The 125 process has begun... Pictures!

[Micki]

We also put a 100 gallon tub in the laundry room to keep salt water made all the time.
Salt Tank:

DIY heater for salt tank:

Mag 5:

pipes exiting the laundry room going into the sump room:

 

[Cody Ray]

Looks awsome! Just an FYI my guess as to why your original sump cracked was that you had the refugium sitting on the side of the sump. Just my 2 cents though.

 

[asnatlas]

Very nice... I like the new sump/changes...

Shawn

 

[melev]

How is the refugium being supported specifically? The PVC rack looks more like it is wedged into that position. There must be more to it.

I love the new design. That is really really nice!

 

[Micki]

Looks awsome! Just an FYI my guess as to why your original sump cracked was that you had the refugium sitting on the side of the sump. Just my 2 cents though.

Actually I think it was a combination of things. If I knew then what I know now...

 

[Micki]

How is the refugium being supported specifically? The PVC rack looks more like it is wedged into that position. There must be more to it.

I love the new design. That is really really nice!

Thanks Marc, The PVC pipes are screwed in from the outside with stainless steele screws. Then there is a support in the center that goes down to the bulk head because it would bow. then egg crate is over that. It's pretty solid.

 

[Micki]

One thing I failed to mention. There is also an egg crate section placed over the suction line for me to place my carbon bag on. Hence. All the water flows through the carbon now!

 

[melev]

Where is that located? Any chance it could be sucked in and clog the return line?

Did you silicone the areas where the screws penetrated the sump, in case the sump overfills to avoid small leaks?

I really love this new sump. Maybe I'm getting tired of acrylic.

 

[Micki]

Where is that located? Any chance it could be sucked in and clog the return line?

Did you silicone the areas where the screws penetrated the sump, in case the sump overfills to avoid small leaks?

I really love this new sump. Maybe I'm getting tired of acrylic.

Marc, there is no way the carbon bag can get sucked into the return. Here is why:

Even if it would somehow fall off, there is no place for it to get sucked into.

We did not silicone the areas. But my husband said that is a good ide and he plans on doing it. Thanks!

I wasn't sure if I would like the new sump as much as the old. But it is has made things so much easier! I love it too!

 

[I Love Coral]

Did you cash your 401K in? How much seriously does it cost someone to do this?

 

[melev]

Thanks for the additional information. Personally, I find using the new Phosban Reactor perfect to run carbon. It costs more than your solution, but water has no choice but to pass <i>through</i> the media.

 

[Micki]

Thanks for the additional information. Personally, I find using the new Phosban Reactor perfect to run carbon. It costs more than your solution, but water has no choice but to pass <i>through</i> the media.

Agreed. We may do that. This was our quick fix for the moment. Out of curiosity, how much carbon do you use for your system? I have always ran mine 24/7 changing every 2 weeks with a water change.

 

[Micki]

Did you cash your 401K in? How much seriously does it cost someone to do this?

LOL no 401K was cashed in. But, being handy is the key! With the exception of the tank stand (my Dad and one of his buddies built it), we have done everything ourself!!! So all total we have about $5000.00 in it. Including the live stock. However that doesn't include the monthly upkeep cost. ie electric, salt, phosban, carbon, food ect. So yes we are now eating spam but at least we can eat it while "pretending" we are in the ocean!

 

[EnglishRebel]

Micki
What a great set up :thumbsup:. Great looking tank and stand/canopy very professional looking (I'm a woodworker so I appreciate good work). I have a couple of questions - well quite a few really - sorry . I too am planning a basement fish room (so much better than contorting yourself inside a cabinet to fix/clean/tinker with stuff).
I see that you have two returns into the fish room. Why did you chose to run two pipes down there instead of tying them together under your tank and running a single pipe?
I am planning a 100-120 and will go with a glass tank with a side mounted external overflow. I plan on having this side of the tank closed in with a door. Is that the way you arranged your cabinet? A shot of the tank with that door open would be nice
How did you plumb the UV? Is it on a separate loop?
I assume that as you have a basement your first floor is on wood joists. Where exactly is your tank located relative to the floor joists/outside wall? Did you have an engineer look at it? I just finished a sun room where my tank will reside and I installed hefty GlueLam beams where the tank will sit and yet I am still thinking of adding supports underneath (I'm anal about things like this - I don't want my tank ending up in my basement :eek1:
Thanks in advance.

PS One observation, those wire nuts on your home made heater don't look too safe. Please either put them in a box or at the very least tape them up. We don't want to lose a member of RC :eek2:

 

[melev]

Agreed. We may do that. This was our quick fix for the moment. Out of curiosity, how much carbon do you use for your system? I have always ran mine 24/7 changing every 2 weeks with a water change.

Hmm. Well, not a lot. Maybe half the reactor is filled up, and I change it about every three weeks. In the past I only ran carbon three days a month, but since MACNA I've been letting it run longer, especially since Rickjb does it this way and his tank is so stunning. I figured I'd give it a try.

 

[Micki]

Hmm. Well, not a lot. Maybe half the reactor is filled up, and I change it about every three weeks. In the past I only ran carbon three days a month, but since MACNA I've been letting it run longer, especially since Rickjb does it this way and his tank is so stunning. I figured I'd give it a try.

So what is longer? 4 days? How many days does he run his?

 

[melev]

He told me he changed it every 3 weeks, but yesterday his post said every 2 weeks.

I just believe that carbon has a useful life, and then it no longer can do the job. If it stays running longer, it will become a nitrate bed instead. http://www.pets-warehouse.com/carbon.htm

 

[Micki]

Micki
What a great set up :thumbsup:. Great looking tank and stand/canopy very professional looking (I'm a woodworker so I appreciate good work). I have a couple of questions - well quite a few really - sorry . I too am planning a basement fish room (so much better than contorting yourself inside a cabinet to fix/clean/tinker with stuff).
I see that you have two returns into the fish room. Why did you chose to run two pipes down there instead of tying them together under your tank and running a single pipe?
I am planning a 100-120 and will go with a glass tank with a side mounted external overflow. I plan on having this side of the tank closed in with a door. Is that the way you arranged your cabinet? A shot of the tank with that door open would be nice
How did you plumb the UV? Is it on a separate loop?
I assume that as you have a basement your first floor is on wood joists. Where exactly is your tank located relative to the floor joists/outside wall? Did you have an engineer look at it? I just finished a sun room where my tank will reside and I installed hefty GlueLam beams where the tank will sit and yet I am still thinking of adding supports underneath (I'm anal about things like this - I don't want my tank ending up in my basement :eek1:
Thanks in advance.

PS One observation, those wire nuts on your home made heater don't look too safe. Please either put them in a box or at the very least tape them up. We don't want to lose a member of RC :eek2:

We have dual "internal" over flows in each corner. Our tank is a room divider tank. Hence we couldn't have anything hanging on the outside of the tank. Because we have plenty of access in the basement we chose to run separate lines. We also have a support divider in the center of the tank cabinet. I'll take some pics of the "under the cabinet" for you. All of the lighting ballast are also located in he basement on the opposite side of the sump room. No extra heat just the lights.

Support wise if you look at the pictures. The support wall in the basement where you see the return lines going into one. That wall is directly below the tank. We built that wall specifically to support the tank knowing the weight involved. My husband built our house in 1994. He (and I ) know it is built sturdy. One of the perks of building yourself!

As for the DYI heater, It is just an experimental thing and should have posted "do not try this yourself"! However, after talking with Randy Holmes-Farley, I don't think we will be using it due to the water running through the aluminum.

 

[Micki]

He told me he changed it every 3 weeks, but yesterday his post said every 2 weeks.

I just believe that carbon has a useful life, and then it no longer can do the job. If it stays running longer, it will become a nitrate bed instead. http://www.pets-warehouse.com/carbon.htm

So basically it is ran 24/7 but changed every 2 weeks? Or is it just ran for 2 weeks out of the month?

I can see it becoming a nitrate sponge pretty easily.

 

[melev]

He runs it all the time, changing it every 14 days now.