Plumbing my 125g

To be honest i would get a diamond hole saw off ebay and drill my own holes for my tank.You just need to go slow and make sure you pour water on it to keep it cool.

I know andy(icu2) drilled a 125 I trade to him with no problems at all not as bad as every one says it is.I will check out the size of the 55 a rubber maid tank is a very good idea you can get them with a bulk head and run a external pump.Less electric in your tank will not heat up the water,more flow better pump and they are pretty cheap!

For less then $100 you can add a 100 gallon rubber made sump all you would need is the pump and if you want to use a in sump pump it would be cheaper.it would house all your equp and give you plenty of water volume to play with and grow out frags,house or raise fish,micro,etc

options are limitless with this option! if it will not fit drill a hole in the floor and stick it in the basement then you will be a true reefer..lol(when you start running tubes thru your floor)

where have I been working to get this 300 running and keep the wife happy
 
Marie,

I think rubber made containers are good, but you can't see through them very well (which you may want to do in order to monitor water level). Also, baffling may prove to be challenging. I am using one for my refugium, and it works great.

I too would prefer glass or acrylic.

Fred
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7003293#post7003293 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MBuck
Give me the dimsensions, if you don't mind, and I will do some figuring, I know it's 12 X 48, just not sure on the height...
Click to expand...

http://freshaquarium.about.com/cs/tipsandtables/l/bltanksize.htm

http://www.all-glass.com/products/aquariums/standard.shtml

Swapped out my rim last night-- took about 2 1/2 hours--- took a while to cut off the old caulk-- my old rim came off easily (luckily)--

-- new rim fit perfectly.... I need to re-stack my rock still-- had to get it as low as possible so it would stay covered-- the only hiccup I had was when I restarted my sump return-- forgot to put the return back in the tank :rolleyes: -- spilled a small amount

Marie, when you go to do this you might want to put a few pieces of lumber on top and weigh them down--- it tried to push back up in a few spots-- I left some 2x6s with some bricks on top of the tank over night while the caulk cures
 
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Glad you got er done Bill!! I was going to use a thin "razor" knife, you know the kind with the flexible blade....Will that work?

The 55g is going to be too tall Ron, Thank you for the offer though...
I agree on the rubbermaid container, not really what I want, but I guess I could always swap it out, if I ran across a suitable tank...


40g Long is about as big as I can go, accordsing to the two links above, Thanks.

I will remember to sit something on top of the tank to hold the rim down...

What about a skimmer box???

That is where I am at, I have a sheet of acrylic, not real big, but might be enough to make a box, though it is clear, does this really matter??

Dan at Slaty Critter has a guy that can make them to size for you, I am going to check on that when I pick up my rim....


What size do you all recommend? Don't really want anything real deep, from top to bottom, if it's not necessary, maybe 3-4"


How long should I go, should I use two sepreate ones? The hols are approx. 20" apart....

Thanks!!

PS.. This is why I post in the NORA forum, I have gotten like 4 replies in the lighting and filtration area!!
 
are you going to install durso's??? make sure its deep enough so you don't restrict flow (since the elbow should point down)-- I'd put the top so its even with the bottom edge of the outside of your rim (or just a little higher)-- remember at the water level will be above the level of the skimmer box..more at higher flows-- I don't think you can make it too long.

I have never built one (so take my advice with a grain of salt)-- maybe a thread in DIY will help you avoid problems-- or the guy that builds them you mentioned

I used a paring knife-- a razor probably would have been easier

//edit//

Regarding dursos-- if you go this way I would use a street elbow (a PVC elbow with a male end on one side and female on the other) and don't glue it-- just slide it into the bulkhead slip.. you might want to make the box wide enough so you can install or remove it with the box in place--
 
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I've made 4 Overflows "Skimmer Boxes"... They are not hard to make, but I personally hated Clear... I also put Durso Stand pipes behind them.

When I made my Skimmer Box, I made them the Height of the tank except maybe 1/4" and 5 or 6" Wide...
 
Tank is drilled!!! Yahoo!!

Tank is drilled!!! Yahoo!!

They called today, tank is drilled and ready to go! I will be picking it up tomorrow, then running to Salty to get my rim...

I have come up with a plumbing plan....


Design stays basically the same, but I will be using a 29g for skimmer/refuge, this will actually stick out of the end of my cabinet, I will build a small support for the portion hanging out of the end, and possibly enclose it in the future, no more problems with the skimmer being too tall, and I can add a nice little top to it( once it's enclosed) to hold food, meds, tests, etc...

Will seperate with a few baffles, adding 2- 1 1/2" bulkheads to end, which will overflow in to my 20g Long, with right side being refugium/ small banned fish area, then a few baffles to the return....sound like a plan?? The 29 is taller than the 20 by a few inches, should be able to add bulkheads without much trouble...


I drew this out tonight, think it will work nicely...will add 49g to my system, and I will be able to reach anything I need to inside the stand....
 
I also finally got my RO/DI unit hooked up so no more trips to Wallyworld, BUT it is broken between two of the housings, and leaks like a siv!!!:(

I tried to silicone it, but didn't work too well...not enough room to get in there and really seal it, thought about crazy glue, but it is broken in such a way that i can't get the little pipe together, and keep the rubber gasket on the outside....

Going to see about purchasing a new one tomorrow, got this one off Ebay about 4 months ago, and doubt they will take it back now.....


This really sucks, wanted to be storing some water for the 125g....

Oh, well, have long ways to go before I add any water....

will keep you posted!
 
what part is broken?? can you replace just that part of it?? is it one of the canisters?? can probably replace the p[art cheaper then buying a whole new unit--

I'd call buckeye field supply or airwaterice and enquire

sump plan sounds good-- if the height difference isn't enuf can always elevate the 29...
 
HI Bill,
Went ahead and bought another RO system. The one that is broken, has a small "nut" in between the housings, and it sits vertical, above where they unscrew. There is a small molded section of pipe that goes from one housing to the other, inside that "nut", it is broken inside the "nut".

I am going to take it to my Dad, he's a whiz at making stuff work...

Hell, our Sprint car battery went dead one year ($200.00). and we didn't have a spare....what does my Dad do? He takes the 18V battery off his Milwaukee cordless drill, and hooks it up to the car....!!!

This has actually been our source of energy for about 5 yrs now...One runs down, we put it on the charger...get another!

He's pretty amazing!

The holes on my tank are about 1/8" too small!!! I used the gasket to mark the holes, and apparently, the gasket stretches a little bit when going over the bulkhead, cuz they won't go!

Sandusky Glass special ordered the bit, so I know they dind't have a bigger one...


I bought a dremel bit yesterday, going to borrow my brothers dremel and see if I can round it out a little more without tearing anything up! Shouldn't be too big of a deal...

I am not getting any smelly water, or real dirty water off my rocks, either???

They have been under water for two weeks now...

Once tank is setup, going to finish curing in there....need to check water param, and see where I am at...

Off to the critter, then to work!!

See ya!
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7037277#post7037277 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MBuck
Hell, our Sprint car battery went dead one year ($200.00). and we didn't have a spare....what does my Dad do? He takes the 18V battery off his Milwaukee cordless drill, and hooks it up to the car....!!!

This has actually been our source of energy for about 5 yrs now...One runs down, we put it on the charger...get another!
Click to expand...

Marie, I don't know if I know you well enough to joke around with you, but you might be a redneck if...:D
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7037580#post7037580 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by selgado
Marie, I don't know if I know you well enough to joke around with you, but you might be a redneck if...:D
Click to expand...

A redneck couldn't afford any Milwaukee power tool :) Hey this help prove that I'm not a redneck since I own Milwaukee tools :D
 
Got the dremel, still trying to find the nerve!!:D

Yeah, Yeah,......they say all race fans are rednecks....so I guess if the shoe fits!!

:rollface:

No offense taken....;)

They have a guinea fowl puffer at Salty....man is it pretty.... asked Dan how much...he said between $200-300.00!!! YIKES! I knew they were expensive, but that's a little too much for me!

Very nice fish, though, it is in QT...in the back...they haven't priced it yet...

Had some pretty good deals on corals too....one tank, everything was $10.00, prices reduced on the others by $10-12.00....frag tank at the front of the store appeared to be about the same...had some new stuff I haven't ever seen...


Need to get a couple books on corals....I really don't know much about them, just that mine are still living!:)

Anyways, any tips on the grinding of my tank???


I really need to get it done, just scared!
I plan on using a spray bottle and wetting it, being patient, and not only applying enough pressure til I see shavings....

Wish me luck!
 
I'd wait for Dubbins advice.... I believe he has dremeled a tank--

You have some diamond bits??? Does your dremel have a base (like a router) they sell these with drywall cutting bits (for cutting drywall)-- this will keep it perpendicular and help keep it from bouncing but I'm not sure if you want it perpindicular or not... once again... wait for Dubbin or try searching DIY....

I was going to try dremmelling my fuge tank until Dubbin linked me to the Hong Kong guy selling the hole saws.. didin't realize they were that cheap $6.20 for a 1 3/4" saw (for 1" bulkheads) shipped....

//edit//

Here is a tank dremmeling thread-- done with fish in the tank-- slots not a hole-- great description--- now this guy was brave...

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=534878
 
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Enlarging a hole with the dremel should be pretty easy. Like Dwayne said, go slow and have lots of water to keep the bit from getting hot. I have done it without any problems. For me, it was much more challenging to get the hole in the glass to begin with.

Fred
 
ONE BULKHEAD has been installed!!!!:D

Do I need to silicone it, if so, where??


It is a piece of cake! Actually I do alot of glass engraving, and this is very similar.....I bought a diamond bit for a dremel....did it while the tank was on the stand...unfortunately no extra person here, so i couldn't set it on the floor....

Started with water, but quit using it, other than to clean the area up so I could see what I was doing....and to cool the bit now and again....

Literally just shaved the glass, making a powder.....I just kept the bit moving around, and would try to the bulkhead every few minutes...fits like a glove!

Got started on the other one, but had to quit to get ready for work!!!!:rolleyes:

Thanks everyone for the tips and advice....just need to get my overflow box made, and I'm ready to add H2o

Still need a sump too...Salty had a 30g long with one bulkhead in the end, on the bottom, is this setup for an external pump?? It was $65.00....

Looked at it a couple times, but didn't buy it...

Anyways, going to get started on the other hole shortly!!

Thanks again, I will take pics as I progress....
 
Both bulkheads are in!! Do I just hand tighten??

Also, BILL, how in the HELL do you get the top off this thing?? I have used a knife up under the outside edge, all the way around, like 4 times, and I have tugged on it, thought about breaking it...the trim, not the tank:p

Any tips??

This is the last thjing I need to do before I start plumbing....

What about heating the knife up a little bit, would that help??

BTW, Salty charged me $30 for my trim!:D
 
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