Alysiak00's 40B display/40B sump build

[Alysiak00]

Here starts the build of my new tank. Heres what I planned, where i'm at, and where i'm going. Here we go...

The initial design.
since a standard 40b is (36 3/16 x 18 1/4 x 17), i went with an overall stand of [40"L x 25 1/2" W x 44" T]

I wanted:
-a stand that can house a 40b display tank and a 40b sump.
-to have a removable side panel to allow the sump to slide into.
-a magnetic front panel to house wonderful open access to sump area.
-to be tall enough to be appealing to the eye and have room for interior shelf.

so here starts the pictures of the expected results (minus the canopy that will be built)

*make the stand out of 2x4
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/Screenshot2011-10-24at92418PM.png

*sheath the sides with 1/2" birch
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/Screenshot2011-10-24at92439PM.png
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/Screenshot2011-10-24at92717PM.png

*Add recessed magnets to allow a front panel, and bottom panel to sump area
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/Screenshot2011-10-24at92753PM.png

*all closed up
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/Screenshot2011-10-24at92934PM.png

*1/2" birch top
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/Screenshot2011-10-24at92950PM.png

*sump area
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/Screenshot2011-10-24at93244PM.png

*finished design without the canopy. will be drilled for two 1 1/2" bulkheads with the glass-holes 1500gph kit
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/Screenshot2011-10-24at93235PM.png

[Alysiak00]

came home and started to put together the stand. yesterday i had cut out the board and they're lengths....this is what i started with

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/3902c057.jpg

P.S: I transported home 6 full length (8ft boards) in my cavalier. i thought it was funny

[Alysiak00]

I then used a kreg jib and pocket holed the corners of the needed boards.
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/4df0cb80.jpg

i figured i had an extra tube of liquid nail....that should hold her...lol
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/9671ffeb.jpg

platforms are made (you can see i also added a regular screw on the opposite side....go big or go home)
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/dcfbe9ac.jpg

Now added the center braces. (i only added a single brace to the bottom)
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/3233cc8e.jpg

Little more progress. ( i love how tall it is!!!)
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/83159351.jpg

barely fit in the shed. this is also with the other 4 face pieces on. (for some reason the front board looks off but believe me its flush :D )
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/6a15839a.jpg

The stand rocks a little when on flat ground but when the sheath the rear it should rack it back into place. its only about an 1/8" off

[Bnortz]

lookin good. ill be following along. what equipment will you be using (lighting, pumps, etc.) ??

[dublo8]

Looks good so far. I hope your not done with the framing of the stand because you need a little more support. Add 4 more 2x4s on the inside of the 4 corners. All of them touching the ground and flush with the top. Secure them from the inside. With the way you have it now it's not going to support any weight pushing on it from one side or the other. It may support the weight of the tank but if somebody leans on it from either side your going to have a ton of water on the floor, even with the outside skin in place. If you had already planned this or have something you will be doing to combat this then please forgive me but I hate to see a project fail. Search for rocket engineers thread about stand building just to get an idea of what you need.


Sent from my who cares they all do it now.

[yellowRubi]

Thats a great start but i would also add 4 2x4's in each corner flushed with top and bottom

[rovster]

Would a plywood skin screwed to he frame (4 sides) be enough to combat these lateral forces? Just curious...

[dublo8]

Would a plywood skin screwed to he frame (4 sides) be enough to combat these lateral forces? Just curious...

It will help but I wouldn't rely on it. Mine is built similar to yours but I included the inside pieces like I mentioned earlier. It will really help with the stability of the stand. Better to be over built than to wind up with water on the floor.


Sent from my who cares they all do it now.

[Alysiak00]

Looks good so far. I hope your not done with the framing of the stand because you need a little more support. Add 4 more 2x4s on the inside of the 4 corners. All of them touching the ground and flush with the top. Secure them from the inside. With the way you have it now it's not going to support any weight pushing on it from one side or the other. It may support the weight of the tank but if somebody leans on it from either side your going to have a ton of water on the floor, even with the outside skin in place. If you had already planned this or have something you will be doing to combat this then please forgive me but I hate to see a project fail. Search for rocket engineers thread about stand building just to get an idea of what you need.


Sent from my who cares they all do it now.


no its cool. the boards are actually cut and ready to install but i ran out of screws lol. good lookin out though mate

[Alysiak00]

lookin good. ill be following along. what equipment will you be using (lighting, pumps, etc.) ??

lighting is maristar 250w mh with actinic and fiji purple t-5
return is mag 9.5
overflow - glass holes 1500gph kit
flow- mp40
bb tank

[Alysiak00]

i had previously ran out of screws so after picking some up i finished the rough frame. i added a few more screws as well. i doubled up all the single joints and even screwed it in from the sides. maybe a bit overkill but o well lol :D


http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/814b261b.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/b577282d.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/37c680f5.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/3ea43d3b.jpg

i think this stand could hold a dump truck lol

now its time to sand it a bit and then hit it with some killz

[Alysiak00]

smacked some paint on her last night and let it cure overnight.
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/bb30f87d.jpg

got a piece of 1/2" MDF (24"x 48" pre-cut) and notched it out for the sump floor. Its only 24" deep and not 25 1/2" like the actual stand. It left 3/4" on the front and back side but it gives me wiggle room when sheathing it.
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/32b54e51.jpg

Heres the overhang and the countersunk holes.
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/bce6daa6.jpg
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/f39288ab.jpg

Heres the stand after the bottom was completely installed
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/ac396e99.jpg

Didn't really know the downward force that MDF can withstand so i added two more braces to the bottom instead of the single middle brace. Maybe a bit overkill but o well....whats new lol. I had a few extra boards anyway.
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/e425bd57.jpg
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/35ef8ee4.jpg

after the bottom braces were together i had some extra liquid nail so i used it as a caulk....idk if it'll do it anything but it seemed like a good idea
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/67e408c2.jpg

and i had some time to hit it with a second coat of killz (oil-based latex) before the night was through
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/29b8ea34.jpg

[Wannabe29]

Before you put your sump in the stand, you might want to put down some sort of pad or mat over that MDF bottom to prevent any kind of scratching of that kilz paint. MDF+water=bad things. Just sayin'.

[Alysiak00]

Before you put your sump in the stand, you might want to put down some sort of pad or mat over that MDF bottom to prevent any kind of scratching of that kilz paint. MDF+water=bad things. Just sayin'.

i had thought of this but i figured that the 3 coats of killz would seal it enough...you dont think so?

[hoju74]

How did the stand work out ?

I'm doing a 50 breeder display with a 40 breeder sump, so this design is perfect....that is if the stand can support the tank :)

[Alysiak00]

How did the stand work out ?

I'm doing a 50 breeder display with a 40 breeder sump, so this design is perfect....that is if the stand can support the tank :)

Im in the process of sheathing the outside (with pics of course).
the stand is absolutely bulletproof. I would trust this thing with a 100g tank if it would fit on top.

[hoju74]

Awesome, thanks.

I would think the plywood would help against racking. My plan is to leave the back open and do 4 pieces of triangle plywood in the corners.

[Alysiak00]

im going to be picking up the sheathing today or tomorrow. Im using 1/2" birch for the the top and three sides.

i then will be adding some finish grade birch (because its lighter) to the top and bottom for aesthetic purposes. As far as the triangular pieces go, idk if im going to add them yet because im putting a shelf up top as well as a dj box. i will see how much room i have and may just use the excess 2x4 and make 45 degree braces

[Alysiak00]

Got a little more done last night. Re coated the bottom (3rd coat of killz) and siliconed the edges of the sump area. Should have some more pics tonight after getting the sheathing

[Alysiak00]

okay got a little side tracked. I had my mothers wedding and couldn't build all day saturday.....but that doesn't mean i didn't do anything.

i had to be at the chapel at 11 so i went early and got my sheathing....WAHOO

Started out with a nice good stack of lumber
It was a 4x8 sheet of 1/2" Birch, a 2x4 sheet of 1/2" Birch, some trim and a shelf piece

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/e54594a4.jpg

Fitted the top first so i could line up the sides. It was a tad long so i nipped some off.
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/c2f85d3f.jpg

Got the top set, lines drawn, and screwed in for fitment (no glue or shims). Remember, you can use scrap pieces as straight edges ;)

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/8dcfc591.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/f385099d.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/456c6c63.jpg

also, i countersunk the top screws with a 5/16" bit. I use it on backwards so it doesn't dig in and take too much. just a little tip
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/8bd5abf8.jpg

[Alysiak00]

After the top was on it was time to tip her over and apply one of the sides

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/4ca740e5.jpg

pretty straight forward, line up the top, screw it in in two spots, then screw in the rest. its flush!

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/8c05351c.jpg

and applied!

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/cce582e0.jpg

[Alysiak00]

safety first, so i put down a few towels to not scratch the other side.

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/65e58834.jpg

Heres an example of how i did the lining up. I first drilled and screwed it with one screw. then lined up the other corner on same side. after that i just worked my way down

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/31265476.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/ed225c1b.jpg

If you hadn't noticed this will be the side with the smaller piece (width wise). to fix this i used one of the scraps from the 1/2" birch. I ALWAYS SAVE MY SCRAP! especially in this case

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/656ccf41.jpg
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/b565c477.jpg

heres the missing area (1 1/2".....the side panel is 25 1/2 x 44 1/2", the piece used was 24x 48". just a lot cheaper to make a $12 piece fit than a whole $50 sheet of plywood

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/22b63d83.jpg

heres the piece

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/b5cd81be.jpg

Screwed down the piece in place (ensuring the top was flush) then trimmed it to fit

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/b181ba7d.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/fec1dff0.jpg

[Alysiak00]

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/b99e310b.jpg

more trimming

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/676a7772.jpg

i left a half a small overhang on this side to match the other side and the top

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/ef6c407e.jpg

[Wannabe29]

i had thought of this but i figured that the 3 coats of killz would seal it enough...you dont think so?

Well...MDF doesn't really absorb paint.....just water, apparently. So, over time, you could wind up wearing off some of that kilz through normal wear and tear. If it was just water that you had to worry about hitting it, then it would be fine. However, you're going to be putting a sump full of water on top of it. If you ever have to shift the sump or move it, you could wind up scratching the kilz off. Or, if you drop some LR on it, or anything else hard and sharp. It's just not worth the risk, in my opinion.

That, and there's this to think about: My wife bought a set of tv tables from target. They have wooden legs and an MDF table top. The table is "sealed" with some kind of heavy duty substance the same color as the stain on the legs (a really dark brown color). Well, I left a cold glass of water on one this past summer and forgot about it. I took the cup off and the condensation that dripped on the table apparently soaked through this seemingly sealed surface and caused the MDF to puff up under where the glass was. So, beware. You absolutely cannot let any water get through to MDF.

I would try to find some kind of thin, hard plastic sheeting or the like to put over the bottom before you put the sump in.

[Alysiak00]

Well...MDF doesn't really absorb paint.....just water, apparently. So, over time, you could wind up wearing off some of that kilz through normal wear and tear. If it was just water that you had to worry about hitting it, then it would be fine. However, you're going to be putting a sump full of water on top of it. If you ever have to shift the sump or move it, you could wind up scratching the kilz off. Or, if you drop some LR on it, or anything else hard and sharp. It's just not worth the risk, in my opinion.

That, and there's this to think about: My wife bought a set of tv tables from target. They have wooden legs and an MDF table top. The table is "sealed" with some kind of heavy duty substance the same color as the stain on the legs (a really dark brown color). Well, I left a cold glass of water on one this past summer and forgot about it. I took the cup off and the condensation that dripped on the table apparently soaked through this seemingly sealed surface and caused the MDF to puff up under where the glass was. So, beware. You absolutely cannot let any water get through to MDF.

I would try to find some kind of thin, hard plastic sheeting or the like to put over the bottom before you put the sump in.

lol i've been warned many times. im probably going to swap it for a piece of birch tomorrow. no sweat, i figure i might as well do it now while its apart :D

[Alysiak00]

drilled out the magnet holes. the magnets used are 11/32nds when stacked on top of each other, so i drilled a hole the same depth with my spade bit. the key was going extremely slow as not to go to deep or accidentally dig in and remove too much.

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/7c24fd31.jpg

half way

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/5a94dac3.jpg

check it...

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/1474709e.jpg

and done...without magnets of course

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/c2bc2d59.jpg

[Alysiak00]

used up the rest of the killz tonight so time for another can tomorrow to finish the top and front door.

two sides before paint

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/9bedfac8.jpg

everything after some paint

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/25e499a6.jpg
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/1e55b1b7.jpg

[Alysiak00]

daylight savings time wasn't keeping me from working today. according to the weather we have 3 days of 60 degree weather. is it a miracle?

heres the old bottom (mdf)
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/9bd3ac40.jpg

new piece (2x4 quick panel of 1/2" birch)
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/64c3ed1c.jpg

with all the screws out of the old piece and with a little.....okay....maybe a heck of a lot....of beating on the wood, it finally came out.
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/6608bc16.jpg

whoever says glue doesn't hold. heres proof :D
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/ac9fd5f2.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/00b8d4ba.jpg

[Alysiak00]

measured out the new piece and cut out the knotches. I got lucky and got it right the first try
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/40e0dd8e.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/e4e7d56e.jpg

I took the new piece out and stacked the old piece on top. i then screwed them together and drilled the pilot holes through the old board as a template. this way all the already drilled holes would line up
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/0052ee89.jpg

apparently i forgot to take a few pics along the way but pretty much just did some paint and made a quick shelf for the stand. heres the top piece being painted along with the shelf
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/c0609fe7.jpg

the front panel getting its 3rd coat of killz. also, let me note that i used a roller today for all the paint (except the edges) and my god.....its amazing. im a roller for life. the finish came out 150% better than with a brush. just my .02 cents ;)
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/3739fcc5.jpg

And heres the stand as its drying. i painted the bottom panel and also assembled the right hand side.
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/4f825eb7.jpg

[Alysiak00]

woke up to some nice dry paint
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/875d8315.jpg
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/b0861713.jpg

came home from work and installed the shelf (it was finally dry)
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/ac9f588e.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/0e249c34.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/2544cf83.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/5dad54a0.jpg

Heres a bad shot of the backside (the piece is 3 1/2" wide so i left 2 inches above the shelf as a backplate so things won't roll off
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/28c66592.jpg

[Alysiak00]

before adding the top piece i leveled the stand
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/8fd64337.jpg

not too shabby ( not perfect but close enough)
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/39abe361.jpg

then on went the top piece
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/bdad2cca.jpg

believe it or not, the top piece was completely level with no need for shims.....SWEET
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/35bbce93.jpg

on came more screws to hold her down, this wrapped up the top piece
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/aa38751b.jpg

[Alysiak00]

finished off the night by coating the exterior with leftover killz, seeing as how it is indeed a sealer ;)
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/a7d11d65.jpg

I know these are bad shots but i figured i could throw them in anyway. I was messing around with different features on the camera

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/a44d583b.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/dba196d5.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/6bf903c7.jpg

The paint on the outside is wet (thats why it looks funny)
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/7f17e6ab.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/885e09aa.jpg

[Alysiak00]

Had a productive night. Got most of the trim done and mounted a few more magnets as the "Heavy Duty" ones i got apparently don't live up to their name.

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/c260470e.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/31ca803d.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/4b82fdc3.jpg

The whole front panel comes off but it rests on the 1x2 i mounted
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/a040cd39.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/dbb3d529.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/576357a9.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/7c86910c.jpg


And everything was going great until......I woke up to this :(
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/6f0c748c.jpg

[Chris Lakies]

Nice work! An oversized stand help a lot!! Wish i would have had the time or patience to build one.

[Alysiak00]

ended up using the last of my killz to coat the outside. Today its supposed to be almost 60 so i figure it might be a good time to throw some filler primer on the outside skin.

-also, ive been borrowing my buddies miter box and while i have it i might contemplate throwing a canopy together. my current issue is coming up with a design that won't make the tank look horrendously tiny. any thoughts?

[syrinx]

I have a tall canopy on a tall stand with a 40 breeder- It actually looks good like a collum. Compared to the 65 on the same stand it does make the tank look small- but after a couple weeks I like it. After all if the tank is cool- the stand is not being looked at.

[Alysiak00]

I'm actually in the process of coming up with a sketch for the canopy. Also, its been a heat wave all weekend. In the upper 50s, lower 60s so I figure it was time to get her in primer. I'm trying to decide what color to paint it. Whether I want to go flat or satin black. I wanted to put some polyurethane on it so I guess that'll make it gloss anyway lol

[Alysiak00]

Here was the stand before i put paint on it. (i dont know how i missed a picture without the trim on it)
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/50b05ea1.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/34904fe1.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/d0e55ed7.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/14309c42.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/f7a5660b.jpg


Then came the primer
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/d16fb87f.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/d948dd36.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/e89ab95f.jpg

[Alysiak00]

while the paint was drying i ordered my overflow and got some measurements to start building the sump.

went with
-1500gph glass-holes kit
-3/4" loc line return

[Alysiak00]

Well i got my confirmation of shipment from glass-holes. I couldn't believe it was actually shipped so fast seeing as how he had just had foot surgery. Just goes to show ya the dedication of some people to their customers. +1 Glass holes!!!!

anyways, i ordered my glass for the sump so i should have that assembled by the weekend

[Alysiak00]

Wahoo!!!! The overflow is here. 3 days from California is pretty fast shipping :D

anyways, here we go

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/62f2c346.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/a5042ec6.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/378ca5af.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/8954ed40.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/13e7d31c.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/2cc5192a.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/5924a93b.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/515eba31.jpg

[Jeff000]

Looking real good, and way overbuilt.
For the canopy, make a real short upside down stand to go on top of the tank, more or less.

Would a plywood skin screwed to he frame (4 sides) be enough to combat these lateral forces? Just curious...

Just to clarify, a 24" peice of 3/4" plywood on edge can hold more then 2000 lbs if you support it from deflecting. A stand made with a 24" wide pieces of 3/4" plywood for each end and a 4" piece tado'd up to make corners would hold a huge tank just fine. And if it is glass no need to support the whole length so no need for center bracing.

Overbuilding is better then under building, but most stands on here are past overkill.

Also, simple wood glue will hold better then pl glue.

[Alysiak00]

Thanks for comments mate

So, after getting the overflow i just couldn't contain myself so i had to jump right in and get her test fitted

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/7e7470ed.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/cb70b00b.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/9e209198.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/fd8d32e9.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/5525603a.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/ab38c4bc.jpg

[Alysiak00]

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/8bfa73b8.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/0267b20a.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/5ddda11f.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/d3cf45b1.jpg

TA DA!!! test fit
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/af6d889e.jpg

[fanandy8]

Looking good, can't wait to start my 40B build after the holidays.

[Alysiak00]

Looking good, can't wait to start my 40B build after the holidays.

thanks man. what do you have planned for your 40?

[fanandy8]

thanks man. what do you have planned for your 40?

Mainly SPS lit with a Tek 4x39 fixture, gonna use 30 gallon sump that I have, got to make my stand to have that underneath since it's also 36" long just like the 40B.

[creefer01]

Nice build so far. I'm planning a rimless starphire 40B right now. Can't wait.

[Alysiak00]

Mainly SPS lit with a Tek 4x39 fixture, gonna use 30 gallon sump that I have, got to make my stand to have that underneath since it's also 36" long just like the 40B.

sounds awesome!!! shoot me a pm when you start it, i'd love to see it :D

[Alysiak00]

Nice build so far. I'm planning a rimless starphire 40B right now. Can't wait.

Once again, another tank i will be awaiting the arrival of :D

[Devaji108]

nice overflow and drilling! gonna be doing that some day to. your a pro at it.
any tips?

[Alysiak00]

nice overflow and drilling! gonna be doing that some day to. your a pro at it.
any tips?

Lol, I appreciate the complement but i assure you im not an expert. The trick to drilling is patience, good sharp bit, a cordless drill WITH a clutch and a level, and did i mention patience.

When i drilled mine i had used the included gear from glass-holes. Its all new, nice and sharp, and good to go. When using the drill watch the level on the back to make sure its nice and straight up and down. Also, if your sensitive to loud noises you may need earplugs as the screeching from the bit is quite high pitched.

Another tip is don't try and beat around the bush for a cheap alternative to things. Do it right the first time. I made a special trip to HD for a hacksaw (for the bulkhead trimming), and a tub of plummers putty (i ran out from drilling a friends tank).

Make sure to keep checking the water temp and to have a towel underneath the hole to catch the glass when it falls. It could, and probably will, break the glass if it hits it. Have your drill on the lowest setting (clutch). When it breaks through the opposite side it will catch and stop the bit. This is when you know your through :D

Any other questions? Id love to answer them! Also, don't be intimidated by drilling glass. Its quite fun and really irritates your spouse when their watching Bridezillas LOL!!!!

[mndfreeze]

If you can afford it, buy some super cheap garbage 10 gallon to practice your drilling first. My first attempt left me with a cracked 15G. Thankfully it was suoper cheap to replace but if I was doing some huge tank I would have been piissssssseeeddddd...

[Alysiak00]

Tank got a little masking tape, some cover up (marcs coupons), and a bit of fusion paint

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/9502ce9c.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/e2e6c245.jpg

And just for the record, i didn't paint it in my house. As warm and as cozy as it was i couldn't bring myself to do it. So instead i moved as swiftly as possible and shot it with paint outside then dragged it back into the kitchen to dry. Its warmer in here and it'll fully cure.

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/d0e94fb9.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/c0ecef1b.jpg

[Alysiak00]

The tanks been sitting in the corner for two days so its good and cured. I then drug it onto the counter again to trim the bulkheads.

I put it all back together again to notch the threads, notice the slight groove from the hacksaw. You want it 1/8" sticking out which is a little shorter than two threads. so, two threads it was!!!

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/23905037.jpg

Heres after the edges were filed down and smooth and how much was taken off. If you have never done this before its tricky unless you have a jig or a vise. the hacksaw wants to dig in and cut at a 45 which you need to avoid at all costs.

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/0e8e3896.jpg

Fully assembled (minus the overflow top)

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/4761584f.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/2dee404d.jpg

And now its back in time out (the corner) to cure a few more days while i assemble the sump. Theres a teaser in this pic for my lighting setup....can you find it?

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/5456ee5f.jpg

[freetareef]

sweet!!! can't wait to see you fill it up!!

[Alysiak00]

Now started the sump build, and let me say that ordering glass is the way to go!!! You may have to wait a few days to get it but its sturdy, beautiful and definitely going to stick to the glass (sometimes acrylic has bonding issues).

I originally planned on buying it ($48) but then the guy at work knew the owner....can you say score!!!! I felt bad taking it for free so a 12pk of Budweiser did the trick :thumbsup:

Heres what it looked like
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/50af4607.jpg

It's 1/4", which i wouldn't go any less. I also had him sand the edges which helps when digging around in the sump and it looks gorgeous.

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/3c7fe975.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/2f8c3025.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/327c61c8.jpg

And of course the most important part...AQUARIUM SAFE SILICONE. Just get it at your local petco, pet supplies plus, blah blah blah. It'll run ya like $11-$13 bucks. Yes i know, there may be other stuff that works ($7-$8) but for the extra 5 bucks i like knowing its completely safe.

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/7da115bd.jpg

[Alysiak00]

The sump consists of...
-obviously a 40b AGA
-4 baffles total, two of each (17 3/8"x14" and 17 3/8" x 10")
-The skimmer section will have the bubble trap and the opposite side will get the flat 14" piece for a fuge

After an acetone bath the first piece was leveled, squared, taped, then siliconed.

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/5f253dd3.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/768b5a0a.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/1630554c.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/6ac65615.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/6c414820.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/ed6f591a.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/c44dfb9a.jpg

I used cd cases as spacers. I wanted the trap 1" apart from each piece and two cds is almost exact. The middle divider that goes all the way up (the 14" piece) has 4 cds underneath it.

[Alysiak00]

a little paint and ta da!

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/873c2e6f.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/f0428ade.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/a83fd566.jpg

Forgot to add the dimensions:
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/93cde35f.jpg

[Alysiak00]

As of right now all the paint is just curing and im gathering some more of the essentials. Im pondering picking up an eheim 1262 (got a good price) and using that as a return. Nothing like reliability!

Other than that I'm also plotting out my plumbing design. I plan on plumbing in 2 drains (one for each bulkhead), and leading one to the skimmer section on the left, and one to the fuge on the right. Along with this I will make a manifold to hold 2 add ons. One of which will be a lined in BRS reactor and the other will be closed off (in case i add something later)

A lot of people recommend having both drains go to the skimmer and not one to the fuge. Many have it set up that a seperate line off the return feeds the fuge. Id rather have one line going straight on in to the skimmer and another feeding the pods and stars collecting in the fuge. Nothing really wrong with the idea just my ideas on it. Plus, i figure they'll consume the small particulates and everyones gotta eat..ya know!

Now, its time to come up with a plan

[sponger0]

Ok not to criticize cause it is good work but Im concerned about the sump. Is it skimmer, return, fuge?

[Alysiak00]

correct. I like this design as i've had it in the past. Why do you ask?

[sponger0]

Cause I was first worried you were gonna do skimmer, fuge, return lol. I was gonna say its time for a flood lol. But looks good.

[perpetual98]

I'm hoping to do the baffles in my 40 breeder sump tonight. I had it set up in the past as a sump, but an emergency required me to snag it and use it as a display. I'm going with a lot smaller return area so that I can make my refugium section larger. I'm also only going 12" deep with the baffles, but 14" should be fine too. I can't imagine with your overflow what you're going to have a whole ton of water go to the sump with a power outage.

I recently moved my 40 breeder display, but here's how it looked mid-move from behind the stand, which I've since changed up a bit. I managed to move the tank with all plumbing intact. Yay me!

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/14569758/Aquarium/IMAG0068.jpg

[sponger0]

I'm hoping to do the baffles in my 40 breeder sump tonight. I had it set up in the past as a sump, but an emergency required me to snag it and use it as a display. I'm going with a lot smaller return area so that I can make my refugium section larger. I'm also only going 12" deep with the baffles, but 14" should be fine too. I can't imagine with your overflow what you're going to have a whole ton of water go to the sump with a power outage.

I recently moved my 40 breeder display, but here's how it looked mid-move from behind the stand, which I've since changed up a bit. I managed to move the tank with all plumbing intact. Yay me!

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/14569758/Aquarium/IMAG0068.jpg

Just IMO, i would install some unions or tru union ball valves to make it easier to move next time.

[perpetual98]

Just IMO, i would install some unions or tru union ball valves to make it easier to move next time.

:spin1: I wasn't really planning on moving the tank.

[Alysiak00]

:spin1: I wasn't really planning on moving the tank.

lol, i completely agree with ya. We never "plan" on moving the tank.....but we always do!

I do agree with unions. but its a bit late now, right?

[sponger0]

lol, i completely agree with ya. We never "plan" on moving the tank.....but we always do!

I do agree with unions. but its a bit late now, right?

Well if its empty its not too late :). I made mine with unions cause I know one day Ill want to sell it when I upgrade, so itll make it easier to take apart. I tried to plan for anything

[Alysiak00]

Well if its empty its not too late :). I made mine with unions cause I know one day Ill want to sell it when I upgrade, so itll make it easier to take apart. I tried to plan for anything

Planning is key! But i can surely admit that between temptation and patience, it never seems to happen that way lol

[creefer01]

Nice work Alysiak! This is really coming together. I may hijack some of your sump plans. Going to pick up a 40B sump this weekend and will be ordering the display soon. Decided on a 36 x 24 x 16 though. ~60 gal.

Looking forward to seeing this come together.

[perpetual98]

Both of my pumps had unions on them. Both of the unions decided that they wanted to be locked shut. One of them I literally destroyed with a hammer because I couldn't get it apart even with a bench-vice and a 3 foot pipe wrench. Smashing it was therapeutic and I also wanted the o-ring from inside. So yes, at some point I wanted to be able to get the pumps off the pipe, that's why I put unions on them, but after a few years of being in use, they weren't coming apart anyway. Oh well.

[Alysiak00]

Both of my pumps had unions on them. Both of the unions decided that they wanted to be locked shut. One of them I literally destroyed with a hammer because I couldn't get it apart even with a bench-vice and a 3 foot pipe wrench. Smashing it was therapeutic and I also wanted the o-ring from inside. So yes, at some point I wanted to be able to get the pumps off the pipe, that's why I put unions on them, but after a few years of being in use, they weren't coming apart anyway. Oh well.

To counteract this, if you have a tub of vasoline.....dont comment on that part....i promise it works wonders on these o-rings and threads. I used to use it on my coralife super skimmer which had a notorious problem for leaking from the o-ring, a bit of vasoline and no leak.

[Alysiak00]

Nice work Alysiak! This is really coming together. I may hijack some of your sump plans. Going to pick up a 40B sump this weekend and will be ordering the display soon. Decided on a 36 x 24 x 16 though. ~60 gal.

Looking forward to seeing this come together.

Thanks creefer, its well appreciated. I'd also like to see that tank when you get it, the dimensions are glorious!!!

[Alysiak00]

Well its a bit too chilly here in ohio, (go figure), so i decided to take the stand to work and finish it. It stays a nice warm temp with overhead heaters so it should cure pretty quick.

Got her painted and let it dry overnight. I'll probably stop by tonight and hit it again. I'd like to have 3 coats on it before thanksgiving break so that i can come back on monday and clear it

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/609fa184.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/89c11108.jpg

*can anyone guess my occupation....lol

[Alysiak00]

hit the stand with a 2nd coat of paint today then came home and did a leak test on the sump (48hrs+ of cure time for the silicone). Have some good news....and some bad

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/b68494de.jpg

left and right sections hold water no problem
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/ebf79ac9.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/05fc070d.jpg

Then filled the center return section and everything held up great
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/839d837f.jpg

I then proceeded to let it sit for a half an hour to make sure everything was still holding steady. I came back and noticed a small puddle forming on the inside of the bubble trap.....dang

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/ecc66fbf.jpg

So i emptied the tank, dried it the best i could, and i'll reseal that chamber in the morning. Goes to show ya, if it looks great at first, let it sit a bit to ensure everything is still good. It may be a small small small leak but i'm OCD and I won't be happy unless its fixed :D

[perpetual98]

You don't really need it to be water-tight since water will be flowing through it anyway. Unless you're OCD of course. :)

[Alysiak00]

with this tank im just doing everything the right way....the first time! Im not slacking on any part of it that way it comes out better than expected :D

and for the record, i totally think im OCD!!! LOL

[Alysiak00]

So just got back from work. I added my 3rd coat of paint today (scuffing in between coats). Here is what it looks like after each coat. Its satin black.

*I apologize for the crappy pictures, I dont wanna bring the nice camera to work so the cell phone has to do!

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/c42b57c5.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/ca7a1130.jpg

Little scuff with the pad

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/3fd1430c.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/f63be943.jpg

And of course, after this pic i painted it. Im going to let it cure over thanksgiving (thursday) and wait all day friday and saturday to allow it to cure. I plan on clearing it on saturday after work with some semi-gloss poly. Cant wait!!!!

Also, I re-siliconed the center chamber of the sump this morning and ill re-test it on friday

[Alysiak00]

Actually working today at the moment. But that means i can work on the stand quite a bit. The polyurethane went on today and its curing. It takes about an hour to recoat so that gives me about o.......12 coats :D

I actually chose a satin finish to keep the original color of the black which i liked. I should finish the day with atleast 10 coats and it'll dry over the weekend and come home on monday!

[Alysiak00]

alright well the stand is officially home. It was a bit of a rush (Floors were being painted monday, so stand had to leave work). I bought two cans of satin polyurethane and used that up. It coated the stand about 6 times. It was left to cure for about 4 hours after last coat and was dry to the touch before i loaded her up.

It also must have been a heat wave as it was 60 today so the stand dried a bit more in the bed of the truck before coming inside. So, without further ado.....the stand

The left side comes off to slide the sump in

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/1e4f47f1.jpg

Its almost like i had planned for it to fit perfect :D
Left gap
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/c140aba6.jpg

right gap
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/f77094af.jpg

Left side panel put back on
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/5eeb07ba.jpg

Setup without front panel
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/9a3aa545.jpg

Whole setup
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/429f6be6.jpg

And a last picture that shows its size....its quite large
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/8d8f5965.jpg

[perpetual98]

Very nice work. I don't want to post my new 40b build now because it looks third-world in comparison.

The only thing I've got on you is that I have water in mine. lol

[Alysiak00]

I appreciate the complements. It's was a tight for getting it in the back door lol. I had also wanted to let it dry a bit more. It looks a lit bigger inside my house!

Don't be ashamed to post up ur tank, i love seeing other reefers setups! Even though I'm a bit jelous yours has water.....grrr

[perpetual98]

I will post some pictures once I get some stuff in the stand cleaned up. Right now it looks as if there was a head-on collision between a plumbing supply store and an electrical supply store underneath my stand with zero survivors. I was trying to get my ATO bracket installed this morning and broke it so I need to figure out how to get that secured so I can plumb it into my RO/DI. Does duct-tape stick under water? :p

[perpetual98]

Not to sidetrack your thread, but I started my thread here (http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2100251). I wasn't even as long winded as I normally am. :)

[Alysiak00]

Theres no side tracking going on....it looks good. It definitely needed a good scrubbing but it looks great!

Im in the process of figuring out my plumbing....I love doing it but planning it stinks lol

[Alysiak00]

So, i came up with a plumbing design. Its pretty rough as the sizes are off but it works. I left out the unions because i will have to see where they will fit the best.

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/83fe168c.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/4a6b2894.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/1d8541ce.jpg

[perpetual98]

Looks like it should work fine. Are you going to be balancing the two drains to go to different parts of the sump?

Oh, here's something I'm jealous of.... your Kreg jig. Now if someone would tell my wife what a great stocking-stuffer one would make. :)

[Infiltrator]

How do you plan to set up your sump? What chambers will hold what? Working on that now, so I was wondering what you were doing. Thanks.

[Alysiak00]

How do you plan to set up your sump? What chambers will hold what? Working on that now, so I was wondering what you were doing. Thanks.

when looking at the front of the tank its skimmer->-return-<fuge

[Alysiak00]

Looks like it should work fine. Are you going to be balancing the two drains to go to different parts of the sump?

Oh, here's something I'm jealous of.... your Kreg jig. Now if someone would tell my wife what a great stocking-stuffer one would make. :)

by balance, do you mean like the same length?

[perpetual98]

by balance, do you mean like the same length?

Nah, I was just wondering if you were going to control how much goes to each compartment. Probably not necessary, just curious. Just figured you wanted maybe the refugium to have less flow. As long as your returns can keep up with your return pump, which shouldn't be a problem.

[Alysiak00]

yes i'm putting ball valves on each drain. the fuge will be low flow while the skimmer section will be straight drain

[Alysiak00]

I updated a couple of pictures as i found a decent union model. The sizes of the ball valves coming out of the overflow are still off in size but atleast you get an idea. There will be unions added under these valves also but they wont fit in the picture. I also added the manifold i planned for



http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/f10eee40.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/433e24fe.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/9a62a36e.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/39899705.jpg

[perpetual98]

Why the unions under the tank? I have unions on my pumps so I can pull those out if I need to, but not in the lines themselves. If I need to really jack with my PVC (which I had to do when I moved the tank) I cut it and then cement couplers in. So far, so good.

[Alysiak00]

I like lots of unions just in case of a needed change, pipe addition, or assembly ease

It really helps instead of trying to put in one big pipe lol

[perpetual98]

It really helps instead of trying to put in one big pipe lol

*inserts obligatory "That's what she said!" line here...*

Make sure you add something so the unions don't seize up. Both of mine were seized and one I had to chuck, the other one I got apart. I think someone mentioned Vaseline.

The one I had to chuck I did have fun smashing with a hammer. :spin1:

[Alysiak00]

*inserts obligatory "That's what she said!" line here...*

Make sure you add something so the unions don't seize up. Both of mine were seized and one I had to chuck, the other one I got apart. I think someone mentioned Vaseline.

The one I had to chuck I did have fun smashing with a hammer. :spin1:

lol yes that was me mentioning the vasoline trick. I used it before on a skimmer and a union and it works wonders.

I also don't know how much i would enjoy smashing my tank plumbing...eeek

[perpetual98]

No updates? *taps foot impatiently*

[Alysiak00]

lol okay okay....i was gonna wait till the plumbing was totally done but o well. As usual you always think you have the correct plumbing parts but NOPE....never works that way.

okay so as of today heres where im at...

Gathered up some plumbing
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/6bcc9dba.jpg

got some more plumbing...
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/676a1a02.jpg

then....still had to order more plumbing as i didn't like how the HD ball valves turned :D
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/67a4abc5.jpg

So, started to drill some holes and line things up....(no picture)
And, needless to say i made a mess. So, out came the sump
and the tank to vacuum up the wood scraps
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/a66bfbfe.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/e1d001ea.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/fa06e92b.jpg

[Alysiak00]

When making the cuts i did find out i had some hairline gaps between the tank and the stand. Nothing too crazy to worry about but i had a local tank builder assist me in adding foam to the bottom

*now before i hear griping and moaning let me just say, STOP! i understand the "fish people" say not to put foam under a rimmed tank....got it. BUT, i didnt care for the slight hairline gap under the tank and have a proven method from a veteran with over 15yrs of professional tank building experience to assure me its never failed him....(whew, thats a lot to say).

Now, back to what i was saying. The foam for under the tank is small 1/8" pink foam from HD. It was cut slightly bigger than the actual contact point but not big enough to slide past the rim and be seen through the tank.

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/8f215dec.jpg

It was then cut to size and superglued (very tiny amount) in place
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/8ea32ce9.jpg
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/466e2329.jpg

After the tank was set back upon the stand it was time to finish the assembly. The plumbing had already been dry fitted (yes i know, there are no pictures as my brother had the camera) and I started to glue it into place. The 3/4" return was totally complete other than my manifold so it was glued and set into place.

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/0e2297e7.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/eec9f864.jpg

As of right now, i'm waiting on my ball valves and gate valves from BRS to finish my manifold and the 1 1/2" drains. I have plenty of unions from a local high end pool/spa store and should have that finished the same day the valves arrive. I cant wait!!!

[perpetual98]

Here's the deal with PVC fittings. Go into Home Depot, grab two of everything in at least 3 different sizes. Pay for it, go back out to your car, put it in the trunk, then go back into Home Depot and buy one more of everything.

That way you'll only have to make 3 more trips to Home Depot and one emergency trip to Ace Hardware :)

[Alysiak00]

Here's the deal with PVC fittings. Go into Home Depot, grab two of everything in at least 3 different sizes. Pay for it, go back out to your car, put it in the trunk, then go back into Home Depot and buy one more of everything.

That way you'll only have to make 3 more trips to Home Depot and one emergency trip to Ace Hardware :)

lol, i hate to say it but you may not be too far off! I love the access that i have to lowes and HD but the problem is that their ball valves and gate valves are GARBAGE!!! One of them i couldn't even turn, then another one was already cracked, and a third one was still just too tight for my liking. so, needless to say, i just bit the bullet and ordered the good ones from BRS

P.S: Wait till you see the manifold i'm putting together. Its awesome :D

[Alysiak00]

Well, all the plumbing came and let me say....WOW

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/216b89be.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/bfe590e2.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/0d67712f.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/0d169921.jpg

these valves are absolutely hands down 500x better than the HD stuff. the shutter turns effortlessly, there is a union on both side, fully adjustable with a key, and they give you an extra set of union caps! It was a no brainer!

Okay so I dove right in and got the rest of the drain plumbing done

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/524bb808.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/44c91969.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/b7948545.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/4747e5f0.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/a6c23d4f.jpg

[ReefKeeperSR]

This is going to be a nice setup, looking forward to more progress.

Nicely done.

[Alysiak00]

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/80a810dd.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/b59d6c90.jpg

After the drain line was done i finished up my manifold

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/74781893.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/45bd50ab.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/8888a9e6.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/da80945d.jpg

And....BEHOLD a completed plumbing line!

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/29aec259.jpg

I guess i shouldn't say that its 100% complete because my mag 9.5 has not arrived yet and the drain line into the sump itself is not assembled. I am going to try and fit together two designs and see which I like better. One will be just a straight tube ending under the water line, and another going into the water column and using two 90s to make it face back up. Dont know if either one will reduce noise but we will find out.

[ReefKeeperSR]

Where did you order the gate valves from?

[psteeleb]

looking great and tagging along

[Alysiak00]

Where did you order the gate valves from?

The gate and ball valves i got in the mail came from BRS (BulkReefSupply). Ive always had wonderful results with them. Im also a premium member because of a few group buys i put together :D

[Alysiak00]

well, had to change my source on the mag 9.5 so it looks like i might just get one off ebay (85.99). Im also looking at a new reef octopus with bubble blaster (great deal at 279.99) cant wait!!!!

[Alysiak00]

well, i ordered another mag 9.5 and it should be here by friday....you know what that means. It should have water in it by new years :D

-also, ive been looking at skimmers and still want the SRO2000 but its a bit challenging talking the fiance into forking out $450 on a skimmer.

[perpetual98]

Nicely done!

I'm at a frustrating point with my tank. I will probably do a big water change this week. I got a nice film of algae on everything, which I expected, but it's not fun to look at nonetheless. I will probably do a water change this week and then order a CUC after Xmas.

[Alysiak00]

Nicely done!

I'm at a frustrating point with my tank. I will probably do a big water change this week. I got a nice film of algae on everything, which I expected, but it's not fun to look at nonetheless. I will probably do a water change this week and then order a CUC after Xmas.

how long has the tank been up? is it just cycle algae?

[syrinx]

Here's the deal with PVC fittings. Go into Home Depot, grab two of everything in at least 3 different sizes. Pay for it, go back out to your car, put it in the trunk, then go back into Home Depot and buy one more of everything.

That way you'll only have to make 3 more trips to Home Depot and one emergency trip to Ace Hardware :)

+1 I have my work van with at least 1/4 of the space for plumbing- I have every part needed for any job- except the one I am doing.

[perpetual98]

how long has the tank been up? is it just cycle algae?

Initially it was your typical brown diatoms I think. That seems to have passed, as expected, but my rocks are now what looks like covered in a layer of green dust. There's also a couple spots with GHA. That stuff is super resilient, hey? The rocks that I used were dry for a few years. I'm sure they just go dormant though. Evolutionary tricks, curse you!

Water change this week and I'm looking for a chaeto ball to get rolling in my sump and maybe I'll really work on getting my ATS running.

[Alysiak00]

Initially it was your typical brown diatoms I think. That seems to have passed, as expected, but my rocks are now what looks like covered in a layer of green dust. There's also a couple spots with GHA. That stuff is super resilient, hey? The rocks that I used were dry for a few years. I'm sure they just go dormant though. Evolutionary tricks, curse you!

Water change this week and I'm looking for a chaeto ball to get rolling in my sump and maybe I'll really work on getting my ATS running.

Good to hear. keep us posted with an update. also, have you given GFO a shot?

I've always GFO work wonders with GHA, also that green dust could be another stage of an ending cycle and could be gone in a week or after the WC. I think i might be going to war with DINO outbreak in the small nano but i wanna get this tank up and running asap

[Alysiak00]

+1 I have my work van with at least 1/4 of the space for plumbing- I have every part needed for any job- except the one I am doing.

lol its funny how plumbing will totally boggle your mind!

[jose521]

Looking good tagging along. I also have a 40 breeder ur tank is looking better than mine right now because I can not seam to get reed of the GHA

[Alysiak00]

Looking good tagging along. I also have a 40 breeder ur tank is looking better than mine right now because I can not seam to get reed of the GHA

lol thanks for the compliments. I have a little GHA in the holding tank right now. I think its mainly because it only has hob filter with carbon. other than that its just live rock filtering everything :D

[Alysiak00]

well i got a few more things in the mail and it got me back into the swing of things....finally

got my dj strip
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/e8fa4d03.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/32e5a2be.jpg


and finally....my pump (mag 9.5)

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/5a182cba.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/f248e010.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/c9bc0f51.jpg

[Plumbcrazy]

Man thats some nice wood work! Plumbing is looking good. You might have been able to find those tru union valves at your local plumbing supply house. The ones around here carry them in stock. I set up a 40b myself I will get you some pics up here after vaca.

[Alysiak00]

decided to hang my light today. i had an old set of hangers that i made out of 3/4" conduit a year ago.

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/2403c880.jpg

when i put the hangers up against the stand i found out theres a gap....so out came the jig saw again

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/dcf57183.jpg



i had to move the old eye hooks out towards the end to compensate for the wide stand.

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/c849e23b.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/98e710e4.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/a421571f.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/92b65825.jpg

[Alysiak00]

after looking at the final product (a used but workable hanger) i didn't want to see a beat up hanger and i cant paint.....its too cold outside. so to fix it i wrapped the hanger in electrical tape to hide the scratches

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/3c7852fe.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/4f53654a.jpg

heres after the tape. not too bad

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/a7d95b0c.jpg



then i mounted it up. some of the old holes lined up, its almost like it was meant to be lol

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/dc29f3b8.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/aa790054.jpg

[Alysiak00]

cut up a few pieces of linkage and got it mounted up. The light is a 24" Maristar Light with 250w halide. There is also 2 T-5 bulbs (super actinic and fiji purple)

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/0bd762a2.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/7d8e6213.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/2ea7e4a4.jpg

and now a test run..... Connected the Bluewave Ballast and plugged her in


halide warming up
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/b86f8f64.jpg

Both halide and T-5
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/4847e65f.jpg

Back view
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/3e4fe5d3.jpg


And finally. a little proof that its been WAY too long since i worked on the tank
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/9e1f85a6.jpg


I was in need of some celebrating
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/8a435103.jpg

[Alysiak00]

picked up a pretty neat fuge light as well. i was scanning craigslist and found this led light from one of the new led marineland half dome tanks. not bad for $20.

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/ae2ceea0.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/89872854.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/0c913e79.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/421f885c.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/c8008bb0.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/a660a8aa.jpg

this thing is neat...and BRIGHT!

[Alysiak00]

after enjoying how it looked i had to figure out a way to get it mounted. i was set on zip ties but then forgot that i had some velcro strips leftover. They worked perfect!

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/462ddda4.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/c3c34bb7.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/cdaa4729.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/cf94fc40.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/2aa78ba2.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/82201a56.jpg

[Alysiak00]

finished up the dj strip. this side will also hold the ecosmart module when i get it

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/f15beb88.jpg

on top of that, the pump is installed. i made a riser pad out of eggcrate to fill the gap between the pump and tank bottom

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/e76520aa.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/39f4c6c0.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/25824d32.jpg

[Alysiak00]

i got sick of looking at the reactor just sitting in the empty sump. so i mounted it in its spot. The fun part was that i didn't have anymore washers, so i improvised!

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/beab876a.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/f52b5c2a.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/a1ad1c7e.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/61f0afa8.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/48dcd85b.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/4367db68.jpg


As of right now, its ready to water test!

I also need to get another reactor, a skimmer (sro2000), and i'd like to pickup two mp10s or mp40s. The vortechs may be down the road a month or two but they will come eventually :D

[Alysiak00]

Figured I'd give a little update. Just got done surfing the for sale ads and found a gently used sro1000 for sale. It's not the 2000 like I had planned but the 1000 should be plenty enough. Also, I had planned on ordering my reefkeeper, heaters, and second reactor from Brs and theyare temporarily out of stock. Guess ill have to wait another week for those

In the meantime I plan on water testing the tank this week and starting to get it cycled. We will see how that goes lol

[Alysiak00]

let the water test commence!

started filling the tank. and for the record....i did it all with a 5 gal bucket and some man-power lol!

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/413562a4.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/1317d9e1.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/e3709640.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/50c03a4d.jpg

Full and running
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/e69ac5af.jpg
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/0ae5c023.jpg

[Alysiak00]

now for some aftermath....

The good:

-everything seems to run smoothly. No leaks in either tank (display or sump)
-return pump works great, especially added manifold
-reactor was tested and works great with adjustable gate valve
-took me an hour but i finally tweaked the glass holes kit to be pretty silent at the box

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/ec280342.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/c1b5bcc2.jpg

[Alysiak00]

The bad:
-two plumbing leaks but none that should cause a problem
a) first one is at the return to the loc line. should be able to take it off, re-teflon wrap it and call it a day
b) second one is at the ball valve on the return right above the return pump. Its actually leaking from the handle itself....uggggh
-the elbows are a bit noisy behind the tank. there is a bit of noise towards the upper elbows but is expected from the sharp 90's i have. might try a silencer in the bend but it could also sound noisy due to it being directly in the middle of the room
-and lastly, the front door doesn't fit now lol. Apparently my degree in cabinet making was good up until you have to account for the space lost when adding water. Oh well, looks like ill shave a bit off :D


http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/3158779f.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/2b949d58.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/60b56706.jpg

[walnuts24]

I am in the process of setting up almost the same system (40 breeder with 700gph overflow and 3/4" return). I have not run water through it yet since it seems like I completely failed my degree in stand building. I have the DT cut and the pipes installed, I have a sump completed and all necessary equipment. I have a few questions.

1. I am running a 1.5" flex line as a return as opposed to hard piping, what is the advantages/disadvantages to this?

2. I am concerned with noise from the overflow and return lines. What did you do to limit this and looking back on your build what would you have done differently?

Tank looks great.

Thanks

[Alysiak00]

I am in the process of setting up almost the same system (40 breeder with 700gph overflow and 3/4" return). I have not run water through it yet since it seems like I completely failed my degree in stand building. I have the DT cut and the pipes installed, I have a sump completed and all necessary equipment. I have a few questions.

1. I am running a 1.5" flex line as a return as opposed to hard piping, what is the advantages/disadvantages to this?

2. I am concerned with noise from the overflow and return lines. What did you do to limit this and looking back on your build what would you have done differently?

Tank looks great.

Thanks

okay, well where should i start lol. i bought the 1500gph kit because it has two drains. This added security really made the difference for me. On the downside it takes a bit more finessing to get the noise down.

as for noise, the tank isn't too terribly loud but i knew it would be a bit noisy because of the drastic 90's i used. I might attempt to redo one of the lines and see if it helps (using spaflex) but for now its not bad enough to annoy me.

The overall noise is about a 4 out of 10 but the light fan should drown out some of the noise. Its also in the middle of the living room and not backed up against the wall so there is no cushion for the noise. it should be a bit better once its against the wall :)

As for the spa flew return line. I don't like the idea. Me personally love using hard pvc because it looks very clean and orderly. Also, keep in mind that using spa flex has no advantage over pvc as a return. There wont be any added noise from the return only from the drains.

I would use pvc for the return and if you want use spaflex for the drains. This should keep down on your noise

Lastly, as for what i would do different. I dont want to sound snobby but this is the exact setup i have ALWAYS wanted. If i could go a little different i guess i would try leds (other than the fuge light) but that's if money wasn't an issue lol. One other thing would probably be a rimless 40b but hey, i couldn't beat $40 at petco lol :D

[walnuts24]

Same thing happened to me as I am the definition of an impulse buyer and when I saw $40 my eyes lit up. haha.

I am actually going down the LED route and I am having trouble picking which lights to chose as, like you said, money isn't endless over here. What would you pick if you did LED?

[Alysiak00]

Personally, id hover on the used equipment forum and pick up a nice sol setup or lumen kit. you can find one for anywhere from 200-1000 dollars. those leds are almost ever lasting so a used one is basically new.

I lucked out on that fuge light i have. Its probably capable of lighting the 20l i have but i guess a little overkill never hurt anyone lol

[Alysiak00]

Ended up fixing the leak in the bulkhead of the return. It wasn't a huge issue but i realized that i had wrapped the teflon tape the wrong way.....doy

so heres the old wrap
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/ffdf60ad.jpg

New wrap :D
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/d616215d.jpg

and....NO LEAK!
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/86959f1b.jpg

Now i'll just let it run overnight and look for a slight leak in the morning. Lets cross our fingers everything is good. I also, started boxing up the china cabinet where this tank is going, so it should be started cycling by next week.

[Alysiak00]

woke up and no leak. wahoo!

time to drain it after work, get it positioned and leveled, then fill it with RO

Now the fun begins

[fanandy8]

Looking good! Hopefully will be starting mine here soon

[Alysiak00]

Looking good! Hopefully will be starting mine here soon

Good to hear. let us know when it gets setup :D

We all love a good 40 breeder!!!!

*where in ohio is perrysburg?

[fanandy8]

*where in ohio is perrysburg?

Perrysburg is in NW Ohio, just south of Toledo.

[Alysiak00]

Perrysburg is in NW Ohio, just south of Toledo.

AHHHHH gotcha! Im about 20min north of kent. If your ever in the area send me a pm. We'll get a beer and talk reef lol

[Alysiak00]

As for an update on the tank, i picked some more goodies. Found some gently used vortech pumps and just couldn't pass them up. They are two MP40W's

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/f2fcae7c.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/48103913.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/7b7bc539.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/47b1b464.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/c533feb8.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/d7598aee.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/03e58b95.jpg

As for the pumps themselves....HOLY MOLY these things can push some water! As for setting them....well thats a different story lol. I've figured out how to sync them but still a little rusty on dialing in the individual setting. I guess i'll just have to keep playing with them

*as for the skimmer, it should be in on wednesday. In the meantime i'll be messing with the ecotechs and building a stand for the skimmer out of acrylic or glass.

[Heavy Hittah]

2 mp40s in a 40b.... Holy bologna! Couldn't you just use 1. This thread should be called "the 40/40/40 build" 40 DT, 40 sump, and mp40s

[Alysiak00]

2 mp40s in a 40b.... Holy bologna! Couldn't you just use 1. This thread should be called "the 40/40/40 build" 40 DT, 40 sump, and mp40s

Bahahaha thats awesome....i dont know how that slipped my mind :D

I did a lot of reading and thought the same thing. I originally wanted one mp40 and then found a few forums and owners of 40 breeders. After my research and follow up, most agreed that a single mp40 was slightly less than enough coverage and they all wanted a little more.

I then looked into two mp10s, and most were saying that two mp10s were alright, but they were all at 100% on their pumps. I'm not a fan of running these pumps at 100% mainly because of noise and wear. Not only that but the mp10s can't go on anything bigger than a 55g i believe, so if i ever upgraded, they'd be useless

So my mind decided, why not just go with two mp40s. They're more than enough to power the 40b, I won't have to keep them at 100%, and i can use them if i ever upgrade. I also like the small footprint, as compared to the k3 and k4's i have in the other tank :D

[Heavy Hittah]

Oh ok I see now.

[fasteddie99]

Wow beautiful! I cant wait to see it with creatures in it :bounce3:

[Alysiak00]

Wow beautiful! I cant wait to see it with creatures in it :bounce3:

Thanks a lot! I should be able to drain it tonight and get it moved into its final spot. The anticipation is killing me as well!

[Alysiak00]

while at work i stopped by the hardware store to find the worlds smallest screws. Apparently the screws needed to hold the vortech driver need to be the thickness of a sewing needle lol

anyways, I did a little clean up of the wires and mounted the drivers.
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/ac35f9c1.jpg

One thing i did notice is that all of a sudden the power cable connecting to the slave pump went dead! It was the strangest thing, it had been running all day and night and no problems. So i swapped the cords and ensured that it was just the power cord, so i guess i'm making a trip to the electronics store tomorrow.

*i also left enough space next to the drivers for an apex controller (wink wink ;) )

[Alysiak00]

And now the big move! I drained the display and the sump which took about a half an hour. Don't mind my messy house. It tends to get messy when I get into the groove :D

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/50633a3d.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/e2fb01dc.jpg



Heres all the crud I had to move!
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/d7becab2.jpg

And here it is in its place
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/6895c39d.jpg

Checked the tank with a level and it was a little off in the left rear corner. It only needed a single shim in the rear corner and voila. nice and level
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/106a10c2.jpg

Once it was all level (finally) I tried to put the front door on and it still doesn't fit right. So tomorrow i'll have to trim the bottom a pinch so it sits a tad higher on the carpet. But, for pictures sake i tipped the tank and shoved it in to see what it would look like :D

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/38b00bc9.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/c0801d6c.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/3ed69f6f.jpg

[walnuts24]

Quick question regarding plumbing. Do you glue the return and overflow pipes into the provided gl*******s fittings?

Thanks

[Alysiak00]

Quick question regarding plumbing. Do you glue the return and overflow pipes into the provided gl*******s fittings?

Thanks

The answer is yes....and no.

The fittings for the glass holes kit are 90 degrees with a coupler on one end and a threaded end on the other. You glue the coupler side to your pipe, but the threaded side gets teflon tape. This ensures a proper seal and allows you to change it if something were to go ary. Plus that 2 part pvc cement cures in about 15 seconds and i can't screw the fittings in that fast :D

HTH

[Alysiak00]

Last night my skimmer showed up. I also got a second Brs reactor and will be mounting it tonight. I'm going to do some aquascaping as well so there will be a load of pictures coming :D

[creefer01]

Man this is really coming along nicely! I finally ordered my tank and will likely have some questions for you. You may seem some PM's.

As for the GH overflow, do you feel that it takes up too much space in the display being 12" long? I have been struggling with what to do with my overflow.

[Alysiak00]

Man this is really coming along nicely! I finally ordered my tank and will likely have some questions for you. You may seem some PM's.

As for the GH overflow, do you feel that it takes up too much space in the display being 12" long? I have been struggling with what to do with my overflow.

Personally i love it. It so sleek its not even noticable. Since i painted the back black, and the overflow is black it blends in. Its also only 2" deep so it takes up virtually no room at all. I did however, want the 1500gph kit because it has two drains. I like the added security that if one drain got clogged i have a backup

-also, keep the questions coming! I love trying to help out and sorting out the confusion in things. You can pm me or post up in here :D

[Millticket]

I love the build. Have u thought about doing a canopy? I am in the process of building my 40 b. I have built a custom stand and hopefully I can get the canopy done soon as it will eventually house 2 radions. I' m waiting on my skimmer to come in so i can complete my 20 h sump. Still trying to decide on the baffles though...

Anyways I like this thread and can't wait for updates! Oh I have the 1500 gph overflow kit and it is definitely sleek and blends in really well.

Cheers!

[creefer01]

Personally i love it. It so sleek its not even noticable. Since i painted the back black, and the overflow is black it blends in. Its also only 2" deep so it takes up virtually no room at all. I did however, want the 1500gph kit because it has two drains. I like the added security that if one drain got clogged i have a backup

-also, keep the questions coming! I love trying to help out and sorting out the confusion in things. You can pm me or post up in here :D

Well the reason I originally thought of the 1500 GPH was because of redundant drains. My concerns were size, noise, and drilling my new tank. So, since I need a sump anyway, I went to Petco for the $/gal sale and grabbed a 20h for a sump, a 10 to practice drilling on, and a 40B in the even that I "F" mine up while drilling!

What did you do to tame the noise of your 1500 GPH kit anyway?

[walnuts24]

creefer, I recently drilled a 40 breeder also. I was very nervous about it at first, but once I started I realized it was fairly easy. My recommendation to you would be to go straight for the 40b instead of practicing on a 10 gal as I noticed the edge of my drill bit got much duller, and subsequently made it harder to drill, after the first hole I made.

A tip about drilling:
keep the torque on the drill incredibly low and take your time. I did not realize that it would take so long to drill through the glass

[perpetual98]

Also, the 10 gal tank glass is a LOT thinner than the 40B and would be easier to crack.

[creefer01]

creefer, I recently drilled a 40 breeder also. I was very nervous about it at first, but once I started I realized it was fairly easy. My recommendation to you would be to go straight for the 40b instead of practicing on a 10 gal as I noticed the edge of my drill bit got much duller, and subsequently made it harder to drill, after the first hole I made.

A tip about drilling:
keep the torque on the drill incredibly low and take your time. I did not realize that it would take so long to drill through the glass

Good advise. Thank you. I did buy the 10g for $10, so I may just invest in a second bit to drill for the sake of doing so anyway. I have to drill 4 holes in 2 different sizes.

Also, the 10 gal tank glass is a LOT thinner than the 40B and would be easier to crack.

Very true.

Alysiak00.....super sorry for the threadjack.

[Alysiak00]

I love the build. Have u thought about doing a canopy? I am in the process of building my 40 b. I have built a custom stand and hopefully I can get the canopy done soon as it will eventually house 2 radions. I' m waiting on my skimmer to come in so i can complete my 20 h sump. Still trying to decide on the baffles though...

Anyways I like this thread and can't wait for updates! Oh I have the 1500 gph overflow kit and it is definitely sleek and blends in really well.

Cheers!

It's good to hear you have a tank going up, cant wait to see it! As for the canopy, I plan on making one come spring time. It's just simply too cold to start building one now, plus I'm trying to help plan my wedding and balance this tank build lol.

[Alysiak00]

Well the reason I originally thought of the 1500 GPH was because of redundant drains. My concerns were size, noise, and drilling my new tank. So, since I need a sump anyway, I went to Petco for the $/gal sale and grabbed a 20h for a sump, a 10 to practice drilling on, and a 40B in the even that I "F" mine up while drilling!

What did you do to tame the noise of your 1500 GPH kit anyway?

Eliminating the noise from the 1500 kit is like finding the sweet spot on a set of carbs for a 30yr old bobber motorcycle. You just have to mess with it and see where the hot spot is. The issue I had was my drains travel pretty far creating lots of suction. This inturn created a slight "slurping" effect. To reduce the noise I had to actually raise the baffle in the box about 3/4". The directions tell you to keep this pressed down but it didnt do mine any justice because of the super tall tank.

You must also not forget that the more flow you have blowing through the box, the more noise it could produce. I have a mag 9.5 as a return where as some people just use a mag 5.


*Off topic, but the bobber reference was legitimate. Im also in the process of re-doing a 1982 Maxim 550. Lets just say the Carbs were a pain.

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/ef5788c4.jpg

[Alysiak00]

No worries about thread jacking. People later on can use this thread for help on their own builds :D

Also, any particular reason why u got the 20h over any other size? I know they can tend to get crammed

[creefer01]

Eliminating the noise from the 1500 kit is like finding the sweet spot on a set of carbs for a 30yr old bobber motorcycle. You just have to mess with it and see where the hot spot is. The issue I had was my drains travel pretty far creating lots of suction. This inturn created a slight "slurping" effect. To reduce the noise I had to actually raise the baffle in the box about 3/4". The directions tell you to keep this pressed down but it didnt do mine any justice because of the super tall tank.

You must also not forget that the more flow you have blowing through the box, the more noise it could produce. I have a mag 9.5 as a return where as some people just use a mag 5.

Thanks. I wondered about that as well. I'm looking at a mag 7 for my build. I'll get flow form the vortech and tunze I'll be using in the system. Second vortech is likely several months away due to cost and new baby next week.

No worries about thread jacking. People later on can use this thread for help on their own builds :D

Also, any particular reason why u got the 20h over any other size? I know they can tend to get crammed

I did the 20h for a couple of reasons.

1. It's somewhat temporary. I have a BM NAC5e skimmer, which is an HOB rated for 80-135 gal I think. I bought it originally to run on my solana and that's not going to work. So, I needed the extra height of the 20h to run this skimmer which means I can have a reduced size of the drain / skimmer chamber in the sump considering the skimmer will not be in the sump. This will give me a decent sized fuge and an adequate return chamber. Also, I wanted to be able to have a 10g tank next to the sump in which the HOB skimmer can "hang" in the event of an overflow of the skimmer for any reason.
2. I needed the space in the stand for an ATO reservoir. With a 20L, I would have compromised the space below the tank to an uncomfortable level when all other equipment is considered.

I will likely start a build thread once I have more of the pieces in hand. I was going to build a stand but because of time, I have decided to buy one from a local refer that was custom built. I just need to strip the poly off of it and stain it to match our living room furniture and apply a couple coats of poly and I'm good to go. Plus, I sold my solana and need to get this up quick so I have a home for all my livestock. The buyer wants to pick it up in a couple of weeks. I love it when a plan comes together at a terrible time.:spin2:

My wife is delivering our second child via c-section on Tuesday, which is awesome. It just messes up the tank swap a bit and she is not going to be happy about that..........

[creefer01]

Wow....totally missed the bobber reference! I bet that was a total PITA.

[Alysiak00]

Wow....totally missed the bobber reference! I bet that was a total PITA.

LOL yes it was a pain but it was fun :D

I must say congrats on the child. I can't wait to start a family but we'd like to wait a year or so

[creefer01]

Waiting is good. We waited until we were married for a couple years before we did that. We are "late bloomers" as it relates to the family though.

[Alysiak00]

Waiting is good. We waited until we were married for a couple years before we did that. We are "late bloomers" as it relates to the family though.

Awesome, i'll take the advise. Let us know everything went well :)

[creefer01]

Thanks, will do.

[Alysiak00]

So i got home and i finished up a few odds and ends.

started off the night by mounting the second deluxe BRS reactor. (the small gate valve is not staying)
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/81be526f.jpg

Then i scrounged up a clip on fan i had from my last tank to circulate some air inside the stand
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/4d4f73ca.jpg

Stopped by best buy to get another cord for the vortech.
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/c080f1e4.jpg

Also thought id post up a skimmer pic, and a dvd case for size comparison :D
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/531f6860.jpg

[Alysiak00]

The aquascaping came out really good. It actually wasn't too hard to construct and only consists of four large pieces. Its nice when things come together and lock into place.

started out with an empty tank and a bucket of rocks!
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/f9d5d972.jpg
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/ead4979a.jpg
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/fe89ef7d.jpg

And i ended with this
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/1d0eb261.jpg
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/83f4ee20.jpg
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/54524785.jpg
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/df1ef50d.jpg

[Alysiak00]

After getting the tank aquascaping done, i put a good amount of rock in the fuge section. This section will have cheato added to it after the cycle
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/2a38f5c0.jpg
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/6cbc8844.jpg
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/a4f02da5.jpg

I also, trimmed down the bottom of the front cover and now it fits like a glove.
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/2350b2de.jpg

Tomorrow i need to put together a skimmer stand as well as pick up two fittings for the reactor. So in the meantime.....its time to start making some water!!!!!

[walnuts24]

Looks great! I really like the scape. I have seen people do an island look in the 40 breeders because of the wide footprint but I definitely want to go with something like you did. How much rock is that in the DT?

[zeebies]

Just wanted to chime in and say that I'm really enjoying following this thread.
I just started a 40B build and you are giving me some good ideas.

Had a couple of questions:

Your stand is a bit higher than mine - How much room do you estimate you'll have between the top of your skimmer and your back shelf?

I'm also contemplating the GH 1500, and my sump is only a 20H. Are you going with the straight GH set-up or are you putting in a Herbie drain?

Thanks.

[creefer01]

Looks great! I love the stand. This is well executed and I will continue to follow. As stated by Zeebies, this thread has provided some great ideas.

[Alysiak00]

Looks great! I really like the scape. I have seen people do an island look in the 40 breeders because of the wide footprint but I definitely want to go with something like you did. How much rock is that in the DT?

Thank you. I really enjoyed how it came out. There is about 35lbs of rock in the display and about another 25 or so in the sump. I didnt have a scale to measure it but i know how much the tub weighed :D

[Alysiak00]

Just wanted to chime in and say that I'm really enjoying following this thread.
I just started a 40B build and you are giving me some good ideas.

Had a couple of questions:

Your stand is a bit higher than mine - How much room do you estimate you'll have between the top of your skimmer and your back shelf?

I'm also contemplating the GH 1500, and my sump is only a 20H. Are you going with the straight GH set-up or are you putting in a Herbie drain?

Thanks.

I really enjoy the compliments. Its nice to know i can give others ideas and a little entertainment at the same time lol

as for the stand and the skimmer height, it won't be affected. the shelf comes out about 10" over the water column and leaves a unaffected area of around 8-10". If i get a bigger skimmer i can just move it over. As for the height underneath the shelf itself, I plan on building a riser for the skimmer (to keep it at 5.5-6") and after this riser, the cup should be about 2" under the shelf. But to be exact i'll measur and let you know tonight

As for right now i'm just going with the glass holes kit and nothing else. The tank isn't very noisy. If it starts to bug me i might alter it when i move (in a year or two) but for now i really like the setup.

[Alysiak00]

Well i know you guys will be upset because last night i got a few more things done....and i dont have pictures until i get home......sorry :)

anyhoos, i rigged up a skimmer stand which came out pretty good. Its only temporary until i can get over to my fiance's grandfathers workshop to put together an acrylic one. I also stopped and picked up a few heaters (which i hate doing because you never know if they're good or gonna blow up in your face....eeek). My LFS had a brand called "Blue Line" i think and they only had a single 150w and a single 200w. sooooo, i got them both :D

I also may stop over a fellow reefers house. He has a Reef Keeper Light which i might just pickup from him and use as a temperature controller. May not be a bad idea

And on top of all that.....the biggest news of all........THE TANK HAS REAL WATER IN IT!!!
I had the RO running since i got home yesterday till this morning and its pretty well full. It will need about another 5-10 gallons but there was enough atleast to let my vortechs run and circulate water in the display. As for salt, i needed a bit more and was on the hunt for some. The LFS i spoke of had Red Sea Coral Pro on sale for $60, so it was a no brainer :D

Pics soon to come

[Alysiak00]

so, it started at about 7:00pm
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/ccabb0f4.jpg

and at 7:00am i had this :D
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/c5d3aebf.jpghttp://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/3c1cb584.jpg

Heres the skimmer stand i had built. Its just a toilet flange, 4" pvc tube, and 3 pieces of eggcrate
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/faa66e6c.jpg

[Alysiak00]

I then had a tank full of water....the next thing to add was salt......a lot of salt!
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/6634268b.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/b744f08f.jpg

[psteeleb]

looking great :thumbsup:

[girlygears13]

Yay! Love it when you get to fill it up for the first time :)

[Alysiak00]

looking great :thumbsup:

i appreciate that....especially coming from such a fantastic tank owner as yourself! I give props to your tank as well!

[Alysiak00]

Yay! Love it when you get to fill it up for the first time :)

Its such an awesome moment when everything starts running! But then you get booted back to reality when you realize you need to wait a month before you can put anything in it :(

[Alysiak00]

I figured id solve a couple of everyones Glass Holes overflow questions. First off, by any stretch of the imagination, this tank isn't loud at all! Its maybe a 4 on the loud meter

But it is in fact in my living room and i figured i'd attempt to quiet it down a bit for the fiance, as well as to give the "quiet tank junkies" some pointers.

First of all, i put some socks around the drains to the sump. This actually did a few things. With the socks catching the bubbles, it deafens the splashing of the bubbles and dropped the noise to about a solid 3 out of 10. Also, the socks will catch detrius or snails and help keep the water clean. One more thing i noticed was that the bubbles were causing some splashing and water spots on the rim of the tank and the inside of the stand. With the socks in place there is no more water on the rim or the stand....YAY

Before: Notice all the bubbles and turbid water
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/3c1cb584.jpg

And after
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/ea2f12e9.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/c2a3219c.jpg
*It also gives me a funny looking sock balloon in my sump :D
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So now that the socks were added. I wanted to see if i could lower the actual overflow noise. Now to understand this next part you must understand the Glass holes overflow. It is a typical overflow box but has a "baffle" to direct the flow to the sides of the box. Now this piece can be a life saver or your worst nightmare.

In some tanks (depending on flow and gph) it needs to be completely seated to direct the flow and mask the "sucking" sound from the bulkheads. But, in the case of my tank (and the last one i had), this piece must be pulled up about 3/4". This will raise the water level in the tank/box a little but will deafen the noise to about a 2! So were getting closer to our quieter tank.

One more thing i did to not only quiet the overflow but also add some more filtration, was add some filter floss chunks to the sides of the box. There is roughly a 2" square in the corner of the box and this is where the water gets pulled down. This is also the exact area that causes a vacuum resulting in the sucking noise. By cutting up a 2"x3" chunk of filter floss and neatly placing it in the square, it interrupts the water and quiets the noise. Voila, now we are at a nice quiet, soothing, "living room approved" reef tank. The tank comes in at around a 1-2 out of 10 while mp40s and halide fan are now slightly noisier than the overflow :D

filter floss added
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/afec8e5a.jpg

overflow cover added back on
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/897f9878.jpg

[psteeleb]

i appreciate that....especially coming from such a fantastic tank owner as yourself! I give props to your tank as well!

thanks :)

Its such an awesome moment when everything starts running! But then you get booted back to reality when you realize you need to wait a month before you can put anything in it :(

But you will be much happier in the long term if you take your time

once you get your salinity right check you alk for a couple days, new dry rock can suck up alk as it trys to nutralize its pH to the tank water, not that it's a big deal but better off knowing going in then checking alk a few months down the road and wondering what's going on.

Find somone with some a nice set up and see if you can get a piece of live rock from them. Make sure they don't have any bad pests like majanos, aiptsia, AEFW etc, but you want the good stuff that comes with live rock. You can survive on the bacteria alone but having the micro and macro critters you get with live rock is a must in my book for establishing a well ballanced reef tank.

[Alysiak00]

thanks :)



But you will be much happier in the long term if you take your time

once you get your salinity right check you alk for a couple days, new dry rock can suck up alk as it trys to nutralize its pH to the tank water, not that it's a big deal but better off knowing going in then checking alk a few months down the road and wondering what's going on.

Find somone with some a nice set up and see if you can get a piece of live rock from them. Make sure they don't have any bad pests like majanos, aiptsia, AEFW etc, but you want the good stuff that comes with live rock. You can survive on the bacteria alone but having the micro and macro critters you get with live rock is a must in my book for establishing a well ballanced reef tank.

very good to know about the alk and live rock. I never thought of that :D

The live rock was actually the next post on my list. I was debating on putting a piece in from my 20l but i may be going through a dino outbreak. I'm not 100% sure but id rather not risk it. I was either going to stop by the high quality local reef store and pick up a 2lb chunk for the display and sump, or just ask around the local club and see if anyone could spare a piece.

[Bnortz]

Did the same thing you did today! I'm actually waiting for the RO/DI water to finish filing the tank then in goes the salt! Started filling it up this morning around 11. It's taking forever cause I had to run a hose from the sink in the other room.

Lookin good! I'm on the same boat as you in having to wait a month to put anything in. Time to wait!

[Alysiak00]

Did the same thing you did today! I'm actually waiting for the RO/DI water to finish filing the tank then in goes the salt! Started filling it up this morning around 11. It's taking forever cause I had to run a hose from the sink in the other room.

Lookin good! I'm on the same boat as you in having to wait a month to put anything in. Time to wait!

That's awesome! It's a great feeling when it starts to fill with water

[Alysiak00]

i had also forgot to update the heaters i had gotten. They're called "Deep Blue" heaters. They seem to be pretty well made and solid. Anyone ever used them?

[creefer01]

Nice progress!

Thanks for the information on the overflow noise reduction methods. I like it. I still have not decided what I'm going to do in terms of an overflow on my new tank. I have time to think about it. The LFS I ordered it from called and said it came in damaged and they're having a new one made.

[Alysiak00]

Nice progress!

Thanks for the information on the overflow noise reduction methods. I like it. I still have not decided what I'm going to do in terms of an overflow on my new tank. I have time to think about it. The LFS I ordered it from called and said it came in damaged and they're having a new one made.

Thank you!

which overflow were you getting?

[Alysiak00]

Well an awesome club member donated some live rock to the tank!

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/d018dead.jpg

(The dark piece in the top right)
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/1a57668b.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/53a5823e.jpg

Theres some nice coraline on the one piece which will hopefully spawn spores. Also, when transferring the bucket i notice 3 or 4 copepods swimming around. Atleast i know theres a few in there :D

[slakker187]

everything looks well planned and thought out but it looks like there isnt enough room in your sump for power outages. have you turned both your circulation pump and your skimmer pump off to check. looks like it will overflow. awesome build. also i would use a regular sump poly sock instead of the filter media socks they clog really fast. be careful of the poly fiber in your overflow, high chance of it getting sucked in the overflow tubes and causing a blockage. (it will also hold extra nitrate)

[Alysiak00]

everything looks well planned and thought out but it looks like there isnt enough room in your sump for power outages. have you turned both your circulation pump and your skimmer pump off to check. looks like it will overflow. awesome build. also i would use a regular sump poly sock instead of the filter media socks they clog really fast. be careful of the poly fiber in your overflow, high chance of it getting sucked in the overflow tubes and causing a blockage. (it will also hold extra nitrate)

yes thank you, it was definitely a long thought out process. The sump has enough water volume and does not overflow once the power is cut. It is about two inches from the top and could still hold a few more gallons. The sump socks are on there way so these are only temporary as to keep the bubbles from getting everything wet while i wait for the new ones.

The poly fiber in the overflow did actually get sucked down because i cut it too short. I grabbed another piece and cut it a tiny bit larger. I also tried sandwiching it between the baffle and that worked pretty well also. Its not loud to begin with but it was fun trying to get it silent :D

[Alysiak00]

Also, the picture above with the skimmer stand floating is with the pump off. I'll post some pictures tonight of before and after cutting power

[creefer01]

Thank you!

which overflow were you getting?

Still undecided on the overflow. Either what you have or a herbie style drilled through the back panel. for some reason, this is. Tough decision for me.

[Alysiak00]

Still undecided on the overflow. Either what you have or a herbie style drilled through the back panel. for some reason, this is. Tough decision for me.

For ease of use, you can't go wrong with a glass holes unit. theyre not noisy and on top of that, they give you everything. Now a herbie style you have to build yourself but does offer a silent option.

Im still a little confused on how to run plumbing for a herbie but might try one later down the road

[creefer01]

For ease of use, you can't go wrong with a glass holes unit. theyre not noisy and on top of that, they give you everything. Now a herbie style you have to build yourself but does offer a silent option.

Im still a little confused on how to run plumbing for a herbie but might try one later down the road

The herbie will be very similar to plumbing the GH 1500gph unit. If I do this then I would drill low and high on one end of the rear panel and DIY a glass box for it and cover it with acrylic. Then I would DIY a slim strainer for the bulkheads.

[Alysiak00]

couldn't you just use a glass holes kit but get a 90 degree elbow, point one up and one down? the up would be your emergency and the down would be the drain.

[Alysiak00]

would also like to mention that i'm at day 2 of my cycle.......ugh......its gonna be a long month :(

[creefer01]

couldn't you just use a glass holes kit but get a 90 degree elbow, point one up and one down? the up would be your emergency and the down would be the drain.

I didn't think there's enough room in the box for an elbow.

[Alysiak00]

Hmmm idk either lol :D

I'll have to pick up a few elbows and see if they fit for ya. I'll let ya know

[Alysiak00]

Also, picked up a length of tubing for the water change valve

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/9c21c837.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/25c17cd9.jpg

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On top of that i promised id post up pictures of the tank with pump running and without it.

Here is pump on and top off completely full (just so i know it can't go any higher)
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/ce04d57a.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/f5ed4831.jpg

and here is with the pump off
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/37c0f89c.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/4f2e8406.jpg

*The water level is about 2.5" from the top of the sump tank. If i need a little more space i'll just raise the loc line return, but it should be fine. It still leaves me another 7gal to the top and 5.5gal to the rim. My skimmer is no where near that volume and my center baffle will ALWAYS be lower than this in height. Id like the center return section to be about 1" under the 10" baffle which will also lower the level.

[Bnortz]

would also like to mention that i'm at day 2 of my cycle.......ugh......its gonna be a long month :(

I feel ya

[psteeleb]

looking good - i'd still lower the sump level, it never hurts to have more capacity. I learned the hard way a couple times

[Alysiak00]

looking good - i'd still lower the sump level, it never hurts to have more capacity. I learned the hard way a couple times

O no! I hope it wasn't too bad

[Alysiak00]

I feel ya

Hey nortz, did u have a build thread or some pictures?

[creefer01]

Hmmm idk either lol :D

I'll have to pick up a few elbows and see if they fit for ya. I'll let ya know

Thanks! I look forward to what you find

[Alysiak00]

Thanks! I look forward to what you find

well a standard 90 will not fit in the box even with knotching out the baffle. On the other hand, I stumbled upon a thread where someone used the glass holes overflow to flow water into an external box behind it. In this box they created a herbie/durso style overflow. Its actually a neat design

So i guess we could use the glass holes overflow atleast to get to the external box. we could make an acrylic box pretty simple as well. It could be done :D

[creefer01]

well a standard 90 will not fit in the box even with knotching out the baffle. On the other hand, I stumbled upon a thread where someone used the glass holes overflow to flow water into an external box behind it. In this box they created a herbie/durso style overflow. Its actually a neat design

So i guess we could use the glass holes overflow atleast to get to the external box. we could make an acrylic box pretty simple as well. It could be done :D

That's a great idea! Thanks for the effort. I will have to look into that option. It makes good sense.

[Devaji108]

nice progress!

[Alysiak00]

nice progress!

thank you! it should be nicer once i get the other stuff added to the tank in a few weeks. :D

[Alysiak00]

So i went and got a few elbows to finally be able to hook up the second reactor

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/11f19415.jpg

Wahoo!

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/e2d7bc32.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/87432e77.jpg

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Also on the order (BRS) i got a dual inline TDS meter for the RO unit, and a friend gave me a flush kit. This led me to rig up a small handy mount for the 4-stage as well as the meter box

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/76058393.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/d44b03e8.jpg

So let me start by saying.....WOW! The flush kit is worth every penny! (you could also make one). To be honest i had never heard of one before until my buddy gave it to me. After a little research they're not too pricey and they also improve the life of your membrane.

Needless to say i got everything hooked up and the TDS meter works great. Now, the condition of my filters....thats another story.

When i first hooked it up my inline was reading .427ppm and the outline was reading .011ppm! I couldn't believe it got this bad. Anyways, i proceeded to flush the membrane for 10-15 minutes and check it again. The inline was now .303ppm and the outline was .005ppm. Still not perfect but a HUGE difference.

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/4d530019.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/98e7ed00.jpg

So, it looks like a filter kit is on order :D

[Alysiak00]

double post (is this happening a lot to anyone else but me???)

[xcastn0shad0wx]

When I flush mine water still leaves the RO and enters the DI... is this water still the same quality or should I let both lines drain?

[Alysiak00]

When I flush mine water still leaves the RO and enters the DI... is this water still the same quality or should I let both lines drain?

i'd let both lines drain for a bit. I actually "purge" mine by going back and forth between the flow restrictor and flusher. This in theory, should give sudden pressure and dislodge any stubborn debris. It worked tremendously on mine :D

hth

[Alysiak00]

so everything is still moving along swell. at the 1 week mark on the cycle and still no diatoms or anything. i added a few sprinklings of flake food to help it out but its still a good 2-3 weeks away.

also, i ended up flushing the ro unit a few more times and got the tds on the outline down to .004ppm. Not too bad and good enough for atleast some top off water for the time being :D

[ZOKU]

** TAGGED! **

Plenty of awesome 40B's on the forum and obviously, yours is no exception. Just finished reading the entire thread from beginning to end.

1.) I went with (1) 700GPH Gl@ssholes overflow kit along with (1) 3/4" return kit. It was nice that you touched on some things to quiet down the overflow and I saved those pieces of information in a little MS-WORD document that I'm keeping for tips and tricks when my 40B is up 'n running. Thanks for that!

2.) I noticed that a few pages back, you (or someone) referenced the chambers in the sump you made... skimmer, return and 'fuge. What's the benefit of putting the refugium at the end of the sump? i.e., the 3rd chamber. Most of the sumps I've seen online as well as most custom ones seem to show everyone using the refugium in the middle (2nd chamber).

see below:

http://i634.photobucket.com/albums/uu67/snugggle/fa9b9e41.jpg


3.) I do plan on adding a controller like the Apex LITE at some point because wavemakers are SO friggin' expensive! http://i634.photobucket.com/albums/uu67/snugggle/SMILEY/scowl.gif I was initially opting to get (1) Koralia Controllable 2 + (1) Koralia Controllable 3 + the Hydor Basic Wavemaker 2 and at that cost, I could more or less get myself an Apex LITE with substantially more control over the entire system as a whole. I was also initially going to simply run (2) MP10's but as you referenced, most people with a couple of these end up running them full bore as it is and I've read numerous complaints that suggest the noise is unbearable.

My question is... at what percentage are you running your (2) MP40's? What is the noise level like (understanding, of course, everyone has a different opinion of what the word "loud" means to them)

I'm still undecided what way I'm going to go for powerheads... http://i634.photobucket.com/albums/uu67/snugggle/SMILEY/unsure.gif

[Alysiak00]

** TAGGED! **

Plenty of awesome 40B's on the forum and obviously, yours is no exception. Just finished reading the entire thread from beginning to end.

1.) I went with (1) 700GPH Gl@ssholes overflow kit along with (1) 3/4" return kit. It was nice that you touched on some things to quiet down the overflow and I saved those pieces of information in a little MS-WORD document that I'm keeping for tips and tricks when my 40B is up 'n running. Thanks for that!

2.) I noticed that a few pages back, you (or someone) referenced the chambers in the sump you made... skimmer, return and 'fuge. What's the benefit of putting the refugium at the end of the sump? i.e., the 3rd chamber. Most of the sumps I've seen online as well as most custom ones seem to show everyone using the refugium in the middle (2nd chamber).

see below:

http://i634.photobucket.com/albums/uu67/snugggle/fa9b9e41.jpg


3.) I do plan on adding a controller like the Apex LITE at some point because wavemakers are SO friggin' expensive! http://i634.photobucket.com/albums/uu67/snugggle/SMILEY/scowl.gif I was initially opting to get (1) Koralia Controllable 2 + (1) Koralia Controllable 3 + the Hydor Basic Wavemaker 2 and at that cost, I could more or less get myself an Apex LITE with substantially more control over the entire system as a whole. I was also initially going to simply run (2) MP10's but as you referenced, most people with a couple of these end up running them full bore as it is and I've read numerous complaints that suggest the noise is unbearable.

My question is... at what percentage are you running your (2) MP40's? What is the noise level like (understanding, of course, everyone has a different opinion of what the word "loud" means to them)

I'm still undecided what way I'm going to go for powerheads... http://i634.photobucket.com/albums/uu67/snugggle/SMILEY/unsure.gif

Thank you for the compliments :D
as for your questions...well

1) this one wasn't really a question but your welcome lol. The quiet down techniques worked pretty well.

2) The sump in the third chamber and the return in the middle doesn't really have any "advantages" per se, but for my setup it is what i wanted. I always like having two drains (1500gph kit) and this leaves me with a drain able to be placed in both left and right sections of the sump. The left is the skimmer and the right is the fuge. With having both sides getting display tank water routed to it, it allows both sides to remove excess nutrients. On top of that, i like having a straight drain to the fuge to allow food and gunk to get to the pods instead of getting sucked through the skimmer first (like in many typical sump designs). HTH and ask as many questions as you would like!

3) as for the mp40s well this was something i had never seen done before on a 40b setup. Most people, like you said, have been using the mp10s on either side. Well, i wanted to have a big enough pump for if i ever upgraded, and also to tone it back enough to not have it run at full speed and wear out the bearings to become noisy. The pumps i have are running on reef crest in anti-sync at the moment. Each pump is only at 50% and they're quiet as all get out. If i had to rate them i would say the noise is a 1.5 out of 10. You can't hear them over the light fan except for when they ramp up to max speed. They're is no buzzing at this setting (which is what everyone complains of)

[Alysiak00]

so just got done testing water and nitrates started to spike. Came out with a reading of 10ppm. so we still wait.....ugh

in the meantime i finally figured why i had an algae outbreak in the 20l. I went to go do my regular water change and the hob filter i was using for my carbon was bone dry! The pump was really hot and for some reason it just stopped pumping water. Who knows how long it had been broke for but it had to have been about 2 weeks lol.

Anyways i did a waterchange yesterday and today (there were lots of deposits and flaking algae to remove) and this helped out a lot.

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/6609aca1.jpg

Heres some shots of the awaiting tank mates :D

My best friend "Sparkplug"
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/35dca710.jpg

the big blasto and tyree
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/273f1d55.jpg

also, i found a polyp/tentacle on a montipora frag.....wierd
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/3567d012.jpg

theres some more corals in there and my sixline but he's too quick to capture right now. more updates to come

[Alysiak00]

^^^ anyone notice the remnants from the algae out break lol

I wanted to add that i've been trying to flush the ro unit as much as possible (once or twice a day doing the purge technique then letting it run for 5 min before capturing tank water). This has brought the tds down to .002ppm on the outline, WAHOO. But the new filters are still on order :D

[gypsyboy38]

Small correction. Your TDS meter is reading 2 ppm, not 0.002 ppm. Cheers!

[Alysiak00]

bahahaha. dang your right, dont know how i messed that up a few times

[Alysiak00]

so i got home today and saw my first signs of cycle algae. There is some wavy diatom algae on the glass. Not long now :)

[Alysiak00]

yup the diatoms have started :D

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/68e718d8.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/99517bf8.jpg

[creefer01]

Nice!

[Alysiak00]

lol its nice because its coming along, but geeeeez......i all of a sudden have run out of patience :D

[creefer01]

I understand that. I think I figured out what to do on my overflow. I have it narrowed down to two options. Hope to start an build thread soon.

[Alysiak00]

awesome dude! keep us posted

[creefer01]

Will do. Tough to find time to get stuff done with a 1 week old and a 3.5 yr. old.

[Alysiak00]

Will do. Tough to find time to get stuff done with a 1 week old and a 3.5 yr. old.

o shoot thats right! Im glad everything went well mate! cheers to the new addition to the family :beer:

[Alysiak00]

well today was an interesting day....had a friend tell me to take his anemone off his hands. This surprised me because the big tank is not done cycling and the 20L is pretty darn stocked. So i made a small cage for the little guy and hopefully he pulls through. He didn't look too good when I got him. He was in a tank that had no lights (they had been broke for 3 days). So i brought him home, acclimated him, and plopped him in his little cage. Lets hope he does well :D

this is about 5min after putting him in

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/dfbc2d37.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/c8bd9ca8.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/597be77c.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/e5ae0d5d.jpg

[ZOKU]

Hope the little guy pulls through for ya! :)

[Alysiak00]

thanks zoku. I hope so too. He closed up a bit but it could be because i didn't really acclimate him to the lights. I turned off the 10k's a little early tonight and now just the actinics are on. We will see tomorrow how things look

also, good looking progress on the tank. Glad your drilling went well and im a little jelous on the sro2000. Its a beefy skimmer for sure. My new skimmer should be here wed or thursday. I had an issue with the one i bought and had to get another :(

[Alysiak00]

silly double post again....sigh

[ZOKU]

thanks zoku. I hope so too. He closed up a bit but it could be because i didn't really acclimate him to the lights. I turned off the 10k's a little early tonight and now just the actinics are on. We will see tomorrow how things look

also, good looking progress on the tank. Glad your drilling went well and im a little jelous on the sro2000. Its a beefy skimmer for sure. My new skimmer should be here wed or thursday. I had an issue with the one i bought and had to get another :(

Hey, thanks man! :)

The drilling definitely wasn't rocket science, but I reallly wasn't comfortable doing it on my own after having never done it before. Went great though!

Yeah, I'm gonna take that beast (the SRO2000INT) outta the box and get some pics of it. I know it's WAY more skimmer than I need for my system (40B + 35 gal. sump/refugium) but I figured - at least I won't have to upgrade if I ever decide to upgrade. :)

[Alysiak00]

I was originally going to get the sro2000 but I didn't want to over skim lol

[creefer01]

o shoot thats right! Im glad everything went well mate! cheers to the new addition to the family :beer:

Thanks! All are happy and well.

[Alysiak00]

So i stopped home on my lunch break and the nem seemed to be doing a little better. The light had just turned on and he wasn't poofed up but better looking none the less. Ill update with pics later

[Alysiak00]

Here is the anemone last night

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/65a5f956.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/bf82f30b.jpg

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Here is on my lunch break (right when lights turned on)

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/c19bb48a.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/53607bd1.jpg

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And this is when i got home. He's still hanging in there and i dont see any gaping mouth so i think he is just acclimating to the lights (they're pc lights; 10k and actinic)

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/20c7bd81.jpg

[Alysiak00]

so the nem still looks pretty much the same. He ended up moving to the opposite corner of the box. i'll keep updating as it goes

on another note. the tank is going through its massive diatom outbreak.

[creefer01]

so the nem still looks pretty much the same. He ended up moving to the opposite corner of the box. i'll keep updating as it goes

on another note. the tank is going through its massive diatom outbreak.

Ahhhh....what a great sign that is.:beer:

[ZOKU]

Looks like that little anemone is doing a bit better!

[Alysiak00]

Ahhhh....what a great sign that is.:beer:

that it is mate.....that it is!
:beer:

[Alysiak00]

Looks like that little anemone is doing a bit better!

i think he is doing okay i just think its taking him a while to get acclimated to the lights. i think that because he was in a lights out tank for 3 days its taking him a bit longer than usual

[Alysiak00]

tank is in its brown algae stage and ammonia/nitrates are still noticable

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/fede059b.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/0a842f8b.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/b53434dc.jpg


i also caught the nem doing some acrobatics the other day lol. So far there is still only slight polyp extension from the nem and nothing close to full extension. hopefully he has finally found his spot in the corner but i'll keep updating everyone

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/e66fc76e.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/272f25cc.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt213/alysiak00/569e6aa4.jpg

[creefer01]

Well....did the nem make it??

I pulled the trigger on the GH set up. Thanks for the detail in this thread. It's been greatly helpful.

[rkaiser]

Nice build, great info.

[Alysiak00]

Well....did the nem make it??

I pulled the trigger on the GH set up. Thanks for the detail in this thread. It's been greatly helpful.

well so far so good. His mouth is still tight but he is not yet fully extended. Today i saw a glimpse of some extension but not totally sure. I'll update with pics tomorrow on the nem :D

Good choice with the Glass Holes kit. you cant go wrong especially for ease of use, price, quality and looks. They're built well and you'll love it. Im also glad i could help :)

[Alysiak00]

Nice build, great info.

thank you. This is the first "real build" i've ever done. The past setups were just quickly thrown together and assembled. This one, however, had LOADS of planning and sketches. It really pays off in the end