upgrading to 70 gallon.. build thread

Snakebyt · 06/04/2012, 11:00 PM

i have had a 40 breeder for a couple years now. Friend of mine talked me into upgrading and has helped me out so much, this would not be possable without him... thanks David.

Here is the stand that my friend David built, it came out awesome!!!

here it is again with front, and both side doors open

i have already sealed and painted the bottom of the sump, and cut a hole in the top of the stand to make room for the overflows. Not sure how well you can make it out in the pictures, but there is a 40 breeder sump for this setup as well.

right behind the tank there is a cabinet thing that was meant for a tv or something. I am planning on making doors to cover the hole and drilling thru the wall and that will lead into the back of the stand. Not sure what ill put in the cabinet part, sump already has a fuge section, so maybe top off and a frag tank? Larger fuge? Still open to ideas but im sure ill do something with the space.
here is the pic of the space i am talking about

The tank i have is a used oceanic reef ready tank, its out on the back porch waiting for me to finish cleaning it up. Then i am pretty much ready to start plumbing.

this may be a slow build, but ill be sure to update this thread often.

tdo · 06/05/2012, 12:42 AM

Looking great! I love the closet there, or at least a soon to be closet. Should open up a lot of options for u with the extra space available

Snakebyt · 06/12/2012, 10:35 PM

not alot going on, been busy with work and the kids.. and a little lazy.. ok you got me.. alot lazy...

I dug out some timers for my lights. I have used these timers in the past and they work great, 4 of the plugs are timed, the other 4 are just normal plugs. I am planning on using 2 of them so i can turn on my actinics at different times than the other lights.

Also put the sump under the stand to get a more realistic look at how i want to plan out the plumbing and such.

i am thinking of moving the sump over to the right side instead of the left to make access to the "closet" a little easier..

Snakebyt · 06/14/2012, 09:38 PM

oops.. double post

Snakebyt · 06/14/2012, 09:39 PM

started on the plumbing a little bit.. actually started with the manifold. Here is a mockup of it. Big thanks to my friend David for the awesome Spears ball valves

already decided to replace the cap at the end with a plug, but i didnt find one in the big pile o plumbing parts in storage, so ill have to get one.

here it is mocked up to a support board that i will be adding to the back of the stand, i need to get a couple of the grey straps (counduit supports?) in 1", but just added that one for imaging purposes

While i was out looking for a 1" plug i came across this

dont ever remember buying it or getting it.. who knows...

Also came across this as well, the 1" gate valve is going to be used on the drain to create a full syphon setup.. also found a couple bags of frag plugs i didnt know i had... wonder what else is in there...

back to work on the tank now...

Snakebyt · 06/18/2012, 10:51 PM

did a little more with the manifold today. picked up some conduit clamps to hold the manifold to the support board.

the clamps were a tad loose on the manifold so i used some gasket material that i got at ace hardware a while back. It comes in a flat sheet, i just cut some strips the same width as the clamps and cut it to length

As you can see it fits really snug around a fitting (fitting is same size as manifold)

also painted the support board black, and painted the clamps black as well.

more tommorow

Snakebyt · 06/21/2012, 11:30 PM

got a little more plumbing done, and decided to change my manifold location a bit. It was going to be in the way where i had it previously. so i made a few changes

it is now mounted to the center back brace of the stand, next to it you will see a larger 1" gate valve, that will be going to my return pump.

here it is from the back, you can see where i teed off the main return line to the manifold. More bends than i would have liked, but i already had the manifold glued. Idiot mistake

06/04/2012, 11:00 PM	#1
Snakebyt Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Lubbock Tx Posts: 2,141	upgrading to 70 gallon.. build thread i have had a 40 breeder for a couple years now. Friend of mine talked me into upgrading and has helped me out so much, this would not be possable without him... thanks David. Here is the stand that my friend David built, it came out awesome!!! here it is again with front, and both side doors open i have already sealed and painted the bottom of the sump, and cut a hole in the top of the stand to make room for the overflows. Not sure how well you can make it out in the pictures, but there is a 40 breeder sump for this setup as well. right behind the tank there is a cabinet thing that was meant for a tv or something. I am planning on making doors to cover the hole and drilling thru the wall and that will lead into the back of the stand. Not sure what ill put in the cabinet part, sump already has a fuge section, so maybe top off and a frag tank? Larger fuge? Still open to ideas but im sure ill do something with the space. here is the pic of the space i am talking about The tank i have is a used oceanic reef ready tank, its out on the back porch waiting for me to finish cleaning it up. Then i am pretty much ready to start plumbing. this may be a slow build, but ill be sure to update this thread often.

06/14/2012, 09:38 PM	#4
Snakebyt Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Lubbock Tx Posts: 2,141	oops.. double post Last edited by Snakebyt; 06/14/2012 at 09:56 PM.

06/05/2012, 12:42 AM	#2
tdo Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Nebraska Posts: 124	Looking great! I love the closet there, or at least a soon to be closet. Should open up a lot of options for u with the extra space available

06/12/2012, 10:35 PM	#3
Snakebyt Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Lubbock Tx Posts: 2,141	not alot going on, been busy with work and the kids.. and a little lazy.. ok you got me.. alot lazy... I dug out some timers for my lights. I have used these timers in the past and they work great, 4 of the plugs are timed, the other 4 are just normal plugs. I am planning on using 2 of them so i can turn on my actinics at different times than the other lights. Also put the sump under the stand to get a more realistic look at how i want to plan out the plumbing and such. i am thinking of moving the sump over to the right side instead of the left to make access to the "closet" a little easier..

06/14/2012, 09:39 PM	#5
Snakebyt Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Lubbock Tx Posts: 2,141	started on the plumbing a little bit.. actually started with the manifold. Here is a mockup of it. Big thanks to my friend David for the awesome Spears ball valves already decided to replace the cap at the end with a plug, but i didnt find one in the big pile o plumbing parts in storage, so ill have to get one. here it is mocked up to a support board that i will be adding to the back of the stand, i need to get a couple of the grey straps (counduit supports?) in 1", but just added that one for imaging purposes While i was out looking for a 1" plug i came across this dont ever remember buying it or getting it.. who knows... Also came across this as well, the 1" gate valve is going to be used on the drain to create a full syphon setup.. also found a couple bags of frag plugs i didnt know i had... wonder what else is in there... back to work on the tank now...

06/18/2012, 10:51 PM	#6
Snakebyt Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Lubbock Tx Posts: 2,141	did a little more with the manifold today. picked up some conduit clamps to hold the manifold to the support board. the clamps were a tad loose on the manifold so i used some gasket material that i got at ace hardware a while back. It comes in a flat sheet, i just cut some strips the same width as the clamps and cut it to length As you can see it fits really snug around a fitting (fitting is same size as manifold) also painted the support board black, and painted the clamps black as well. more tommorow

06/21/2012, 11:30 PM	#7
Snakebyt Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Lubbock Tx Posts: 2,141	got a little more plumbing done, and decided to change my manifold location a bit. It was going to be in the way where i had it previously. so i made a few changes it is now mounted to the center back brace of the stand, next to it you will see a larger 1" gate valve, that will be going to my return pump. here it is from the back, you can see where i teed off the main return line to the manifold. More bends than i would have liked, but i already had the manifold glued. Idiot mistake