Lookout's new adventure

[lookout888]

I was going to wait till I finished to start this thread but figured I should start now. A lot of it I am making up as I go so suggestions are always welcome.

The tank: The tank is 40'W x 36' D x 31' H made of 3/4 starphire glass. Black silicon, Euro braced top and bottom. With 2'' coast to coast overflow using bean style drain. The tank is going to go in the wall with 2.25 sides viewable.
Lights: The tank is going to be lit by 25 20w leds all on different drives for flexibility of control.
Controller: This is going to be the interesting part. The whole tank is going to be controlled via the web using ASP.net and arduinos. There is going to be a built in webcam. This is all going to be driven by an atom computer (which if it is not powerful enough I will upgrade it later; but the 14 watts it drawls is very big + to it). So I will get on to what everyone on RC likes"¦. Pictures!!!

A start of the idea:
( the drain hole layout has changed. I only have 13' of room from the left side of the tank over for the holes.. So i have to stager the one lower then the rest. All drains are going to be 1.5 inch.

 

[lookout888]

1 to hold

 

[lookout888]

Some stuff started to come in..

Where the tank is going. This used to be where the air handler for my ac was. I got a new ac and had it moved.. it is now mounted on the celling of the garage.

The tools

 

[lookout888]

It is holding stuff for the old tank temp.

Emptied out

Starting to take it down.

 

[EricSIny]

Cool design idea, but i gotta ask..WTH is going on in that other tank? :hmm2:

 

[lookout888]

The start of the stand.

For size.. I give you bread.

 

[lookout888]

The old air handler had a heat pump( who ever invented them should be shot!) So there is plumbing. I had to cut and sweat caps on. The pvc is the drain line. I am going to use this as a drain for water changes maybe.. not sure yet but never hurts to have it( it does not run to the main drain.. just to the outside, wonder if SW will kill my grass..

starting drywall.. using green board.

 

[lookout888]

Cool design idea, but i gotta ask..WTH is going on in that other tank? :hmm2:

I said don't look at it! So when I moved into my house a few years ago.. The tank crashed.. I was a little devastated as I put a lot into it. I knew I wanted to build a new tank just did not know when. So the tank has just been on.. Running stage.. I lost EVERYTHING except the fish.. I will find a picture of it.. The thing that ****ed me off about the old tank was 18'D you can only stack rock so high and make it look good.. Also the tank was used and had all sorts of scratches.

 

[lookout888]

tring to picture the size of the tank!

Spackling was never my fav. thing!

One of my helpers

 

[lookout888]

The floor

The stand ( I changed this a little. The front and side have been changed to 2x4 and not 2x6 for more access room.

A new toy!

Modified the new toy the first day I got it.

 

[lookout888]

Painted, Kitchen and bath Glossy white

2nd coat

Finished the modification to the table saw.

I ordered some more rock and sand.

I found out the floor was not 100% level so I used some auto leveler

 

[lookout888]

So I was suposted to get my tank 6/23 so I built a ramp and a dolly

Put hte top on the stand. There is going to be a bar infront of the tank

Painted stand.

The tank.. but after I had it in my truck.. I gave it back as they put a center brace accross the top and that is not what I ordered.. the said it was to hold glass tops even though I did not order them. So the new delivery date is 7/21

 

[lookout888]

lets see if anyone can guess what this is for...

Got to use my new router table to make it.

 

[lookout888]

So a LONG time ago someone was selling a ~500 gallon tank for cheap. So I picked it up. This is what I am going to use to build the sumb/ref/whatever else I need.

Its 8''x3''x3'' 1' thich acrylic.

Cutting it in 1/2

 

[lookout888]

Cutting the stand up to throw away.

Here is what I have after hacking.. the 1/2 box without the overflow box is going to be the sump in the stand.

Starting some stuff for the control box. This will be to power the box.

So I got my drivers in..

 

[lookout888]

Some goodies!!

 

[lookout888]

Ok so thats all I have for now. I have a few other projects going on in the house so there is some competition for my time. I get the tank this weekend 7/21 ( I hope).

As for the leds, last night someone warned me about a prob with having a lot of ELN drivers. I am going to see if I can figure out a solution.. if not.. I am going to have to figure out a diffrent route..

 

[dave.m]

wonder if SW will kill my grass

Yes, definitely. It can eventually leach out into your yard. Also, excessive salts in the soil will eat into a cement foundation every time it rains if the drain ends too close to the house. You really want this to go to your main house drain.

Dave.M

 

[lookout888]

Yes, definitely. It can eventually leach out into your yard. Also, excessive salts in the soil will eat into a cement foundation every time it rains if the drain ends too close to the house. You really want this to go to your main house drain.

Dave.M

Thanks Dave. My washer is in the next room over so I will just use that drain. I figured sw would kill the grass.. did not think about the salt eating away at concert but it makes sense.

Thank you again for your advice and time!

 

[007Bond]

Thanks for your build link. I'll follow along. Keep in mind your overflow box capacity to your return pump output. My sump, refu. ect are in my basement. I have two dolphin return pumps and I have one valved back a little. My returns are 2"x 2 back to the basement. If both pumps run full, the water tends to want to overtake the overflow. Not good. I should have had 2.5 to 3" returns to be safe. On your drivers let us know how you can use that many. (what you figure out) LUCK---Rick