Kelley's 37 gal system. from the start

[ctreefer]

Very nice setup. I like the water prep station. Just a thought, but until you get the float valve worked out maybe as a temp you could place that whole stand in some kind of "pan". Unless you have a floor drain nearby. I don't know how many times I've spent in the basement vacuuming up water because I forgot to turn off the RODI. At least this might give you an extra few hours of insurance. Also, did you fasten the PVC coming from your tubs to any of the stand? The constant opening and closing of those ball valves may cause the tubs to crack eventually if there's too much twisting.

I don't know how I missed your thread up to this point. Really nice job. Keep up the good work, I'll be following.

 

[kelley_mc]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9221622#post9221622 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Salty Brother
Sweet tank, everything is so nice and cleanly set up. I give you :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Thanks, I'm glad you like it.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9221744#post9221744 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ctreefer
Very nice setup.

Thanks for the compliment!

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9221744#post9221744 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ctreefer
I like the water prep station. Just a thought, but until you get the float valve worked out maybe as a temp you could place that whole stand in some kind of "pan". Unless you have a floor drain nearby. I don't know how many times I've spent in the basement vacuuming up water because I forgot to turn off the RODI. At least this might give you an extra few hours of insurance.

Oooh... wouldn't want to be mopping any water. Actually, just to the right of the setup, maybe 3-4 feet away is a floor drain with a sump pump. I am actually feeding my waste water to that drain. The reason I am doing that is because I have a septic and I don't want to dump any excess water into it.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9221744#post9221744 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ctreefer
Also, did you fasten the PVC coming from your tubs to any of the stand? The constant opening and closing of those ball valves may cause the tubs to crack eventually if there's too much twisting.

I actually did fasten the lower pvc piping after I took the photo to keep it from spinning. The lower bulkhead is threaded and the weight of the water would naturally push the pvc in a counter clockwise rotation which could actually loosen the connection. That is why I secured that. But you bring up a good point and I will definitely secure the top pvc piping also. It may or may not matter, but I am trying to be on the safe side.

Good tip! Thanks.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9221744#post9221744 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ctreefer
I don't know how I missed your thread up to this point. Really nice job. Keep up the good work, I'll be following.

Thank you again for the compliments and I am happy to have you aboard.

On a side note, the corals I purchased I got from Fishman_CT, another CTARS member when he took his tank down. So far they are doing pretty well in the 29 gal. I look forward to moving them once this tank is done. I am actually going to pick up a couple things from Mountain Man tonight. Pretty good deal on his stuff and he lives less than 10 minutes from my house.

 

[ctreefer]

Man I wish I had a drain in my basement.



On a side note, the corals I purchased I got from Fishman_CT, another CTARS member when he took his tank down. So far they are doing pretty well in the 29 gal. I look forward to moving them once this tank is done. I am actually going to pick up a couple things from Mountain Man tonight. Pretty good deal on his stuff and he lives less than 10 minutes from my house.

You've got to love the deals. Perhaps this is the reason my tanks are loaded with frags. Mountain man's a good guy. He picked up his setup from Jens if I recall.

 

[gary faulkner]

The funny thing is, once you start, you will need another QT!


The 29G QT is already set up and running with HOB and maxijet on a sponge filter. Couple of silver sailfin mollys for inhabitants.

I too like to plan ahead. ; > )

 

[kelley_mc]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9222729#post9222729 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ctreefer
Man I wish I had a drain in my basement.

If you don't have a booster pump, I think you can pick up the parts for an automatic shut-off for less than $25. All you would need is the auto-shutoff valve and the float valve. I think that's it. I would have went that way, but I can't because the booster pump. I have to figure out a way to power that down once the float valve shuts of RO/DI water supply off.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9222729#post9222729 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ctreefer
You've got to love the deals. Perhaps this is the reason my tanks are loaded with frags.

That's funny, I think I can see that in my future. Actually, I didn't want any corals at this point until my new tank was done. However, some of these deals are too good to pass up.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9222729#post9222729 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ctreefer
Mountain man's a good guy. He picked up his setup from Jens if I recall.

Good to know, I have actually never met him. Thanks!

 

[kelley_mc]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9222854#post9222854 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gary faulkner
The funny thing is, once you start, you will need another QT!


The 29G QT is already set up and running with HOB and maxijet on a sponge filter. Couple of silver sailfin mollys for inhabitants.

I too like to plan ahead. ; > )

Wow, multiple QT tanks... you really do like to plan ahead.

What is the scouts motto, "be prepared"? You have followed that to the letter.

 

[gary faulkner]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9223103#post9223103 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kelley_mc
Wow, multiple QT tanks... you really do like to plan ahead.

What is the scouts motto, "be prepared"? You have followed that to the letter.

Actually it all started from poor planning.

Bought a Powder Blue Tang and placed it in the 37 along with a Bicolor Angel that was already there.

Then I decided that I needed to put in a Yellow Tang, so I set up the 29 for him.

So then I decided to go ahead and drill the 37 and keep the 29 for a QT.

I think I will ask my wife if she thinks its OK if I add about 10 more tanks.

I'm already near the dog house, might as well make the plung!

 

[kelley_mc]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9223191#post9223191 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gary faulkner
Actually it all started from poor planning.

Bought a Powder Blue Tang and placed it in the 37 along with a Bicolor Angel that was already there.

Then I decided that I needed to put in a Yellow Tang, so I set up the 29 for him.

So then I decided to go ahead and drill the 37 and keep the 29 for a QT.

I think I will ask my wife if she thinks its OK if I add about 10 more tanks.

I'm already near the dog house, might as well make the plung!

:lol:

My wife is very supportive but even she would have her limits.

 

[kelley_mc]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9222729#post9222729 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ctreefer
Mountain man's a good guy. He picked up his setup from Jens if I recall.

Very nice guy. Spent an hour or so just chatting with him. You are right, his tank was from Jens. He has a nice setup.

 

[zmazza]

Bump!

 

[kelley_mc]

I created a cut-away image that details how the back piece behind the aquarium is secured. Here it is:

The screws are recessed into the trim before it is attached to the stand. Then the plywood skin behind the tank is drilled with an oversize hole. This allows me to put on and take off the whole top assembly without any tools or other fasteners.

Hope that makes sense. We plan on working on and (hopefully) completing the stand this Saturday. If I do, I will take some pics to show more detail on how it went together. I would do it sooner, but the stand is actually at my father's workshop and I haven't been up there is a couple weeks. Once the construction is done, I will bring it back to my "shop" to sand, stain, seal and then paint the inside.

 

[gary faulkner]

Kelley,
Great idea, I would never have thought of it.

Got any more surprises up the ole sleeve?

 

[kelley_mc]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9253322#post9253322 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gary faulkner
Kelley,
Great idea, I would never have thought of it.

Got any more surprises up the ole sleeve?

:lmao:

You never know...we're always thinking. :hmm2:

 

[kelley_mc]

Some people were asking about the layout of my baffles in my sump.

The opening between the baffles is 1" and the clearance below the raised baffle is about 1 1/4". The lower baffle is 11 3/4" tall and the raised baffle is 13 1/2" tall.

I hope this helps! I will be working on the stand today. I just checked my batteries my my camera and, ugh, their dead.

Updates to come....

 

[kelley_mc]

New pics!

New pics!

I was playing around with my camera working on taking some better pics of my tank and I figured I would post some of the critters in my 29 gal waiting to be moved over to my 37.

Here is a pic of my Hairy Mushroom. It has a nice green mat that glows under my moonlights. The "hairs" are actual brown/peach colored with little blue tips.

Here is an updated pic of my green zoas.

 

[kelley_mc]

More pics...

More pics...

Here is an image of my Green Star Polyps I bought from a fellow reef club member.

Here is a pic of a blue/green ricordia I also purchased from the same club member. This picture is not as sharp as the others. I still need a tripod and lots of practice.

 

[kelley_mc]

More Pics

More Pics

I also won a couple frags from my reef club meeting on Sunday. Here is a pic of an Orange Cap Monti. The polyps are retracted in this image because it was moved just prior to taking this image. Normally, the little polyps extend out nicely. The funny thing about this image is that when you look at the frag, the areas where the polyps retract into are barely visible. In this image, they look like red dots.

Here is an image of a button polyp I also won. This frag is also not fully expanded because it was handled prior to the pic. Again, this pic is not very good quality.

 

[kelley_mc]

Oops, 1 more

Oops, 1 more

Here is another one I forgot about. These are Yellow Colony Polyps. They came as hitchhikers on the rocordia rock I purchased and also on a rock I purchased from another club memeber. They are actually much yellower than this pic shows. I have a couple of these colonies in my tank.

 

[kelley_mc]

When I was taking pics, my pom pom crab came out to say hello. I don't see much of him, so I had to snap a pic. It's a little blury, but you can see him in the rock. Cool little guy.

 

[kelley_mc]

Well, the stand is finally back home!

I will take some pics and post them tomorrow morning. I will take some detail shots that should help explain the construction better.