180 gallon tank build
- Thread starter magdelan
- Start date
Perhaps you could use the holes in the bottom a total of 13/4 inches for returns(teeing off your 1.5 from the pump and running lock line ) and drill new holes on the back panel for drains. Or use the holes on the bottom for dual drains and bring your return over the back side of the tank with a u tube.
magdelan
Fish?
This is not the most exciting video that I have see, but seems to prove that it can be done...
Drilling your tank
Drilling your tank
magdelan
Fish?
Ok, I think I'm gonna do it. I will drill the back of my 180 for two 1.5inch returns. I'm a bit nervous though. I just bought a 3inch diamond plated hole cutter to fit a 2inch bulkhead. I will now purchase a 2 3/8 hole cutter to fit a 1.5inch bulkhead. Can I use antifreeze as a coolant when doing the cutting?
Will I place the holes just next to the corner flows?
Boy this is getting nerve racking :eek1:
Will I place the holes just next to the corner flows?
Boy this is getting nerve racking :eek1:
Mike, just a thought . Sometimes an auto glass place will drill a hole for you. Check around, if you are nervous about doing it yourself. I have never drilled one. I've seen it done a number of times slow and steady light pressure no wiggle and keep the glass cool with water or another coolant. I' ve seen some use a peice of half inch or so plywood with the appropriate sized hole in it as a template which is taped to the glass. Then you have the half inch of wood to support the bit and help you avoid wobling.
magdelan
Fish?
tmz, I like the plywood idea.
OK, a new thought for some to ponder with me. This picture is NOT accurate, so please don't critique it. It is only here for reference. My question is: on the left side of the sump, can I house a refugium covered by eggcrate? So the sump will have the drains and skimmer on the right separated by one baffel, then the refugium with some rock and cheatomorpha to grow pods, then the sump drain to the pump. Does this sound doable?
OK, a new thought for some to ponder with me. This picture is NOT accurate, so please don't critique it. It is only here for reference. My question is: on the left side of the sump, can I house a refugium covered by eggcrate? So the sump will have the drains and skimmer on the right separated by one baffel, then the refugium with some rock and cheatomorpha to grow pods, then the sump drain to the pump. Does this sound doable?
RoscoPColtrane
New member
I would be concerned about cheato and rock debris entering your pump intake. My fuge gets pretty dirty.
Second I believe you will need a valve to control the flow going to your upper tank in the picture.
I'm certainly not an expert, just a thought...
Second I believe you will need a valve to control the flow going to your upper tank in the picture.
I'm certainly not an expert, just a thought...
I use a screening device on my pump intake. It consistt of a 9inch by 9inch U with of two inch pipe which I perferated with 3/8 inch holes and wrapped with garden screening mesh and zip ties. It slides into the sump side of the return bulkhead. I've only cleaned it once in two years without trouble. It not only screens but disperses the area for intake making less draw to any one spot.It lies off the bottom in a horizontal position in the sump.
SkiFletch
New member
Mike, drilling is not that hard, I wouldn't sweat it at all. If you want some pointers I'd be happy to help, but its not like you're trying to diffuse a bomb or perform brain surgery here. If you're nervouse, practice on a scrap of window glass first just to get the hang/feel of it. Once you do, you'll realize how not big a deal it is 
. The wood trick works great for getting the bit in the right spot. As for coolant, water is the best liquid coolant there is, don't mess with antifreeze. Antifreeze is only used as a coolant to prevent water from freezing in cars mid-winter (frozen coolant = bad 
). It's heat transfer properties are actually significantly worse than that of water
About the sumps... I'm curious what each of those two "ancillary" tanks are for. Also, do not drain that top tank into the "last" chamber of the sump, drain it to the same place as your main drain. If you do as you've sketched, you'll get microbubbles in the display from the water crashing into the sump for sure.
And I agree, do not use that same final chamber for a refugium, your pump will get something in it eventually and you don't want that. I'd use it for any future reactors or add ons to the tank. Nice to have a big empty spot in your sump when you decide to add extra equipment
. The wood trick works great for getting the bit in the right spot. As for coolant, water is the best liquid coolant there is, don't mess with antifreeze. Antifreeze is only used as a coolant to prevent water from freezing in cars mid-winter (frozen coolant = bad ). It's heat transfer properties are actually significantly worse than that of water About the sumps... I'm curious what each of those two "ancillary" tanks are for. Also, do not drain that top tank into the "last" chamber of the sump, drain it to the same place as your main drain. If you do as you've sketched, you'll get microbubbles in the display from the water crashing into the sump for sure.
And I agree, do not use that same final chamber for a refugium, your pump will get something in it eventually and you don't want that. I'd use it for any future reactors or add ons to the tank. Nice to have a big empty spot in your sump when you decide to add extra equipment
magdelan
Fish?
I had considdered blacking out the 30g and using it for a RDSB. However, the more I think about it, I will only have enough room for one tank up top. With that said, can I do a 55g fuge/DSB? The system would go like this... Sump return--> pump--> T--> 3/4" or 1" inlet to fuge/dsb--> 1" or 2" outlet--> drain/skimmer section--> baffel--> sump return--> etc. Does this sound ok? What size inlet/outlets would you recomend? Those are the options because those are the sizes of the hole cutters I got.
I put in two junction boxes today. One is off a 20amp circuit and the other is off of a 15amp circuit. I will run the 15 upstairs to power my lights and powerheads. The 20 will be dedicated to the pump, heaters, and skimmer.
Next, I have to paint the back of the tank, drill the holes in the sump and fuge/dsb, do the plumbing, and install the electric outlets where I need them.
I bought 90lbs of aragalive superfine oolitic sand today and 3 buckets of Reef Crystals from Drs. Foster and Smith.
I STILL NEED ROCK!!! I need to go rock hunting next weekend, If anyone see any nice rock...let me know!!
mike
I put in two junction boxes today. One is off a 20amp circuit and the other is off of a 15amp circuit. I will run the 15 upstairs to power my lights and powerheads. The 20 will be dedicated to the pump, heaters, and skimmer.
Next, I have to paint the back of the tank, drill the holes in the sump and fuge/dsb, do the plumbing, and install the electric outlets where I need them.
I bought 90lbs of aragalive superfine oolitic sand today and 3 buckets of Reef Crystals from Drs. Foster and Smith.
I STILL NEED ROCK!!! I need to go rock hunting next weekend, If anyone see any nice rock...let me know!!
mike
Mike I have tried combining dsb an macroalgae refugium an ended up taking out the sand for a bare bottom refugium with chaetomorpha and red kelp. The pods do seem ok with the chaetomorpha as a habitat.To maintain it I shake off the chaeto once a week or so freeing detrius and some pods which feed the system and/or hit the skimmer. Every two to three weeks I siphon up the bottom gunk.The sand bed just got too messy under the macro and was a sink for nutrients and frequently became laden with cyanobacteria. Many do combine the 2 but I've had better results without doing it. You may not need a sand bed if you have sufficient rock and the oolicitic sand will also play a role.
SkiFletch
New member
Actually, I'd flip-flop that, and have the 20A go upstiars and the 15A stay downstairs. The inductive load on lights firing up can be quite substantial and unless you've got more than 1000watts of heaters, I would be comfortable with the 15A downstairs.
Drill first, paint later
As for pipe sizes, I'd have at least a 2" bulkhead for the inlet of the return pump, prefferably a straight shot too, no bends.
I'd then also use 2" off the outlet of the pump to the Tee. Prolly can go with 1" off to the refuge, and I'd use a needle valve, not a ball valve here, easier to control the flowrate. As for drain to the sump from there, Prolly a 1" would be more than enough flow, you could also do 1.5" since that's the size you're gonna use to drill the back of the tank if memory serves? If you're using 1"ers on the back of the tank, go ahead and use that for your fuge drain.
For the section from the Tee up to the display tank, I'd keep using 2" pipe and reduce it down only after you've manifolded it for however many returns you're going to use.
The only question that remains is where to install ball/check valves and unions. Depends on what you want to do... If you really want to be able to fiddle with the flowrate from the return (which will be substantial), you can install ball valves up near the end of the line after you've manifolded them. Either way, I'll demand a true union ball valve on both the inlet and outlet of the return pump for not if, but when it requires servicing. Either that, or have a threaded plug for your return pump inlet bulkhead and just a union on it.
Hope all that made sense?
Drill first, paint later
As for pipe sizes, I'd have at least a 2" bulkhead for the inlet of the return pump, prefferably a straight shot too, no bends.
I'd then also use 2" off the outlet of the pump to the Tee. Prolly can go with 1" off to the refuge, and I'd use a needle valve, not a ball valve here, easier to control the flowrate. As for drain to the sump from there, Prolly a 1" would be more than enough flow, you could also do 1.5" since that's the size you're gonna use to drill the back of the tank if memory serves? If you're using 1"ers on the back of the tank, go ahead and use that for your fuge drain.
For the section from the Tee up to the display tank, I'd keep using 2" pipe and reduce it down only after you've manifolded it for however many returns you're going to use.
The only question that remains is where to install ball/check valves and unions. Depends on what you want to do... If you really want to be able to fiddle with the flowrate from the return (which will be substantial), you can install ball valves up near the end of the line after you've manifolded them. Either way, I'll demand a true union ball valve on both the inlet and outlet of the return pump for not if, but when it requires servicing. Either that, or have a threaded plug for your return pump inlet bulkhead and just a union on it.
Hope all that made sense?
SkiFletch
New member
Oh, and I've got some drilling tips for you. First, if possible, lay the tank on its back so that you can get inside it. Then, create a wooden template for your holesaw. Clamp it to the tank where you want the hole (on the inner side of the glass), along with a sacrificial piece of wood on the back side. Might have to make the template itself big enough so that you can fit clamps to it.
Get a bucket/glass of water. Pour some in the hole, start drilling, slowly. Do not push, use the weight of the drill to do the work. Keep the speed low (please tell me you have a variable speed), and keep the bit vertical. As you drill, "flex" the bit into and out of the hole (insert jokes here). Pulling the bit out of the cut and settling it back in slowly will allow water to get in there and cool it. Periodically add more water.
Eventually you'll feel/hear when it breaks through. Make sure you go very slow once you start feeling/hearing that, to keep a nice backside edge. Always drill from inside out whenever possible (your tank should be large enough to fit the drill in there) as any minor blemishes on the edge will be on the outside, not where the bulkhead seals (which is inside)
Edit: Your first hole when you're terrified will likely take you 30-40 mins to do with that glass thickness. Once you finish it and realize the world didn't end, you'll prolly be able to do it in ~20 per hole 
Get a bucket/glass of water. Pour some in the hole, start drilling, slowly. Do not push, use the weight of the drill to do the work. Keep the speed low (please tell me you have a variable speed
), and keep the bit vertical. As you drill, "flex" the bit into and out of the hole (insert jokes here). Pulling the bit out of the cut and settling it back in slowly will allow water to get in there and cool it. Periodically add more water.Eventually you'll feel/hear when it breaks through. Make sure you go very slow once you start feeling/hearing that, to keep a nice backside edge. Always drill from inside out whenever possible (your tank should be large enough to fit the drill in there) as any minor blemishes on the edge will be on the outside, not where the bulkhead seals (which is inside
)Edit: Your first hole when you're terrified will likely take you 30-40 mins to do with that glass thickness
. Once you finish it and realize the world didn't end, you'll prolly be able to do it in ~20 per hole
magdelan
Fish?
Awesome information. I'm truely appreciative!! I will not be drilling the 180. I decided to go with the return/drain as is. I plan on using 2" pipe as the return all the way up to just after the manifold. I will have a 2" bulkhead in the return of the 120 sump and then six inches of PVC that will connect to the Pump via a 2"->1.5" reducer. Then I will go the opposite way out of the pump to a 2" return pipe. I will definately put a union ball valve before and after the pump. The T going to the DSB will be a gate valve and I will put in a gate valve on each side of the return line after the manifold.
