CaveMan's 240 Gal with 2-29 gl. Specific Tanks
- Thread starter CaveManNOhio
- Start date
CaveManNOhio
New member
I will have to see if I can work it into the other shelf that has to be built. Either way I would have to build some thing for it to sit on. As you can see in the pictures there is no room for it, nor does it fit. It came at a later date after construction was pretty much complete.
Plus even if it floods, what better place than in the basement right by the Sump Pit and not to far from the Floor Drain.
Thanks for the input.
CaveManNOhio
New member
Well it's time to do some picture up-dates. I've been pretty busy. I just wish this could be over and done with. I'm so close now I can taste it.
Here is a shot after electric was put in. I added 5-20 amp breakers to my fuse box. Each one of the boxes on the front part of the post have a 20 amp switch and 20 amp outlets. They also control the outlets on the top and back of the shelf's. The way it is set up right now is the bottom switch is the main pump switch, the middle will control the two closed loop pumps and the top one is the rack lighting. Then the two on the right post are set up to be the main display lighting and RO/DI, and water vat outlets.
Main Pump Outlet under bottom shelf
This one is with the tanks & Rubbermaids in place. The break down is top shelf are both Macro Algae tanks one is 30 gl. & the other is 50 gl. The middle shelf is 75 gl cryptic fuge and 100 gl frag tank. The bottom two are sumps, one about 50 gl & the other 100 gl.
The way I have them hooked up is the main drain will drain into both Macro tanks as well as the main sump(one on the right). The macro tank on the left will drain into the Cryptic Fuge, the other Macro tank will drain into the frag tank. The cryptic fuge drains into both sumps. When I run the returns from the pump I will feed the Main tank, the two specific tanks, in the basement it will feed both the Macro tanks, frag tank, Ocean Clear canister for carbon and the future GEO skimmer. It will also be attached to the spray bar inside the main sump and two spray nozzles in the acrylic tank on the bottom, it will also act as a frag tank. Although I may gravity feed the skimmer, still in debate.
The cryptic fuge has two lights on it, red & actinic. For give me on the red picture, I was wanting the red to really show and didn't use a flash, so it's not real clear.
Here are some pictures of the plumbing from top to bottom. Including spray bar in sump.
They aren't shown in the pictures, but every line you see has a valve on it. Also it is all run in 2 inch.
Any and all comments are welcome.
Here is a shot after electric was put in. I added 5-20 amp breakers to my fuse box. Each one of the boxes on the front part of the post have a 20 amp switch and 20 amp outlets. They also control the outlets on the top and back of the shelf's. The way it is set up right now is the bottom switch is the main pump switch, the middle will control the two closed loop pumps and the top one is the rack lighting. Then the two on the right post are set up to be the main display lighting and RO/DI, and water vat outlets.
Main Pump Outlet under bottom shelf
This one is with the tanks & Rubbermaids in place. The break down is top shelf are both Macro Algae tanks one is 30 gl. & the other is 50 gl. The middle shelf is 75 gl cryptic fuge and 100 gl frag tank. The bottom two are sumps, one about 50 gl & the other 100 gl.
The way I have them hooked up is the main drain will drain into both Macro tanks as well as the main sump(one on the right). The macro tank on the left will drain into the Cryptic Fuge, the other Macro tank will drain into the frag tank. The cryptic fuge drains into both sumps. When I run the returns from the pump I will feed the Main tank, the two specific tanks, in the basement it will feed both the Macro tanks, frag tank, Ocean Clear canister for carbon and the future GEO skimmer. It will also be attached to the spray bar inside the main sump and two spray nozzles in the acrylic tank on the bottom, it will also act as a frag tank. Although I may gravity feed the skimmer, still in debate.
The cryptic fuge has two lights on it, red & actinic. For give me on the red picture, I was wanting the red to really show and didn't use a flash, so it's not real clear.
Here are some pictures of the plumbing from top to bottom. Including spray bar in sump.
They aren't shown in the pictures, but every line you see has a valve on it. Also it is all run in 2 inch.
Any and all comments are welcome.
CaveManNOhio
New member
It's not getting there fast enough. I know good things don't happen fast in this hobby, but this could go along at a much faster pace. Time & money, my two biggest enemies.
I hope to have all the drain lines done today then start the returns next week and be filling hopefully by the end of the week.
I water tested the 240 and it passed.
As for wrapping the stand I think I will wait until I get it in and complete plumbing and electrical work. That way I can work with all of it a little easier. I do plan on leaving it off the wall so I can slide back there, but it will be very little space to work with.
I hope to have all the drain lines done today then start the returns next week and be filling hopefully by the end of the week.
I water tested the 240 and it passed.
As for wrapping the stand I think I will wait until I get it in and complete plumbing and electrical work. That way I can work with all of it a little easier. I do plan on leaving it off the wall so I can slide back there, but it will be very little space to work with.
CaveManNOhio
New member
Finally all the plumbing is done and I'm filling the system in the basement. Hopefully I will be turning on the pump in a couple of days. I have the 50 gallon macro tank filled, the 30 gallon macro filled and the 75 Gallon Cryptic half filled. The 100 gallon frag tank is also half filled. I am using the RODI to fill it all so that is why it is taking some time to get it all filled.
The last thing I'm needing at this point is the Skimmer, I'm working with GEO on that. I will also add a Phosban reactor(GEO) and a Kalkwasser Reactor(GEO) later down the road. The Skimmer how ever is the main thing so I can bring the Basement system on line and start it's cycle process started. Until then it will only be circulating water.
Here are some pictures of all the finished plumbing and some equipment.
This is the full view
[/IMG]
This is a back flow valve set up to suck air if the pump goes down to break the siphon(Thanks GEO for the idea
)
[/IMG]
The smaller line is to dump the sump for water changes, the larger line is the emerg. over-flow line, I figured I would use the line for two purposes. There is also an emerg. over-flow line in the back of the sump, all dump into the sump pit and get pumped out to the street.
[/IMG]
Two Drain lines and emerg. O/F lines
[/IMG]
These rigid lines are off the RODI one is the waste & the other is a purge line, both go to the sump pit
[/IMG]
Here is my GEO Ca Reactor, Milwaukee PH Controller & Ocean Clear Canister, the OCC will become my Carbon Canister after I cycle out the water.
[/IMG]
Hopefully the 240 and the 29's will be coming into the house very soon. That will depend on how long before I can get my skimmer.
As usual any input and or advice is welcome.
The last thing I'm needing at this point is the Skimmer, I'm working with GEO on that. I will also add a Phosban reactor(GEO) and a Kalkwasser Reactor(GEO) later down the road. The Skimmer how ever is the main thing so I can bring the Basement system on line and start it's cycle process started. Until then it will only be circulating water.
Here are some pictures of all the finished plumbing and some equipment.
This is the full view
This is a back flow valve set up to suck air if the pump goes down to break the siphon(Thanks GEO for the idea
)
The smaller line is to dump the sump for water changes, the larger line is the emerg. over-flow line, I figured I would use the line for two purposes. There is also an emerg. over-flow line in the back of the sump, all dump into the sump pit and get pumped out to the street.
Two Drain lines and emerg. O/F lines
These rigid lines are off the RODI one is the waste & the other is a purge line, both go to the sump pit
Here is my GEO Ca Reactor, Milwaukee PH Controller & Ocean Clear Canister, the OCC will become my Carbon Canister after I cycle out the water.
Hopefully the 240 and the 29's will be coming into the house very soon. That will depend on how long before I can get my skimmer.
As usual any input and or advice is welcome.
CaveManNOhio
New member
The total system will be roughly 703 gallons.
Your welcome on the PM, hope it helps you. And thank you for the nice comment.
kmacartney
New member
WOW! Good work :thumbsup:
CaveManNOhio
New member
Thanks every one, I can't wait to have all of you over to see it. I'm making water in my holding vat at the same time while filling the system. So I will have an additional 65 gallons I can pump into it tonight when I get home. The frag tank is a little over half way now. I will pump the water into the left half so that the macro, cryptic and lower sump will all have water. Then by tomorrow the right side sump will be all that's left. So by this weekend I should be turning on the pump and checking every thing out and getting it all adjusted.
Thanks again for the nice comments.
Thanks again for the nice comments.
CaveManNOhio
New member
The way the cryptic fuge works is you take a tank block out all the light, mine is painted on 3 sides and I will have a removable front panel so I can check it out when I want.
Then you set it up for very low flow, around 75 gal an hour, put in live rock and let the sponges grow. You can also put in sea fans, & other macro algaes that like the dark more than light. The sponges then become a very big part of the filtering process. They say it takes at least 2-3 years before it will be mature enough to be truly effective.
A buddy of mine(hollback) as one and it is sweet to check out. Some very cool sponges and little creatures that you don't normally get to see in your display tanks.
Then you set it up for very low flow, around 75 gal an hour, put in live rock and let the sponges grow. You can also put in sea fans, & other macro algaes that like the dark more than light. The sponges then become a very big part of the filtering process. They say it takes at least 2-3 years before it will be mature enough to be truly effective.
A buddy of mine(hollback) as one and it is sweet to check out. Some very cool sponges and little creatures that you don't normally get to see in your display tanks.
CaveManNOhio
New member
Your more than welcome to come over with George when he brings me my skimmer.
So I can start the cycling.
sammie
New member
Brian: That settup has more plumbing than the space shuttle.
Looks like your doing everything top notch and I know how hard that is with the time and money bandits not helping out. I want to see it as it's hard to follow everything in the posts.
Will it be salty by Christmas???
Looks like your doing everything top notch and I know how hard that is with the time and money bandits not helping out. I want to see it as it's hard to follow everything in the posts.
Will it be salty by Christmas???
CaveManNOhio
New member
There is a lot of plumbing for sure. And the sad thing is, this is just the basement end of it. I still have the up-stairs part to do when we move the big tank inside.
And you are right about the time & money bandits. But we are nearing the end. But in some ways it has worked out that time & money were issues, it just gave me time to make sure every thing is the way I wanted it.
You are more than welcome to come by and check it out when ever you want. Just let know when you want to make the trip.
As for being salty by Christmas, that may happen. But that would be just the basement end of it. And until I get the a skimmer on line I wont consider it to be cycling.
It does seem like our Avtars are looking at one another.
You are more than welcome on the cryptic info. I will be taking pictures for sure of it as it matures. And you can look for them here.
I look forward to reading more up-dates on your system as well. Again I love the back wall of your tank and can't wait to see it as it takes on growth and color.
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