to add a ball valve to the return line to increase the water pressure to get the water up to the waterfall but thats easy enough to do. Lastly i need to take the background out and get all the exposed rock covered in epoxy and sand to make it look like rock again but other then that and the light im pretty much laughing!! So I head up to work monday morning and until im back november 11th everyone enjoy and leave some comments!! there are new parts and equipment on their way here are you read and as soon as im home this tank is going to have new updates!! |
And that brings us pretty darn close to up to date!!! go and read what you haven't seen and ill keep going with I'm doing right now!!
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Hey guys so ive been busy again now that im home! this time I'm doing some work on the exposed rock work
I picked up a bunch of tiny tiny pieces of balsa wood and I'm building this out of it http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...psca17325c.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...ps5b8dec7f.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...ps579211ab.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...ps1d5fad22.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...ps24deb55e.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...ps36a9a5fc.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...ps2af77835.jpg http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...ps5c49f0cd.jpg this is as far as I've got but don't worry there is still a lot more of that to come |
Well freaking done Jamie man love it:)
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Wow
Cool build, you should get some type of plants or something on that rock like the mountain.
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That's just insanely cool! Nicely done!
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Wow thats pretty cool! What an interesting way to look at a reef tank. I love it.
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lol i love the little walkway you're nuts! the fish are going to look like monsters swimming around below that. you should have a person sitting on the walkway with a fishing pole.
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So if anyone has any idea on where to find or what kind of miniature type plants, vines, flowers or greenery there is out there i would love to hear from you!! Quote:
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And i agree its a completely new perspective on the hole tank now that the walkway is on the rocks everything is going to look giant haha its going to be its only little realm! |
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