Greg's 75g

[Nano]

Looking good dude! I see what you mean with the heaters can never be too careful

[Seriak]

Keep those pictures coming. I love how everything is setup up so cleanly. Great work. Gives me plenty of ideas for my tank.

[gregzz4]

Thanks guys.
Since the rock is still cooking, I'm being overly fussy. I think I spent 2 hours just on the drains under the tank

[FishyFishy!]

Originally Posted by gregzz4

Thanks guys.
Since the rock is still cooking, I'm being overly fussy. I think I spent 2 hours just on the drains under the tank

Thats totally the way to go though... Do it right the first time, and make it look nice so you don't look at it every day and want to rip it apart.

Very nice progress, I'm glad to see someone else doing a sump room build thread with detailed pictures. I'm about to start mine and already you have given me a bunch of awesome ideas.. Keep up the good work!

[gregzz4]

Makin' some headway now. Got the plumbing to the sump tested and re-done. Had water running through the DT for the first time.



Think I'm happy with the overflow levels and such. Still can't adjust the sump level until all the rest of the gear is plumbed in, but it's a start.
I added an extra return valve for feeding/pictures and it's working out great.
I've started to play with the Herbie overflow levels, and think I'm happy with where the levels are to start with. I have a Gate Valve that I haven't used yet on the return line, a True Union Ball valve on the bypass and a Ball valve for a shut-off. I think this will cover it.
The main drain inside the overflow is about 6" tall with a 3/4" strainer on top of it and the emergency is about 2-1/4" from the DT level, minus the strainer. It's all good for now with the testing.

Got the light mounted and holeeeeeeee is it ever briiiiigggghhhhttttttt.
And right here I'll give a shout out to viper901 for sellin' me such a great light


Good thing I modded it.
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=82405
If I could not control the 8 bulbs there might be an issue

I changed the eggcrate overflow thingy and though you all might like to see this. There's no noise as it's above the water line.


More pictures to come when I plumb the next circuit.
This will involve the chiller, uv, chaeto and 2 reactors.

[gregzz4]

Wow, it's been almost 3 weeks since my last post. Time is flyin' by.
I've plumbed the Return and Chiller/UV/Chaeto pumps a couple of times.
I'm happy with the return, but the other is about to change again, so no pics.
And I've also decided to make a sump design change.
With the sock hanger after the bubble trap, it's counter-productive. It's noisy and creates bubbles.



I'm moving the Heaters to the right, and putting the Sock hanger in their place, with the Reactors hanging inside the sump in front of the Skimmer.
The overflow will go through the Skimmer chamber, down through the Socks, then up and over the Heaters as it exits the bubble trap.
I'm mostly happy with the other pump circuit, but need to re-route the Reactor circuit, so pics later.

I tried cutting the silicone out, even with a guitar string, but no go. I ordered the original glass snug enough that I couldn't get a blade through.
I ended up taping the glass, scoring it, and smacking it. It took a freakishly hard blow to break it.
Tomorrow I pick up the new glass.
I'll post a pic next week once I'm happy with the setup.

While the silicone is curing, I'm going to finally tackle the wiring.
I picked up a new Reefkeeper Elite last week and can now start all that planning etc.
If you missed it, and because I can't edit the original post ...
I originally bought a Reefkeeper Lite, but will use it on the QT as I now want more modules on the DT than I had originally planned on.

[gregzz4]

Sigh, another disappointing post, but, on the upside, I have what I think will now be a killer sump.
Sump v2.0 didn't pan out. The baffles couldn't keep up with the pump.
So, I have yet again cut the glass out, ordered more, and cleaned up the tank.
I picked up the new pieces of glass tonight and, for the first time, my buddy Wayne @ Cando Burnaby messed up a measurement.
Another day of waiting before I can install the new pieces

I might as well show you the second plan that didn't work, and I was thinking it wouldn't as the linear overflow wasn't enough, but I had to try. Good thing the DT is still empty.
The whole idea here was to get as much 'pump' area as possible and have a small skimmer chamber while being able to have the heaters inside the bubble trap. Not an easy feat to accomplish while using an Aqueon with a center support in the way.
The whole layout has now changed, and I am really stoked about it.
I researched skimmers and have a plan now that will accomodate a Vertex Alpha 170 down the road, so onward and forward.
So here is what couldn't handle the flow. I was so disappointed I forgot to get a pic of it with the socks and heaters installed. Anyway, it'll give you an idea where the next plan is going, but without the front to back flow. And for those of you liking this layout, it will just barely handle 600gph. The sock tray was 4-3/4 x 10-1/4ish and the outflow was 4-3/4 x 7-1/4ish



Just to clarify, the new layout will have full-sized 17-1/4 baffles. It will now be ... Inlet to skimmer chamber, down through 3 x 4" socks, then up and over the heaters right before the cross-support.
Kinda-sorta like the layout in the previous post pic, but with the socks between the skimmer and the heaters.
I'll have enough room to get a mag-float in there and still retain almost 25g of pump area. Lots for water changes without turning the pump off on a 110g system.
If you've seen the earlier pics of the 'finished' plumbing, you'll appreciate what I have planned once you see it. Very tidy with lots of access to everything.
Plus, the baffles should now be able to handle almost 1200g/hr, so plenty as I'm only needing 900-1000. v2.0 could only BARELY handle 600 and it was spilling over. Man am I glad I don't need to have this system running anytime soon.
The chaeto tank is being moved to the back from the front and all the plumbing is being re-done to clean it up.
$200 in wasted glass, silicone and PVC, but hopefully I'll be happy with sump v3.0.
Stay tuned ..... time for a frosty