New build thread... 210 gallons

[AZBigJohn]

Well, here we go again. This will be my second reset after letting my tank get away from me due to life getting in the way. This is going to be a total tank reset, as I have traded in my former tank, and, with the blessings of an incredibly understanding wife, the purchase of a new (to me) 210 gallon tank. I have promised to myself to make sure I do this right, not to rush anything, and to quarantine anything that is going into the tank. It was my failure to carefully observe the frags going into my tank that caused the aptasia outbreak of biblical proportions that caused my last tank to be shut down.

First, the basics. New tank is a new (to me) former custom build. Itis a 210 gallon all glass rimless tank, supported on a custom steel stand with nice wood doors framed out on it. I documented on the previous build thread that I was concerned that the original owner ran a single overflow and a single return out of the center-drilled overflow. I have had snails crawl into my overflow before on a previous build, so I wasn't comfortable with that. The stand is set up to have a peninsula tank. but the tank isn't one. All plumbing was in the center. I drilled a new return line on the peninsula end, and will run the return from that end, with a Maxpect Gyre on the other end to create good flow.

Now, finally, some pictures:
This is a shot of the stand, with a glimpse of the tank on the floor. This is where the tank will go (where my previous tank was).

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As you can see, there is a weird area the previous owner had a 6" space between the one door and the ground. Not sure why, but I figured I would just screen it in, and add it as an airflow spot. So I made a custom screen for the spot, and will put computer fans behind it to add some airflow in teh sump at all times:

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All the corals I could save from the previous tank (I didn't have a ton) are sitting in my "frag tank" made from an old Cardiff tank I had:

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All my old rock is baking in the Arizona sun, ready to be powerwashed of every last trace of aptasia. I am debating acid-washing it as well, just to get it back to pristine, since I am going to have to cycle it anyway.

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With the help of several local club members and my son and son-in-law, we muscled the 400 pound tank onto the stand this past weekend, and I am ready to begin plumbing: (under the stand you can see the 80 gallon tall I am using for the sump, my ATO reservoir, and the new aragonite sand ready for rinsing.)

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I will be adding pictures and documenting as I go, so that I can document my progress, and you can all keep me honest about doing things the right way!

 

[coralreefjunkie]

The heavy stuff is out of the way. Now is time to play & have fun!

 

[Vanpire]

I like to acid wash my rocks. It gets them nice and white. Not sure what you mean by cycle, but if you are talking about just the ammonia cycle, then having your rocks in there for a week or so would be enough. That's how I started mine. I did a concentrated acid wash and a rinse afterwards and organic matter pretty much was cleaned off.

 

[AZBigJohn]

Moving forward with my plumbing. I have set up all my plumbing with full unions so that they can be disassembled and cleaned (another thing I overlooked on my last build.) I am letting all the glue dry (and watching the SuperBowl) so I plan on filling it with tap water for a leak test tomorrow after work.

Here is a shot of all the plumbing from a distance:

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The side cabinet that runs along the side made the plumbing for the return pretty straight forward. I am running a Sicce Synchra 5.0 as my return. Here is a weird angle from the top that shows the entire run of the return. Only one 90 degree angle, so I hope to get some good flow. Once it enters the bulkhead, it immediately hits a locline splitter, and divides into two 3/4" locline pipes:



My curiosity and concern with this plumbing is if I will be able to run a single full siphon drain, and use the second one as an overflow/emergency. I have a ball valve on the one line to dial it down, and I have both a solid cap, or a cap with a hole, depending on what I find out with my leak test. I will either use is solid cap if I manage to support a full siphon, or I will use the cap with a hole drilled in it if I end up running dual Herbies. Here is my lower plumbing: (you can't tell from the picture, but both tubes will end 1" below the water line)

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[krazysvede]

Tank looks familiar, glad it's gone to a good home. Looks great so far!

I ran a Herbie overflow with the return up over the back right corner to a seaswirl with no drain issues.

When my Dad gave the tank to Discount he missed a couple of the doors buried in my garage. I have 2 more of the short canopy doors and the missing longer door for the stand, and some of the door hardware. All yours if you want em. I'm North Valley too 19th Ave/ Carefree Highway-ish, just let me know and we can meet up or something.

 

[AZBigJohn]

Tank looks familiar, glad it's gone to a good home. Looks great so far!

I ran a Herbie overflow with the return up over the back right corner to a seaswirl with no drain issues.

When my Dad gave the tank to Discount he missed a couple of the doors buried in my garage. I have 2 more of the short canopy doors and the missing longer door for the stand, and some of the door hardware. All yours if you want em. I'm North Valley too 19th Ave/ Carefree Highway-ish, just let me know and we can meet up or something.

Great to hear! I hope to do great things with the tank.

PM sent.

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[dream54ing]

A few comments/suggestion before you fill it with saltwater...

1) Make sure your comfortable with the clearance between the tank and sump. Looks a little tight, might be a PIA to move things in and out.

2) If you got the sump used, fill it all the way to the top for a leak test. I know it wont be fully fill when up and running, but it truly testes the reliability of the sump. I usually keep it full sitting for about a week or two to make sure.

3) Double check that you don't have any lace rock in the pile of rocks pictured. Power wash then place in running saltwater (old water from water changes) for a week or so.

4) I see some corrosion on stand, address that before going forward. Marine grade paint will help stop any corrosion from continuing.

 

[AZBigJohn]

A few comments/suggestion before you fill it with saltwater...

1) Make sure your comfortable with the clearance between the tank and sump. Looks a little tight, might be a PIA to move things in and out.

2) If you got the sump used, fill it all the way to the top for a leak test. I know it wont be fully fill when up and running, but it truly testes the reliability of the sump. I usually keep it full sitting for about a week or two to make sure.

3) Double check that you don't have any lace rock in the pile of rocks pictured. Power wash then place in running saltwater (old water from water changes) for a week or so.

4) I see some corrosion on stand, address that before going forward. Marine grade paint will help stop any corrosion from continuing.

Thanks!

I have enough clearance for my skimmer in and out of the sump. It looks tight because the doors are lower than the top of the stand, but I can get everything in and out.

Leak testing the sump is in today's plan, and hopefully leak testing the plumbing as well. I may very well leave the sump over full for a few days to double check for leaks.

I'm not entirely sure what you mean about the lace rock...

Thanks again for great points!

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[dream54ing]

Thanks!

I have enough clearance for my skimmer in and out of the sump. It looks tight because the doors are lower than the top of the stand, but I can get everything in and out.

Leak testing the sump is in today's plan, and hopefully leak testing the plumbing as well. I may very well leave the sump over full for a few days to double check for leaks.

I'm not entirely sure what you mean about the lace rock...

Thanks again for great points!

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i could be mistaken, but some of the rocks you have in the photo "appears" to be similar to lace rocks (non calcium carbonate).

cannot confirm, but from my experience, its hit or miss on lace rock leaching anything that might be harmful. i've had tank without any problems and some with uncontrollable algae growth. just something to research on if those are indeed lace rock.

 

[AZBigJohn]

i could be mistaken, but some of the rocks you have in the photo "appears" to be similar to lace rocks (non calcium carbonate).

cannot confirm, but from my experience, its hit or miss on lace rock leaching anything that might be harmful. i've had tank without any problems and some with uncontrollable algae growth. just something to research on if those are indeed lace rock.

Okay, now I understand.

All of that rock has been in my previous tank for a couple of years. yes, I did have some algae issues, and worse, a major aptasia outbreak, which is why it has been sitting outside for several weeks. I plan on doing the "Rock Reincarnation" process found on this forum (basically a bleach process, followed by an acid wash) but honestly have no idea if that will clear any issues of the type you are discussing. I was confused, I have always heard "lace rock" used interchangeably with "base rock".

 

[dream54ing]

Okay, now I understand.

All of that rock has been in my previous tank for a couple of years. yes, I did have some algae issues, and worse, a major aptasia outbreak, which is why it has been sitting outside for several weeks. I plan on doing the "Rock Reincarnation" process found on this forum (basically a bleach process, followed by an acid wash) but honestly have no idea if that will clear any issues of the type you are discussing. I was confused, I have always heard "lace rock" used interchangeably with "base rock".

Well, lace rock will be lace rock whether or not it goes through the "Rock Reincarnation" process. I don't recommend using it, since you can find dry rock, that are not lace rock, for fairly cheap ($1-1.50/lb).

 

[Vanpire]

You can always tell lace rock from "normal" dry rocks. Lace rocks are way heavier than normal calcium carbonate. They are also hard to drill into and harder to break.

This is how I tell anyway.

 

[AZBigJohn]

You can always tell lace rock from "normal" dry rocks. Lace rocks are way heavier than normal calcium carbonate. They are also hard to drill into and harder to break.

This is how I tell anyway.

Thanks. This has been an informative day between this thread and Google. I never realized lace rock was any different that the traditional rock. I bought most of my larger pieces from Oceans Floor when it was on sale years ago, and I think it was even labeled "lace rock."

Now to sort out what I want and don't want...

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[dream54ing]

If the rock has a really cool/unique shape, its most likely lace rock plus its a bit heavier as mentioned.

If your lace rocks have been in your old tank for long enough time, the chances of leaching is way less because everything might have already leached out previously. I still wouldn't take the chance since your trying to "do it right" this time.

Thanks. This has been an informative day between this thread and Google. I never realized lace rock was any different that the traditional rock. I bought most of my larger pieces from Oceans Floor when it was on sale years ago, and I think it was even labeled "lace rock."

Now to sort out what I want and don't want...

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[AZBigJohn]

Well, @dream54ing 's advice about the sump seemed like a good idea, so it has been sitting full of water since early this morning... I'm going to leave it until tomorrow morning to double check for slow leaks, but so far, so good...

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I have the first half of my dry rock out after sitting in a large container of 1:10 bleach water, rinsed off and drying in the sun.

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I bought some bulk Sodium Triphosphate (dechlor) and will have them all soak in that after the second batch gets done. Once all of that is done, they will get acid washed. I am also going to look for some more base rock, so I can sort out the existing lace rock I have. When examined each piece after the bleach wash, it was amazing the difference in weight of some of them, so I am getting a better idea of which is which.

And, my second batch of rock (and rubble) is in the bleach soak for 24 hours... (I covered it after the photo to keep the dogs/animals out)

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[AZBigJohn]

Well, today was a busy day, and the big step of the leak test for all of my plumbing is complete, and I am happy to say that first try, no leaks!

First order of business was to finish my bleach wash of all the rock that I started yesterday. After rinsing really well, and drying in the sun, I set up a heavy dechlor solution using the directions in one of Randy's Holmes Farley's threads, I then soaked all the rock in the dechlorinator solution. They all came out not smelling of bleach, so hopefully that was a success. I don' t have any pictures of that.. (sorry, I am trying to take pictures of everything, but I got so busy I forgot!)


Then on to filling the entire tank for the first time, and leak testing all of my plumbing! It takes a LOT longer than I thought to fill a 210 gallon aquarium (that has no rock or sand in it) all the way with a garden hose! Here it is about 3/4 the way full!

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And here is the exciting point! Water has reached the overflow, and is cascading down into the overflow for the first time!!!

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Now my big question on this tank was if I was going to be able to run a full siphon, sort of in the vein of the Bean Animal style, without having all three drain lines (as I was limited by the center overflow). I had my double Herbie overflows set up, and had one cap without a hole, with ball valve on the line, to give it a shot. I also had a replacement cap with a hole drilled if it didn't work out...

After a couple minutes, and playing with the ball valve, after cranking the line about half shut, I was able to achieve a full siphon, which quieted the drain down quite a bit... Here is a top-down shot of the overflow... I still have some waterfall, as I have about 2" of water drop down to the drain level...

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And here is a shot of the drains into the sump after getting the siphon tuned in... No bubbles to be seen, and it is running full flow... There is hardly any water coming down the second line... I turned the pump on and off several times, and it takes about 2 minutes for the siphon to form and quiet down, but it does it every time...

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[Jayreefer]

looking good. can't wait to see some livestock in it.

 

[azjohnny]

good job getting the full syphon dialed in

 

[Mael]

everything looks good, love getting to the point of that first fill and test. nice work all around.

 

[Stolireef]

I've been lurking on this thread. I'm about to start down the same road (for the 3rd &^%&* time). Looks great so far.