Oldude's new 400 gal tank build

[delphinus]

What happened to the RO? You can replace a shot membrane without replacing the whole thing, they only last so long, so eventually you usually need to replace them. Longest I've had a membrane last was a few years, the shortest was a few months (ouch, but it was my fault for hooking the thing direct to a float valve and letting the solenoid kick it on and off every few minutes)

 

[Oldude]

It is putting out zero waste h2o and is now leaking in a big way. It has several problems so I think it best to just replace it.

 

[Oldude]

Getting the new RO/DI unit on Friday.

 

[radar99]

Greg, you have an awesome aquarium, simply beautiful.
I might have missed this, but how did you get the acrylic to stick into the overflow? I have one in mine and algae keeps growing between the piece that is siliconed in and the glass, impossible to clean out.
Thanks

Kenny

 

[golfschosen1]

Greg sorry I missed the whole build process but I am here now and I am also here to say that tank is amazing you're corals look wonderful the fish room is sweet and I love the aquascaping too I really like what you have done with it all Congratulations

Steve

 

[PnoyReefeR]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14412986#post14412986 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Oldude
My true lack of photo skills really come out with this tank. I have not been able to get a picture that I am happy with so far. Nothing I do seems to do justice at showing the 36" depth.

I enjoy all your pictures and sometimes made me drool .. You might not be too happy with your skillz but you made tons of us happy

 

[Oldude]

radar99 - Greg, you have an awesome aquarium, simply beautiful. I might have missed this, but how did you get the acrylic to stick into the overflow? I have one in mine and algae keeps growing between the piece that is siliconed in and the glass, impossible to clean out.
Thanks

Kenny

Thanks a lot Kenny. I never siliconed mine and have the blue acrylic piece just braced against the glass with some 1/2" pvc.

golfschosen1 - Greg sorry I missed the whole build process but I am here now and I am also here to say that tank is amazing you're corals look wonderful the fish room is sweet and I love the aquascaping too I really like what you have done with it all Congratulations
Steve

Thanks very much Steve. Welcome aboard.

reeferpnoy - I enjoy all your pictures and sometimes made me drool .. You might not be too happy with your skillz but you made tons of us happy

Thanks Steve you're very kind. I sure enjoy seeing your stuff as well and wish I could get some of those corals where I live.

 

[Oldude]

I have decided to go bigger on the new RO unit so I ordered one of these today.
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/popup_image.php?pID=791&image=0

 

[Oldude]

 

[mikeande]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14506802#post14506802 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Oldude
I have decided to go bigger on the new RO unit so I ordered one of these today.
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/popup_image.php?pID=791&image=0

Let me know what you think of it when you get it. I almost ordered one when Calgary did a bulk order from there. Mind you I never seen that monster on their web site. So many options on the web it's hard to narrow it down to one. Price is of coarse a big factor along with quality. Things are looking really good Greg.

 

[Lambianz]

tank

tank

Oldude,

I've got to admit, what a thread, basic and to the point, this hobby, and your day to day progress on the tank, not like some involving a whole house renovation.

Really amazed on how you just slapped the tank together pc by pc.
Two questions in mind, and by all means I'm no expert on the subject, never done it, and probably don't want to try.

1st. is how does bracing on top of a tank of that size and the amount of water pushing the sides out, can be held together with just silicone.?

2nd. again I'm no expert, but looking at your overflow, and I'm assuming that you also have a closed loop system, but how do you control the water gravity feed, looking at the back of your tank, right side line, also having the two drains, far left being the dorso stand pipe? Seems as though, as I noticed you also have a gate valve on the return line right before pump. Wouldn't controlling the flow in the pump, starve the pump?

Trying to imagine the amount of water flowing into the overflow box.. With three bulkheads. Too, you mentioned the middle line that elbows back to the dorso line with the gate valve. I would think that would also help the tunning of the closed loop line to the closed loop pump??

Not trying to alert you in anyway, just a learning thing for me, seeing how I do Quality Control work every day and look at blue prints and communicate on a engineering basis. I'm one of those guys who has to know in detail on how it operates or functions with the matting parts or pieces that come together.

Again Awesome Tank/Thread and Great Work:thumbsup:

 

[mseepman]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14507684#post14507684 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Oldude

Hey Greg, I got a frag of the same coral that's in pic 1 and I was just wondering where in the tank you put this for flow and light? I've moved mine several times and it just doesn't seem to be taking off very well.

Thanks.


Mark.

 

[Oldude]

Thanks Mike I'll post my thoughts on the r/o unit after I've tried it.


Lambianz -
1-The silicone is rated for several tons so it should be ok. As shown in the thread there are also inner cleats installed along with eurobracing & two center braces for support. I am confident it will hold.(keeping fingers crossed)

2-The gate valve actually regulates the flow to the sump not the closed loop pump, it has a straight feed in and I regulate it's flow on the return side. You should be able to get a better idea with these photos.

I hope this answered your questions?

Mark - I keep mine in high light and strong flow.

 

[Lambianz]

Hmm if my eye's are correct I see two gate valves on the closed loop pump, out flow line going up to the four lines into the tank. Well it looks like the far right bulkhead line on the overflow box goes down to the closed loop pump, with the gate valve right before. Thats what puzzles me. If that is how its laid out, how does the overflow box co-inside with a high volume pump sucking as much as they do with the gravity feed line down. I was thinking that you control that with the center line in the overflow that elbows back with a gate valve to the doso line?
Hope I'm not confusing you, just looks complex with as much water or not that passes through the overflow box, one for the sump and two for a high volume closed loop pump. I've always wondered how you would rate a overflow box external or internal, with the size of the tank with water capacity. My tank is 32" height and my overflow is internal, but from top to bottom of the tank. I guess the amount of water in the box really doesn't matter as long as you have the right size bulkhead for how much flow the pump per gph is pumping?

 

[Lambianz]

tank

tank

ahh you've changed something in your lines
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h210/Trainer02/dec2829011plumbing3.jpg


this is a different set up before, plumbing lay out that is. That what was confusing me, but still interested in how the line down to closed loop pump is regulated from the overflow box. I love this kind of stuff, sorry,
I'm just getting some really good ideas and pointers from when we get our home and put in a fish room and 300g in-wall tank. If you like we can slide over to the pm.

:smokin:

Thanks.

 

[Oldude]

The closed loop intake is wide open and the overflow to the sump is controlled with the single gate valve. I added a check valve in line to the closed loop and put the emergency overflow pipe direct to the sump instead of it being tied into the drain pipe due to the noise factor.

 

[Oldude]

Lambianz - still interested in how the line down to closed loop pump is regulated from the overflow box. I love this kind of stuff, sorry,

There are three drilled holes in the overflow:
1- dedicated closed loop intake
2- gravity feed to the sump regulated by the gate valve
3- emergency overflow standpipe (with any luck it will always be dry but it is there just in case)

 

[Lambianz]

ahhhh, sounds like me, with some ingenuity in the making. Emergency back up lines that is. I actually put a bulkhead(homemade) out of a large o-ring seal and a couple of couplings from LHS, and placed it about 2" from the top of my sump. I have a elbow out going with a pc of pvc line on a slight slant down to a 3 gallon tub. In case, somehow the sump overflows. That usually only happens when the power goes off and maybe surges a few times after.

 

[Oldude]

I set up an emergency overflow in my old tank before I got a new sump and discovered the water drained to the sump (30 gal) faster than the provisions I made could keep up with so I went to a 60 gal sump. Now for my new tank the sump is about 120 gal and able to handle the extra 50 gal that will dump into it if there's a power outage.

 

[Oldude]

This little guy is starting to take off.

Finally getting the colour back on this colony.