180G Upgrade Oddessy

[allenjj]

Thanks

Thanks Richie. Thats what I started to do but then thought maybe there is something better. Always better to ask, then not ask and pay the consequences. Did you ever get folks together to work on your tank?

 

[rkaragozler]

no, I decided not to, just for the factor I have a very deep sand bed,
any updates??

 

[allenjj]

Status

Will try to get a bunch of pics up tonight. Have the upstairs plumbing done. The cabinets for my equipment room are almost in place. emptied out some of my baked rock into the tank to eliminate a couple of totes in the dining room. So moving along finally. Work left to do:
Install cabinets in equipment room
Install counter top in equipment room
Cut bulkhead holes in refugium and sump
Run new electric lines to equipment area
Finish plumbing to equipment
****Start filling and cyling tank**** YA!!!!!!!!!

 

[allenjj]

Merry Christmas to All - just ordered my sump and water tanks

Merry Christmas to all. Excited since just ordered two 65 gallon water storage tanks along with a 112 gallon chem tank (www.tank-depot.com) to be used as my sump. Needed a precise size to fit the space I have so 36x24x30 is perfect and gives me ample room for pump to sit right next to it. Amazing how in building an equipment room, I still have space issues of trying to fit things between the floor supports.

 

[allenjj]

Skimmer reccomendation needed

Next purchase I need to make is a protein skimmer since my current skimmer is not large enough for the new set up. With 180 gallon show tank, 112 gallon sump, 30 gallon fuge, what would others recommend? Although I will have plenty of room in the sump, am wondering if having an external skimmer running off my return pump makes any sense, since i have a hammerhead return and planning on installing a manifold to run other toys like my reactors. Didnt know if that makes sense to do with skimmer but thought it might save energy since less pumps. Either way, what do others think and recommend?

 

[rkaragozler]

IMO running the skimmer on the return pump is not that good of an idea. You see if you have a manifold build and you are running reactors, the gph flowing is never going to be consistent to the skimmer if the reactors start clogging up.

 

[allenjj]

Some new build pics

Here are the pics I had promised and forgot to upload. Seeing my recent posts reminded me.

 

[allenjj]

Skimmer Question

I am at the point in the build of needing to order my new protein skimmer since the sump and water tanks should arrive in the next week. The build is a 180 gallon show tank, a 40 gallon fuge, a 112 gallon sump, with a possible later addition of a 30 gallon frag tank. Based on the reviews here and elsewhere I am leaning toward an Reef Octopus SRO5000Int. Or would the Octopus XS350 be a better option? I like the idea of the automatic neck cleaners available. Any thoughts or feedback as to if this is the best choice would be helpful.

 

[allenjj]

Equipment Room Update Pics

Finally the cabinets are installed in the new equipment room, although I still need to finish the countertop. Hopefully the water storage tanks and sump will arrive soon. Anyways, here are some pics of the progress.

 

[rkaragozler]

make sure you bolt the 2 cabinets together, and then fasten them to the wall. your setup is looking better every day.

 

[allenjj]

New Arrivals Soon

Was just told my two water storage tanks (65gal each) along with my sump (112 gal) should arrive on Tuesday. That means next weekend will be finish the plumbing and get ready for water. I am getting very excited. Now just need a recommendation on protein skimmer (opened thread in equipment section).

 

[allenjj]

New Toys Arrived

I am so excited as I just finished unloading the tractor trailer which brought my two water storage tanks and the tank I am going to use for my sump. I included one pic of the countertop I am finishing in the equipment room. The rack next to the counter on the right will hold the fuge and sump.

 

[allenjj]

Making Progress

Got the equipment room rack installed now with the refugium above the sump. Got fittings laid out on dining table to begin gluing up. Then got my polyethelyne welder which will be used to weld the dividers in the sump. You can see the work area with cabinets that I installed so I have a place for the laptop to keep records on equipment, water and animals as well as store all the tests and chemicals.

 

[allenjj]

Manifold taking shape

Progress is occurring with the installation of wiring for the equipment room and the manifold taking shape.

 

[allenjj]

Finally

Finally have the partitions in the sump welded in place, all the plumbing to the sump and return done and am now filling the tank and the sump. Am now getting excited to start the pumps. Still have to finish the partitions for the fuge and get the return done for it. Some of the primer on the pipes ran, but this is all in the basement so wanted to get good connection as opposed to totally neat.

 

[allenjj]

More Progress

Pic 1 are the valves to throttle the pump return back to the display tank. Pic 2 is the gate valve to throttle the feed for the fuge, which is not quite ready yet. Pic 3 is the sump which has some pieces of rock, but not enough yet.