Custom 160 Build Thread - Finally!!

[Jgoal55]

lol were pretty much at the same point only i plan to start the plumbing today

lol...."so you're telling me there's a chance!?!?"

good luck with the plumbing today...I would have liked to get started today but we have a big deadline to meet for work tomorrow and the Dolphins play and I bought tickets to Avatar so yeah, not gonna happen.

But I understand, if I was you I wouldn't watch football either

Great Job- Jorge please when you do your plumbing DON'T use the violet pvc primer cause it looks really bad when th job is done. The clear pvc glue primer is the only way to go to make it look right!

I didn't even know they made it clear? I have always bought that little two pack from HD or Lowes. Manny, you and a I might suffer from the same condition: OCD!!!

I HATE when that purple stuff drips down the pipe, I just figured I had to live with it. Please do tell, is the clear stuff available locally or only online?

The other thing that will take me a little while to figure is some good cabinet organization. I even want to design little shelves on the left side for the equipment. Ive already bought a bunch of different cable management systems to get all the cables out of the way.

 

[gasman059]

lol...."so you're telling me there's a chance!?!?"

good luck with the plumbing today...I would have liked to get started today but we have a big deadline to meet for work tomorrow and the Dolphins play and I bought tickets to Avatar so yeah, not gonna happen.

But I understand, if I was you I wouldn't watch football either




I didn't even know they made it clear? I have always bought that little two pack from HD or Lowes. Manny, you and a I might suffer from the same condition: OCD!!!

I HATE when that purple stuff drips down the pipe, I just figured I had to live with it. Please do tell, is the clear stuff available locally or only online?

The other thing that will take me a little while to figure is some good cabinet organization. I even want to design little shelves on the left side for the equipment. Ive already bought a bunch of different cable management systems to get all the cables out of the way.

sure bud u can buy it locally at lowes

 

[illal]

yea i got the clear stuff from lowes... i think its called cleaner not primer

 

[gasman059]

yea i got the clear stuff from lowes... i think its called cleaner not primer

whatever its called please don't use the purple ugly in such beautiful builds.!!!!!

 

[illal]

lmao!

 

[illal]

btw the tank is almost halfway filled

 

[Jgoal55]

clear it shall be....you really have no idea how happy I am that you guys told me about this. and yes al, i saw, I just posted in your thread.

 

[gasman059]

The other thing that will take me a little while to figure is some good cabinet organization. I even want to design little shelves on the left side for the equipment. Ive already bought a bunch of different cable management systems to get all the cables out of the way.

LOL take your time- even after 6 months currently my cabinet is a rats nest- it can be organized in terms of cables but whata PITA it is and I don't have that much time to do it.

 

[Jgoal55]

time seems to escape us all....to a point im glad its taken me as long as it has because ive though of better ways to do things in the process. But at the same time Im super antsy to get this done but want to be sure I do it right.

Neatness in this cabinet is a must!

 

[Jgoal55]

FINALLY!!!! Let there be water!!

FINALLY!!!! Let there be water!!

Ok, first....many, many thanks to MikePowell and GeadaJose for coming by and helping me get this plumbing done.

Mike did a kick butt job designing the plumbing and Jose helped out a ton until 11:30pm. I owe you guys big time!

Below are some pictures of the plumbing. We decided not to use many unions at all (I added one at the return pump to clean it whenever I remember too) because we figured that if the time came where I needed to take apart the plumbing, I would add one at that point.

One thing I am going to add I think is a ball valve on the return line just in case. For now I don't need it because the Mag12 is obviously going to be open all the way, but eventually Ill probably change that pump and might need a ball valve.

anyway, enjoy the pics......especially the last one!!!!!!

Starting point:
Return line out of spa flex and the main channel overflow

Return on right, drain on left

Used a gate valve for easy tuning

All three drains in place and return plumbing:

Other Side:

Top of overflow (I used black PVC for any visible parts):

Airline added to secondary drain line:

Where the pipes end up:

 

[Jgoal55]

Let there be water (cont.)

Let there be water (cont.)

Outside wall:
Red - ATO, Green - SW In, Yellow - SW out, Valve for RO/DI, and Power cord for Top-off pump

Inside Wall:
Red - ATO, Green - SW In, Yellow - SW out, Valve for RO/DI, and Power cord for Top-off pump

And finally, after a 1/2 hour of shimming later, there was water, fresh of course.....to test the plumbing (the worst part about living in a condo, is that there is now way to do this outside; oh well, my downstairs neighbor better hope for the best)

Still a bit to go, especially in the way of making everything look neat and in fixing my canopy design, but at least I can start cycling pretty soon.

 

[illal]

came out really nice! i see you found the clear stuff

 

[elisa20]

finaly u got some water!!! looks real nice....

 

[AquamanE]

You guys did a great job!!! Congrats. That was very nice of those guys to help. I hope a 12pack was enough.

 

[Jgoal55]

thanks guys.

Yeah it was really awesome of them but that's why FMAS rocks.

That clear primer is soooooo much better than the purple stuff.

 

[gasman059]

Yup

Yup

Great job!

SO nice w/o them ugly purples:thumbsup:

 

[Jgoal55]

thanks manny!

It took me a while to get the tuning down and I think eventually I need a stronger pump because the flow through the sump seems toooooo slow.

But finally, using the gate valve (a much better option than a ball valve and well worth the extra cost), I was able to tune it so that the overflow is totally silent.

So far so good....

One small issue, the acrylic sheet for the overflow that has the teeth cut into it came undone....i guess water got in between it and the glass and since the silicone is only on three sides it couldn't handle the pressure. I think some bracing to put pressure on it might fix that problem.

HAppy NEw Year everyone!!!

 

[gasman059]

YUp gate valve is the only way to go.:thumbsup:

 

[stagcrazy]

looking good jorge, cant wait to see this thing filled.

 

[Jgoal55]

well, its been filled for two days now and I found one tiny, tiny leak in the plumbing....literally like one drop every ten minutes. easy to fix w/ some couplings. Ill be doing that next week and then itll be SW going in the tank next.