WDKegge's Elos 70

[WDKegge]

Hello everyone, I am currently working on a upgrade to my biocube 29. I picked up a elos 70 from a local reef club member and am slowly putting it together over the past few months.

Equipment list

Two Radion xr15 w pros.
LeRussoDesigns lighting mounts
Reef link
Apex JR with EB8
MP40wes
SWC 160 skimmer
Ehime 1260 return pump
Trigger systems emerald 26 sump
BRS reef saver rock put together with E-marco cement
Still haven't decided on heaters

Here is a current FTS

Close up of rockwork that I did, also a video if you care to see the depth to it, pictures don't really capture it too well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wb7LE2OC2yk&feature=gp-n-y&google_comment_id=z122c1twkmrzzn3ru04cebjafv2twbe5m1o

Sump and plumbing, this was my first time ever hard plumbing a tank.

Hopefully filling this tank later this week to get the cycle rolling.

 

[soulpatch]

I would remove the pipe at the return pump and use some spa flex there which will greatly cut down on vibrations and noise. I would also run some strapping to the manifold as support just in case.

Looking great though.

How do you like the sump? I like mine but I bought the 30" when I was thinking of a cube and now already thinking of ordering in a much larger custom sump with built in ato and dosing containers from synergy reef or something...Or go with a life reef system. undecided but need the funds first to change it up regardless.

 

[WDKegge]

I would remove the pipe at the return pump and use some spa flex there which will greatly cut down on vibrations and noise. I would also run some strapping to the manifold as support just in case.

I considered that as well, but with the way I had to plumb back into the tank there is a section of flex tubing before the bulkheads, I figured that would catch any vibrations I would have, at the moment I have still yet to glue anything down as I have major commitment issues. I need to figure out a strap or brace for the manifold, but I want to make sure it looks nice as well, I know it's just plumbing under the tank, but I want every part of the tank to look nice.

The sump looks great, I like the layout, it's a really tight fit under the tank, less than a quarter inch of wiggle room.

 

[soulpatch]

I got plastic strapping from HD that you can see in my pics. It can be painted should you wish to match everything else.

The issue with having the flex line up so high is that the rest of the hard pipe in the stand and such will still vibrate causing noise. They amplify the noise. That is why many put spa flex or flex line right off of the return.

And dont feel bad. I redid my plumbing a good 2-3 times and now that it is running and I am trying to put in other items I wish I had changed a few things but it is what it is.

 

[WDKegge]

Spent my superbowl sunday with a sick 4 year old and a RODI unit, but shes running!

Electrical is just thrown where ever atm, trying to figure out a wife approved storage unit for the ATO container and apex/electrical.

Up

UP!

And away!

Had a few small leaks, one from a spot I had forgotten to glue (thank god for unions). And one from the seal on the overflow, both have been corrected and the cycle has begun!

 

[BigEZ77]

Nice tank!

 

[WDKegge]

Things are doing great, I moved all the livestock over from my biocube and ended up with TONS of frags, happily getting some money back from local groups that are buying everything up.

Hate having the DIY temp frag racks in the tank, but had to put it somewhere!

 

[WDKegge]

Chugging along.

 

[soulpatch]

very nice. Will be awesome to see the growout as things start to grow into one another more mixing the colors. Will be awesome.

 

[Maxim.dockx]

how did you connect the standard elos connections ( male hose adapters) to hard plumbing?

 

[WDKegge]

Current state of affairs.

Tank is doing good so far. I removed the sand bed for the sake of maintenance and flow, I am working on replacing the sand with rainbow monti, I have a large chunk that if I leave it in one place long enough it will encrust. You can see where it had sat in the front left of the tank for several weeks, when I broke it from that spot I had a good 5 small chunks that came with it that I glued randomly around on the bare bottom.

Months of not running any filter socks had finally caught up to me and my sump was looking downright disgusting. I drained the entire sump, removed all the equipment and literally vacuumed (with a wet vac) the entire thing out. While I was down there I installed silicone mats under the return pump and the skimmer, and added a small piece of silicone tubing between the return pump and the hard plumbing, it made quite a noticeable difference in vibration sound. I also started using the bulk reef supply mesh filter socks, they are an absolute breeze to clean, takes about 5 seconds to flip them inside out and hit them with the hose and they are ready to go back in.

SPS has been chugging along, I went through a period where I wasn't paying attention enough to ALK and CAL useage and things had dipped a little low. I am currently up to 22ml of ESV calc and alk daily.

 

[WDKegge]

how did you connect the standard elos connections ( male hose adapters) to hard plumbing?

I used a small piece of tubing to connect to barbs on both sides.