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View Full Version : The Rebuild Please tag along


oneoffcustom
10/11/2008, 12:54 AM
Hello,

My name is nick, i started a thread a few months back in this forum. When i first started salt water i was immediatly drawn to nano tanks. After many years of freshwater off and on, i began talking to my cousin about the possibilities of going into a salt water adventure. Some of you may have stumbled on his build thread for a in wall 250 gallon. My original idea was to do a tiny tank maybe an all inclusive but i never quite had the money all at once to buy, and was terribly scared that salt water let alone a reef tank would be possible for me. After several talks with my cousin he convinced me that a 10 gallon or lower would not be a good fit for me, so i gave up the idea. I later set up a 29 rushed the tank, got ich, treated with copper to display lost lots of money. This ended my salt career.So after about a month of playing around on here and reading i decided to go back to what originally attracted me in the first place a true nano. I ended up selecting a 2.5 gallon. I purchases about 5 lbs live rock 10 lbs of sand and began a non rushed approach.The tank actually did great for almost three months, my frags were growing coraline was comeing in nicely, then hurricane ike came took my power and killed my joy. Currently i now have two baby box turtles in the tank but just ordered the parts to get it up again. I currently have been working on aa 46 gallon bowfront that i drilled built rock wall and am cycling with a 29 gallon sump. I am going to tie the 2.5 into my sump and share the water volume. Now if you made it this far down here are my plans and where i could really use your help.

1. first i plan on drilling the bottom of the tank with two 3/4 double slip bulk heads. I then want to extend the drain and return to almost the top of the tank maybe about a 1/2 inch from the lip. On one side i will knotch the pvc to drain down to my sump, and on the return side come up 90 with a lockline fitting and nozzle.

now where i need help will be what type of return pump can i use. i do have handy a maxi-jet 1200 unused but not quite sure how to attach to it being i will be using 3/4 pvc, any help there would be great.

please help and tag along to give me some good pointers.

AwkwardParrot
10/11/2008, 08:03 AM
-First, sorry about you luck.....(there are reef safe ich treatments, copper will kill corals, and get a generator!)
-Second, congrats on the 46 Bow, you won't be disappointed with the flow you can get in there.
-Third, I'd be afraid of drilling a 2.5g tank, the glass gets really thin and usually can only handle 1 hole.
-Forth, if you get the holes drilled, i would recommend sizing down the return line to 1/2". You can get an adapter to go from PVC to rubber hose and run the rubber hose MJ1200.
-Fifth, and final pictures tell a thousand stories! Lets see your tanks!

oneoffcustom
10/11/2008, 09:06 PM
Ok, so i did order 3/4 bulkheads also the lock line pieces i needed to drill. Awkward i would have went with 1/2 and played with the idea but i had ordered b4 i got your reply. I was able though however to drill the bottom of the tank 2 times in each back corner. My plan is to run my pvc up to top in each corner. All flow for tank will come from what ever pump i decide to buy for my return. I may still try to reduce the 3/4 pvc to 1/2 inch barb, and still try maxi -jet though. As for pictured let me dig around i really didnt have any late photos of tank as i expected it to be around longer and my photo's always look like butt.

oneoffcustom
10/11/2008, 09:36 PM
Some green zoas, and some kind of anemone

http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x18/oneoffcustom/DSCF1219.jpg

Pseudiochromis

http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x18/oneoffcustom/PIC_0365.jpg

Yellow Polyps

http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x18/oneoffcustom/PIC_0333.jpg

http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x18/oneoffcustom/PIC_0334.jpg

http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x18/oneoffcustom/PIC_0335.jpg

As i said there were much more but the power outage killed b4 i could do a photo session. Here are some of my cycling 46 gallon with my bangai cardinals.

http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x18/oneoffcustom/DSCF1429.jpg

Now back to my current side project the 2.5

Holes drilled, lights and stand built minus the legs to be added

http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x18/oneoffcustom/DSCF1423.jpg

http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x18/oneoffcustom/DSCF1424.jpg

http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x18/oneoffcustom/DSCF1427.jpg

Well will update more when i get in my parts and figure out my stand.

AwkwardParrot
10/12/2008, 09:05 AM
Glad to see things are starting to come around. Like the progress and i would also put check valves and ball shut off valves in your systems, so you can control the flow and stop flow if you loose power again. I was wondering if i could see a picture of your fuge too.

oneoffcustom
10/12/2008, 03:49 PM
on the return and the supply side, i will have ball valves to get flow in the range. I have changed my mind and will be doing a ten gallon sump.