d2mini's Epic Fantabulous New Reef Build

[phastroh]

Oh if you meant so that you didn't have any holes in the wall then either have a cabinet like an old TV would have around the back that fits over the piping. Make sure you can get to it though for emergencies.

Or just a rectangle that is tall and covers the pipes and seal it to the tank or get the kind where you put a frame and it snaps on. A lot of work but would probably look nice when it was done.

I guess I can't think of any other way.

 

[d2mini]

Dennis, another question. In your research, did you find any implementations of this system that didn't go through the wall but also didn't have 3 ugly pipes behind the tank? I was thinking maybe just create a fake wall for the 3 pieces to go through but I'd like to just route them someplace inconspicuous. Any ideas?

I've seen people that do an external overflow. Then you can route the drains out the bottom and go straight down to your sump below. Put the valves down low so you can access from under your stand. Then you can just put some trim along the side of the tank to hide the plumbing when viewed from the sides.

You could also do it with an internal overflow, but a regular top to bottom one. Would have to be wide enough for all three pipes (and your return if you want to hide that too). You would drill the bottom glass and go through your stand to your sump. Valves above the sump again. I did this exact thing with my Herbie overflow in my cube which is similar, just one less drain.

 

[fastrd400]

haha, thanks fast.
I can send you my old graph when they were on the old tank.
I have it on dropbox.
Haven't messed with these yet. No point in running them till i get stuff in there. ;)
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/2385073/d2mini_radion.zip

Crap Dennis, my computer wont open this. It keeps saying WTF is this?

 

[Kizmar]

Thanks for posting this. I'm going to use this as a road map to set mine up. :)

[Edit] Questions: Can you post some top-view pics over the Rubbermaids so we can see how things are set up inside? I'm wondering if you have filters on anything, and what the bottom half of the 150g Rubbermaid looks like (is it all just water?). Will there be stuff that settles in the bottom of the 150g tank that gets sucked up by the return pump?

 

[d2mini]

Crap Dennis, my computer wont open this. It keeps saying WTF is this?

Weird, pretty sure others have opened it. :dunno:
I can try again later.

[Edit] Questions: Can you post some top-view pics over the Rubbermaids so we can see how things are set up inside? I'm wondering if you have filters on anything, and what the bottom half of the 150g Rubbermaid looks like (is it all just water?). Will there be stuff that settles in the bottom of the 150g tank that gets sucked up by the return pump?

Ya, i'll get more pics eventually. I'm working on getting some filter socks setup for the drains. The 150g will have some live rock in it. Already has one piece and a few pieces of dry rock, but there will be more live rock soon. I'm sure stuff will still settle at the bottom like any sump, and will have to be cleaned out periodically.

 

[phastroh]

I use those eShopp xlarge Square bags, lots of hermits and a brittle star and my intake side of my sump where my skimmer sits is crystal clear and clean. Only my return has calcium spots.

Sump socks work wonders in my opinion. I took them out in my old tank and in 2 months there was beige crap everywhere.

Sump socks sump socks sump socks hey did I mention sump socks but you already know all this.

 

[cvcdrk]

I don't know if you've said this yet or not but are you going with TBS for the live rock?

 

[fastrd400]

Weird, pretty sure others have opened it. :dunno:
I can try again later.

It's the .etg extension.

 

[d2mini]

Your radion software won't load the .etg?

 

[fastrd400]

My computer won't open the file.

 

[d2mini]

It should be an .etp file.
You need to go into the radion software and load it.
File --> Open Project

I saved it out again and re-uploaded.
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/2385073/d2mini.etp.zip
If you have time, try it again, just out of curiosity.
I was looking at the graph, and this was when i was running at 100% for part of the day. I'm not sure this is even useful for you, but it's there. I haven't set up the new ones yet. Soon.

 

[d2mini]

I don't know if you've said this yet or not but are you going with TBS for the live rock?

Sand.
Rock a week from this Wednesday. :D

 

[BL1]

Looks great D! Are you not using the TBS sand this time?

 

[d2mini]

Ooops!
I meant to post this pic as well. ;)
5 boxes. 3 went into the display, and 2 went into the mangrove/frag tank.
I'm gonna need one more for the display.

 

[d2mini]

Thanks, Ben. Good to see ya again. :)


Ok, got one light up over the left half of the upper stock tank to grow mangroves.
Should get those this week.

Also got my Auto Water Change system going. 10% change per week right now. Comes on 24x per day and changes out around 29oz each time. Woohoo!
And my ATO is running too, via an optical level sensor in the sump. All of this is controlled by the Profilux. Details to come.

 

[lilmatty5dimes]

Wow this build is such an amazing one. Can't wait til the rocks and everything else makes its way in the tank.

 

[Samhain]

You know that excited little dog whose tail is going so fast it's wagging the entire back end of the dog? Yeah. That's me in anticipation of the rock getting here..........

 

[d2mini]

More pics!
Things are getting fine tuned and cleaned up and smaller projects are getting done.

Here's another overall shot of the "fish room".
The big gray Brute trashcan is my ATO container with Kalkwasser.
I can turn a valve and fill it straight from the RO/DI container or turn the valve the other way and send the RO/DI water straight to the upper container of my mixing station. Both containers have mechanical float valves to turn off the RO/DI when full.
You can also see the Profilux Computer and 3-Pump Doser on the shelf on the back wall.
This will control pretty much everything in my tank, and I can already access it from any web browser. Just need to set up email alerts. Right now it's running my Auto Top Off and Auto Water Change, as well as the system pump, skimmer, mangrove lamp, and heater. I also have the Vortech controller but haven't hooked that up yet.

Here you can see I installed a Panasonic FV-11VQ5 WhisperQuiet 110 CFM Ceiling Mounted Fan. This vents into the attic and all I have left to do is run the vent hose. We mounted a switch on the wall under the wire shelves to turn it on and off but it's just running non-stop and you can't even hear it. To tell it's running you have to go up into the attic and walk right up to it.
And I installed the 10" shop light over the Mangrove tank.

This is a top down view of the mangrove/frag tank.
Mangroves will be on the left and frags on the right.
Went back to Tractor Supply today and got a large feed bowl to contain the sand for the Mangroves. Ordered 50 Red Mangroves today, so should have those later this week.
You can also see the Digital Powerbar for my Profilux mounted on the wall behind, which is controlling the main system pump, skimmer, light over the mangroves, and heater. Two sockets left for future use.

This shows the egg crate that will help support the magroves for a while until they can root into the sand and support themselves.
The shop light now comes on at 10pm and off at 8am.

And finally another shot of the mixing station.
We installed a switch on the front to turn the pump on and off, rather than having to plug it in every time. Much easier and safer.

 

[Samhain]

 

[d2mini]

LOLOLOLOL! Thanks. :)