90 Gal reef for the girls.

[Huhhhhh]

She looks better than me so I figure all the members will appreciate the project more with photo's of her rather than myself.:bum:

 

[racer69]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10254933#post10254933 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Huhhhhh
She looks better than me so I figure all the members will appreciate the project more with photo's of her rather than myself.:bum:

Agreed.:mixed: :smokin:

 

[trueblackpercula]

I will second that

 

[Rue]

...kinda funny...

When I was planning on a 75g FW tank...I was hoping to find a nice oak or maple cabinet to help blend in with our antiques...and all I could find in a design I liked were in black...

...and there you guys go...painting your oak...

That's quite the set-up! I'm duly impressed...

 

[Huhhhhh]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10260388#post10260388 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Rue


...and there you guys go...painting your oak...

That's quite the set-up! I'm duly impressed...

Thanks

That stand had some water stain damage and some unsightly clear lacquer buildup that would have made it difficult to redo in a natural finish. Kathy wanted a black stand and this worked out nicely. The pictures don't do it justice the oak wood grain looks really good through the paint.

 

[reefkoi]

Glad to see you paint the back of it, I think it would have looked messy with all the plumbing and bulkheads showing through it. At least for a while till it covers in coralline.

 

[Huhhhhh]

I got the fuge shelf built today and it ended up a little higher than I wanted it. The 20gal tall would not work now so I went and bought a 20 gal long that is 4 inches shorter.

When I finally got to the point of plumbing the return from the 90 to the sump I encountered my first problem. If I run a pipe straight up out of the filter sock holder my hole through the shelf wasn't anywhere near the oblong hole I originally cut. That hole would not have worked anyway because of the panduit I so conveniently put in the way. So I needed to drill a new hole and didn't want to get any sawdust in the sump. So my solution was to tape a box under the shelf to catch all the dust.

My next dilemma was I glued up a piece of 2 inch spa flex to a 45 degree angle on both ends to make the connection from the ceiling to the sump pipe.

Wow perfect fit on the first try. Oops spoke to soon. I forgot about the Y fitting to divert water to the fuge. So I'm looking at the Y fitting and thinking if the water is flowing straight down this thing I don't think much water is going to make it into the other side of the fitting. My original plan was to put it inline to the sump with the smaller side pointing down so the water would have to flow into it. I didn't have enough room because the fuge ended up to high so I had to glue the Y fitting in like this. Then I had to cut about 5 inches off of the 2 inch spa flex and glue another 45 on it.

I needed to figure out a way to make some of the water enter the other side of the Y. I found a piece of 1 1\4 PVC and and cut a grove down the middle with the table saw and then cut a 45 on it with the miter box and then cut it off straight to get a scoop like piece out of it.

It just so happens that this little piece sits in the inner part of the 2 inch Y fitting perfect with a little thumb pressure so that's where I glued it, sticking out a little in the way of where the water will flow. Hopefully this will catch and divert enough water to the fuge. I'll put a ball valve inline just incase it moves too much water I can slow it down a bit.

 

[lfduty]

Nice job Tim

 

[Huhhhhh]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10281746#post10281746 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by lfduty
Nice job Tim

Thanks Lin, I'm trying to get 'er done but I'm moving like an old man now a days.

 

[murfman]

Dude, I love the way you are thinking outside the box!!! Looks awsome.

 

[reefkoi]

Dude thats crazy you scare me sometimes.
That's a very cool solution, I think its gonna work great. Hopefully it doesnt catch too much water, if it needs trimming will you have to cut pipe to get at it?

 

[Huhhhhh]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10286625#post10286625 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by reefkoi
Dude thats crazy you scare me sometimes.
That's a very cool solution, I think its gonna work great. Hopefully it doesnt catch too much water, if it needs trimming will you have to cut pipe to get at it?

I'm going to have a ball valve inline to the fuge in case it flows to much.

 

[Huhhhhh]

I was looking at the plumbing for the durso last night and did not like the idea of having to use an adapter to get a street 90 into the 2 inch bulkhead. That pushes me out to around 7 inches that I'd have to build the overflow box around and that's to much real estate if you ask me.

I needed a 2 inch slip/slip bulk head so I can glue in a street 90 but this is all I had to work with.

The threads have got to go, so it's off to work I go.

Here is the bulk head chucked up in my lathe at work.

A few passes with the boring bar and the threads are gone and the street 90 fits perfect.

Problem solved now I'm no more than 4 inches off the back glass. I can live with that.

I also received my Salinity and PH monitors today and will be hooking those up shortly. I think I'll also fire up the calcium reactor now that I got the PH meter and can see what's going on in the tank.

I also picked up my 25lbs of rock + 10lbs of rubble from Larry today. Here are a couple pic's of that.

 

[Huhhhhh]

I got all the monitors hooked up tonight and fired up the calcium reactor. I'm gravity feeding it and am having a hard time keeping the stream running. I noticed there are a lot of bubbles accumulating at the top of the effluence chamber and I think they are breaking the stream as they get sucked into the outlet tube.

And of course I have a leak. Not my fault this time. The Dipsmacks at PM didn't thread tape or whatever they used enough of on the output of the pump and I have about a quarter size puddle after about 5 min. so I get to drain the whole thing tomorrow and fix that. I'm to tired to try it tonight.

 

[Rocmtnreef]

Nice build nice pics...... Tim tool and Die makers do it anyway they want, your close to getting this one done. Bet your going to be lovin that new Ca Reactor once its fired up.

 

[Deuce67]

Tim, you are better off having a seperate feed pump for your reactor. I tried the gravity thing and tapping it off my return. I couldnt get a consistent drip rate. Just use a small pump. The feed pump Im using is a ViaAqua 480. I just tapped a 1/8 MPT John Guest fitting on the outlet. Works like a champ.

 

[reefkoi]

Looks like Christmas at Tim's house!
That's one thing I like about build threads is seeing all the shiny new stuff people buy!

Tim I think that aqualifter pump you have for the overflow will work for a reactor as well. Marine depot sells them in the calc. reactor section for use as a feed pump.

Ditto on the PM leak issue, I had several leaks right away also. It was frustrating, but it is a very good unit once you get those issues buttoned up.

 

[LarryW]

nice. looks like its really coming along nicely. that sweet that you have access to the tools to pretty much make what ever you need.

 

[Huhhhhh]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10289935#post10289935 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by reefkoi
Tim I think that aqualifter pump you have for the overflow will work for a reactor as well. Marine depot sells them in the calc. reactor section for use as a feed pump.

I guess the aqua lifter pump I got in the mail yesterday as a backup will be put to use today then.

 

[Deuce67]

Although my CaRx is different from yours, I have used an aqualifter pump on my reactor before and I couldnt get a steady drip rate. It may work on your setup though.