Lights look great, and nothin' like not havin' to run a cable to the PC.
Plus no ground loop issue

Your lighting, with the frame you built looks very impressive. I'm now trying to talk Deborah into letting me do something similare so that I don't have to take the time to build a canopy :)

thats the perfect use for a Sol.....out of the way where you cant see it and all its loveliness :razz::mrgreen:


starting to look like the starship enterprise in that box of yours.....very cool!

It's been a while since I updated because of this..
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b8...-09-26_102.jpg
Gokart season has started, thats my 9 year old on his first practice day. We had our first race of the season today and he got third place in the main and was top qualifier in his first race! I am a very proud papa.

Anyway back to the tank the plumbing is done finally..I had to cut it out 4 times because I had a tiny drip from one of the drain lines. After the fourth time cutting and patching I decided to cut the whole line out and start from scratch. No drips yet :twised:
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b8...-41-07_842.jpg

Two rio 32hf good for 1600+ at 5ft head each!
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b8...-40-57_197.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b8...0-40-35_25.jpg

I started filling with my ro unit and after the entire weekend... sump isn't yet full:sad: looks like it will be Christmas by the time its full:razz:

what ro unit are you using

Its one I had for dinking water, I think from Costco. The speed was never a problem before as I have a couple of containers in my storage room that it fills (slowly) and I get my top off/ mixing water from that. Just impatient now lol

Congrats on your son's driving!

Your plumbing looks good - very clean. Since I am new at this and am hoping to get to plumbing my tank this coming weekend (and a bit apprehensive about goofing up :confused:), can you step me through what each of the lines go to and how the flow works? Thanks.

Thanks!

I hate plumbing....I have been putting it off for as long as possible lol.

The two 3/4" flex lines go to each return pump, I have installed a union ball valve on each line because the pumps I have are very extreme and I may need to turn them down.

The 2 1-1/2" pipes are drain lines. The one in the middle is for emergency only hence it is a straight pipe down. The other (my leaky pipe lol) has two 90's (I know 90's are very constrictive but I wanted the pipes tight to the top for appearances) in it to bring it to the first section of my sump. I have a knife valve to control flow for the herbie style drain. I have a gate valve coming but the knife will have to do till it arrives.

The biggest recommendation I have is to plan it out buy all your fittings ect. and dry fit it to see if you like the way it looks. I spent 3 tanks of gas driving around buying plumbing parts last week, probably spent as much on gas as the parts!:twised:

Very nice build Mr. Subman.

Thanks I got a lot of great ideas from your builds, that I will try to implement later on.

Thank you very much - that helps me as I think through how to put everything together that I need to do.

I know all about re-doing plumbing :razz:
Nice to see the RO running

And today (2 days after the last re-plumbing)...........Drip :eek::puppydog::doh::Cry:

You've got to be kidding. That's a crappy break
The only time I had a leak was when I tried to align something and twisted back in the opposite direction
Hope you can easily solve it

No biggie it's only one drip a half hour and it drips right in the sump the salt creep will takecare of it soon and if it doesn't its an easy fix just need to drain the overflow.

Wow! What a frustration that would be! Do you know which joint is it leaking from? And what would be the cause of it?

you dont like plumbing a tank???....how come???:mrgreen::razz:......I know sometimes it's like :frusty:

The first ones were from not using teflon tape on a threaded joint:redface: the it turned into over tightening said joint :redface: this last time I think a small shaving of pvc is under the new bulkhead. Completely user error.

I hate plumbing in general but tank plumbing is a completely new level of hate!

Thanks - I'll take your "challenges" as tips for my project for this weekend. I will now approach my plumbing with an increased level of trepidation!

Just read through your whole build, looks great so far! Can't wait to see more :)

Thanks....here's some more :mrgreen:

Filled with sand, water and a few rocks.
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b8...-17-54_886.jpg

90% complete electronics box.....I removed the old laptop and have something new on the way!
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b8...-41-40_313.jpg

only issue I'm having now is setting the drain perfectly with the knife valve. So I've got a gate valve coming in tomorrow from Kelly at The Reef Shoppe in Lloyd. I can't recommend doing a herbie with a knife it's far to imprecise. I think it may be possible with less flow but my returns are pumping approx. 4000gph and I can't seem to find the sweet spot.

Not to mention all the knife valves I'm familiar with have metal parts inside.

Setup's looking really sharp! What are your plans for the light rack? Will this tank remain open top?

Love the wire ducts in the electronics box! Very clean.

I was told by the lfs I bought it from there was no metalin it...but it has to go and today it will. I'll disassemble it and check, just for piece of mind.

Other than adding more radions thats it. I am working an automated curtain that will drop down. For not only protection from a frisky game of pool but this is also right beside my home theater room, and it's hard to set the mood with the room glowing ultra blue lol

Thanks I just re-did them as the original ones were to small :redface:
I just ordered the shuttle pc and a 7" mimo like the one from your deep reef build, one of my favorite builds.

What size are your wire ducts ? They sure clean up wiring nicely.

that's unreal! looks great!!!!

I started with 1x 1 1/2 but that was wayyy to small so I replaced it with 2x2

Thank you.

Just met Kelly from the reef shoppe and got a few finishing pieces..
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b8...-46-27_627.jpg
Beautiful 1 1/2" gate valve (was only $39!!)

2 new union swing check valves...
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b8...-46-33_481.jpg

And a couple new 500w Finnex titanium heating tubes.
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b8...-47-26_726.jpg

Thanks for bringing this in to me Kelly!!

I was planning on hitting the gym on the way home but I want to go straight home and install the new goodies!

Thanks, think I will order up a few feet. Makes things so neat.

Just wondering about your wire duct - did it come in the grey color, or did you paint it? I have only been able to find black.

Buy it from an electrical wholesaler, eecol for example. It comes in white, black and grey in different sizes. http://www.panduit.com/Products/Prod...Nu=P_RollupKey

Mine is actually white.

Thats exactly where I bought it although I would recommended T&B brand instead of panduit far less expensive.

Thanks Jason!.....your sump area and electrical area make my sump area seem so ghetto:neutral::mrgreen:

:thumb::thumb::thumb: Great Build!

Tank and build is really impressive! :mrgreen: Great work, cant wait to see more!

I've seen the pics of your sump its far feom ghetto!

After living with a sump that was post zombie apocalypse ghetto this is a nice change. Lol


Thanks guys!

Jason, you have done a very good job - it looks impressive.

Thanks George, still a long way to go.

My buddy Chris dropped off an amazing skimmer stand last night..
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b8...01/5_photo.jpg

I have moved a few fish into the new setup and the look lost lol
I'll get some pics and post it up later.

I built a upflow algae scrubber today (this is version 2 lol)...
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b8...-03-01_370.jpg

sump end view...
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b8...-52-53_867.jpg

algae scrubber ver. 1
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b8...-52-39_744.jpg

view from the left end...
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b8...-53-05_553.jpg

FTS..
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b8...-53-16_976.jpg

I'm having problems with sand blowing and the diatoms are starting but everything else seems to be going good. Next is getting the ATO tank in, the dosing pump and chambers installed and skirting the stand.

(and tear down the old tank :biggrin:)

it's alive!.....alive!!!:biggrin: