Kelley's 37 gal system. from the start

[Dr. Chek]

sweet tank mc! Read through the entire thread now.
I too am enjoying my 37, but I am stuck with a u-tube siphon down to the sump... I would love to have mine drilled like yours...
How comfortable were you with the drill press when you did it?
Did you consider getting a pro to do it? Things for me to consider.. I have access to a drill press... I'm just looking for some encouragement if I were to do it.

by the way, your stand is outstanding as well!
looking forward to more news!

 

[kelley_mc]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9356018#post9356018 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Dr. Chek
sweet tank mc! Read through the entire thread now.

Thank you!

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9356018#post9356018 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Dr. Chek
I too am enjoying my 37, but I am stuck with a u-tube siphon down to the sump... I would love to have mine drilled like yours...
How comfortable were you with the drill press when you did it?

I was a little nervous with the first test hole I did, but it really isn't that bad. The sound is obnoxious though. I took my time and did each hole in about 20-25 minutes. I can be done much quicker, I just used a slow speed on my drill press and took my time.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9356018#post9356018 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Dr. Chek
Did you consider getting a pro to do it?

Yes I did. I called around and they wanted like $20 or $30 per hole. I thought that was way to expensive when I could get the bit shipped to me for about $9.

The funny thing is that I just found out that a LFS now does them for $5 per hole. If they were around months ago when I did mine, I would have gone there. So it may not hurt to call around first.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9356018#post9356018 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Dr. Chek
Things for me to consider.. I have access to a drill press... I'm just looking for some encouragement if I were to do it.

I am sure you can do it. I never would have done it without seeing some threads here on RC about it. This one is the best I have seen. Check it out, it will tell you everything you need to know.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=603816&perpage=25&pagenumber=1

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9356018#post9356018 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Dr. Chek
by the way, your stand is outstanding as well!
looking forward to more news!

Thank you again! Best of luck with your tank.

 

[dfcjr]

This tank deserves nothing but coral that is high end, anything else would be a travesty. One of the nicest buildups I've seen kelley_mc, it's reef-related art.

Darrell

 

[t11t5]

Very nice tank and stand. You did a great job putting this together. I also have a 37g tank. It is in the works though. Here is a pic of my 150g I built. Everything except the tank was made by me. Hope you enjoy.

[/IMG]

 

[kelley_mc]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9363436#post9363436 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dfcjr
This tank deserves nothing but coral that is high end, anything else would be a travesty.

Wow... pressure!

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9363436#post9363436 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dfcjr
One of the nicest buildups I've seen kelley_mc, it's reef-related art.

Thank you very much. I am happy that people like it. It's been quite a project with much time, money, and thought invested in it. I am pleased that it is coming out so well. Even though I see the light at the end of the tunnel, I also know there much more to be done. Hopefully the finished product will be a pleasing, healthy environment for me and my saltwater critters.

 

[kelley_mc]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9363869#post9363869 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by t11t5
Very nice tank and stand. You did a great job putting this together. I also have a 37g tank. It is in the works though. Here is a pic of my 150g I built. Everything except the tank was made by me. Hope you enjoy.

Very nice... It looks like our doors are similiar.

I am also impressed with your light/canopy design. Open to allow a lot of flow. Nice.

 

[t11t5]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9364630#post9364630 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kelley_mc
I am also impressed with your light/canopy design. Open to allow a lot of flow. Nice.

The rail system also lets me move the light so I have a full open tank to work with.

 

[kelley_mc]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9365125#post9365125 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by t11t5
The rail system also lets me move the light so I have a full open tank to work with.

Yes, I saw that. Nice. I was thinking about doing something similiar within my canopy. There is plenty of room to move the light back.

 

[dobbs]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9217531#post9217531 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kelley_mc
I worked on my water changing station over the weekend. Here is an image.

Basically, once full, I have constant access to about 20 gals of RO/DI water and 20 gals of heated and mixed saltwater.

Very nice. I did something similar...I used 14 gal containers though. I wish I would of used larger transfer lines though.

 

[zmazza]

VERY nice dobbs! I'm about to order my RO unit. Gives me a lot of inspiration. Do you prefer a certain brand of container? Do some hold up better than most?

 

[kelley_mc]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9366138#post9366138 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dobbs
Very nice. I did something similar...I used 14 gal containers though. I wish I would of used larger transfer lines though.

Wow, great minds think alike.

Very similiar setup. I am happy that I went with the larger pvc, it takes seconds to fill my containters for water changes and topoffs, sometimes too fast. The drains for both the RO/DI and saltwater are 3/4" and the drain from the RO/DI to the saltwater mixer is 1". I also have the powerhead and heater in the mixer to mix the salt and heat the water. I just added a temp probe to mixer so I can get a quick read on temp without having to dig around inside the container for my old heater.

I want to add the float valve but haven't yet because I have the booster pump and I am not sure how to do it. I know I have seen a way to do it recently and once I get some time, I will definately look into that more.

Just a question though...
I was told by one of the Filter Guys that RO/DI water is VERY unstable because it has nothing in it and it will search for something that will stabalize it. He said that could mean leaching inks and other materials out of the containers it is in. Have you heard about this and are you concerned about the colored totes?

 

[kelley_mc]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9366221#post9366221 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by zmazza
I'm about to order my RO unit.

Did you find out about the 75 vs 100 gpd question?

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9366221#post9366221 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by zmazza
Do you prefer a certain brand of container? Do some hold up better than most?

I was told to use food grade containers. That being said, I am not sure if mine are food grade, but I went with the ones that were clear. To transport water I use an old SW mix bucket for water changes and for small topoffs I use a spring water jug.

 

[kelley_mc]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9366581#post9366581 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kelley_mc
Did you find out about the 75 vs 100 gpd question?

By AZDesertRat from here.
100 GPD Dow Filmtec membranes are not Reverse Osmosis membranes but are actually 90% rejection nano filters which are a step below RO in efficiency. They are also not approved for drinking water treatment in the USA, only pool and spa use. 75 GPD Dow Filmtec membrane are true 98% rejection rate RO membranes and are approved by the ANSI/NSF for drinking water use. If given the choice always opt for the 75 GPD Dow Filmtec.
One interesting note, for every 2% you increase the RO efficiency you double the life of the DI resin so an 8% increase in RO efficiency will go a long ways in DI life.

Wrasse, efficency has nothing to do with the amount of waste water, that the waste ratio. Rejection rate and efficiency are the same thing, the nanofilter removes 90% of the contaminants and the RO membrane removes 98%, both normally waste 4:1 or 4 gallons of brine of flush water to one gallon of product or good water.

Thanks zmazza for the thread on RO/DI .

 

[gary faulkner]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9366138#post9366138 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dobbs
Very nice. I did something similar...I used 14 gal containers though. I wish I would of used larger transfer lines though.

The overflow drains to the sump well.

This is not to your aquarium sump are they?

If so a much better choice would be to a waist drain or to outside.

You don't want to dump extra RODI or salt water mix into your sump.

Make sense?

 

[kelley_mc]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9369298#post9369298 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gary faulkner
The overflow drains to the sump well.

This is not to your aquarium sump are they?

I think he means his house sump drain. My setup is designed the same way, the waste water goes to my house sump drain because I have a septic and don't want to fill it with water. By draining to the sump, it just soaks into the gound.

 

[kelley_mc]

Yesterday, I did a little shopping. I went ahead and ordered my power station from http://www.guitarcenter.com/shop/product/buy_american_dj_pc100a_8switch_onoff_power_center?full_sku=100313636 ,

and my Auto Top Off from http://www.autotopoff.com/.

I also ordered an Iodine test kit so I can start dosing Iodine and also come calibration fluid for my refractometer. I have had the refractometer for months and never used it.

 

[kelley_mc]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9350132#post9350132 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dc_909
Where did you buy those Hydor pumps from? Do they work good?Quite? Good wide flow pattern? $$?

I installed one of my Hydor pumps (model 2) in my 29 holding tank and overall I am very impressed. The flow pattern is very wide and it does a great job. Overall, much quieter than my mj mod and it seems to start in the right direction. Once I have this 37 gal project done, I will put 2 model 2's in and it will be plenty of flow. That doesn't even include the flow from my sump.

 

[kelley_mc]

I just checked my mail and the auto-top off is already here. Super fast shipping... I will post back when I hook it up and let you know how I like it.

 

[kelley_mc]

Not much excitement this weekend. I almost finished my sanding and gluing. Hopefully will start staining within the week. Also, over the weekend, I traded for a couple corals.

The first is a pulsing xenia. So far, doing well in its new home:

The next is a trumpet coral. Also seems to be happy in his new home.

Thanks reefcrazy!

 

[reefkrazy]

nice pics kelley! They do look really good. The xenia will grow and spread fast.