600 gal display/900+ gal build thread in the Chicago 'burbs.

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OCD tends to be a common trait of engineers. Just ask my wife.

I wouldn't worry about the water line much. With strong surface water motion it will never appear as an issue especially if you employ a wavemaker.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13570153#post13570153 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by EnglishRebel
wmilas
I'm planning on an in-floor sump with a sump pump. What brand of pump did you use? Is it safe for saltwater?
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No idea what brand it is. Sump pits and ejectors are different though. Sump is for rain water run off, ejector is a grinder for sewage. I decided to call a plumber and have him come out and open it up and install a high water alarm along with looking at the pump and he can tell me if its an el cheapo, ect.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13570490#post13570490 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Oldtimer
OCD tends to be a common trait of engineers. Just ask my wife.

I wouldn't worry about the water line much. With strong surface water motion it will never appear as an issue especially if you employ a wavemaker.
Click to expand...

I wasn't planning on employing a wavemaker but using some tunzies pointed at the surface, ect. Worst case you are right, I'll put a small wavemaker in just for surface agitation :) Great idea! Problem solved :)
 
Spent the last 3 hours doing more plumbing. I have the sump cut and the bulkhead installed, the plumbing to and from the return pump dry fit, and half the plumbing to the 4 returns in the tank cut and dryfit. Although I thought I had all the pvc bits I needed from teh last 4 trips to Menards, I had to make 2 more trips today, one for a 3" hole saw and one for a pvc reducer I forgot. I'm kind of out of steam tonight and the Illinois game comes on at 7 so I don't know how much more work will get done tonight.
 
Haha. I'm so over that guy.

Great progress man. I had a similar problem with a 2" bulkhead. I found the more I tightened the less it leaked until finally no leak. Problem is, it's pretty hard to get a good grip on the larger bulkheads to tighten them down enough.

Can't wait to see some new pics!
 
thechad: I went out and bought a monster locktite wrench that can handle nuts up to about 6". The nuts on my 2" bulkheads are 4". I can crank those guys down big time now :)
 
thats smart...is there such a thing as too tight with those bulk heads though, i sure would not want it to leak being not tight enough but can you hurt it if you crank it down too much...maybe a dumb question
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13573988#post13573988 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by PaulieWalnuts
thats smart...is there such a thing as too tight with those bulk heads though, i sure would not want it to leak being not tight enough but can you hurt it if you crank it down too much...maybe a dumb question
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not a dumb question at all, you don't want to crank down a bulkhead fitting, just hand tighten then give it a little crank with the wrench, that will give it a good seal especially using a little silicone, any tighter and you run the risk of cracking the bulkhead
 
Yes you don't want to crank it down to much. The problem is the silicone can make things slick and getting it a quarter or half turn past "hand tight" without a wrench is very hard.
 
I had a bulkhead in a tight position once and grabbed a pipe wrench (the kind with adjustible size grip and 90 degree flippable head, used to replace sink faucets) and it worked great and didnt even scratch the pvc!

o btw former illinoisian tagging along
 
Another 2 hours in plumbing. The main loop is almost done now (besides some gluing). Some idiot put the wrong pvc bit in the wrong bin so I have to run back to the store for another part :(.

I might try and enlist Miztics aid this week to hold stuff together as I glue this all up.

After this is done I have left:

Plumb the emergency sump over flow
Plumb the secondary loop that feeds the fuge, frag, and hospital tank, and all the valves to switch flow and empty them
Plumb the RO/Salt mixers and salt feed to sump, and frag and hospital tank
Plumb the same for the RO (top off) water.

All that plumbing is more intricate but the pipes are much smaller so it shouldn't be as bad (I hope!)
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13579742#post13579742 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by wmilas
Some idiot put the wrong pvc bit in the wrong bin so I have to run back to the store for another part :(.
Click to expand...

I hate it when that happens..

So are you over plumbing yet? The plumbing on my tank ended up being a lot more work than I thought it'd be.
 
Yea, I'm over it but I drew everything out first so I knew it was going to be complicated. I'm going slow so I don't burn myself out.
 
Rxinc: Your mailbox is full. I've been trying to respond to your PM's for a few weeks now about a visit.
 
Wait till you see that massive skimmer you sold me peeking out of the sump :) That thing is beautiful to look at by itself.
 
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