He's good, funny but the noise made by the three wavelines work really well for putting him to sleep. Another thing to consider if you and Wendy ever go down that road :wink:

So I have been doing a little figuring on costs for DC pumps. Here is what I came up with.

RE RD3 speedy 65W 1848 gph $753 2.45g per $ 2yr warranty
Speedwave DC10000 2640 gph $200 13.2g per $ can't find literature (assume 1 yr)
Waveline DC12000 3170 gph $280 11.3g per $ can't find literature (assume 1 yr)
Abyzz A400 4910 gph $2340 2.1g per $ 10yr warranty

Where does this leave me... I don't know. The higher the inferred quality, the higher the price. I just have to decide what my pocket book will handle.

Some progress has been made! You can see the scullery sink we had made up sitting in place. It will sit "on top" of the countertop once it's in. I think we will buy some back splash tiles from HD or Rona and do a back splash as well. Above the back splash will be some peg board or something like that to hang tools.

You can see the opening on the left for the mini freezer.

http://www.lithicimages.com/photos/i...-b6Cn8Dz-L.jpg

http://www.lithicimages.com/photos/i...-C7xXVqw-L.jpg

Delivery day!

http://www.lithicimages.com/photos/i...-pfs6prb-L.jpg

http://www.lithicimages.com/photos/i...-H29XsbM-L.jpg

http://www.lithicimages.com/photos/i...-3mVzgmH-L.jpg

I have an issue with the dimensions of the sump and my sump chamber. It fits almost perfectly aside from a bulkhead I have in the back righthand of the sump. The base for the skimmer just overlaps the bulkhead so the skimmer doesn't sit flat. I am going to find someone that CNC's plastic and have them build me a little 1/2" tall base that the system sits on.

Cheers,
Scott

Nice Skimmer
I'm diggin you choice of materials

For the stand consider just using 1/4" acrylic doubled up, easy to find and cheap. For a professional touch rough cut it to shape to of the skimmer base then use a router with a triple fluted trim flush bit to trace it flush to match the base.
Send me the base I can do it for you. Otherwise call laser impressions in Saskatoon and they'll laser cut it for you. CNC will be much more money.

Thanks Steve. I sent out a couple emails but I will give them a shout tomorrow and see what they can do for me.

Thanks Greg, I have been fairly selective on equipment. I am trying to maximize my systems reliability. I am 95% sure I am going to use the RD3 speedy pumps for the return and manifold.

The cabinetry is close to done. There are some big corrections that need to be made but you can get the overall idea. The gap in the doors on both the snake tanks and aquarium top need to be backed so there is no light leak. The lower brace on the aquarium top needs to be altered so I don't lean on it when I get into the tank from the front. Countertops need to be installed. Blah blah blah. Carpets were to be installed on wednesday but they double booked and bounced us to next week.

On a side note, I am tired of dealing with contractors that don't seem to care.

Enjoy!

Snake wall
http://www.lithicimages.com/photos/i...-QgxHZkr-M.jpg

http://www.lithicimages.com/photos/i...-RVL9GR6-M.jpg

http://www.lithicimages.com/photos/i...-w9wDNLb-M.jpg

http://www.lithicimages.com/photos/i...-w9wDNLb-M.jpg

http://www.lithicimages.com/photos/i...-QMqLWMX-M.jpg

That's an awesome looking set up, very modern feel to it. With the new carpets it should freshen up the room...

Wow, beautiful work. Looking forward to seeing this wet.

Frikin DROOL!

That looks fantastic!

Very nice!

Thanks everyone. It's just a glass box until I get some life into there! I am anxiously awaiting some return pumps and a custom stand for my skimmer. After that, it's go time!

The carpet is in but I am at work. I have some iPhone pictures from Wendy but the iPhone won't do the work justice. I will post new ones once I get home :)

I also worked on the overflow plumbing that connects the overflow to the sumps. I am regretting using spa flex since it still had a bit of curl to it. I am concerned that the PVC cement won't fill the slight angle that the spa flex enters the bulkhead. If I have a leak I will re do the span with rigid 2" PVC.

I am still unsure about Apex vs Profilux. I was pretty sure Apex was the one for me, but the new wireless Mitras control has begun to sway me to the GHL side :) I want to be able to control my pumps (I decided on the new RE RD3 pumps that are 5-10v controllable), my mp40es vortechs, have water leak detectors, control water changes, run my doser, and control my lights. Well neither could run my lights not that long ago, but the new wireless module from GHL is a bit of a game changer. The more I have been reading aquadigital's reviews on how to set up AWC and ATO features on the Profilux, the easier it looks.

Any words of wisdom? I know nineball (RC) switched from Profilux to Apex and they said it was a great switch. Help....

Scott

Some tank shots. Carpet's in, baseboards are on!

http://www.lithicimages.com/photos/i...-B7N2RQq-L.jpg

http://www.lithicimages.com/photos/i...-FDKgVtH-L.jpg

http://www.lithicimages.com/photos/i...-6Fkh3Kz-L.jpg

http://www.lithicimages.com/photos/i...-Qjm7Cjb-L.jpg

Fish room.

http://www.lithicimages.com/photos/i...-SgsKh3g-L.jpg

http://www.lithicimages.com/photos/i...-XRz9Zkm-L.jpg

The Snake wall. Still needs some backing, tanks cleaned, a little light sealing, bla bla bla.

http://www.lithicimages.com/photos/i...-Kh3889S-L.jpg

Fireplace, cabinetry, carpets, tile... nearly done!

http://www.lithicimages.com/photos/i...-fbwwQtR-L.jpg

I still need some ducting work, and a light fixture or two. Then all the work on the tank :)

Cheers,
Scott

looks fantastic! at first I thought you were using ikea cupboard panels but that seems unlikely given the variety of shapes you've used on the project. is that wood you finished yourself?

Thanks! No I did not do the cabinetry. We hired a company to custom build it for us.

Looks great man, turned out awesome. Now the fun stuff begins :mrgreen:

We just had 10 babies hatch :)

http://www.lithicimages.com/photos/i...-C8XSps7-L.jpg

:biggrin:

Awesome :smile:

looks fantastic.

Thanks Dave, your old system is one of my main inspirations for this tank! I hope to be able to grow SPS like you can.

So I have narrowed it down to two pumps: 3 x RD3 80w with 0-10v controllers OR 3 x Abyzz A100. I could have the Abyzz in a week. The RD3's "possibly" sometime in October. The only catch is the 3 RD3's would cost as much as 2 A100's... But I like the idea of running the A100's controllers as they were meant to, in tandem working together. I could easily work the return plumbing to maximize what the programming could allow for.

Also, I plumbed some spa-flex between the overflow and returns and am getting a slow drip from both bulkheads on the top sump. I am going to cut out the spa-flex, grab a female/female 2" coupler and new bulkheads and remake the connection with 2" rigid. That should alleviate any weird stress on the bulkhead gasket. Any objections?

I heard the new dc option from vertex should be out soon.

One thing that I have found.
If you install the bulkhead gasket dry, quite often it will end up leaking ( dripping ).
I usually pop the whole fitting into a bucket of water just before installation.
You get a way better seal on the gasket and won't have the dripping problem.

Cool. Unfortunately I cannot remove the bulkhead in it's current state. It is glued in! I will give the gaskets a dip when I re-do the plumbing :) It can't hurt!

I pulled the trigger and ordered a Profilux 3.1N eX Ultimate set, a second 6D-PAB powerbar, mitras controller, vortech controller, some optical level sensors, and a humidity/temperature sensor and card, slave doser.

I decided to go with GHL since I have 3 Mitras already, and the programming support is there if you look for it, and the programability is endless. Aqua digital, you're going to be called on haahaa! I want the Mitras and doser to be controlled, ATO & AWC operational, email alerts and monitoring/controllability away from the system. I want to be able to asses the system for Wendy when I am away from work!

It won't all be in until the start of October, which is ok since that's when the RD3 80w is supposed to be released. If the pumps aren't ready then I have decided to buy the Abyzz pumps, which are available now.

I just bought this beauty for the new tank (have I mentioned I love my LFS):

https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.n...79721124_n.jpg

I ordered my pumps, an Abyzz A200 for the main return and an Abyzz A100 for the lower sump/manifold pump. I felt a little sick ordering them but I can't wait for the RD3 80w anymore. I have a feeling it's still a couple months away from making it to Canada.

The Abyzz sound amazing, but this will be my first encounter with them so I will do a little review once I get them here. They are controllable by the Profilux so feeding mode, thunderstorms, etc. will all have pump responses.

Cheers,
Scott

balling bro :thumb:

Wow awesome oj hammer Scott!

~Tony

Go big or go home..... damn tank is worth more than the basement reno now. Feel like helping me with some Profilux programming when I get it :) I have been reading up but will likely need some help haahaa!

I messed up on the pictures. I am being told this is the one I bought :)

https://scontent-a-sea.xx.fbcdn.net/...57847200_n.jpg

Gotta catch them all Scott! Try the lps auction! :-) p. S did you see the torch I posted in the "ultra lps" thread?

~Tony

OMG Scott that is a beautiful piece you got me drooling all over here..

Unfortunately I made a mistake when I posted that picture. That's the one I thought I was buying, but I was notified I bought the one in the picture below it. Still a cool hammer, but not as cool as the orange one!

So be it, you win some you lose some :)

Soooo I just found out that I need to wire a 240v receptacle for the Abyzz a200. Not a deal breaker but an added expense. I just wanted to throw that out there so anyone that is looking for one and comes across this thread gets the heads up. Back to wiring.....

I've been thinking more about the rockscape, and more specifically how to secure odd, off balanced structures. I think I will get my hands on some thicker pvc sheets and put rods into the base to secure the structures base to. Then in anticipation for the corals I wasn't to make a peg system to be able to move corals if need be. I know I have seen them on RC, but does anyone use them in their own tank. Any advice? What type of frag plugs do you use?