Sinistard's 68.8 Acrylic Tank Journal [Photo Intense]

[kimoyo]

Plumbing looks great! The black piping and fittings are very nice touch. I have a tank very similar to yours, goodluck with the setup.

Paul

 

[Sinistard]

Thanks A\/enger and Paul.

I'm hoping the Black PVC will not be as visible as white would have been.


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For my sump and fuge I decided to just use standard 10g AGA tanks to save some money.

I needed bulkheads in both of them so I figured I would try drilling them myself with my Dremel.

I got 2 diamond point bits parts #s 7103 and 7144

First I marked my hole with permanent marker.

Next I used plumbers putty to make a damn to hold water to cool the glass and the bit. I changed out the water several times as it became cloudy

First I used the bit #7103 to score the circle. I probably went 1/4 through the glass this way. Then I used the same bit to make a small hole all the way through the glass.

I then used the bit #7144 to cut the rest of the way around the circle. I had to pour water in with one hand to keep up with the water leaking into the hole. I propped up one end of the tank to make it so the hole was a bit higher then the the part of the glass I still need to cut so the water would not all drain

The finished product, not a perfect circle but I think it will do

The bulkhead installed

I guess it's a bit late now but is it ok to have a hole in the bottom of a 10g tank?

 

[Cody Ray]

1 small hole, I would say yes, but I would be careful about making anymore.

 

[Sinistard]

Thanks, it's a 1 5/8" hole for a 1" bulkhead and that's going to be the only hole in the tank. I hope it will be ok.

 

[Sinistard]

I have the plumbing almost completely laid out, the only thing left is to finish the plumbing to the closed loop pump. I don't have it yet so I can't finish.

I drilled both tanks and added the shelf for the fuge. It got pretty cramped in the stand with the 2 10g tanks but I think I will be ok. I have 2 American DJ power strips I need to figure out a place to put. I think they will end up mounted on the back of the stand.

Here are a couple pictures, the closed loop pump is going to go on the shelf behind the fuge tank.

I am going to stick a stand pipe in the bulkhead on the bottom of the fuge to drain into the sump.

 

[JeBuS]

nice tank very nice

 

[Sinistard]

Thanks JeBus

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My plumping is mostly laid out and about 1/3 of the way glued. All I have to do is finish of the drain to the sump and fuge and all my pieces are cut, I need a union for one of these and need to go get it tomorrow.

Here is the plumbing

It is pretty tough to tell from the picture where things go so here are the different piped labeled.

A couple close ups

I installed a drain so when I do water changes or need to drain the tank I can hook up a garden hose. It is connected to the closed loop drain.

 

[Cody Ray]

That drain is a really good idea!

 

[Sinistard]

Thanks ChinChek787, I hope it will make water changes easier, no more sucking up salt water.

 

[Sinistard]

I finally got all the plumbing so everything fits and glued.

Here is the final product, the major additions are the drains into the sump and fuge. Both have gate valves so I can tweak the flow into the fuge.

Every section is removable to make it easier to change something, move the tank or to clean the PVC. Here is a picture of all the parts off the tank

The tank with the parts off.

Here are the 2 stand pipes, one in the overflow and the other one in the fuge.

I need to paint the fuge stand and seal the inside of the stand then I will leak test everything and hopefully be able to add salt water soon.

 

[luntiz]

Just too cool.

 

[NexDog]

Great project, great read - thanks for the documentary.

One thing, the Super Squirt on the CL, I don't see it?

 

[melev]

I just read the thread. I love your cabinetry work, it is just gorgeous. Using biscuits - I've not seen anyone use those in a long time.

Even better, the tank fit your stand once it arrived! I like how you got a t-shirt too.

So let's figure out how to make that new refugium work with your current sump.

 

[skippysmind]

nice system

 

[Sinistard]

Just too cool.

Thanks luntiz

Great project, great read - thanks for the documentary.

One thing, the Super Squirt on the CL, I don't see it?

Thanks, I want to document as much as I can so maybe it will help others learn from my mistakes

I decided not to go with the Super Squirt, both because I wanted to keep costs down and I don't know if I could get it to fit in the space I have to work with. I made my plumbing as modular as I could so if I decide to add one down the road it may be possible.

I'm hoping with the ball valves and some loc-line I will be able to create plenty of random flow.

I just read the thread. I love your cabinetry work, it is just gorgeous. Using biscuits - I've not seen anyone use those in a long time.

Even better, the tank fit your stand once it arrived! I like how you got a t-shirt too.

So let's figure out how to make that new refugium work with your current sump.

Thanks melev, and thanks for the advice on the sump/fuge set up before as well as all the great information you provide on your site.

I love using the biscuits, you get a nice sturdy joint and no nail or screw holes to cover up. The biscuit joiner is a must, I have a biscuit router bit and it takes 50 time longer to use. My wife got the joiner for my last birthday

One of my friend mentioned "what if the tank does not fit the stand". That got me a little worried but I talked to Randy at socalcreations and he told me the exact dimensions of the tank bottom and suggested leaving 1/8th gap on each side to be safe. I made the top first to ensure it would be the right size then built the stand around the top. I was very happy once I stuck the tank on top and it fit just right. Oh and the most powerful force in the world, the FREE T-SHIRT, made it all the better

nice system

thanks skippysmind

 

[Sinistard]

So let's figure out how to make that new refugium work with your current sump.

The refugium melev is talking about is a Trigger Systems model #TS24R that I won at the OHIO frag swap, which I was very excited about since t is a very nice fuge and very well built. I would like to thank Trigger Systems for donating the fuge to our local club to be given away at the swap and I would recommend anyone looking for a sump, fuge, skimmer or other acyclic product to check out there site. http://www.triggersys.com/sumps.html

The problem I have is it just will not fit in my set up. It is around 2 inches to tall and a bit to long. I attempted to move some stuff around to get it to work and I could live the the lenght but not the height, it gets in the way of my overflow drain. The only way I can make it work would be to get a new sump that is shorter, modify the stand or to move the tank and stand farther from the wall. If I get a shorter sump it would involve a lot of rework in the plumbing, I think if I cut into the stand it would weaken the center brace and I want to keep the stand close to the wall so I'm not going to be able to use it.

I am open to suggestions but I plan to sell it to raise a little money to buy other goodies for my tank.

 

[melev]

Well, this is thinking outside the box... Since it is a good looking piece of equipment, would you consider setting it up next to the tank or even behind it or above it? It could be a separate ecosystem that you can explain to your guests and enjoy at 3am by yourself.

 

[xdusty6920]

do you have any pics of the new fuge in place to show what the problem is? if im understanding you right, your saying that the top of the fuge is running into the overflow drain. if this is the case a few things came to mind. im guessing the bottum to the stand is not flush to the ground but elevated a few inches. why not cut a square out of the bottum of the stand and drop the fuge down to the ground. this will give you a few inches of headroom for the overflow drain. but that if its glass. now if you got an acrylic fuge the why not cut into the side of the tank some to allow the pvc to pass and the us weld-on to fuse the gap together between tank and pvc. just some suggestions. looking great sinistard and very impressive.

 

[xdusty6920]

by the way, its kinda hard to see the whole closed loop system. think theres any chance you could post a clearer pic of the closed loop? everythings looking very impressive.

 

[Sinistard]

Well, this is thinking outside the box... Since it is a good looking piece of equipment, would you consider setting it up next to the tank or even behind it or above it? It could be a separate ecosystem that you can explain to your guests and enjoy at 3am by yourself.

That is an Idea. I'm not so sure the wife would go for it. I will have to come up with a way to make it look good with the tank/stand. It would have to go beside it and there is not a lot of room. And it is always fun to look at the little critters that come out at night.

do you have any pics of the new fuge in place to show what the problem is? if I'm understanding you right, your saying that the top of the fuge is running into the overflow drain. if this is the case a few things came to mind. im guessing the bottom to the stand is not flush to the ground but elevated a few inches. why not cut a square out of the bottom of the stand and drop the fuge down to the ground. this will give you a few inches of headroom for the overflow drain. but that if its glass. now if you got an acrylic fuge the why not cut into the side of the tank some to allow the pvc to pass and the us weld-on to fuse the gap together between tank and pvc. just some suggestions. looking great sinistard and very impressive.

Thanks dusty.

Yup basically with the 10g and the sump set up with one over the other end up being to high. If I put the sump on top it would almost work but not quite and I think the fuge almost has to be the one on top to feed down to the return. If I ran the drain back then around and in I could make it work but that would add several inches to the space behind the stand and I want to avoid this.

I though about removing the bottom, this would give me around 1.5" extra space which I don't think will be enough.

I think it's just going to be easier to keep it the way it is. I have the plumbing done and the 2 10g tanks fit nicely. I hope they will work out. I think I can fit a bigger skimmer to replace the urchin in the 10g down the road, probably a GEO and 10g for the fuge should be enough.

Do you all think 2 10g tanks is enough for a 70g tank?

I may try to stick it outside the stand and maybe make it into a prop tank or display fuge and if that will not work may end up keeping it for down the road. If I do sell it someone will get a great sump and probably end up getting a pretty good deal.

I will get some better pictures of the closed loop tomorrow.

Thank again melev and dusty for the ideas I just think it's going to be best to leave it the way it is.