400 Gallon Mixed Reef Tank Build
- Thread starter Pixelboi
- Start date
Minor Updates
Minor Updates
Well... I filled the tank today and tested the C2C overflow. Still waiting for the sump and pumps. As a temporary sump I used an old 55 gallon sump and my backup Mag Drive 18 & 12 for the returns using 3/4" tubing clamped to one of the cross braces.
Even with the mag 18 & 12, the flow going into the tank is half of what is intended. IT'S WHISPER QUIET! Even with the removable back panel and toothed weir on, it was silent. Having the entire back of the tank as a C2C overflow is awesome. The surface skimming and drain is virtually silent!
Here are some pics of the tank filled...
The water line sits about 2" from the rim.
The water line with the current flow rate is about 1/2" below the toothed weir.
The return bulkheads have temporary 1.5" PVC stacks to prevent water from draining the C2C overflow.
Water level in the C2C overflow
Minor Updates
Well... I filled the tank today and tested the C2C overflow. Still waiting for the sump and pumps. As a temporary sump I used an old 55 gallon sump and my backup Mag Drive 18 & 12 for the returns using 3/4" tubing clamped to one of the cross braces.
Even with the mag 18 & 12, the flow going into the tank is half of what is intended. IT'S WHISPER QUIET! Even with the removable back panel and toothed weir on, it was silent. Having the entire back of the tank as a C2C overflow is awesome. The surface skimming and drain is virtually silent!
Here are some pics of the tank filled...
The water line sits about 2" from the rim.
The water line with the current flow rate is about 1/2" below the toothed weir.
The return bulkheads have temporary 1.5" PVC stacks to prevent water from draining the C2C overflow.
Water level in the C2C overflow
OCD Taking Hold...
OCD Taking Hold...
So... I walked into the garage to work on the tank plumbing and noticed that I used some schedule 40 threaded male adapters on the 2 of the 3 overflow drain bulkheads. I am sure that it would not make a huge difference and would not be seen by anyone due to the tank will be placed up against a wall, but they MUST be changed! Crap...
The left and right male adapters are schedule 40. They were put in with 4 rotations of Teflon plumbers tape and were nearly impossible to remove.
I knew my reloading room would be helpful in reef keeping...
I had to put the bulkheads into a vise and used a pair of channel locks to break it free. All this just to have matching colors!
OCD Taking Hold...
So... I walked into the garage to work on the tank plumbing and noticed that I used some schedule 40 threaded male adapters on the 2 of the 3 overflow drain bulkheads. I am sure that it would not make a huge difference and would not be seen by anyone due to the tank will be placed up against a wall, but they MUST be changed! Crap...
The left and right male adapters are schedule 40. They were put in with 4 rotations of Teflon plumbers tape and were nearly impossible to remove.
I knew my reloading room would be helpful in reef keeping...
I had to put the bulkheads into a vise and used a pair of channel locks to break it free. All this just to have matching colors!
tanksfishtank
Premium Member
Wow, this is great documentation of your build. Looks great!!! Thanks for the time and effort!
Slow Going...
Slow Going...
Wow... I thought this build would be going along much faster. Over the past 2 weeks, I have been tied up with work and not allocating the proper time to completing the plumbing on the tank. I had to redesign the sump due to the ergonomics of the stand, equipment and drain locations. I will post the redesign of the sump tomorrow when I get to my office.
Well... I did at least complete the top portion of the return plumbing and loc-lines...
Plumbing supplies... The temp sump has been replace with a Rubbermaid 50 gal. container and place under the tank until the new sump is built.
How does that "Old Adage" go... Measure once, Cut twice... Perhaps I should look that one up. :deadhorse1:
I Miss-measured the three-way coming out of the stand to the 2 riser returns coming out of the stand.
The returns have sch 80 true union above the bulkhead, before and after the elbow for easy removal or repositioning of flow.
I have a new found respect for Plumbers. Clean welds are not as easy as it seems. Mine happen to suck really, REALLY bad...
Even with the temporary test pumps. The surface area is very turbulent.
Slow Going...
Wow... I thought this build would be going along much faster. Over the past 2 weeks, I have been tied up with work and not allocating the proper time to completing the plumbing on the tank. I had to redesign the sump due to the ergonomics of the stand, equipment and drain locations. I will post the redesign of the sump tomorrow when I get to my office.
Well... I did at least complete the top portion of the return plumbing and loc-lines...
Plumbing supplies... The temp sump has been replace with a Rubbermaid 50 gal. container and place under the tank until the new sump is built.
How does that "Old Adage" go... Measure once, Cut twice... Perhaps I should look that one up. :deadhorse1:
I Miss-measured the three-way coming out of the stand to the 2 riser returns coming out of the stand.
The returns have sch 80 true union above the bulkhead, before and after the elbow for easy removal or repositioning of flow.
I have a new found respect for Plumbers. Clean welds are not as easy as it seems. Mine happen to suck really, REALLY bad...
Even with the temporary test pumps. The surface area is very turbulent.
Coast To Coast Overflow
Coast To Coast Overflow
rsl3,
The current flow is at less than half of the intended flow (not bad)... I am waiting for my pumps to arrive this week. As for the Coast to Coast Overflow, it is dead silent! Here is a link to a thread on RC that my drain system was modeled after, with a few tweaks... http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1310585
I made a few changes and used SCH 80 union gate valve to control and make fine adjustments to the full siphon stand pipe. Another big inspiration to this build is from Tom "GlassReef" - http://www.glassreef.com/basics_overflow.php.
Looking back at my past reef tanks and now at my current build. I would not go back to a standard overflow system. There are too many benefits to a C2C overflow and modified drain system, silence and full surface skimming are the 2 majors...
Coast To Coast Overflow
rsl3,
The current flow is at less than half of the intended flow (not bad)... I am waiting for my pumps to arrive this week. As for the Coast to Coast Overflow, it is dead silent! Here is a link to a thread on RC that my drain system was modeled after, with a few tweaks... http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1310585
I made a few changes and used SCH 80 union gate valve to control and make fine adjustments to the full siphon stand pipe. Another big inspiration to this build is from Tom "GlassReef" - http://www.glassreef.com/basics_overflow.php.
Looking back at my past reef tanks and now at my current build. I would not go back to a standard overflow system. There are too many benefits to a C2C overflow and modified drain system, silence and full surface skimming are the 2 majors...
Thanks for the :thumbsup:... I will do my best to be more motivated to complete this build within the next month or so and document every step.
A little OCD never hurt anybody.The toilet in my master bath is a tiny bit angled and I want to rip it out and redo it so I know what you mean, lol.
Chappy,
Did you fix the toilet yet?
i love your sump...i need to redo mine for my 350....
i may use your design or similar..
has anything changed in your design? any photos of the actual sump build???
i have the same requirements...external skimmer, need socks with easy drop in and take out...refugium, and misc pump hook ups....
i may use your design or similar..
has anything changed in your design? any photos of the actual sump build???
i have the same requirements...external skimmer, need socks with easy drop in and take out...refugium, and misc pump hook ups....
Sump Re-design
Sump Re-design
Larry,
I did change the entire design and layout of the sump due to the 3 drains being smack dab in the middle of the tank and stand. I want this build to have minimal plumbing exposed and crossing the top of the sump to get to the drain chamber is not an option for having clean plumbing. Here are some pics of the new design and some videos of the sump in 360 view...
New Dimensions:
DIM: 48" x 30" x 22"
Total sump volume: 137 gallons
Operating volume: 75 gallons
Down drain volume capacity: 62 gallons
This sump will have 3" euro bracing on three sides and 4" along the back
"PLEASE DISREGARD THE 2ND PIPE IN THE RENDERINGS WHERE THE SKIMMER FEED DRAWS FROM THE MIXING CHAMBER. THERE SHOULD ONLY BE 1 FEED PIPE COMING FROM THAT CHAMBER." OOPS!
I know... It looks a bit confusing, but it's actually very simple. Read on...
Plan view. The return baffles are space at 2" then 1" with the first baffle having two .25 rails to place a type of egg crate of a sponge or other media.
The return chamber will hold approximately 30 gallons at a 12" water level. Also notice the Skimmer feed and Bio pellet return mixing chamber.
Here is a shaded view of the sump
Here is a view of the drain chamber and skimmer draw and bio pellet reactor return mixing chamber. Above the filter socks chamber there is a lid plus a 2" lip in case the filter socks get clogged.
"PLEASE DISREGARD THE 2ND PIPE IN THE RENDERINGS WHERE THE SKIMMER FEED DRAWS FROM THE MIXING CHAMBER. THERE SHOULD ONLY BE 1 FEED PIPE COMING FROM THAT CHAMBER." OOPS!
Here you can see the 3 drain pipes return into their own chamber then overflow onto the filter sock platform. There is a cutout in the filter sock chamber that feeds another chamber that a Water Blaster 10K will feed from fresh tank water after it has be filtered by the socks. It will be drawn fron a 1.5" PVC pipe that is attached to a bulkhead that is in the mixing chamber that has a 3/4" return pipe from the bio pellet reactor feeding into that chamber. "see the 1 vertical pipe going through the chamber top"
"PLEASE DISREGARD THE 2ND PIPE IN THE RENDERINGS WHERE THE SKIMMER FEED DRAWS FROM THE MIXING CHAMBER. THERE SHOULD ONLY BE 1 FEED PIPE COMING FROM THAT CHAMBER." OOPS!
Perhaps the wire frame view will display it better... Also notice the skimmer return 1.5" pipe into a bulkhead about 13" high off the bottom. Not illustrated in the renderings, but there will be a "T" attached to the skimmer return submerged about 3" into the water with a vent stack going up.
"PLEASE DISREGARD THE 2ND PIPE IN THE RENDERINGS WHERE THE SKIMMER FEED DRAWS FROM THE MIXING CHAMBER. THERE SHOULD ONLY BE 1 FEED PIPE COMING FROM THAT CHAMBER." OOPS!
The skimmer return has its own chamber that has 2 baffles that spill into another chamber that has 1 addition baffle that then spills into the refugium area.
"PLEASE DISREGARD THE 2ND PIPE IN THE RENDERINGS WHERE THE SKIMMER FEED DRAWS FROM THE MIXING CHAMBER. THERE SHOULD ONLY BE 1 FEED PIPE COMING FROM THAT CHAMBER." OOPS!
Another wire frame to help illustrate the design.
Here are some 360's of the sump:
http://youtu.be/st03FlW6SFI
http://youtu.be/zRzSO1uCHxE
http://youtu.be/jQYQ3otS7w4
I am sorry for posting renderings that have a mistake in them. I am just too lazy to redo them all to reflect the 1 feed pipe from the mixing chamber... :hammer:
If you guys have any suggestions please do so...
Sump Re-design
Larry,
I did change the entire design and layout of the sump due to the 3 drains being smack dab in the middle of the tank and stand. I want this build to have minimal plumbing exposed and crossing the top of the sump to get to the drain chamber is not an option for having clean plumbing. Here are some pics of the new design and some videos of the sump in 360 view...
New Dimensions:
DIM: 48" x 30" x 22"
Total sump volume: 137 gallons
Operating volume: 75 gallons
Down drain volume capacity: 62 gallons
This sump will have 3" euro bracing on three sides and 4" along the back
"PLEASE DISREGARD THE 2ND PIPE IN THE RENDERINGS WHERE THE SKIMMER FEED DRAWS FROM THE MIXING CHAMBER. THERE SHOULD ONLY BE 1 FEED PIPE COMING FROM THAT CHAMBER." OOPS!
I know... It looks a bit confusing, but it's actually very simple. Read on...
Plan view. The return baffles are space at 2" then 1" with the first baffle having two .25 rails to place a type of egg crate of a sponge or other media.
The return chamber will hold approximately 30 gallons at a 12" water level. Also notice the Skimmer feed and Bio pellet return mixing chamber.
Here is a shaded view of the sump
Here is a view of the drain chamber and skimmer draw and bio pellet reactor return mixing chamber. Above the filter socks chamber there is a lid plus a 2" lip in case the filter socks get clogged.
"PLEASE DISREGARD THE 2ND PIPE IN THE RENDERINGS WHERE THE SKIMMER FEED DRAWS FROM THE MIXING CHAMBER. THERE SHOULD ONLY BE 1 FEED PIPE COMING FROM THAT CHAMBER." OOPS!
Here you can see the 3 drain pipes return into their own chamber then overflow onto the filter sock platform. There is a cutout in the filter sock chamber that feeds another chamber that a Water Blaster 10K will feed from fresh tank water after it has be filtered by the socks. It will be drawn fron a 1.5" PVC pipe that is attached to a bulkhead that is in the mixing chamber that has a 3/4" return pipe from the bio pellet reactor feeding into that chamber. "see the 1 vertical pipe going through the chamber top"
"PLEASE DISREGARD THE 2ND PIPE IN THE RENDERINGS WHERE THE SKIMMER FEED DRAWS FROM THE MIXING CHAMBER. THERE SHOULD ONLY BE 1 FEED PIPE COMING FROM THAT CHAMBER." OOPS!
Perhaps the wire frame view will display it better... Also notice the skimmer return 1.5" pipe into a bulkhead about 13" high off the bottom. Not illustrated in the renderings, but there will be a "T" attached to the skimmer return submerged about 3" into the water with a vent stack going up.
"PLEASE DISREGARD THE 2ND PIPE IN THE RENDERINGS WHERE THE SKIMMER FEED DRAWS FROM THE MIXING CHAMBER. THERE SHOULD ONLY BE 1 FEED PIPE COMING FROM THAT CHAMBER." OOPS!
The skimmer return has its own chamber that has 2 baffles that spill into another chamber that has 1 addition baffle that then spills into the refugium area.
"PLEASE DISREGARD THE 2ND PIPE IN THE RENDERINGS WHERE THE SKIMMER FEED DRAWS FROM THE MIXING CHAMBER. THERE SHOULD ONLY BE 1 FEED PIPE COMING FROM THAT CHAMBER." OOPS!
Another wire frame to help illustrate the design.
Here are some 360's of the sump:
http://youtu.be/st03FlW6SFI
http://youtu.be/zRzSO1uCHxE
http://youtu.be/jQYQ3otS7w4
I am sorry for posting renderings that have a mistake in them. I am just too lazy to redo them all to reflect the 1 feed pipe from the mixing chamber... :hammer:
If you guys have any suggestions please do so...
