This is not xmadcowx's 120g build thread

[xmadcowx]

I would like to get this out there right now, this isn't your standard build thread. I admire all of the people on here who put the effort into daily, even hourly updates as their tanks progress so we can all learn, and for that, I thank you. You will see a ton of ideas I have borrowed from being in the hobby for many years, and reading this forum during all hours of the day. As much as I would love to give credit to each person for unique ideas, I really cannot think of a way to track them down, so lets just say, thanks to the community.

Now, onto the background. I have been in the hobby for a little bit, had various tanks with various livestock until recently impulsively purchasing a 40g cube which lasted all of 6 months until I came home one day and said "this corner of the room would look a lot better with 3x as much water". For reference, this is what I started with.


This is what it turned into. This is with hardly any livestock in there, but it mainly contained LPS (big acan fan) with some sticks here and there. Standard stuff.


This is what I told my contractor I wanted. Clearly the paint will be changing, but the you get the idea.


The concept is to make a "dry bar" type feel in this useless corner of the room, hide the door to the sump behind wood trim and secure it with magnets or a hinge system. The sump door will be made of drywall, and the seam will be hidden behind trim to give the appearance of a regular shadow box (I think that is the term). The trim is not drawn in the concept, but see below and I'm sure you can figure out where the door to the sump will be lol.

Here is what the stand looks like now. This is his first time building a stand to support this much weight, so it is entirely over engineered, overkill, but that's how I like it. The more math the better!
This is what I came home to Tuesday


This is what I came home to Yesterday


Yes it is perfectly level...somehow. This guy is amazing, he has done so many projects for me, could not do this without him.

Started laying out the plumbing in the living room tonight. This is what I came up with.


More to come when I have some time. I will try to keep this relatively updated, as I learned most of my knowledge from reading what others have gone through. The tank is not drilled in your standard corner locations, but will have a internal overflow box using the bean animal system which will be plumbed through the wall into the adjacent closet. Pics of that tomorrow...or sometime this weekend.

As for lighting, the canopy will be suspended with some sort of adjustable cable, chain, etc. 2 Lumenmax reflector elites, 175k single ended phoenix 14k, 2 T12 powered by icecap 430, and 2 galaxy adjustable electronic ballasts.

Circulation will be the snapper, but mainly 2 MP40w E on each end. Yes, one of them will have the dry side inside the wall (no idea how this is going to work yet lol).

That's all I can think of for now, more to come as things progress...at least I hope.

[USF Nealio]

Looks like fun, and let us know how it goes!

[boring]

Looks like lots of FUN. tagging along, now what size is the tank going to be?? im guessing 40 but not sure.

[xmadcowx]

Originally Posted by boring

Looks like lots of FUN. tagging along, now what size is the tank going to be?? im guessing 40 but not sure.

New tank is your typical 120g 4'x2'x'2.. Sump is a 40 breeder.

[mflamb]

Some thoughts...The Snapper Hybrid pump according to Reeflo's site will flow about 1500 gph at 6'. Assuming that in your 40 gallon sump, your MAX water amount will be 30 gallons, that is a turnover of 50 times per hour in the sump, a complete sump turnover every 72 seconds...that's moving some water. Also, the flow area of a 1.5" ID pipe is 1.766". The flow area of a 1" ID pipe is 7.85". The flow area of a 3/4" ID pipe is .442". If you reduce a 1.5" pipe down to two 1" pipes, you loose about 11% of your flow area, which may not be a problem, with your small sump. Just some thoughts.

[mflamb]

OK you lazy bum...time for an update....

[snarkes]

There's gonna be quite a bit of humidity in the sump are isnt there?... any plans for ventilation?

[xmadcowx]

I know I know...I got a little excited with the plumbing and did not cement the durso...long story short. Spent some time last night with the recip saw and a hair dryer =). Mike, I will get pics up tonight, now that a ton of progress has been made. My buddy from San Angelo was in town all last week, I should have had him bring you with to help with the plumbing, haha.


Snarkes: I am a geek at heart, I have 4 80mm server grade fans for this project. 3 are in the canopy, 1 in the sump, blowing into the closet through the wall. I cut up a dryer vent from home depot to fit the gap between the walls. All 4 fans are connected to a fan controller which monitors rpm, as well as temp (via 4 temp probes). Long story short, the sump should be dry as it can be.

[bmullikin1]

did you figure out the pipe wasnt cemented before or after water. sam

[xmadcowx]

lol, sadly. shortly after.

"Hrm...whats that off-colored circle around that group of pipes there?"..."hrm...it's damp, that's exciting."

I took a quick pic with my cellphone, should explain it all. I'll spend sometime getting pictures together tonight. Hopefully the sand has settled when I get home so the tank looks somewhat acceptable.

[Typlus5]

Any updates/Pics? Looking at your initial photos, tThat corner was begging for this upgrade.

[xmadcowx]

Ok, there has been a decent amount of progress. I hope to tidy up the closet tonight. I refuse to post pictures with the wires hanging everywhere. The tank is at the end of the cycle, hopefully I can get the coral/fish transferred within the next few weeks.

For now, I am only satisfied with the sump, so...here =)



I should finish the closet tonight and possibly put the trim on the canopy, so those pics will be up in due time. Until then, here is Scorch hanging out...waiting for this to be finished.

[scott26]

I like the idea of teeing off of your main return pump to power all your accesories I espacially like the attachment to put a hose on to blow your rocks off. I am genna have to do that on my build.

[USF Nealio]

Seriously, K'Nex? That's ****ing awesome!