Wazzel's 150 build thread

[Anonymous]

The sump working. That's an ER CS250.

 

[Anonymous]

Someone asked how I did my doors. One is slightly longer than the other, but the trim is the same length. So when them are closed you will not see a crack.

 

[Anonymous]

Some shots of my top off container. Got it local at Tractor Supply CO. 90 bucks. I could have ordered from an online vendor to get a vertical tank, but by the time I would have waited and paid shipping I would not have saved anything.

I already installed the float valve for the RO/DI shut off.

 

[Anonymous]

Managed to get two coats of paint on the hood inside between riding bikes with the kids and trimming our palm tree. Alao, I started on my VHO light rack. It's just Aluminum angle. It will be hung from some light chain. I should be able to finish that up tomorrow or Monday, since I am taking a comp day.

 

[bleedingthought]

Thanks for the picture of the doors, Waz! Now, I'm trying to picture how you're going to do your hinges...

Also, I've never seen an external pump plumbed the way you have yours. It's always beside a sump that is drilled therefore the water just "drains" into the pump's intake. Does it have to be primed?

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the picture of the doors, Waz! Now, I'm trying to picture how you're going to do your hinges...

Also, I've never seen an external pump plumbed the way you have yours. It's always beside a sump that is drilled therefore the water just "drains" into the pump's intake. Does it have to be primed?

Yes it has to be primed, but only the first time. I was unsure where I wanted it so I could not get the sump drilled.

 

[Anonymous]

2 questions for you now lol. Did you cut your own baffle glass? I just got my ER CS 6-2 and I see how you have your skimmer set up is like how mine is tentatively going to be. How does the water return from the skimmer to sump? I know it obviously comes out of the return pipe, but what kind of flow is it and do you have any splash from it? Looks great BTW.

 

[Anonymous]

I when to a glass shop to have the glass cut. I have no glass cutting tools. Right now it is just the ER stand pipe. It is loud and lots of spalsh. I was looking for a gate falve yesterday at the hardware store, but they did not have any. I am going to do a gate valve mod once I get a valve. Thanks.

 

[Anonymous]

So you just replace the return with a gate valve and not only will it let you control the splashing, but also a more controlable skimmate correct?

 

[bleedingthought]

Ranger, you can get glass cut for free at Lowes. You can just plumb your return so you can dump the output water wherever you wish. It'll also help you with the splashing, noise, being underwater, and you can get rid of the sponge. The gate valve itself, if you do the mod with it, will make it so you don't have to play with the riser to get the skimmate you want. All you do is turn the valve to control the height of the bubbles within the skimmer. HTHs a little. :wink:

And Waz, thanks! It's looking awesome! Keep the pictures coming.

 

[bleedingthought]

P.S. I have my skimmer output plumbed like a GVM but without the gate valve. I'm fine with it, since it's not that bad to adjust (if I want to change to wetter skimming, I just pull the whole mod up a tad) and I'm accomplishing what I wanted to: Less noise and no splash!

I might buy a gate valve in the future though, just for kicks! Didn't before because they are literally impossible to find locally.

 

[Anonymous]

So you just replace the return with a gate valve and not only will it let you control the splashing, but also a more controlable skimmate correct?

It's a little more than that. The ER site has some pics of the gate valve mod.

Gate valve mod on a recirc skimmer, but I'm sure you get the idea.

 

[bleedingthought]

On that picture, it looks more like a ball valve than a gate valve. Weird. :?

 

[Anonymous]

With the hood on top

 

[Anonymous]

And the hood innards.

 

[Anonymous]

On that picture, it looks more like a ball valve than a gate valve. Weird. :?

I guess a ball valve could work.

 

[bleedingthought]

A ball valve is way too tight, though. It'd be harder to tune in that not using a valve at all, IMO. Gate valves are just so easy to dial in, you know? But like I said, I don't have a problem with rising and lowering the riser tube.

The canopy looks great, man!

 

[bleedingthought]

Was your rock cured? What are you testing out at? How long do you think until you're able to pop something in there?

And also, what are your plans for the fish and what route are you trying to stay on with corals - SPS?

And while I'm at it, since I'm always full of questions , did you make the VHO rack yourself? Why metal instead of wood?

 

[Anonymous]

The rock I have in was dead. Most had been sitting in my garage for over a year. I'm nbot testing anything now. I plan on getting a little live rock to seed the tank this week. I figure some time around the first of Nov I may start adding things if the live rock cures well.

For corals I am going to do a sort of mixed reef. I am planning on mostly SPS with LPS, clams and an anemone (special request from the wife). For fish I am not sure, i'm still looking for suggestions. All I have planned for now is a copper band butterfly, mandrin dragonette and a pair of clowns (another request from the wife). The though is to have just a few large fish and many smaller so I will need to be careful on the larger fish so they do not eat the small ones. Have plans for 3 cleaner shrimp, one for each kid.

I did make the VHO rack myself. I went with the aluminum over wood since it is lighter, smaller and I did not have to paint it. My only concern is aluminum is highly corrosive in salt water so I will just have to see how it hold up. It was not expensive. The angle cost me just over $20 from tractor supply co.

 

[Anonymous]

YOu're going to risk the corals with the butterfly?