40G Breeder Build

[balto777]

A quick intermission shot of my progress on the return plumbing. I did not realize how tough it would be to get two returns hard-plumbed - it took very precise measurements!!! I don't know how much I will get done tonight because I am tired, but it should be finished tomorrow. After I have it done, I will commence a 48hr leak test in the bare tank and sump with tap water.

 

[bigfish14]

Keep up the good work! Hopefully everything passes the leak test and you can get that cycle going. I am cycling my tank right now and I can already tell it is going to be a lonnnggg process. Do you know what kind of sand you are going to use?

 

[balto777]

Time for a status update . . .

Yesterday, I got the plumbing finished. It took longer than expected and also several trips to the store to get things that I missed or had forgotten, but it is now finished. I must admit that it looks good . . .

This morning, before the leak test, I snapped some photos of the finished product.

 

[balto777]

Today has been good and bad.

The good first. I replaced all of my filters except the RO membrane in my RO/DI unit last night. Then I made new water overnight in the Brute. Added salt this morning and transferred my cut Pukani rocks back into the Brute with salt water. This is the first time that they have seen salt. The plan is to keep them there until I transfer them back to the tank later in the month.

I filled up the tank with tap this morning and began running the leak test. The plumbing works perfectly, and the Mag 7 pump definitely has enough power. There were only two VERY SMALL leaks from the return bulkheads that an eighth of a turn from a wrench stopped completely. It has been running now for almost 12 hours perfectly.

Now the bad. The Mag 7 pump is loud. Earlier it was unbearable loud. I have a good length of spaflex joining the pump the the plumbing, but there is still some vibration getting to the pipes. But the pipes are not that big of a deal because most of the sound is coming from the pump and sump.

After looking around for ideas, I decided to put a mouse pad under the pump, and that worked some; however, the pump is still making a lot of noise. My stand is currently open in the front and back. I did a little experiment and got some couch cushions and seal up the front and back of the stand. The result was a HUGE decrease in sound. It was still noticeable, but no longer the loudest sound in the room.

So tomorrow, I will be getting some 1/4" board for the back of the stand and some 1/2" MDF to make a door for the front of the stand. I am also playing with the idea of using speaker sound dampening foam onto the back and sides, which are only 1/4" wood. I think this would dampen the sound greatly. We will see . . .

 

[Techbiker]

looks awsome, I went to this guys house and he uses starfom under the sump, this way it prevents any eco trough the stand and also helps if a rock in the refugium falls
just a sugestion

 

[balto777]

From earlier today . . . there's more than one way to drain an aquarium . . . :rollface:

Man my fish room/office is DIRTY!!!

Officially, that is a MaxiJet 1200 connected to a 4' vinyl hose just laying inside a length of 1/2" PVC pipe which is just laying inside a length of 1.5" PVC pipe making the whole thing just long enough to get out of the front door. Man that was a mouthfull of run-on sentence . . . :bigeyes:

Anyway, I seeded the rock in the Brute yesterday with three pieces of rock from the LFS, about five lbs. This morning I fed quite a bit of flake food to the Brute to give something for the bacteria to eat. Measured the Brute parameters and got somewhere between 0 and 0.25 ppm of ammonia and somewhere between 0.5 and 1 of nitrite, so something is happening. Most likely decomposition from the original rock since I doubt the fish food got taken care of that fast.

Tomorrow (actually today at this late [read as early] hour) I plan to go to the glass shop and get the baffles cut for the sump. Skimmer area will be 12" tall, but skimmer will be placed on a platform. Refugium will be 14" tall. Return area will be 4.9g in size, with roughly 3.5g usuable by the retun pump. Should be enough for almost three days of evaperation. Plus, enough extra room for all the drain water in case of a power outage.

I better stop now since I do not know if I am making any sense at this late hour . . .:worried:

 

[bellis31]

If you put rubber suction cups on the bottom of your return pump it will stop 90% of the humming you hear.

 

[balto777]

Hey Bellis,

How do you like the Eheim 1260. If I cannot deal with the noise with all the suggestions I am getting, I was thinking of purchasing that pump and using the Mag 7 as a utility pump for water changes, etc.

 

[bellis31]

Hey Bellis,

How do you like the Eheim 1260. If I cannot deal with the noise with all the suggestions I am getting, I was thinking of purchasing that pump and using the Mag 7 as a utility pump for water changes, etc.

So far it's a great pump it had a pretty good hum to it when I first started but with the rubber cups on the bottom it runs silent now.

 

[meco65]

Great build, I like the rock, Great job on the plumbing, Stand looks good also. Looking forward to seeing the tank come together.
I also have a 40 Breeder, here is a link to my build.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2146973

 

[balto777]

Went ahead and put a door on my stand and skinned the back to try to keep the noise down.

Here is an in progress shot where I am priming.

Here is a pick of the skinned back of the stand.

Here is a pick of the front of the stand.

Finally, here is a pic of the inside.

Next up, I am picking up the glass baffles today to put in my sump. My RTV 108 should also be coming in from Amazon. :thumbsup:

 

[balto777]

There goes my dreams of building my own aquarium one day . . . :sad2:

Anyway, I just got done siliconing my baffles into the sump. OH MY GOD, I do not wish the horror of working with silicone on anyone . . . never!!!! There sump will work - I am completely certain of that. It is UGLY, though. For those that work with silicone . . . hats off to you. I for one am glad I did this now, because I will be paying people to make tanks for me in the future.

Here are some pics.

 

[zeebies]

Looks like you did a commendable job on the sump balto! :thumbsup: They >> :fish2:will appreciate your efforts. Following along.

 

[balto777]

Last night I was looking at the DIY leds that seem to be all the rage now. I am planning on getting a kit later this year to replace my current fixture. One of the things that I notice is that most of the DIY led fixtures are pretty ugly. So, I realized that I was going to have to make a canopy eventually.

Well, I was going over the leftover wood that I already had, and I figured out that "eventually" might as well be now. I figured out a canopy design that would utilize most of the wood I already had available that was left over from the stand. Only need to purchase a small amount of additional material. It will be a simple, fully enclosed canopy with a fully removable front door. The door will sit in the opening on wood ledges on the back of the door. To keep the door from falling out, I will use either velcro or magnets (haven't decided yet). Eventually, I will have two intake fans on either side and an exhaust vent on top.

Here are the pics so far.

Front and Back frame finished.

Full box frame complete.

Will continue finishing this up tonight. I will also leak test the sump baffles I installed a couple days ago.

 

[kevin32]

That is one sick customization. Wish I was that crafty. Nice job!!

 

[Larz_1]

Watching ...
I just bought a 120g to upgrade from my current 58g.
I've been looking at the glass-holes overflows and drilling my tank in a similar way that you have done.

How about a picture straight on from the front of the tank that shows the overflow and returns.

Thanx

 

[balto777]

That is one sick customization. Wish I was that crafty. Nice job!!

Thanks. I don't have a table saw, so I do all of my straight cuts using a jig and a handheld circular saw. It is one big PAIN IN THE ***!!! What I would do to own a table saw right now . . . Thankfully I have a chop saw to crosscut small pieces of wood (such as the frame).

Here is a pic of my jig in use . . .

 

[balto777]

How about a picture straight on from the front of the tank that shows the overflow and returns.

I will get one later tonight. Right now the glare from the windows prevents me from getting a good shot.

 

[BowieReefer84]

How are the 90's on your bulkheads on the outside of the tank?

Are they street 90's in black I think? Looks good.

 

[balto777]

Okay, BIG UPDATE!!!

First, I finished most of the work on the canopy. I am real happy with it. I still have to sand it and finish it. Gotta make a door for it and add ventilation. But this will come later. Here are those pics.

Also, Larz_1 asked for a straight on picture of the overflow. I tried to get it, but the glare from the tank won't let me do it. I need lights in the dang thing in order to take a pic. Here is the best I can do down through the top of the canopy.

I also leak tested the sump - and have no leaks . . . :thumbsup:

Here I am filling the refugium.

Here are the important parts, the refugium filled up and the skimmer section filled up for 15 minutes.

Here, I let the bubble trap fill up for 15 minutes - the refugium has now been filled up for 30 minutes.

Finally, I have been checking the Ammonia and Nitrite of the Brute container with my rocks curing. I already had my Ammonia spike - it is now at 0 ppm. The Nitrite is slowly coming down too and is currently at 0.25 ppm off of its high of 1 ppm.

Its coming along . . .