180 display/445 system build

[DrBDC]

Figured I'd do a system update thread since I've never done one. I'm starting from a 110 stock tank sump with a 90 gallon aga display and a 45 gallon frag tank.

Here is the current display a 90 gallon aga which I just upgraded to in Sept. and thought this would be big enough for awhile. But I have frags in the frag tank I can't find a place for in the display, so for the health of my animals this upgrade is a must! The tank is lit by a pair of 400w XM10's on magnetic ballasts and a pair of 110w vho's. For current circulation I'm running a pair of seio 1500's on the left along with the seio controller so I go from 1500 gph to 3000 gph. The right side has a high flow mjmod at approx 2300 gph.

Here is the current sump lit by a 400w Iwasaki 6500K bulb, cheato and live rock are in there with some sand but not enough to do much of anything. Right now I have it stuffed with some dried out rock which will go into the 180 Oceanic tank. I did have frag racks in the sump too but had to consolidate them to the frag tank in order to get the rock going. I also plan on increasing the pump intake from 1" to 1.5" for the main return pump which is currently an Iwaki 40 but will be an Iwaki70 after the upgrade. I also plan to change the skimmer intake pipe (which is an Iwaki70) to a straight feed vs. the current "over the top" skimmer feed. I'll probably make that a 1.5" intake pipe as well with a union in the space between the side of the sump and the bucket that all my returns drain to.

 

[DrBDC]

Here is the current frag tank setup which is 45 gallons. This will be temporarily taken offline and frags moved into the 110 frag tank. This will give me more room to work since the 110 will be back against the back corner. I will add it back in after all the other work is done.

And here is the 110 that will be installed. It was a lobster tank or some form of live coldwater seafood holding unit so it has a built in 1/2 horse chiller.

I capped off or installed a valve on the 3 pipes that exit the bottom of the tank. I could use one for water change draining or ?? in the future. I also added a 1.5" bulkhead and union in the side and will curve the input of it up to make surface drainpipe.

 

[DrBDC]

Here is the water storage area which I just upgraded my kalkwasser storage from a Brute 32 gallon to the one in the pic. I have 2 more of these which will be incorporated into the area. 1 for ro/di, 1 for salt mixed, and the one for kalkwasser.

My buddy Dave is coming over to put a subpanel in which will be installed on the wall above where the drum is.

 

[DrBDC]

And here is the 180 sitting in the garage needing a cleaning.

My plan is to bring the 110 frag into the system before the display switch. That will enable me to have somewhere for the corals to go since my current frag tank is full and I won't have to find misc. containers to hold them during the change. I'll still have to have a storage tote hold some rock but it should be less stressful on them to keep them in the main system water.

I have 180 lbs of aragamax? It's the oolitic sized and I think that was the name. It's in the brute can I used to store the kalk in and I've been changing the water with tank change water for about a week. This way it will have some bacteria going (I hope) when placed in the new tank. I will seed it with some of the special reef grade sand that is currently in my display, maybe 30-40lbs of it. It has 80 in there but I'm not sure how much of it to take. It shouldn't be too nasty since it was just set up in Sept. I'm still debating getting more sand.

 

[am3gross]

how deep of a sand bed do you want?... ijust setup a 210 and only put 60 lbs worth in there. it is a little less then 1 inch which is what i wanted! 180 lbs that is going to be alot i think.

 

[DrBDC]

Well I'm still debating between just a ssb at 1-2" and getting into the 4-5" range. I had about 50 lbs in my previous 70 of southdown which is oolitic and my nitrates were more in control than the 80lbs of reef grade sand in the 90. Even though they were both 3-4 inches approx depending on the area of the tank, the reefgrade is larger grained.

 

[DrBDC]

Well here's the frag tank/chiller that I have the drain pipe riser installed.

In the house ready to be swapped out:

Now I'm waiting for someone to come help move it in. The reason for needing help is in the following picture. You can see a return pump intake pipe and the drain where I do water changes from in the pic. Well I need to lift the frag tank over this pipe and then as I make the turn mash the sump in some. Good thing it actually flexes easy. I'll put a bag over the pipe where it draws from the sump so I can take the ball valve off of the outside if I have to. If the lifting goes easy then I'll try not to mess with more than I have to.

 

[trottman]

Nice Roy, your rasberry milly is getting some great color By the way.

 

[StupidsReef]

Roy for the right amount of money, My wife might be able to clean up the messes you have made of your tank rooms !! Looks good and lets see it all put together!!

 

[drummereef]

LOL, the STL crew is all over this one already. Looking good, Doc. :thumbsup:

 

[DrBDC]

Well we got the frag tank in there and running last night. As I was explaining to Justin how it would have to push on the side of the sump and flex it to make it around the bend, I slipped and knocked the sump light. It's attached with electrical line plastic staples, which one broke. So I had to fix that.

This shows where it was a tight fit although not as bad as I thought it was going to be:

Frags, baby kole and baby foxface waiting for thier tank:

In and the plumbing hooked. The feed was hooked as a temp connection just to get it going and get the display water going as well.

My mess of plumbing until I reorganize the return pump's lines.

And everyone back in. Not enough water right now but I filled the brute can overnight and am mixing it as I type. I should be able get it done by tonight I think. Those 55 drums I have will come in handy for the 180 when I switch since I can't wait as long for water to be available.

 

[pewter_jean]

Hey Justin, looking sharp, but don't you think you should have dress up a bit?:lol:

Keep us updated Roy, It looks good so far.

 

[Reggae Fish]

Geez Roy. Thank Ange for the great pic of me. I recognize that look. Same one I had when you dumped a 400 watt reflector into your sump without electrocuting everything around you

 

[DrBDC]

That pic looks like I'm saying "In a few minutes, we'll drop this big light in the water and see if we die." I wish I knew how to add those caption bubbles I could have a great time with some of the ones I didn't post. :lol:

 

[JxMetal]

 

[drummereef]

:lol: Nice.

 

[DrBDC]

:lolspin:

 

[sirreal63]

Looks great so far Roy...if you let us know what you need and when you need it we can help.

Justin...that pic will be used against you at every opportunity in the future...just so you know.

 

[DrBDC]

Well today so far I have the px1000 expansion control box hooked up to my Aquacontroller 3. I also wired up one of the two industrial fixture 400w halides over the frag tank. I went to wire the second and the ballast had melted up in there. So I need to find another 400 w ballast or a dual ballast and change out my main display 2X400 magnetic ballast. Whichever is prettier looking will go to the display. But here's a pic of the single one sitting on the frag tank. I was going to run 2 of them and then use angle iron to bolt them togather and suspend them slightly off the top of the tank for air exchange.

PX-1000 on the wall:

And the frag with the single 400 Iwasaki and the 175 Iwasaki 15,000K over the other end.

 

[DrBDC]

Well since my lighting project for the eve was derailed, I made a frag rack.