New tank 125 (note: this may progress slowly)

[boviac]

WHEW!!!! Ok. Done... but the laundry list of still to-do items is LONG!

125g tank is up, corals are in lights are on! (At work now pics will follow)

In the process, I traded my Maroon Clown to Jody for two 3/4" bulkheads that I got on Sunday afternoon when I snapped/broke at least one of them (the one I plan on using right now). Then I realized with the size of certain things there was going to be a new plan for plumbing of the supply and returns in this stand. An extra trip to OSH solved this.

Ended up drilling out my Durso's to a 5/16 hole and no more cycling of levels or slurping/flushing noises. Happy.

Put on the previous Prizm skimmer as I need to do some additional work to get my larger DIY skimmer from MARS set up and tuned. Last night, didn't feel like it.

Also I added a bag of carbon in the sump to help clean up anything left in the tank, left over in the mix containers, or from the critters from the move process. Water still had tons of microbubbles. The only thing that changed on the 125 vs. the 50 was new piping, new tank, and megaflows vs. SOS overflow... oh, and 125g of new saltwater.... at 60F!!! Plus, it ended up being 1.021 so I added a few cups of salt to the tank. At this temp it has plenty of time to mix.

But the real problem was waiting for 125g of water to warm up. I stayed up until 1am and temp was only 71F. 3 heaters: 150W + 200W + 200W! 550W! So slow. Bumped up my house temp a few degrees to 69 and focused a radiant space heater.

Awoke at 5:30am to check and it was 76F - Good enough. Threw in the Rock! â€"œ not physically! Wow! the rock which filled my 50g barely looks like any rock in the 125g. Took out the fish in bags: DOA- Coral Beauty and barely alive, Scopas Tang. Moved over the Mandarin and Goby - status: awaiting to be seen. Even with more heaters, I think doing this in the winter is a crap-shoot. Having 550W of heaters was always fine for 50+29g moves. However, heating water up for 125g outside with temps 40-55F... is silly now, in retrospect. I wasted easily 9-10 hours waiting for the water to warm up on top of about an extra hour+ of plumbing issues. This time I should have given the bagged fish some extra air exchange and maybe even let go in the cooler with corals. Hind sight is always 20/20.

Placed my previous frag tray in the 50 back into the 125 as I still have lots of frags and I want them up high as I only have 175W lights, no clear place to put them, and aquascaping of rock is not yet done. Waited about 30 minutes after all corals were placed to put on light and turn on actinics. Went back to bed. Got up and turned on MH and lots of microbubbles still but slowly clearing up. Sad day for fish loss but in a way my coral beauty was aggressive and introduction of new fish might be too stressful as this may have aided in the death of the purple tang. The scopas tang made Dori look smart. The only time I ever saw it eating algae naturally was when it was mimicking the short life of the purple tang. And I had considered trading it for a real voracious algae eater! Nonetheless, no one in this hobby is happy when an animal under their care dies. Most of the corals appear to be extending polyps however one of the two remaining deep water acro stump frags bleached out. Most others appeared to make the swap fine.

 

[melev]

In the past when I needed to warm up a large or small body of water, I would just take some out of the container and bring it up to a boil, pour it back in and mix. Measure the temperature, and repeat as necessary. If it got too hot, ice cubes brought it back down.

I'm sorry to hear about your fish losses.

Microbubbles usually go away within 14 days, as the new plumbing slimes over. If you still have them, it could be a pinhole leak in the return plumbing (acting like a venturi). Check the return section as that needs to be bubble free. Also, if you have locline, submerge it fully as it could be sucking in air that way as well, pumping microbubbles into the display.

 

[mrbncal]

Been lurking since your thread started. I'm shy. Looking forward to seeing some aquascaping pics. Nice job on the stand btw!

 

[boviac]

Thanks Melev and mrbncal! With over 600 page views I know there's some lurkers out there! Thanks for posting! I though about doing something like that (boiling water) but not until it was way late, super tired, and simply thoughts about safety at that late hour prohibited me from doing anything with boiling water!

Microbubbles are diminishing nicely. Loc-line is submerged and pretty sure return piping is tight. Tank is cleaning up nicely.

Getting ACII reinstalled and various modules back onto the appropriate plugs. I suppose it's time for some pics. Give a few minutes for uploading and linking. . .

 

[boviac]

To Sump piping - Middle gate valve is for skimmer supply and this section was lifted up higher on the center post to make a straighter approach.

Water going in - side view

Water going in - top view

Water is in - Light on top ON

Left Megaflow (modified to have wider openings) and Tank Return capped off

Cloudy water at 8:15pm day of swap

 

[boviac]

Day 2 6:30pm - Right Side - clearing up nicely

Day 2 6:30pm - Left Side - heater being calibrated

Day 2 6:30pm - Center

 

[nova62]

looks good chris. keep the pics coming

 

[boviac]

Thanks nova67! I am trying to document process and keep things here. But occasionally I forget to take pictures. Glad you enjoy them.

 

[melev]

Looks like you used every plate from kitchen. :lol:

Thanks for all the pictures. Okay, you're gonna have to explain that plumbing to us in more detail. You knew that, right?

 

[boviac]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13952550#post13952550 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by melev
Looks like you used every plate from kitchen. :lol:

Nearly every plate - Yes. In the past, when I've used only a few, it seems to me, my plate installation efforts were for not when the areas that were 'plate-less' the plastic came up and created a sandstorm. Since I figured I needed to wash 4-5 plates, why not make it 10-15! No sand storms this time.

I'll try to take more detailing pics of plumbing and be happy to detail that as that's the parts of these build-threads that really fascinates me.

Last night I got my AquaController II back on and the heaters cleaned up and calibrated and installed in the sump. I started to clean up the wires but I really need to get the angled barbed fitting to get my DIY skimmer online.

This morning I still have some microbubbles but the tank with these lights is AMAZING! When I look over at my 29g still on 50/50 PC's (110W-130W)....ho hum... but at the 125g.... BLING! Crisp white, lights with I think 14K 175W SE MH bulbs.

 

[boviac]

Oh I bought some of the AquaMaxx 175W 14k bulbs from MD- got 3 for less than $90!!! I plan to swap them out at three month intervals starting with the new year as I don't know for sure the brand or how long these current bulbs have been run. Nonetheless, they look great right now!

 

[boviac]

Left side of Stand: Here you see the left side tank return tee-ing into the right side return and then going into the sump. Out of the Sump is 3/4" flex PVC going to the chiller. Also seen is the left side tank supply isolation valve not connected to anything. This is because I'm using a small return pump left over from my 50g tank setup.

Middle of stand: Here you can see on the left side the tee where the left return meets with the right return. Further upstream you can see the Tee off the right return which goes to the DIY skimmer (tangentical recirculating skimmer with a Mag 7 recircing). Also, you can see the 3/4" flex PVC heading to the chiller. Also, just above the skimmer top you can see the isolation valve for the right side sump supply.

Right side of Stand: Here things are more simple. The left side is the sump supply. I had to swap this thing since it came down too far when mounted straight down so I put in a 45 and used flex pipe to put it more of a straight sloped approch. Also you can see the inlet of the chiller on the lower left and the outlet of the chiller on the right going up to the tank.
It enters the tank via a split 3/4" loc-line to two nozzles.

Thats the plubming description.

 

[melev]

It almost made sense to me, too. :lol:

When describing plumbing, this is what I recommend:

Drain lines drain into the sump.
Return lines pump water back up to the display via the <b>return</b> pump.

That takes the confusion out of 50% of the discussion usually.

So by combining both drains into one line, that hasn't led to any sort of issue yet? Usually if you combine two equal sized drains into the same sized drain line, problems may occur. Two 1" drains combining into 1" tubing isn't ideal. If your return pump isn't too large, it'll be fine.

I only bring this up because many people lurk, read the thread, and then emulate it. By discussing this, we can provide them with a little more insight and avoid replicating mistakes we've made (not that I'm saying you made one in this instance).

 

[GreshamH]

Now I have to find something else to emulate, thanks Marc

Great build thread

 

[boviac]

Thanks Melev. Yes the return pump isn't going to jam the 1" flow so I'm not worried about combining them.

I have a Reeflo Dart in the garage but since I'll need 1) an extra power line to run the pump, lights, and potentially a chiller simultaniously, 2) a new sump designed by me (melev inspired) but yet to build it to cut a suction hole to mount the external pump suction (this sump is too small and eventually I want to sell it as is - no holes), and 3) a stand built better (from what I've learned from this one) that is a bit deeper to hold my electrical panel section and the extra room for the Dart and a manifold distribution section, I'm simply using my existing sump system for now.

I eventually plan to run the Dart for distribution and maybe some mod maxi's or K4's for in tank circulation. Once the new sump/new stand is built the 1" drain lines will have their own inlets into the sump besides an additional 1" recirc to tap off the Dart Discharge should there be too much flow that I don't want to valve down.

So to clarifly as per your specifications of drain and return lines.... Yes the two 1" drains go into the one sump inlet provided with this model. In between the drains is a gate valve to a gravity fed DIY skimmer source which will discharge into the sump's return pump section. The 3/4" return piping goes from the pump to the chiller to the right side return. HTH's and sorry for any confusion.

GreshamH, thanks for stopping by and posting.

Also, I removed the DIY skimmer. I forgot it has simply too many leaks to be ran outside of a sump or dedicated bucket and occasional pump out system. I could seal the leaks up but I think I'll just wait until the eventual sump which will contain this skimmer is ready. I've decided when I take down the 29g I might simply put two Prizm skimmers on it for now.

Confirmed both the mandarin and pink spotted Goby survived the swap. So far these are the only fish in this 125g tank. I plan to move over an lyretail female anthias and a 2.5" hippo tang, when I got her she was about the size of a quarter. They grow fast. Hope to swap them out tomorrow.

 

[Underwaterparadise]

If I were you just to be safe I would make that Drain 1.5". I have tried your method and even with little flow from the return pipe you are setting yourself up for a potiental clog and flood.

On one of my tanks at the shop if it were not for 2 drains the tank would have overflown a long time ago. I need to get a snake or something cause there has been a snail or something in one of the drains for months now!!

 

[boviac]

Yeah but the existing sump only has a 1" inlet plate. I like the distribution plate (this was a bio-ball wet/dry sump) as I feel 1) it is a great place to place a filter pad, and 2) helps to further aerate the water. And believe me unless a 0.5" or larger snail got in to this one I won't have any problems. Again this is a temporary setup and I hope to have it as is less than a year. I'm already near finished with my sump and final stand design... It's just that funds are a bit low right now and plus, after all the time I've been dedicating to this stand build/tank swap and current issues still, I need to have a bit more family time. January/February I hope to obtain a nice sheet of acrylic and go to my cousin's table saw to make the main cuts.

Once the sump is complete, I plan to make a new stand which given funding and free time should be completed by the end of summer. I'd like to not do a tank swap during the winter or peak of summer again.

 

[boviac]

Also, you may note in the photo the ball valve and union are in the opposite order on the right hand drain line. This is because I ended up putting things together wrong and had to make due.

 

[boviac]

Some frags from my 29g

More frags

More frags

The orange/red Monti that I got from Joel's sale last year. The bleached spots are from where I set other frags upon because they needed to be very up near the surface from the limited light from the 55W PC 50/50 blubs.

Cool green plate coral that's doubled in size at the bottom under PC's

Some unimpressive brown palys until under these lights. Now they are developing a mint green center and opening up very full.

Zoa land...

 

[boviac]

One of several Nephthia future frags that will be for sale.

One of two anemones that I have left and the only one in this tank. Must have split at least six or seven times over 6+ years. A green bubble tip but the tips are starting to turn a bit pink with this light.

Green Palys are taking over where Mushrooms have been dominant for a long time. Both will be gone by the time I get done trimming the corals off these rocks.

Cabbage or lettuce leather that will also be fragged and gone.

LARGE nephthia stalks

Neon green Hammer - this seems to be really healthy here so I might be fragging this out soon too.

Lower right of the tank. One polyp of pink tipped frogspawn, more green palys, a bright green candy cane or trumpet coral, and either a frag of pocilliapora or birdsnets from the recent frag swap. I'm still so new to SPS that I'm uncertain.