Another 225 Tank Project!
- Thread starter Foster
- Start date
capescuba
Premium Member
Cool stuff! The end of the tunnel is in sight now 
I did a leak test on my Ag 210 this weekend and it leaked with 2" of water :mad2: Moving that thing around wasn't fun to begin with, but having to get it back to the store and do an exchange is not an appealing thought ...
Can't wait to see your final results ...
I did a leak test on my Ag 210 this weekend and it leaked with 2" of water :mad2: Moving that thing around wasn't fun to begin with, but having to get it back to the store and do an exchange is not an appealing thought ...
Can't wait to see your final results ...
capescuba
Premium Member
Oh it leaked ok - right around the brace on the bottom. It's an All-Glass aquarium. Sucks, I was all excited to have pretty much everything done, and then for this to happen 
Still, patience is a virtue in this game, so there is not too much I can do at this point. Of course I wanted to just dive in with the silicon sealant and try fix it myself, but thats pretty pointless for a tank thats brand new and holds so much water ...
Still, patience is a virtue in this game, so there is not too much I can do at this point. Of course I wanted to just dive in with the silicon sealant and try fix it myself, but thats pretty pointless for a tank thats brand new and holds so much water ...
Foster
Premium Member
03/15/04 - Tank Inside: Progress has been slow, (I only have time to spray 1 coat a day, each piece gets 5 coats) but Im almost done, here is the base after its first coat of shellac. With
the help of some friends I was able to get the tank moved into the room I will be installing. I will have it up on the stand by Friday.
<img src=http://bluechunks.net/reef/225reef/~phase1.jpg>
the help of some friends I was able to get the tank moved into the room I will be installing. I will have it up on the stand by Friday.
<img src=http://bluechunks.net/reef/225reef/~phase1.jpg>
kpatterson
New member
platapus,
I just finished catching up on this thread and I have to say that this is by far the best project I've seen. The design for each system was thought out and executed beautifully. Kudos!
I am in the process of upgrading my sump and adding a fuge to my 200 gal reef. I have been looking at all the DIY top-off systems and am interested in how you did yours. I understand why you split your output between the sump and the kalk reactor but I am unclear on how you are controlling the flow for them. Are the branches coming back together and are controlled by the float switches or are you using a dosing pump for the kalk? When you take a break from breathing in your paint fumes can you explain this in a little more detail?
I just finished catching up on this thread and I have to say that this is by far the best project I've seen. The design for each system was thought out and executed beautifully. Kudos!
I am in the process of upgrading my sump and adding a fuge to my 200 gal reef. I have been looking at all the DIY top-off systems and am interested in how you did yours. I understand why you split your output between the sump and the kalk reactor but I am unclear on how you are controlling the flow for them. Are the branches coming back together and are controlled by the float switches or are you using a dosing pump for the kalk? When you take a break from breathing in your paint fumes
can you explain this in a little more detail?
Foster
Premium Member
Thanks Everyone!
kpatterson - the kalk reactor works off of gravity.
The solenoid opens, allowing the house water to run through the RO/DI at 80 PSI. The output of the RO/DI is spit using a "T" fitting, one end drains into that sump, the other drains in to the kalk reactor which is tall enough to drain into the sump. the drain that goes from the RO/DI directly into the sump, has a valve on it, so that I can control how much water will run through the kalk reactor.
This is the top off system that Im using...
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=280291&perpage=25&pagenumber=1
Basically - The tank will start to top itself off once about 10 gallons has evaporated, half of the 10 gallon make up water runs through the kalk reactor after RO/DI. All of this is adjustable to what ever I want. Everything ia apart right now, once I put it back together I will post some pics of it.
kpatterson - the kalk reactor works off of gravity.
The solenoid opens, allowing the house water to run through the RO/DI at 80 PSI. The output of the RO/DI is spit using a "T" fitting, one end drains into that sump, the other drains in to the kalk reactor which is tall enough to drain into the sump. the drain that goes from the RO/DI directly into the sump, has a valve on it, so that I can control how much water will run through the kalk reactor.
This is the top off system that Im using...
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=280291&perpage=25&pagenumber=1
Basically - The tank will start to top itself off once about 10 gallons has evaporated, half of the 10 gallon make up water runs through the kalk reactor after RO/DI. All of this is adjustable to what ever I want. Everything ia apart right now, once I put it back together I will post some pics of it.
Travis
10 and over club
platapus, are you saying that the top-off will be pumping about 5 gallons of water through the kalk reactor during a single top-off? That sounds like it could swing the ph pretty good. Have you considered doing smaller top-offs more often or only topping off at night when the tank ph is depressed?
Foster
Premium Member
Im just using a 50/50 senerio as an example, I wont know what Im going to run it at until it has been running for a couple of weeks so that I can monitor PH and dial it in as needed..
Im also running a dual chamber CA reactor, so dialing in the PH is going to take a little time, I will start of slowly with both reactors.
All of this is adjustable to what ever I want.
That includes the amount of water that is in a single top off.
...that amount of the top off water that will be going through the kalkreactor. . . . the joys of tuning a new system
Im running the 70g fuge on reverse photo period to help with day/night PH swings.
Im also running a dual chamber CA reactor, so dialing in the PH is going to take a little time, I will start of slowly with both reactors.
All of this is adjustable to what ever I want.
That includes the amount of water that is in a single top off.
...that amount of the top off water that will be going through the kalkreactor. . . . the joys of tuning a new system
Im running the 70g fuge on reverse photo period to help with day/night PH swings.
kpatterson
New member
Thanks for the explanation. I'll be looking forward to the pics!
Travis
10 and over club
Yeah, I figured you know what you were doing since you've got this setup planned down to the "T". Just wanted to make sure.
Yes, its gonna be a blast dialing everything in. Nothing like checking the alkalinity, ph, effluent ph, drip rate, BPM, kalk flow rate etc. every day for a while.
But in the end it should be "set it and forget it" and then you can sit back and watch your masterpiece grow.
Yes, its gonna be a blast dialing everything in. Nothing like checking the alkalinity, ph, effluent ph, drip rate, BPM, kalk flow rate etc. every day for a while.
But in the end it should be "set it and forget it" and then you can sit back and watch your masterpiece grow.
Foster
Premium Member
03/23/04 - Installation / Support: Basically everything is built and in the house . . . Im now at the most dreaded part of the project, for me. Floor supports, my crawl space is only 24". My house was built in 1964, and has developed a slight black widow problem over the years. Having been bitten by one 10 years ago on a job site, I have since developed a serious fear of them! The entire weight of the tank / sump / stand is approx 4500lbs, although I have contemplated no floor supports, I know that it has to be done. Im most likely going to be wearing an outfit similar to the michillan man when I go under the house this weekend. Once I have the floor supports in its all down hill from there.... I should have the whole thing going in a week.
<img src=http://bluechunks.net/reef/225reef/~install1.jpg>
<img src=http://bluechunks.net/reef/225reef/~install2.jpg>
<img src=http://bluechunks.net/reef/225reef/~install3.jpg>
<img src=http://bluechunks.net/reef/225reef/~install4.jpg>
<img src=http://bluechunks.net/reef/225reef/~install1.jpg>
<img src=http://bluechunks.net/reef/225reef/~install2.jpg>
<img src=http://bluechunks.net/reef/225reef/~install3.jpg>
<img src=http://bluechunks.net/reef/225reef/~install4.jpg>
