250gal Island tank project

[dragoneggs]

I am sorry but I did! He was clinging to the nylon stocking that I put a piece of raw scallop in and inserted it into a gatorade bottle and lowered into the bottom of the tank after dark and pulled it out early morning before light.

 

[dragoneggs]

No prank... I couldn't believe it. But it definitely came from my tank! The picture is taken with him still in the saltwater that I poured out of the gatorade bottle. I am going hunting again tonight.

 

[Ed Hahn]

Okay here is my first capture... it is about 1/2in long not including the antennae. Any guesses?

Mark,
That looks like a Ear Wigg.:razz:

 

[dragoneggs]

Back to design details...

Okay enough about bugs... let's get this thread back on track about design. I have been a little delinquent on keeping the thread up to date on the progress of the tank set up so here I will post some pics to share the latest developments with a slant towards automation.

My first real need was to set up an auto top off unit. This LLC (SpectraPure) ties directly into my RO unit via a 50ft run of blue tubing under the house to my laundry room. No more hauling water... yeah baby The unit is attached to outside of sump (black box). I installed a shut off valve in front of it and drilled a hole through the side of the sump to mount the fill tube which also contains a backup shut off float. You can also see the vacuum tube suctioned to the inside of the sump fill area that control water depth in that section. It cycles a couple times a day filling about a gallon at a time. Notice also the water flowing over the baffle maintaining 8in of water in my main section where skimmer sits.

For you observant ones, you will see a LCD light (Costco) mounted to the ceiling. A nice feature at night... just push the light for illumination.

The SpectraPure RO unit in the laundry room... I still need to set up more automation for water changes and reserve RO water. I can divert RO to a large bin in my laundry room. The yellow line is waste that I can use in my washing machine. The valve on top allow me to make water in this room and the white little box on the right is part of the LLC, the auto shut off valve.

 

[dragoneggs]

I also decided due to the noise of my 'first' skimmer pump to try to insulate the stand for noise mainly. This picture doesn't do it justice but I used some closed cell foam insulation from HD and double back taped it to backside of all six removable doors. You can see from previous pic I bonded velcro to four corners of each door and cutout. End panel is removed but opposite panel shows how nice and white the foam is... I hope someday to put in a refugium so the white reflective surfaces should minimize the lighting requirement.

 

[dragoneggs]

If the skimmer is the heart of my system then this next picture shows the brain and central nervous system. I installed an Octopus 4000 with temp, pH, and ORP controllers. I am undecided on whether I should invest in a conductivity probe but for now that is out. The controller is mounted (as with my LLC) with VHB tape. VHB is very high bond double back foam tape. Great stuff!!!

I also had to add another 'bank' of switches (Ca Reactor took three outlets!)to my electrical rack and there is another LCD light just under them. On the right my CO2 for my Ca reactor... more on that later.

I still haven't figured out how to finish off the wire routing but I am getting there. The blue tape is temporarily holding wires in place. The bundle of orange tie wrapped wires heads under the house to powere the 5 Iwaki pumps. The valves up top shut off my CL returns.

You can see the wiring for the three probes that are mounted to a piece of the same insulation that I used for the doors and it is floating in the sump. This allows the probes to be consistently submerged regardless of sump water height (normally stable but if I shut off my sump pump the sump water level will rise until overflow returns siphon break. The foam is sized to fit neatly between the filter tower and the end of the sump. The red tape is the VHB that I found another use for!

 

[dragoneggs]

Okay the full view of my new Korallin Ca Reactor. I am been fiddling with it for several days now and have yet to get a constant bubble/drip rate. I am using a 5gal CO2 cylinder and a Tom's aqualifter to supply water from sump. It is located on the floor between the CO2 and the Reactor.

A close up of the bubble maker and Eheim pump on top of the reactor.

It's getting crowded in my tank stand... you can sort of see my heater controls which I may move now that the reactor is in place.

 

[dragoneggs]

I finished off the wiring using the blue corrugated conduit both in the stand and the canopy to protect the 12-2 gauge wires to the GFCI outlets. Notice the skimmer cup doing its thing!

This picture also shows the rubber liner material I used as a light block around the canopy doors. The doors are only supported by simple blind swing hinges at the top sides and the liner material. To open, I just slight push at the top of the door and grab the bottom. The door hold open device is just a piece of electrical gray conduit that I use as a prop. I made four of them and they store on top of my tank. I think I will see about mounting them on the door insides using heater attachment clips.

 

[dragoneggs]

This last picture today (no promises) shows my new upgraded Eheim skimmer pump. My original pump GenX 6000 that comes standard on the Euroreef RC-250 lasted about three months and crapped out. Euroreef sent me a new impellor that I burned up in about 2 hours. So... I had to upgrade and fork over another chunk of change to get the Eheim. Of course that wasn't the end of it! Thinking it should be plug an play but no.......! I have to go to the place where everybody knows my name (Cheers?) nope...., Home Depot and buy two union fittings and sabatoge them to make the connection (in white) to my skimmer.

I do have to say that the Eheim is quite a bit quieter than the original pump so I am happier now (except for the unexpected $$$). I highly recommend anyone going with Euroreef to get the Eheim pump.

Another design note here... I routed all of the plumbing and electrical through the bottom of my stand in each of the four corners and the middle sides so there is unobstructed access through all six doors. Ben, Kirk, are you listening? I can't imagine the pain of not having access to all sides of both my tank and my sump.

 

[dragoneggs]

And for those following the earwig saga, please jump over to dedicated thread

http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25159

 

[Krish]

Very nice and detailed setup Mark! You really did a great job setting it all up even that day when your pants were half down after dinner

 

[dragoneggs]

Very nice and detailed setup Mark! You really did a great job setting it all up even that day when your pants were half down after dinner

Jeez Krish... you won't let me live that one down will ya? Thanks for the 'other' compliments though.

 

[dragoneggs]

Sorry to hear about your predator problem. I hope you find the culprit soon.

Your tank is truly a work of art! Your new M. wrasse is georgeous! I think I as still partial to your tang tho.

Debbie

Thank you for the kind words... I don't even want to know the time and dollars invested. I normally keep track of things like that but I knew going in that it would be a labor of love so don't keep track!!!

The M. wrasse is adapting beautifully and I need to take some more pics. I will post some more soon.

 

[Krish]

Jeez Krish... you won't let me live that one down will ya? Thanks for the 'other' compliments though.

LOL!!! Just messin' with ya

 

[brady816]

very nice setup man

 

[class clown]

Ben, Kirk, are you listening? I can't imagine the pain of not having access to all sides of both my tank and my sump.

I know, I know.... Hey.. everything is looking really nice here Mark. Any updates on the plans for your innovative canopy lift?

 

[dragoneggs]

No but this picture is my present 'pogo stick' setup and it is getting old. I am scared that someday I will inadvertantly knock the stick out and have the canopy knock my in the back of my head causing unconscienceness and thereby my head would drop into my tank and... not good. I guess I better get busy on the auto lift system.

 

[Scooterman]

Mark I used the brass hinge that locks open to hold my big hood up, I'll see if I can post a pic but if not then at HD or Lowe's in the hinge section they have them. A few bucks is well worth the headache!

 

[roscoe]

Any updates on this beauty?

 

[veralteaquatics]

It's for sale!!!! Contact me if you're interested????

Thanks again
Eric D.
Veralte Aquatics