Daplatapus's upgrade

[daplatapus]

Finally got into the paint booth:









2 coats of M.L.Campbell Clawlock. Tomorrow it gets 2 coats of white and hopefully another 2-4 coats of clear after that throughout the week.

I really have to get started on the plumbing

[daplatapus]

Got 2 coats of white done yesterday. Pics look the same so I won't bore you guys with them. Headed to Nanaimo today to pick up plumbing supplies and other stuff for work.
Got a call from Jeff at LifeReef last night... my new skimmer is on it's way! Yay!

[don.ald]

Looking great Dominique .
You better hurry up and get it done, with this weather you'll be back outside building the wife's garden fixtures.

[daplatapus]

Lol, you have no idea how accurate that statement is She's already chomping at the bit for a few things to get done.

I got a couple hours this aft to work on some of the plumbing. I had to fish all my lines up through the wall from the basement, so I opted to run that section in white spa flex. Only down side is how stiff this stuff is, but with a little grunt work I was able to get them all in. I'm planning running a Herbie set up, it's worked extremely well for me so far. Using Beananimal's flow guide, the numbers work for running a single 1" full siphon, but it seemed close, so I ran 2. This also gives me the ability to run Beananimals silent overflow should the desire hit me. I also ran a 1-1/2" safety overflow.
The returns are probably overkill. I'm planning on running 2 Waveline 12,000's. The output's on them are 1-1/4" so I ran 2, 1-1/4" lines. One on the front of the tank and one at the back. My plan is to run a line across the front with 3 - 3/4" loc-lines and the same across the back, each on their own pump. After the first 3/4" loc-lines come off, I'm going to reduce to 1", then when the second comes off, reduce to the final 3/4" loc-line.
Yesterday, while in Nanaimo I got most of the hardware I need for my cabinet doors although I've yet to order them. Hopefully that'll happen early next week.

Any suggestions on doing something different/better, let me know.
Anyway pics:

Lots of pipes for such a small hole

[ScubaSteve]

Lookin' good, Dom!

One recommendation I have is to brace the spaflex to take stress off the bulkheads on the overflow box. Because the spaflex is pretty stiff and has a BRUTAL shape memory that tries to make it coil back up, it ends up putting constant stress on the bulkheads over time, especially in a tight space. I've already had one bulkhead fail because of it (the sideways torque caused the external plastic nut on the bulkhead to skip a thread and come loose - that was an exciting day). And now that I'm typing this I can see the back of the tank and am noticing a lot of salt creep on one of the bulkheads, telling me that it's not far off from a repeat. I think I'm going to replumb and use hard piping.

[benzzz]

Wow beautiful set up so far. Gonna follow along

[daplatapus]

Originally Posted by ScubaSteve

Lookin' good, Dom!

One recommendation I have is to brace the spaflex to take stress off the bulkheads on the overflow box.

Thanks man. Funny you mention the issues with the flex torqueing on the bulkheads. As I was putting it together I was thinking the same thing, but was hoping if I left for a day or two it would get used to the turn I put in it. Maybe I'll cut that section and put 2 - 45's there on that last turn directly below the bulkheads.

Originally Posted by benzzz

Wow beautiful set up so far. Gonna follow along

Thanks! I'm really hoping to get it wet this summer. Been a long haul so far.