100g 60x18x22 project start to finish i hope

[stevebla]

Just drilled the 100g! Did not break or crack it!!!!! yea.
I plan to install a "Calfo style overflow" plumbed with 1.5 inch pvc so i have plenty of capacity. I plan to run a rio 2500 for return at about 600 gph. with the 1.5 inch plumbing i will be able to run more if i want through my 4 foot long sump in stand. More later in week as progress continues. Thank everyone here on Captive Reefing for your help my 55 gal is doing well also.

PS I got drill guide at Harbor freight for under $20 it is a discontinued item. I had to dremmel the side to fit 60mm / 2 3/8" hole saw.

[jojo22]

Looks sweet man. I'll be keeping an eye on this since I am starting a 150.

[stevebla]

Just siliconed the overflow together it is 1/4 inch thick and 10 x 6 x 4. will give me 18 linier inches of overflow and be big enough to hold strainer and for cleaning.

[stevebla]

Just got word that 30 # of "Tonga deepwater large/show size will be delivered tomorrow. It is from Dfs will post pics

[jojo22]

STILL LOOKIN GOOD!!!



You want to come do mine next?????

[stevebla]

I got the Tonga deep water rock today is very nice. I was at the LFS today and asked about base rock and where i could find some and the LFS owner said you can have this rock for $2 a pound. So I bought 60# and it is nice rock with a lot of holes and very light. I will take some pictures tomorrow when i change the water. The LFS guy is a friend and i have done a little work for him. A good day for the project!!!!

[stevebla]

I got a euro reef rs80 and think it is very good for $178 makes a bit of noise. I have 90# of rock in trash can and hope to put freshwater in tank on Saturday.
That is best case as I have more to do. This will be the largest aquarium I have ever had. The first of many lol

[Iconz]

lookin real good! Good luck on the water test!

(i'm taggin along too, btw!!!)

[stevebla]

Siliconed the overflow box on tank today I think it will work well. It is not as neat a job as i would like but i am not going to do it over. The strainer is 1.5 inch pvc that will slip in to the 90 degree in the box. The white is glass dust I think it will wash away. Didn't have help to move tank. Hope to fresh water test system tomorrow or Monday.

[hummer]

awsome dude it looks great and congrats on the hole drilling i was to chicken to try...lol

[Sweetpea]

Great progress! I can't wait to see more!

[stevebla]

I am going to be in San Francisco for a couple days and will get this project going again this weekend. I have had some plumbing trouble and will, i hope have it corrected and do a show and tell about it, and the solution. There are some interesting aquarium stores in SF Percula Clowns for $5.99, corals 6 for $100, live rock $4.99 and $3.99 for 10 pounds or more.

[hummer]

sounds like a good price ..look at it close c.o.a

[Sweetpea]

Wow, that sounds amazing (at least from what I've seen with the prices here!)! I hope you come home with lots of goodies!!! :)

[stevebla]

started my simple sump for this project. It is a 30g aga 36 x 12 x 16 aga dimensions are not accurate it is 12.5 wide appx. I wish a 40 long was available as i wanted it to be 4' long but had no patience to order one.

I used Styrofoam box for first spacer because it was the size i wanted and it can be broken up if necessary. I use 3/4 inch pvc as a spacer because it has about a 1 inch od and it will come out most times.

I have glass cut a bit small 1/16 inch or so helps things to fit.

I am only going to use 3 baffles in this sump. one for skimmer and intake compartment. refugium in the center and 2 for the return with a bubble trap. should be all i need.

[stevebla]

The last two pictures are of the usplastics float valve installed in a 5/8 inch hole in baffle. and the last picture is the sump with skimmer/overflow compartment. Note the broken box be careful that you can remove your spacers!!! this sump cost me $67 for new aga 30g $21 for cut glass and 10 bucks for silicone. It took fifteen min to silicone and drill first two baffles. and about 10 min to silicone last baffle. Not a bad sump for $108 and half hours work! Most people use more baffles than three so do your planning well as it is a pain to remove baffles especially if you have to take down your tank to do it!!!!!!

[stevebla]

I did chip the glass on the inside of aquarium trying to seal a bulkhead. The fix was to remove bulkhead and place flange on the outside of tank. I did this so i would not have to use silicone to seal it, I was worried it would be hard to take apart if it was necessary. The pictures show water test of bulkhead, strainer with size reference, and strainer in box.
If things go well I hope to freshwater test tonight if all is well with test i will add some plain salt and run it for a day or two just to help get every thing clean drain and it will be ready for sea salt, sand, and live rock! Trash can with live rock tests well 0 am 0 nitrite yea!!!

[spookey]

looks good there stevebla


chris

[stevebla]

I am running a fresh test and am happy for the most part. The capacity of the overflow is not as great as expected I am running a Rio 2500 at 590 gph at 3 foot head. it is more than enough flow for the sump. The noise level is ok. I did learn that some Teflon tape is better than others. I bought a roll of high quality tape and was glad i spent the extra dollar!! Tired more tomorrow.

[spookey]

wow that is nice.... i need to make a sump that good



chris

[stevebla]

I like quiet systems! I played around with a few thing to help with noise which was ok to begin with. The third pic shows the best high tech solution i have found yet. But i am still messing around. Thank you Chris, sumps are easy! find a good glass shop and don't but a cheap caulk gun!

[spookey]

nice stevebla ..ty for some info
chris

[hummer]

wow looks very nice

[stevebla]

I have my plumbing about done. Have to fill it back up with fresh water for a test tomorrow with coffee in hand, will make for a nice morning. Picture descriptions,1 skimmer in sump a bit tight but should work, 2 Overflow box with nipple inserted in 90 deg i don't think this was worth the trouble but since i have it will most likely use it. 3 Pipe, indecision caused there to be a fitting or two that are unnecessary will use it as I own it lol. 4 place for auto top off I use gravity most of the time but this space says "DATO" by Dakar I might put DATO on a timer, on for a few min twice a day,all for now.

Pic Of skimmer sump had file size problem will post tomorrow with water.

[hummer]

hope you have a great morning:):) and a dounut

[spookey]

lol hummer

[cweber]

Looks great. I dont understand the two pieces of pipe going up from the over flow 90 and the one just out the back of the tank. If i read right these are for noise reasons, but wont the air from those cause gurgling noises?

[stevebla]

Both pipes are vents the one inside the aquarium into the 90 deg was an experiment, it did not quiet the overflow much. The t fitting on the outside is also a vent and allows air to flow with the water, it is necessary in my opinion. I am running around 500 gph through that plumbing with very little noise, no gurgling or toilet flushing sounds. I am happy with it but if I was going to do it over I think i would use two 1.25" or 1" fittings instead of the 1.5" You can google "Durso standpipe" or "Stockman overflow" for more Ideas. I was surprised that the capacity of the 1.5 is limited as it is, when i borrowed my Rio 2100 and put it in the sump with the Rio 2500 the overflow just barely handled the 800 or 900 gph. I thought i would be able to run 1500 gph. I wonder if it is lack of pressure near the top of tank where it is drilled. But the 500 gph in the sump is just right in my opinion.

[spookey]

nice

[stevebla]

Was a busy day moved my 55g and set up the 100g. The tank has 100 pounds of dry coral sand and 90 pounds of well cured live rock. The rock was cured for over a month and had 3 100% water changes the first week. The water in trash can was kept at 75 deg and had two power heads one on the bottom pointing up and one on the top pointing down. All the contents of rock container was placed/poured into tank. I made no attempt to aqua scape the tank. More pictures tomorrow after it clears a bit!

[spookey]

nice work there


chris

[cweber]

Lookin good buddy!

[stevebla]

I added two small captive bred Amphiprion ocellaris one is the very cool black version. I forgot how very cool they are!!! I also added two yellow female Squareback Anthias (Pseudoanthias pleurotaenia). I will of course watch this system very closely for the next few weeks and transfer the fish if condition get out of wack. I think the 90 pounds of rock can handle the load. After the rock cured i feed the rock container so critters and bacteria would not starve. I have got to go to Lowes to get gutter guard so I don't kill a clown in overflow will post pics of new guard later today.

[hummer]

looks good i like it :):)

[spookey]

good job

[cweber]

Nice fish! Ilike the anthias.

[stevebla]

I installed a TEK 2 X 54w T5 retrofit kit in the canopy. The light from just 2 t5's is awesome. I plan to add a Ice cap 4 X 54w retrofit as money allows. The lights are about 4 feet long and the ends of the tank don't seem to be in shadow. The next steps are to set up my 20g display refugium setup and to aquascape the tank.

[jojo22]

LOOKIN REALLY GOOD BUD!!!!!

[spookey]

damm that is nice

[hummer]

wow.. it dose realy look nice :):)

[stevebla]

Thank you guys for the kind words. I will post some more pics after i aquascape and get the fuge setup with some sand and rock.