New guy with new tank build log!

WoodRight · 02-07-2008, 02:43 AM

Well hello there, I am very new to the salt water world. This is all my girl friends falt. She has a 20gal tall SW tank at her parents house that is really great and every time I'm over there house I just sit there next to the tank with my nose about 1/2" away from the glass. I have desided to set one up at my/our apartment. I have gotten a 75gal all glass tank with MegaFlow overflow systum installed in it. I have built and now rebuilt a wet/dry sump for it out of a 20gal all glass tank. Also I have built a 12gal fuge out of plexy glass. I have most of the base cabinet done but it has been raining for days here and have not been ale to work on the rest of it. It still needs the face frame, trim, installation and paint. I just got most of the plumbing done tonight. I'm waiting for a MagDrive 9 that I'm going to use for the return pump from the sump to the main tank and cant finish the plumbing till I get that.

Ok so that is how far I have gotten so far and here are some pics of the build and if you see anything that you would change please let me know. Thanks for reading and injoy the pics.

WoodRight · 02-07-2008, 02:48 AM

Still going!

WoodRight · 02-07-2008, 02:53 AM

Still going!

rookie07 · 02-07-2008, 04:05 AM

How do you plan to finish the stand? Are you going to take it all apart?

junglebase · 02-07-2008, 10:29 AM

You just had to put that Maxim in there didn't you? You trying to distract us from that awesome plumbing work?

Sean · 02-07-2008, 10:41 AM

I would use wood blocks instead of the old Maxim magazines

the hole in the acrylic tank I would use a rubber gasket instead of silicone.

I don't understand why you feel the need to T off the return to go to both the refugium and the trickle filter. you could have the whole thing go to the refugium then go directly to the trickle part.

also when the water hits the pad on the trickle part there will be some splashing so you may need to do something to compensate for that

Tim · 02-07-2008, 10:56 AM

I agree with Sean. Put a bulkhead fitting where you have the fuge draining into the sump. Why did you not go directly into the bulkhead`s with you pvc( drain & return)?

WoodRight · 02-07-2008, 11:29 AM

OK the Maxim Mags are only temporary until it stops raining here and I can make a stand for the fuge. The reason I split the outlet of the main tank is that I'm going to have my skimmer in the center chamber of the wet/dry and if the water from the fuge goes threw there then all the pods and good stuff that I want to make it to the main tank will get skimmed out. So I bypassed the wet dry and skimmer by sending the overflow to the bubble trap.

Yes I will be taking everything apart to finish the cabinet but it isn't that bad. I haven't glued every thing on the plumbing yet. The 2 sections are glued other then right before the the rubber hoses and clamps and the elbow were the pump is gunna be.

As far as the splashing goes the is going to be filter floss it the drip tray and I figured I would wait and see if there is going to be splashing before I bother making a cover. If so then it no big deal to make one.

Dj Orion · 02-07-2008, 01:07 PM

I have a question, and I may be totally off on thisd one but are you planning on putting bio balls in the center of that trickle down system next to the fuge? It seems to me that your sump looks more like a wet/dry in the works, than just a normal sump.

Do you plan on making this tank a reef? And if the center piece is for bio balls, arent bio balls not so great for a reef (nitrate factory) I am only asking because it looks like you are making a wet dry with the egg crate and the top with the holes punched in it.

bigbris1 · 02-07-2008, 04:32 PM

Looks good, especially from a 20H inspiration!

02-07-2008, 02:43 AM	#1
WoodRight Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Watertown,CT Posts: 33 Reefer Ratings: (0) Friends: (0)	New guy with new tank build log! Well hello there, I am very new to the salt water world. This is all my girl friends falt. She has a 20gal tall SW tank at her parents house that is really great and every time I'm over there house I just sit there next to the tank with my nose about 1/2" away from the glass. I have desided to set one up at my/our apartment. I have gotten a 75gal all glass tank with MegaFlow overflow systum installed in it. I have built and now rebuilt a wet/dry sump for it out of a 20gal all glass tank. Also I have built a 12gal fuge out of plexy glass. I have most of the base cabinet done but it has been raining for days here and have not been ale to work on the rest of it. It still needs the face frame, trim, installation and paint. I just got most of the plumbing done tonight. I'm waiting for a MagDrive 9 that I'm going to use for the return pump from the sump to the main tank and cant finish the plumbing till I get that. Ok so that is how far I have gotten so far and here are some pics of the build and if you see anything that you would change please let me know. Thanks for reading and injoy the pics. Attached Thumbnails

02-07-2008, 02:48 AM	#2
WoodRight Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Watertown,CT Posts: 33 Reefer Ratings: (0) Friends: (0)	Some more pics Still going! Attached Thumbnails

02-07-2008, 02:53 AM	#3
WoodRight Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Watertown,CT Posts: 33 Reefer Ratings: (0) Friends: (0)	Some more pics! Still going! Attached Thumbnails

02-07-2008, 10:41 AM	#6
Sean Owner of Aquatic Creation Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Chelsea N.Y. Posts: 1,796 Reefer Ratings: (10) Friends: (2)	I would use wood blocks instead of the old Maxim magazines the hole in the acrylic tank I would use a rubber gasket instead of silicone. I don't understand why you feel the need to T off the return to go to both the refugium and the trickle filter. you could have the whole thing go to the refugium then go directly to the trickle part. also when the water hits the pad on the trickle part there will be some splashing so you may need to do something to compensate for that __________________ Aquatic Creations maintenance and custom set ups http://www.manhattanreefs.com/forum/...dry-goods.html

02-07-2008, 01:07 PM	#9
Dj Orion Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Suffolk 11772 Posts: 535 Reefer Ratings: (16) Friends: (26)	I have a question, and I may be totally off on thisd one but are you planning on putting bio balls in the center of that trickle down system next to the fuge? It seems to me that your sump looks more like a wet/dry in the works, than just a normal sump. Do you plan on making this tank a reef? And if the center piece is for bio balls, arent bio balls not so great for a reef (nitrate factory) I am only asking because it looks like you are making a wet dry with the egg crate and the top with the holes punched in it. __________________ Check Out My 24 Gallon Aquapod!!

02-07-2008, 04:05 AM	#4
rookie07 Thats me!! Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: nyc Posts: 1,109 Reefer Ratings: (19) Friends: (0)	How do you plan to finish the stand? Are you going to take it all apart?

02-07-2008, 10:56 AM	#7
Tim Tim`s Aquatics Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Rockland County Posts: 1,048 Reefer Ratings: (15) Friends: (0)	I agree with Sean. Put a bulkhead fitting where you have the fuge draining into the sump. Why did you not go directly into the bulkhead`s with you pvc( drain & return)?

02-07-2008, 11:29 AM	#8
WoodRight Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Watertown,CT Posts: 33 Reefer Ratings: (0) Friends: (0)	OK the Maxim Mags are only temporary until it stops raining here and I can make a stand for the fuge. The reason I split the outlet of the main tank is that I'm going to have my skimmer in the center chamber of the wet/dry and if the water from the fuge goes threw there then all the pods and good stuff that I want to make it to the main tank will get skimmed out. So I bypassed the wet dry and skimmer by sending the overflow to the bubble trap. Yes I will be taking everything apart to finish the cabinet but it isn't that bad. I haven't glued every thing on the plumbing yet. The 2 sections are glued other then right before the the rubber hoses and clamps and the elbow were the pump is gunna be. As far as the splashing goes the is going to be filter floss it the drip tray and I figured I would wait and see if there is going to be splashing before I bother making a cover. If so then it no big deal to make one.

02-07-2008, 04:32 PM	#10
bigbris1 Algae Farmer Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Manhattan Posts: 1,124 Reefer Ratings: (36) Friends: (0)	Looks good, especially from a 20H inspiration! __________________

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