Ruuining a perfectly good tank

[Ruu]

I've done most of it, but got incredibly busy with work, so what little time I did have was dedicated to the tank rather than the forums.

The tank (well, tanks technically) is put together, plumbed, filled and I just added 50lbs of TBS rock this afternoon. Once I clean the area I shall take a few pictures of everything.

Dave

 

[Ruu]

OK...

Silence has filled this thread, so here are some pictures to compensate (deeply philosophical, I know).

Let's start with a full tank shot of what things look like now - we have plumbing, 180 gallons of salt water and about 50lbs of TBS rock that took all of 5 hours to get here, so is currently pretty damn fresh.

Plumbing details to follow...

Dave

 

[Ruu]

Let's talk about plumbing...

I know almost nothing about plumbing - I'm pretty sure it involves water, swearing and an Italian that likes mushrooms and money. When I raised my thoughts about this setup (two tanks, shared drains, a horizontal run of about 12 feet) in the DIY forum they politely suggested that I refrain from doing this. Obviously, being as dumb as a box of rocks and twice as stubborn, I decided to do it anyway because clearly my own intuition is superior to the combined knowledge of the entire connected world.

So - what do we have...

Each tank has two returns - one main and one backup. The main returns both drain into one 1.5" line, and the backup returns (which really dont do very much except in emergencies) both drain into a second 1.5" line - it is basically a shared-double-herbie system. The main return from each tank starts out as 1" flex PVC, with a gate valve between it and the 1.5" flex PVC drain. The backups are the same, except they are more direct and don't have the gate valves, since I want them to make a lot of noise if for some reason they ever start to be used.

Left tank drains:

Right tank drains:

Both of these drains head out to the sump on a *slightly* sloping 12' of flex PVC run through the wall and into the sump in the unfinished basement.

The returns head into the tanks via two lines (each with their own return pump for redundancy) that rather conveniently fit in the space between the two tanks, and each return splits and loc-lines into both displays. Basically, a failure of either return pump drops the water flow to both tanks, but I will still have water running through both displays:

The plumbing through the wall is messy as hell, so I constructed an extremely expensive (about $20 in materials - 1/2" hardwood plywood, 1x2's and yet more plastic trim, with more neodymium magnets holding it to the wall) plumbing-hiding-thing that doubles as a seat for the cats as they try and figure out what the hell I am doing.

This is what it looks like raw:

And this is what it looks like with my patented "plumbing-hiding-thing":

I fully intend to nail some more trim to it.

I am equal parts happy and amazed to report that this system appears to be working exactly as intended. With some minimal tweaking of the gate valves, I now have almost entirely silent plumbing (the MP40 I have in the tank is significantly louder than the drains). I have tested every failure scenario I can think of (failure of main drain in left side, right side, both sides, partial drainage through both etc) the backup drains pick up the slack and noisily alert me to the fact that there is an issue. I'm not running enormous flow to the sump and back though (maybe 1200 gph through both tanks), so don't blame me if you try it yourself and it doesn't work - this isn't a how-to thread, more of a train-wreck-in-slow-motion thread with a few pictures and some drunken commentary thrown in.

Dave

 

[Ruu]

I haven't even remotely finished the lighting rig, but I may as well give it an honorable mention here, since I found another way to nail trim to something. I am doing a relatively simple lighting arrangement, where I take all of the money that I have in the world, give it to Kessil and then nail the resulting hardware haphazardly to the ceiling. Part one of this plan has already come to fruition, and the ceiling has already been prepared for part two:

Light rig, early stages, in "regular" location:

Light rig in "out of the way" location:

What we have here is some cheap 1/2" hardwood plywood stained and lacquered (and you thought that piece of trim from earlier was going nowhere...), reinforced with some more 1/4" plywood underneath and then attached to the ceiling with three 14" draw slides from the Home Despot. The lights will hang very simply from that (pictures at some point, as soon as I get around to doing it, I swear), to just above the top level of the tank trim.

Also, I nailed some ****ing trim to it. Because I have a theme for this tank, and dammit I intend to stick to it. And stick trim to it.

Either this looks good, or I have destroyed so many brain cells inhaling red oak stain and lacquer that I can no longer tell. The talking unicorn that started giving me advice a couple of weeks ago says I'm fine, so I am pretty sure I am OK.

Dave

 

[Knd107]

I just tried your setup with my system and it doesn't work. I completely blame you for the whole thing.

Seriously tho, Cool that its working for you. I wouldn't normally think that it would based on your description. 12'-0" of horizontal drains and piped together?! Say what?!

What's your plan with the TBS rock? Were you going to restock with your 180g livestock?

That's a pretty quick delivery for the Tampa LR. I've been back and fore on using the package for my next tank.

 

[Ruu]

I just tried your setup with my system and it doesn't work. I completely blame you for the whole thing.

That was bloody quick imitation plumbing, considering I only posted the details about 90 seconds ago.

Seriously tho, Cool that its working for you. I wouldn't normally think that it would based on your description. 12'-0" of horizontal drains and piped together?! Say what?!

To be honest, I am as surprised as the next man, but it drains, it is silent, and I think I got very very lucky.

What's your plan with the TBS rock? Were you going to restock with your 180g livestock?

That's a pretty quick delivery for the Tampa LR. I've been back and fore on using the package for my next tank.

The plan is to add maybe another 50 pounds of TBS rock into the "right" tank, let it cycle fully and then move what I have now into the "left" tank, which should just about fit.

As for delivery, I am extremely lucky that there is a direct Tampa->Philly flight. This 50 pound batch was packed up at 9am, landed at 3pm and in the tank by 5pm the same day - it doesn't get that much better than that.

As far as TBS goes, I think that is my favorite part of the setup - I love seeing what I got, and because it arrived so quickly there really isn't much die-off.

Dave

 

[docstach]

Following along, looking good so far.

 

[NEPTHEA]

very nice . like the idea

 

[ThreeMoneyJ]

This is possibly one of my favorite build threads so far for a few reasons.

-I was contemplating doing something similar with a pair of 120's, but then though to myself "that is probably a terrible idea". Well if it is at least I'm not the only one to think of it!!

-putting lipstick on a pig

-Mario Bros reference

 

[Ruu]

-I was contemplating doing something similar with a pair of 120's, but then though to myself "that is probably a terrible idea". Well if it is at least I'm not the only one to think of it!!

I hate to break this to you, but just because you can find another idiot on the internet that shares your idea, it generally still doesn't elevate the idea above idiocy.

I think I am OK telling you this bluntly, since in this case I am the other idiot.

I'm having fun doing the build though, so that's something.

Dave

 

[edman79]

I have had a similar idea that I would like to do in the future. The only difference is that left tank will be a planted freshwater tank, and the right a reef. Looking good though. Like this thread.

 

[izzy123]

I hate to break this to you, but just because you can find another idiot on the internet that shares your idea, it generally still doesn't elevate the idea above idiocy.

I think I am OK telling you this bluntly, since in this case I am the other idiot.

I'm having fun doing the build though, so that's something.

Dave

:lmao::lmao::lmao::lmao::lmao::lmao:

First of all, what a great idea to put the two tanks together.

Second, the title says "A forum for people interested in keeping large reef tanks. This forum is dedicated to water volumes of 180 gallons and larger"
So I think your good.

Third, all kidding aside, I find this a GREAT build..... :thumbsup:
I mean, look at what you acomplished with a limited budget, it looks amazing to me.

Fourth and final point, you make me laugh in the process and that, in my book, is ALWAYS a good thing!

So keep it coming 'cause I'm tagging along.

 

[Ruu]

I have had a similar idea that I would like to do in the future. The only difference is that left tank will be a planted freshwater tank, and the right a reef. Looking good though. Like this thread.

It sounds like fun, but I would have two concerns:

1) Putting two tanks together like this with such different lighting might do odd things like wash out the reef tank's color and turn your plants blue. I should be able to get away with it because all the Kessils will be daisy-chained together sharing the same intensity and spectrum, so essentially I just have one big lighting array.

2)If you share my plumbing design you are going to end up with two brackish tanks.

The second one is a joke unless you are an idiot, in which case pay attention. The first one could be resolved by installing a divider between the two tanks, and nailing some trim to it...

Dave

 

[edman79]

It sounds like fun, but I would have two concerns:



2)If you share my plumbing design you are going to end up with two brackish tanks.

The second one is a joke unless you are an idiot, in which case pay attention. The first one could be resolved by installing a divider between the two tanks, and nailing some trim to it...

Dave

LOL. I am an idiot. But not that bad. and I like your motto of add trim to everything. My kid is going to have a bad day when he wakes up tomorrow.

Eddie Ed

 

[aandfsoccr04]

Oh the old thread got moved which is why I haven't been up to date. Glad to see some progress on this baby.

 

[Mr. Brooks]

Very cool concept! It sucks having to pick one animal or the other, you get to choose both!

 

[dippi]

i think bridge tanks rock. Can't wait to see what it looks like running. What kind of lights are you using?

 

[Sonicboom]

I love sarcasm and this thread is chock full of it!!, now i want to see some pics of those uber expensive haphazardly nailed Kessil's...lol

 

[Ruu]

I have a little more work to do on the lighting before I unveil it to the public, but I'm getting pretty close to being done now. Pictures will follow.

Dave

 

[Ruu]

Well I guess it is time for a brief update. I still have to do a few things before I post some "real" pictures (clean the glass, siphon off the sand and pretend it always looks like that, download photoshop and adjust all of the coral coloration etc), but the move is basically done. I've moved everything that I intend to move over, avoided killing anything that didn't need to be killed (sorry Xenia. it just wasn't your day), avoided soaking the brand new carpet etc. None of the fish put up any appreciable resistance this time around - rubbermaid horse troughs may not be that great in the looks department, but they do offer remarkably few hiding places for fish. Not sure about the health benefits of horses drinking salt water, but since there are very few horses in my basement this particular problem has not arisen as yet. Someone may have to do a study at some point just to be safe though.

Anyway - the left hand tank rock work is done, but I have yet to take a picture that really captures the true essence of the tank. I am actually really happy with the results - my 10 year old anemone is finally in a spot I can see, and I have a huge shadowed ledge on the left hand side that provides a really nice shelf for my zoa collection (with some really nice shadowing underneath thanks to the Kessils that you cannot really see in a picture), which will hopefully grow out over time. This is a "long" shot taken through the left tank all the way through:

This is the Full Tanks Shot from the front, with four of the Kessils set up (which is less than I intend for the final build, but enough for now) - it isn't as neat as I want it yet, but it isn't terrible (a welder friend is going to put together some real metalwork, but this is OK for now). The right hand tank is still a work in progress, with the frag racks holding things I haven't quite situated yet.

All in all though, I am pretty happy with the way things are turning out. Nothing is doing badly, and the rockwork on the left is better than anything I have ever put together before, it just isn't photographing as well as I would like yet.

Dave