Go Big OR Go Home! Construction of a 1000 gallon System!!

[Chip Douglas]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7016978#post7016978 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bstone
Chip Douglas

I discussed this a few pages ago, but I have a very high cfm fan in the ceiling that is controlled by humidity. I have a supply and return from my home HVAC unit. I also have a window AC unit, that blows out to the garage, thats in my fish room. As a last resort I have a dehumidifier..

Sorry, what I meant by my question was what are you doing about topping off the system from evaporation. I didn't remember reading anything in the thread, but I could have very well missed it.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7017667#post7017667 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by alien9168
Glad to hear it chip!

-alien

I'm Chip :lol: It's what Jim Carrey goes by in The Cable Guy

 

[bstone]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7017993#post7017993 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Chip Douglas
Sorry, what I meant by my question was what are you doing about topping off the system from evaporation. I didn't remember reading anything in the thread, but I could have very well missed it.

Sorry, I don't think I mentioned it yet. I use a top off system by LifeReef. I really like it. I have a 30 gallon R/O-DI tank with a small pump that is turned on and off based on the actual water level in teh sump (used by the LifeReef float switch).

 

[Sanjay]

Brian:

When you used the 3-way ball valve as a mixing valve to increse the temperature of the water going into the RO unit.. did you also have to use a check valve at both the inputs. ?

Do you have the mixing ball valve always on to maintain the water temp around 80 degs, or do you just manually do that when you need more water from the RO unit. ? if you leave it open all the time then I guess a check valve would be needed. ?

Thanks,

sanjay.

 

[bstone]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7038781#post7038781 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Sanjay
Brian:

When you used the 3-way ball valve as a mixing valve to increse the temperature of the water going into the RO unit.. did you also have to use a check valve at both the inputs. ?

Do you have the mixing ball valve always on to maintain the water temp around 80 degs, or do you just manually do that when you need more water from the RO unit. ? if you leave it open all the time then I guess a check valve would be needed. ?

Thanks,

sanjay.

No, I did not have to use a check valve on the incoming water.

I have a R/O float valve in my R/O storage tank that shuts off the R/O unit when I don't need water (when the tank is full). Its automatic so that I don't have to keep turning it on and off. There is a check valve on the R/O so that when the permiate flow is stopped by the float valve, the R/O shuts off. Premium Aquatics has a kit that you can install on an R/O for that purpose.

I did have to use a valve on the hot and cold water before the 3-way so that I can get the right mixure of water to get the correct 78 - 80 degrees. I also had a valve after the carbon filter so that I could check the water temp after it mixes real good.

Let me know if you have any more questions. I can also post a few pictures of the R/O if you want?

 

[bstone]

Anyone looking for the gray sumps I have in my system? I guy locally is selling them, I think he has like 6 of them..
If anyone is interested let me know.. I don't think he will ship them, so you will have to pick them up.

 

[Sanjay]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7038869#post7038869 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bstone

I did have to use a valve on the hot and cold water before the 3-way so that I can get the right mixure of water to get the correct 78 - 80 degrees. I also had a valve after the carbon filter so that I could check the water temp after it mixes real good.

Let me know if you have any more questions. I can also post a few pictures of the R/O if you want?

Ok.. so you do have a check valve on the hot and cold before it gets to the 3-way you are using as a mixing valve.

Please post a pic of the R/O especially the way you are heating up the input water.

sanjay.

 

[jnarowe]

I would be interested in pictures or diagram of your flow from the supply line to the RO holding tank as well. I am using 200' of supply line inside my RO holding tank which is heated. It's not perfect but it does warm the water enough. I can get essentially the rated output of the RO filters so I guess that part of my system is working.

 

[bstone]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7039180#post7039180 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Sanjay
Ok.. so you do have a check valve on the hot and cold before it gets to the 3-way you are using as a mixing valve.

Please post a pic of the R/O especially the way you are heating up the input water.

sanjay.

Not a check valve, a ball valve. Here are some pictures to better explain..

The blue line is the cold and the yellow line is the hot. I have a ball valve before the 3-way (or mixer). Then it goes into my sediment filter. After the sediment filter I have a "T" so that I can measure the temperature after the water mixes and goes through the sedimant filter, before the carbon and R/O membrane.

This is the float valve unit that automatically shuts off the R/O when the R/O tank is full. Or you can put it in your sump. Here is the LINK to the auto shut off float kit Premium Aquatics sells. This way I never have to turn the R/O on or off, it is done automatically.

 

[Sanjay]

So , you have the 2 lines hot and cold going through the 2 shut off valves, and they are partially open all the time. So there is a path from the cold to the hot side open all the time. That is why I was asking if a check valve is needed on one of these lines to prevent the hot-cold connection from having an active path when there is no flow. This check valve would go before your shut off valve. Or is this a non issue?

Thanks for the pics.

sanjay,

 

[bstone]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7039637#post7039637 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Sanjay
So , you have the 2 lines hot and cold going through the 2 shut off valves, and they are partially open all the time. So there is a path from the cold to the hot side open all the time. That is why I was asking if a check valve is needed on one of these lines to prevent the hot-cold connection from having an active path when there is no flow. This check valve would go before your shut off valve. Or is this a non issue?

Thanks for the pics.

sanjay,

yes, both of the ball valves are open all the time. They are adjusted to let in the right amount of cold/hot to make 78 - 80 degrees. To me a check valve would not be needed. There is no flow once the auto shut off float kit is engaged.

 

[Dag]

Brian, looks like you decided to go with the DSB.

I was a big believer in the DSB, and constructed the perfect bed. When I took it out, it had no smell and was full of creatures. For 3 years I couldn't grow SPS until I removed the DSB. My experience was an anomaly, I grant you, but still cause for pause.

 

[bstone]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7046385#post7046385 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Dag
Brian, looks like you decided to go with the DSB.

I was a big believer in the DSB, and constructed the perfect bed. When I took it out, it had no smell and was full of creatures. For 3 years I couldn't grow SPS until I removed the DSB. My experience was an anomaly, I grant you, but still cause for pause.

Actually, I have crushed coral in my main tank; about 2". I do have a deep sand bed in one of my sumps; about 5". We'll see how it goes!

 

[Dag]

That's what I'm left with.

A remote DSB in my refugium.

 

[ddrueckh]

Great Project

 

[AcroSteve]

I mixed my hot and cold water supply to my RO for a while. It does work to increase production. However, I stopped using it.

It is bad enough running all that waste water down the drain, let alone warm waste water.

Say you make 50 gal of RO; If you want any life at all out of your membrane, that takes at least 150 gallons of waste. Of that, say 20% is hot water. That's 30 gal of hot water thrown away to make 50 gal of RO. I just couldn't see doing it that way.

I would also get some spikes in temperature due to some non-constant flow dynamic that I attributed to the relatively low flow. I have 1/2" gate valves on my cpvc, before my garden timer. This allowed me to incorporate a lab thermometer in line for constant monitoring.

 

[bstone]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7053973#post7053973 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by AcroSteve
I mixed my hot and cold water supply to my RO for a while. It does work to increase production. However, I stopped using it.

It is bad enough running all that waste water down the drain, let alone warm waste water.

Say you make 50 gal of RO; If you want any life at all out of your membrane, that takes at least 150 gallons of waste. Of that, say 20% is hot water. That's 30 gal of hot water thrown away to make 50 gal of RO. I just couldn't see doing it that way.

I did it when I needed to fill 1100 gallons of water. But, now that I have just top-off I might go back to just cold for that reason.. Good thoughts!!!

 

[bstone]

Well, here is a picture of my aqua-scaping. Pictures do not do justice when it is of a tank this size. The rock work that I wanted to do was not the "standard" up against the back wall. Even if you have a 4 foot deep tank like mine having all the rock up against the back wall made it look like a 2 foot deep tank at best. None of my rock is up against the walls, even on the sides. It is all open, and it shows "great" depth to the tank. And it adds a lot of swimming room for ALL the fish I am getting. I also have a lot of places to put the corals I am planning on, which is mainly SPS with a few LPS. The main rock structure in the tank will house all SPS branching corals; i.e. milipora, and so forth. They will look really cool when it is filled with branching coral. Cups will be on the left and right sides. And large colonies and tables will be on the bridges and the other main rock structures. Some LPS will be on the sand bed.

The lighting will be 5 400 watt Radiums, supplemented with VHO actinic WHITE. This gives and awesome blue color that is washed with a nice white. The color combination is really cool, just the right amount of blue and white; for me that is.

The picture below is with just the VHO actinic whites on.

I plan on collecting all the tangs I want on for the tank by placing them in the sumps first. I have made separate areas that are walled off to house 3 tangs per sump, Once I collect all the tangs that I plan on then I will put them in the main tank all at once.

I have enclosed a picture of the first tang that I purchased; An AWESOME vlamingi tang sub-adult, with his streamers starting to grow. Absolutely a beautiful fish!!

I also have a few fish in the main tank; a Copperband fish and 10 female Lyretail Anthias and one male Lyretail Anthias.

ENJOY!!!!
NOTE: You can get an idea on the size of the rocks by looking at the anthias, they are about 2"-3" in length. So, they look tiny in the pictures!!

FRONT OF TANK

LEFT ANGLE OF TANK

LEFT SIDE OF TANK

MIDDLE OF TANK

RIGHT SIDE OF TANK

VLAMINGI TANG

 

[sixxer]

Looks Great. Love the aquascaping.

That Vlimangi will grow like a monster in your system. One of my favorite Tangs, especially once they get adult coloration in full.

 

[bstone]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7088395#post7088395 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sixxer
Looks Great. Love the aquascaping.

That Vlimangi will grow like a monster in your system. One of my favorite Tangs, especially once they get adult coloration in full.

Thanks.

I see you have a blonde Naso, I am planning on a male and female blonde Naso. I really have not seen a male blonde Naso in person, only in books. My only concern is if they would fight!

 

[alien9168]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7088395#post7088395 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sixxer
Looks Great. Love the aquascaping.

That Vlimangi will grow like a monster in your system. One of my favorite Tangs, especially once they get adult coloration in full.

I agree! :smokin: this tank is amazing. I like how the lights turned out!

-alien