Starting the New Tank

[House of Laughter]

Jackson,

Thanks for the info - will definately "t" off the return then.

Thanks for the pics Pseudo and look for an update in a week or so as I start the chaos of plumbing this plus 2 other tanks together.

House

 

[jhale]

whoohoo, looks great!
How long do you think it will be before you have it running?
From my recent experience I had to add a few weeks to my schedule.

 

[House of Laughter]

Jhale,

I started the plumbing of the overflow and the frag tank last evening. I will do the plumbing for the return pump, the two returns (one with a Super Squirt and the second with 2 penductors) tonight.

Soooooo, I could, realistically have it running tonight - but it will more than likely be 3 weeks from now.

Jim

 

[jhale]

when are you making the doors above the tank?

remember to tell the contractor to be extra careful working around the tank. I would put a sheet of plywood in front to protect the glass, and on top of the tank to prevent tools and such from falling in.

 

[jackson6745]

Hey Kasei, where's the pics with Adrian pinned under the tank?

 

[House of Laughter]

Did you take pictures of that - Limbo brother, limbo!

Again, thanks guys -

JH, yeah, I plan to cover it with the extra styrofoam - the door is actuallt really easy to build and I may do it myself since I can build the frame, insert it, screw it in and then cut the sheetrock with a knife. Once that is done, take it out, add hinges and screw them in, once in, put a picture frame around the tank and the top with the piece between being the common piece and is connected to the higed door. This way, when it shuts, it creats a lightproof seal.

Can't wait - will have some more plumbing pictures tonight for everyone to wish they were me, yeah right.

House

 

[Josh]

I'm really jealous.

I wish I had room for a built in tank, damn New York sized apartments!

 

[jcurry]

Jim,
When you sheetrock the inside of the fish room be sure to use "Dens Armor Plus" gypsum board made by Georgia Pacific. It doesn't have a paper facing so it resists mold & water damage better than green board. If you're going to insulate the walls use unfaced batt insulation or rigid isulation, you don't want to trap moisture in the walls and create a mold problem.

Jeff

 

[House of Laughter]

The other J Curry

Thanks, most appreciated - I don't have plans to sheet rock the inside walls and have a window inside the fishroom - since it's in the basement, I might use a temp activated fan to pull heat and moisture out. I don't think this will be a problem. The outter wall, however, is regular sheet rock, but nowhere does it come in contact with the tank. (whew) And since the tank has euro bracing (4" wide/thick) the water column is pretty far away from the sheetrock. Also, I only plan to use rigid insulation where the sump is in case the drip tray noise is high. It will have approx 2700 gph flowing down into it .-)

Also, the room is longer than pictured with a door that I can keep open.

Pictures tonight of the plumbing

House

 

[Pseudo]

If only I had a 3rd hand I would have shot that one of RK... I never seen a brother so red before. Glad he was there or we would have had pieces all over the place. His new name is now the "LimboKing".

Hurry up and get this thing going already The frags are doing great. PLEASE remember me for the other one I wanted... Just in case you make a mistake and make accidental frags ;-p

Kasei

[ April 26, 2005, 05:57 PM: Message edited by: Pseudo Boy ]

 

[House of Laughter]

OK folks here is the second phase of the plumbing - the returns and run from the sump.

Here is the drain and returns -

The top of the overflow - the tall pipe on the peft is for a Ocean Motions Super Squirt and the pipe on the far right with a "T" will be elbowed off and run with lockline with a penductor at the end (maybe)

The entire overflow box -

http://www.manhattanreefs.com/users/00000004/Overflow_2.jpg

The returns - two differnt shots - keeping in mind that I didn't want to stress the flex PVC joints until the glue was fully dried.

And the run from the sump to the pump. I put the pump under the tank but not underneath the returns in case they leask or overflow.

So, now my hands are covered with this clear coating of PVC glue - yuk.

Enjoy the pics

House

 

[bad coffee]

NICE!

Okay, I wish I was you, with pvc glue all over my fingers. . . Okay, maybe not.

Have you thougt of painting all the 2x4's? I think it would help with the integrity of the wood in the LONG run. Like 10-15 years.

Looks good so far!

BC

 

[Reef Guy]

Is that overflow box in the sump?

 

[House of Laughter]

BC, thanks, woke up this morning and my hands barely moved with all the glue on them kidding!

RG, no, that is the overflow box in the tank - it is 20"x6" and has 2 1" returns and 2 1.5" drains. It can handle up to 3500gph (I think). I will re-attach all the hoses tongith after all the joints have dried and settled and retake a picture or two and post those of the fuge plumbing as well.

House

 

[spykes]

man jim, hellva setup, i hope the panworld isnt the only pump you have, must have like a sequence or a dolphin hiding in the background =P

 

[bad coffee]

Originally posted by House of Laughter:
BC, thanks, woke up this morning and my hands barely moved with all the glue on them
House

Um, Yeah. The glue

bc:lol:

 

[jhale]

I agree with BC, about the painting of the wood.
I would do a few coats of poly, or outdoor deck paint. either one will last longer than the bare wood.
I wish i thought of this before the tank was in.
I would tape the tank around the frame so you can paint right up to it. then when the paint is dry I'd run some silicone between the tank and the stand. anywhere water could get into the bare wood I'd protect. I know it seems like an unnecessary step now, but it could prevent problems in the future
And, if your not going to sheetrock the inside of the wall, I'd also paint the back of the sheetrock to give it some protection from the water.

 

[House of Laughter]

Ok, people - here we go -round two of plumbing and the Ocean Motions comes in tomrorow -

Here is the first of two returns which will have ball sockets - a flare nozzle on the short end and regular outlet on the long end.

Topview of same return

Pump all tightened up.

Here is where the pump from the sup to the frag tank comes in - note that it connects also to a drain that has a ball valve - all I have to do is shut off the frag tank for a few minutes and do a water change by pumping the sump water out and replace - instant water change.

And the same pipe to the fuge

And the plumbing underneath that feeds both the fuge and the frag tank.

And finally, th big daddy mounted on styrofoam!

FYI - this is my only pump that will flow the tank - keep in mind that it will have 2 penductors and an ocean motions on the two returnd. Also, flow will be coming in from the gravty drain of the fuge.

Whew - too much plumbing!!!!!!!!!!!!

House

 

[nanoreefer22]

Wow that looks really complicated to me. Looks like it's gonna be a great tank though. When are you planning to start filling up?

Kris

 

[House of Laughter]

Filling will commence once I get the baffles for the sump, and the plumbing for the drains into the sump drip tray completed - Plumbing Phase 3

man, I am glad I never wanted to be a plumber.

House