Scott's 50-Gallon In-Wall Build

[scbauer]

Originally posted by psteeleb
spoken like a true "Reef-a-holic"

the build is looking great
any more thoughts on livestock?

I like the night light idea, bad news is; you went and made me add something else to my list.

"Hi, my name is Scott... and I'm a Reef-a-holic."

Thoughts on livestock? Not really... I think I said it before, but I'm definately getting a mated pair of True Percs and a nice anemone for them. I would love to go with a nice carpet anemone or manifica (sp?), but the longest I've kept an anemone is about a year, so I don't know if I fit into the "anemone expierenced" category. More than likely, I'll end up with a nice RBTA. As for other fish, thinking about some of the dwarf angels and possibly a yellow-headed jawfish (goby?) that does the sand sifting.... I like those guys. Definately a cleaner shrimp or two, about 1,000 snails, 100 hermits, and about 50 lbs of live rock. That should hold me over for a month or two.

-Scott

[scbauer]

Originally posted by mdt178
Hi,

Nice build thread. I hope I can offer some suggestions.

I have the exact same dimensions (30x18x24) for my current tank . Originally I had a single Lumenarc Mini with a single 250W 14K bulb. Since then, I have upgraded to 2x250W Phoenix + 4x24W T5HO. I have also installed a small calcium reactor (Schuran Pico) in the stand. Kinda funny to see you are going through the same issue I was, the only difference is that you have a lot more DIY skills than I will ever have.

Anyways, I removed the black center braced, leaving 1". I replaced it with a 1/4" acrylic brace and secured it with nylon bolts. It has held up for over 2 years.

As mentioned, I picked up a Schuran Pico CR with a 5lbs CO2 bottle. It has worked very well so far. I had to replace media more often, but that's the compromise. It has a built in bubble counter along with another on the regulator.

I have a tiny sump in the stand, but I wanted the biggest skimmer with the best performance. In your case, I'd suggest that you have it outside to you can have a little bigger sump and also a proper refugium as well.

Finally, don't worry about the quality of the heater if you have a controller in place. In fact I will never do another tank without a controller.

In case you want to check out my tank. It's not a build thread, but it has lotsa pictures.
http://www.cvreefers.org/showthread.php?t=5504

Hey Minh, tried to sign up for CVReefers.org so I could follow your thread but am having some problems. Oh well.

Wanted to know a few things about your tank... [list=1][*]Who made your tank? Was it a custom build, or is it the PetSmart/Marineland/Perfecto brand? [*]What are your thoughts about using this tank as an in-wall "cave" style tank (looking at it from the end?[*]Do you really have 2 tanks, 2 chromis, a big maroon, and another fish (bassalette???) in that tank? Any issues with those fish? I'm considering a yellow tang and a pair of clowns, but wasn't sure how a tang would do in a 30" tank.[*]Do you ever ship frags of your corals? What about clones of your RBTA's? If so, I would definately be interested.[/list=1]

Thanks for the comments and I'm definately more excited about my build now that I can see what you have done with the same tank.

-Scott

[scbauer]

No more comments? I finally start asking people specific questions and they disappear. Where are you Minh?

Okay, well I bought a 1/2" Sea Swirl last week and it arrived today. I'll use that for my return from the sump/chiller.

The Savko order should arrive tomorrow, so I can start plumbing tomorrow night if I have a sump.

About that... I think I'm going to go with multiple 10-gallon sumps instead of a single larger sump. I'm thinking 3 or 4 or them stacked vertically on a stand. Water drains from the display tank to the first sump on the top, then drains from the top sump to the one below, then down, then down, etc... This way I could have the skimmer in one sump, the UV and Carbon in another sump, then use the third for a fuge (and possibly split the display drain directly to the fuge), and a final sump for a return...

Thoughts?

[tcmfish]

Why? Thats my first thought.

You could get say a 40 breeder and put baffles in. One skinny side for the skimmer and maybe carbon (carbon can be put in bags for easy removal). Your skimmer depending on the type could even be external. Then a big area in the middle for a fuge. And a UV can be plumbed into the return, but why a UV?

But those are just my thoughts.

[scbauer]

UV requires much lower flow than my return will have, so it can't be plumbed into the return. A 40 breeder is too big for the space I have, but if I use vertical space things will fit. Best way to do that is small tanks stacked on top of one another. A picture should help but it's the wife's birthday so we're off to a nice dinner.

-Scott

[scbauer]

Oh yea, and I have a reactor for the carbon since I don't like just placing bags in the sump.

[mdt178]

Hey Minh, tried to sign up for CVReefers.org so I could follow your thread but am having some problems. Oh well.

Wanted to know a few things about your tank... [list=1][*]Who made your tank? Was it a custom build, or is it the PetSmart/Marineland/Perfecto brand? [*]What are your thoughts about using this tank as an in-wall "cave" style tank (looking at it from the end?[*]Do you really have 2 tanks, 2 chromis, a big maroon, and another fish (bassalette???) in that tank? Any issues with those fish? I'm considering a yellow tang and a pair of clowns, but wasn't sure how a tang would do in a 30" tank.[*]Do you ever ship frags of your corals? What about clones of your RBTA's? If so, I would definately be interested.[/list=1]

Thanks for the comments and I'm definately more excited about my build now that I can see what you have done with the same tank.

-Scott

Scott, you should be promoted to a BOD position in your WIAGAS club!


1. The tank is a regular Perfecto RR that I picked up at an LFS. Actually I was looking for a 60G cube, but this was close enough.

2. Yes, I have 2 small tangs, 2 chromis, a pair of GSM and a Mystery Wrasse. I had planned for an upgrade last year but it didn't happen until this summer.

3. I only sell/trade frags to locals as I hate shipping livestock . I think I have sold over a dozen RBTA also.

4. I think I would have gone with the largest visible panel if I do an "inwall". I think creative coral and rock placement can create depth. But your false wall will be very interesting indeed.

[scbauer]

Originally posted by mdt178
Scott, you should be promoted to a BOD position in your WIAGAS club!


4. I think I would have gone with the largest visible panel if I do an "inwall". I think creative coral and rock placement can create depth. But your false wall will be very interesting indeed.

BOD???

Yea, I wish I could have used the wide end, but I only had 19" to work with in the wall so I had to use the small end. We'll see how it turns out.

Maybe I could stop by the Central Valley on my way back to Vegas from the Bay Area sometime and pickup a frag or RBTA.

Thanks for the comments.

-Scott

[fuschia_red]

wow! That is most impressive! Well done so far.

[mdt178]

Scott, shoot me a PM when you're in the area.

BOD = Board of Directors


Minh

Originally posted by scbauer
BOD???

Yea, I wish I could have used the wide end, but I only had 19" to work with in the wall so I had to use the small end. We'll see how it turns out.

Maybe I could stop by the Central Valley on my way back to Vegas from the Bay Area sometime and pickup a frag or RBTA.

Thanks for the comments.

-Scott

[scbauer]

Originally posted by fuschia_red
wow! That is most impressive! Well done so far.

Thanks, appreciate the kind words.

-Scott

[scbauer]

Originally posted by mdt178
Scott, shoot me a PM when you're in the area.
Minh

You bet I will!

[psteeleb]

Interesting thought process on the 10g tanks for the sump/fuge.

Spacing and access would be my only major concern. Generally speaking you want a sump to hide the equipment and let detritus settle in (rather then the display). The current thoughts on sump turnover to allow detritus to settle and not stay suspended is around 3-5 times the capacity.

The fuge plays a different role and usually does better with a slower flow.

My thoughts would be to put the sump at the bottom with your main flow in and out of it. Then mount a fuge above and feed it either by diverting some of the drain into it or add a tee and valve off you pump discharge. Then let it free drain back to the sump. There are probably a million ways to do this.

What are you going to do for auto top off - another 10g tank here?

[Ratpack]

I like the stacking idea. I plan to stack anything I can as well to save space. As far as flow and varying rates in the different sections, you can just get creative with the plumbing to handle that. For the fuge, just have it as a spur off the main flow so that it can be regulated or even seperate wit a small pump to feed it from the return sump. Lots of options now that you are already thinking outside the box.

[scbauer]

As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words...



-Scott

[scaryperson27]

Good idea. Here is my revision on parts of it.

[scbauer]

I don't get it. Maybe you could explain? I don't have any desire for less flow through a particular area.

-Scott

[scaryperson27]

You don't want a lot of flow going through a refugium. The more you would cut the valve off, the more water would go through to the refugium which would in turn be overflowed to the sump. the "U" is just for getting rid of air bubbles.

[scbauer]

Originally posted by scaryperson27
You don't want a lot of flow going through a refugium. The more you would cut the valve off, the more water would go through to the refugium which would in turn be overflowed to the sump. the "U" is just for getting rid of air bubbles.

Okay, I understand the low flow, but I'm using a MAG 7 for my return through my chiller and up about 7 feet. According to their data, that should put my return at somewhere between 300 GPH and 350 GPH. I think that's pretty low, but what do you guys think?

As for the U to get rid of the air bubbles, I don't think I'll get many air bubbles, but the few that I do get should go away pretty fast since all of the drains from each tank is at the top.

Thanks for the input! Keep it coming!

-Scott

[scbauer]

Well would you look at what we have here... you know what this means.



Time to start plumbing! I'm hoping to have the Single-Union ball valves installed on the tank this morning so I can fill the tank with water and make sure everything is level and doesn't leak.

I'll see if I can get to PetSmart or Petco today and pickup some 10-gallon tanks for the sump/fuge project, but I don't have the bulkheads so I won't be able to finish that anyways. We'll see how much we get done today. Wish me luck.

-Scott

[scaryperson27]

good luck

[scbauer]

Well, all the Single-Union Ball Valves and True-Union Ball Valves are installed. I did not install the closed loop or sump plumbing, but I did install the valves on the tank so I could fill it up, and guess what... I did!

THE TANK HAS WATER IN IT!!!!

Now before you all get too excited, this is just a leak test. I am hoping to plumb the closed loop tonight and then the sump/fuge over the next week. For now, the tank is full of tap water just making sure it doesn't leak. So far so good... been about an hour and nothing looks funny.

I must say, compared to the simple ball valves from Home Depot or Lowes, the Single-Union Ball Valves and True-Union Ball Valves from Savko Plastics are AWESOME! They aren't the $59,384,038 valves that Hayward makes, but they are still very nice. They open and close very smooth with little pressure compared to those from Home Depot or Lowes that I've used before.

Okay, off to take some pictures to keep you pic-whores happy.

Then time to BBQ some thick ribeye steaks, drink a few beers, then back to the plumbing.

Updates late tonight or tomorrow.

-Scott

[scbauer]

Okay, got the easy part of the Closed Loop plumbed. The intakes go into a Y and into the pump. I closed the ball valve on the output of the pump and opened all the other valves so the plumbing is full of water. It's been 4 hours now and I don't see a drop, hopefully it stays that way.

Also took the "picture frame" off and painted it. Two coats so far and it is looking good, but I think another one or two coats are in order with light sanding in between.

Started the plumbing for the Oceans Motion Super Squirt and decided I didn't like where it was going and will re-work the plumbing idea. I think I'm going to have 1" PVC up to the top of the tank from the pump, then connect the OM so it is above the water level. That way I don't need to close a ball valve on each of the four returns if I need to work on the OM unit (which I've had to do before).

Finally, I made some adjustments to the light rack... very simple, just changed where the support cables connected to the rack to make it more stable.

Sorry I didn't take pictures, hopefully tomorrow.

-Scott

[scbauer]

This whole WIAGAS thing is becoming more of a reality than I had hoped... oh well.

For those interested, I broke down and bought a Calcium Reactor. Still need to buy a regulator and tank, so if anybody has one for sale please let me know. The reactor is the MRC Nano reactor. Bought it with the feed pump and MAG 2 recirc pump. I hate spending money, but I think in the long run I'll be happy I did this.

-Scott

[IndoorOcean]

Nice build so far! Looking forward to seeing more progress.