Todd's 125g (Part II = Plumbing of the sump/fuge)

[TJL]

OK, now that the stand is mostly complete and into the house it is the time to set-up the plumbing. Afer numerous reeftanks over the years and always re-doing or modifying plumbing on running systems (a major PITA) having the luxery of time on my side this time I believe that this will be my best set-up ever... fingers crossed. I removed the closed-loop and patched the holes and am changing the Durso style to a Herbie style drain. The sump/fuge was an old 75g RR Acrylic tank 48x18x20 that I chopped to 17" tall to accommodate planned plumbing. for the first time have set up to run a filter sock and came up with hopefully a ultra silent drain in combination with the Herbie, I was speaking with North - Todd and describing a what I wanted in using a collapsable piece of tubing on bottom side of bulkhead above filter sock to extend outlet flow below water level but still be able to easily remove filter sock for cleaning. While picking up my Spa-flex at Ace Hardware I came accross some 1-1/2" flat discharge hose that I was able to utilize for this idea.

So without further ado; tank on stand in house

Chop-job on sump, ran through table saw just removing the top then again cutting 3"

cleaning up the top

adding allignment brackets to the top

re-glueing the top on

Then...

 

[TJL]

onto the New and improved inlet design. I did not have the neccessary room for the Eshopps Filter Sock unit so I fabricated my own

the collapsable discharge hose applied

filtersock bracket installed

Hopefully this will be all that I hope it to be.

Cheers, Todd

 

[Somethings Fishy]

nice work with the acrylic work!

 

[TJL]

Then onto the outlet for the return pump. I am undecided at this point on wether to have a standard fuge with sandbed and macro-algaes (I have ran for 20+ years) or to build a platform for a Xenia farm style nutrient export. Preparing for either I cut out the corner overflow chamber but left bottom 2-1/2" for a sand bulkhead if needed. I then routed the heck out of it to get a good flow for my Cryptic Zone area of fuge this way I can re-use all the Bio-balls from curent cryptic fuge that are covered in sponges and tunicates. By placing my screened outlets in this aea will be able to draw all the return water through it before being pumped back into display.

I drilled up a little higher to reduce pressure on bulkhead fitting and allow for union plus ball valve and enough spa-flex to make pump maintenance easier.

I just recieved my back ordered bulkheads so can now work on the rest of the drain to the Herbie and will update again later.

Cheers, Todd

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Very nice. looks quite easy to maintain!

 

[Peppie]

You are one handy SOB.

 

[eww]

Whoo Hoo!!! Another step closer to getting it wet. Nice work as usual Todd.

 

[TJL]

Thanks Fishy, Mike, Peppie and Eric. I pretty much finished up the drain part of plumbing today as went faster/better than expected, but will have to wait a bit for a wet test.

FPS (Full Plumbing Shot)

From the left end (love having both ends accessable)

Right side detail of unions to main and emergency drain plus gate valve

Last but not least the schedule 80 drains in overflow box

Time to start on the return plumbing to the Sea-Swirl then onto canopy & LED build

Cheers, Todd

 

[eww]

You still doing the closed loop?

 

[TJL]

No, bagged the closed-loop as would have had to pull the stand 6"+ from wall and all the extra plumbing lines would block my acces door to the LED drivers that I still need to cut out of the back ply panel. I already purchased a couple Koralia Evo 1400's to add to the K-3's. I had to keep the left end drain up high enough to have room for the fold-down access door plus chopping 3" off the height of sump.

Todd

 

[eww]

Makes sense. I thought it was going to be a lot to cram in there but hey, what do I know??? I'm not even a year old yet...

 

[Krish]

Great work Todd! Looks great!! Justs need some water now

 

[trido]

No wonder I havent heard from you lately! That thing is looking like its going to be a nice quiet and electrically efficient system once it gets running.

 

[Adonijah]

Looks damn good! Keep posting pics

 

[tat2z_21]

Dude that thing is looking awesome. Wait until you get those lights on there. When are we going forward with this thing. I know that this is phase 2 but planning for phase 3, I was thinking that if you were to build up the frame and bring me all of the parts I can put it together and have it ready shortly after phase 2 is completed. Let me know.

 

[TJL]

Hey Floyd, that would be great. I have already cut the aluminum channel and won't take long to cut the flatstock but still looking for someone who could tig weld it together for me. I am also going to trim one side of the channel down a bit to angle the LED's towards center of tank (better horizon lighting effect ) for the outside two circuits. Plan on starting the canopy this week too.

Cheers, Todd

 

[Adonijah]

Looks good Todd!

 

[thatguy559]

hey todd great job on this tank the only issue i see is the return pump inlet might cause cavitation with the way its routed.

 

[TJL]

Time for a little update as cannot really finish until I tile floor and redo/update fireplace stone work. I was able to finish the return plumbing and thought I'd share a nice tip on tools. Always trying to think ahead so incorporated threaded plumbing wherever feasible as to be able to change/re-route if ever needed. For those of you that have assembled threaded PVC you no what a major PITA it is, found a very helpful set of tools at Lowes for about $16 for the pair of Strap Wrenches.

Finished return plumbing from Iwaki WMD-30RLXT: 1" threaded true-union check-valve 45* away from sump to 1" X fitting (to allow room for Phosban 150 reactor), mainline double 45* to 1" threaded ball-valve to 1" threaded union then continues up to where its reduced to a 3/4" union at 3/4" SeaSwirl, at X secondary return reduced to 1/2" into ball-valve and union then 90* barbed fitting which has braided 5/8" pvc up to bulkhead plumbing then 1/2" Loc-line, 3rd return (unused) at X reduced to a 3/4" ball-valve and union then 3/4" barb (3/4 tubing can be attached for quick water changes or ???)

assembling the pieces

close-up of strap wrenches

SeaSwirl and secondary return

add-on pic: taking my time on all plumbing even to the extent of sand & beveling all pvc pieces before glueing into fittings ( for you car enthusiests, just like porting-n-polishing your exhaust)

Thats all until the Wet Test Cheers, Todd

 

[eww]

Wow that's a lot of threads. Do they seal up nice and tight like the glued joints do? I need to go pick up some of those strap wrenches. Handy little tools to have for lots of stuff and I didn't realize they were that inexpensive. I like the idea of the extra feed off the return for expansion or water changes.