RD. Posted October 29, 2008 Report Share Posted October 29, 2008 Looking good Boom! I can't wait to see the stand once it's completed. With regards to the heater, if in the end you do require a heater, I would highly recommend running it through a controller unit. I have both of my 125's on controller units, and would never risk an entire tank of adult fish on any brand of heater currently on the market. The link below is to a poll I took a few yrs ago on this site, you might find the stats interesting. http://albertaaquatica.com/index.php?showtopic=5128 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lana Bollers Posted October 29, 2008 Report Share Posted October 29, 2008 G&E sells good quality products, that people can afford... for me I purchase equine (horse) products, same brand names found else where but a whole lot cheaper! My only complaint is I wish they were on the North side, had a larger parking lot and a larger store... For example, I can buy Strongid T there for I believe it was 99.99 or something like that, and at the UFA (when they sold it) was closer to the 169.00 mark, so same product, just a huge price difference, now only pharmacy's/vets can sell strongid T, so I can still pick it up there and not pay the vet's high fee... Boom I love the detail you are putting into this tank stand. I love to see wood grains, and oak is my favorite wood type because of all the grains left visible. I so can not wait to see your finished product.. Lana Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
letsgofishn Posted October 30, 2008 Report Share Posted October 30, 2008 Hey Boom, you make me sick! LOL!! What an awesome project you have going on. I am sure that most people here have their eyes wide open and checking this site even more frequently to see if you have any updates. I have put my project on hold till you finish yours, need to see what else I can screw up on. You obviously have done you homework and have a great set of hands. Keep the pictures coming. :thumbs: I have a small project if you are interested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boom Posted October 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2008 (edited) Thanks for the compliments and encouragement guys and gals. This project is very exciting for me, I've never set up a tank this size, never set up a sump, and there are several new woodworking techniques I'm using as well. I did as much research as I feel I could and hopefully know what I'm talking about. I'm also very excited to get 'er done and see the end result too! I'm going on vacation to Mexico for a week, leaving on Nov. 8th, so I'm trying to get as much done as possible before then. Today I did nothing on this project. I had to do water changes on my 55 and 10 gallon. My 55 is rediculously overstocked and I need to keep on top of it. All of the fish in it right now will be going in the 180 when it's done. Here's the fish list: (There is one of each, and all are male Peacocks: - Aul. Rubescense (Ruby Red) 5" (thinks he's the boss so I list him first ) - Aul. stuartgranti (Usisya) 4" (Wild caught, beautiful fish) - Aul. Sp. Lwanda (Red-top) 5" - Aul. Sp. "O.B" 4" (got this guy at the spring auction, he looks awesome!) - Aul. Sp. "Sunburst" 3.5" - Aul. Maylandi 2.5" - Aul. Stuartgranti Cobue Blue 4" - Aul. Koningsi (Mbenji) 4.5" (got this guy at the last auction, showing NO color, I think he's stressed) Haps: - Protomelas taeniolatus (Red Empress) 6" He likes to throw his weight around a bit too. - Sciaenochromis fryeri (electric blue) 6" - Otopharynx lithobates 5" - Nimbochromis venustus 2.5" (a bully already) - Copadichromis borleyi (Kadango) 2" - Fossorochromis rostratus 8" (I got this guy from Fairdeal, he told me 6", he's HUGE, more like 8", doesn't like being in the 55 much In fact he jumped right out of the tank onto the floor today! ) - Dimidiochromis compressiceps (Malawi eyebiter) 4" - Cyrtocara moorii (Blue moorii dolphin) 2.5" (Great color already!) Mbuna: - Pseudotropheus sp. "Acei" (yellowtail) 5" - Pseudotropheus sp. "Elongatus Yellowtail" 3.5" (I paid WAY too much for this guy at the spring auction, but man, he is a BEAUT!) - Metriaclima estherae (Blue) Blue Zebra 4" (I'm not 100% sure this is a blue zebra, but it's my best guess) - Pseudotropheus sp. 3" ( I don't know which Pseudo this is, possibly a hybrid) Other: 3 Synodontis Lucipinnis 3" As you can see, WAAAYYY too many for a 55, but should stock the 180 nicely. I often change fish out and / or add new ones, so this list may change. Boom :boom: Edited October 30, 2008 by Boom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
werner Posted October 30, 2008 Report Share Posted October 30, 2008 I'm going on vacation to Mexico for a week Really? I'll come by to borrow all your tools while you're gone. Might take your tank home too to see if it fits at my house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boom Posted October 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2008 Really? I'll come by to borrow all your tools while you're gone. Might take your tank home too to see if it fits at my house. Haha. Funny guy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patrick Posted October 30, 2008 Report Share Posted October 30, 2008 Very nice Boom. I love this thread. Don't update with too much each time, this way the thread will last longer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rED O Posted October 31, 2008 Report Share Posted October 31, 2008 t sounds like its going to be a sweet tank, good job ryan :thumbs: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boom Posted November 1, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2008 Very nice Boom. I love this thread. Don't update with too much each time, this way the thread will last longer Ha ha... I'm surprised that it's almost 7 pages long already! So I did some more work on this project last night and a bit today. Last night I finished the plumbing, creating and connecting the return line. I put the pump in place in the sump and ran a 1" return line back to the tank. As was suggested to me earlier, I plumbed a secondary line off the return that diverts back into the sump, that secondary line has a ball valve on it. I'll guess that that valve will be closed almost 100% of the time, with the full flow going back into the tank, but it's nice to have there just in case. The return line goes thru the 1" bulkhead into the overflow portion of the tank, there it goes thru a one way check valve, preventing any water from being able to flow back. It is then split into 2 3/4" spray bars that I had pictured earlier in the post. Here is the plumbing: ... connected to the pump... and the secondary line back into the sump. Last night I also installed the electrical power bar underneath in the cabinet, as well as an 18" flourescent light I had kicking around. This will allow me to see what I'm doing under there! .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boom Posted November 1, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2008 .... Did some woodworking too. I routered a nice profile in the face trim cherry board and attached it to the stand. I used Titebond 3 woodglue, which is water resistant and will help prevent any water from getting in between the framing and the trim. I also used some screws and black walnut plugs as a bit of a design. The pics don't show the routered profile very well. Today I filled the tank up! Both to test it for holding water as well as test the plumbing and pump. I could not cement the plumbing under the tank to the male adapters that thread into the bulkheads. I need to be able to remove them to take the tank off the stand and move it all into my basement, so for now the two pieces are held together with duct tape! It leaks a bit but thats to be expected. My garage floor has quite a significant slope to it, so I tryed to level the stand the best I could, but it's still not level. I filled the tank anyway. Here I had half filled the sump, and turned on the pump to see how the water comes out of the spray bars. It comes out exactly how I wanted it. Once the tank was full, and the sump about half full, I let the pump run for about 45 mins. The durso standpipe, drain, and return lines all work flawlessly. Except I have to fine tune the size of the breather hole in the top of the durso standpipe, not a big deal. I'm leaving the water in the tank till tommorrow to be sure, but I see no concerns of anything leaking anywhere (other than my duct tape joints!) For those who are interested in learning more about the durso standpipe, what it does and why I'm using it, check here. Durso Website. As always, questions and comments are welcome! Boom :boom: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boom Posted November 1, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2008 Oh, and by the way, Happy Halloween! :poo: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
popik Posted November 1, 2008 Report Share Posted November 1, 2008 I like the Walnut screw plugs...nice little touch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boom Posted November 2, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 2, 2008 (edited) So I believe I have a problem. It seems that the water draining out of the tank thru the 1 1/4" bulkhead and plumbing, is not enough to keep up with the 1400 gph being pumped back into the tank. I want a little more even flow on either end. So I may pull ou the drain plumbing and bulkhead and put a 2" drain in. I'll let you know how THAT goes. Hopefully I have enough room in the overflow box for the bigger bulkhead. (Damn, I shouldn't have siliconed the bulkheads in!) Ha ha, live and learn. And this project is sure a learning experience. ***Edit*** So I'm sitting here scratching my head trying to figure out what size bulkhead and drain pipe would be sufficient, and hoping there was some info out there to tell me. Well after some searching, I found this: Drain Size Calculator I knew there had to be something like this out there! Looks like 1 1/2" will do it. I'll swap it out on Monday (hopefully). Boom :boom: Edited November 2, 2008 by Boom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parachromis1 Posted November 2, 2008 Report Share Posted November 2, 2008 Goodluck swapping out your bulkhead, I guess you only get to do something like this once, and you learn lots along the way. I've actually gotten quite a few ideas from the project which im going to follow through with GOOD JOB!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
byte Posted November 2, 2008 Report Share Posted November 2, 2008 I have never set up a sump before, but with most types of plumbing I have seen, the return line is the big line and the pressure (pump) side is the small line... If you would have had the pressure line tee'd off, then you could return some of the water back to the sump with out going through the tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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