Lightsluvr's 340G Upgrade

[skiformance]

Re: A lot of $%#@& trouble!

Re: A lot of $%#@& trouble!

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15303943#post15303943 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Lightsluvr
This is the blankety-blank double union valve that did me in earlier...

then all of the threaded connections to the Barracuda pump, all hand tightened as instructed, were leaking.

I was not a happy camper trying to figure a way to pump 135 gallons of water outside - the longest 3/4" hose I have is maybe 8 feet long! So I pumped water from a Mag 7 thrun what little hose I had, into the longest piece of 1.5" PVC I had left over, then into the longest piece of 1" PVC I had - all duct-taped together! Redneck...

This is a picture of a pi$$ed off Okie:

Don't say a darn thing, Mike... :smokin:
oh this is killing me!!!!

LL

 

[Lightsluvr]

And now for the rest of the story...

And now for the rest of the story...

Will this be a "Wipeout" ?

While I watched the back of the tank, and Ms. LL watched the front...

My instructions to Ms. LL: "First make sure water is not shooting out of the tank! Then look at all CL connections in the front of the tank for any leaks..."

I plugged the Barracuda Gold in...

Round three - George wins by a TKO !

With the Barracuda throttled back by about a third, water really did almost shoot out of the tank! So I throttled it back a little more...and guess what? Not a leak to be found!

We let it run for about five minutes...

This is a picture of a very happy Okie - so glad to have this intimidating part of the plumbing (apparently) behind me.

What did I learn?
The closed plumbing does not appear to equalize the output of all returns as I had hoped. The returns closest to the return manifold still have the greatest output.

Since I don't want to restrict suction, I will adjust the flow by using the individual ball valves on each return...

I will wait until I have more water in the tank to complete this experiment.

Next steps: Add more water, adjust ports, continue to check for leaks, start to plumb the overflow system...

Thanks for following along - please leave a note to let us know you 've been reading our saga!

LL and Ms. LL

 

[Lightsluvr]

What else I learned...

Duct tape is the mother of invention... :lol:

Still no leaks!

LL

 

[elijaher]

Look like having a ball vavle on each return, is not a option it a must on close loop. Seems water like to take the easy path.

 

[Lightsluvr]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15304201#post15304201 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by elijaher
Look like having a ball vavle on each return, is not a option it a must on close loop. Seems water like to take the easy path.

Yes, I would say it's imperative...at least in the kind of loop in this tank...

Off to start gluing the overflow and return plumbing...

LL

 

[purza_00]

Good to see the smile return. Following along.

 

[Lightsluvr]

Thanks!

Thanks!

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15304375#post15304375 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by purza_00
Good to see the smile return. Following along.

Thanks for following...

Moving right along tonight...

LL

 

[Lytehouse]

Awesome accomplishment...... congrats.

Wish I had sent you the mag 12. Water hose screws right on the outlet and you run the hose out the door or window.

Yell before you do more tests and I'll try to get it to you.

 

[Lightsluvr]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15305293#post15305293 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Lytehouse
Awesome accomplishment...... congrats.

Wish I had sent you the mag 12. Water hose screws right on the outlet and you run the hose out the door or window.

Yell before you do more tests and I'll try to get it to you.

Thanks, Lynn.

I'll hook up with you tomorrow to get the Mag 12.

Something I forgot to include: a valve that could be used to drain the tank through the closed loop plumbing... :bum:

Tomorrow I will be filling the system up with fresh water to test the return pump, all sumps and overflows.

When that is completed, I'll be draining all FW out and making fresh salt water to start filling it back up. At least I have drains in both sumps...

The plan is to landscape as I add salt water in stages... about 75 to 100 gallans a day. After I get base live rock laid down, I will add the sand.

When I get to the stage that I will be adding fish and coral to the DT, I will use "aged" saltwater from the existing tanks to the sumps...

LL

 

[Lightsluvr]

Watching grass grow...

Watching grass grow...

This thread has a lot of pictures, but these are the first pictures of watching primer dry... ZZZzzzzz...

Finishing up the assembly and gluing of the sump overflow plumbing...

That's all for today. Raining heavily outside - have to close the doors, which means no more ventilation of the glue fumes... :eek2:

After church tomorrow, we'll run the tank and both sumps with water in the overflows and returns to leak test the last of the plumbing...

G'night all.

LL

 

[paulthomas]

+1 on tagging along. This is a fun read.

I'm setting up my first reef tank soon and hope I'm as successful as you've been. Keep up the good work. :smokin:

 

[Lightsluvr]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15305484#post15305484 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by paulthomas
+1 on tagging along. This is a fun read.

I'm setting up my first reef tank soon and hope I'm as successful as you've been. Keep up the good work. :smokin:

Thanks paulthomas...

C ya later.

LL

 

[strout]

Well I found this post this morning about 5:30 Am this morning and read every page, its now 12:20 PM, had to take a break here and there to deal with the grand kids, but I am caught up with everyone. This has been fun to read and as I am new to SW Tanks and didn't understand everything I read but I learned quite a bit. You had a great contractor and I am sure it was nice to have your son help with all the wireing. I am really impressed with the rack for all the lighting, that is top notch and all the people who helped with moving the tank into the house, you can't beat friends like them. The one thing I kinda didn't figure out was, the store you got the tank from I am guessing that they had to take the doors off to get the tank inside the store when the tank came in? Anyway nice build, nice tank and a good wife to put up with all that has been involved with this build.

 

[gmneil]

cant wait to see it all up and running

 

[Lightsluvr]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15307451#post15307451 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by strout
The one thing I kinda didn't figure out was, the store you got the tank from I am guessing that they had to take the doors off to get the tank inside the store when the tank came in? Anyway nice build, nice tank and a good wife to put up with all that has been involved with this build.

Thanks for reading the entire 21 pages in one sitting (more or less)...

The store we bought the tank and stand from had purchased it directly from A.G.E. to use as a display in their store... Other than some fresh water tests, it was never used...

Yes, the store had to remove a large pane of plate glass when they installed the tank, and again when we purchased it...

We are good friends with the store owner, and we were happy we could obtain the tank from her. She is equally happy that we have it up and running. I showed her some video of the closed loop yesterday, and she was really smiling...

Affirmative on the great wife...she created the monster by buying me my first saltwater tank over two years ago...

Now that you've found the thread. I hope you'll subscribe and stop by often...

LL

 

[Lightsluvr]

Thanks!

Thanks!

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15307723#post15307723 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gmneil
cant wait to see it all up and running

Your anticipation is only exceeded by my own...

LL

 

[Lightsluvr]

Thanks!

Thanks!

Our thanks to Lytehouse who came by this afternoon to bring us some Mag12 pumps with garden hose adapters to pump out the tank when the freshwater tests are complete...

Lynn also stayed aound and glued up some PVC joints for us! Thanks a bunch!

It was fun demonstrating the closed loop system for you! Thanks, buddy...

I made my last run to HD for the day and got some more PVC glue. I had a new can that just didn't look right and didn't want to take a chance with bad glue on pressure side fittings!

I hope to be filling the tank and sumps with fresh water later this evening... however, if it gets too late, we'll postpone until tomorrow - we don't want water to start leaking (anywhere) while we are sleeping tonight...

LL

 

[Lightsluvr]

Thanks!

Thanks!

Our thanks to Lytehouse who came by this afternoon to bring us some Mag12 pumps with garden hose adapters to pump out the tank when the freshwater tests are complete...

Lynn also stayed aound and glued up some PVC joints for us! Thanks a bunch!

It was fun demonstrating the closed loop system for you! Thanks, buddy...

I made my last run to HD for the day and got some more PVC glue. I had a new can that just didn't look right and didn't want to take a chance with bad glue on pressure side fittings!

I hope to be filling the tank and sumps with fresh water later this evening... however, if it gets too late, we'll postpone until tomorrow - we don't want water to start leaking (anywhere) while we are sleeping tonight...

LL

 

[Lightsluvr]

Update, another slight delay...

Update, another slight delay...

While doing some tweaking, I discovered a problem with the 1" bulkhead in the sump return chamber. It wouldn't tighten to my satisfaction. I have a spare heavier duty bulkhead in my parts box, so I will remove the old one and replace it. After that task is performed, the final freshwater test will continue...

Today is a work day, so the tank will have to wait until after 3:00 p.m. Darn.

LL

 

[Lightsluvr]

Question of the day...

Question of the day...

What do you use to hold your socks up?



your filter socks?

I am trying to come up with a non-metallic object that will hold filter socks to the 90 degree tubing...

I am sure I am trying to re-invent the wheel, and some other genius reefer has already solved this issue...

No I can't use a sock holder due to space and access issues... just looking for something to hang onto the pipe...to keep my socks up...

Any suggesttions?

LL

I'll post this over in the Reef Discussion forum to see what type of answers I get over there... :mixed: