CleveYank's 505 gal SPS dom Reef System Upgrade/build Thread

[CleveYank]

Well folks,

After nearly 3 years of procrastination, AEFW, red planaria, countless trials with everything from a reef fanatic CO2 regulator stuck open, to rotator cuff surgery, 3 houses and life in general I have finally found the time to force a change and put my dry 180RR into service.

So, there will be one 180 gallon reef ready SPS display, one 120 for overflow and growout of larger mini and micro colonies and a 75 frag growout, 30 gallon refugium and a 100 gallon Rubbermaid sump. Thereby giving me a total possible system volume of 505 gallons. The 180 will be the big addition, and the 120 will be a replacement of the 90 that’s currently been the growout that is getting too crowed.

Hopefully the 180 once leveled, passes it’s leak test with flying colors.
Pictures and steps of upgrades will follow.
So this is the official flick of the switch as they say.

Cheers, Mike

[SaltwaterAdict]

Sounds like an awesome build! I'm on board. Looks like you've been through a lot just like all of us have!!

[SuperNemo]

man, makes my 125 not so problematic. can't wait to see the build happen, especially the pics.

we need pics of everything. especially cool equipment.

[serpentman]

It's about time! That 180 was going to become a collector's item

Glad to hear its moving forward. You'll never regret it. LMK if you need a hand.

[AD87]

lets get going.

[CleveYank]

Originally Posted by serpentman

It's about time! That 180 was going to become a collector's item

Glad to hear its moving forward. You'll never regret it. LMK if you need a hand.

Well I figured I better get a nice tank all setup just in case I find myself on an episode of hoarders. Will do Jeff thanks.

Originally Posted by SaltwaterAdict

Sounds like an awesome build! I'm on board. Looks like you've been through a lot just like all of us have!!

Originally Posted by SuperNemo

man, makes my 125 not so problematic. can't wait to see the build happen, especially the pics.

we need pics of everything. especially cool equipment.

Well, what makes things problematic with any build is moving too quickly. Boxing or painting yourself in down an error filled path and not backing up and fixing it right then can really screw the pooch for ya. And I will have pics forth coming. Don't expect super high tech. While my setups are not held together with bailing wire and duct tape, (not the hillbilly version of reef setup) they are actually pretty straight forward. There will be a couple added things to this setup that may throw some folks for a loop. And I will be doing some logging and testing of the application of those add ons. This in an attempt to defend or discredit their repective positive or negative impact upon the setup. As to their nature I will reveal them once the build is near complete. So stay tuned for that. I'll give you a hint. One involves a deep sandbed experimental feature that I have never heard or seen applied before. Next is a rework of an old applied filtering or water chemistry improving method used in a simple DIY that is dirt cheap.

Originally Posted by AD87

lets get going.

This from the guy that buys and sells whole setups faster than I go through socks!!!!!!!! Just kidding you Tony, updates will follow in the next day or so. So this will hopefully not be the neglected child like so many of my other projects.

[webdizzy]

Originally Posted by CleveYank

Well I figured I better get a nice tank all setup just in case I find myself on an episode of hoarders.

LOL. Gee, what makes you think THAT would happen?

So this will hopefully not be the neglected child like so many of my other projects.

We're just gonna have to keep you accountable to steady progress and demand regular updates here!

[CleveYank]

Originally Posted by webdizzy

LOL. Gee, what makes you think THAT would happen?



We're just gonna have to keep you accountable to steady progress and demand regular updates here!

It's an inside joke. Every time Jeff comes by he says, "Dude get rid of this and get rid of that." And "Dude you're a hoarder." LOL. How being the boy scout and prepared for anything, including an extra 90 gal setup right there makes me like those wacky 75 cat people or the guy with potatoe chip wrappers from the 1960's is beyond me. Although, I do have a box of old powerhead parts from 1989.

Ok enough clowning, back to business.

The stand was built by an esteemed colleague. And I felt confident it would hold the system. I of course wanted to take things a step further and seal the wood framing of the stand. So a year ago, I yanked the cabinet skin off of the framing. Upon completion of this I found out by bumping into it while walking by that the skin of pine painted black was integral to the rigid nature of the stand. (It creaked and moaned like a 90 year old.) Seeing 356 pounds of tank shimmy on the stand and hear the noise gave me pause. So I beefed up the side supports down to the floor horizontals by going from 2 by 4 to an effective 4 by 4 support on all 6-support verticals. (Corners and center.) This was epoxied and screwed in and now the stand is dead on rock solid. Probably strong enough to hold a 300, but when in doubt over do it when it comes to structural support.

At present the stand is leveled and will be painted with an industrial oil base white paint (got 2 gallons of the non-VOC stuff that actually bonds thanks to my hoarding ways) and the cabinet skin will eventually follow.

[webdizzy]

Originally Posted by CleveYank

It's an inside joke. Every time Jeff comes by he says, "Dude get rid of this and get rid of that." And "Dude you're a hoarder."

I know! I've been there! And, I have to side with Jeff. But, what fun it would be to be "prepared for anything"!

Originally Posted by CleveYank

Probably strong enough to hold a 300, but when in doubt over do it when it comes to structural support.

Now you sound like my husband. When he builds something for me, I have to remind him that it doesn't have to hold the Titanic!

[reefer96]

What Skimmer are you looking at for this size system? One large skimmer or 2 smaller?
Beckett, Neddlewheel?

Looking forward to seeing more progress and pics

Good Luck

[CleveYank]

Originally Posted by reefer96

What Skimmer are you looking at for this size system? One large skimmer or 2 smaller?
Beckett, Neddlewheel?

Looking forward to seeing more progress and pics

Good Luck

The 505 gal System will be skimmed by a reeflo ORCA 250 needlewheel recirc. I also have a Precision Marine Bullet 3 beckett that is backup/slash may be added to a return line that will feed a 100 gallon elevated sump that will gravity feed back into the 180 display attached to the 505 system.

[CleveYank]

Frame for the stand has been painted with industrial enamel. The stand has been leveled. May require 2nd leveling with a partial test fill/acetic acid cleaning. During the bulkhead install, I silicone greased (not silicone adhesive) the rubber washers so they do not dry up, hand tightened and then gently wrench snugged. The 3/4 return bulkheads have 3/4 in threaded plugs on BOTH sides of the bulkhead threads coated with teflon tape. Why is this?
I don't like the tight return lines or hard 90 that is typical for the AGA return system. And secondlly, my panworld PS 200 and PS 250's run at 1 inch outputs and can actually drive 1 1/2, so slamming that down to 3/4 at the output is a bad move. Why AGA and now Marineland still have such small holes and such where the ID pipes you have to install create headloss and waste pump power is beyond me. If I could order a 180 and larger tank with a custom overflow design, I'd go 1 1/2 on the drains and solid 1 inch on the returns. Anyway, enough about my complaints about AGA bulkhead hole sizes. Overflows where bulkheads were installed passed the water leak test.

More to come.

[Pallobi]

i am looking forward to seeing your build... GL !

[erics3000]

Sounds like a great build. Looking forward to the pics and updates..