Zwickm Posted December 22, 2015 Share Posted December 22, 2015 Hi Everyone - This is my FIRST build thread! It'll be a couple month long process as i have been slowly acquiring the equipment since Sept. 2015. My goal is to have the tank running by February 2016. Currently, I have a 50 gallon glass breeder with stand, canopy and custom made sump. My new tank will be a 120 gallon glass tank that measures 48" x 24" X 24" with a Monterey style stand a canopy. The important factor for me was getting this exact style stand and canopy which, unfortunately, had to be special ordered from the east coast as it is no longer carried on the west coast. I really like the trim, finish, height, front opening canopy doors and the ability to remove the side panels from the stand. I also wanted a tank that had more depth to it, which is why i opted for the 48" versus the more standard 72". The system will be a mixed reef but mostly SPS and LPS with roughly 95 lbs of live rock and "reef-grade" sand. I'm still working to determine the aquascape, which i will post later. I've also purchased all plumping parts from BRS and based it off the 52 weeks of reefing series about plumbing so all pipes and fittings will be color matching and visually appealing. Let me start by listing out my equipment I've collected so far for the new tank. Lighting: 4 x AI Hydra 26 3 x T5 48" 54 Watt 1 x AI Prime to light the Refugium Filtration: Bubble Magnus Curve 9 Skimmer Trigger Systems Emerald 39 Sump - Will have refugium 2 x BRS Mini Media Reactor - 1 with RowaPhos GFO and 1 with 0.8 ROX Carbon BRS Bio Pellet Reactor Circulation: Waveline DC10000II Apex Ready Return Pump Gyre xf130 w/ Icecap Module Gyre xf150 w/ Icecap Module Other: Synergy Reef 16" Bean Animal Overflow - Will be having tank professionally drilled locally Aquamax Star S-1 Calcium Reactor Finnex 500W Titanium Heater Apex System (temp,2xPH) Tunze ATO w/ 8 Gallon RODI Reservoir More to come! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zwickm Posted December 22, 2015 Author Share Posted December 22, 2015 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paratore Posted December 22, 2015 Share Posted December 22, 2015 Very impressive! Sounds very thought out. Now to the important stuff.... Where are the pictures!?!? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zwickm Posted December 22, 2015 Author Share Posted December 22, 2015 The above diagram is for my plumbing (made in Visio so not perfect). I plan to use a Bean Animal configuration with the Synergy Reef 16" overflow. There will be a single return line from the pump that splits part way up to a dual channel return line. There i'll have 4 outputs that can connect 1/2" push connect fittings. This is how i'll hook-up the 3 reactors and any other peripheral items. I plan to have a BRS Cepex valves for each of the 4 outputs. Each return channel will have a BRS True Union Check-Valve to prevent back siphoning. Please give me any feedback on something you see that could be improved or problematic! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zwickm Posted December 22, 2015 Author Share Posted December 22, 2015 (edited) Very impressive! Sounds very thought out. Now to the important stuff.... Where are the pictures!?!? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Thank you!! I'm going to upload some pics soon! I have almost all the gear but new tank hasn't arrived yet. It takes 6-ish weeks so still about two weeks left :( Edited December 22, 2015 by Zwickm 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Z Reef Posted December 22, 2015 Share Posted December 22, 2015 Definitely sounds like it's gonna be a sweet setup! Who's making the tank? Your plumbing diagram looks on point, my only advice with all plumbing is use an unreasonable amount of unions and you'll be glad you did later LOL 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zwickm Posted December 22, 2015 Author Share Posted December 22, 2015 The tank is just an undrilled Marineland. It's the stand and canopy i was particular about and needed to be order specially. Good Advice on the unions. I have quite a few in there now but should probably add a few more. I know wherever i don't add them is where a potential problem will arise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zwickm Posted December 27, 2015 Author Share Posted December 27, 2015 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zwickm Posted December 27, 2015 Author Share Posted December 27, 2015 It has arrived!!! A thing of beauty 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paratore Posted December 27, 2015 Share Posted December 27, 2015 (edited) Holy cow that sump is amazing!!!!! The green edges look awesome! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Edited December 27, 2015 by Paratore 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zwickm Posted December 27, 2015 Author Share Posted December 27, 2015 Holy cow that sump is amazing!!!!! The green edges look awesome! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Yea it's even better looking in person! It's about 39" L x 16" W so holds about 40 gallons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paratore Posted December 27, 2015 Share Posted December 27, 2015 That's sweet! Did you have it custom made? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zwickm Posted December 27, 2015 Author Share Posted December 27, 2015 It's from Trigger Systems. Love there sumps! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spectra Posted December 27, 2015 Share Posted December 27, 2015 It's from Trigger Systems. Love there sumps! I have the small one for my tank. Is that the big one? Mine only has one filter sock in it. They are sweet sumps though I just wish it was about 5 inches smaller I have no room for a CR in my stand...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zwickm Posted December 27, 2015 Author Share Posted December 27, 2015 I have the small one for my tank. Is that the big one? Mine only has one filter sock in it. They are sweet sumps though I just wish it was about 5 inches smaller I have no room for a CR in my stand......Yea, it's the large 3 sock 39. Have you seen the new sumps from the coral vue site? They have more compact models. Also the new K2 skimmers! So nice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spectra Posted December 27, 2015 Share Posted December 27, 2015 (edited) Yea, it's the large 3 sock 39. Have you seen the new sumps from the coral vue site? They have more compact models. Also the new K2 skimmers! So nice Well have the sump already and a curve 5.............. I love the Trigger sumps they are just so nice......I wish the cube would fit but an inch off..... Dang the IceCap 15 Reef Sump would be perfect......wonder what they want for it....... Edited December 27, 2015 by spectra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandinga Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 (edited) Love the sump! Wow, a thing of beauty. What type of tubing for the return? What do you mean by "push connectors"? Got a pic? Also, with the returns that high up, i'm not sure you are going to need those check valves...if you just have the returns near the surface, with siphon breaks, then the check valves are just money wasted imo...especially with a decent sized sump. Also, if there is any way you can get the tubing to be the same distance from the T to the outlet holes, that'll help with consistent flow and wear on the pump. These days it seems like more and more people are using the spa flex for its ease of use and versatility. Edited December 28, 2015 by Mandinga Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zwickm Posted December 28, 2015 Author Share Posted December 28, 2015 Thanks! The return will be pvc. In fact, everything is pvc except 1' of silicon tubing that connects to the return pump to prevent vibration. Push connect fittings to attach 1/2" tubing from the brs reactors to the pvc return line. These things: http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/mur-lok-male-npt-x-push-connect.html I'm worried that the back flow when shutting the return pump off will be too much for the sump. The return output into the tank will be 4"-ish below the water line so that's a lot of gallons of back flow. Feel like it would be better to play it safe... Can you elaborate on your last paragraph? Do you mean if I move the return pump to be more centered to the T-split? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandinga Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 I'm worried that the back flow when shutting the return pump off will be too much for the sump. The return output into the tank will be 4"-ish below the water line so that's a lot of gallons of back flow. Feel like it would be better to play it safe... Can you elaborate on your last paragraph? Do you mean if I move the return pump to be more centered to the T-split? Why 4" below? Is the tank predrilled? Some loc-line arced upward will help... Relying on check valves is just...well...avoid it if you can! Lots of failures...and very easy to avoid. For the T, you dont have to move your pump, just try to get each return line back to the tank as close to the same length as possible. Im no plumbing expert, hopefully someone else will chime in...mattv always told me to get these as close to the same length as possible...for previously stated reasons. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeramy Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 You could add a siphon break to the return line inside the tank just below the water surface as well as add a check valve to the return line. Getting a union check valve is highly recommended and then make sure that you remove it and clean it from time to time to ensure it is functioning properly. Also run some power outage tests and then see how much back flow you get when the power goes out. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zwickm Posted December 29, 2015 Author Share Posted December 29, 2015 Why 4" below? Is the tank predrilled? Some loc-line arced upward will help... Relying on check valves is just...well...avoid it if you can! Lots of failures...and very easy to avoid. For the T, you dont have to move your pump, just try to get each return line back to the tank as close to the same length as possible. Im no plumbing expert, hopefully someone else will chime in...mattv always told me to get these as close to the same length as possible...for previously stated reasons. I'm having the tank drilled locally. It'll have two 1" holes for the returns and two 1.5" holes for the overflow. The two return holes will actually be about 2" from the top of the glass, not 4". You need to leave some space from the edge and i want to play it safe. I'm hoping if i use the union check valves, it'll be easy to clean or replace. They would be more for backup in case of an emergency. I will definitely try to get my return line length more equal from the T on either side. Thanks for the heads up on that! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zwickm Posted December 29, 2015 Author Share Posted December 29, 2015 You could add a siphon break to the return line inside the tank just below the water surface as well as add a check valve to the return line. Getting a union check valve is highly recommended and then make sure that you remove it and clean it from time to time to ensure it is functioning properly. Also run some power outage tests and then see how much back flow you get when the power goes out. Good call! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zwickm Posted February 2, 2016 Author Share Posted February 2, 2016 The plumbing has arrived!!! I went with green pvc to match the trigger systems emerald sump. All fittings are schedule 80 and there are 5 Cepex ball valves to run reactors, etc. off the main return line. Also have two Spears True Union Check valves for the return and two gate valves to fine tune the bean animal overflow. I took the advice to add a crazy amount of unions :-) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Z Reef Posted February 2, 2016 Share Posted February 2, 2016 Hoooolyyy crap! I think your set LOL 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zwickm Posted February 2, 2016 Author Share Posted February 2, 2016 I've never been so excited about plumbing before lol! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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