Looks like it will be a great build, always like in wall and pen tanks.
First large tank - 180 reef build (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter tthorn125
- Start date
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I'm actually excited now. We're finally at the point when once the electrical is hooked up, the RO/DI can be turned on and run for 2345 days to fill the tank, salt mixed, and rock and sand can be added.
I still have to baffle the sump with the acrylic and EPDM weather stripping (no glue hopefully), and order the LED's but the light is now almost visible at the end of the tunnel.
After that it's an easy journey... :gay1: Fish & Corals never have problems.
I still have to baffle the sump with the acrylic and EPDM weather stripping (no glue hopefully), and order the LED's but the light is now almost visible at the end of the tunnel.
After that it's an easy journey... :gay1: Fish & Corals never have problems.
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OP
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Waterproofing.
What's the best stuff to use on concrete inside that people here have used? The floor will stay unfinished for quite some if not forever as it's really just a storage type room.
I know that salt is bad for concrete and there are bound to be spills that seep into the floor. I've looked at the garage seal packages, but they seem pretty pricey. Maybe just a couple of gallons of colored sealant.
Ideas?
What's the best stuff to use on concrete inside that people here have used? The floor will stay unfinished for quite some if not forever as it's really just a storage type room.
I know that salt is bad for concrete and there are bound to be spills that seep into the floor. I've looked at the garage seal packages, but they seem pretty pricey. Maybe just a couple of gallons of colored sealant.
Ideas?
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OP
OP
Have you ever had to experience it "holding" water? I wasn't even thinking about the run up the wall or through into the next room.
Right now it's just concrete next to studs. I could caulk where they meet and paint the wood as well. That would give me about 1 1/2 inches of "holding" power.
Right now it's just concrete next to studs. I could caulk where they meet and paint the wood as well. That would give me about 1 1/2 inches of "holding" power.
Stoneyj33
Senior Member
Roofing paint might be a cheap option. I believe it is waterproof.
The company makes water tight basement floor paint as well
http://www.amesresearch.com/basement.htm
The company makes water tight basement floor paint as well
http://www.amesresearch.com/basement.htm
OP
OP
Thanks. All good options.
OP
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Minor find / update.
I needed containers to hold both RO/DI and pre-mixed saltwater so I was searching Fleet Farm / Home Depot / Menards / Lowes / etc...
Found a good deal on Craigslist that I eventually saw on here as well.
Here is what it turned out to be, 55 gallon food grade barrels. I bought two of them @ $20 each for a whopping grand total of $40. Now I'll have 110 gallons of H2O available 24x7. :beerchug:
My RO/DI unit is going to be moved to the fish/dog room and I'll be running 1/4 water line from the well pump up and through the ceiling and down, with the waste water going back up and over. I'm going to mount it pretty high so gravity shouldn't be that big of a deal for waste water to push back.
I picked up a 3/4 bulkhead and put together some PVC.
I grabbed some left over 2x6's from the stand and put a temp stand together.
I will eventually create a longer stand that holds both of them together side by side.
The spigot will be turned up and out, but the pressure will empty it just fine. I'll set the height so that a 5 gallon bucket can be put underneath.
So given the proximity to the tank/sump. What are everyone's ideas for semi automated water changes. My current problem is that I don't have a drain immediately available in the room. There is a drain hole in the cement, but I was told that it's for emergency access to straight to the septic. Crap. :mad_3:
With the layout of the to be finished basement, I'll have a bathroom right around the corner from the room. The draining of water can be done there eventually, so not the end of the world.
I needed containers to hold both RO/DI and pre-mixed saltwater so I was searching Fleet Farm / Home Depot / Menards / Lowes / etc...
Found a good deal on Craigslist that I eventually saw on here as well.
Here is what it turned out to be, 55 gallon food grade barrels. I bought two of them @ $20 each for a whopping grand total of $40. Now I'll have 110 gallons of H2O available 24x7. :beerchug:
My RO/DI unit is going to be moved to the fish/dog room and I'll be running 1/4 water line from the well pump up and through the ceiling and down, with the waste water going back up and over. I'm going to mount it pretty high so gravity shouldn't be that big of a deal for waste water to push back.
I picked up a 3/4 bulkhead and put together some PVC.
I grabbed some left over 2x6's from the stand and put a temp stand together.
I will eventually create a longer stand that holds both of them together side by side.
The spigot will be turned up and out, but the pressure will empty it just fine. I'll set the height so that a 5 gallon bucket can be put underneath.
So given the proximity to the tank/sump. What are everyone's ideas for semi automated water changes. My current problem is that I don't have a drain immediately available in the room. There is a drain hole in the cement, but I was told that it's for emergency access to straight to the septic. Crap. :mad_3:
With the layout of the to be finished basement, I'll have a bathroom right around the corner from the room. The draining of water can be done there eventually, so not the end of the world.
OP
OP
After reading more about these, I have a question.
Reading the side of these it says to use an internal bag for liquids. Anyone using these for RODI and premix saltwater?
Reading the side of these it says to use an internal bag for liquids. Anyone using these for RODI and premix saltwater?
OP
OP
Been a while.
Got some electrical work done, enough to get things rolling at least.
Basic cloudy tank shot.
Pictures of the sump. Basic. First time doing the silicone baffle thing.
It will drain into the section on the left (10") with an external skimmer, return in the middle (15") and a small refugium (11") with a small percentage of drain water routed from the drain.
I wanted a large return for all of the pumps, dosers, heaters, etc...
Comments / concerns?
Got some electrical work done, enough to get things rolling at least.
Basic cloudy tank shot.
Pictures of the sump. Basic. First time doing the silicone baffle thing.
It will drain into the section on the left (10") with an external skimmer, return in the middle (15") and a small refugium (11") with a small percentage of drain water routed from the drain.
I wanted a large return for all of the pumps, dosers, heaters, etc...
Comments / concerns?
OP
OP
Few updates.
Water containers are now holding water. Filter is really turning red fast. Must be a lot of iron in the well water.
Sump is under the tank and ready to start running. On Thursday we are going to finish up the electrical and all should have power. For now the tank is still cloudy, I think I'm going to run a canister filter with some mesh to clean out some of the finer sand still circulating. I put the sump on some wood blocks that support all four corners and added some thick pink insulation underneath to keep the concrete from sucking the heat out of the tank. All that's really left is to plump the returns and add in the GFO/Carbon and dosing pumps when ready.
After the return is done, I'll fire up the skimmer and get the rock moved over.
:beerchug:
Water containers are now holding water. Filter is really turning red fast. Must be a lot of iron in the well water.
Sump is under the tank and ready to start running. On Thursday we are going to finish up the electrical and all should have power. For now the tank is still cloudy, I think I'm going to run a canister filter with some mesh to clean out some of the finer sand still circulating. I put the sump on some wood blocks that support all four corners and added some thick pink insulation underneath to keep the concrete from sucking the heat out of the tank. All that's really left is to plump the returns and add in the GFO/Carbon and dosing pumps when ready.
After the return is done, I'll fire up the skimmer and get the rock moved over.
:beerchug:
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Nice progress :biggthumpup: a tip for posting pics, if you dont already have a photobuckect.com account, I really recommend one. then you can post full size pics here. do a search for instructions if you need more info
OP
OP
Thanks. I thought about a Photobucket account, but never got around to do it.
OP
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Issues...
Well, the sump was filled up and ran just fine for about 24 hours and then we hit a snag in the process. The silicone didn't hold. I had a good bead on there, but regardless it broke. Also had a strange thing happen. I did an overflow test by shutting off the power for a few minutes and everything held fine. Did it again for about 5 minutes and had water all over the place. Not sure why, no difference in volume between the two.
You can see the baffle off of the silicone of the left side in the pictures below.
The skimmer has a small leak where the Sedra is attached, sent an e-mail to Bob at ReefMania and am headed to his place on Sunday for a fix. That's great customer service!!! :beerchug:
The tank is still cloudy, but I have about 60 lbs. of rock in there so far. The rest will be moved in closer to cut over time from the 75. The tank was clearer a couple of hours ago, but when I wiped the sand film from the glass it clouded back up again.
Anyone have any ideas on the baffle??? :brick:
It was 1/4" acrylic. For now, I'm going to cut another piece and put it in there between the two end and that should hold both of them in place on one side at least.
Well, the sump was filled up and ran just fine for about 24 hours and then we hit a snag in the process. The silicone didn't hold. I had a good bead on there, but regardless it broke. Also had a strange thing happen. I did an overflow test by shutting off the power for a few minutes and everything held fine. Did it again for about 5 minutes and had water all over the place. Not sure why, no difference in volume between the two.
You can see the baffle off of the silicone of the left side in the pictures below.
The skimmer has a small leak where the Sedra is attached, sent an e-mail to Bob at ReefMania and am headed to his place on Sunday for a fix. That's great customer service!!! :beerchug:
The tank is still cloudy, but I have about 60 lbs. of rock in there so far. The rest will be moved in closer to cut over time from the 75. The tank was clearer a couple of hours ago, but when I wiped the sand film from the glass it clouded back up again.
Anyone have any ideas on the baffle??? :brick:
It was 1/4" acrylic. For now, I'm going to cut another piece and put it in there between the two end and that should hold both of them in place on one side at least.
OP
OP
Things are starting to clear up. Just a couple of cheap t8's over the two sides.
Still need to wipe down the glass to get rid of the sand film, but getting there.
Still need to wipe down the glass to get rid of the sand film, but getting there.
OP
OP
I just ripped out the broken baffle. Now there is one big compartment that has a single baffle going top down. This keeping the bubbles out of the return, not ideal but works.
Sounds like your getting it figured out. I am guessing your going to finish the basement in the near future?
OP
OP
Finishing the basement will be a longer term project. Expecting a child in April, so we have lots of stuff on our todo list already.
I hope to have the other tank migrated to this one within the next month.
Keeping it "un-finished" for the time being will save on good ol' property tax. :beerchug:
I hope to have the other tank migrated to this one within the next month.
Keeping it "un-finished" for the time being will save on good ol' property tax. :beerchug:
OP
OP
Added 5 caps of ammonia to the tank. That will check to see if the rock is already cycled/cured or if there is work to be done. If all tests come out good, I'll add some ammonia each day for another week and then if all is still good, a couple of water changes to clear out nitrates and start moving some of the fish over.
OP
OP
Cycle is moving along. Ammonia is going down, Nitrites are going up, Nitrates are going up... :beerchug:
Shrimp in the pantyhose is decomposing nicely.
Shrimp in the pantyhose is decomposing nicely.