Obijuan Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 After starting with an introductory thread I thought it was time I started a tank-building thread. A few of you have asked for pictures of my setup, so I'll oblige. I'll keep adding to this thread as things progress. I'm taking my time on this tank (and still have a lot of gear to buy), so updates may take a while. Starting off, here are some pics of the tank after I got it down to my basement. My immediate goal is to work on getting all of the scale and what-not cleaned off. Here's a shot of the sump. I'm using it during the cleaning process, but will be replacing it with a bigger sump that has a refugium. Here's what the stand looks like. The front center column had pulled loose from the frame, so I secured it with some glue and stainless steel screws. I also glued the middle brace to help stabilize the stand. After everything was dry, I added a rubber mat to the bottom to add a bit of waterproofing and vibration dampening. Here's what the stand looked like after repairs, cleaning and installing the mat. Here's the tank back on the stand. After putting the tank back on the stand, I peeled off the paper backing to look at the overflow. I'll be painting the back of the tank black once I'm done with cleaning. You can see all of the buildup here. I've noticed that the return tubing has a few rusted hose clamps, so I'll be replacing those after the tank is clean. Speaking of cleaning, tonight I reconnected the sump, added a return pump and powerhead, filled the tank, and added a gallon of distilled vinegar. After I turned it on, I noticed two things: The overflow is way too loud. Gonna have to install a standpipe. (plus I got to read all about standpipes tonight) The return u-tube has a hole in it, just below the water line. It's big enough that it's cutting down the flow from the return vent. Given that the hose clamps are rusted anyway, I'll probably just replace the entire return setup. So, now my tank is gurgling away, and my basement smells vaguely of vinegar. I'm gonna let it run like this for a day or two, and see how things progress. Once the scale is off, I'll run it again with a bit of bleach to kill off any nasties. Once the tank is clean, the real rebuilding can begin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgf86123 Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 Looking good man, what's the dimensions on the tank and what are your plans with it? If you need a nice sump, talk to wannareef, Charles builds awesome awesome sumps, yes, they're so awesome it requires you to say it twice LOL And on top of that, he's just a cool guy to deal with lol. I wonder if it'd be possible to plug those holes in the bottom and yank out that overflow and do a custom Bean Animal overflow....Something to think about and something else for you to research LOL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obijuan Posted March 18, 2011 Author Share Posted March 18, 2011 The tank is 36" x 24" x 18". A bit taller than I wanted, and I'd rather have it in black, but I couldn't pass up the deal. I want to use it for live rock, live sand and soft corals. If I can support SPS or a clam, I may give that a try one day. However, with this deep of a tank, that my not be an option. I'd like to avoid using MH lights, since this is going in my Man Cave, and I could do without the extra light being thrown around the room (not to mention the heat and expense). The current plan is to use a four or six bulb t5 setup, but that may change. I'll have to ping wannareef about the sump. I've been looking at the Aqueon ProFlex models because of the sweet, sweet refugiums they have, but I'm not married to the idea. I do know that I want my refugium to be interesting (I love seeing how some people stock their refugiums) so if he can build one that fits my stand and has a killer refug, we may be able to deal. As for the overflow, I'm pretty happy with the one it has. I can change out the pipes, but seeing how this is my first saltwater tank, I'd rather not mess around with drilling a new overflow/return system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgf86123 Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 What you can do, since you want a killer fuge, is pick up a 40b and plumb it into the system, so that it overflows back into the tank, perfect set-up and you can do a display fuge that way. On lighting for that tank, that's easy as pie, even without MH. Get a 6 bulb TEK, which I personally own, or a 6 bulb ATI Powermodule, or they have a 6 bulb ATI Sun-something, either one is the perfect non-MH light for that tank IMO. It will allow you to keep anything you want in that tank, coral wise, with no problems whatsoever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obijuan Posted March 18, 2011 Author Share Posted March 18, 2011 Thanks for the suggestions. I'll start researching the 40g breeder sump idea. It appeals to me on both a DIY and "cheapskate" level. I'm not sure how the plumbing would work, but that gives me something to figure out. If you've got any links that would help, I'd appreciate it. (There's a cool one here) I'll also look into the lighting modules you mentioned. One of the nice things about not being in a hurry is that I have lots of time to research gear! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewisriverfisherman Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 The return tube with said hole below the water line is probably a back siphon hole. This hole prevents drainage of your tank so as not to over fill your sump in the event of a power outage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obijuan Posted March 18, 2011 Author Share Posted March 18, 2011 The return tube with said hole below the water line is probably a back siphon hole. This hole prevents drainage of your tank so as not to over fill your sump in the event of a power outage. Ahh, that makes sense. Shows what a noob I am to this! Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewisriverfisherman Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 Not a problem glad we can help. We were all noobs here at one point in time just ask around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoobtoSalt Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 Hey theres only room for one noob on the boards...jk Welcome aboard! Not a problem glad we can help. We were all noobs here at one point in time just ask around. Sent from my SCH-I500 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sergebmw3 Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 HEY Obijuan if you are getting rid of the wet and dry filter pm me and i might take it off your hand if the price is right i have a person that is in need of one for fresh water thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obijuan Posted March 19, 2011 Author Share Posted March 19, 2011 After 24 hours of cleaning with a vinegar solution, the tank is free of buildup. I'm surprised it only took a day. The sump picked up a lot of crud: Here's what the tank looks like now: The overflow looks a lot better Next steps: Clearing space in the Man Cave for the tank More research into gear Start working on plans for a sump/refugium Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgf86123 Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 Hey John, can I make a suggestion? Get a sheet of 3/8" plywood to put on top of the stand, I know it might hold it easily, but I always like having something solid under the tank, not open space lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obijuan Posted March 19, 2011 Author Share Posted March 19, 2011 Thanks for the tip! Suggestions are always welcome. Is the idea that the plywood rest right up against the bottom glass (helping support the load)? I just took a look at my tank, and if that's the idea, I would think I'd need three pieces. One to span the top of the stand, and two directly under the glass on either side of the center brace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obijuan Posted March 19, 2011 Author Share Posted March 19, 2011 Actually, after doing a bit of research, I've seen a couple of web pages advising a full slab of plywood on the stand, and styrofoam between the plywood and the tank. That makes more sense to me than what I was thinking. I'll make a note to set it up that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgf86123 Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 Thats the way to do it, plywood, then a piece of cut foam to put under the stand, and, if you really want to think glass safety, cut a couple of pieces of egg crate to put on the bottom of the tank, then set your rock on top of that, then add your sand. That will make it so that if you get a fish like an engineer goby, he can't dig up all the sand around a piece of rock, causing it to fall and potentially crack your glass lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obijuan Posted March 19, 2011 Author Share Posted March 19, 2011 So, a bit more reading uncovered this bit of advice on another forum: If it has a plastic trim, the plywood does nothing for the tank, but may help the stand structurally. You should NEVER put foam under a tank that has plastic trim. It can compress enough to actually push up on the bottom glass and cause the seal to fail. My tank does have plastic trim, with about a 3/8" gab between the bottom of the glass and the bottom of the trim. It also has a center brace on the bottom. So if I do go this route, I'll probably use thinner foam (1/4") to ensure I'm not compressing the glass. I love the egg crate idea too. I think I saw that being used on another tank thread here. I'd love to have a burrower (goby/jawfish) one day, so this seems like a good precaution. It also seems like it would make the rock more stable in general. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgf86123 Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 You may not have to use the foam, but the egg crate will actually ensure that you don't have to use it, since it makes sure that the rock can't fall and crack the glass. Dude, we've got both an engineer goby and a hi fin banded goby,a n they're both cool as hell, constantly out in the open, since both fish's caves are in the front of the tank, it's really cool watching the banded goby an his pistol shrimp cleaning out their cave lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgrcrain Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 Honestly, looking at what you have, if you set it on plywood and then styrofoam your going to see that. You dont have a lip of any sort to hide that stuff. Plus I thought the point of the plywood is to support the weight when there isn't a rim around the bottom. I have plywood under mine but it was hidden on my stand by a 1-1/2 inch lip and it was just to raise the tank up in the stand. I also have styrofoam under my sump because it is a acrylic box with no sort of bottom rim so the foam evens out the weight or levels it or whatever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obijuan Posted March 19, 2011 Author Share Posted March 19, 2011 You may not have to use the foam' date=' but the egg crate will actually ensure that you don't have to use it, since it makes sure that the rock can't fall and crack the glass.[/quote'] I may be thinking about this too much, but I just ran into this piece of advice: If this is an AGA tank and stand, don't use anything. Not only will it void the warranty but anything that creates pressure against he bottom pane will crack it, for example if the plywood bends Styro underneath is to fill in gaps form the stand, and plywood is for acrylic or rimless tanks, unless you can make sure it will never bend upwards My tank is an All Glass, and has the All Glass stand. As I understand it, the purpose of the the plywood and foam is to evenly distribute the pressure along the bottom of the tank. But in the case of these All Glass models, it seems like not only is it not needed, but it runs the risk of causing failure if the plywood warps or the foam causes pressure on the bottom glass. I plan to ensure the stand and tank are level (shimming the bottom of the stand as needed) when it is in its final location. However, I'm not totally sure the plywood is needed for this tank and stand (esp since the bottom of the tank is drilled, so I'd have to cut holes in the plywood for that). I do really like the idea of the egg crates for the live rock. I'll go that route for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgf86123 Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 Dude, there's no such thing as over thinking when it comes to this hobby. Whatever you do, do NOT follow my example, I'm working on my third build, with the current tank, in just over a year LOL. I'm finally going to take my time with this one, and thankfully I've got the full approval of the gf. Gotta tear everything down, redo my sump, remodel my stand, and then tie in 2 more tanks into the system, giving me a total of roughly 130g of water, with a 30g or so buffer in the sump. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obijuan Posted March 19, 2011 Author Share Posted March 19, 2011 Yeah, that's the benefit of taking my time with this. I have plenty of time to research and aggregate feedback so I make the best decisions possible. Accessing the collective Hive Brain here has already taught me so much. Not to mention that I love learning, so this process is all kinds of fun for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgf86123 Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 Thats actually one of the funnest parts of this hobby to me lol, too bad I get so impatient at times, luckily, Jess, my gf, has stated that she won't let me this time lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reefnjunkie Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 Ahh' date=' that makes sense. Shows what a noob I am to this! Thanks![/quote'] (laugh) I just set up a new tank and the returns had the same holes-I thought WTH??? With 2400 gallons pumping back into the tank they were crazy loud, I glued them shut to be told later (by wanareef) they were the siphon. I have my locline return as such that wne I cut power I am fine with the drainage into the sump. I have a similar stand, and IMO I would not use the plywood, I saw you post something where it mentioned the plastic lip(frame) was mentioned, this is correct as you found and plywood will serve no purpose if support was the goal. Later if you ever want to get to the bulkheads the plywood would be a PIA. I built a stand and put plywood down and regretted it a year later when I wanted to remove the bulkheads-I only cut a small opening and could not get to them-DOH! jgf86123 had some good advise when he mentiond; Whatever you do, do NOT follow my example, I'm working on my third build Sorry Mick I had to do it, you left it wide open-(laugh) Depending on the pump you use for the return you may find that siphon hole to ne a pain but with the return tube being so deep it is needed. Once you look into the downtubes you may just switch to a straight PVC pipe capped with a threaded 90 degree and then go with Loc line from there. Dont spend the money buying durso or other stand pipes you can build your own with supplies from lowes/home depot-all they are is a straight tube and 2-45 degrees with one 45 being drilled at the top for air and tubing down that hole for air- you can see the durso types I did when I built my 40, its a thought; http://www.pnwmas.org/forums/showthread.php?21608-New-40-Gallon-breeder-build Thats one way, there are MANY options, like the hofer gurgle buster-(laugh) you gotta love it just for the name, I did those once too totally silent http://home.everestkc.net/jrobertson57268/HGB/ enjoy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obijuan Posted March 21, 2011 Author Share Posted March 21, 2011 Weekend update: The Man Cave has been rearranged to make room for the tank. Once I have all of the gear assembled and leak tested, I'll move it out of the basement and into the Cave proper. Thanks to the help of John at Saltwater Fanta-Seas and a trip to the hardware store, I was able to re-plumb my overflow and return. I replaced the bulkheads, and used straight PVC tubing for the return. I also added a simple standpipe. Here's what it looks like now: View from the back Top view New return I also purchased an Octopus external protein skimmer off of Craigslist. It was quite tall, and I wasn't sure if my stand was tall enough to handle it, but I decided to risk it, since it was in excellent shape and much cheaper than I expected. Sadly, I got it home and discovered it was about 3" too tall for my stand. (sad) So, now I'm trying to decide what to do. I've already been thinking about using an external cabinet next to the tank (to house electrical and supplies), but now I'm thinking about maybe sticking this monster in there and plumbing it back to the sump. It'll mean buying a bigger pump to supply it, but it might also mean more room in my stand for a larger refugium. I really like what this guy did with his refugium. It's all the way to the right of the center column so you can actually see the thing. Of course, I might just end up reselling it for what I paid ($125). I'd be interested to hear what others think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obijuan Posted March 23, 2011 Author Share Posted March 23, 2011 Bump to see if anyone has any opinions about the skimmer. Should I bail on it, or keep it and plumb it into an external cabinet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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