75g sps build thread

[allsps40]

Have to ask....are you going to put the leathers in the new tank? I was doing a search on the internet about carbon and happened upon a thread where a guy couldn't get his SPS to color up...ended up resolving the issue by removing his leathers.

I was going to but got vetoed by the wife.

 

[allsps40]

I thought you said you didn't trust the ABS bulkheads..?

Nothing is really bulletproof.

I actually prefer the CPVC bulkheads myself, they cost a little more, but I think they are stronger.


Stand is looking good BTW.:thumbsup:

Sorry I ment I only trust sch80 bulkheads. Thanks.

 

[benzrider85]

I'm following along as well as I'll be rebuilding my 75 soon, drilling and moving the sump and filtration into the basement. Thanks for sharing your build!

Sent from my SCH-I510 using Tapatalk

 

[REEF SMAC]

Sorry I ment I only trust sch80 bulkheads. Thanks.

Hayward just calls them heavy duty, but they pretty much are sch80. they're rated at 150psi.

Here's another one with the same 150psi rating that calls them sch80-

http://flexpvc.com/cart/agora.cgi?product=BulkheadFittingsSch80

 

[allsps40]

Thanks just not going that route anymore. Waiting til pay day to but sealer, plumbing parts and maybe a light rack to mount my lights. After looking at how to mount the lights in the canopy I found that the lights would sit about 4 inches from the water level, a bit to low. So now I am looking at doing a light rack, need to see what I can find at Homedopt to make the rack.

 

[allsps40]

Im kind of stuck on my lighting setup right now. Heres what I got 2 250w pendants and this canopy

as you can see its pretty short. Plan was to mount the 2 MH in the canopy but they would be to close to the water, and also mount in 2 VHO actinics. Now I am thinking no VHOs and a light rack for just the MHs, but I wanted to do actinics for better color. Or redoing the canopy top with 2 holes routed in that will hold the MH on top of the canopy with the VHOs inside. Only problem with this is I will need to take off the lights and then the canopy as well to get into the tank. With weekly water changes ect that will be a pain.

 

[allsps40]

Oh here is an after of the stand so you can see the difference after refinishing.

 

[allsps40]

Well great, woke up last night to a hot house. AC died, tank is 82.7 degrees.

 

[JG1]

Well great, woke up last night to a hot house. AC died, tank is 82.7 degrees.

Put some ice packs in the sump

 

[allsps40]

I did and I hook my fan back up to my reef keeper. Got a repair company coming to look at it any time now.

 

[allsps40]

Disaster adverted AC is now fixed. Cost me $420 that I did not have but the house is cooling off and my reef tank is safe. Never got above 82.7 thank you Reef Keeper Lite and fan controller mode.

 

[david00061]

looking real good

 

[david00061]

do yourself a big favor and dont reuse the sand

 

[allsps40]

do yourself a big favor and dont reuse the sand

I have never had any issues reusing sand as long as it has been cleaned and rinsed very well. I dont think so called new sand is any better that old sand. New sand still comes from the beach or sea bed, still has waste broken down in it and still needs to be rinsed like crazy before use.

 

[Arkayology]

So what did you decide to do about the plumbing?

 

[chrishayes]

I have never had any issues reusing sand as long as it has been cleaned and rinsed very well. I dont think so called new sand is any better that old sand. New sand still comes from the beach or sea bed, still has waste broken down in it and still needs to be rinsed like crazy before use.

The issue is po4 binding with the calcium carbonate substrate. All the little pores in the sand surface get clogged with po4 precip essentially encapsulating the sand grain. As time goes on the po4 level of the tank water being lower than the sand, the sand will leach the po4 due to equalibrium just like po4 in live rock. Thats why when using dead rock or old caked live rock it is often recommended to acid bath it to eat that po4 layer off leaving the rock surface pores open again.

At least thats what ive read. Also, sand from the sea would not have this po4 binding because of the vast dilution and animal uptake. More po4 in the water of an aquarium and the sand absorbs it, less po4 in the substrate and the water absorbs it due to equalibrium effects.

 

[allsps40]

So what did you decide to do about the plumbing?

I will hard plumb the drain with 1 1/4 pvc and use a hose for my return. I have my return plumbed this way now, I will move the ball valve out of the water so I dont get my hands wet.

 

[allsps40]

The issue is po4 binding with the calcium carbonate substrate. All the little pores in the sand surface get clogged with po4 precip essentially encapsulating the sand grain. As time goes on the po4 level of the tank water being lower than the sand, the sand will leach the po4 due to equalibrium just like po4 in live rock. Thats why when using dead rock or old caked live rock it is often recommended to acid bath it to eat that po4 layer off leaving the rock surface pores open again.

At least thats what ive read. Also, sand from the sea would not have this po4 binding because of the vast dilution and animal uptake. More po4 in the water of an aquarium and the sand absorbs it, less po4 in the substrate and the water absorbs it due to equalibrium effects.

Good point. I will test the sand for PO4 by letting it set on RODI and then testing the water. I know where the sand came from and it was a clean healthy SSB. The tank never had any issues with PO4 also. I will also be using the sand from my current tank as well.

 

[allsps40]

Alright, I have the stand stained and sealed now. After work I will be remounting the doors and mounting the DJ power strip in the stand. I may also paint the back of the tank so that is done as well, but it has been raining here so I will need to see if it is raining later. I still need to get the PVC parts so I can do the plumbing. Hope to have the new tank setup by the end of the months.

 

[allsps40]

Ok the stand is 100% finished. Need to make a trip to Home Depot for more supplies. I still am not sure how I am going to transfer all my live stock from my old tank to the new one. The problem is that I need the bulk head and overflow from my old tank to go on the new tank so I can plumb it then the plumbing will need to dry over night before I cam do the transfer.