ReeferRuk's 57g Oceanic Illuminata Build Thread

TheRealRuk

TheRealRuk

New member
I decided to scale it back a bit and set up a new smaller tank for a while. It gives me the chance to set right somethings I wish I had done on the first set up, and gives me a little more means to experiment as I'm still clearly learning. I decided to go with the 57g Oceanic Illuminata (36x18x21). I'm going to use all my old hardware and keep my sump plumbed into my basement. (If you don't look up my last build thread this will be more suspenseful...) Biggest difference besides the tank will be adding a 30g frag tank under the DT in the stand.

I decided to go with the common Glass Holes 700g overflow kit for the DT and the GH's Super Nano kit for the frag tank. DT will have two 3/4 inch returns being fed from my BlueLine 55 external pump. (Remember I'm plumbed down to the basement.) I have a "herbie" style overflow running on my current tank, which is dead silent; so I'm curious how much louder the GH's overflows will be when all is said and dialed down.

Here goes...
 
One of the things I wished I had done with the current system is drill the overflow and returns myself. It was a pretty pricy tank, and I hadn't had any experience drilling glass before. It really is as easy as it looks. The drilling went very well.

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Next was the paint. I looked for a certain spray paint that was recommended by a few guys, but couldn't find anyone near me that carried it, so I went with Rustoleum appliance epoxy (spray/glossy black). I had to put on about 10 coats, but it turned out really nice.

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I've been messing around with the plumbing off and on the last 2 days. The stand it's on is not the actual stand, this stand is for the external refugium that will plum into the sump in the basement.

I'll tighten everything up after the stand is built. The distance between the frag tank and top of the stand is only off about an inch from what it will be in the real stand. The stand will extend on the back a few inches so all the plumbing will be in the stand and it will only show from the top of the stand to the bulkheads.

I brought down the the overflow from 1 1/2 to 1 inch after the T for the frag tank. Frag tank will have a MP10 on the same side pushing toward the overflow.
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I'll put a ball or gate valve on the 1 1/2 inch overflow pipe after it splits from the frag tank T, before it goes down through the floor (missing).
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I'll have a union on the bottom of the return before it goes through the floor. I also brought down the 1 inch return out of the pump to 3/4 right after the T? I'm not too concerned about head pressure because I'll probably have to choke the BlueLine with a gate valve in the basement anyway. (Looking at the picture now... I'll make sure I add a few inches to the 3/4 pipes coming off the bulkheads and bring the T down so the 45's are in the stand not above the top.)
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Am I missing anything?
 
redrider911 said:
Maybe install a valve on each supply line going to the dt so you can dial in the flow more accurately?
Click to expand...

I had thought of it, my 150 has ball valves at the top of the returns. I never really ended up using them on that system. With the new tank and more of a need to dial the flow down to meet the 700g overflow, it certainly wouldn't hurt... You twisted my arm... Calculates out to total losses are 12.75 feet of head pressure, or 5.51 PSI. with a flow rate of 766 GPH.

thx
 
I would recommend soft plumming everything going threw the floor. I have a barbed bulk head directly connected to the drain of my DT and a barbed PVC connection attached to the return from my pump in the basement. The barbed connections aren't rigid, so I don't have to worry about breaks from stress, and I can easily disconnect them if need be.

I would also recommend PVC unions on both the in and out of the pump, in case it requires servicing. Attatched to the unions I have ball valves to shut off water flow to and from, so I don't have to drain the sump and or DT when the pump needs servicing.
 
I also notice your return line is 1" from the basement, spliced into 2 3/4". You will lose a lot of pressure at the junction. You may want to run 1.5" from the basement to 2 3/4".
 
frofan said:
I would also recommend PVC unions on both the in and out of the pump, in case it requires servicing. Attatched to the unions I have ball valves to shut off water flow to and from, so I don't have to drain the sump and or DT when the pump needs servicing.
Click to expand...

Thx Steve,

I do have unions (and valves) already set up on the return pump/sump for easy maintenance. (I also highly recommend this.) It's still being used on the current system. I'm sure I can add a union here or there as I tighten it up when the real stand is done. I'll probably stick to the ridged PVC through the floor, mainly because I already have it all from various projects. The sump and return pump are located directly below the DT.
 
very nice job with the spray paint, looks like a clean lake of just of black niceness :) not sure if you need to support the plumbing, but when there full with water it can weigh some,
 
Handed off the dimensions for the stand to my father yesterday, eta... 7-14 days. In the meantime, here is the rest of the hardware list that I'll be using for this setup. I'll be taking the next week or so to work on possible changes to my current sump (area), and holding tank for the transfer.

Neptune Apex Aqua Controller with Temp, pH, x2 EB8's
Vortech MP10 (FragTank), MP40 (Display Tank)
75g Sump
2010 Reef Octopus NW 200
Tsunami AT1 ATO (6G bucket of RO)
X2 250w Titanium Blueline Heaters
BRS GFO & Carbon reactor
External Refugium - SSB - Plenum 30g
Bubble Magus BM-T01 Dosing Pump
Blue Line 55 Return Pump

Lighting:

Display Tank:
24" Current USA w/ 1x250w MH and 4x24w t5 (Phenoix 14k-MH & Giesemann-T5s)
(Haven't decided on supplemental LEDs yet, looking for something very low profile.)

Frag Tank: (Use existing lighting from old system.)

X2 39w 36in Retro Fit T5's (Giesemann) or
X1 250w 12k Reef Flux MH (Coralvue ballast)
X2 IceCap Blue LED Moonlights

The 250w MH might be a little too bright in such a tight space/shallow tank, not sure if it's dimmable). I was more leaning towards getting a second T5 Retro Kit.)
 
Hey Matt.
If you are using a glass holes 700 overflow for this tank, you probably don't need to use 1.5" plumbing from the pump. You can't put a ton of flow through those, and they can be a little noisy if you do. A blue line 55 should be plenty big enough to give you 700 gph in the main tank.
 
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