*d2mini's new 200g Reeftastic Build* - Page 120

dkeller_nc · 02/14/2015, 08:29 AM

Ha! Boo, hiss - a FTS with an algae clip on the front glass!

Your set-up makes me jealous; I'm still agonizing over whether to set-up a 4' 120g or a 6' 180g. Bigger's almost always better, but unfortunately my house is quite small, so space considerations are a huge factor.

Who made your tank? Haven't quite found that while paging back through the thread.

d2mini · 02/14/2015, 08:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by worm5406

Very nice picture!

Quote:

Originally Posted by murdock84

Looking good!

Quote:

Originally Posted by danielmitchell

so refreshing to see this

Quote:

Originally Posted by shaggss

Awesome

Thanks!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anim8me2

So you went back to the Hamilton combo unit?

Ya, well before I did the tear down and I was then able to get the light rack set up over the big tub. Meanwhile I fixed what was my only real issue with the Cebu which was the impossibility of changing bulbs while it was in my canopy due to that huge piece of glass. So I just left the glass off.

With the rack, I never figured out how to get the second pair of t5 reflectors on there. Overall, i think that big single reflector in the Cebu does a nice job of spreading the light especially side to side.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dkeller_nc

Ha! Boo, hiss - a FTS with an algae clip on the front glass!

Your set-up makes me jealous; I'm still agonizing over whether to set-up a 4' 120g or a 6' 180g. Bigger's almost always better, but unfortunately my house is quite small, so space considerations are a huge factor.

Who made your tank? Haven't quite found that while paging back through the thread.

haha, ya i saw the clip and figured I'd leave it for scale. Better than a can of diet coke sitting on the ledge.

The tank was built by Planet Aquariums.
It's eurobraced with two layers of glass and a plastic rim that holds screens (which I don't have yet), and the bottom is a 3 layer hybrid of pvc, glass, and abs. 1/2" glass with a Starphire front. There's pics of all that back there somewhere.

Anim8me2 · 02/14/2015, 08:44 AM

Leave off the glass? Hmmmm! See I was trying to figure out a way to my mine so it was easier to remove. I like your solution better.
I have added some t5s tom my Mitras and I am seeing if that works out, if not the Cebu is going in sans glass.

Also, as a internet diletante I will just say that one should always use a banana for scale.
http://www.dailydot.com/lol/banana-f...-meme-history/

d2mini · 02/14/2015, 09:03 AM

lol, i'll keep that in mind!

And yeah, in the case of SE bulbs, the glass is just a splash guard.

joshky · 02/14/2015, 09:21 AM

Everything about your build is so clean and your photography is amazing.

shaggss · 02/14/2015, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by d2mini

And yeah, in the case of SE bulbs, the glass is just a splash guard.

Cool. Learn something everyday. I thought all MH required the glass cover.

Thanks Dennis

dcmartinpc · 02/14/2015, 03:39 PM

DE need glass covers as a UV shield. SE bulbs have the UV shield built in.

Don

d2mini · 02/17/2015, 09:51 AM

So apparently it's ok to run your tank with no return pump for several days.

Saturday morning (Happy Valentines Day to me) I decided to install my new Hammerhead impeller in my Reeflo Barracuda Gold return pump. Easy, right? Apparently not so much. The impeller was seized. Grabbed the can of PB Blaster Anti Seize spray which I've had for minimum 10 years and it's half full but ain't spraying. Switched to WD-40. Tons of it. Nothing is working. Next step in the Reeflo instructions in this case is to break off the old impeller so you can get a vice-grip on it. Broke off enough so it was down to just the main hub with the bolt inside and nothing still. At this point I have no pump. So now I break out the dremel tool and shave off the rest of the plastic to expose the main bolt underneath and I can now get a socket wrench on it. And on the other end, i removed the fan blades and now have a pipe wrench on that end of the main shaft. Tons of torque and NOTHING! This sucker is apparently welded on after 2.5 years of use. Now I switch to a big pipe wrench on the bolt, too. Two pipe wrenches, lots of muscle. Tried heating it a couple times. Tried banging the wrench with a rubber mallet. More WD-40. Anything to break it free. I'm getting no where. Then with more swearing and straining, I finally sense some movement with the pipe wrench. Or did it just slip? Tried it again and definitely movement. It's not moving easy, but it's moving. Turn, turn, turn... uh-oh. What the.... is it bent? It looks bent! Turn... turn.... SNAP!!! The bolt wasn't moving at all. Instead, the shaft sheared right off at the bolt.

Well shoot. Now it's Saturday morning and I have no return pump. Luckily my display has the Gyre and Tunze 6105 so plenty of flow there. Was able to add a small pump in the Mangrove tank. The Frag tank is already running and MP40, but no heater, just the MH and T5 lights. The fuge I'm not real worried about. Started making calls but had to spend the day with the wife and then other family later on. Nothing I could do till Sunday.

Sunday I head straight to my LFS who happened to have a spare Hammerhead laying around. Drove the 35 miles there and 35 miles back. Being basically the same pump it hooks right up to my plumbing. Tighten the unions, open the valves, and water starts gushing out the seal around that main shaft! This pump is worthless. GAH!

Well, time to overnight a new pump. Luckily The Drs had the Hammerhead Gold in stock and overnight shipping was *only* $48, at least half of other places. If the pump from my LFS would have worked, I could have went with standard shipping. Oh well. Ordered. Would ship monday, arrive Tuesday.

Meanwhile I was able to pass my heater and temp probe through the wall and into the display tank. At least that would be stable. And then I had another small heater from my QT that I put in the mangrove tank. Been running like this ever since. I've been sumpless and skimmerless. And I'm sure my Alk has been dropping steadily without the CaRx.

Woke up this morning and UPS tracking showed weather delays. 6am still in Kentucky. GAH!

But luckily by 9am it somehow made it to Houston and is out for delivery.

So here we are. Another stressful tank weekend.
Pump should be back on tonite and hopefully that's that.
Meanwhile I'll send the old one back to Reeflo, hoping it can be repaired for not too much more damage to my wallet. A $35 upgrade has now cost me over $600.
Not mention more points lost with the Mrs with whom I'm already on thin ice.

And before you say it, yes I know... you should always have backup equipment. But when we are dealing with a pump of this magnitude, something else always seems to come first. And a smaller/different pump would require a change in plumbing. A dupe pump is the easiest to swap out, which I will now have.

So there you go... more drama in the d2mini tank.

Floyd R Turbo · 02/17/2015, 09:58 AM

Wow...I need to get a spare reeflo for one of the tanks I take care of. I'm worried that it will throw a seal at some point, at which it would just be easier to swap it out.

d2mini · 02/17/2015, 10:48 AM

Ya Bud, the seal kits are cheap but who knows what you might find once you get in there.
Better to have a spare if possible.

Indiana Reefin · 02/17/2015, 11:23 AM

Wow dude tough luck.
Grab a torch and heat that sucker out of there

iced98lx · 02/17/2015, 11:23 AM

Sucky deal Dennis, no fun at all. I do now keep a backup return pump on hand and switch them out to clean each one but who knows they'll probably fail at the same time lol.

d2mini · 02/17/2015, 01:03 PM

The beast has arrived.
Rated at 6,000 gph at 0 head, and over 5,000 gph at 6'.
Yo-Yo for scale.

anbosu · 02/17/2015, 01:27 PM

I bought a spare return for my big tank, and I'm convinced it's the main reason I haven't had any return pump issues to date.

matt9190 · 02/17/2015, 01:41 PM

Very, nice fish room/sump area. Thanks for posting all the pics. They provide a lot of inspiration

msderganc · 02/17/2015, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by d2mini

The beast has arrived.
Rated at 6,000 gph at 0 head, and over 5,000 gph at 6'.
Yo-Yo for scale.

Wow, so awesome. Let me know how loud it is.

Have you considered running two return pumps? For my next tank I will definitely be doing that.

b7fig · 02/17/2015, 04:34 PM

Dang, you stressed me out just reading that. Now i won't be able to sleep now without a backup for my Reeflo.

freakit · 02/17/2015, 06:56 PM

That's stressful. The Baldor motors are great and very quiet.

reeftanknewbie · 02/17/2015, 07:36 PM

wow sorry to hear about your stressful weekend. Can't believe that the spare from your LFS turned out to be a bust and waste of time and energy. thanks for sharing this however as I am planning on getting a spare pump for my tank as a back up.

PS. That's one serious looking pump you got as a replacement. can't wait to hear what kind of flow you get from it.

d2mini · 02/17/2015, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anbosu

I bought a spare return for my big tank, and I'm convinced it's the main reason I haven't had any return pump issues to date.

Probably!

Quote:

Originally Posted by matt9190

Very, nice fish room/sump area. Thanks for posting all the pics. They provide a lot of inspiration

Thanks, glad it could help.

Quote:

Originally Posted by msderganc

Wow, so awesome. Let me know how loud it is.

Have you considered running two return pumps? For my next tank I will definitely be doing that.

I thought about two when i first started this build a few years ago but ended up with one out of simplicity.

Quote:

Originally Posted by b7fig

Dang, you stressed me out just reading that. Now i won't be able to sleep now without a backup for my Reeflo.

lol, sorry.

Quote:

Originally Posted by freakit

That's stressful. The Baldor motors are great and very quiet.

Ya, i liked my Barracuda Gold, just wanted to upgrade to the Hammerhead... but not the hard way!

Quote:

Originally Posted by reeftanknewbie

wow sorry to hear about your stressful weekend. Can't believe that the spare from your LFS turned out to be a bust and waste of time and energy. thanks for sharing this however as I am planning on getting a spare pump for my tank as a back up.

PS. That's one serious looking pump you got as a replacement. can't wait to hear what kind of flow you get from it.

Thanks.

And ya, these Reeflo's are some good pumps. After head height and all the other plumbing restrictions my Barracuda was giving me somewhere around 1500 gph. This should have the ability to tack on quite a bit more!

AND..... we're back in business!
The new pump hooked right up and its running like a champ.
The Barracuda was running wide open but I've got this one valved back a bit until I can play with the flow, and I'm still getting more than before. Had to open up my drains a little.

maroun.c · 02/17/2015, 11:12 PM

I learned it the hard way as well !!! a backup pump with same fittings is always a good thing.
In my case I live across the globe and ordering ain't nearly as fast as in your case even when I ordered from Reeflo directly. in my case my Manta Ray lost its bearings at the 7 months mark. Not a big deal took it for a local repair as I wasn't going to order online. Easy 1 days fix to have "high quality heavy Duty" beaings installed. Well they only lasted for a week and then the pump came to a complete stop again. Took it for a second replacement and it turned out that it broke some parts in it as well as the bearings were messed up. I also had noticed that the seals were leaking a tiny bit after the fix. I have 2 old Iwaki pumps that I had to install and run through a hose up to the tank as I didn't want to messup my plumbing. waited a couple of weeks for replacement parts: Seal kit and bearings, and during that time my tank had reduced flow as the Iwakis were not enough. To make it worse the whole country or region here does not have a pressure rated aquarium pump

Couple of days before getting the parts an LFS owner remembered that he had an old Hayward (Pool pump laying around) which works for tanks

Got that and plumbed it to fit on my old plumbing so after my pump was fixed I have two pumps that go in or out only needing to disconnect/connect a couple of unions!!!
Still my next project is to install a backup pump to the system so in case my pump fails while I'm away all that the wife has to do is to just turn the backup on.
Definitely not fun.

ClownsRCoo · 02/18/2015, 08:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by d2mini

The beast has arrived.
Rated at 6,000 gph at 0 head, and over 5,000 gph at 6'.
Yo-Yo for scale.

I can't believe I'll be the first to say what everyone is thinking but that's a pretty sweet yo-yo! I'd like some feedback on that bad boy when you get a chance

d2mini · 02/18/2015, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ClownsRCoo

I can't believe I'll be the first to say what everyone is thinking but that's a pretty sweet yo-yo! I'd like some feedback on that bad boy when you get a chance

Solid wood, baby!

Anim8me2 · 02/18/2015, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by d2mini

Solid wood, baby!

That's what she... never mind.

SPotter · 02/25/2015, 06:46 AM

Dennis....you have any updated shots of planet chaeto or shots of your fuge?

02/14/2015, 09:03 AM	#2979
d2mini Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 10,344	lol, i'll keep that in mind! And yeah, in the case of SE bulbs, the glass is just a splash guard. __________________ -dennis Elos Diamond 120xl \| Elos Stand \| Radion G4 Pros \| GHL Profilux Controller \| LifeReef Skimmer \| LifeReef Sump Photos taken with a Nikon D750 or Leica M.

02/14/2015, 09:21 AM	#2980
joshky Acros & Wrasses Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Central KY Posts: 2,546	Everything about your build is so clean and your photography is amazing. __________________ Josh My 80g: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2677031

02/14/2015, 03:39 PM	#2982
dcmartinpc Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Niles, MI Posts: 331	DE need glass covers as a UV shield. SE bulbs have the UV shield built in. Don __________________ I glue animals to rocks... Current Tank Info: 225G 5x3x2, 2 x 400w Radium on Dual PFO HQI, 2-Blue+, 2-Actinic, 2 x MP40w ES, 2 x Maxspect Gyre and 60 Cube LPS, 6-Blue+, 2-Purple+, 2xMP40w ES. Common 150 Rubbermaid sump. All driven with an Apex.

02/17/2015, 09:51 AM	#2983
d2mini Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 10,344	So apparently it's ok to run your tank with no return pump for several days. Saturday morning (Happy Valentines Day to me) I decided to install my new Hammerhead impeller in my Reeflo Barracuda Gold return pump. Easy, right? Apparently not so much. The impeller was seized. Grabbed the can of PB Blaster Anti Seize spray which I've had for minimum 10 years and it's half full but ain't spraying. Switched to WD-40. Tons of it. Nothing is working. Next step in the Reeflo instructions in this case is to break off the old impeller so you can get a vice-grip on it. Broke off enough so it was down to just the main hub with the bolt inside and nothing still. At this point I have no pump. So now I break out the dremel tool and shave off the rest of the plastic to expose the main bolt underneath and I can now get a socket wrench on it. And on the other end, i removed the fan blades and now have a pipe wrench on that end of the main shaft. Tons of torque and NOTHING! This sucker is apparently welded on after 2.5 years of use. Now I switch to a big pipe wrench on the bolt, too. Two pipe wrenches, lots of muscle. Tried heating it a couple times. Tried banging the wrench with a rubber mallet. More WD-40. Anything to break it free. I'm getting no where. Then with more swearing and straining, I finally sense some movement with the pipe wrench. Or did it just slip? Tried it again and definitely movement. It's not moving easy, but it's moving. Turn, turn, turn... uh-oh. What the.... is it bent? It looks bent! Turn... turn.... SNAP!!! The bolt wasn't moving at all. Instead, the shaft sheared right off at the bolt. Well shoot. Now it's Saturday morning and I have no return pump. Luckily my display has the Gyre and Tunze 6105 so plenty of flow there. Was able to add a small pump in the Mangrove tank. The Frag tank is already running and MP40, but no heater, just the MH and T5 lights. The fuge I'm not real worried about. Started making calls but had to spend the day with the wife and then other family later on. Nothing I could do till Sunday. Sunday I head straight to my LFS who happened to have a spare Hammerhead laying around. Drove the 35 miles there and 35 miles back. Being basically the same pump it hooks right up to my plumbing. Tighten the unions, open the valves, and water starts gushing out the seal around that main shaft! This pump is worthless. GAH! Well, time to overnight a new pump. Luckily The Drs had the Hammerhead Gold in stock and overnight shipping was only $48, at least half of other places. If the pump from my LFS would have worked, I could have went with standard shipping. Oh well. Ordered. Would ship monday, arrive Tuesday. Meanwhile I was able to pass my heater and temp probe through the wall and into the display tank. At least that would be stable. And then I had another small heater from my QT that I put in the mangrove tank. Been running like this ever since. I've been sumpless and skimmerless. And I'm sure my Alk has been dropping steadily without the CaRx. Woke up this morning and UPS tracking showed weather delays. 6am still in Kentucky. GAH! But luckily by 9am it somehow made it to Houston and is out for delivery. So here we are. Another stressful tank weekend. Pump should be back on tonite and hopefully that's that. Meanwhile I'll send the old one back to Reeflo, hoping it can be repaired for not too much more damage to my wallet. A $35 upgrade has now cost me over $600. Not mention more points lost with the Mrs with whom I'm already on thin ice. And before you say it, yes I know... you should always have backup equipment. But when we are dealing with a pump of this magnitude, something else always seems to come first. And a smaller/different pump would require a change in plumbing. A dupe pump is the easiest to swap out, which I will now have. So there you go... more drama in the d2mini tank. __________________ -dennis Elos Diamond 120xl \| Elos Stand \| Radion G4 Pros \| GHL Profilux Controller \| LifeReef Skimmer \| LifeReef Sump Photos taken with a Nikon D750 or Leica M.

02/17/2015, 09:58 AM	#2984
Floyd R Turbo Either busy or sleeping Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: West Des Moines, IA Posts: 4,265 Blog Entries: 15	Wow...I need to get a spare reeflo for one of the tanks I take care of. I'm worried that it will throw a seal at some point, at which it would just be easier to swap it out. __________________ Algae Scrubber Basics!!! GOOGLE "algaescrubber zoho" General Interest Forums --> Advanced Topics --> Algae Scrubber Basics (sticky) --> POSTS #3251-64 (Basics), #5206 (Cleaning), #6884 (LEDs), #729

02/14/2015, 08:29 AM	#2976
dkeller_nc Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Central NC Posts: 5,062	Ha! Boo, hiss - a FTS with an algae clip on the front glass! Your set-up makes me jealous; I'm still agonizing over whether to set-up a 4' 120g or a 6' 180g. Bigger's almost always better, but unfortunately my house is quite small, so space considerations are a huge factor. Who made your tank? Haven't quite found that while paging back through the thread.

02/14/2015, 08:44 AM	#2978
Anim8me2 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Southwest Ranches, FL Posts: 586	Leave off the glass? Hmmmm! See I was trying to figure out a way to my mine so it was easier to remove. I like your solution better. I have added some t5s tom my Mitras and I am seeing if that works out, if not the Cebu is going in sans glass. Also, as a internet diletante I will just say that one should always use a banana for scale. http://www.dailydot.com/lol/banana-f...-meme-history/

02/17/2015, 10:48 AM	#2985
d2mini Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 10,344	Ya Bud, the seal kits are cheap but who knows what you might find once you get in there. Better to have a spare if possible. __________________ -dennis Elos Diamond 120xl \| Elos Stand \| Radion G4 Pros \| GHL Profilux Controller \| LifeReef Skimmer \| LifeReef Sump Photos taken with a Nikon D750 or Leica M.

02/17/2015, 11:23 AM	#2986
Indiana Reefin Garrett Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Indiana Posts: 847	Wow dude tough luck. Grab a torch and heat that sucker out of there

02/17/2015, 11:23 AM	#2987
iced98lx Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Posts: 2,258	Sucky deal Dennis, no fun at all. I do now keep a backup return pump on hand and switch them out to clean each one but who knows they'll probably fail at the same time lol.

02/17/2015, 01:03 PM	#2988
d2mini Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 10,344	The beast has arrived. Rated at 6,000 gph at 0 head, and over 5,000 gph at 6'. Yo-Yo for scale. __________________ -dennis Elos Diamond 120xl \| Elos Stand \| Radion G4 Pros \| GHL Profilux Controller \| LifeReef Skimmer \| LifeReef Sump Photos taken with a Nikon D750 or Leica M.

02/17/2015, 01:27 PM	#2989
anbosu Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Mount Juliet, TN Posts: 4,528	I bought a spare return for my big tank, and I'm convinced it's the main reason I haven't had any return pump issues to date.

02/17/2015, 01:41 PM	#2990
matt9190 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 102	Very, nice fish room/sump area. Thanks for posting all the pics. They provide a lot of inspiration __________________ - Matt 30g DT w/ 20g sump/fuge - 5 years and counting... 90g DT with 30g sump/fuge currently under construction!

02/17/2015, 04:34 PM	#2992
b7fig Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Newburgh, IN Posts: 250	Dang, you stressed me out just reading that. Now i won't be able to sleep now without a backup for my Reeflo. __________________ What, not again! Current Tank Info: 40g Innovative Marine. Mixed reef. Radion XR30 Pro. Vortech 10 Quitedrives. Reef link. Apex controller. 180 gal acrylic. FOWLR. 30g sump. K1 Kalk Stirrer. LifeReef SVS@2-24 protein skimmer. Carbon dosing

02/17/2015, 06:56 PM	#2993
freakit Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Posts: 15	That's stressful. The Baldor motors are great and very quiet.

02/17/2015, 07:36 PM	#2994
reeftanknewbie Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Effort PA Posts: 1,067	wow sorry to hear about your stressful weekend. Can't believe that the spare from your LFS turned out to be a bust and waste of time and energy. thanks for sharing this however as I am planning on getting a spare pump for my tank as a back up. PS. That's one serious looking pump you got as a replacement. can't wait to hear what kind of flow you get from it. __________________ 80 gallon Blue Line rimless tank, 40 gallon breeder sump, DIY ATS, SWC 160 cone skimmer, ocean revive LED. Current Tank Info: 80 gallon blue line rimless tank

02/17/2015, 11:12 PM	#2996
maroun.c Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Lebanon Posts: 6,111	I learned it the hard way as well !!! a backup pump with same fittings is always a good thing. In my case I live across the globe and ordering ain't nearly as fast as in your case even when I ordered from Reeflo directly. in my case my Manta Ray lost its bearings at the 7 months mark. Not a big deal took it for a local repair as I wasn't going to order online. Easy 1 days fix to have "high quality heavy Duty" beaings installed. Well they only lasted for a week and then the pump came to a complete stop again. Took it for a second replacement and it turned out that it broke some parts in it as well as the bearings were messed up. I also had noticed that the seals were leaking a tiny bit after the fix. I have 2 old Iwaki pumps that I had to install and run through a hose up to the tank as I didn't want to messup my plumbing. waited a couple of weeks for replacement parts: Seal kit and bearings, and during that time my tank had reduced flow as the Iwakis were not enough. To make it worse the whole country or region here does not have a pressure rated aquarium pump Couple of days before getting the parts an LFS owner remembered that he had an old Hayward (Pool pump laying around) which works for tanks Got that and plumbed it to fit on my old plumbing so after my pump was fixed I have two pumps that go in or out only needing to disconnect/connect a couple of unions!!! Still my next project is to install a backup pump to the system so in case my pump fails while I'm away all that the wife has to do is to just turn the backup on. Definitely not fun. __________________ 390 G mixed reef build Current Tank Info: 390G mixed reef

02/25/2015, 06:46 AM	#3000
SPotter Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Mt. Pleasant, SC Posts: 5,691	Dennis....you have any updated shots of planet chaeto or shots of your fuge? __________________ Steve Am I really doing all of this for a fish tank?????? Current Tank Info: 360g Envision Acrylic Tank, Closed Loops, Vectra L1's, MP40QD's, 400w Radiums, Regal 300ext, Dastaco Ext3 CaRx, Controlled by GHL Profilux