GOD (aka my wife) has approved in wall 210

[jtemple42000]

My wife said yes! I was originally going to put a 210 in the living room. That was until I started looking in my basement that is partially finished. Where we want to put the 210 it will only be directly on top of and in the centerof one floor joist that spans 15 feet. I'm no engineer, but I'm 99% sure that will not work out to well. So I suggested we put it in the wall, and she, my ife, actually liked the idea. I couldn't believe it. Its going to goon the ame wall as my 75 just on the other end. The other side of the wall is my garage, so I will be putting up a couple walls to make a room. Two of the walls are existing.

I currently have a 75 gallon reef. Everthing will be new. This is my list so far...

AGA 210 drilled
3 x 250 metal halides, not sure what temp yet
AquaC EV-240 Protein Skimmer w/Gen-X PCX30
75-100 gallon sump/fuge

Wow, I'm glad I started this list....I have got a lot of things to figure out. So many decisions, not to mention options. Any and all suggestion will be appreciated. This is going to be quite a change for us. Hopefully starting construction next week. I plan on getting the room framed up and finished before cutting the hole into the living room. I will update with pics asap...better start by cleaning the garage....

 

[jtemple42000]

This tank comes with two drains and two returns drilled. How would I hook up a closed loop system?

 

[Bax]

You can manifold the returns over the top or have it drilled for the CL.

Sounds like fun!

 

[jtemple42000]

If I were to have it drilled, what size pipe would I need to feed a return pump? I'm just not sure that the overflows are rated high enough to handle the sump and a closed loop system. I think that AGA states that the overflows are rated for 600gph each. That will be enough dor the sump, but not much else.

 

[Bax]

You definitely want separate systems. Feed a Dart or similar flow pump with a 2" dedicated drain preferable lower on the back of the tank.

 

[jtemple42000]

I just have to find someone willing to drill the hole.....

 

[radone]

Is that a load bearing wall?
If so you may want to reconsider the placement. If you still want it there you'll definitely want to support the wall above the tank by using a header.
As for the fish room that would be nice to have since it will give you some room to work in, any drains close by? If so get a cheap laundry sink for washing things up in, my wife gets mad when I use the kitchen sink to clean out my skimmer.
Back to the wall if this was mine I would set it at the corner then you can get afull length tank view also. Do a search for Jarhead and his is done that way. pretty sweet to get to perspectives of the tank. Just remember to support that wall if need be.
Any small children? If so I would set it up about 40" to keep little hands from banging the glass or what not.
I second the Dart for closed loop, wish I would have drilled mine for that. as for your sump you could use the rubbermaid stock tanks for that 150 or 100 gallon would work. As big as you can go would be my recommendation.

Good Luck with this and we want to see pictures :lol:

 

[jtemple42000]

It will be fine there. Right over the foundation and the cement floor in the garage. Already have plans plans to put a 2x10 header up. No drains close by so I may plumb one in, I want to get water in there for the r/o too. I asked the wife about putting it in the corner already and she quickly said no, and we had already agreed on 40 inches off the floor too. I do have 2 year old twins. However they are really good about leaving the current tank alone. My biggest worry with the tank being in the living room ha been one of my kids trying to "help" and dump something in the tank and creating a disaster. The new tank will not be accessible from the living room and the fish room will have a key locked door. I'm on a tight budget, so I'll going to get the essentials first and then go from there.

I saw a thread last night of a tank in the corner, not sure if it was jarheads, but it looked really nice.

 

[radone]

Sounds good

Mine is viewable from 3 sides and I find I spend more time at the end of the tank than anywhere else. Good idea on the lock but make sure the wife can get in there in case something happens and needs to shut stuff down quickly.
If your thinking of a closed loop though you really should drill the tank. You can always plug the holes with bulkheads and fittings then get back to it when the need be. Just a little difficult to do with the water in there if you know what I mean :lol:

Good Luck

Get off RC and get building that fish room already

 

[texreefer]

i put my 120 in a load bearing wall and you definelty need a header.. i tore open my wall and braced the studs well before cutting the studs to make the header, by the time i took got he header in (which was pre cut and ready) the stupports were already in a bind from the weight. i had to hammer the header into place and this releived the bind on the supports.. all this took about 30 minutes

 

[jtemple42000]

I'm really not thrilled about the idea of drilling a new $800 aquarium. Probably need at least a 1 3/4" bulkhead for a closed loop....may call some local glass shops and see what they think before I try it on my own. Could I get away with two or three smaller bulkheads instead of one big one? Biggest affordable hole saw I can find is 1 5/8" thats only a 1 inch bulkhead.

 

[NICERICAN4YOU25]

THAT GOOD "GOD " AGREED ITS HARD FR THEM.LOL
IS THAT A ROOM BEHIND THE WALL?

 

[jtemple42000]

No, its the back corner of the garage. I am going to be putting up two walls to isolate the fish room from the rest of the garage. It will be heated and cooled.

 

[jtemple42000]

Revised list (almost complete)

QTY
1 AGA 210 predrilled
3 PFO / IceCap Metal Halide Converter Plug
3 250 Watt 14000K Metal Halide Bulb - Ushio, DE
3 IceCap 250 Watt Electronic Metal Halide/ HQI Ballast
3 PFO HQI 250 Watt Metal Halide Mini Pendant
1 Rubbermaid 100gallon stock tank sump
1 Sequence ReeFlo Dart Pump, 3600 GPH Closed loop
2 Little Giant 4-MDQX-SC skimmer/sump
1 Modularhose.com Loc-line closed loop return
1 AquaC EV-240 Protein Skimmer
6 Overflow Strainer - 1-1/2 inch MPT closed loop suction
I think I have most of this figured out. Only time will tell.
I'm not to thrilled about trying to drill this tank. So for my closed loop, I am going to run a 1-1/2 pipe over the top and down both back corners . Each corner will have 3 "suction screens", top, middle and bottom. Each of these "siphons" will tee into a 2" pipe beind the tank to feed the closed loop pump. I checked pvc friction loss and it should work fine with room to spare. The closed loop will then return to the tank with exits at each corner (loc-line) and two in the back, for six total.
This all seems good now, we will see how it comes together. This is the best I could come up with to avoid drilling the tank or adding a overflow. I think I can hide it ith rocks...

Oh by the way, my wife has been onboard since the beginning. Although she about crapped when she saw how much the protein skimmer is....this stuff adds up fast....