My 300G Built-in Reef - UPDATE - Tear down thread

[Anonymous]

Greg Scheimer wrote:

The pump is not getting enough flow. Generally it's best to oversize the intake of pumps. I'd suggest plumbing the intake with rigid 1 1/2" PVC and use a bushing at the intake to convert it to 1".

I probably should have done that. I have already ran out and bought 1" spa flex. I have it hooked up and running now and I can't imagine the pump being powerful enough to make this pipe collapse. If it does, I'll do as you suggest and go to 1.5" pipe.

Louey

 

[Anonymous]

Louey wrote:

My single Iwaki seems to rattle a little bit now. I did not notice that noise when I had both pumps hooked up.

I wonder what caused that?

Or is it that when both pumps were running the noise of the air cooling drown out the rattling noise.

The rattling is coming from the intake area.

Hmmm?

When I redid the pump today, I found the culprit that was causing the noise.

Got no idea what it is or how it got in there, but the pump is now quite again.

WTF?

Louey

 

[mike90]

lol

 

[WRASSER]

It looks like it goes on the bottom of a post, like a chair leg or something to that degree.

 

[Ben1]

looks like a trivial pursuit piece to me, good thig you fixed it!

 

[Anonymous]

Louey

Looking good man!

Ideas for how to make a hinged door for the top.

It needs to hinge out so that it will not interfere with lights while you are cleaning and arranging stuff right?

You can use stainless steel piano hinge screwed to the edge of the door and the edge of the wall above, that leaves about a 1/8th inch gap that shows all the way across and its filled with the hinge, that is one way to do it. McMaster I believe sells it in 6 foot lengths.

Another is to make removable panels above the tank, Simple ones that clip into place with catches. That would be more if you think you are not going to be constantly getting in and out of the front.

My favorite is for you to have the carpenter take apart the entire top of the wall that you have already built and rebuild it so that you can have a door that slides upwards into the wall. Then you can rig it with cables and pulleys and hook that to a crank somewhere so you can crank the door open. -- Or better yet, you can use hydraulics to raise and lower the door :lol:


Okay, okay, I am going overboard.




For the hinged one, there are some spring things that McMaster sells that will hold the door up after you open it, and then you just bend the springs with your hand and they allow the door to close.


Have fun, and I second it, where is the pic of you in the tank?

 

[Anonymous]

Looking good.

 

[Anonymous]

looks great! When you get a chance, check your ball valve, Most of them actually reduce size in the center. Some it's a little bit, some it's 1/8" or so. Which could be causing your cavatation.

Things you could do with the top panel:

Large sheet of translucent acrylic, and print up some pics to put infront of it. (lightbox)

Make it the same wood as your trim, and put some details on it. Stain it to match the rocker.

Hang a curtain there. Just kidding, that thing would be damp all the time!

B

 

[Anonymous]

Hey, bingo's right about the ball valve

You need to buy a "full flow" ball valve.

I have them for my tank, they are more expensive and don't even try to buy them in bronze over 2 inch unless you are taking out a mortage :lol:

If you really want to get it right get a full flow ball true union valve.

I think one of those babies will run about 60$ but you can take them apart!

 

[WRASSER]

Hey louey, was talking to a guy who owns a LFS close to my house, He has a 300 gal. acrylic he is willing to let go at $750.00. it is in real good shapeso i am thinking about buying it and putting the fish in my 150 in it.
I am concern though about thesize differnce in the two tanks. weather it will make a differenc for the fish :?:

 

[Anonymous]

Get it Wrasser.

Your fish will love you for it. lol.

Setting up a 300G tank is a major undertakeing however. I you sure you want to give up your evenings and weekends for two months or more?

BTW, love the Speedracer avatar. It's cool.

Louey

 

[Anonymous]

bingo wrote:

looks great! When you get a chance, check your ball valve, Most of them actually reduce size in the center. Some it's a little bit, some it's 1/8" or so. Which could be causing your cavatation

There little green thing in the picture above was causing a rattling noise. Now that it's out, the pump runs quitely.

The new spaflex doesn't bend a bit either, so I am no longer worried about that.

Louey

 

[Anonymous]

Knucklehead wrote:

You can use stainless steel piano hinge screwed to the edge of the door and the edge of the wall above, that leaves about a 1/8th inch gap that shows all the way across and its filled with the hinge, that is one way to do it. McMaster I believe sells it in 6 foot lengths.

I probably will end up going this route. Ace Hardware carries a 6' nickle plated piano hinge.

I'll probably end up mounting some sort of stick to hold the lid open while I work inside the tank. Prolly put a stick of some sort at each end of the lid so that it is out of my way.

FWIW, this lid is going to open out towards the family room.

Louey

 

[Anonymous]

Knucklehead wrote:

You can use stainless steel piano hinge screwed to the edge of the door and the edge of the wall above, that leaves about a 1/8th inch gap that shows all the way across and its filled with the hinge, that is one way to do it. McMaster I believe sells it in 6 foot lengths.

I probably will end up going this route. Ace Hardware carries a 6' nickle plated piano hinge.

I'll probably end up mounting some sort of stick to hold the lid open while I work inside the tank. Prolly put a stick of some sort at each end of the lid so that it is out of my way.

FWIW, this lid is going to open out towards the family room.

Louey

You mean nickle plated brass?

and That is the way I would do it too, its probably the easiest and cleanest looking

 

[WRASSER]

Yea i know all about the time you have to put in, but hey that is part of WHY we LOVE it.
I will probably be building my own stand and canopy too. So it is great that you started this post so i can use it as a refernce


Speed is one of my favorites, My MOM bought me a remote control mach 5 for christmas a few years back, still in the box too :wink:

 

[WRASSER]

Louey, would you have made the main tank higher if you knew the sump would have been that high?

 

[Anonymous]

No, I would have made the sump shorter. I probably could have gotten away with a 48X24X25 125G sump. If I had that sump, I would build the stand the same height, but had 6" more clearance above the sump.

I like the height of the tank, but I woudn't want it any higher. I am going to build myself a little 30" tall staircase that I can move around when I work in or above the tank.

Louey

 

[Anonymous]

Louey, I had a nickel plated hinge on my 10 gallon. With all the salt spray it rusted within a year. Spend the extra cash and get stainless.

B

 

[Anonymous]

10-4 Bingo.

Louey

 

[drywallguy29]

May I make a suggestion? Please post some pics with people in front of the tank, so we have a better perspective of how huge this bad boy is( just my two cents :wink, and please keep us updated, becuase this is awesome!