Finally My Custom Miracle Build with Fish Room

You have been busy Henry. Everything looks great. If you keep going at this rate you will be up and running in no time at all.

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Thanks Tom! I am just trying to beat Larry in getting set up...lol. This weekend is going to be busy but I am going to try to get some of the rock in a bleach bath so it can soak for a few weeks.
 
McPuff - Hopefully you can find them! I had to order online since I did not want to pay a premium for one. What project are you working on? I may buy some more today as I saw some cool dosing containers I may try my luck with...lol.

No luck at HD nor Ace. Oh well. I made due with a couple rubber gaskets. Just had to get some 1/4" pex through 1/4" acrylic as a feed line for an in-line tank.
 
How does this differ from a standard bathroom vent fan? I am in the pre-pre-pre-planning stages of a future house (also in MD) and have been stuck with the different ways people have been suggesting on properly venting fish rooms.

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Very nice. One of these days, I swear, I'll have a fish room of my own.

JonCubb - It is a great thing to have. My fish room is small but I hope it will turn out like my original vision. So far so good.

No luck at HD nor Ace. Oh well. I made due with a couple rubber gaskets. Just had to get some 1/4" pex through 1/4" acrylic as a feed line for an in-line tank.

McPuff - That's great news! Sounds like my kinda DIY project!

How does this differ from a standard bathroom vent fan? I am in the pre-pre-pre-planning stages of a future house (also in MD) and have been stuck with the different ways people have been suggesting on properly venting fish rooms.

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^ Aren't you also worried about bringing in humid air into the fish room during the summer time?


crimsonblue - I have the ERV connected to a dehumidistat so it does not function like a normal install. Fish rooms are notoriously humid and the main thing I am trying to do is exchange fresh air from outside to inside the house. During the summer in our area it's gonna be a bit tricky since we are in a zone where the humidity is an issue in the summer months. From the Fall though the Spring I should see some benefits. I think with the bathroom fan they are mainly for exhaust so me its a little different than a standard bathroom fan. If things get out of hand I have the ability to unplug the fan and I also have a dehumidifier I brought when I decided to build a fish room. Let me know if you need more info.
 
Coming along great. I'm definitely following? Why build the stand in 2 pieces? Door / height restrictions?


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Wow, amazing work. I'm in MD too, remodeling a basement & planning on a shared fish/laundry room.

With a tank that big, what is your fish stock list?

Following the thread.

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Coming along great. I'm definitely following? Why build the stand in 2 pieces? Door / height restrictions?

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Chrisrush - I had a door restriction and window restriction. My egress window would have been cutting it close. With the leveling feet I would have barely made it as I did not take into account the amount of space they would have added. There was no way I could have gotten it in through the door frame of the fish room and I did not want to redo drywall :(. I may still run into issues since my skimmer is a bit taller than the two part stand design I had. Cleaning the skimmer is going to be a slight issue but I will make it work.



Wow, amazing work. I'm in MD too, remodeling a basement & planning on a shared fish/laundry room.

With a tank that big, what is your fish stock list?

Following the thread.

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schudini - Let me know what part of MD you are in. Have you started decisions on your stand? I had a local place make mine and pretty happy with the results. When planning make sure you plan for your stand height including leveling feet in regards to doorways...lol. I have not really thought about fish list much but I know it will be filled with wrasses :). I think once I get some water I will get motivated to make the list...lol.

Dying for more pics. Get everything finished this past weekend? =)

MarylandTang - Sorry no real progress the last few weeks. I was waiting on some parts to arrive and have been crazy busy with work. I will do a picture update maybe late tonight or sometime this weekend. I keep forgetting to bring my camera upstairs after putzing around in the basement..
 
It's been a while since I have provided an update but things are slowly coming along. Work has been keeping me pretty busy and the "Honey Do" list has been growing during the summer months.

07/20/2017 - Polishing Wheel Arrived

I had been in talks with Derek about my concerns on cleaning the glass of the tank when water was finally in the tank. Since this is my first time paying this much for a tank I was extremely nervous. Derek sent me a polishing kit that should help get out any minor scratches that are sure to come eventually. He shipped it out himself and notified me to be on the look out for the package. This will be a much needed item along the way with keeping the glass scratch free. Fingers crossed! It looks like a cloth polishing wheel and some type of powder stuff.

Miracles Polishing Kit
IMG_9622 by LifeThrough_TheLense, on Flickr​


07/26/2017 - More Plumbing Supplies Arrived

I ordered my ball values at the same time but the 1" values were on back-order. They finally arrived and as with the 1-1/2" values they are so easy to turn right out the box. This may actually be one of the cases where you get what you pay for...lol. I am hoping they stay this easy to operate. Now when I am in the Big Box Stores and walk past the values I giggle to myself.

Cepex 1" Values
IMG_9617 by LifeThrough_TheLense, on Flickr​

07/29/2017 - Picked up Sumps and Auto Top Offs

As I mentioned before I had called around to a few places to get quotes on a custom sump and two ATO containers. I finally choose Pure Reef Systems. The sump and ATO's are made from PVC and boy are they heavy. They are located in Midland, VA so I told Brendan I would drive to pick up the items verses having them shipped. I was trying to keep the cost down as much as possible. He had sent over a few pictures during the build process so I was really anticipating seeing them in person. Craftsmanship was top notch! The Friday before picking up he sent a picture of the water test.


Custom Sump Final Specs - 52.5" x 22" x 15-3/8" white PVC sump with 3/8" acrylic windows
3 - 1 1/2" PVC pipe hole returns
4 - 4" filter socks
2 - cord management holes in equipment area
4 - 1/4" dosing bulkhead holes in equipment area
1 - Triple heater holder
1 - probe holders (4)
1 - adjustable water level from 6"-12"
1 - triple bubble stop
1 - water level marks
1 - 1 1/2" pipe hole in pump area
2 - cord management slots in pump area
Poly carbonate covers
1 - 1" pipe hole in refug area
2 - 1/4" bulkhead holes in refug area



Frag Tank ATO Specs - 20"x 18" x 15-1/4" white PVC sump with 3/8" acrylic windows

Gallon marks
1 - 1/2" CPVC pipe hole
2 - 1/4" bulkheads holes
6"x6" access hole
Poly carbonate cover

Main Tank ATO Specs - 30"x 15" x 15-3/8" white PVC sump with 3/8" acrylic windows
Gallon marks
1 - 1/2" CPVC pipe hole
2 - 1/4" bulkheads holes
6"x6" access hole
Poly carbonate cover​

ATOs and Sump
SumpAndAto by LifeThrough_TheLense, on Flickr

Water ATO For Frag Tank
IMG_9628 by LifeThrough_TheLense, on Flickr

IMG_9630 by LifeThrough_TheLense, on Flickr

ATO in Place Under Frag Tank
IMG_9631 by LifeThrough_TheLense, on Flickr

07/31/2017 - Under Main Tank

I choose 3/4" PVC for the base for the bottom of my stand. No issues with rot ever :). The problem was after I did all the measurements to make the board fit under the stand I could not fit the whole board in at one time. I had to cut it down the middle in order to make it fit. Welding joints on the stand also played a small part in throwing off my measurements. While it may not be my prettiest work I think it will do for now. I have not decided if I will make a retaining wall or not but once I get all the items dry-fitted and in place with the sump and ATO I will figure something out. I used some PVC transition glue to create some supports to prevent the two parts from not lining up properly and sag between the joint. I let it dry overnight and the next day set up a jig so I cold make one long seam and then drop the other side in place. I routed the edges flush with the stand where I could and it did not turn out too bad.


Left Side in Place
IMG_9632 by LifeThrough_TheLense, on Flickr

Supports Clamped in Place Before Drying Overnight
IMG_9637 by LifeThrough_TheLense, on Flickr
 
07/31/2017 - Continued

I have been using the Simplicity brand of pumps on my temp set up for over year or so and the one issue I did have was quickly resolved with great customer care. I love that it is easy to get a person on phone very quickly and each time I have spoke to someone there I have been impressed. For my main tank I chose the 3200 and for the frag the same model (2100) I have on my existing temp set up.

3200
IMG_9634 by LifeThrough_TheLense, on Flickr

2100
IMG_9636 by LifeThrough_TheLense, on Flickr


08/02/2017 - Finally Assembled Skimmer

First impressions out of the box I can feel the skimmer is not using thin acrylic for the walls and it looks amazing. Assembly instructions were easy to follow and that is always a plus. I have spoken to about 5 or more real end users of this skimmer and all have been impressed. The price point and quality makes this skimmer a great deal. Time will tell if its up the job on my tank though. From a few people they said it needed to be submerged in closer to 10" of water so my adjustable baffles in my sump will work out perfectly. In my old sump I had to build a stand for the skimmer. In this setup I will just adjust the water level until its dialed in.

Simplicity 800 DC
IMG_9639 by LifeThrough_TheLense, on Flickr​

08/03/2017 - Finished the New Cabinet and Added a Shelf Above Sink

My second cabinet turned out just as great as my first try. Sliding acrylic doors and adjustable shelves with a laminate bottom. During the process of construction I kept finding myself needing a place put my soap and test tubes when doing water testing. The shelf is now used to hold my booster pump for my RODI unit.

Cabinet and Sink
IMG_9642 by LifeThrough_TheLense, on Flickr​

08/19/2017 -Plumbing for Water Storage Tanks - WIP

After using the water storage tank for quick water changes I finally got around to doing some actual plumbing of the tank. I may end up changing the position of the ball valves so that they don't accidentally get hit when people visit the fish room but this is the start. I have used a ton of unions and ball valves to make maintenance easier. I am going to be using my old Reeflo Dart/Snapper Hybrid for the mixing and being able to get fresh and salt water. The pump is below both containers so it will always be primed there is gonna be some mixing of the fresh and salt water but I am cool with that. This is a work in progress. Eventually I will finish the plumbing once my flexible pvc arrives.

Freshwater Tank
IMG_9648 by LifeThrough_TheLense, on Flickr

Saltwater Mixer Dart/Snapper Hybrid
IMG_9649 by LifeThrough_TheLense, on Flickr​

08/20/2017 -Electrical Extensions - WIP

Since my apex will be mounted on the wall between the frag tank and main display I wanted to have a way to try to keep my wires somewhat organized. In my last set up this worked well for me. Each individual outlet is will be connected to an outlet on the apex. Essentially I have neat looking extension cord system...lol. I broke the tabs off each outlet and ran individual 14 gauge wire through a 1" conduit. There are currently 4 outlets on the left side of the tank and 8 on the right. I may need to add more later once things start getting plugged in. All the individual wires will terminate in the gray box and I will use individual cords to finish the run.

Extended Outlets Left
IMG_9652 by LifeThrough_TheLense, on Flickr

Extended Outlets Right
IMG_9654 by LifeThrough_TheLense, on Flickr​
 
I switched memory cards in my camera so my dates are out of order...

08/19/2017 - Added Shelf to Hold LED Ballasts

I made a modification to my light rail to hold the ballasts but due to weight concerns I decided to make a shelf where they could sit. I added a third support to my light rail but even with that the weight just felt too heavy. My next step is to figure out some type of cord management system for the cords when I push the light rail to the left.


Shelf
IMG_9650 by LifeThrough_TheLense, on Flickr

IMG_9669 by LifeThrough_TheLense, on Flickr

08/21/2017 - Bleaching Rock - WIP

BRS Investigates is one of my favorite YouTube series to watch. I have used acid baths for my rock in the past but noticed the rocks seemed to be eaten away more that I would have liked. After spending so much for my beloved Pukani I was a little leery of an acid bath this go around. After watching the episode on different ways to cure rock I am definitely done with acid baths on Pukani. The roock costs too much and losing 10% or more in weight is throwing money away. The bleach method showed great promise so that is the method I selected. I went down to Wally World and picked up about 6 gallons of bleach. I put my rock in the two 30 gallon trash cans and and started to fill with water. After it was about half way I put on my safety goggles and gloves and poured in the bleach the foaming action began almost immediately and when filled there was a dirty bubble bath for the rock.

Trashcan 1
IMG_9658 by LifeThrough_TheLense, on Flickr

Trashcan 2
IMG_9659 by LifeThrough_TheLense, on Flickr

08/23/2017 - Main Sump In Place - WIP

Due to making the stand in two parts and having a big skimmer collection cup maintenance on my skimmer is going to be a pain. The skimmer can only be removed from the back side of the sump and only when the ATO is not in the way. Right now the ATO is just sitting on the floor until I figure out all the plumbing under the tank. Once again I used unions to help break up sections over 3-4 feet in length. This will also allow some flexibility if I want to swap out sections with modifications. Everything is dry fit right now. I am working on final placement of my drain lines. I need to find some scraps of acrylic to place under the unions above each hole in the sump. Once all the plumbing is done I will slide the ATO in place behind the sump. The ATO has the gallon markers on the end so I can see how much water is in there at any given time.

Main Sump
IMG_9663 by LifeThrough_TheLense, on Flickr

Sump Side View
IMG_9665 by LifeThrough_TheLense, on Flickr

ATO
IMG_9667 by LifeThrough_TheLense, on Flickr


09/03/2017 - Saltwater Mixing Helper Prototype - WIP

Because I want to have my salt water mixing done fast and thoroughly I started thinking about how when I pour salt in the tank it will sink to the bottom. When I mix in my buckets I just stir the salt with my hand for a bit then let the pump run for a few hours. Since my arms are not long enough to reach the bottom and I do not want a pump in the storage tank I started thinking about how I could make sure the salt that was on the bottom of the container would get mixed. My protoype turned out a bit too big for the bottom of the tank but I think I am on to something and how it will work. To get into the tank I had to cut in half which means the final product may end up using an union for the two parts. In the picture with the pipe on the octagon you can see my first attempt without using a pattern. With my pattern it goes pretty quickly and I have a system down where I can make a bend and secure it in place in about 4-5 mins or so. Next steps will be to drill holes on the outside and inside of the mixer.

Template 1
IMG_9673 by LifeThrough_TheLense, on Flickr

Octagon Template
IMG_9674 by LifeThrough_TheLense, on Flickr

Prototype
IMG_9676 by LifeThrough_TheLense, on Flickr​

09/04/2017 - Walk-up Bar Cabinets - WIP

I found out that the same type of cabinets in the kitchen upstairs was going to be much more than I expected. The wife and I shuffled down to Lowe's and looked at some ready to pick-up cabinets. I will go with a dark color like upstairs but will save a nice amount and wifey can see I am making progress as she has implemented a Thanksgiving deadline for the main tank to be up and running.

09/05/2017 - Drywall Sanding -WIP

I spent some time sanding the walls in the area outside the fish room and noticed there are few places I still need to get squared away. The ceiling is a pain in the butt and I still need to address a few places around the lights, outlets, and the sprinklers. I hope to have this wrapped up in the next week and the walls primed by the end of next week. Once those are primed I can finish the framing of the fish tank and be one step closer to no more construction projects.

09/06/2017 - Neutralized Chlorine in Trashcan 1 & 2

I dumped about 3 cap-fulls in each trash can but when I went to look for an ammonia test kit I could not find it. I may run out tomorrow and get one after visiting the gym. If all the chlorine is removed I will change the water tomorrow let it sit overnight then test again. If there are no traces after that I will start the cycling process next week.

With that we are now all caught up...
 
09/16/2017 - Outside of Fish Room Finally Primed
It is amazing what priming a room does! I still have a ways to go but now I can get back to focusing on the fish room. The only thing I really need to do if fix 3 spots on the ceiling.

From This
IMG_0250-4 by LifeThrough_TheLense, on Flickr

IMG_0249-4 by LifeThrough_TheLense, on Flickr

To This
IMG_9678 by LifeThrough_TheLense, on Flickr

09/17/2017 - Painted the Room

With the first coat of paint on it is really starting to look like a room instead of a work in progress. I am very happy with the way things turned out. Unless you are looking very closely you can not see an seams on the wall. The ceiling still has the three spots to fix before I paint the ceiling but the walls are done for now.

IMG_9679 by LifeThrough_TheLense, on Flickr

IMG_9680 by LifeThrough_TheLense, on Flickr​


09/19/2017 - Installed doors and Tank Trim

I managed to find some time to install both doors, the trim around the face of the tank and the trim around the french door leading the main room area. I put on a few outlet covers and the vent covers and now the only thing left in this area is the floor, the walk up bar, and paint the new door.


IMG_9683 by LifeThrough_TheLense, on Flickr

IMG_9689 by LifeThrough_TheLense, on Flickr

IMG_9691 by LifeThrough_TheLense, on Flickr

IMG_9690 by LifeThrough_TheLense, on Flickr​
 
09/20/2017 - Plumbed Water Storage Tanks

I finished plumbing the tanks together. There are a lot of values but basically I can get water from either tank by gravity. The Reefflo Hybrid is set up so I can pull water from the fresh water tank and push it to mixing tank. Once the water is pushed to the mixing tank I turn another value and I can circulate the water in the mixing tank. I tried it out and mixed up 40 gallons of water. I still need to test that there are not leaks at the uni-seal. The pressure of the water is less than I thought it would be but the water mixes all the same.

IMG_9687 by LifeThrough_TheLense, on Flickr​

09/21/2017 - Backsplash in Frag Tank Area- WIP

After thinking looking at my temp set up and salt spray that is bound to happen when moving things around in the frag tank I decided I needed a backsplash. I ran out and got some Mastic from HD and went to the garage to get my trowels from a previous project. This is also a way to get some practice for the backsplash in my walk-up bar area. I plan to finish this in the next few days.

IMG_9688 by LifeThrough_TheLense, on Flickr​
 
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