Dragonvale's 125 long adventure....

Dapg8gt said:
Looks like it's coming together nicely.. Your equipment list looks killer, the buy it once motto.. I try to follow (usually =) ..I have a skimz sk181 and it's a workhorse and craftsmanship is top notch imo so the dc should be nice..

How much did you get the reef bright pendants for? They are the mini's right? I think you will probably be good with just those 3 covering the tank without the strips.. I'd consider those a bonus lol..
Click to expand...

Got lucky on the pendants. Got two for $125 shipped used. One came with no glass but the glass takes anywhere from 8-12% of par so I wasn't going to have glass anyways. So I just need to get one new one. Yeah, the reefbrites will be just for popping colors.

Forgot to add, since I got a PM.

Cal/Alk/Mag
Dosing pumps

Auto top off

Tunze Osmolater 3155
 
Looking good. With purple pipe you'll have to have glass doors on the bottom so you can show them off! Make sure you use clear primer and glue so you keep the great color scheme.

You typed 'schedule 90'. Did you mean 80 - the grey fittings?

I have one of the cepex ball valves. They are great. One of the places the extra $$ is really worth it.
 
woodnaquanut said:
Looking good. With purple pipe you'll have to have glass doors on the bottom so you can show them off! Make sure you use clear primer and glue so you keep the great color scheme.

You typed 'schedule 90'. Did you mean 80 - the grey fittings?

I have one of the cepex ball valves. They are great. One of the places the extra $$ is really worth it.
Click to expand...

Yes your correct schedule 80. I guess typing at 2 am doesn't help with memory LOL. Yes thanks for the reminder for the clear primer.
 
Looking at your foaming vat of rock, I'm not so sure multiple acid washes will help with phosphate.

The acid is dissolving rock. If the phosphate is on the surface it will be put in solution by the acid. If it's not on the surface, you'll have to dissolve lots of rock!

If it were mine, after the first wash, I'd soak it for a few days then test the water.
 
woodnaquanut said:
Looking at your foaming vat of rock, I'm not so sure multiple acid washes will help with phosphate.

The acid is dissolving rock. If the phosphate is on the surface it will be put in solution by the acid. If it's not on the surface, you'll have to dissolve lots of rock!

If it were mine, after the first wash, I'd soak it for a few days then test the water.
Click to expand...

I did a second dip due to rock I still had from my 250 that smelled rotten. So a second dips was a must. Generally rocks turn white which a majority did, but there were some that still had a brownish outer surface still. Now the rocks are sitting in water and water changed every other day.
 
Its been awhile since I updated this thread. Just been collecting pieces here and there, which seemed like an x-mas every time something was delivered. I'm pretty much 85% done getting equipment.

Here's my truvu sump. Wanted the nicer sumps but they were just too wide for the stand.

<a href="http://s1297.photobucket.com/user/1Dragonvale/media/20140725_172228_resized_zpsb28a4084.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1297.photobucket.com/albums/ag21/1Dragonvale/20140725_172228_resized_zpsb28a4084.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 20140725_172228_resized_zpsb28a4084.jpg"/></a>

Since my daughter picked a purple theme I had to roll with it. So I covered it with vinyl. Crappy part was the vinyl came flattened so there were creases. It looks good but attention to detail isn't there. Its a sump anyways :)

<a href="http://s1297.photobucket.com/user/1Dragonvale/media/20140725_174640_resized_zpsb128a793.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1297.photobucket.com/albums/ag21/1Dragonvale/20140725_174640_resized_zpsb128a793.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 20140725_174640_resized_zpsb128a793.jpg"/></a>
<a href="http://s1297.photobucket.com/user/1Dragonvale/media/20140725_180746_resized_zpsf086a5d0.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1297.photobucket.com/albums/ag21/1Dragonvale/20140725_180746_resized_zpsf086a5d0.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 20140725_180746_resized_zpsf086a5d0.jpg"/></a>


Also got a skimmer a Skimz SM163. Love the foot print and the pump control!

<a href="http://s1297.photobucket.com/user/1Dragonvale/media/20140725_172216_resized_zpsb496e18d.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1297.photobucket.com/albums/ag21/1Dragonvale/20140725_172216_resized_zpsb496e18d.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 20140725_172216_resized_zpsb496e18d.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1297.photobucket.com/user/1Dragonvale/media/20140725_180934_resized_zpsd482b6be.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1297.photobucket.com/albums/ag21/1Dragonvale/20140725_180934_resized_zpsd482b6be.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 20140725_180934_resized_zpsd482b6be.jpg"/></a>
 
Got motivated after the swap that I pulled the trigger to get the plumbing done. Carlos was awesome and came over to drill the holes in the stand. We began to install all the bulkheads when I ran into a LARGE problem. One of the bulkheads rear thread components was broken and missing a large piece. So rather than trying it out or using a bulkhead from a local hardware store. I wanted to do it right so I placed an order for the same kind of bulkhead and the waiting game continues.

<a href="http://s1297.photobucket.com/user/1Dragonvale/media/20140727_131412_resized_zps7b75290d.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1297.photobucket.com/albums/ag21/1Dragonvale/20140727_131412_resized_zps7b75290d.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 20140727_131412_resized_zps7b75290d.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1297.photobucket.com/user/1Dragonvale/media/20140727_142113_resized_zps6a70ba5a.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1297.photobucket.com/albums/ag21/1Dragonvale/20140727_142113_resized_zps6a70ba5a.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 20140727_142113_resized_zps6a70ba5a.jpg"/></a>
 
Just finished getting caught up on putting the tank back on the stand. Tested the bulkheads for leaks and the sump. Missing one 80 reducer along with pvc support brackets so I'll just have to wait another week till they come in. For now, I'll just fill the tank up 3/4 and get water going until I can plumb the sump.

<a href="http://s1297.photobucket.com/user/1Dragonvale/media/20140803_003625_resized_zpsc55c2fd2.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1297.photobucket.com/albums/ag21/1Dragonvale/20140803_003625_resized_zpsc55c2fd2.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 20140803_003625_resized_zpsc55c2fd2.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1297.photobucket.com/user/1Dragonvale/media/20140803_003637_resized_zps945241b0.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1297.photobucket.com/albums/ag21/1Dragonvale/20140803_003637_resized_zps945241b0.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 20140803_003637_resized_zps945241b0.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1297.photobucket.com/user/1Dragonvale/media/20140803_003737_resized_zpsece61a6a.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1297.photobucket.com/albums/ag21/1Dragonvale/20140803_003737_resized_zpsece61a6a.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 20140803_003737_resized_zpsece61a6a.jpg"/></a>

Vinyl looks blue in the pic but is actually more of a eggplant purple.

<a href="http://s1297.photobucket.com/user/1Dragonvale/media/20140803_003614_resized_zpsb947d27e.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1297.photobucket.com/albums/ag21/1Dragonvale/20140803_003614_resized_zpsb947d27e.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 20140803_003614_resized_zpsb947d27e.jpg"/></a>
 
I like how you have a sump behind one cabinet door and possibly a crap zone, err, I mean, storage area, behind the other.
 
woodnaquanut said:
Looking good, Dragon.

I love the clean look of the sump. So shiny!
Click to expand...

It will be time until it turns tarnished and neglected LOL


Reef Bass said:
I like how you have a sump behind one cabinet door and possibly a crap zone, err, I mean, storage area, behind the other.
Click to expand...

Ken, your on the same page as me as far as crap zone. I was hoping to use that area for a reservoir for my ATO, but otherwise it would be a crap zone if it doesn't work out.
 
Dragonvale said:
It will be time until it turns tarnished and neglected LOL


Ken, your on the same page as me as far as crap zone. I was hoping to use that area for a reservoir for my ATO, but otherwise it would be a crap zone if it doesn't work out.
Click to expand...

I refer to that as 'lived in'. If you want life to happen in the sump it will get that look. If the tank was running for a year and still looked that clean, I'd worry.

Are you gonna have dosing area or CA reactor? Better use of the space other than CZ! My TO is outside the stand. Much easier to put all that water next to instead of within the stand. 'One of these days' I'll box the TO in so it looks nice. :)
 
Looks like your getting close. I never saw one of those skimmers. Please let me know how you like it and the noise level.
 
woodnaquanut said:
Are you gonna have dosing area or CA reactor? Better use of the space other than CZ! My TO is outside the stand. Much easier to put all that water next to instead of within the stand. 'One of these days' I'll box the TO in so it looks nice. :)
Click to expand...

John, I really don't want to spend time making a matching cabinet to house a TO. Maybe I'll have to since I have to some how house 3 ballasts for the Mh's. For keeping up with parameters I'm going to use dosers.

Steve Ruddy said:
Looks like your getting close. I never saw one of those skimmers. Please let me know how you like it and the noise level.
Click to expand...

Steve, just look up threads, reviews or even youtube clips posted by other users. It pretty much sold itself to me.
 
Dragonvale said:
John, I really don't want to spend time making a matching cabinet to house a TO. Maybe I'll have to since I have to some how house 3 ballasts for the Mh's. For keeping up with parameters I'm going to use dosers.
Click to expand...

For a quick solution there's always Ikea! :)

Please don't shoot me, my fingers made me type that!!
 
So things have been going along slowly. I want to say I'm reaching a little over a month in the cycle so I'm excited. Thank god all of my plumbing had no leaks after a test run along with the sump (knock on wood). Did a power outage test to see the syphon break and to see if the sump held the excess water. Thank god it did since I was literally 2-3 inches away from the sump over flowing. Only bad thing I don't like was the amount of flow going through the sump. My return is pushing probably 1700GPH after the head was calculated. This is making a water flow sound in my sump since water is cycling fast through it.

Next thing is to figure out where I should be mounting the ballasts. I'm either going to mount them to the rear of the hood or have to buy or make another stand like item to house them.

<a href="http://s1297.photobucket.com/user/1Dragonvale/media/20140829_153247_resized_zps30d81ce9.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1297.photobucket.com/albums/ag21/1Dragonvale/20140829_153247_resized_zps30d81ce9.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 20140829_153247_resized_zps30d81ce9.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1297.photobucket.com/user/1Dragonvale/media/20140829_153301_resized_zps0c078e72.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1297.photobucket.com/albums/ag21/1Dragonvale/20140829_153301_resized_zps0c078e72.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 20140829_153301_resized_zps0c078e72.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1297.photobucket.com/user/1Dragonvale/media/20140830_115745_resized_zpsba835b58.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1297.photobucket.com/albums/ag21/1Dragonvale/20140830_115745_resized_zpsba835b58.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 20140830_115745_resized_zpsba835b58.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1297.photobucket.com/user/1Dragonvale/media/20140830_115828_resized_zps00bcd0a7.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1297.photobucket.com/albums/ag21/1Dragonvale/20140830_115828_resized_zps00bcd0a7.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 20140830_115828_resized_zps00bcd0a7.jpg"/></a>
 
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