280G+ Starphire In-Wall Build by ReefArtist - Page 13

NewNanoDude · #**301** 11/15/2007, 09:40 PM

Yea thats the tank I want to see running. Hehe if you dont get it running soon going to have to come load it up and bring it home.

I can help break the old tile if you need. Laying is all up to you though. Oh yea, I should be ready to build the reflectors and light rack maybe this weekend. Will let you know.

ReefArtist · #**302** 11/16/2007, 03:32 AM

NewNanoDude - Oh no this baby is staying right here. I still need to build my reflectors so we can do them together. I just ordered the rails and the rollers for them - should get them next week.

NewNanoDude · #**303** 11/16/2007, 07:04 AM

BUT BUT BUT I really want it.

Ok I guess I will leave it there.

NP let me know. Will come up that way whenever you are ready to build those.

mhurley · #**304** 11/17/2007, 07:49 AM

bump

cwegescheide · #**305** 11/17/2007, 01:49 PM

Hey you got water in it!!!

ReefArtist · #**306** 11/24/2007, 07:45 AM

OK - I've drained the tanks and now I have three barrels filled with RO/DI water. I've mixed up the salt and added all my supplements balancing all the barrels - 150g+ is ready to be added to the tanks - Only 350+ gallons to go

. I have to give a very big thank you to John (My local LFS - FAOIS). He took at least 45 minutes to go over my RO system. I'd had problems with the unit since my purchase (NOT FROM FAOIS). He completely disassembled the unit and with newer and better filters I now have "0" TDS. Not many LFS would have taken the time to fix something that wasn't purchased from their store - THANK YOU! What a huge difference in my older tanks - algae isn't as bad, water is clearer, etc - I found out that just because you fork out big bucks for something - doesn't mean it's going to work properly. So - I'm on my way!

I'm getting my QT ready and next week I feel I should be ready to purchase some schooling fish - I can't wait! I've had some disasters with my QT in the last month - not going to happen again!

NewNanoDude · #**307** 11/24/2007, 08:51 AM

Lol that is alot of water. Hope to see everything filled and all the rock etc in the tank soon. Keep up the good work. I really need to get up there to see how everything is looking.

What kind of schooling fish are you going for first? These tanks all run together are going to be awesome.

poknsnok · #**308** 11/24/2007, 11:16 AM

Carol, did John utilize the same canisters?? I have the same unit and it works great.. Although today I got 1ppm because of running it so much lately. but I got at least 1500 gal between resin changes..

mflamb · #**309** 11/24/2007, 02:13 PM

I'm also suprised. I have the same unit. I've ran about 1200 gallons through mine before tds started fluctuating between 0 and 1.

ReefArtist · #**310** 11/24/2007, 09:14 PM

Yeah, it is really strange. It had always been around 20 from the time I turned it on. I changed the filters, again from the same company and had the same results - approx. 20 ppm. I thought it was my tester and John tested it, we had the same results. I told him I didn't care what it took to fix (I trust him - John isn't going to do something that isn't needed) and so I went with the resin that he carries and also changed out my regular filters - from the point on the results have been "0". I have another set of filters and later I might check them out and just see which filter had been causing the high TDS reading. Also, it took me three shipments for them to get my order right, but in the end I did get it complete and a free TDS tester.

ReefArtist · #**311** 11/27/2007, 06:34 AM

I'm still making water - it's like watching grass grow.

I did get the plumbing for my returns done. My orginal return was to low in the overflow box. I moved them up and add plumbed returns from them to the front of the tank. Now I just need to get the locklines on them and I'll have some great flow.

I also re-plumbed my overflow dorso pipes. They were about three inches lower then what I wanted. So even though it was more work, I figured I'd be happier later.

Now I need to get more pipe to finish the media area and skimmer and then everything will be online!

mflamb · #**312** 11/27/2007, 08:31 AM

Pictures...pictures...pictures...please!!!

ReefArtist · #**313** 11/27/2007, 08:20 PM

Well alright then - Pictures it will be!

Over the last few days I was able to get the skimmer working, and the manifold up. The tank is still filling and is now about 3/4 full.

This is what we've been doing for the last few days. All I can say is that the trash man hates us!

This is the Infinity and it is now up and running. This is soooo cooool to watch. I can't wait to get the lights over it and my rocks and corals in it.

After testing with fresh water I decided that I had plenty of flow for everything, so I decided to split the returns.

This is the results - NICE! I don't even have to tunzes on yet

Here's a photo of the skimmer at work and the manifold that I made. Each piece of media will have individual flow control.

This is the sump area - everything seems to be working nicely.

This is my little pest that keeps trying to host everything - still looking and trying out the torch. They really like the Duncans - NOT!

OK - you're wondering why this was added. Well, this is a special clay sculpture I decided to make for an area on the book case that will be part of the total package.

I'll also be adding some type of sculpture over the Infinity - I'm leaning towards something like a cherry tree made from clay and the cherry blossoms made of glass - we'll see.

mflamb · #**314** 11/27/2007, 10:57 PM

Now that's progress!!! Looking great!!!

poknsnok · #**315** 11/28/2007, 04:40 PM

wow... Everything looks unbelievable. think there will be time to relax any time soon?..

ReefArtist · #**316** 11/28/2007, 07:20 PM

Thanks Mike and Joe! I've been working really hard to get to the point that I can relax. I just want water in it and start the cycle, then I can take my time with everything else.

I'm just about finished with the water change and emergency overflow plumbing. Since I flooded the room again today this addition will be a blessing - can't wait to get it done. My only plumbing after that will be the ATO system.

mflamb · #**317** 11/28/2007, 08:53 PM

That emergency overflow plumbing is a great idea. I have that on mine. It drains out through the wall and into the sewer drain.

How are you going to cycle the tank/tanks?

rogergolf66 · #**318** 11/28/2007, 09:08 PM

any more info on emergency overflow plumbing please. I have never heard of this.

Roger

samson78945 · #**319** 11/29/2007, 01:38 AM

i just finished reading the thread! this is a great build. i love all the ideas you are using on it!! i will def be following this one closely!

ReefArtist · #**320** 11/29/2007, 06:58 AM

mflamb - Well for the cycling what I've done to help it along was to put some live rock, few cups of live sand and a bunch of Cheato in two of the tanks I have up now. Each time I clean my socks on the old tanks (65 and 75), I get all the pods off and put them in the new tank along with a little nasty stuff. I make sure they are pods and not worms etc and I really look at the nasty stuff - it's a dirty job but someone's got to do it

. This would be a good episode for the show "Dirty Jobs" or whatever it's called - LOL.

I need to turn my skimmer off now - just had to get it up and running. The ReefLo is a great skimmer and most of all it's reasonably priced. Since it's pulling everything out I'm thinking it's not a good idea to have it running until after it's cycled - I could be wrong on this though????

Also I'm going to look into getting some bags of Phycopure (Phytoplankton) and a few bags of Reef Pods from Algagen. I'm thinking this should knock about 2 or 3 months off my "Coral" wait time. I got this information for Marcye - this is her thread Marcye's Build. I have a lot of corals that are considered "hard" or "Expert only" - whatever that means - LOL. So, I need to make sure my nutrients in my water column are at a decent level before adding them. These corals can be very touchy and my goal is not to loss any!

ReefArtist · #**321** 11/29/2007, 07:19 AM

rogergolf66 - emergency overflow is when you put a bulkhead very high in your tank. You plump this to either a drain, outside etc. So, if my tank starts filling above it's "Normal" level and is about to spill over onto the floor - it instead flows into the "emergency overflow" and down the drain/outside etc. It's a lot more work, but worth it IMO. I've added this to my Sump, Refugium, and my Grasses tank. Any tank that receives water from other tanks - got it added. I have a lot of tanks and a lot of water flowing, I don't want 500 - 600 gallons of water on my floor!

On a side note - doing this made my plumbing for my water change easier. I just plumbed all the tanks for water change into my emergency overflow plumbing. I'll be filling my sump with water and that will be my main water change area. This is tee'd off one of my pumps so changing 50g of water will take seconds. Also I added my QT into the "Change water" plumbing. I just drilled a hole a few inches from the bottom and plumbed it into my emergency overflow plumbing. This way I can change the water in the QT just by turning a ball valve. This will also come in handy when I need to clean the QT - that is the reason I put the hole so low in the tank.

I hope this helps - I'll be making one of my drawings a little later once things settle down. BTW - you need to make sure your flow is correct, otherwise you my be changing your water into another tank, or your emergency overflow is more of an emergency. For the first time in my life I'm glad I had to take fluid mechanics as part of my engineering studies

.

ReefArtist · #**322** 11/29/2007, 07:26 AM

samson78945 - welcome aboard! If you have any questions or ideas please speak up. I'm always open it new ideas and I need to know if I'm doing something wrong, so speak up!

poknsnok · #**323** 11/29/2007, 07:39 AM

I cant wait to get back over there to see this baby!

mflamb · #**324** 11/29/2007, 07:43 AM

I've been following Maycye's build as well. I am going to buy some of the same pods that she recommends. Glad to hear that you have a detailed cycling plan. I would hate to see any losses. I didn't turn on my skimmer, other than for testing, for two weeks. I used some live bacteria that I bought from Aquatic Eco Systems to initially cycle mine, and that's what they recommended.

ReefArtist · #**325** 11/29/2007, 08:41 AM

Joe - yeah we just have to wait for your wife to settle down

- kidding - I hope - LOL.

Mike - Thanks for the info and the "Gold" star - LOL. I like getting the OK from seasoned reefers like yourself. I'm in NO hurry and like I said my goal is no losses.

I'll most likely turn the skimmer off today and please if you find a good source for the pods let me know - I'll check with John to see if he has any, if not I might have to order.