Hop's downgrade to 300 gallons: A simple build thread

[crvz]

My eyes! My eyes! I'll never be able to forget that picture!!

Good luck with the new setup and plans, Hop! The best part is planning for me, though. Stupid engineering degree. I can't escape it!

[Hop]

Originally Posted by YLChik

your idea of simple is FAR different from mine

I guess the simple part is that most of it was already going for the big build I could either tear it all out or use it for this build. Both were options and I elected to keep the wetroom instead of puting everything under the tank.

[Hop]

Originally Posted by crvz

My eyes! My eyes! I'll never be able to forget that picture!!

Good luck with the new setup and plans, Hop! The best part is planning for me, though. Stupid engineering degree. I can't escape it!

Sorry about your eyes!

I too like the building process. I was not suposed to be scemeing any tanks until I got back on my feet and finances squared away, but I did OK when I liquidated the equipment for the big tank that I could squeek the idea past the wife Initially it's going to be very simple, but designed for a full SPS system. It will just be a matter of adding as I go instead of being ready when everything is filled.

[ScruffyRubicon]

Very Nice Hop!

[Hop]

Originally Posted by ScruffyRubicon

Very Nice Hop!

Thanks! i'm going to try to take a few weeks vacation at the end of August or begining of September so that I can get the tanks swapped out. I'm a little nervous about how to go about holding everything for a couple of days while the swap happens. I think I'm going to put the livestock and half the rock in a 100 gallon rubbermaid stock tank I have. I'll just put it in the dining room. Then I'll see about getting some more holding spots for the rest of the rock and stuff.

I forgot to mention that my 125 is going to become the sump, rather than building or ordering a large acrylic one for now...

[crvz]

Originally Posted by Hop

I forgot to mention that my 125 is going to become the sump, rather than building or ordering a large acrylic one for now...

I'm almost ready to build a new sump myself, but it won't be that big. I guess I should finish my stand first, but acrylic work is easier than wood work.

[motorslave]

eh, its okay.

[motorslave]

Ha! Good lord Dude, thats already a sweet set up! Now I have to go look at my pathetic little build!
Awesome job Hop!

[Hop]

Originally Posted by crvz

I'm almost ready to build a new sump myself, but it won't be that big. I guess I should finish my stand first, but acrylic work is easier than wood work.

I figure that it will fit in the space I have and it has so many scratches that it is not worth setting up elsewhere or selling it. So I'll just move it to where it can still be an asset

[Hop]

Originally Posted by motorslave

Ha! Good lord Dude, thats already a sweet set up! Now I have to go look at my pathetic little build!
Awesome job Hop!

I think yours is about the same volume as mine and you have more toys already So I'm pretty sure that pathetic and little do not apply I'm quite certain yours will shame this thread fairly quickly

[motorslave]

But yers is so purdy!

[Hop]

I'm not sure about that... But we'll see if it functions in a few months

[motorslave]

Originally Posted by Hop

I'm not sure about that... But we'll see if it functions in a few months

that will be the test for us both!

[motorslave]

So, whats your next step? What stuff do you still have to get?

[Hop]

I need to decide on the return pump. Since we found out that my 125 is likely tempered I have some options, or maybe a lack of options. I have a panworld 200ps that I can plumb over the top and split into three legs; the tank return, skimmer feed and the Po4/Carbon leg that will feed the frag tank... Or I can grab a pair of Ehiem 1262's ran submerged. One for the tank return and one for the skimmer feed and Po4/carbon/frag feed.

I had the tank drilled for a closed loop that will supoort the rockwork similiar to steve weast's tank and I would like to feed it with a dart. Right now I have a pair of korilla 4s that I'm going to run, but if vertec ever comes out with their controller, I think I'm going to pick a pair up.

Otherwise I think I only need a single 4" inline fan and some 4" ductwork to finish things out. And maybe a few plumbing parts. I still have boxes and boxes of plumbing stuff and a few hundred feet of 1.5 and 2" pvc.

For lighting I'm thinking of running VHO act, because I have them, with 1 400 watt hqi and one 250 watt mag ballast with lighting in the 14K range. Instead of a balanced lighting scheme, I think I'm going to have things presented and highlighted with the light, but this is still in the air. I should have a light mover here shortly from a friend with connections and that may change the lighting plan...

As far as the next step goes, I need to get the big tank out and to the front range to the LFS that is going to use it as a display and then get the office the tank was in back in order. Once that's done and the new tank is here, I'm going to work on the internal tank plumbing, paint the back and work on getting things right. I have about 200lbs of baserock I should probably start cooking too. But I'm not sure what pieces I'm going to use yet. I really want this tank to be a presentation