Lightsluvr's 340G Upgrade

[Lightsluvr]

Re: Re: Water change

Re: Re: Water change

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15217795#post15217795 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by edandsandy


I do see how it will work with your CLS.
I really enjoy you modifying our system, and make it work for you, I look forward to seeing it all come together.

After more thought, I am now considering draining down the Rubbermaid sump 55G and refilling it to the same level. That way no FSW flowing directly into the DT during the water change...

I am waiting for comments from some of the folks following the thread...hopefully this adaptation will work...

LL

 

[chaderic26]

I've heard of other people doing that same thing. Should work well for you .

The next tank I put together I want to be able to drain from the very bottom of the sump to be able to get all the detritus that settles down there efficiently.

 

[Lightsluvr]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15218492#post15218492 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by chaderic26
I've heard of other people doing that same thing. Should work well for you .

The next tank I put together I want to be able to drain from the very bottom of the sump to be able to get all the detritus that settles down there efficiently.

That's what I hope to accomplish by draining from the bottom bulkhead on the Rubbermaid. Granted I may lose some pod population by doing that, but I have the second sump which will hold an abundance of Chaeto above a DSB, so hopefully all will work out...

Thanks for stopping by Chad - see you on Saturday for the big move!

LL

 

[chaderic26]

Cool, I actually saw a pic of a public aquarium fuge that had a cone shape to the bottom for easily collecting detritus w/o taking out too much water.

 

[Lightsluvr]

Detritus in the sump...

Detritus in the sump...

I plan on putting one of my spare MaxiJet 1200s in the bottom of the Rubbermaid under the LR to keep things stirred up down there...

LL

 

[Lightsluvr]

More cowbell...and more water...

More cowbell...and more water...

I just replaced the carbon and sediment filters in our RO/DI from Filters Direct. I have been very pleased with it.

I have noticed lately since I have been making larger and more frequent water changes, that the horizontally mounted Resin cartridges start to "channel", allowing TDS to creep up more often. The problem can be solved by removing the cartridges, packing down the resin and adding a little more.

I asked Filters Direct about this and they offer an add-on vertically mounted refillable resin cartridge. It is priced at a nominal $40, so I ordered one which arrived yesterday.

Here are the new cartridges next to the existing system:

I am moving the RO/DI out of our guest bathroom into the new fish room in the next week, so this will be a good time to remove the smaller DI cartridges, replace them with the new and mount the entire system on a fiberglas panel for the fishroom wall.

I'll post more pics when the upgrade is complete.

LL

 

[Lytehouse]

upgrade

upgrade

Nice upgrade. I think you will be pleased.

 

[Lightsluvr]

Breakin' it loose...

Breakin' it loose...

OK, I spent close to an hour yesterday trying to get the double glass pane removed from that $#@%& window frame. I could not get it to budge, even though I completely removed the exterior molding trim. There was nothing that appeared to be holding the window in place!

Alas, a call to my friendly neighborhood glass shop brought two stalwart guys to the rescue. Turns out the bozos who installed these windows 25+ years ago used a black mastic that is really tenacious! It was not about to give up without some serious cutting and prying...

Success!

Carrying the old window back to the shop for measurement and replacement next week:

Lightsluvr's version of ghetto temporary board-up:

(It's supposed to rain tomorrow...)

LL

 

[edandsandy]

I glad to hear they were able to remove the window!

Don't you have to save some energy for the big move this weekend????

 

[Lightsluvr]

Saving energy...

Saving energy...

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15223822#post15223822 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by edandsandy
I glad to hear they were able to remove the window!

Don't you have to save some energy for the big move this weekend????

I was saving energy...I was taking the pictures while they worked...

The guy in shorts showed me his cut hand...his comment was, "a job is never done until somebody gets cut..."

The joys of working for a glass company!

I talked these guys into working on Saturday and removing the seller's pane glass window so we can access the tank and stand! (The tank and stand are at a LFS about two blocks from my home!)

LL

 

[edandsandy]

Re: Saving energy...

Re: Saving energy...

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15223995#post15223995 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Lightsluvr
"a job is never done until somebody gets cut..."

The joys of working for a glass company!

I talked these guys into working on Saturday and removing the seller's pane glass window so we can access the tank and stand! (The tank and stand are at a LFS about two blocks from my home!)

LL

That is almost what Ed and his fishing partners say on the boat!
They said, it's not fishing until somebody bleeds!

I'm happy to hear you talked them into working on Saturday to help with your move!

 

[OkR33Fer]

My back hurts already!

 

[cody6766]

Looking forward to the tank move...kind of. Is it bad that it's 3am and I'm dragging out of bed at 7? Oh well!

I think Roman planned to use the skimmer as a pre-filter for the pumps. I spoke with him when he was planning the plumbing many moons ago and he said he wanted to use it to prevent any sand or sediment from having the slightest chance of getting into the big bad pumps down there. I don't know if it was to be used as a pre filter to make filter sock changing easy or to have before the return from the sump. The way he explained it made sense, but its been a while

 

[sciknen]

taggin along for sure

 

[skiformance]

6:09 and i'm up risking life and limb waking the wife.

 

[Lightsluvr]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15226415#post15226415 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cody6766

I think Roman planned to use the skimmer as a pre-filter for the pumps. I spoke with him when he was planning the plumbing many moons ago and he said he wanted to use it to prevent any sand or sediment from having the slightest chance of getting into the big bad pumps down there. I don't know if it was to be used as a pre filter to make filter sock changing easy or to have before the return from the sump. The way he explained it made sense, but its been a while

I feel bad for you... :lol: but of course I was up at midnite putting ribs in the smoker and again this morning to put two more slabs in there..

So he would put a strainer basket ahead of the closed loop pump? Hmmm.... Seems to me everytime you unscrewed the lid on the thing, it would overflow from whatever water was in the feed and return pipes below the seven double union valves? God forbid if you accidentally left one of those valves open a little bit! I'll have to think about that ...

Thanks Cody. See ya later this morning.

LL

 

[Lightsluvr]

Welcome

Welcome

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15226423#post15226423 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sciknen
taggin along for sure

Thanks for tagging along...

LL

 

[Lightsluvr]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15226540#post15226540 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by skiformance
6:09 and i'm up risking life and limb waking the wife.

Blame the glass guys....

No, that won't work. Go ahead and blame me...

Doughnuts at Dunkin Donuts at 8:00!

LL

 

[skiformance]

no blame at all. i get up for work at 2:30 am everyday for work. getting up at 5:am makes me feel like half the day is wasted

 

[Lightsluvr]

MOVING DAY!

MOVING DAY!

Today is the big day!

All the planning, research, demolition, concrete work , remodeling, and preparation all will make sense in a few hours.

The Big Kahuna tank and stand pictured in the first post of this thread will be moved through an empty plate glass window frame at my LFS onto a trailer to be transported a few blocks to our home...

Thank goodness we belong to a tremendous local aquarist's organization (COMAS - see: http://reefcentral.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=109 )

About a dozen members of the club and a few friends are giving up part of their Saturday to help the dream be realized. I thank all of them for their help and support...I have a lot of paybacks on their future plans!

I am sure we'll have lots of photos and maybe a video or two later today...

LL