70g Rimless Build, getting back into the game!

[Overland04]

So after two years since my aggravating end to my reefing experience I've deciding to get back into the hobby with a new tank, new house, and a whole new outlook on the process.

I'm super excited to get things going again so for now I have to start from the beginning and take my time and do it right. (hopefully)

So to start off I will be building a 70g Starphire Rimless LPS/SPS tank in the living room of my house in Maine. All equipment will be in the basement staying nice and cool with lots of space.

The equipment list will be as follows: (most from my past tanks)

Display - 70g 36x18x24 3-Side Starphire Rimless (Glass Cages)
Stand - 48x24x41 Custom Built Plexi-top table stand (me)
Sump - 50g 36x18x18 Rimless (old tank Glass Cages)
Return - Ehiem 1260
Skimmer - Reef Octopus Extreme OCTX-200
Lighting - ATI Sunpower 36" 6x39w
Controller - Reef Keeper Elite
RO/DI - BRS 5 Stage
Heat - 2 / 300w Ebo Jager (Maine winters are cold)
Cooling - None (it's Maine, see above)

2" Sandbed, 70lbs of Fiji / Tonga Live Rock (all dead at the moment)

Lets hope for the best this time! The live rock is where the problems were and they have bee dried out for two years so I hope that the past will remain the past

 

[Overland04]

This is where the equipment will live.
I plan on putting a utility sink in and build a stand for the 50g Sump in this location.

Eventually the heater pipe will be the location for the drains and returns to pass through the floor so be prepared for a little heating system modification soon. The display will be right above the sump.

The leftovers from the past tanks - 125g and 50g

Some building supplies to keep me busy this weekend

 

[Overland04]

Time for a little sump stand, well kinda little

Finished sump stand for the 50g rimless.

 

[Overland04]

This was the last disaster!! It was basically over before it started, spindle weed infestation.

 

[Overland04]

Now its setup as my sump, well for now I'm seeding the rock in there...

 

[Overland04]

Future home of the new tank.

I have a couple things to do before I bring the stand into the room.

1. cut back the heater to about the same distance as the window sill, that way the tank can sit as far back as possible and not have a heater behind it.

2. Drill 4 holes into the floor for 2 drains, 1 return and 1 electric.

3. Install some flush mounts into the ceiling for the ATI light fixture.

 

[Overland04]

A little skimmer vinegar bath this morning...

About 5 gallons of warm water and 4 cups of white vinegar in my sink for a couple hours.

 

[Overland04]

Some lunch for the cycle process...

I'm using a piece of raw shrimp that was rinsed with RO/DI water and tossed in for a couple days to start the Biological process. I will remove it once I see the Ammonia start to rise.

 

[Overland04]

I think having the tank temp at 82 degrees started to cook the shrimp. Mmmmmm!

 

[Overland04]

Lets build a Top-Off Container today...

The idea is that the top bulkhead is the input from the RO/DI unit.
The bottom bulkhead will be the drain to a float valve in the sump.
The float switch is the emergency signal that will shut down the RO/DI when and if tripped.
The Reef Keeper will turn on the RO/DI unit on Tuesdays and Fridays at 1pm for 45 minutes. If the reservoir is under 1 gallon it will fill the container up to the 4 gallon mark in that time frame If there is more then one gallon left in the reservoir the level will rise higher then the 4 gallon mark and trip the float switch which will tell the Reef Keeper to shut the RO/DI unit off.

Pretty bullet proof, and I will have a constant drip in the sump 24hrs a day.

Supplies:

1. 4 gallon tub (Lowes, $8.00)
2. 2 - 1/4" jaco Bulkheads (US Plastics $3.00ea)
3. 1 Float switch (eBay $3.00)
4. Reef Keeper Elite
5. RO/DI Unit


Picture of supplies

I Love the Uni-Bit

A silicone gasket, because they don't come with any...

Installed pieces

Water test!

Why we water test... Grrrrrr!!

Found a cure, Flip it!!

Installed and ready for some water...

 

[jhs]

Good build thread w/ lots of pics for the eyes...Keep goin...:beer:

 

[SawdustInTank]

Nice progress!!! I am not sure if I understand correctly the details of the Top Off Container. What part of your RO/DI unit can you hook up to your Reek Keeper. Also what type of automatic shut off valve do you have that works with the float switch that you installed in the top of the top off container. Thanks.

 

[Napzard]

Nice

 

[duncantse]

Nice pics!

 

[Overland04]

Nice progress!!! I am not sure if I understand correctly the details of the Top Off Container. What part of your RO/DI unit can you hook up to your Reek Keeper. Also what type of automatic shut off valve do you have that works with the float switch that you installed in the top of the top off container. Thanks.

Thank you Saw Dust...

OK so... I have the float switch hooked up to the Reef Keeper buy using the "Switch Port A" on the SL1. I just extended the two wires on the float switch so they reach the SL1 port on the other side of the room. I use the switch as an "Alarm 1" so if it trips it will shut the RK signal to the RO/DI unit. The RO/DI unit has a 120v solenoid connected to "Channel 4" on the power strip The Reef Keeper turns the Solenoid on twice a week for 45 minutes.

The safety's are:
If the water gets too high the switch will trip and shut the input off.
If that fails the run cycle of the RO/DI unit is only set for 45 minutes. (much better then all day if something goes wrong)
It's all gravity feed into the sump, so no pump failure to worry about.
Also I only did a 4 gallons container because if the float valve in the sump stuck open, the max my sump will see is 4 gallons and the RO/DI only turns on twice a week so I would hopefully see something wrong in the meantime.

Next on the list is an automatic membrane flush every time it turns on:thumbsup:





Things that help with the setup

 

[Overland04]

Good build thread w/ lots of pics for the eyes...Keep goin...:beer:

Thanks jhs!

I'm one of the guys the breeze through posts looking for pictures of everything, so in return I though I'd give back to the community!

 

[Overland04]

Sweet!!

drfoster is having a free shipping sale on heavy things!!

So I jumped on the chance to purchase my sand.
40lbs of Seaflor Special Grade Reef Sand
20lbs of Seaflor Special Grade Arag-Alive

60lbs should give me about a 2" sandbed for a 36x18 footprint with no overflow on the bottom.

I wanted to get a coarser sand for this setup, I've used the sugar sized sand on my last tank and the tornado machine (known as a Vortech MP40) killed the idea of running it on full power.

Here's my order (free shipping!!!)

 

[Overland04]

Stand time!!!

Stand time!!!

The Idea of the stand for me was to do something a little different from what has been done in the past. Most stands you see are the same footprint as the tank (makes sense) but for this one I wanted to do a table top style (made that up too) Also to try something different for the top rater then a piece of painted wood. What I came up with is a Milk White Plexi-glass top. It's sleek, beautiful, And water proof!

Check it!!

4x4 Main support

3/8" Carriage bolts

Pre-Primed 1/4" Luan plywood

Template for the return and drain

Test fit the molding

First coat of Chocolate Brown Matte paint.... Love, love, love it!

Inside painted "kills" moisture resistant white

 

[Overland04]

Molding on and masked for paint

Gloss black for the molding, something easy to clean and touch up if needed.

Finished with my 50g rimless for a weight test (tap water, ewwwww)

Done and Done!!

 

[Richard Reefer]

The stand came out amazing, great work! I can't wait to see the rest come together.