Lunchbucket's 48"x48"x20" Reef

[Goodwin9]

Eric...not sure if you are saying that you need more power coming into your house, or you need more breakers on you current service. If you need more breakers to add to your existing panel, this might work. A sub panel I used for a while that has 8 20A & 4 15A breakers. It's a GE panel box with GE breakers. (I removed the GFI breakers and used them in my new panel, so there is room for a few more if you would need them

[Lunchbucket]

That sub panel should be perfect. I'm assuming brands don't matter as long as the brand of breakers are in the brand of panel.

I WANT more power to the house I only have a 100amp panel but would have to dig a bigger line to my house $2000-2500 bucks later But if I add a sub panel I can do the upgrade for little to nothing and have my 100amps (current power) dispersed better. A guy I know runs a AC, furnace, electrical place said that w/ my house there is no way that I'm pushing that 100amps too much so in his professional opinion just do a sub panel.

You'll have to PM me what you want for that panel.

Thanks
Lunchbucket

[Lunchbucket]

Well I got ambitious and pulled out the sumps. Cut my 2nd (top emergency overflow) hole in the 40gal sump and then pulled both upstairs and cleaned them in the tub. Not I'm downstairs to use rubbing alcohol to clean the insides and then seal all the seals w/ GE silicone (100% I window and door clear) and then silicone all he baffles in. Should be done w/ the sumps tonight.

Of course I forgot to drill a hole for the bulkhead for the return pump I guess I can do that later. Not sure how high to make it off of the bottom. How high do you guys make yours for your external pumps? It is going to be an Iwaki 55RLT.

Off to do a little work. I'm enjoying it today

Lunchbucket

[jnarowe]

I put mine as low as possible. It helps with priming. It also helps with micro-bubbles.

[Goodwin9]

All of my return bulkheads are 3" to 4" up from the bottom of the sumps. Seems to work great in my case.

[Lunchbucket]

jnarowe - I plan to put it as low as possible but didn't know if there was a "standard" height that the pumps intake would be at

Ok sumps and baffles are done. Well....I'm not that neat w/ the silicone so I won't be building any tanks soon. It went well enough for a fuge and sump

I highlighted the baffles in red so that you could see them better.

Here is the side view of the fuge. See the two holes? Those will match up to the two holes in the sump to have a two piece fuge sump combo.


Here is the top view of the fuge


Here is the sump that the fuge will drain into. See the two holes in the back left? The water will flow to the right in a "race way" and then will go over that very right baffle and head towards the left and out to the left (return chamber)


Closeup of the raceway


Lunchbucket

[chris wright]

Looks good mate. That extra silicone won't be so bad, bit of extra strength won't hurt Besides the fact it's not your display. The red lines were a good idea, easy to see what you have done.

Cheers

Chris

[jnarowe]

can you get your hands or a tool down inside the raceway and baffles? This is one area I have noticed on sumps that is very hard to clear of detritus.

[melev]

Is that 1/4" glass I hope?

[Lunchbucket]

Originally posted by jnarowe
can you get your hands or a tool down inside the raceway and baffles? This is one area I have noticed on sumps that is very hard to clear of detritus.

Yeah I actually double checked that before I glued everything. I almost didn't and surprised myself that I did. I can slip the bulkheads down in there as they need to be inserted from the inside (flange on wet side). I think it is about 3-4" away from the wall. Easy to get a hand in there or a piece of tubing.

Originally posted by melev
Is that 1/4" glass I hope?

NOPE! The 12" tall baffles in the fuge are 1/4" and the Tall wall that makes the long side of the raceway is 1/4" but the baffles are 6" tall (so they will only hold back 6" tall of water) are 3/16". Should be good shouldn't it??

Actually that long side of the raceway will only have 6" of water in it as the baffle from teh fuge is set at 6" tall and the ones in the sump are set at 6" tall too.

Lunchbucket

[Lunchbucket]

Look what showed up at my work!






AWESOME! One step closer. Pretty much need dry base rock 25-50lbs, sub panel, plumbing parts, salt, and a room for it. Getting closer

Only question I have is those hoods are 24" wide and the tank is 48" wide so two side by side will fit perfect. That means that the bulbs will sit at 12" in from each side. Is that optimum? The edges of the reflectors will be on the edges of the tank and will spread light past the tank. Wonder if I should place them both in the middle in a line front to back so they hit the middle of the tank or would it be better to go side by side.

I guess I just don't want to waste light or get too much on the acrylic for UV damage or heat on it. I will have fans running to get the heat away from the tank. I will have a decent sided fan sucking the hot air out of the reflectors.

I looked at Lowes for aluminum angle pieces to make a rack to mount my hoods and my 4 VHO's on. I saw 1/16" 1.5"x 8' for about 20bucks/stick. Should I get 1.5" wide o 1"? What did everyone else use? Any pics of your racks?

Lunchbucket

[bbehring]

hey lunch I would have put a 3 baffle bubble trap at each end in your sump. Didn't seem like you designed in any bubble traps? Maybe with lower flow you wont need them? hoods look sweet! The bulbs sitting 12" in shouldn't pose a problem with the reflectors. What bulbs are you planning to put in them or did I miss that somewhere?

[Lunchbucket]

I'm thinking I might tip the reflectors to point towards the middle a little bit so that more light is centered and less spread out to the sides were I won't need it? Maybe just a thought.

I'll probably use 10ks and run 4 VHO actinics. I really like 20k's better but I think it might be better to run 10ks for colors and growth

Lunchbucket