Pete's 210 build

[P.Kelly]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12984811#post12984811 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ricwilli
Hey Pete, sump is coming along nicely. Have you tried the Aiptasia-X yet??? Is it working for you?

Yes, I'm on my 3rd round of treatment. The first time, I killed over 20, about a week later I killed 2-3, and last night I killed maybe 4 more, so it seems to be working about as I expected. So far, I'm pretty happy with the product. The 2nd and 3rd round have all been really tiny aiptasia, so they aren't spreading very fast at all.

 

[brianbigoats]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12983817#post12983817 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by petes97
Thanks Brian. Back when you were running the Solar Flare, what was your bulb configuration? or the config you liked best?

i still am running the solar flar until i move in Nov.
the combo you saw was the one i have hit on after lots of trial and error i use 2 KZ Fiji Purple 2 KZ Coral ligts 10K and 2 KZ coral lights 14K

 

[P.Kelly]

I really liked it, but you must have your reasons for changing back to MH? Where do you get your non FijiPurple KZ bulbs? I know ReefGeek has the Fijis.

 

[brianbigoats]

zeovitusa.com has all of them
the reason for the switch back to MH is because my new tank is 60" and there are not any 5 ft T5 fixtures and the MH fixture has movable reflectors

 

[jwilliams860]

hey pete, what kind of router bit are you using to get your finished edges? and are you cutting them to big with the table saw then using the router for the finished edge?or did the acrylic place rough cut it fo you? are you sanding the edges at all before cementing them? i had used a fine tooth saw blade on my table saw, and then used sand paper and finished the edged before i cemented for my refugium, but im planning on building an entire new sump, so figured id see what you were doing.

thanks again
jason

 

[P.Kelly]

Jason,

I bought 4x6' sheets (it was actually a 6x8' sheet rough cut in half for transport). I'm using a Festool 80 tooth fine saw blade on the table saw, and cuting 1/8" large on all sides.

I run the pieces through the router table, with a standard straight bit (Makita). I found that there is a happy medium between too slow (notches) and too fast (bubbles). Just a constant medium speed through the bit.

At the end, I'm using a 12" block sander with 220 grit sand paper (for wood) to get a nice clean final surface. The process has worked out well for me.

I'd suggest a pair of feather boards on the router table to keep from slipping and taking too much off with the router.

 

[jwilliams860]

thanks pete, ill see if i cant do the same when i rebuild my sump, i just got my 300 up and running, i went from the 220 to the 300 and i used a 75 gallon glass tank, and just not to happy with it, im interested in seeing your reeflo orca in action to, mine will be here tomorrow, but i cant hook it up til i run my new electrical outlets and 40 amp breaker around the outside of the house. it all looks good so far.

 

[P.Kelly]

Some pictures of the sump on the flip.

I need to take a sanding block to the bottom seams before I glue the bottom on, so hopefully tomorrow night.

 

[P.Kelly]

I started cycling the tank yesterday with some bacteria in a bottle, a little vodka and some vinegar. The tank is really cloudy, but no ammonia yet. I may try adding some ammonia tomorrow to speed things up.

 

[jwilliams860]

hey again pete, i got my orca 200 today , attempting to put it together with the fantastic instructions they provided, and in th epicture its not even the same skimmer, anyways, did you glue your outlet/riser pipe together? and mine didnt come with any of the gasket lube that you used, did you buy it sepererate?

 

[P.Kelly]

No, mine came with it, but it was included by Mike at Reef Specialty. It is from ACE Hardware. Silicone Grease/Lubricant, I think.

I haven't glued my riser yet. What Mike said is this. The top of the "T" on the riser should be at the seam on the top of the body between the body and the cone that rises to the neck.

I haven't cut and glued mine, but the red lines are the ones you want to line up.

 

[RobynT]

I've been following your thread as I too am setting up a 210 gallon. As it turns out, I also bought the Reeflo Orca 200 from Mike at RS and can't wait to get it set up (hopefully next weekend.)

Keep the pictures coming!

 

[mpoletti]

Pete, What made you decide on adding vinegar to help cycle the tank? I would given you some seed; not like you need it with that tank right next to it.

 

[P.Kelly]

Mark,

It was one of those spur of the moment things, that you later look back at and say either, "that worked really well" or "I wish I hadn't done that."

http://glassbox-design.com/2008/achieved-through-observation-and-experimentation/

I like this picture of carbon sources:

My reasoning, however ill conceived, was that providing additional carbon food sources for the bacteria prior to adding an ammonia source might speed up the cultivation of the tank bacteria, since I'm starting from scratch. I may have gone overboard in my desire not to introduce pests to the tank, and probably should get some seed sand from a number of people's tanks who I trust (so I may be hitting you up for a cup of sand or two if you're still willing).

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=1225324

 

[jwilliams860]

hey pete another orca question, do you have it plumbed in already? im thinking of using one of my drain pipes to connect it to, was wondering how you did yours? i have a 300 gallon, and it has 1.5" downpipes, so im not sure if i should feed the whole thing to the skimmer, seems like to much to me, or should i tee it off and put a ball valve in it also, id love to feed it from the drais, so i dont have another something plugged in.

 

[P.Kelly]

Not plumbed yet, but soon. Once I finish the sump, then I'm going to start dry fitting the plumbing.

I beleive that Mike recommended about 300gph through the skimmer. I would suggest a ball valve on the input to the skimmer, and a ball valve on a "Y" coming off the drain to divert the right amount of water into the skimmer.

 

[rockworm]

Pete, great build.

jwilliams860, I plumbed mine overflows directly to my Orca 250. As you can see in the picture, I used a ball valve with a tee about 10" above. The excess water flows to the sump. The drain reduces from a 1.5" to a 1" (where yellow line goes behind pipe) which enters the skimmer which is located behind the skimmer. (And yes, for size perspective, that is a 2 litre bottle of cream soda inside the skimmer)

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12995012#post12995012 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jwilliams860
...seems like to much to me, or should i tee it off and put a ball valve in it also, id love to feed it from the drais, so i dont have another something plugged in.

 

[P.Kelly]

June 21, 2008 - There's a bottom on my sump

Yeah, it's kinda big (36"x22")

I wish I could have gone bigger, but I need room for the mechanicals. I'll give it until later this week and then water test it before routing the edges off. I'm going to practice flame polishing some scrap, and if all goes well...

Oh, and the ammonia level in the tank, just barely registers now, so hopefully things are moving forward.

Off to bed.

 

[mpoletti]

How much room do you have between the baffle that sets your water height and the top. Do you think you will have enough room to drain dual overflows when the power goes off?

 

[P.Kelly]

I've got enough room for 17.5 (maybe 18) gallons of water to drain into the sump during a power outage. I calculate the volume of an overflow to be roughly 11.7 gallons, plus the volume of the plumbing.

However, I've never had an overflow drain during a poweroutage, just the water in the plumbing, provided you provide an air break at water level in the tank on the returns to keep them from back siphoning the tank.

Good question. I can always route down the bubble baffle and the refugium baffles if need be, in place, but I don't expect that to be an issue. It will be close, no doubt. However, I always test my systems without power to ensure I don't come home to a wet floor.