My 300----- the Rebuild

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CarlaW

Scarlet Begonias
RF Premium Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2004
Messages
7,670
Location
Columbia Falls, MT.
I don't normally do stuff like this, but I was asked by one of the mods here, so here goes. As a few of you folks might recall, July of 2006 was not such a great month. My 300 gallon sps tank, that looked like this:

IMG_5722.JPG.JPG


Ended up like this:

IMG_7111.JPG.jpg



After much thought, hair pulling, hair cutting, and other assorted activities, I have decided that enuf was enuf. I am going to redo this sucker, a little better, more flow, less sand, as in none, and a whole new attitude towards this hobby, and it's pitfalls.

I am going to show some beforehand pics of the existing plumbing and such, now, and by next weekend, I should have a mostly updated and finished product. I will probably post more pics sometime next week to show whatever progress me and about 5 other people made, providing of course the fact that many adult beverages may be consumed!!!

So here goes;
sump
IMG_7566.JPG.JPG


Skimmer:
IMG_7567.JPG.JPG


Small closed loop:
IMG_7568.JPG.JPG


Back of tank:
IMG_7569.JPG.JPG


Skimmer return, and plumbing to and from fuge:
IMG_7570.JPG.JPG


Skimmer pump:
IMG_7571.JPG.JPG


seaswirls:
IMG_7574.JPG.JPG


IMG_7575.JPG.JPG


Main return and large closed loop:
IMG_7585.JPG.JPG


I will be redoing all the pumps, except for the skimmer and refugium pump. NO MORE AMPMASTERS, I am tired of redoing the front ends on these pumps!!!!
 
If my calculations are correct, I think I am gonna turn thing over about 43 times an hour. I know that doesn't mean jack %^&*, but I think it will be pretty nice once I get everything adjusted right.
 
Surprised your doing a BB, I did that with my 100g tank & It helped but really with the larger coast to coast, I think that combo made a huge difference, detritus just gets dumped into the sump, I will end up re-plumbing the Eheim return & adding a better system for the sock filters so I can swap them out faster but If I did it right It would be even cleaner as far as particulate in the water. Looks like a nice project Charlie, look forward to seeing more, I've been holidaying it out but should be on my norm soon so I can take a closer look at the finer details:)
 
The BB surprised me too, I just have too many options for flow right now Scooter. The more we discussed this around here, the more it became obvious that I wouldn't be able to keep the sand bed from going all over the place.
Like I said, there will be more pics next week, but for now this is it.
 
That is one downfall, I could never keep sand, anything in there gets blown all over the place.
 
You'll enjoy the bare bottom :) Sand plays a major limiting factor where flow placement is concerned. 43x over in a bare bottom tank will surprise you :)
 
"might as well enjoy it before she throws me in a blender"... Charlie fish food.....not so good!

Seriously, best of luck with your project. D
 
"might as well enjoy it before she throws me in a blender"... Charlie fish food.....not so good!

Seriously, best of luck with your project. D

I am not even sure Willis would take a liking to that, and he eats anything and everything.
Seriously, she'll just look at me and shake her head, then put arsenic in my dinner.:D:D:D:D

Thanx for the good luck wishes tho. I think all of our ducks are in the same row, but you gotta know something rotten is gonna happen to screw it up for a while. It is handling those situations that will be important.
I am going to have the best of the best in the Flathead Valley helping me, so I hope it goes good too!!!!
 
"NO MORE AMPMASTERS, I am tired of redoing the front ends on these pumps!!!!"

So what kind/brand do you use ??? I have an ampmaster I bought used And i Have re placed the seal 1 time only so far but you got me curious.

:)

Paul
 

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