280+ Gallon Shark Tank

[dave.m]

On your idea for RO/DI attached to Auto Top-off: really bad idea. The check valves and shut-off valves all fail, GUARANTEED, and normally manage to do it when you're hours away and unable to do anything about it (been there, done that). You can easily end up with your RO/DI unit flushing all the salt out of your system (if you have built in an emergency drain) (been there, done that) or worse case it will just keep dumping all over your floor.

What you want to do is get a handle on your average loss of water per day due to evaporation in the first few weeks.

Set up a timer on your RO/DI unit to come on for long enough to create that many gallons per day.

Send those gallons to a temporary reservoir.

Set up a timed pump to empty the reservoir over the course of the day (watch out for back-siphons!).

This arrangement ensures that no mater which part of the set-up fails (and it will, for sure) you can not put more fresh water into your system in a 24-hour period than the top-up reservoir can hold.

Dave.M

 

[skinsncanes]

On your idea for RO/DI attached to Auto Top-off: really bad idea. The check valves and shut-off valves all fail, GUARANTEED, and normally manage to do it when you're hours away and unable to do anything about it (been there, done that). You can easily end up with your RO/DI unit flushing all the salt out of your system (if you have built in an emergency drain) (been there, done that) or worse case it will just keep dumping all over your floor.

What you want to do is get a handle on your average loss of water per day due to evaporation in the first few weeks.

Set up a timer on your RO/DI unit to come on for long enough to create that many gallons per day.

Send those gallons to a temporary reservoir.

Set up a timed pump to empty the reservoir over the course of the day (watch out for back-siphons!).

This arrangement ensures that no mater which part of the set-up fails (and it will, for sure) you can not put more fresh water into your system in a 24-hour period than the top-up reservoir can hold.

Dave.M

Happened to have a pic or diagram of that... This will be my first since I was a kid so I wanna get it right

I'm in total agreement about keeping water in the tanks...

 

[Cu455]

Did you buy or make degas #2? If you made it what is the clear cylinder made for originally? If you bought it who makes it?

 

[alprazo]

DIY 4" acrylic tube with PVC fittings. Not finished making it yet.

I run redundant pumps on all systems. you can see in above photo. Will post a pic of my temperate - tanks too with dual pumps.

I would go with the reeflo gold dart.

 

[skinsncanes]

Hi everyone,

I finished building the bar area and got all the sheet rock up in my basement. Ill post pics later.

That also means I have two of the walls for the tank stand build.

I'm about to order my tank. Im debating if I want to have it driller or use pre filters. Im leaning towards pre filters becasue I have a 'fish room' and like the flexability of being able to move htem around if need be.

I have to complete the plumbing in the room this week. Im going to add a utility sink. I'm trying to pick out a RODI system.

I ordered and received my Lifereef LF2 300 wet dry filter. ill posts pics of the packaging later. holy crap jeff uses a lot of packing peanuts!!

I have to order my skimmer from him this week as well.

Its all finally starting to come together!

 

[skinsncanes]

On your idea for RO/DI attached to Auto Top-off: really bad idea. The check valves and shut-off valves all fail, GUARANTEED, and normally manage to do it when you're hours away and unable to do anything about it (been there, done that). You can easily end up with your RO/DI unit flushing all the salt out of your system (if you have built in an emergency drain) (been there, done that) or worse case it will just keep dumping all over your floor.

What you want to do is get a handle on your average loss of water per day due to evaporation in the first few weeks.

Set up a timer on your RO/DI unit to come on for long enough to create that many gallons per day.

Send those gallons to a temporary reservoir.

Set up a timed pump to empty the reservoir over the course of the day (watch out for back-siphons!).

This arrangement ensures that no mater which part of the set-up fails (and it will, for sure) you can not put more fresh water into your system in a 24-hour period than the top-up reservoir can hold.

Dave.M

Thanks for the tips. I found a diagram from reefdvms.com that I liked. Basically its a utility sink, and two 20 gallon tanks. you keep the one 20 gallon filled with ro water to use as a top off. then when you want to do water changes you pump the water into the second container, creating a loop in the second container, until all the salt is mixed properely then you open the valve to pump the 20 gallons to the tank.

Im leaning towards more frequent, small water changes. Ill have to learn how my tank reacts and how the chemistry works. My gut tells me that ill have a lot of filtration, and a minimal fish load, so I wont have to do it as frequenty as weekly. But we'll see. my gut has zero experience in this lol

im debating getting the apex system to help control what you mentioned, to have it turn on the pump and add a defined amount of water daily to the tank as an auto top off.

 

[skinsncanes]

what epoxy do they use on the show tanked? when i looked them up i only find tubes that are used as clues. im trying to find an epoxy that you can basically dunk something in. I saw them coat a shoe in one episode, all kinds of things.

my idea is to have two football helmets, one redskins and one miami hurricanes facing each other and have a live rock arch go over them. the helmets have the sticker logo and i read the glue from stickers will break down and release chemicals. so i want to epoxy coat the helmets first. i thik they will make a cool unique look for my bar, and support my arch, while providing nice places for fish to hide.

thoughts?

 

[griseum]

The apex can be your best friend. I have used it too many times to count to save my butt while Ive been out, whether I've receive texts/emails regarding a temp rise, and shut off the heaters, one of which had failed. Mostly With their new ALDs ( Auto Leak Detectors) I have 4 placed throughout the rooms where the pond and tanks are. These lil babies have saved numerous would-be floods. It takes a bit of networking to get it all online from outside of your home network. But that has been somewhat eliminated with the Fusion firmware which has been released.
Also, an ipwebcam has proven to be priceless as well. I am able to pan/tilt/zoom from anywhere in the world, to see whats going on in all of the aquariums and around them.
Makes me sleep a little better at night, knowing I have a layer of protection there!

As for Auto Top Offs, I just purchased the Hydor Smart Level. It will only add water for between 25 seconds and 10 minutes, after which time it auto shuts of your pump of choice. An appropriately sized pump, with a valve if you choose, on it, will ensure you don't flood your system with FW and lower the Salinity too much.
It also does not use float valves, or anything with moving parts that may fail. It has "optical Sensors" as Hydor calls them. A mininum, maximum, then alarm level on one piece that is suction cupped and magnetically held in place on the side of your sump. The location of this sensor will be where you choose your water level to stay, with the addition of the top off water.
Greatest ATO I've ever used....

 

[skinsncanes]

Alright here's some pics of the life reef wet dry filter. It looks really nice but it's definitely way over packaged and costs consumers hundreds of unneeded dollars to ship. But at least it arrived safely.

 

[skinsncanes]

280+ Gallon Shark Tank

Also I found a local guy that stocks and sells TONS of equipment. I went to get a RO system and got a little more...

Spectra pure 90 gpd rodi
3 vortech mp40s
3 kessel a360s
Apex energy bar (not controller yet)
Battery backup for vortex

I think that's it I'll take pics later. It's far higher quality than I wanted but I got a good deal. Maybe I won't so fish only anymore now...

 

[griseum]

They aren't showing!

 

[skinsncanes]

They aren't showing!

No? Hmm I'm using tapatalk app. Normally I would do it from a computer. They show up on my screen.

 

[skinsncanes]

Here's some pics of where the tank will go

 

[dave.m]

With Tapatalk on RC you have to post your pics but then immediately go into Edit mode on RC. Then Save. Tapatalk doesn't post the code the way RC wants to see it, but if you Edit your post right away and then Save it RC will correct it for you. If you wait too long RC will time you out and you won't be able to correct your post.

Dave.M

 

[skinsncanes]

280+ Gallon Shark Tank

Ok trying again.

 

[skinsncanes]

That work? Here's my new stuff but most is in the white bags.

And here's the spot again.

 

[dave.m]

Well, it's a start, I suppose.

Dave.M

 

[skinsncanes]

Lol three of those a360 lights and three mp40s wernt cheap lol. I went to the guy just for the rodi filter haha. Now I'm committed to the apex. I have high end lights and wave makers.


I'm going to end up getting a ton more from the guy. Two more pumps, heaters, all the plumbing fittings. Just gotta design out how to make a second sump for live rock.

 

[alprazo]

You must be excited. Good luck.

 

[griseum]

Congrats! Those Kessil LEDs are so sweet with their built in controllability and in addition the Apex options!!
This is gonna be a sweet build and even sweeter place to grab a brew from one of those kegs!