The Rebuild Begins!!!

[Geoff]

Originally Posted by three90s&125sump

Geoff Put it On the shelf. You can have 2 or 3 skimmers with 12 inch diameter reaction chambers in the sump if you need more skimming. The head you lose, the access and cooling on the shelf are all I would need to concider. You really don't gain anything by putting it under the stairs.

thanks, that is the way i am leaning, but just wanted to make sure i am thinking straight.

G~

[VWD]

That is a nice cube,

[Geoff]

a busy day today. i think i have everything set to finally drill the tank. i finished the bulkhead mockup. this is a template that i will put on the tank to drill the holes. all of the holes line up where they should. i have enough slop that i can fix with the final PVC fitting.



i did a full LR mockup in the tank to determin the best place to put the Ampmaster outlets. i was able to stack the LR with very little rock touching the bottom glass. i plan on epoxing these pieces of LR to the bottom for extra strength. wax paper does not stick to the epoxy so i can do it in sections using the wax paper as dividers. the tower in the middle will be epoxies to the bottom and to itself. this middle tower took a while to setup. i was able to stack the LR on the mounds with the underside completely off of the bottom glass. i am hoping that with the 1000+gph flow under each of these mounds will keep the detritus pushed out from under them.



let me know if you think the LR looks good. when i pour the epoxy that is the way it is going to be. i would like to get it right.

G~

[three90s&125sump]

That looks great Geoff. The one on the right doesn't look very open but I'm sure it would be if I could look at it.

It's good to have all that dead rock like that, it really gives you alot of time to play with it and get it just right.

[Geoff]

you know what is funny about that rock. it was sitting on our deck open for the whole time we were in Ireland. some parts have algae growing on them!! FW algae, but still algae. so i guess it is not totally dead rock. that stuff will grow anywhere.

G~

[tdwyatt]

rock looks good!


btw, will the coralline algae growing on the epoxy be an issue to you? You may need to keep a few Diadema urchins...

[DebsSisterFlo]

I think that rock setup looks great!!! I wouldn't change a thing.

[TimmyG]

I like it too....Maybe I'll copy it

That's kinda what I'm doing but with a bridge across the middle.

[Geoff]

Originally Posted by TimmyG

I like it too....Maybe I'll copy it

That's kinda what I'm doing but with a bridge across the middle.

if you look real close there is an arch between the centre formation and the left outcroping.

i took several pictures so hopefully i can reproduce it. somehow i do not think so, but i am going to try my hardest.

Tom- i really do not care how overgrown the epoxy gets with corraline. i will prolly get a Diadema anyway cause i think they are neat, but i will not stress over it. the epoxy bottom is mainly for locking the LR into place and keeping the small crannies where detritus can accumulate to a minimum. if the rocks are imbedded than the detritus can not get underneath them.

G~

[gitsumpottery]

Geoff, don't worry about the diadema... i have you covered on that one!

Thanks to the responses about my little cube. I should maybe start a new thread with some pictures of my own!

The epoxy sandbed is pretty cool. I am very tempted to do the same in this little cube when we set it up again.

Zac

[Geoff]

Zac and i got all of the holes drilled! all holes very clean and looking good. plan on plugging them tomorrow and start stress testing. i made a template out of fireproof insulating board. this made a perfect bushing for getting the holes perfectly lined up. no wobble at all in the drilling.

Zac has access to a table saw to cut the coast to coast overflow, so that should be done fairly soon. things are coming along.

the epoxy experiment has worked great. i know what i need to do for the SB and for epoxying the rocks together. two different formulas, but should work out great!!

need to start thinking about the parts for a skimmer.

G~

[three90s&125sump]

Geoff,
Will that epoxy work on wet rocks and will it cure (harmlessly) underwater?

[Geoff]

Originally Posted by three90s&125sump

Geoff,
Will that epoxy work on wet rocks and will it cure (harmlessly) underwater?

doubt it, but have not tried. i may try some when i actually do the faux SB. am not to sure how to test the harmlessly part though.

G~

[Geoff]

here are some pics from last night of Zac and i drilling the tank for the bulkheads. i am not sure this is the recommended way of drilling a tank but it sure works well. i on the corded drill (a must when drilling tanks) and Zac on the hose. just let the weight of the drill do the work and all of your holes will come out perfect. we put a layer of tape on the inside to limit the amount of chip out. a board would have been better, but could not clam one on well enough.



this is the tank with the bulkheads installed. all holes were perfect with very little chipout. using that template as a bushing guide made it easy to keep all the holes perfectly aligned.



G~

[gitsumpottery]

man, I am going to have to wear some different clothes next time (noticed I am wearing the exact same in both photo sets).

That was pretty quick with posting the drilling photos!