The frag sump has two return lines back to the main sump. One is 1" and will run full siphon. The other one is a 2" backup line. That's a trend with this build for all of the external tanks. I run a modest amount of water to it and have the primary and backup drain lines. The 2" is overkill by far, but it's peace of mind.
A Golden Reef Tank
- Thread starter halmus
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The other end of the frag sump. The two reactors for carbon and GFO.
The inside of the frag sump. There's a lot going on in there. I'm going to add another baffle on the other side of where all of those lines feed into the sump.
A couple other shots of the progress.
I am building overflow boxes for the frag tanks. They will go around the standpipes shown above. I originally hadn't planned on it, obviously, but I didn't like how the flow was working out with the original standpipes and draining.
mfinn
Surgeonfish
This reminds me of some labs I've worked in.
The pool table was installed yesterday. I hung the light this morning before I start working on plumbing again.
What kind of lab had plumbing running everywhere? I ask because it sounds like an awesome place to work!
Maybe I just haven't been in many labs outside of Chem I in college.
But, it is kind of funny that you mention that because I literally browsed the web for images of laboratories as I built out the room, so I have stollen some ideas.
mfinn
Surgeonfish
Oh, been to a few hatcheries, labs for Weyerhaeuser and Simpson, UW and a couple other places.
It all just looks very clean and professional.
Thanks. I'm spending a lot of extra time attempting to make to clean and professional. I hope it's worth the effort when it's done.
Good call!
My wife wanted an 8 footer but I had to argue with her about clearances and playing space. This is a 7' table.
That is the one questionable spot in the room. A standard cue (que?) with a tip right at the bumper just clears that column on the wall. It probably has a couple inches of clearance. It feels tight but I haven't hit it yet.
I hate playing in spaces where I bump walls.
My wife wanted an 8 footer but I had to argue with her about clearances and playing space. This is a 7' table.
That is the one questionable spot in the room. A standard cue (que?) with a tip right at the bumper just clears that column on the wall. It probably has a couple inches of clearance. It feels tight but I haven't hit it yet.
I hate playing in spaces where I bump walls.
The plumbing on the main system, refugium, frag racks is 95% done. I have one alteration I'm going to make to the reactor plumbing. I'm going to rip out just a little bit of the feed lines to those and re-plumb them with a section of soft line. I don't feel comfortable with everything hard plumbed (the way they turned out). I'm afraid there's stress on some of joints. I'm trying to get this as bullet-proof as possible.
I built supports for quite a bit of the plumbing now. I still need to make a few that will attach to the walls and support the vertical lines. I've been holding off until I'm relatively certain all of that is complete and that I'm done making any changes. I also need to add the pipe clamps for the unistrut supports for the lines running across the floor.
This is the result
I built a wooden framework that spans over everything. Painted it black. Then added aluminum angle iron around the perimeter. There are four removable floor grates that will allow me access to get down to the plumbing lines if needed. The floor grating is industrial grade fiberglass floor grating.
I built supports for quite a bit of the plumbing now. I still need to make a few that will attach to the walls and support the vertical lines. I've been holding off until I'm relatively certain all of that is complete and that I'm done making any changes. I also need to add the pipe clamps for the unistrut supports for the lines running across the floor.
This is the result
I built a wooden framework that spans over everything. Painted it black. Then added aluminum angle iron around the perimeter. There are four removable floor grates that will allow me access to get down to the plumbing lines if needed. The floor grating is industrial grade fiberglass floor grating.
Darthv247
Well-known member
wow. awesome setup man. think this is every reefers dream situation to have a whole portion of the home set up for their tank/s.
I had one suggestion, maybe i missed it in the thread but, I would definitely make all the outlets gfci in that fish room just in case.
great build! will be following along.
I had one suggestion, maybe i missed it in the thread but, I would definitely make all the outlets gfci in that fish room just in case.
great build! will be following along.
Thanks Mr Darth V.
I do currently have GFCI on every circuit in the room. I probably didn't mention it anywhere. That's a great point and certainly the safest route to go around water.
Time will tell if I have unexpected and unwarranted tripping of breakers at the panel or GFCI.
Currently, I have to run an extension cord upstairs to use a saw down there while cutting PVC. None of the new circuits will support the saw even though they're 20amp and the one I'm using upstairs is 15 amp and holding fine. The "smart" breakers keep tripping. I hope that's just because I need to replace the brushes on my saw. With the motors on my return pumps, I'm having nightmares that they'll start tripping breakers because the "smart" breakers they installed are too stupid to use anything other than a nightlight on.
I was told by the electrician that the new breakers have a microprocessor in them that senses unexpected behavior to protect your house. He was trying to impress me with techno babble. Being a computer engineer who is capable of designing that sort of device, I'm very aware of how faulty that design can be.
I'm hoping for the best. I might have to bring in someone to remove the fancy breakers and replace them with something that actually works. The GFCI is already my safety factor.
I do currently have GFCI on every circuit in the room. I probably didn't mention it anywhere. That's a great point and certainly the safest route to go around water.
Time will tell if I have unexpected and unwarranted tripping of breakers at the panel or GFCI.
Currently, I have to run an extension cord upstairs to use a saw down there while cutting PVC. None of the new circuits will support the saw even though they're 20amp and the one I'm using upstairs is 15 amp and holding fine. The "smart" breakers keep tripping. I hope that's just because I need to replace the brushes on my saw. With the motors on my return pumps, I'm having nightmares that they'll start tripping breakers because the "smart" breakers they installed are too stupid to use anything other than a nightlight on.
I was told by the electrician that the new breakers have a microprocessor in them that senses unexpected behavior to protect your house. He was trying to impress me with techno babble. Being a computer engineer who is capable of designing that sort of device, I'm very aware of how faulty that design can be.
I'm hoping for the best. I might have to bring in someone to remove the fancy breakers and replace them with something that actually works. The GFCI is already my safety factor.
Darthv247
Well-known member
ahh ok awesome! im just used to the cheap individual kind at the outlet themselves. I should have known that you already thought of it. Keep up the posts, drooling over here for more.
NanaReefer
Well-known member
Reminds of the innards of the ship from Aliens-lol. Mind boggling! 
SantaMonica
Well-known member
Checking in, to see what's golden in Golden
I kind of gave up on this thread when photobucket dumped all of my photos and demanded a ransom. Looking back at the photos, it seems they have reconsidered some of their previous actions. I switched providers but didn?t feel like rebuilding the thread.
Anyway, the tank has been running water since September. I have had multiple unexpected dramas as a result of not QT?ing algea and mangroves I ordered online. I?ve been dealing with Dinoflagilates, Diatoms, Spirulina in plague proportions. All of those are enemies I?ve never battled before in my 20 years of on and off reefing. Each problem has appeared and gained traction after I treated the previous.
I was doing massive water changes and letting the rock cook for months before even ramping up lights. So, while I knew the dry pukani rock was notorious for leeching junk, I didn?t expect this. Especially after doing 50-75% water changes and running a gallon of GFO and a gallon of carbon in separate reactors. How could I possibly have excessive nutrients?
That problem is compounded with the fact that I was still trying to complete the various other aesthetic touches on the tank. I don?t have time to pay attention to exact water parameters closely.
Anyway, I?ve got my head down and I?m driving forward. I added UV to the QT and display. I have never liked using UV but it might be a necessary evil to run periodically if Dino?s reappear.
I?ll update with photos of the finished hood. I added a DIY remote controlled hood system to the tank which turned out great. I completed the hood facade and the rest of the cabinetry in the basement.
This weekend, with most of the water drama stable for a month now, I?m picking up a Blonde Naso and a Powder Blue. I have three lonely Bartlett?s in the display that are doing well and a Yellow Tang that has been in QT for two months. He needs to see the big tank soon but I want to introduce all of the tangs at once to their new home.
Anyway, the tank has been running water since September. I have had multiple unexpected dramas as a result of not QT?ing algea and mangroves I ordered online. I?ve been dealing with Dinoflagilates, Diatoms, Spirulina in plague proportions. All of those are enemies I?ve never battled before in my 20 years of on and off reefing. Each problem has appeared and gained traction after I treated the previous.
I was doing massive water changes and letting the rock cook for months before even ramping up lights. So, while I knew the dry pukani rock was notorious for leeching junk, I didn?t expect this. Especially after doing 50-75% water changes and running a gallon of GFO and a gallon of carbon in separate reactors. How could I possibly have excessive nutrients?
That problem is compounded with the fact that I was still trying to complete the various other aesthetic touches on the tank. I don?t have time to pay attention to exact water parameters closely.
Anyway, I?ve got my head down and I?m driving forward. I added UV to the QT and display. I have never liked using UV but it might be a necessary evil to run periodically if Dino?s reappear.
I?ll update with photos of the finished hood. I added a DIY remote controlled hood system to the tank which turned out great. I completed the hood facade and the rest of the cabinetry in the basement.
This weekend, with most of the water drama stable for a month now, I?m picking up a Blonde Naso and a Powder Blue. I have three lonely Bartlett?s in the display that are doing well and a Yellow Tang that has been in QT for two months. He needs to see the big tank soon but I want to introduce all of the tangs at once to their new home.
