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Unread 03/25/2018, 12:57 PM   #1
whip
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Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Reno, NV.
Posts: 3
Whip’s RSR XXL 750 Hybrid Barebottom

Looks like I’ve been registered on here since 2004... and this is my first post. I’ve been getting so much good information from here over the years, I’d figure I’d give back a bit and share my current build with my fellow reefers.

Throughout my life, I have always seemed to buy secondhand aquariums so, this time, I figured I’d purchase NIB and, if I was going to do that... I might as well go big or go home!

Before I drop some coin, I figured I’d be a little proactive and take care of the things I hate the most... going to the LFS and getting RO/DI water, mixing saltwater in a bucket, and packing buckets all over my house. Like things I hate, I tend not to do them and my RSM 130 is a cesspool.

Here is my solution to solve some pain and agony...



Though untested as of yet (waiting on some hose), the Saltwater Mixing Station should do the following:

1. RO/DI Tank Fill
2. RO/DI Gravity Transfer
3. Saltwater In-Tank Recirculation
4. RO/DI Gavity Bucket Fill
5. Saltwater Gravity Bucket Fill
6. RO/DI Pump to Tank
7. Saltwater Pump to Tank

The RO/DI unit is in the laundry room cabinet, so a 3/8” hole in the wall to the garage was all it took to get RO/DI water to the upper tank (float valve controlled).

I will have to use a hose to get top off and saltwater to my tank. Luckily, I just go through the laundry room and around the corner and it’s a done deal (about 20 feet).

So... what is a “hybrid barebottom”? Not sure... but this is what I want to do...

I absolutely LOVE barebottom tanks, so to stick with the theme, I have decided to get 100+ pounds of Tonga Shelf and artistically cover much of the bottom of the tank. Upon this layer of Tonga Shelf, I will build the aquascape (100 pounds of Pukani inbound).

I have no clue what it’s going to look like, but I’m my mind it’s gonna look cool as hell... maybe.



I put a soda can in the photo to offer some perspective on the size. As it sits now, there is a large ravine where the overflow box is and I was thinking about filling it in with Pukani, but I kind of think it’s cool. We’ll see where it goes.

The left hand far corner will be filled in with a Pukani mountain and bleed out onto the Tonga Shelf.

Always looking for advice, so feel free to chime in.


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Unread 03/25/2018, 01:11 PM   #2
Bayareareefer18
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Location: Bay Area California
Posts: 28
Mixing station looks great. I too just plumbed my build with red pvc. You've got a pretty penny in sch 80 fittings there lol

Look forward to seeing your next steps


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Unread 03/25/2018, 01:29 PM   #3
whip
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Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Reno, NV.
Posts: 3
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bayareareefer18 View Post
Mixing station looks great. I too just plumbed my build with red pvc. You've got a pretty penny in sch 80 fittings there lol

Look forward to seeing your next steps


Thanks Bayareareefer! Yeah... just the eight valves alone made the price high enough that I had to hide the purchase from the wife!


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Unread 03/25/2018, 02:24 PM   #4
Bayareareefer18
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Location: Bay Area California
Posts: 28
Quote:
Originally Posted by whip View Post
Thanks Bayareareefer! Yeah... just the eight valves alone made the price high enough that I had to hide the purchase from the wife!

I believe it. I wanted to go all sch 80 for aestetichs with the red pipe but just didn't have the time to source it so went with sch 40

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Unread 03/25/2018, 02:25 PM   #5
Bayareareefer18
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Location: Bay Area California
Posts: 28
For your hose it's easy to fab your own or just buy a python and can also use that for siphon as well

Quote:
Originally Posted by whip View Post
Looks like I’ve been registered on here since 2004... and this is my first post. I’ve been getting so much good information from here over the years, I’d figure I’d give back a bit and share my current build with my fellow reefers.

Throughout my life, I have always seemed to buy secondhand aquariums so, this time, I figured I’d purchase NIB and, if I was going to do that... I might as well go big or go home!

Before I drop some coin, I figured I’d be a little proactive and take care of the things I hate the most... going to the LFS and getting RO/DI water, mixing saltwater in a bucket, and packing buckets all over my house. Like things I hate, I tend not to do them and my RSM 130 is a cesspool.

Here is my solution to solve some pain and agony...



Though untested as of yet (waiting on some hose), the Saltwater Mixing Station should do the following:

1. RO/DI Tank Fill
2. RO/DI Gravity Transfer
3. Saltwater In-Tank Recirculation
4. RO/DI Gavity Bucket Fill
5. Saltwater Gravity Bucket Fill
6. RO/DI Pump to Tank
7. Saltwater Pump to Tank

The RO/DI unit is in the laundry room cabinet, so a 3/8” hole in the wall to the garage was all it took to get RO/DI water to the upper tank (float valve controlled).

I will have to use a hose to get top off and saltwater to my tank. Luckily, I just go through the laundry room and around the corner and it’s a done deal (about 20 feet).

So... what is a “hybrid barebottom”? Not sure... but this is what I want to do...

I absolutely LOVE barebottom tanks, so to stick with the theme, I have decided to get 100+ pounds of Tonga Shelf and artistically cover much of the bottom of the tank. Upon this layer of Tonga Shelf, I will build the aquascape (100 pounds of Pukani inbound).

I have no clue what it’s going to look like, but I’m my mind it’s gonna look cool as hell... maybe.



I put a soda can in the photo to offer some perspective on the size. As it sits now, there is a large ravine where the overflow box is and I was thinking about filling it in with Pukani, but I kind of think it’s cool. We’ll see where it goes.

The left hand far corner will be filled in with a Pukani mountain and bleed out onto the Tonga Shelf.

Always looking for advice, so feel free to chime in.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



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Unread 03/25/2018, 09:58 PM   #6
tenpercenter
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Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 144
How will you get salt into the lower tank?


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Unread 03/25/2018, 10:13 PM   #7
whip
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Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Reno, NV.
Posts: 3
Quote:
Originally Posted by tenpercenter View Post
How will you get salt into the lower tank?


At the top of the tank there is a large opening and I left enough headspace to dump salt in the top; then I’ll just replace the lid (the lid is off in the photo). Internal to the tank, I installed PVC in a manner that will facilitate mixing. If I find it inadequate, I’ll have to modify it or drop an MJ in there.

The lids that come with the Ace tanks have an integrated plunger on them that will break any vacuum caused by draining the tank from the bottom.

This does bring up a good question though... how do I test salinity?

I might have to install a small petcock drain in it. That sucks.


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Unread 03/25/2018, 10:34 PM   #8
tenpercenter
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Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 144
Quote:
Originally Posted by whip View Post
At the top of the tank there is a large opening and I left enough headspace to dump salt in the top; then I’ll just replace the lid (the lid is off in the photo). Internal to the tank, I installed PVC in a manner that will facilitate mixing. If I find it inadequate, I’ll have to modify it or drop an MJ in there.

The lids that come with the Ace tanks have an integrated plunger on them that will break any vacuum caused by draining the tank from the bottom.

This does bring up a good question though... how do I test salinity?

I might have to install a small petcock drain in it. That sucks.


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Nice! Maybe it's the the angle. Couldn't you just reach in and pulls some with a dropper?


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Unread 03/25/2018, 10:38 PM   #9
Bayareareefer18
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Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Bay Area California
Posts: 28
Quote:
Originally Posted by whip View Post
At the top of the tank there is a large opening and I left enough headspace to dump salt in the top; then I’ll just replace the lid (the lid is off in the photo). Internal to the tank, I installed PVC in a manner that will facilitate mixing. If I find it inadequate, I’ll have to modify it or drop an MJ in there.

The lids that come with the Ace tanks have an integrated plunger on them that will break any vacuum caused by draining the tank from the bottom.

This does bring up a good question though... how do I test salinity?

I might have to install a small petcock drain in it. That sucks.

If you are using that plumbing for circulating you could always use a saddle clamp or tap like a 1/4" hole and thread in a fitting

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Unread 03/25/2018, 10:39 PM   #10
whip
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Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Reno, NV.
Posts: 3
Quote:
Originally Posted by tenpercenter View Post
Nice! Maybe it's the the angle. Couldn't you just reach in and pulls some with a dropper?


I just tried it... I can only get my arm in to about my mid-forearm. Houston... we have a problem.


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Unread 03/25/2018, 10:41 PM   #11
whip
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Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Reno, NV.
Posts: 3


That’s an elegant solution. Thanks!


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Unread 03/31/2018, 12:57 PM   #12
whip
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Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Reno, NV.
Posts: 3
Leak tested the Saltwater Mixing Station today and proofed out the following configurations:

1. RO/DI Tank Fill - Worked Perfectly
2. RO/DI Gravity Transfer - Worked Perfectly
3. Saltwater In-Tank Recirculation - Worked Perfectly
4. RO/DI Gavity Bucket Fill - Worked Perfectly
5. Saltwater Gravity Bucket Fill - Worked Perfectly
6. RO/DI Pump to Tank - Worked Perfectly
7. Saltwater Pump to Tank - Worked Perfectly

No leaks and the pump (Pan World 50PX) worked perfectly with zero priming issues. It’s pretty quiet too.

I used water from a garden hose to test everything, so now the last thing to test is the RO/DI float valve fill. Assuming that works, I’ll put the whole system into service and feed my RSM 130 while I wait for my RSR XXL 750 to arrive.

I’m pretty excited to get rid of the trips to the LFS for RO/DI water and lugging buckets everywhere!


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