Awais' 120g Build

[kegogut]

Looking real good Awais. Alot of pain staking effort into your build,you should be proud of it. And I hear you about the wife. Nothing gets accomplished that she doesnt approve 1st. Either I get approval or approval with some griping,but atleast it approval =P

 

[awais98]

Thanks Dave. There are still some things to do. Light isnt installed yet and am thinking what type of canopy do I make.

I know my wife and I suspect most spouses to be similar... if they dont approve from heart, sooner or later, you will start hearing about it constantly until you change the plan. Ive learnt my lesson, just do what she wants. Atleast I got the tank!:frog:

Looking real good Awais. Alot of pain staking effort into your build,you should be proud of it. And I hear you about the wife. Nothing gets accomplished that she doesnt approve 1st. Either I get approval or approval with some griping,but atleast it approval =P

 

[awais98]

I need some ideas about the canopy.
I did research it here and on google. But not yet finalized.

What I want to make:

1:Wood/ply canopy, abt ?18" high,
2:with 2 front openings.....I'm thinking about putting 2 cabinet doors horizontally on the canopy front. Will that work?
3:The top will be open, but as it will be high, it wont be seen.Am I right?
4:Of course Ill water proof everything.
5:Also I want to hang the LEDs inside there SECURELY. What you guys think?
6: Put some trims on it, so it looks pleasing to the eyes and the room
7: same color as the ready made black colored stand.

Do you have any idea?

I have a sketch hand made diagram but tried to use sketchpro first time and I gave up, lol Don't need unwanted complications in my life.

I plan on making a 2x2 or 2x1 frame and then skinning plywood, something ( what I dont know yet) to hang the LEDs, the cabinet doors, trims, color and then waterproofing inside.

Thanks!!

 

[kegogut]

You could just hinge the entire front of the canopy ? As far as hanging the leds I bought 1/2" L brackets aluminum bars from lowes,they come in 5 to 10 foot sections you can drill them and hang them the entire length of your canopy. That way you can hang the LEDs wherever you want.

 

[awais98]

Im thinking about side hinging the doors....that way it doesnt fall close. Also trying to make it look aesthetically pleasing.
I guess it could be entire front hinge and still have all the trims and whistles and....mmmm sounds a little less labor and materials..... mmm mmm
Thanks for that tip, Ill think about it.

I was thinking about the metal brackets, But not sure if 1/2 inch would hold em and not bend with weight. I was in fact thinking a 2 inch C or U shaped bracket or maybe 2 L shaped would be able to hold the LEDs but was not sure if that is sufficient.

Thanks for your input Dave:dance:

You could just hinge the entire front of the canopy ? As far as hanging the leds I bought 1/2" L brackets aluminum bars from lowes,they come in 5 to 10 foot sections you can drill them and hang them the entire length of your canopy. That way you can hang the LEDs wherever you want.

 

[kegogut]

Im actually using 1/2 for my LEDs now theyre quite strong and dont bend at all. I'll get you a pic tomorrow on here.Or bring a piece of it to show you at the swap if your going to be there.

 

[awais98]

Unfortunately I'm in a conference this weekend and hence have time at night to post here, hahahahaha. But sad I wont be able to make it to the swap.

Will wait for your pic here.
Thanks

Im actually using 1/2 for my LEDs now theyre quite strong and dont bend at all. I'll get you a pic tomorrow on here.Or bring a piece of it to show you at the swap if your going to be there.

 

[Illinoisplumber]

By the way, I did buy some 40 lb 'live' aragonite sand as starters, youll see it on the pictures.

Also after ALL the plumbing was done, I was enlightened with a very important fact: when plumbing in clean environment, we do not need that dark ugly looking purple PVC primer!!!!!!!!!!!!!
arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh after I made all that ugly purple spill lines on the living room plumbing......

Use clear primer, but use primer none the less. Not to be confused with cleaner, they are different. Primer softens the PVC so that the glue can weld it together. I hate the purple stuff, but from what I understand it is required by STL code. Us plumbers in Il. only have to use it on CPVC.

 

[Olival]

Hey Awais, great thread and great pics. I'm subscribing for the future updates!

 

[awais98]

Thanks Marco,

Ill try to upload somemore tonight, Im working... when I get a chance. LOL

Hey Awais, great thread and great pics. I'm subscribing for the future updates!

 

[awais98]

Dave, Im waiting on the pics for the 1/2 alu angles!:hmm4:

Im actually using 1/2 for my LEDs now theyre quite strong and dont bend at all. I'll get you a pic tomorrow on here.Or bring a piece of it to show you at the swap if your going to be there.

 

[awais98]

back to my build:

My original return pump plumbing:

Pump resting on a wooden shelf with rubber shock absorbers, above the sump

2 Pump feeds, both with ball valves: one vertical: intake from the sump. another one direct feed line if I ever needed to use the same pump for water exchanges. ( not so good idea as i understand)

Pump return lines:
first one on the left of T, with a clear flexible hose and a ball valve as an extra line for water changes again if needed.
Then the main return again dividing into a left T 1/2 " for additional refugium/ frag etc. and
finally he return line going to the first floor DT.

 

[awais98]

Once I tried to get water run tested, I very quicky realized having a return pump above the sump is NOT a good idea.

Most magnetic pumps are NOT self priming....
Any way I primed with different techniques, but it would unprime as soon as power was switched off...

Bad plumbing... need to change it.

I went to main RC DIY forum and uncleof6, kawi9_cf among others were critical and helped me understand a lot of things, cavitation, NPSHa, NPSHr, etc

I thought I would paste those articles here, that helped me a lot to understand the pump physiology ( or physics rather!)

http://www.pdhengineer.com/courses/m/M-1008.pdf

http://www.nrm.qld.gov.au/factsheets/pdf/water/w8.pdf

http://www.rainforrent.com/Services/Pump-Training/

 

[zero26]

I would drill the sump, low in the return section and level with the tank so water flows easily to the pump.

My LEDs are mounted inside my canopy. Its a fairly easy canopy, no doors on it, just the top is on a hinge that lifts up. I DIY'ed my LEDs so they are on 2 aluminum heat sinks. I drilled a hole through each corner of the heat sink and mounted it to the top of the canopy, so when I open the top the light's go with it. For cooling I used a hole saw and mounted 2 PC fans on top of the canopy to blow air into the 2 heat sinks. Works well.

 

[awais98]

I would drill the sump, low in the return section and level with the tank so water flows easily to the pump.

My LEDs are mounted inside my canopy. Its a fairly easy canopy, no doors on it, just the top is on a hinge that lifts up. I DIY'ed my LEDs so they are on 2 aluminum heat sinks. I drilled a hole through each corner of the heat sink and mounted it to the top of the canopy, so when I open the top the light's go with it. For cooling I used a hole saw and mounted 2 PC fans on top of the canopy to blow air into the 2 heat sinks. Works well.

Re: Sump drill:
As you will see, I just did that, but it was a learning curve and hence I mention.

Can you please share a picture of your canopy?
Im trying to keep the top of the canopy open for heat exhange/evaporation/condensationinside the canpoy and wood issues later on, although it will be water proof, but still water will trickle down and on the long runc an cause issues.
Also with closed canopy the LEd being inside it can cause potential heat/fire hazard. I understand you did put 2 PC fans. But the LEDs screwed onto the wood directly makes me feel nervous.

But I am sure there are many ways to make the same thing work and have no doubts yours work too.
Sharing a picture would make it easy! Appreciate your reply. Thank you.

 

[awais98]

So the return pump had to be re plumbed.
This tims BELOW the SUMP.

And I made the PUMP feed as a siphon:

 

[awais98]

Not yet satisfied, what IF I loose Siphon.
I drained the water and finally drilled the return side of the sump, without cracking anything, phew!

I also manged to plumb and set a seperate 10 g refugium on the left upper side of the pic. the drain from the refugium comes onto the baffle near the return compartment. So if and when i have pods there, they would directly reach the DT.

Looks more stable now.

I also put another set of baffles to make it 3 compartments, I just have an extra compartment, if Ill need for something later, rocks/rubble, another DSB, reactors, etc.

 

[awais98]

The Reef octopus 200 skimmer was skimming day 2 of it working, pretty happy with it.


The right upper mirror cabinet ( for the lack of plane cabinet that size at Hd that day), houses 2 different socket with power stripes, one 20 amps and another 15 amps.


I got the 20 amp directly pulled from the main distribution box. the 15 amp is pulled from the local line there.

 

[awais98]

Then I got the salt dissolved in the sump and been cycling the whole thing for almost 6 weeks now,
I finally see some diatoms past 4 days! yay!!!

Todays chem: SG: 1.022, pH: 8.3, Ammonia: 0.1 ( between 0 and 0.25), Nitrite: 5, Nitrate: 40/ Phos 0.25

I know I must wait atleast until the ammo and nitrite is 0 before I put the clons in but I wonder how long. Any idea guys??


I also put some biopellets in a mesh bag and hung it below the overflow pipes in the sump. its continiously flushed with the returning water. I guess it will work for now, until I get a reactor.

I checked the dkh, cal mag once, but i am not checking it currently, as any way its a LONG way before i get corals in. And i do plan on setting an auto top off for those 3, with randys 2 part.

 

[awais98]

Auto top off

Got a float switch with replay and with snail/wave cover from autotopoff.com, tubings and the 3.5gph pump and connected it to the RODI water in the bin.

Atleast I do not have to haul water to the sump everyday.