My In-Wall Reef Tank Build....

[Mr James]

Not big enough for the Large Tank forum and it will get lost in the General Forum. Besides, you guys are the only ones that will see it.

Pics below show the tank location, in the kids play area. It will be, for now, a 30g, 40g breeder and a 70g Rubbermaid sump. Might grow by two or three more tanks.

**DISCLAIMER** The shag carpet is here , there and everywhere. Typical house previously owned by older people. We are slowly bringing it back up to date.

My son...
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m121/floridahoosiers/Reef%20-%20Minnesota/IMG_0002-1.jpg

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Temporary location for RO/DI. Filters will be replaced before tank starts.

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That wall will be gone in a few days

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70g sump...may upgrade to a 100 gallon though!?!?

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m121/floridahoosiers/Reef%20-%20Minnesota/IMG_0022.jpg

Cheap Kalk...Stocking up now before canning season ends.

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Nearby sump pump for future water changes, maybe. Goes out to the street. It will also act as my "just in case overflow".
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m121/floridahoosiers/Reef%20-%20Minnesota/IMG_0021.jpg

[Mattewell]

Cool! Cant wait to see what it looks like all set up. Keep taking pictures as you build. It will be interesting to see the steps. Are you going to cut the studs? I am assuming that is not a load bearing wall? Seems like a good place to put the tank with that closet behind it.

[Mr James]

Actually, it is indeed a load bearing wall and I plan to have a professional cut the studs. Although, lately I have been thinking of just doing it myself and asking for help if the thing caves in. Isn't that what a man would do, act first apologize later??!!

By closet, do you mean the utility room?? Otherwse, just behind the tank is a bathroom. I plan to utilize some of that space for something or another and the drains will come in handy too. I couldn't have asked for a better set up than this one.

I do wish on the other hand that I could put my show tank in the living room and run my pipes down to the sump. But because my kids are so young and I have dealt with "little hands" going into the tank before, I will wiat on the upstairs tank till they get a little older.

[Mattewell]

Yeah, I mean the utility room. Sounds like it will be a very nice / convenient setup with completed.

[tarax]

Looks cool so far.. With that utility room right behind I think you are going to have a great location.. The tub is going to be just a sump for skimmer etc? Or a refugium?

[Mr James]

The 70g sump will strictly play the role of a sump. I do plan to have a fuge as a show tank. Odd huh?? I want to try my hand at different macros and such.

Here are a few updates. Tore out the drywall and plan to install the header and frame up the opening in this afternoon. There is a window near the tank I plan to use for exhaust. I am still thinking on how to best do this. I will continue to read up on how others did theirs, "here on Reef Central".

Front or viewing side of tank:

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m121/floridahoosiers/Reef%20-%20Minnesota/IMG_001.jpg

Back or sump room:

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m121/floridahoosiers/Reef%20-%20Minnesota/IMG_003.jpg

Electrical will have two dedicated 20 amp circuits (I even have a phone line coming in in case I plan to do any kind of Aquacontroller:

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m121/floridahoosiers/Reef%20-%20Minnesota/IMG_002.jpg

[KADLETZ]

lookin good james keep us posted!!

[blacktone]

That's an old house. Careful ripping out those walls, never know what skeletons you will find... or even worse asbestos :eek2:

[Azazael13]

or worse yet, skeletons WITH asbestos!!!

Interested in the turn out of the tank. Someday I hope to have a house and enough brownie points with the wife to tank over a room for something like this :)

[Mr James]

by blacktone
That's an old house. Careful ripping out those walls, never know what skeletons you will find... or even worse asbestos

It's funny because our Florida home was built in 1995 or something like that. That was fairly new, or old, depending on how you look at it. When we were there in Crestview, they were celebrating their 90th anniversary as a city. That's also new. The company I worked for in Indiana celebrated it's 100 year anniversary a few years back when I worked there, (International Truck & Engine Corp. - formerly International Harvester Corp.). Ask your grandpa, he'll tell you about it.

This house is 40 years old, which in these parts, is average. There are older ones than this, dating back 100 years. So there are houses here and all across the mid west, that are older than your town. Sidenote: To give it some perspective. While I was in Italy, I saw buildings that were older than the USA!!!

Our house isn't old per say, just the interior decorator was old. We have a new decorator and they are younger!!

More updates coming. I am framing the opening now. Electrical is next, 2 dedicated 20 amp circuits. I now plan to run (2) 40g tanks and a pair of 20L tanks, all within the viewing window....maybe. I am also upgrading my sump to a 100g this weekend. Heck, I may put one of the 20L's in our room, which is right above the sump room in the basement. I plan to install an exhaust system in the window next to the sump room for humidity control.

[Mr James]

Small update.

The window is semi-framed in. Making upgrades to the stand to take on the additional tanks. Working on the (2) dedicated 20 amp circuits. Purchased an add-on DI unit from TheFilterGuys.com over in Duluth, who are also a sponsor here on RC. Bought all new RO and DI membranes. Working on purchasing a skimmer to handle roughly a volume of 180 gallons, plus or minus....

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m121/floridahoosiers/Reef%20-%20Minnesota/IMG_0005.jpg

Header (very heavy):

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m121/floridahoosiers/Reef%20-%20Minnesota/IMG_0006.jpg
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Soon to be a double DI system:

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m121/floridahoosiers/Reef%20-%20Minnesota/IMG_0004-1.jpg
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My dad gave me this equipment, (shipped from Michigan)(What a great guy!! eh??) - Ehiem will be a Phosban/carbon reactor and the bubble wrapped package is a 4 x 96w PC fixture:

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[KADLETZ]

nice hammer work did you do it all by yourself? what kind of animals are you planning on housing? any frag plans?

[Mr James]

Screw and glue. No hammers or nails.

I plan to run 2 - 4 seperate tanks containing different animals. I want to concentrate on macro algaes, they will have their own tank. LPS and softies will be my main corals. Don't plan to do SPS again. Would also like to look into small fish, but not the typical ones. No tangs.

[KADLETZ]

"want to concentrate on macro algaes" why the interest in marco's new trend or somthing else?

[Mr James]

Sea grasses and macro's interest me. Besides, I'm gonna need a refugium anyway, might as well make it a nice one, something to look at. I don't know what goes into a fuge other than rock and chaeto. I've done a few different types of macro, but want to explore more. Heck, I may even try breeding fish. I've done phyto and rotifers, so I could do clowns. Always wanted to try bangai carndinals or whatever they are called. Besides, they are a small fish. I don't plan to do any type of frag tank, been there, done that. Ultimately I want to try new stuff.

[Mr James]

Small update. I ordered my ATi BM160, recieved it and then decided to upgrade for obvious reasons. I just ordered and will receive my ATi BM200 next week from Ed at KMA Int'l. PM me for more information if you wish.

[KADLETZ]

james you had a two day week-end i need some more pics! :)

[Mr James]

by KADLETZ
james you had a two day week-end i need some more pics! :)

Actually, over the holiday weekend, I had a four day weekend. I ordered another 40g tank and am waiting for my skimmer to arrive. I started some of the plumbing, but can't do much until all of the tanks are in place. Mostly because I am constantly changing the design. It won't be pretty, but I am going to love the functionality.

Hey, I have seen some of the pics you posted and things are looking good. Got any more you can share or a link to a place where you store your pics?? How's that skimmer working on the 1500g?? I am curious to the plumbing and what you ended up doing on the back side of that tank. The inside looks good. Love the schooling tangs!!

Now, as for pictures, this is what is taking up my weekends and I LOVE IT:

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[Mr James]

Ahhh, finally some activity. I have been waiting for my other tank to arrive. That has been the hold up for at least the last month or so. I ordered a 40g breeder from Petco through the $1/Gallon sale and it STILL hasn't come in. Instead, they offered me a tank that had been setting there for some time, hadn't sold. It's an Oceanic 58g RR tank!! And the price was VERY reasonable!! Hint: Less than a $1/gallon. Wow....

I had an electrical contractor come out and his team will be running two dedicated 20 amp lines over to the tank area.

Pictures of my new ATi BM200 (BubbleMaster) that I bought from Ed at KMA Intl. Awesome customer service at a very reasonable price. I am going to drill that 20H in several places and elevate it in the sump so that it maintains the specified water level that the BM200 requires. Or I may run the drain into the 20H and vent water our through the holes, so the raw water hits the skimmer first. Since my sump is a Rubbermaid 100g sump, I think this should work. The pump shown is the Sicci meshwheel pump, made in Germany.

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The tank:

40G on left, 58g on right will share a common sump. Fuge size and location undecided.

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m121/floridahoosiers/Reef%20-%20Minnesota/IMG_0218.jpg

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m121/floridahoosiers/Reef%20-%20Minnesota/IMG_0221.jpg

Started some plumbing. Running 1.25" return lines to an Iwaki 40. Oversize plumbing my friends!!

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m121/floridahoosiers/Reef%20-%20Minnesota/IMG_0232.jpg

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[tarax]

Looks like you are on your way..

[Phildirt]

Excellent James! You have waisted no time. I can't wait to see it up and running.

[Mr James]

Hey Phil!! How are things going?? Wish I could get some Styrofoam boxes from you. Post some pics of your tank in the Florida Panhandle Forum when you get your camera fixed.

[Mr James]

A few new pics:

Some new tanks. Mostly QT tanks, some species tanks and lots of BIG plumbing!! I have one of the QT tanks running with some established live rock and fish. I am using my Aqua C Remora for skimming and I just bought an AC Jr!!! Wooo hooo!!!

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m121/floridahoosiers/Reef%20-%20Minnesota/IMG_0170.jpg

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My ATi BM200 in the 100g sump. I plan to put the skimmer inside the tank and drill some holes in it to control water height, as these skimmers are sensitive to depth.

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[tarax]

What do you plan on using the 2" pipe for??

[Mr James]

Main drain for the main system will be 3" and the 2" pipe will be for the other tanks. Just not too sure how I plan to set up "the other tanks" yet. I may sell them and do something different. Dunno!?!?

[Mr James]

A lot is going on, but I managed to get some livestock in the tanks. A few pics.

Fish room

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QT system - just removed the fish and put them into the show tanks

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Sump with ATi BM200 (still breaking it in...)

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[Mr James]

Corals/Fish

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[KADLETZ]

Dam,james all this and a new baby!!! Talk about G.R.D you dont mess around. Nice build. And congrates on the new baby!!!

[Mr James]

Thanks Kad!

[Kentanner11]

Looks good!

[KADLETZ]

hey james im going to be doing a in-wall build at my house and had a question on your stand. is the main stand for the tank independent from the wall or does the wall help support the tank?

[Mr James]

Independent. I built a header to support the wall and the ceiling above.

[Eel-byte]

Nice setup!