Nicks 120 tank build/fish room upgrade (diy)

nrosdal · #1 10-28-2011, 04:52 AM

since i am kinda cheap and i have used one of these boxes before with success i decided to make my sump/fuge/skimmer compartment out of them

just take off the handles and drill a couple holes and here is the new sump

and a new fuge

and a dry fit and cut to size to see how my intakes were going to look and if i needed to change plans.

here is what i was planning initially.. to have the sump under and the other parts draining straight down into it.. but i decided not to do so due to the fact that i would like easy access to vac out sump and do pump maintenance.

Madreefer · #2 10-28-2011, 05:38 AM

You might want to make sure those plastic boxes are food safe. I was using a back plastic garbage can for an ATO resevoir. It held only fresh water with a clear hose that ran to my sump. After 3 years I noticed the inside of the hose turning black. Which makes me believe that it started to break down and leach in to the water.

nrosdal · #3 10-28-2011, 05:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Madreefer

You might want to make sure those plastic boxes are food safe. I was using a back plastic garbage can for an ATO resevoir. It held only fresh water with a clear hose that ran to my sump. After 3 years I noticed the inside of the hose turning black. Which makes me believe that it started to break down and leach in to the water.

i have had a clear one running alongside my sump for a couple years and have nots had any issues yet... the only one that i am relatively new with is the black one... but as far as i can tell they are just acrylic.... it has been running a few months now and i have not had any issues so far(knock on wood).

nrosdal · #4 10-28-2011, 06:52 AM

then arrived my long awaited order of filter socks/sediment pre filters/a couple empty cartriges for my rowaphos

here are the nice new cartriges flushed and ready to go in (sediment pre filers are changed every 10 days on average but can go up to a month before clogging).

nrosdal · #5 10-29-2011, 01:36 AM

here is a pic of tanks and plumbing in place

nrosdal · #6 10-29-2011, 03:03 AM

here is a view of the sump from above

here is some electrical and the phos reactor

the fuge

and the whole darn thing up and running

nrosdal · #7 10-29-2011, 03:09 AM

and then under the tank looked like this

nrosdal · #8 10-28-2011, 05:49 AM

here is the room all cleaned out. i fastened the plywood to the walls so that i would have something to screw into when mounting electrical ect. Without having to hammer drill everything.

as you can see, the stands are facing out so that the sump will be in front of them and the fuge/skimmer tanks will be sitting above and draining right into it.

here is where i am mounting a couple 15amp plugs each on separate breakers. Also am running the 1/4" water line for the ATO