Many years away, back the reef!

[WinnipegDragon]

Big day. Skinned the stand.

First had to check for square:

BOOM!

DOUBLE BOOM!

Started cutting the MDO, and laid in the bottom shelf and side panels. There was a bit of a crown on the lower supports so hit them with the ROS until it sat nicely. Panels are just screwed so that they can be replaced if necessary. I used some leftover 1 & 5/8ths #8 Decking screws which should be basically impervious to water.

The face frame was made from the large panel cutoffs and aligned with the dowel jig.

The face frame was glued but not clamped since screwing it to the frame will ensure it doesn't move.

Lugged it up onto my tablesaw since it's the flattest surface in my garage. I really, really need a build a workbench.

Screwed the top on after checking the supporting frame for crowning, but it was all good. Everything is dead flat.

If you look closely there is a gap at the top and bottom of the side and face panels. This is so the stand will sit only on the frame and the top won't apply any weight to the ply as well. The ply is plenty strong but I want all the weight sitting on the 2x4 frame only. I'll add moulding top and bottom to cover the gap and pretty up the stand.

Next steps, wood filler, sanding and painting.

 

[WinnipegDragon]

Trim and primer.

 

[WinnipegDragon]

First coat of paint on the stand and I've layed out and glued up the accent details on the front panel. The front panel will get sets of drawer pulls to look something like a chest of drawers. The interior will stay primer white for easy cleaning and better light reflection while working inside the stand.

Considering a second paint color for the 'drawer' part of the front, maybe a pale gray?

 

[WinnipegDragon]

First thing first I made a template with scrap MDF to mark out my mounting hardware locations and then laid out the hardware on the front panel.

The mounting hardware consists of a frame and a button. The button is mounted to the front panel.

Laid out the panel on the stand and transferred the template marks.

Add the handles and the everything now snaps into place. The stand is finally complete!

Needs a little paint touchup here and there but I'm happy.

 

[WinnipegDragon]

Moving back to getting my RO/DI and saltwater mixing up and running now that the stand is complete.

Plumbing is done on the mixing tank:

And internally:

Only downside is that this pump is ridiculously overrated and doesn't push anything close to 500gph. Thirty dollar Amazon pump, you suck.

I'll either cap off one of the ends on the split pipe or maybe see if I can find some eductors to increase water movement.

 

[WinnipegDragon]

Did a sample rock layout on a cardboard template of the tank. Hoping to get the smaller pieces epoxied together and all of it into a bath with a raw shrimp to start curing soon.

 

[WinnipegDragon]

Just working on the scape plan and found out about this Aquavitro Bond stuff.* Bought some at my FLGS and sweet mother of crap is it handy.

Fifteen minutes ago this was four separate rocks:

 

[WinnipegDragon]

Hello beautiful. You come here often?

 

[FernandesReef]

Hello beautiful. You come here often?

Nice looking slimmer, which BM is it?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[WinnipegDragon]

Nice looking slimmer, which BM is it?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Curve 5 Elite.

 

[WinnipegDragon]

The rock is all tucked away with no light and as much sealing as I can manage for the next few weeks.

Hopefully I don't get a ton of evaporation that escapes th lidded container and hopefully the shrimp won't make the house reek too bad when we are back.

I figure the air pump will keep the anaerobic at bay while the curing happens.

No updates for a little while, when I get back I'll get the stand in place, get the sump and tank up and filled, move the rock and get the WAV kit installed.

 

[WinnipegDragon]

Couple of other small updates, got my two 3/4" VCA random flow generators in. Should have done 1/2" though as my returns need to push about 250 gph each for them and that's a lot of flow through the sump, at least 10x. Might need to return them and scale down.

Also got around to water testing. Ammonia in the rock tub is at or below 2ppm so I've clearly got something using it up as this shrimp has been in the tub for a solid two weeks. Strangely though, I see zero Nitrates and zero Nitrites. The tub is completely dark so there is nothing in there to eat nitrate either.

I'm guessing maybe there isn't enough oxygenation in the tub despite running a small air pump next to the powerhead.
Checked the pH and it's sitting very low at about 7.6 so maybe that's it? These are brand new Red Sea kits so they shouldn't be that far off. Not expired or anything either.

Regardless I'm not in a rush and this rock will move to the display as soon as I have it so it will get light and flow and aeration then. I dropped in another vial of Prodibio biodigest and I'll check again in a few days.

 

[WinnipegDragon]

This cycle, she ain't cycling.

That's three weeks so I can't imagine that it's going to improve with what I'm doing. Hopefully by the end of next weekend the rock will move to the tank, I'll have at least one Nero providing better circulation, and I'll try shifting from a raw shrimp to dosed pure ammonia and a different source of bacteria.

 

[WinnipegDragon]

Been toying with options for additional nutrient export and I am leaning Algae Scrubber over a reactor now.* I think the sump space might be an issue but a lot of the rest on top of the sump anyhow, or there are options like the HOG from Santa Monica.

I'd like it up an running as soon as the cycle completes in the tank so I guess I need to decide soon!

In the meantime, I printed off some Pod Hotels out of PETG on my 3D printer, and a frag rack is the next project!

 

[WinnipegDragon]

Okay, I've finalized the remaining gear I need to order, and catalogued whats on hand.

Updated equipment list:

36" x 18" x 18" Starfire front tank with internal bean animal overflow and dual returns
28" x 14" x 16" sump with dual 4" socks
Apex Classic with 2 EB8s, WXM, LMK, lab-grade PH probe
Dual Sicce Syncra Silent 1.5 returns with VCA Random Flow Generators
2 Ecotech Radion XR15 G4 Pro lights with diffusers and RMS hanging kit
2 AI Nero 5 Wavemakers
Bubble Magus Curve 5 Elite Skimmer with AutoAqua monitor
Santa Monica Filtration RAIN2 TAS with Sicce Syncra Silent 1.5 and 2 GEM5 lights
Bulk Reef Supply deluxe carbon reactor w. 0.8 ROX and MJ1200 feed pump
Tunze Osmolator 3155 ATO

I'll plan to dose BRS 2-part once corals go in the tank.

 

[Njdevils1220]

Welcome back! No one ever stays away too long.

 

[WinnipegDragon]

Thanks! My tanks been delayed so hopefully it arrives this week, I can paint the back and Plumb it next weekend.

 

[WinnipegDragon]

Hot damn I'm finally picking up the tank and sump tomorrow! Paint the back tomorrow night, let it cure and then start plumbing Saturday.

So time to talk stocking plans. This is a heavy-in-heavy-out system that will likely be fed twice daily. Between the filter socks, oversized skimmer, carbon reactor and algae scrubber I should be in good shape. Subsequently I'm not too worried about a heavier bioload.

What I would like is 3-4 mid-water open swimmers along the lines of a Lyretail Anthias, maybe a clown or two (although clowns are sort of boring to me), Basslets or Damsels. Those will likely be the first inhabitants. Then, I want to add 2-3 wrasses of the flasher/fairy type, basically any that would be fine in a barebottom. Last addition would be a small tang until it grows out, or maybe a one-spot Foxface - some sort of active algae grazer. Last addition a Mandarin or Scooter Blenny 6+ months after the tank is fully established.

Feel free to critique and/or suggest other options!

 

[WinnipegDragon]

Got the tank back painted, put down the textured ABS on the bottom of the tanj and test fit the sump.

 

[WinnipegDragon]

Got the plumbing done, water goes in tomorrow!