Fully automated 500+ gallons, 225gal Mixed Reef, 50gal Seahorse tank

[ReefRescue]

Last February I drove up to Northridge in CA after responding to a craigslist add to get a tank. After a couple of interesting exchanges my girlfriend and I decided to make the drive.
Once we got there and I purchased the tank the owner asked me a couple of questions about his newly built setup and since it was dark I looked at it briefly to realize that someone had assembled a supposedly high end setup like a kinder-garden kid with his first Lego set, accept the kid would probably be more creative due to his curiosity and interest.
So after a few minutes of looking He asked me what I think? The original question was "If You could look at my chiller and tell me why it’s not working?"

I had to bluntly reply that "he is probably not interested in what I have to say." Considering I could see that he had spent thousands to get an absolutely dysfunctional system.
After he insisted, I told him that whoever worked on his tank wasn’t qualified to even touch it and doesn’t have the knowledge and experience necessary to set up and service a reef thank.
I showed and explained to him a few things that were just mind boggling. Then he asked me if I would be able to fix the problems and to get things functional.
Knowing that I live about an hour away without traffic and that I am absolutely stumped with work and short of time I told him that I won’t be able to. Instead I offered to come and look at the system more carefully during the day to give him a better Idea of what the problems were.
On my next trip there I realized how bad everything was, oceans motions set up 15' away from the tank with flex barb lines, 90 degree elbows, and metal fasteners that leaked on every joint.
A 1850 gallon return pump going through a chiller, not primed, blasting in the middle of the tank from the overflow, facing the front, it started spilling and splashing water off the top after being primed.
I felt really bad for him, and I also got excited by the challenge of building his system properly. Since he had already paid a lot of money for service on his previous tank, and when I saw that his corals were all brown, unhealthy and full of hair algae I decided to make him a deal.
I told to him that I will find the time to take care of the built of his tank under one condition:
Only if he committed to become a more active hobbyist, start learning and understanding how a reef tank functions, as well as the equipment needed.
He agreed, seemed enthusiastic, we shook hands, I already had ideas and knew this was going to be a big project.
I started to do a lot of research and gave him his first homework, Randy’s Reef chemistry. http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-03/rhf/

This is how began the saga of the 225gal rebuild. After a year it has become a 500+ gallons system with the 225gal mixed reef display tank, 50gal seahorse tank, 80gal refugium tank, 80gal live rock filtration tank, 45gal frag tank, and an 85gal sump.

[woodnaquanut]

No pictures, didn't happen!

Just saying...

[ReefRescue]

will post pics tonight they are on the PC at home.

[ReefRescue]

I will post the whole build over the next few weeks.
Here are some pictures of what I walked into.

[nuxx]

Can't wait to see the pics

[ReefRescue]

Trying to post some pics now but I am getting a security issue with website. will post tonight.

[dave.m]

Better to use a dedicated web image server like Photobucket, Flickr, etc. and then link the images back here on RC.

Dave.M

[nuxx]

Originally Posted by dave.m

Better to use a dedicated web image server like Photobucket, Flickr, etc. and then link the images back here on RC.

Dave.M

Yeap I use http://postimage.org/ for forums.

Really simply and clean.

[ReefRescue]

Here is shot underneath the tank from last Feb

[ReefRescue]

I can post through tapatalk on my Iphone this is really goofy.

[ReefRescue]

Here are a few shots of the pipes going outside underneath a built in cabinet through the upstairs bedroom wall to the patio.

The return from the sump through the cabinets to the reeflo that was connected to the oceans motions

[ReefRescue]

the smaller pipe underneath the orange bucket was the intake of the High pressure return that went through the chiller and then blasted in the middle of the tank.

[ReefRescue]

The pumps were in use for less then a month. Have a look at the salt creep from the leaks.

[ReefRescue]

[ReefRescue]

All the pipes were fastened by metal fasteners, already rusted and full of corrosion after a month.

[ReefRescue]

I will track pictures of the actual tank and post them later.
The scariest part was, that two of the returns from the oceans motions, in the middle of the tank were coming through the soft pipes underneath, getting connected to the oceans motions outside 10' away.
So the connections were holding about 100gal of pressure. In case of any failure with the fasteners there would be a 100gal of water in the bedroom upstairs.

[nuxx]

Yikes!

[ReefRescue]

Have a look at the fastener in this picture below.I was able to move it with my hand after examining the source of the leaks, and I realized they were all loose. I could not believe my eyes. This was done by a company in the valley, they were also servicing his previous 150gal tank doing two water changes a week with 5gal buckets up and down the stairs.

I don't understand how these people stay in business.(for 5 years)

[Izek]

Wow that's insane good thing u got there when u did keep us posted on the progress

[ReefRescue]

A little taste of what's to come.

The preparation for the sensors in the sump.




And the almost finished section.

[Adamc1303]

subscribed!

[dave.m]

When using that type of hose clamp (the ones that were loose and rusting) you need to make sure the gear housing is marked "SS" for "Stainless Steel" to ensure you have the kind that won't rust. The kind that were used in your photos are intended for air hoses, not water hoses.

Dave.M

[ReefRescue]

Yes, you are absolutely right Dave.m. But that was the least of the problems in that system. Tightening them would have been a good start as well as balancing them and making sure they are centered not crooked.

[nuxx]

Originally Posted by dave.m

When using that type of hose clamp (the ones that were loose and rusting) you need to make sure the gear housing is marked "SS" for "Stainless Steel" to ensure you have the kind that won't rust. The kind that were used in your photos are intended for air hoses, not water hoses.

Dave.M

Just had our feeding tongs I use for putting rocks with nori in our tank just snap.

Naturally the wire had rusted through.

Just bought some SS tongs...

[AcroDesCoraux]

Really cool story! Definitely tagging along...