Paddy's Ocean - 70 Gallon Mixed Reef **Phoenix Rebuild**
 

I am starting a new tank. This one I will try post pictures regularily.

It is going to be 70 Gallon with sump (size to be determined yet)

I pick up the tank tomorrow. I am driving to Calgary to pick it up bright and early.

Attached are some pics. This is the beginning.



This is how it looked with the last owner....

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/pic...pictureid=3567


http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/pic...pictureid=3568


http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/pic...pictureid=3569


http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/pic...pictureid=3570

Those last 2 shots give you a nice idea of what your tank might look like dominated by green star polyps!

Looks good so far, it will be an interesting thread to follow for sure.

Tank has landed
 

So I drove to Calgary today and picked up the tank. It is just as shown in first pics.

It is almost new. There is a manufacturing sticker inside the frame that shows made in November 2009.

I paid $70 with stand and he threw in a couple pumps as he was not using them.

Now I need to plan for an internal overflow and sump.

I dont know best style of sump... or best size for a 70 gallon system.


Anyhow... the fun begins.

I move in 2 weeks so once I move the actual set up begins.

You got a hell of a deal Patrick! BTW what did the actual dimensions of the tank end up being?

Dimensions
 

48x19.5x18

Thanks
 

Also.... thanks Ned for driving and the use of your vehicle.

Tony... Tank. Nice. Clean. Great deal. Thanks!

My current tank is a 90G converted from fresh to salt water. I had to figure out how to make an internal overflow.

Take a look at Beananimals solution:

http://www.beananimal.com/projects/s...ow-system.aspx

Have fun!

Sorry about this it's just something that I feel needs to be done... I hate having to click on pictures to see them... I'll be following your set-up too :D

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/att...0&d=1279430022
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/att...1&d=1279430022
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/att...2&d=1279430022

Pics
 

Can someone teach me to post pics properly....haha. I only know how to make the little attachment links. If you dont wanna click.... let me know how to attach full pic!

Thanks

where ever the image can be viewed you can right click it and click "Copy Image Location" then you can paste the link after clicking the "Insert Image" button of the post location (the one with the mountains and the sun or moon on it)

Alrighty
 

Well the back of the tank is painted black.... too dark.

I have started to scrape the paint off with a razor and it is coming off beautifully. I will probably repaint it blue.... unless anyone else has a good idea for me.

I have been looking for more things needed and I am considering a Euroreef RS80 that has been offered to me by Kevotron. It seems like a good skimmer (considering the only skimmer I have experience with is a Rio Nano) based on what I have read.

I also started to plan my sump today.... probably going to make it 44x15x14 (roughly 40 gallon) this should fit nicely under the tank. Just not sure how I want to configure the baffles. For $150 a local LFS will build it practically anyway I want.

I still need to find lights as well. But in time I should be ok.

Well thats all for today. Set up in 10 days.

Ive read about peeps painting the back white.......it supposed to really make the corals stand out and is also reflective......I thought about trying it on my next project.....

you cant go wrong with a Euro-reef:wink:

Paint
 

So the scraping is going well... but now I wonder... is there a special type of paint I should use to paint the back a different color?

The paint coming off is almost metallic.... its black but sparkly.

Paint gone!
 

Well scraping of the black paint is done. It looks better already. Tank is in great shape for being "used". Over the next few days I will get it all cleaned up and prepare it for the set up!

I have seen some nice air brushed scenes on the backs of tanks....

I dont know
 

I thought about that but probably wont. I am kinda minimalistic and think that air brushing would push my limits ha ha! Although my wife is talented... and has an airbrush kit ha ha... who knows. I would need to see how people did it. When I get a chance I will look around.

here is a couple pics
http://glassbox-design.com/wp-conten...2/img_8463.jpg
http://glassbox-design.com/wp-conten...08/12/uwe1.jpg

Nice
 

Those are actually really well done! Food for thought!

I've seen this before and it looks really nice. This would be a great look but your would have to regularly scrape the back of the tank to keep it looking like that.

Single overflow vs double
 

My friend presented a possible issue with the tank.... it only has a single overflow hole drilled.

He said that it could potentially overflow the tank if it gets plugged. Anyone out there have any thoughts on this?

This is my first overflow/sump system and I will take all the advice i can get.

Your friend is right. A single overflow is a disaster waiting to happen. It woudn't even be necessary for the hole to plug up. All it would take is for the return pump to decide to pump a little extra water and the tank would slowly fill to the point of overflowing.

The good news is - all is not lost.

You're tank has 3 holes drilled in it, not just one. If you bring the return lines up over the tank rim, you can use these holes as part of your overflow system. There is no reason why the return lines have to come in through the back of the tank.

Plesae do read about the 'beananimal' overflow. You're tank has everything you need for this and it is such a great overflow system. I used it on my first tank and will use it on my new tank as well.

Basically, all you would need is a single piece of acrylic bent into a L shape to create an internal coast to coast overflow. Have the piece custom made and use a minimum thickness of 1/4" to avoid bending under the water presurre inside the tank. You can use silicone to hold it in place. Silicone doesn't hold acrylic to glass very well, but for this purpose it works fine.

I can show you some pictures of how I did exactly what you need to do if you would like?

The only disadvantage of this approach is that you do lose some realistate inside the tank.

Good Idea
 

THATS A GOOD IDEA!! I will be building my tank in so nobody would ever see the plumbing behind.... I will make it into a triple overflow and use pipe for returns (I assume) and bring them over the top in a hook-like manner.

If you have pics I would appreciate it!!

coast to coast overflows are way more efficient than a smaller overflow box in terms of surface skimming.

Absolutely more efficient but they do rule out the use of a wavebox in the future so keep that in mind.

Skimmer
 

On the way to pick up my skimmer.

Kevin here on Canreef has one for me... Euroreef RS80. Everything I read says this is a great skimmer and should be fine for a 70 gallon system.

I am not going to be over loading my bio load so hopefully it does the job!!!

Skimmer
 

So I picked up the skimmer today. Thanks Kevotron!

Everything looks pretty good. There is a cover on the backside that appears to be "open" a bit but when I looked it seems that it is sealed inside so I hope its ok.

I will test it later... in the tub ha ha!!


http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/pic...pictureid=3470

Euro-reefs rock!.....you wont be sorry you bought it.......

I run a older style RS135 and it skims out dark nasty skimmate. Not sure why the company shut down but they made awesome skimmers. The only problem I had with mine is the pump has trouble restarting. When you plug in the pump blow into the air tube and the pump will start.

[quote=bignose;539037] Not sure why the company shut down but they made awesome skimmers. [quote]

the company still exists......they just re-named....they are now reef dynamics and should be available here soon:biggrin:...

Lights
 

I am going to check out some lights in the afternoon.

2x175 halide with 2x65 watt T5. Hopefully everything goes well. I am not sure too much about them but this would be a great light for my 70.


Slowly but surely things are coming together.

Lights
 

I am torn.

I can get a great deal on a metal halide/pc combo for my tank. 2x175 halide and 2x65w pc.

I am concerned it may generate too much heat on my 70 gallon as it will eventually be an enclosed canopy.

Anyone have any thoughts? I could use some advice.

On another note. I am going to get my sump built today. 40 gallons. And on Sunday I am going to pick up my salt. H2Ocean. I tried it in my 20 gallon and it seems to be working great. Its a little more pricey but seems to be worth it.

I've seen people add computer fans on each side of their canopies. One fan sucks in fresh cool air the other exhausts it out the other side. Could also leave the back of the canopy open to disipate heat faster.

Sump
 

I am having a sump built. about 42 gallons. H40xW15xH16.

four chambers with water level dropping slightly through each chamber. The chambers will be 8"-10"-14"-8". The refugium will be the biggest chamber at about 14" wide. the skimmer is set to go into the 10" compartment.

Sump
 

Chambers changed.... 8"-12"-12"-8". want to ensure enough space for skimmer... after baffles are in chambers wont be same size as need to allow for space between them.

Depth of each also changed.... 13"-12"-10"-10". He is going to build a 2" riser for the skimmer to elevate it a little so the depth will be at 10" max.

H2Ocean
 

Picked up my salt today. I have tested H2Ocean on my 20 and works great... sooo might as well go H2Ocean here as well.

Anyone realize that the pail does 152-182 US Gallons?

Crazy.

Sump
 

I picked up my sump yesterday. It is in my garage being water tested. I will post pics late today.

It was made roughly.... meaning it is not BEAUTIFUL and not a show piece (its a hidden sump)... but it was half the price of all other LFS in town and should do exactly what is required.

I could not find one used to suit my needs so I needed to have one built.

$180 at Aqua Giant. Took 3 days to build.

Also picked up a bunch of plumbing parts. I am lost looking at them ha ha!

Sump pics!
 

Here is a couple pics....

Sump and Skimmer.


http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/pic...pictureid=3498


http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/pic...pictureid=3499

plumbing
 

WTF?!?!? Thats all I can say.

I hope I found all the parts I presume I need. HOPE. I have been to hardware stores. LFS. Specialty plumbing. And then back to all again.

I am spending more on gas than parts haha.

If anyone has tips for assembly and order of assembly... feel free to leave your comments.

New Background
 

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/pic...pictureid=3500


After scraping and cleaning.... I repainted blue. I feel it is not soooo dark. Black looks cool in some applications but just really over powering being so bold.

The wall behind was recently painted as well.... I think it is going to look really cool together!!

(We bought the house... so colors are being chosen to go WITH the tank haha)