Step-by-step building of my 125 - Page 4

Jrmass · 08-14-2007, 05:55 PM

Well, the pump is External only. Not submersible so this is the reason that I have it outside the tank. As for drilling it. I'm not sure if it's possible or not. The tank is a 75 gallon and I know that I can't drill the bottom as it's tempered... But, does that mean that the sides are tempered as well? This is my concern. I'd hate to try to drill it and then crack it and then be out a tank and back to scratch.

Any ideas?

schneijt · 08-14-2007, 06:15 PM

IIRC, only the bottom is tempered. You should be able to drill the sides, though I'd certainly "hire it out" to somebody with lots of tank drilling experience. If it were a cheap, small tank, I'd tell you to do it yourself. But, a 75gal replacement would be costly, so I'd have somebody do it for you. Talk to your local LFS and see if they can do it, or know someone who can. (Assuming nobody in your area on TRT chimes in and can/will do it, of course!) If you can't find a reefer who can do it, then I'd talk to the local glass companies and maybe one of them could do it.

If you can remove and maybe transport the 75gal, then drilling a hole is easily your best option here. If it would have to stay where it is and be drilled, that could possibly make the situation a bit tougher. Having a bulkhead near the bottom of the sump feeding your return pump, though, is the only way I'd trust the pump to be 100% reliable, when run externally.

-Joe

Jrmass · 08-15-2007, 06:48 PM

Think I'll try this for now... A guy on RC said he's doing this very setup right now so, I think I might toy around with it until either I find out it doesn't work and then just invest in a drilled tank or until someone says they know how too and then I can pay them a little something under the table =).

Jason

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...4#post10560844

pogodzib · 08-16-2007, 09:28 AM

John (a.k.a. - Cruiser) is a LARK member that is setting up a 90(?) gal tank and is planning on drilling multiple holes in his tank and sump soon so that is one place you can start. Try sending him an e-mail. His e-mail address is listed in the member's area.

Jrmass · 08-17-2007, 03:29 AM

I think I might have to get a hold of him. Hate to buy the drill bit for one hole. Only issue would be how large of a hole is he drilling? I would need the hole to be minimum 2 3/8" as that is the outside diameter of the bulkhead I'm installing. Thus it would be better if it were 2 7/16"-2 1/2". I'll email him in the morning and see what his plans are.

Jason

pogodzib · 08-17-2007, 10:21 AM

I'm not sure what size holes he is drilling. Since you haven't met him, just let him know that you're a LARK member and I told you that he may be able to help you out. FYI - John can go awhile between checking his e-mails or TRT, so he might be slow to respond. If it starts taking too long, let me know and I'll give him a call.

Jrmass · 08-17-2007, 06:50 PM

lol.. Another one of those people huh? hehe. j/k. He must be like I was before I really started searching hard for equip on RC.

Jrmass · 09-16-2007, 09:52 PM

Well, after yet another extended power outage today (from 8:30 a.m.-9:30 a.m.) my dad suggested running to Home Depot *which I never object to* and see if we can't get a better check valve for the sump than what I currently have. We found a spring loaded one this time in comparison to the current baffled one I have. I'm hoping that if/when the spring eventually fails that the unit will still close when the power goes out. (which I feel that it should). I'm also thinking about putting the old baffle check valve in-line to releave some of the work that would be required of the new check valve. I also finally got around to venting my pump and now my fish room should be a reasonable temp with the door closed. Gotta clean up the basement a bit before everyone comes over this Saturday but, shouldn't take much as it's fairly clean as it stands =).

Jrmass · 09-17-2007, 09:10 PM

Posted some updated pics of the fish room so that some of you who can't make it to my house for the meeting can see what I've done so far... Still a long way to go as I still do not have a power grid run into the room. (other things are taking presidence before I get outlets). Feel free to take a look around

http://s99.photobucket.com/albums/l3...%20Sump%20Pic/

Jrmass · 09-30-2007, 09:11 PM

Figured I would mention that since I was able to get rid of that LR from my sump to you guys I was able to do some new seascaping of the tank. I left the baserock pretty much the way it was except for 1 or 2 pieces that have been changed around. With this new setup though I gained a ton of spots to mount and display the corals not to mention giving me levels to display them on instead of all on the one layer. I fragged the Candy Canes that I have so now there is a set of 6 and a set of 8 (and this set is splitting where it'll be 3 and 5). I cut the micromussas off of the blastomussa rock. As well as removed 3 very large pieces that were in the display tank. Two of them went to the sump and the other one went to my 70 gallons display. So, here is what the setup looks like now. I think it's a big improvement.

Jason