Castle Grayskull Theme 240 gallon Basement in Wall Ghetto Build

[laugh]

Unless you have a 240 gallon storage container it's probably the best way.

 

[reefpimp#1]

Unfortunatly if the sand was live the ro water will kill the bacteria. Should have done water first then dumped live sand after salt was mixed in. future reference I guess.

 

[rsl3]

Love the super CAD drawing lol! Nice job so far

 

[smitch]

I mixed salt in the sump and pumped it into the tank first. So yes, there is ro water going in but there was always saltwater in the tank. Granted there is a varying degree of salinity.

The sand sat on my front porch in the cold so I dont know how live it was anyways.

Almost half way filled!

 

[larrypoe]

awesome build idea.......I love theme tanks...and did a few in FW.

the SW tanks I have now are on a bit of a spongbob theme (I just love that stupid cartoon :lolspin but there small breeder setups.....would love to do a huge one with that theme though later when I accualy get around to setting up a SW DT maybe

I just dont care for the "psuedo reef" deal......boring imo.....theme tanks are WAY cooler imo


btw Ft Wayne is one of my fav places in the country.......I have been there several times for English days (I raised coonhounds for 25yrs) and other hunts. Autume Oaks in Richmond Indiana was a yearly thing for us too for...well ever.

 

[smitch]

Tank should be filled tonight!

Should be able to start turning it over. NO leaks yet.

 

[laugh]

What are you using for circulation in the tank?

 

[smitch]

I have a couple of power heads in the tank. Not enough to get the water moving around but something.

There was enough water to start the sump up. A leak from a check valve started shortly after water was running. The check valves came with the tank and were already together. It appears that someone glued the leaky one together. I had to pull the whole return line and still couldnt get it apart.

Thankfully I had a 3/4 bend piece of pvc that fit into the tank side of the return. The pvc bend acted as a cork so I could take the return lines off.

Everything is back together, only using one return to the tank instead of two. Looks to be holding water. Some of the cloudiness is clearing up already thanks to the skimmer.

Now the uneasy night of sleep and hope I dont wake up to a wet basement.

 

[laugh]

I would ditch the check valves all together. They are a disaster waiting to happen.

 

[smitch]

I would ditch the check valves all together.

My sump isn't big enough to accommodate the forty gallons of back siphon. Do you have any suggestions how to stop this from happening? My only thoughts are to extend up the return tubes in the tank.

Uneventful murky tank shots.

The protein skimmer has pulled out a some very chalky soot. Visibility is good for a couple of inches now:twitch:.
.

 

[laugh]

The best solution would be to get a bigger sump. Or you could do your return over the side of the tank and use the holes in the side for a closed loop system.

 

[rummy96]

for back siphon problem. If you can't get a new sump. Put an overflow drain in main filter sump that drains to a reservior that holds excess volume, install a reverse ato system. Power returns and a small MAxijet pump pumps water back to main filter sump and have a float switch power off pump when reservior empty.

 

[smitch]

^^^You joined in 2006 and this is your first post ever?

Thanks for help. I feel obligated to honor your first post wishes.


Tank was almost clear enough to see all the way to the other side today. Then I stirred it up and its back to being cloudy. Emptied the protien skimmers cup four times today, pulling out thick milk shakes of dusty water. I should of rinsed the sand even though the bags told me it wasnt necessary.

 

[trickedout900]

Good to see it is up and running.

rummy96 That is a great thought, I to may be facing the same problem. Thanksfor the idea.

 

[laugh]

for back siphon problem. If you can't get a new sump. Put an overflow drain in main filter sump that drains to a reservior that holds excess volume, install a reverse ato system. Power returns and a small MAxijet pump pumps water back to main filter sump and have a float switch power off pump when reservior empty.

^^^You joined in 2006 and this is your first post ever?

Thanks for help. I feel obligated to honor your first post wishes.


Tank was almost clear enough to see all the way to the other side today. Then I stirred it up and its back to being cloudy. Emptied the protien skimmers cup four times today, pulling out thick milk shakes of dusty water. I should of rinsed the sand even though the bags told me it wasnt necessary.

Not a bad plan and easy to impiment

 

[joejoe1055]

i always rinse my sand like 3 times just to cut down on dust

 

[smitch]

here fishy..fishy...fishy

here fishy..fishy...fishy

The tank isnt as dusty as it appears. Between the lighting (only the above room lights) and the back of the tank needing cleaned its actually quite clear. Taking pictures in a dark room with no flash doesnt help the clarity either.

I added five chromis tonight.:fish2::fish2::fish2::fish2::fish2:

 

[smitch]

i always rinse my sand like 3 times just to cut down on dust

We'll chalk that one up to a live a learn.

Actually I should of know better.

Where I went wrong is I read the instructions per the manufacturer. :headwalls:

 

[smitch]

Small update...

There are now 9 chromis in the tank. I lost one to a power head and another to some disease. He had a pop eye the second day in the tank and came with a brown spot by his tail.

There are two emerald crabs, two peppermint shrimp along with a few hermit crabs in the tank.

Everone seems to be doing real well (other than chromis being the dumbest damn fish ever).

A lot of my live rock is out of my 72 and into the new tank. I have some acrylic rods coming to make some taller rock formations.

 

[Aquaticchaos]

Awesome, tagging along.