120 Tank Build

[cindre2000]

So, I am working at a pet store now. So I decided to build a tank for my mom. I figured the best place to put it would be as a barrier between the living room and the kitchen since I know that that is a load bearing wall.

I really wanted a wider tank and finally decided on a 120, even though it was a lot more expensive and a bit tall. What is really nice about the placement is that there is a closet right next to the aquarium placement where I can install all the equipment.

So, I started by ripping all the shelves and partitions out of the cabinet. After it was empty I removed the doors and put tape along the edges. It took about 2 days to put 3-4 coats of Kilz white oil primer inside. Its been 3 weeks since then but since I am never home I cannot get anything done on it.

Next I plan on reinforcing the cabinet that the tank will go on.

 

[cindre2000]

In order to cut down on costs I am running the Metal Halides for only 5 hours or so and the T6 NO for the rest of the time. I also am going to try and figure out the cheapest circulation scheme. The Protien Skimmer will be gravity fed and the air pump only uses 3.5 watts.

I also am making my own rocks :twisted: ... Fun so far. I am using the following recipie:

1 p. Portland Cement
1 p. Tahiten Moon Sand
1 p. Sea Chem Aragonite
2 p. Water Softner Salt

 

[cindre2000]

Pics:

 

[cindre2000]

Ok, I finally got some money and time to spend on the tank. I drilled the tank today- 3*1" bulkheads for the overflow and 2*1.5" bulkheads for the closed loop. I was worried about the loss of structural stability with too many holes so all of the closed loop returns will be above the water (originally two were going to be under).

I hope to install all the plumbing tomorrow and probably some shelving as well. I want as much done as possible since it is unlikely that I will be able to work on the tank much in the coming week. I hope that if my mom gets an electrician to come and install the new circuit tomorrow or the day after, I can have the system running by next week. Though it is a bit of a long shot.

I have given up on the metal halides, I have about 4" leeway above the tank, not nearly enough room for the fixture I got. I will be going with a 8 bulb T5 fixture as soon as I sell the Coralife Metal Halide unit. I really need to get the lights and the system running as soon as possible since the bulb on my 30 gallon is way to old and I am loosing my only acro- the rest of the corals have just stopped growing. I cannot justify getting a new bulb when I am so close to having a new system with better lights.

It is so frustrating. I also have a really nice 5" gigas waiting for me at work that is unhappy to be under VHO.

No pictures right now, my camera is dead and it cannot be charged till my finance gets back for Morocco.

 

[cindre2000]

I did not realize I had not updated in a while. Still no pictures (maybe tomorrow).

Tank is full of water (saltwater). I put in the MM rock and it is starting to get coraline algae. The 29g sump has chaeto but no skimmer right now, at least not until I get some Weldon.


Changes/Updates:

Lighting:
Four T5's overdriven on an Icecap ballast w/ SLR.
Testing out Cold Cathodes as supplemental actinic.
Currently using a Cold Cathode for moonlighting.

Plumbing/Flow:
Gave up on closed loop. Return pump is now a Laguna Powerjet 5000. I made two eductors for the return and am currently running a Prop modded Aquaclear 70 for additional flow. So I have about 1200gph going through the sump and 20ft/min through out the entire tank, the difference is astronomical!

Filtration:
Chaeto only right now, tank looks terrible. I am going to recir. mod a Berlin skimmer to tide the tank over; however, I am on the lookout for a good skimmer. I really want a good deal on a Aqua Medic Turboflotor 5000 shorty.

Livestock:
Mt hammer did not make the move so I will need to replace it; however, the frogspawn and a maze brain are doing pretty well. I am holding off on the corals until I get better filtration since there is way to much crap in the tank, literally.

Down to a vermiculated angel, blue-eye tang, and blue-line grouper. As soon as my mom goes fishing for the grouper I have decided to go with more smaller, more peaceful fish. The tank is just too small for the grouper.

Other:
Still have not gotten the dedicated breaker for the system, right now the power is distributed between two separate breakers & plugs.
Just set up the RO yesterday; however, my valve/pressure gauge was leaking so it is off till I caulk the connections better.

Thats about all. The going is slow; however, the build is at least moving. I am currently trying to figure out flow. I have not setup the surge buckets I want to run; however, I definitely need them to flush a dead zone in the flow. I am considering upgrading the return pump again to a Laguna Pondjet 7000 to get another 500gph but I don't know if that is worth another 44w. I cannot fit another powerhead in due to the rock structure and the current flow pattern.

 

[cindre2000]

Here is a top view of the tank with the current flow pattern (rough sketch).

Both of the returns, with eductors, are from the upper right, the lone prop modded Aquaclear 70 is below them, midway down the height of the tank. One return is aimed to the far corner of the tank while the powerhead and the other return send water down the 'kitchen' side of the tank. The water then goes is redirected by the rock and the tank walls to circle back around. I took the flow measurement (20ft/min) on the 'livingroom' side of the tank after the water looses some momentum, the flow is much faster on the 'kitchen' side.

The only flow issue is that there is a dead spot in the 'lagoon' since the rock work shields that area from the flow. This area collects a good bit of detritus, so I want to set up the surges to periodically flush this area. The only question is if a five gallon surge will have enough flow to hit that spot; and will I need a bigger sump!

 

[Anonymous]

Wow! Great thread!

Can I ask about your homemade rock? I made some a few years back and really had a hard time curing it. What is your curing process for it?

 

[cindre2000]

Recipe (in parts):

1p Portland Cement
1-2p Sand
2-3p Water Softener Salt

You mix the cement and sand with water, just enough so that the mix can stand on its own. Then you mix in the salt crystals, really quick like. You then make some rock. I personally made thin slabs no more than a 1.5in thick since they cure faster and more evenly. I let the rock sit for approximately a week for the cement to harden up, and then I soaked them for about 6 weeks (I think).

When I do it again I will let them cure out of water for a month and then soak them. This method works just as well as a prolonged soak, without the wasted water.

After curing them I cemented the slabs together to form larger structures. That way the rock is really open rather than a solid mass.

 

[Anonymous]

Hmm, I never could get the pH right in the water. I tried rinsing forever, soaking and rinsing more. I had a friend who put his in the river by his house to cure. It still took weeks before it quit leaching lime. Maybe our recipe had too much cement?

Anyway, your set up looks hot!

 

[cindre2000]

So I have some more recent pics. I appologize for the state of the aquarium, I have not been able to really work on it in a while, and money constraints have prevented me from getting a protein skimmer.