170 Gallon Moonview Library set up

[mbierzyc]

You couldn't have asked for a better fitting tank set up for that wall.

It's awesome setting up a new tank, congrats - you went all out.

 

[mcliffy2]

That looks super nice. Let me know if you want some help setting it up...I think I'm about 5 min away (w/ no traffic). I'm taking the patent bar next saturday, which means i'm off work studying and could probably be talked into a fish break...

 

[Harry Caray]

BEAUTIFUL !! :eek1:

 

[jglackin]

McLiffy, I will likely take you up on that. However, it won't be until the end of the month. I am going down to Peru on the 20th and won't be back until the end of the month. I won't have much time for anything between now and then.

Thanks.

 

[Jeff]

Really looks great

 

[mcliffy2]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9729974#post9729974 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jglackin
McLiffy, I will likely take you up on that. However, it won't be until the end of the month. I am going down to Peru on the 20th and won't be back until the end of the month. I won't have much time for anything between now and then.

Thanks.

That should be amazing, Peru is on my "to-do" list...I've heard the dining there is amazing and Machu Piccu speaks for itself.

PMed you my contact.

 

[sugartooth]

Gorgeous! Perfect fit along the wall. It's too bad the wife doesn't get into it also...maybe this setup will get her interested.

 

[jglackin]

I want to include my sump design into this thread.

I am getting ready to start developing my aquascaping using fiberglass rods for vertical structures and a PVC frame for the mid to low level rock structure. I will post pictures as soon as I have them.

 

[whiirly]

very cool cant wait to see pics

 

[mcliffy2]

Looks cool. just want to make sure I'm understanding correctly, inside the cabinet itself where (the sump and fuge will go) is 55" and the access opening in front is what is 36"?

One thing I can offer is it will likely be less space than you expect in the end and if possible you should save some room for a top-off reservoir (you'll get really sick of dumping jugs of water in every day for evap). I filled up the entire area of mine with a sump and had to buy an entertainment center to house my top off reservoir and run a tube from the back of it to my sump to top off. Have you thought about a sump/fuge combo?

or I know you want to avoid the pump in the sump...but it might be picking the worst of the evils. You can't really leave town without some kind of auto top off...so if it could be a choice between freedom to vacation and having the internal pump to leave room for the top off...just a thought from my experience.

 

[jglackin]

I got some really good ideas from Doug Lehman on how/where to put my auto top off reservoir. I am going to have to wait until I get the sump and refugium installed before I decide exactly how I will do it.

Here's the new and improved schematic.

 

[jglackin]

Now that I am completely getting out of control with the colors and the graphics, I might as well give you an example of how I could do the top off.

 

[jglackin]

The Plenum

The Plenum

I have decided to install a plenum along with a DSB. There are many that say that I should do one or that I should do the other. Some say I should do both and nobody tells me that doing both will be a bad thing. The worst it can be is overkill or redundant. So, if it can't hurt me and may actually help me, I'll go with the plenum and the DSB.

Here it is:

I started out first by making a template of my tank.

Then I laid the template out on the floor and laid the egg crate over it in order to cut it to size.

After cutting the egg crate to size, I laid out 3/4" PVC to the egg crate and then fastened them down with ties.

Once I got the PVC tied down, I then wrapped the egg crate and PVC with fiberglass screening and then tied it all down with zip ties.

Here it is laid out in the tank ready to have the sand poured on top of it.

This was relatively simple and quick. The one thing I did that worked out really well is that I waited for the wife to go out of the house before I did this in the living room. The one thing I really screwed up on is that I was not done before she got back. I guess that is what they mean by trial and error.

 

[craftytony]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9709822#post9709822 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jglackin
Thanks. I am in the South Loop. However, I believe that I am going to hire professionals to bring it up to my living room. It is very heavy and I don't trust myself or my friends to be able to do this without dropping it or screwing it up.

The Solaris showed up today. I will have pictures of that when I get back in town. I am travelling and won't be back until late Friday night.

You are now officially my hero!

Please keep us updated on the Solaris lighting and how your corals do while using it!

 

[badazztealcobra]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9990069#post9990069 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by craftytony
You are now officially my hero!

Please keep us updated on the Solaris lighting and how your corals do while using it!

Double that for me.... Im going to try to convince myself and the girlfriend that the solaris is going to be the best thing to get for the tank and itll save us money in the long run, but wanted to know more people who have used it successfully on their tanks...

Also what are those large wooden pieces to the left and right of the tank used for ?!?!? :lol:

 

[NewSchool04]

Looking great Jim! Can't wait to see it put together.

 

[jglackin]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9990130#post9990130 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by badazztealcobra
Also what are those large wooden pieces to the left and right of the tank used for ?!?!? :lol:

Well, if you notice, at the top and the bottom of those wooden pieces, there are cabinets. The cabinet on the bottom right will be where all the electrical will be wired. The cabinet on the top right will be where my top off reservoir will be. Top left will be supplies and such and bottom left will be for my phosban reactor and possibly a calcium reactor. Basically, there will be no empty space anywhere.

My Solaris is supposed to show up this week. I am going to take it over to the Shedd when I get it and subject it to the PAR meter to see how it checks out. We'll play with it over there for a little bit before I put it on my tank.

 

[mcliffy2]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9957486#post9957486 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jglackin
Now that I am completely getting out of control with the colors and the graphics, I might as well give you an example of how I could do the top off.

Looks cool...so that is about a 5.5 gal reservoir for top off? Since the Solaris shouldn't cause as much evap, that should be plenty.

 

[jglackin]

Actually, you are looking at a version of the sump about 200 design changes ago.

Here is the latest:

The top off will likely go up in one of the cabinets in the book case. 10 gallons or so.

 

[kimoy]

what kind of return pump are you going to use? just a suggetion to limit the restriction on your return pump and get more flow to your main tank, use a Y connector with 60* elbows on your return plumbing. it's like from your return pump to a Y then each end will have a 60 elbow going to each return in yout tank. just a thought.


nice setup...