My 90 In Wall Project (Photo Intense)

[masterswimmer]

I have an auto top off on mine... I turned my dehumidifier off. I have the basement sump and it seemed like the dehumidifier was sucking a lot of water from the sump.

Dehumidifiers will only remove airborne moisture. The sump does add moisture to the air......that's what evaporation is. When the dehumidifier removes the moisture, the drier air that results from that 'makes room' for additional evaporation from your sump. Therefore if you don't run a dehumidifier, you might have less evaporation. However, that's the reason for running it. The moisture will cause mold and mildew to form. And that is not what you want, especially in a basement. In the main living area with doors and windows opening and closing it is more 'foregiving' for that additional moisture. In an enclosed basement, carpet and furniture will deteriorate more quickly. Allergy sufferers will not appreciate it either.

My $.02,
Russ

 

[aberg12012]

Russ I agree with you, and was going to post the same reply. Yes you will get less evap w/o, but only because the room air is more saturated. Water dosn't evaporate as easily when the air is already saturated. I had 3 aquariums in my apt for the last 2 years, and beleive me, I don't want my house that humid.

 

[masterswimmer]

Russ I agree with you, and was going to post the same reply. Yes you will get less evap w/o, but only because the room air is more saturated. Water dosn't evaporate as easily when the air is already saturated. I had 3 aquariums in my apt for the last 2 years, and beleive me, I don't want my house that humid.

:thumbsup:

Right on the money

Russ

 

[gooch]

Just make sure everything is wired GFCI or GFI. Water and salt and electricity do not mix well. I have every one of my outlets hooked up this way.

Surge protectors are very valuable also. Get a good one.....not the five dollar fleet farm special.

Scott

 

[gooch]

Auto top off. Tunze Osmolators are what I use on every tank. Won't set up a tank without one. I almost always stock this but I sold two last week and I am at zero. Should get a couple soon.

Scott

 

[aberg12012]

Just make sure everything is wired GFCI or GFI. Water and salt and electricity do not mix well. I have every one of my outlets hooked up this way.

Surge protectors are very valuable also. Get a good one.....not the five dollar fleet farm special.

Scott

Yea, I'm planning on adding another circuit breaker and running a line off it for the tank. What is the difference between GFI and GFCI? I was planning on using the GFCI outlets that are used next to sinks.

Wait... Ground Fault Interupter, Ground Fault CIRCUIT Interupter? Maybe I just answered my own question. GFCI cuts off power to the whole circuit, where as GFI only cuts it to the individual outlet?

As for the auto top off, I already ordered a float switch from www.autotopoff.com.

 

[aberg12012]

Now on the topic of substrate:

I had intended on going BB, and already have starboard trimmed down to fit. But now that it's in the tank, I can't stand looking at it. I would like to go with something different, other than southdown as I can't stand that either. (I'm fed up with sand storms.)

I guess I'd like to find something locally that is between crushed coral and southdown. Just something to cover the front of the tank for looks.

 

[aberg12012]

HERE IT IS!

Spent the last 2 days (which included all night last night) moving aquariums and other "critters" of mine. What a royal pain. Just got the lights up and running an hour ago. Can't wait to get the bulbs for the PFO's.

 

[z28cam]

Very nice aberg

 

[iceman5]

very nice thanks for the pictures!!!!!

 

[aberg12012]

Thanks guys... Here's some more for your viewing pleasure. Things are looking "ok" considering they just had a 20 minute ride in the back of a pickup in sub freezing temps yesterday. :lol:

I literally just hung the lights a couple hours before these photos.

RBTA isn't looking too hot, but I hope it'll come around... (Normaly it's about 10" when fully spread out.)

And the hermits are wondering "Where did all the sand go???"

And finally, since my tank really isn't anything to drool over, here is something that is... (I knew I put that ledge there for something!)

 

[Aquabucket]

Sweet! You sure get things done fast!

I dig the trim you picked out as well.

You can try Caribsea's reef grade sand ~ it's a much larger particle size than SD or oolite. I use it in my display tanks at the store. You can stirr it up pretty good with-out clouding up things very much. It costs about a buck a lb. at most LFS.

Another option would be going with a black sand/gravel. I also use this in some of my fish only tanks. You can really stir this stuff up and it stays weighted down pretty well for its small particle size (smaller than the Caribsea). Detritus and silt will seperate from it quite well upon stirring ~ bringing it up into the water column to be skimmed, syphoned or filtered out.

I look forward to seing things develop ~ that's a really nice set-up you got gong there!

 

[aberg12012]

Thanks! Words can't describe how excited I am, not only to have this tank up and running but also now since I have all my aquriums and other "critters" at my new place, it's really setting in. This is MY place... Truly awsome.

Just for comparison... here was my 75 reef at my old apt...

And here it is now...

Only the VHO (actinic and 10k) were running on the second pic, which explains the color balance difference. Id already shut off the Ushios.

I should be getting the 400 watt Iwasakis in this morning, along with replacement VHO actinics and the 7,100 K blue PC bulbs. Which reminds me, I should go put the signature on the door for UPS since I won't wake up in time. :lol:

 

[aberg12012]

You can try Caribsea's reef grade sand ~ it's a much larger particle size than SD or oolite. I use it in my display tanks at the store. You can stirr it up pretty good with-out clouding up things very much. It costs about a buck a lb. at most LFS.

Well, the other day I went out and picked up 30 lbs of some "normal" size reef sand. It's not really sand, more a small particle crushed coral IMO. I like it's size. I planned on just putting it in the front of the tank for looks. But honestly, now that the tank is set up with nothing but the starboard, I really dont mind the bare bottom. Both my friends who helped me move the live stock agreed it dosn't look that bad. One was really sceptical untill he saw it, and seemed to even admit today it's not that bad.

I'm reluctant to even put the 30 lbs of what I have down in the front of the rocks. I think I may just save it for the fuge, which I plan on having a DSB in anyways as it will only receive mechanically filtered water, and won't cause any sand storms.

Now I need to get the 55 cleaned out and have some glass cut for the baffles.

 

[aberg12012]

AGA Overflow Kit Flushing

AGA Overflow Kit Flushing

Oh yea... one more thing. Anyone else ever have any problems with AGA's overflow kit doing the toilette thing? Mine's flushing pretty bad no matter what I've tried. Seems it's drawing in too much air. I wouldn't really care since it's behind a wall and sound is a non-issue, but it's really gunna create problems for the auto top off with it flushing up and down.

 

[masterswimmer]

Fantastic job. Very impressed with the finished product and how quick you got it done too. Looks great. Congratulations.

Russ

 

[Stigmatic]

As for the overflow problem, i have the AGA Mega Overflow and dont have any problem with the draining. I hear a lot of people go with the durso overflows and never have a problem. As for the starboard, hell... give it a couple months and it will be covered in coraline, or try to get a "zoo mat" started on there!

 

[masterswimmer]

Stigmatic, I really like that zoo mat idea. Do they attach to starboard?

Russ

 

[aberg12012]

Thanks guys. As for the starboard, like I said before, now that it's all set up I don't mind how it looks. Infact at eye level from a distance (like in the photos) the floor of the tank isn't even visible anyways. And I'm sure in a few months the bottom will no longer be white at all.

As for the flushing action of my standpipe, I'm not sure what would fix it. I may just plug the air hole, which will make slurping noises, but will keep the water level even. Heck, might as well just try making a durso or stockmann. Just annoys me that I spent 50 bucks for 2 bulk heads, a 6" ball/socket nozel, 2 feet of PVC and a 90 degree elbow.

 

[Zombies026]

Dude I have 2 admit it looks awsome..Gonna have 2 stop by some night with a few beer and stare at it for awhile..Might need my drool cup...AAA+++ all the way man...