Well My tank is really turning around nicely. The corals have been coloring up again for a little while and most are starting to grow again thank goodness. So I figure it is time to start adding on to the system. This will serve me 2 fold, A. is going to make water changes a hell of a lot easier, B. I will have a frag grow out tank. I am also going to build a small 5g or so tank for doing the inbound red bug treatments and for doing other coral dips and stuff like that. My current sump is probably big enough overall to handle the addition of another tank, but when I built it that was never in the plans. So the problem is that I set the water level too high to make it work. I could butcher it up, but I figured this would be a great excuse to raise the sump up off the floor by a foot or so and put drains in it going directly to the floor drain. That will really make water changing very easy. The new sump is under way, View attachment 7877View attachment 7878but I am still open to any suggestions if you have any. It is 48x24x15H, I am going to incorperate a nice sock holder, probe holder and a good wide baffle system that should be able to handle the 2 tanks worth of flow I will be forcing upon it. The new frag tank is going to be long wide and shallow sized 72x30x10HView attachment 7879. I will be running 2 250W halides on the left 2/3 and some vho on the right 1/3 to handle any zoo's and lps that just look better under vho. For flow it will have a ampmaster 2100, and a iwaki 70 to feed it. If that just dosn't do it I will throw in some powerheads here and there. The tank is going well, almost done. I think that it will be done here this week, then I will have a lot of stand building and sump building. So here are my designs so far, and I will post pix as things progress.
Adding on to my system
- Thread starter big t
- Start date
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Krish
RF STAFF
It looks and sounds good to me Tom. I can't wait to see the finished product! I don't really have any suggestions for you...Sorry. I didn't think pro's needed feedback or suggestions (LOL JK). Good luck with it...I'm sure everything will work out perfectly for you.
Kensn
Well-known member
Tom, how about a couple of dedicated heater holders? I've just had heaters on my mind lately.
esmith
AQUAMANIAC
Bad A$$!:shock:
snobanker
Well-known member
Tom, thanks for trying to boost our egos by asking our opinions 
Hey that looks great, BTW what program did you use to draw that?
Hey that looks great, BTW what program did you use to draw that?
reedman
Well-known member
Are you planning to drain the sump entirely for the water changes? This was the best idea I've seen that I wish I could do. It allows you to clean the sump of the detritus and salt creep while maintaining the tank water level.
The system is going to be great Tom. I'll have to come down and see it when you are done.
The system is going to be great Tom. I'll have to come down and see it when you are done.
LakeEd
Achilles
Tom,
The only area I would look more closely at... is the section of that new sump where you will be taking your return suction from. It looks fairly small... which won't allow you much room for error when it comes to evaporation.
Of course, if you already have some type of an Auto Top-Off that I'm unaware of... that won't matter as much.
The only area I would look more closely at... is the section of that new sump where you will be taking your return suction from. It looks fairly small... which won't allow you much room for error when it comes to evaporation.
Of course, if you already have some type of an Auto Top-Off that I'm unaware of... that won't matter as much.
Ken, Great suggestion, I will work on that one tonight.
Stan I used a program called sketchup, go to sketchup.com they have great tutorials on how to use thier program.
Reed, Yes that is my plan I will be able to drain it completely if I want to for large water changes. It will have 3 drains in the bottom to cover all the chambers. I will probably not drain it completely too often, but rather dry out 1 chamber at a time to get them nice and clean. I do wc's every week so I will be able to keep the sump nice and squeeky clean.
Ed, If it wasn't for auto top off I would probably have been automatically out of the hobby years ago :lol: I learned a long time ago that I much prefer to move water with pumps rather then buckets.
Ok here is a quick shot of the tank development. Tomorrow I am going to try to get the overflow built as well as get going on the top. The top will be made from 4 seperate pieces of acrylic that are glued together and then I will make templates to route out the shape. Anyone got any more suggestions? What about the probe holder placement? I only have 2 probes, 1 for temp and 1 for PH. I will also probably have a little holder somewhere to hold the drip line from the cal reactor.
Stan I used a program called sketchup, go to sketchup.com they have great tutorials on how to use thier program.
Reed, Yes that is my plan I will be able to drain it completely if I want to for large water changes. It will have 3 drains in the bottom to cover all the chambers. I will probably not drain it completely too often, but rather dry out 1 chamber at a time to get them nice and clean. I do wc's every week so I will be able to keep the sump nice and squeeky clean.
Ed, If it wasn't for auto top off I would probably have been automatically out of the hobby years ago :lol: I learned a long time ago that I much prefer to move water with pumps rather then buckets.
Ok here is a quick shot of the tank development. Tomorrow I am going to try to get the overflow built as well as get going on the top. The top will be made from 4 seperate pieces of acrylic that are glued together and then I will make templates to route out the shape. Anyone got any more suggestions? What about the probe holder placement? I only have 2 probes, 1 for temp and 1 for PH. I will also probably have a little holder somewhere to hold the drip line from the cal reactor.
Krish
RF STAFF
Looking good as usual Tom!
Kensn
Well-known member
Tom with a small plc and a couple of float switches, we could automate that water change to a push of a button...........
Let see, this one would work fine: http://cgi.ebay.com/AB-Micrologix-1000-PLC_W0QQitemZ7551246328QQcategoryZ97184QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Let see, this one would work fine: http://cgi.ebay.com/AB-Micrologix-1000-PLC_W0QQitemZ7551246328QQcategoryZ97184QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Just one question, how in the heck am I supposed to keep up with this? Looks like a great idea, and I don't doubt that it will work to perfection. Make sure you give us some pics when you get everything into operation.
Katchupoy
Well-known member
good job BigT, I too use SketchUp 5. Very good program.
Charlie I don't think you have to worry about trying to keep up. I am still trying to catch up to you. Cesar, that program is really cool, I am just getting my feet wet. Hopefully I will get better with it. Do you happen to know how to 'close faces' when they don't automatically close for some reason?
snobanker
Well-known member
I think I figured out the water change part of this plan. I guess you plan on shutting off the overflow and return pump then drain the sump and refill it...cool and simple I like it....I think I may have rethink my own plan.
Well things are coming along. I have never made a bent overflow before so I decided to make a test piece and see how it goes. There is a shot of the test piece that I made from a scratched up scrap. Behind that you can see the jig I am using to do the bending with. Just a side note, I cut the end of my thumb off making that jig :shock: Luckily it was just some skin and not too much meat. It does really hamper typing, and working out there in the shop Then the other pic is of the overflow that is going to be in the tank, it is cooling off right now as I type this. Please note that while I did this in my kitchen in the oven it is not recommended to do it like this. So don't do this at home kids. Aparently the fumes released from the hot acrylic are pretty explosive. I personally didn't really notice any fumes, but I don't have the best nose. So there is my update for today.
Then the other pic is of the overflow that is going to be in the tank, it is cooling off right now as I type this. Please note that while I did this in my kitchen in the oven it is not recommended to do it like this. So don't do this at home kids. Aparently the fumes released from the hot acrylic are pretty explosive. I personally didn't really notice any fumes, but I don't have the best nose. So there is my update for today.
Krish
RF STAFF
Looks good to me Tom! Maybe you should build stuff with acrylic and maybe even go as far as building skimmers for a living! Ever thought of that?(LOL) I must say though, you really seem to take pride in your work and are very neat at what you do. Keep up the good work and you never know...One day IAP may offer you a job to do work for them!(LOL)
Kensn
Well-known member
Tom, bud, keep the fingers out of the way, don't want to end up like me.....
snobanker
Well-known member
Tom sorry to hear about your thumb....but as a woodworker myself I can say I've sacrificed a little flesh over the years to the blade god
