90 Gallon Reef Custom Project

[Hampton]

I picked up my new tank in Orlando this weekend. It came just as ordered.

I plan on posting pictures as I set this thing up. The main features for this SPS tank are:

90 Gallon with Coast to Coast horizontal overflow over the back into an external overflow box (Self-designed).

Closed loop with Sequence Snapper and Oceans Motions 4-way (2500 gph).

30 gallon Refugium with 600 gph return flow.

2 250 watt HQI MH's, 4 60 watt PC's, moon lights.

This tank is replacing my current 90 gallon. My current tank doesn't have enough flow, and is using an over-the-back overflow box with syphon tubes.

The new tank has 6 holes in the back with 4 - 1" bulkheads for return flow and 2 - 1 1/2" bulkheads for outflow to the closed loop.

The rocks will be "floating" on a stolen idea of acrylic rods and strips.

I painted the back with 2 coats (so far) of "Painter's choice" Rustoleum in Navy Blue.

The Sch 80 Bulkheads, black PVC, shutoff valves, and acrylic rods cost a small fortune. Pictures soon!

[Hampton]

Third coat of paint today. Pictures tomorrow (later today).

[Hampton]

Third coat of paint today. Pictures tomorrow (later today).

[RicGio]

taggin' along. Starting a similar project myself.

[Hampton]

RicGio,

Keep us updated!

Back View:

http://www.kitecommunity.com/components/com_ponygallery/img_pictures/originals/user_4802_136-3694_IMG.JPG

Side View:

http://www.kitecommunity.com/components/com_ponygallery/img_pictures/originals/user_4802_136-3695_IMG.JPG

Painted:

http://www.kitecommunity.com/components/com_ponygallery/img_pictures/originals/user_4802_136-3697_IMG.JPG

[Hampton]

http://www.kitecommunity.com/components/com_ponygallery/img_pictures/originals/user_4802_136-3697_IMG.JPG

http://www.kitecommunity.com/components/com_ponygallery/img_pictures/originals/user_4802_136-3694_IMG.JPG

http://www.kitecommunity.com/components/com_ponygallery/img_pictures/originals/user_4802_136-3695_IMG.JPG

[RicGio]

Is that a Glasscages tank? Looks pretty good so far. I'm thinking I'll use the darkest Navy blue I can find on back of mine. Talked to LFS today...my tank is still 3-4 weeks from delivery. Dang it.

[Hampton]

Yes - Glass Cages. Are you getting yours from them too? I wanted a dark blue too. It looks a lot better from the front.
Here's a long dialogue, if you guys care:

http://wetwebfotos.com/talk/thread.jsp?nav=false&forum=11&thread=39884&start=0&msRange=15

[CPT. MURPHY]

Very cool

CPT.

[RicGio]

No, I ordered an AGA. I almost went with Glasscages but I would have had to drive 4 hrs round trip to get it. I just don't have the time.

[jdircksen]

Looks cool. I'm starting a 75g so I'll tag along.

[Hampton]

Hello J. Welcome aboard.

Today, I installed the water intake assembly for the closed loop system. I thought it stuck out too far into the tank ( Pic 1), so I took out the threaded adaptors, ground out some threads inside the bulkheads, and inserted the Black PVC directly into the bulkheads, then reattached the assembly (pic 2).

The last photo is the back with the first PVC adaptors.

http://www.kitecommunity.com/components/com_ponygallery/img_pictures/originals/user_4802_137-3715_IMG.JPG

http://www.kitecommunity.com/components/com_ponygallery/img_pictures/originals/user_4802_137-3716_IMG.JPG

http://www.kitecommunity.com/components/com_ponygallery/img_pictures/originals/user_4802_137-3714_IMG.JPG

[archer8681]

Looks nice. GL Keep posting pics!

[Hampton]

Archer,

I looked at your link (red house). Looks great!

Today, I continued plumbing. The 'Y' on the back takes two 1.5" outflows and combines them to one 2" for input into the Snapper pump. The far left Bulkhead will probably be for my primary overflow line to the sump. These will all be adjustable by simply raising or lowering the tube on top, which will slide. The primary will be the lowest, and will be tasked to its max.

The far right one will be the emergency drain (highest - still below tank level), and the one next to it will be the secondary drain. The secondary drain will drain whatever the primary can't handle. I think this system helps reduce noise. If it's a problem, I'll change the tops.

The second from the left allows the sump return to flow back up through the overflow box to the back corner returns.

http://www.kitecommunity.com/components/com_ponygallery/img_pictures/originals/user_4802_137-3717_IMG.JPG

This second picture shows the overflow return plumbing. It is not at the final height. It's just sitting there for now. The top right of the picture shows it coming through the overflow box.

http://www.kitecommunity.com/components/com_ponygallery/img_pictures/originals/user_4802_137-3718_IMG.JPG

The last picture shows what the return from sump and the outflow looks like, and you get an idea of the coast to coast overflow over the back. Also worth noting is that the outflow assembly is not attached permanently. It can be pulled loose for cleaning and then pushed back on.

http://www.kitecommunity.com/components/com_ponygallery/img_pictures/originals/user_4802_137-3720_IMG.JPG

[Hampton]

Well, I'm about done until I get my 4-way from Oceans Motions. It should be here soon, but PayPal wasn't my Pal and limited my account this weekend because I was working on Veteran's day weekend, or something like that (ordered from my work computer).

So, does my pump need to sit on the floor or can I build a little platform for it. I'd rather build a little platform a couple of feet off of the floor. Too much plumbing, weight and wasted room to run it to the floor. My only concern is that the pump would vibrate too much if it sat up off of the floor on a make shift table. Inputs?

Also, I'm going to have to carry this thing into the living room with all of the plumbing hanging off of the back. Once I put it on the stand, it's not going anywhere, and I mean anywhere!!!

The refugium below is built THROUGH the stand. I didn't want to set it inside the stand, so I cut a hole in the bottom of the stand and placed it on the floor.

http://wetwebfotos.com/usermedia/high/6/9596_9.jpg

Once I build this thing, it's going to have to be placed on the stand all at once. OOPS?

[Hampton]

O.K. New Problems: If my tank is not perfectly level (left-to-right), the horizontal overflow will not work. Once you have it set up, you can't change the leveling.

Also, if you look at the tank back wall from the front of the tank, you see nice blue paint on the bottom, and you see into the overflow box on the top. In between, you see another silicone seam running all the way across the back as you look at where the overflow box's bottom is joined to the back of the tank.

My solution: I am going to build a plexiglass sleeve which will fit over the back wall the entire length, from left to right, and be just tall enough to extend down to cover the seam. When viewed from the front, it'll be continuous blue, top to bottom. Also, if the tank is not level, the sleeve can be leveled by physically moving one side up or down.

It'll be made of dark blue plexiglass in the front (about 47" wide by 6" tall). It will have a 1/2" wide, 1/4" tall spacer (47" wide) at the very top behind the front blue panel, and will have a 1" tall piece glued to the back of the spacer. Viewed from the side, it'll look like a bracket that loops over a door to hold shoes, or the like. This one will loop over the back wall of the aquarium to solve two problems. Due to the dimensions, it'll be snug, but not too tight.

I shopped on line today, and found that most stores require you to buy a 4 X 8' sheet of colored plexiglass for a couple of hundred dollars. One claims to sell 2 X 4 sheets, but then requires you to buy two for about 90 dollars. Delvie plastics of Salt Lake City will sell one 2 X 4 section, and cut it in to 2 1 X 4's to lower the shipping costs - Total cost - less than $30.

http://www.delviesplastics.com/ACRYLIC%20SHEET.htm

Buy HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.kitecommunity.com/components/com_ponygallery/img_pictures/originals/user_4802_137-3721_IMG.JPG

[Hampton]

Today I plumbed the two front return flow lines for the closed loop. These will come on alternatively, for one minute at a time each. When the right one is on, the left jet in the back facing forward will be on at the same time. Each minute, the whole cycle reverses.

These will be buried in the sand up to the bottom of the outlet, or a little less.


http://www.kitecommunity.com/components/com_ponygallery/img_pictures/originals/user_4802_137-3722_IMG.JPG

[Hampton]

Man, I didn't like that.

This is better.

http://www.kitecommunity.com/components/com_ponygallery/img_pictures/originals/user_4802_137-3723_IMG.JPG

[Hampton]

Bump. Man, these things expire fast.

Any comments? I received my Snapper and 4-way (Oceans Motions) the past couple of days.

Plumbing to follow. I thought I could hide it behind the cabinet, but that is not going to work any more. The 4-way isn't that big, but the plumbing comes out on all 4 corners (round unit).

http://www.oceansmotions.com/plumbingC4.htm

So, now I'm thinking about doing more cutting in the back of my stand, or setting the pump and 4-way on the floor next to the stand behind the 5-bottle wine rack. What do you guys do or recommend?

[Hampton]

Click here:

http://www.oceansmotions.com/plumbingC4.htm

[BruiseAndy]

You are right about Delvies plastics. Bought all the acylic for my 60G cube (1/2") plus some black pieces for overflow and a half quart of weldon for around $250. Real nice people as well. Can you resize the pics to 800x600...might be easier to reference your pictures then.

[Hampton]

Reply. My pics come from a kitesurfing web site. For that web site, they are auto-sized. When I link them here, they blow up to full size. I'll have to look into just sending the small sized ones.

Thanks for the feedback. I wasn't sure how other people took that. It's a dilemma, small pictures which leave out details, large ones which you have to scan around, or resize every image before my daily posts. I think you're right. I should re-size.

[Hampton]

I'm Back.

[GuySmilie]

So how's it going 3 months later, Hampton?
I like your coast to coast design. I'm getting ready to do my new 58g that way. Not exactly like yours but similar.

I was also curious about your comment that you ran the legs off your old HOB overflow. It must have been pretty small. Anyway, I've been wondering how big to size my overflow drains and can't decide on what size pipe and how many. I can't imagine pumping much over 300gph through my 70 gallon (total) system.

I'm still not clear on yours layout. Since your pix are so huge, I get disoriented trying to take it all in. How many active drains will your overflow box have and how big (diameter pipe) are they? I think you said you were using one for an emergency overflow (which is a good idea I had not considered on my design).

Anyway, you're looking good. Don't know why everything dropped off the map here. Post some more pix.
Guy

[Joshua D Bak]

Man I thought I posted some big Pics! LOL jk looking good though!

[slandis3]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8530947#post8530947 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by RicGio
No, I ordered an AGA. I almost went with Glasscages but I would have had to drive 4 hrs round trip to get it. I just don't have the time.

Man i drove 7.5 hours one way to go pick mine up

[NoCarrier]

I'm eager for an update, Hampton. What's the latest?

[Hampton]

Wow,

Thanks for the interest. The coast - to - coast overflow is awesome. The horizontal finger (glass over the top of the overflow which keeps critter in) works perfectly. I haven't had any escapes the entire time.

I adjust the height of the dam to get a tiny gap between the top of the dam and the bottom of the horiz finger. Occasionally, I push down on the finger by accident, and the water will touch the bottom of it. The water tension causes it to "grab on" coast to coast, so the surface layer gets trapped in the tank. When this happens, I can see the layer of debris on top. I just lift the tooth a little to de-tach the surface tension, and the whole thing starts to flow from the top layer again. I just have to be careful to not cause the tooth to hit the surface of the water.

I have 3 overflow tubes, all 1" dia. I have a 650 gph return flow. The first drain flows 100% into the intake of the skimmer. The second one (slightly taller) drains any excess. The third one (slightly taller still) is dry, unless a blockage may happen to occur.

Pictures to follow. Thanks for asking.

[Hampton]

I apologize for the pic sizes again. No time to resize right now, but I want to give you pictures.

Tank showing dam (light blue on top), floating rocks, flow.

http://www.kitecommunity.com/components/com_ponygallery/img_pictures/originals/user_4802_138-3801_IMG.JPG

[Hampton]

It's been a while.

http://www.kitecommunity.com/components/com_ponygallery/img_pictures/originals/user_4802_138-3801_IMG.JPG

[Hampton]

http://wetwebfotos.com/talk/thread.jsp?forum=11&thread=39884&start=60&msRange=15

Some more updates with greater detail.