RocknReef Experimenting Again 400g Build

R

rocknreef

In Memoriam
I have been out of the hobby for some several years and alot has changed since my last tank. I thought I would start a build thread for my 400g Envisions Acrylic in hopes that I can benefit from the advice of others. I am almost to the point of plumbing everything but I still need to pick up a few more goodies first.


Wife and I bought a new house 2 years ago and I have been remodeling it ever since. The downstairs used to be a dance studio and it has been last on my list of projects until I decided to set up another tank. AH HA It is amazing how fast you can get something done (remodel 1100 sqf) when there is a tank involved. HaHa.

I had to demo all the downstairs, make a new 4th bedroom and 3rd bath, wiring, sheetrock, primer and paint, cut an opening for the tank (TWICE) I will get to that in a minute, tile, carpet, and all the other remodel bull.

Now for the photos

For some reason I cant find the pics I took before I demo'ed the downstairs so we will start with the sheetrocking. I never claimed to be the best drywaller but it turned out nice.

These pics are after I cut the opening the second time. I first cut the opening to be just the size of the front panel of the tank. Then cut it again to lower the tank and leave open area in front of the tank for maintaince. The wall that the tank is on is an old exterior wall and is block construction about 48" off the floor. I had to get a concrete saw and cut the block out and reframe the opening. Concrete dust NOT FUN. That stuff was everywhere. It even set the smoke alarms off. Lesson learned never cut block indoors. I couldnt use water because of the drywall. Trust me I wanted to.

Well anyways this is how it turned out.






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Last edited:
Alright now the good stuff.

Tank: Envisions Acrylic 400g external overflow viewable from three sides, 3 - 2" drains, 1- 1 1/2" drain/return, 4- 1 1/2" bulkheads in the euro bracing, 2- 2" bulkheads on overflow side for closed loop.

Lighting: 4 400w icecap ballast, lumenbright large reflectors, 20000k bulbs

Calcium Reactor: Schuran Jetstream 2, NOT SURE YET WHAT MEDIA? ANY IDEAS?

Skimmer: MRC MR6 Dual Beckett powered by a Reeflo Hammerhead

Main Return: Reeflo Dart (I plan on having about 6 times turnover through sump)

Closed Loop: ???? Baracuda? or hammerhead? with OM 4 way??
Not sure what to go with here.

Controller: ACIII, DC4 HD, DC8,TEMP PH ORP

Sump: 100g Rubbermaid Stock Tank ( I NEED SOME HELP MAKING BUBBLE TRAPS? ANYONE?)

Stand: 2" Square Tube plywood with pink foam under tank. The stand came with the tank and I had to add 11" to the legs. I used 2 1/2" for the extension. These are just 5 stick legs........
(ANYONE THINK I WILL HAVE A PROBLEM WITH RACKING?)
check stand pics

I will be using 1 Tunze 6100 in the tank and may add some more later. This will be a BB tank with high flow.


I still need to round up a few items and then I can move the tank into position and start plumbing. I am open to any suggestions about the plumbing.


Here is the stand before I added the length to the legs.
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72" X 48" X 27"
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It looks great. I love all of the space in your tank room. Good choice on the lumenbright reflectors. They will give you a lot of room to work over the tank. With all of the space are you going to put them on a track or something to move them out of the way?
 
jknecht

I dont really know how I am going to mount the reflectors yet.
I would like to have 2 arms coming off the wall that are hinged.
Have the reflectors mounted to a tube of some sort that is connected to the 2 arms. That way I could lift the lighting up and hook it to the ceiling. The ceiling in this room is a shed ceiling so I could easily reach a hook mounted in the ceiling. This would hinge the lights up out of my way about another foot.

It would basicly look something like this

Draw a square, cut it in half, put hinges on the two ends where you cut, and mount the lights on the perpendicular side.


Any thoughts?
 
Its been awhile since I updated my build so I thought I would do so.

The tank has been sitting on the stand for about a month now and I just started plumbing everything this week. I hope to have all the plumbing done by Sunday. I thought I would have had this all set up and running by now but I guess that was wishful thinking.

After everything is plumbed and I hang my lights it should be all systems go. That is if I can convince the wife that we really need to buy 500 to 600 lbs of rock.

I will post some new pics once the plumbing is done.
 
Progress is slow but I finally got my main return plumbed.

I decided you make it into a loop around the top of the euro bracing. I added some slip/thread 90's and attached loc line to them as seen in the pics. I have never used loc line in my tanks and I have a couple questions about it.

I have used loc line on a part cleaner station but that is low pressure.

My question is will loc line leak at the segment joints and spray water out of them.

The reason I ask is the loc line does not start down far enough to be fully submerged under the surface of the water. I have PVC 90 then the threaded loc line fitting, from there I have the loc line Y and I dont believe that joint will be under the water.

I have a total of 8 open 90's and all of them but 2 are Y locline segments. I am running a reeflo dart as my return pump and am wondering if this is going to create to much back pressure and spray out of the first loc line joint before it enters the water?

If it does I will need to add a short piece of PVC to get the loc line down under the surface of the water.

What do you think

My main return is 1 1/2" up through my overflow and then reduced dow to 3/4" 14 loc line openings.


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Anyone have any experience with loc line?

Here are some better pics of what I am talking about.

The Y segment of loc line will not be under the surface of the water and I would like to know if it is going to spray water out of that joint?

I am hoping with all the openings on the return that it will not have enough pressure built up to spray but I dont know.

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Personally, I don't want to see the loc line from the main view. With this arrangement, the loc line could be seen everywhere.
 
the lock line will not leak.... at least it should not. as long as it is tight fitting you should be good to go.
 
am3gross

Thanks for taking the time to ease my mind. That is what I was hoping to hear.



pencilcup

no offense, but I personally didnt ask if you liked seeing the loc line. But thanks for not answering my question.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13746713#post13746713 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rocknreef
am3gross

Thanks for taking the time to ease my mind. That is what I was hoping to hear.



pencilcup

no offense, but I personally didnt ask if you liked seeing the loc line. But thanks for not answering my question.
Click to expand...

He's just giving you his opinion on a forum where people do that a lot about a hobby where aesthetics is fairly important. What's wrong with what he said?
 
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