The LAST big upgrade

[kien]

Originally Posted by Eb0la11

Shouldn't your tank (glass) come before your rock or are you buying dry rock for base?

You can always leave the rock curing or cooking in trash cans or rubbermaid tubs while you wait for your build to come together :-) Then when your tank is ready your rocks should be ready and you can just plunk them into the tank nice and clean, cured and away you go!

[imcosmokramer]

wow, can't wait to see this one!
________
LIVE SEX WEBSHOWS

[michika]

And a new television!

Originally Posted by kien

You can always leave the rock curing or cooking in trash cans or rubbermaid tubs while you wait for your build to come together :-) Then when your tank is ready your rocks should be ready and you can just plunk them into the tank nice and clean, cured and away you go!

True true. I need to do more work on the basement to make space for that. Right now we have space only for the unassembled glass or curing rock. Maybe I'll have enough of a refund to buy both instead of one or the other!

[es355lucille]

Catherine, from your drawing on the cardboard you are going with a tower of rock?? Very cool.....IMO drilling the rock to fit on PSV piping is more secure and looks better than zip tieing all the rocks .....if you are doing a tower. You may have to zip some rock but keep the larger ones secured by drilling and placing onto a PVC structure (or something secure)

I tried using too big of a drill bit to drill the rock and I broke a couple of rocks before I figured out to use a small bit and drill the outer circuference of the hole in the rock to fit onto the PVC. If you go this route.....just a hint.

Everything looks awesome!!

Brad

[lastlight]

Yes I've done the same with 100% success. Small bit to make a circle then snap the core out.

[es355lucille]

Ok, I was not so bright. It took me breaking a couple of outstanding rocks to realize that I was the idiot on the end of the drill!!! I will drill anything now with the same 100% success.

Catherine if you guys have not done this before, it is very easy...

Originally Posted by lastlight

Yes I've done the same with 100% success. Small bit to make a circle then snap the core out.

[lastlight]

I even used a crappy old wood bit lol. Please do yourself a favour and get some decent masonry bits.

[michika]

Will do!

A bit of a photo dump since I'm pressed for time this morning.

Old skimmer box which Kevin wanted to replicate.


New box turned out bigger, not sure why.


Then there was sort of a skimmer. Before the box was drilled. Just to give you an idea Kevin is 6.4". I also for the record hate that shirt.


He glued the damaged plumbing, and wants to see if the repair will hold. If not he says he'll replace it.


A look down inside the beast.


Our box from Bulk Reef Supply...I couldn't lift it and it barely fit through our door.


Goodies and the Captain for reference.

[Delphinus]

What was the skimmer you have again? Did you guys build it? Looks like a 3 injector beckett? Or is it something else. I have this vague recollection of a skimmer broken in transit but can't remember if that was you or someone else. I looked back a few pages but grew weary of not instantly finding the info I sought so I'm just asking here. Besides, asking in a thread is the same as googling stuff.

[michika]

The skimmer is a DIY design. It is currently a dual beckett, but Kevin's going to add in a dual recirc/needlewheel design to bump up its efficiency. This was the same skimmer that got destroyed by Greyhound. Kevin rebuilt the box on it, but after about 6 months of testing is debating once again changing the box design because he isn't 100% happy with his first choice.