[Lightsluvr]

DIY Dursos:

1.5" tubing, a T, street elbow and cap. The cap is drilled with a 5/64" hole for venting.





Two of the three Dursos in the 36" x 8" x 12" exterior overflow:


View inside the overflow:


LL

[oldsaint]

I know it's probably not customary to make my first post here but couldn't resist. You have two beautiful tanks. Looks like the new one will be just as or more inspiring.

I have felt your pain with big tanks in a living room. For several years I had a total of 430 gals between 2 tanks in mine. Nothing worse than having to crank up the home theater just to understand what is being said.

With a remote DSB, a LR/fug sump, and all that flow are you planning a bare bottom tank?

Great build thread!!

[Lightsluvr]

Wow, I am honored that you chose to make your first post on our thread. Please subscribe and come back often...

I will have a 2-3" sandbed in the display tank. I am using CaribSea SeaFlor Select sand, which has a slightly larger texture that (I am told) and is less likely to blow around.

In addition, the closed loop is directed to the surface in a counter-clockwise direction. One of my mentors in the hobby told me, if you get the surface moving, the rest of the tank will follow...

My controller will shut down the closed loop for 10 minutes each hour and turn on a pair of Vortech MP40's pumping in a clockwise direction in wave crest mode...

That's the plan anyway... all subject to the whims of the "500G sea god"...(me)

LL

[Lightsluvr]

Progress:

Working on the closed loop. Here is the actual return loop that attached to the (5) return ports pre-drilled in the tank bottom:


Detail of the closed loop return intake (The "T") - note that the water is directed in both directions to equalize flow. Theoretically, this is supposed to make flow more equal to all ports. Ulitmately, the ports are individually controlled by double union ball valves anyway...


Details of the other return ports:






Photos of the installed loop under the stand:




Closed loop pump (Barracuda Gold) and plumbing:


LL

[Lightsluvr]

Fresh water test:





Inside the 36" overflow:


Mikey gives a high five:


Rubbermaid sump circulating properly:


No leaks - a good thing. Now to pump about 500G of freshwater into the back yard - should certainly benefit the grass, as it is very dry here...

LL

[Lightsluvr]

Water change station -

The RO/DI unit was moved into the fish room. It is supplied by a garden hose (through 1/4" tubing which runs through the exterior wall. And waste water also goes through the wall to help water the lawn...




The white tanks will be the heart of water change/saltwater mixing system that will be completed after the tank is installed.

LL

[Lightsluvr]

After the freshwater test revealed no leaks, it's time to start making saltwater and get the tanks full.

First I drained water from the existing 120G, mixed it with new SW, and filled the Rubbermaid sump. You can see the 6" DSB in the bottom of the Rubbermaid:


All coral, fish and LR from the 120G were held for placement in the new tank.


The beginninngs of aquascape:






LL

[Lightsluvr]

I think I previously mentioned that the 120G was overrun with Bristleworms, which I attribute to the overfeeding of that tank when it contained our seahorses...

Several people questioned why I would want to get rid of the bristleworms, which were beneficial occupants of a tank... here is why I wanted to get rid of them...

These worms came from a single rock, weighing about 5 pounds, with a large zoanthid colony attached to it. I gave then entire rock an RO/DI dip for 3-4 minutes, and here's what shook loose:




Those worms were annoying the hell out of the zoanthids...

Here's what I discovered under a single large base rock on the tank bottom:


and finally, this flushed out of another zoanthid colony. It is definitely not a bristleworm, perhaps a euchnid? Whatever it is, it's not going in the new tank...it's reign of terror stopped in my garbage disposal




LL

[dfurbee]

Too many bristle worms!! That last worm is really ugly.

[Lightsluvr]

I got no crabs...

Two guys that won't make it to the new tank...




LL

[Lightsluvr]

Aquascaping from the bottom up:


Island on right side of tank w/ large toadstool for the clowns to host:




A Turbo snail that didn't seem to want to play with others:


The clowns immediately found their old home from the 120G tank:


LL

[Lightsluvr]

Tank circulating. Contents of 120G tank transferred to the new aquarium.

Some photos of the occupants under actinic lights:








LL

[Lightsluvr]

Transfer of livestock from the 180G continues:

We have our first conflict. The larger black & white O. clowns found the mushroom toadstool and are chasing the orange & white pair away. Some biting and lots of "charging" and posturing...






The Reeflo Orca 250 skimmer is already producing, after just 24 hours...


LL

[jlombardi29]

nice tank !!!! can't wait to see it done

[oldsaint]

Those are some crazy worms.


Congrats on the progress!!


I'm sure the clowns will work it out in that big tank.

[Lightsluvr]

Originally Posted by oldsaint

Those are some crazy worms.


Congrats on the progress!!


I'm sure the clowns will work it out in that big tank.

After a week, the clowns worked it out - The black/white get the big toadstool, and the orange/white are evicted. I have located a second large toadstool to put in the tank - hopefully the orange/white will take to it...

LL

[Lightsluvr]

Full tank shot as of 7/13/2009:



Detail of the right island structure:


The center island:


Left island:


LL

[Lightsluvr]

I intended to work on the trim and framing of the tank today, but hit a design snag, I will have my good friend, a trim carpenter, come by and give me some tips...

In the meantime, set up the ATO and started on the water management system...

Tunze Osmolator controller located on rear of the DT (next to one of the Vortech controllers)


The Osmolator pump and Calcium dispenser in a 27G tub which just barely fits in the only space still available under the tank stand:


The ATO reservoir, conveniently located next to the sump:


The reservoir with the "cat hat" in place... kitties love a nice cool drink of RO/DI


The photo is not very clear, as is shot through the acrylic sump's back panel, but you can see the dual sensors used in the Tunze ATO. The bottom one detects when it is not resting in water, and activates the pump. The second one is an emergency shut-off...


It took several hours for the Osmolator to fill the sump to the proper "working" level, because the controller has a built-in safety feature which prevents it from running for extended periods. (I just kept turning it on and off to fool the controller).

LL

[Lightsluvr]

Dry hands water change system:

I copied the design of a water handling system from another reefer. Here is a photo of the system:


The 65G tank on the right will hold 55G of RO/DI produced by my filter located on the wall. When I want to mix saltwater, I can open and close appropriate valves and use the single pump to move RO/DI into the left tank.

The suction side:


The outflow side:


Then by changing valves, I can use the same pump to circulate the left hand tank while I add my salt mix. The pump will continue to circulate the new saltwater until I am ready to do a water change.

Water change consists of draining 55G from the 100G Rubbermaid sump into a sewer cleanout located outside the fish room wall. After draining 55G from the sump, I will then pump the new salt water into the sump, all while the main tank's return pump continues running. Very minimal impact on the display tank and its occupants.

While I am mixing SW in the left tank, I can continue making RO/DI to supply the tank's ATO system and can get water from the fresh water side through the gravity flow "filling stations":




These are the removeable pipes that go inside the tanks. They are attached inside the tank with a double union. One is designed to circulate water in a clockwisde direction for saltwater mixing.


In addition there will be a modified MaxiJet 1200 inside the SW tank, pointed toward the surface, to enhance mixing.

Any questions? Comments?

LL

[Lightsluvr]

Another weekend full of projects...

1.) Complete the plumbing of the water management system - final fitting, gluing and water testing (underway, as I fill the right tank with RO/DI)

2.) Received new Apex controller yesterday - will put it together and begin some initial programming this morning.

3.) My trim carpenter bud is coming over this afternoon, and I hope we can get the tank completely enclosed, framed and trimmed in the display wall...

Other than that, not much going on this weekend...

LL

[SECRETREEF]

have a nice weekend reefing!

[Lightsluvr]

Thanks... it's going well so far...

LL

[jeanne]

Wow! I can't imagine such a project! I am very new to reef building and only have a 55 gal glass tank. I just wanted to tell you your pictures are fabulous and I love your cat. I have a Maine coon also and he looks just like yours! Jeanne

[Lightsluvr]

Originally Posted by jeanne

Wow! I can't imagine such a project! I am very new to reef building and only have a 55 gal glass tank. I just wanted to tell you your pictures are fabulous and I love your cat. I have a Maine coon also and he looks just like yours! Jeanne

We have a Maine Coon "kitten" and he's already the second largest cat in the household... we love his personality...

Thanks for stopping by the thread. Come back often.

LL

[dfurbee]

Very beautiful tank