Walt's 180

[WDLV]

So, I also should mention that much to my shagrin, I scrubbed the CSD. It would fill up and start surging but would stop after only emptying 60% of the water before filling up again. I have a height limitation in my basement of about 7'. I could have raised it another foot but it wasn't worth the effort for the amount of surge I saw. The hammerhead is so powerful that the surge was like trying to break up a tsunami with a fire hose.

So, the return will go directly into the tank and add to the overall flow. The approximate result looks like this.



(6,000GPH + 3,740GPH) / 180 = 54.11 turnovers per hour

 

[iced98lx]

That's some SERIOUS flow. I like it.

 

[WDLV]

Thanks. The flow pattern should be similar to the old system.

 

[WDLV]

I made some progress on the permanent aquascaping. I've done a little more than this but it gives an idea of where I'm going and how I did it. For the large portions, I used a mix of:

2 parts aragonite sand

2 parts oolite sand

1 part Type III White portland cement.



I also redid all the plumbing. It was too sloppy, hard to maneuver around and I wanted the pumps off the floor. I also moved the sump to the mechanical side of the tank.

 

[iced98lx]

I really like the aquascaping so far!

Are you going to create a trim'd "ledge" or are you putting the tank all the way flush with the finished wall?

(I'm building a 180 in wall currently and having a tiff with the Mrs's about it)

Looking good, well planned!

 

[WDLV]

I really like the aquascaping so far!

Are you going to create a trim'd "ledge" or are you putting the tank all the way flush with the finished wall?

(I'm building a 180 in wall currently and having a tiff with the Mrs's about it)

Looking good, well planned!

Thanks! I plan to do the ledge. I don't want to limit my access to the tank any more than necessary. I won't really have much of a ledge though. I plan to sit a couch against the wall beneath it. This is part of a man cave project... a TV will be on a perpendicular wall and a second couch will be facing the tank.

 

[teknik777]

Looking good so far cant wait to see the progress!

 

[WDLV]

Looking good so far cant wait to see the progress!

Thanks!
I hope to be done with the rock scape by the end of the week. It's a lot of hurry up and wait with the work I'm into now.... very intricate.

 

[iced98lx]

Did you drill those holes with the glass vertical? If so, did you just keep flushing water over it, or.. ? (again, a question for my future use lol)

Thanks!

 

[WDLV]

Did you drill those holes with the glass vertical? If so, did you just keep flushing water over it, or.. ? (again, a question for my future use lol)

Thanks!

Yes, I drilled it vertical. I taped a 1/4" line in place over the drill site and taped the plastic sheet below to prevent the debris from getting trapped between the frame and the glass. If you're able, I recommend drilling any tank horizontal. It's a lot less work. It just wasn't practical for my drill site. Had it been on the back or the bottom, I'd have done it horizontal for sure.

 

[iced98lx]

Yes, I drilled it vertical. I taped a 1/4" line in place over the drill site and taped the plastic sheet below to prevent the debris from getting trapped between the frame and the glass. If you're able, I recommend drilling any tank horizontal. It's a lot less work. It just wasn't practical for my drill site. Had it been on the back or the bottom, I'd have done it horizontal for sure.

Thanks! I am not sure if I will be drilling an end like you did (also on a 180 and impractical to do horizontally) or the back, in which case I could turn the tank and drill.

Thanks again for the all the info, as well as letting us tag along with your build

 

[WDLV]

Post a link on here when you start your system.

 

[WDLV]

I'm running out of dry branch rock. So it looks like little more will get done before it's ready for salt water.

 

[adam87]

WOW, nice job!!!

 

[WDLV]

Thanks! I still haven't stopped adding branches. It needs to be thicker to provide adequate hiding places. I'm working the balance between maximum viewing angles and maximizing crevices and caves. I may sacrifice half of the rear viewing pane to meet this end. We'll see.
...and I do realize that once a fish enters this system, it will be next to impossible to remove them.... so you can bet your bottom dollar I will be quarantining EVERYTHING wet before it goes in this system.
I went to the LFS yesterday, but they didn't have any regional species in as they are just setting up a new business.

 

[WDLV]

It's been a while since my last update... but then, I've been pretty lazy on doing work to this project. When my old 210 was up and running I vowed never again to have the number of power strips hanging around that I had then. The work I did over the weekend is the meeting of that end.

I did some drywalling but I'm not shooting until that's closed in completely.

The pumps, filters and accessories will all be connected to the large bank of 4-gang boxes. Which are one 20A circuit. Yes, I did the math in advance. Each bank is controlled by a switch. For example the pump and sedras for my skimmer will all be on one bank.

The five individual outlets above will be used to support the lighting. This is a separate 15A circuit.

I've factored in drip loops and overflows. There are no outlets below the tank for safety reasons. The large bank will be between the tank and the sump.

 

[WDLV]

I've spent a lot of time re-running electric wires, leaving room for piping, updating switches with grounded outlets and other prep work... but I'm moving along slowly. I ran out of green board. So I'm at a stand still until I can hit the big box store next week with a friend who owns a truck. Then its time to add can lights and close it all in. I want this to end so I can switch gears and start working on the "man cave." Alex will be a lot happier with a space to play... and so will I.

 

[WDLV]

I did some more wiring in the basement. The hardest part of making this project move along has been that I'm constantly having to remove, relocate or replace existing wiring, cable TV, phone lines, etc, as none of this stuff was installed with the idea of a drywall ceiling in mind. It was previously a drop ceiling. So, this project has been a lot more work than if I were working with new construction. The other challenge is working around what will be there later as I have to plan ahead to avoid having to redo anything.

New outlets outside fish room. The plan is to have these on either side of a couch that will be against the wall. The aquarium will be above and behind this couch. Couch height was a consideration when building the stand. That's what I mean by having to plan ahead. Every detail has to be worked out in advance.

This is the new recessed lighting for the fish room. I used blue "party bulbs" so that I could see but also so that if I needed light at night it would just look like strong moonlight.

This is the new lighting in the North half of the basement. I was going to put it all on one switch, but because I plan to have an entertainment area, I thought it would be less obtrusive not to have to light that area in the middle of a game, movie etc.

 

[infamous_6969]

This ware some very clean holes you drilled. I really like the rock work structure you made to conceal things on the right side.

 

[WDLV]

This ware some very clean holes you drilled. I really like the rock work structure you made to conceal things on the right side.

Thanks! I hope it all comes together the way I plan once the corals start growing in. FYI, I had some chipping when I did similar drilling in my old 210. What I did different this time was to drill almost all the way through, then used a dreml to do the initial cut through and finish the hole. It worked out really well.


My new additions (for the PI reef build) in quarrantine.