180 custom reef build started 8/15/13 !

10/4, Tank is ready ! It's cycled!

I fell behind, not plumbing everything, and my wife wants a matching canopy to hide the lights above

It will be a busy weekend for sure. I'll plumb the return in, and start the canopy build

I'll be adding 2 packages of pods also, and put my clowns in their over the weekend, just to give it a few more days, to make sure it's stable and cycled
 
Not that the .25 on the ammonia is any big deal, but don't expect it to ever hit zero with that test. I worked in a LFS back in the day and we had the same kit and could never get a reading of 0.00 in our systems even with just DI and H2O. I called the chief chemist with Coral Life (the salt the store used) and he told me that it was the way that some of the trace elements give that particular test false minimum readings. In fact, the only tests that would give us a reading of zero, were customers that would bring in a sample of their aquarium and they, admittedly, had not done a water change within six months or more of the test (in which cases the trace elements had been used up). I only bring this up incase you get concerned over lingering amounts when, due to all other indicators, you know that there shouldn't be. BTW, the build looks great and I very well might be copying your sump system for my 210 that's sitting in the garage waiting to get drilled. Looking forward to watching your progress.

Good luck!
Mike

and then I take a quick look to see that you were the most recent post with "cycled" aquarium so disregard the entire paragraph above :)
 
Lol Mike, I do that all the time, post something, then see it was all ready addressed

Thanks, I'm going to finish the plumbing in the next day, and get 2 packages of pods into it tomorrow as well
 
I gotta ask, what are you planning to finish the stand off with around the top? Sorry if you mentioned it already and I missed it.
 
Yes, I'm going to buy oak trim and stain it yet. I still have to put 2 more coats of semi clear on the stand also

It's 11pm, been working on the sump all night. Painted the 3 tanks below backgrounds black, and working on the plumbing

I added 30 more pounds of Fiji Live rock tonight,, just threw it in their, don't have time to aqua scape this weekend

Also added 2 packages of pods

I'm hoping this weekend to get the sump plumbed, and the lights hung, and start on the canopy build
 
Just read entire thread.....Very clean,very sleek.Keep up the pics of your progress,so I can drool alittle more
 
LOL, Thank you, you guy's are great! It's makes it so exciting receiving all these compliments !

I'm running 1.5" return pipe up the back of the tank. Here's a picture of the 1.5" pipe, where it TEE's off to give me 2 returns. I kept the 1.5" pipe all the way up to the top of the tank in the back, and used a 1.5" bushing to 1" pipe. The pipes that will go into the tank will be 1" at the end's. I also drilled a small hole for siphon breaks on the 45's

I couldn't use 45's at the top of the tank, to many connections, so I used 90's their. It's the only place on the return line that will have a 90

 
Long day today, 4 trips back and forth to Home Depot and Lowes, One store would have half of what I needed, drive over to the other to get 2 bushings, back & forth all day,.
$200+ in plumbing, but it's just about done!

Started 7am this morning, just got done 12 hours later

On the right side you'll see a 3/4" true union ball valve, it's going to feed a Specture
GFO & Carbon Reactor. Right now it's off, I'm waiting for the Reactor to come in

I ran 1.5" pipe up the back, into 1" Bushings, which will return back into the tank.

The one gate valve is to low, so I just ordered another 1" gate valve and will have to
90 it, into the sump. I had to lower the left siphon drain, to go under the return plumbing

Man, this was a all day event!

I also painted the backs black and one sides of the Fuge, Sump, and ATO tank

Here's some pictures of todays progress!













 
Nice.... Lets keep it moving.

Too bad you did not take a time lapse or anything. LOL

My time lapse of my build are funny to look back at sometimes.
 
I'm trying to figure out how to mount the LEDs.

Lots to do yet. Wire up the light for the fuge

Hand LEDs

Hook up the ATO, Apex Controller, probes, etc

I didn't fill the sump yet, I wanted to give the pods time to multiply

Aqua scaping still needs to be do for the third time

Possibly build a canopy

Man it's allot of work !
 
Ohhh I measured the angles. The plumbing is crooked. You need to move the far right pipe on the bottom, 1/72 clockwise.
 
LOL, you had me for a sec, haha

Building the canopy now, and found some really strong shelving brackets today at HD that are rated to 50lbs a pc. Going to screw them into the studs in the wall, to hang my LED's

I have the front of the canopy ripped, and the sides all ready
 
Nothing like starting to stain, and it's starts to rain

Then the sun goes down, and I'm getting bit by mosquitoes working in my garage, feels like it's still 90 degrees at 8pm !

Geez, can't wait for fall to start down here :)

Have the first coat on stain on, 2nd coat gets applied after a light 220 sanding, and a light 2nd coat, as I don't want to loose the oak wood grain

Here's some pics of today's progress on the canopy build, the 2 sides and front

It will not have a lid or a top, and I'll be using HD shelving brackets mounted to studs in the wall to mount my LED's over the tank

The front will slide off and on, for easy access to the tank

Here's some pics :)

PS, I ran out of trim, I'll be using the same as the top trim to trim out the bottom of the front of the canopy





 
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