If The Wife Only Knew!

[seaheard]

I would consider myself still a reef rookie. I have had my 72 mixed reef tank set up for about a year and a half.



I actually started planning my build 5 months ago after picking up a used 180. Since then I have been moving at a relatively slow pace.

Plan is to have the 180 display in the family room, that is, after a heated discussion with my wonderful wife. Behind the planned display wall is a small room (10' long x 3' wide x 10' high) which can only be entered from the garage. It was obviously designed to be a sump room. It is actually a small storage room that sits under our staircase, thus one end of the room has a declining ceiling (under the stairs).

The display will be on a stand and will have the lighting inside a canopy. I have already done the framework to the stand as well as skin it with cherry plywood and started on some of the moldings. I still have have not finallized the plans for the canopy because of the fact that the lighting I have is a fixture. Other than the lighting, the stand and canopy will house no other major components. The display will be plumbed thru the wall and into the sump room.

In planning this sump room, my main focus is to make maintenance as simple and pain free as possible.

The "sump room" will house a 75 g sump. In that sump will be my skimmer and heater. Above the sump will be my RO unit which is plumbed into the feed line of my hot water heater in the garage. The RO units feeds a 100g storage tank. The storage tank will have a small (10 to 20 g) top off tank for the sump, it will be equipted with an ato. I would like water changes to be as simple as possible, thus I'll have a 40 to 55 g salt water mixing tank, which I will plumb into the sump. The sump will also have a drain line plumbed for draining during water changes. Hope to have a refugium and frag tank as well, at some point.

Plans change weekly. Enough said. Here are some pics of what I've got so far.



























I welcome any comments and/or advise.

I will post updates as they occur.

[Loverotties]

Looks good so far!Is there anything going under were your storage tank is?

[Irishrose302]

I have been watching your thread. it is giving me ideas for when I set up my 270g DT.

I love your thread title........and "as if she didn't know"......I have tried to hide new tanks that i want to set up and he (as in the other half who IS NOT addicted) always figures it out and puts the cabosh to it.......

[seaheard]

Thanks.

Loverotties, it is hard to tell from the photo, but the storage tank and stand sit directly over the entrance into the stoage room (which has a height of 10'). Therefore I need to keep this area clear for the most part. There currently is no door. I hope to install a pre-hung door shortly as well as hook up a small space heater, before completing the set up. I will also eventually need a small window a/c unit for summer months as well.

The plan is to extend a pipe down from the storage tank and into a small (10 - 20g) top off tank, equiped with ATO, which in turn will top off the sump. I will manually have to fill the small top off tank using the ball valve, as needed.

Irishrose, Yes she does know, and let me tell you she is thrilled! She too lacks the adictive behavors. I understand you are working with Robert, in getting things off the ground for the club, and I thank you for that. I look forward to any advise you might have, I could use it. Ialso look forward to the club and meeting you.

My previous post, as well as the pictures, were copied and pasted from another local forum and had not been updated. So here are a few more updates as well as pics. Still moving at a snails pace.


Took a razor to the old overflow, with a little supervision from my boy.




Skinned the stand with 3/4" cherry plywood and started on some trim work.




I also picked up a 40g breeder, which I plan on using as a salt mixing tank for water changes. This will be fed off of the RO storage tank as well, which I will "T" off of below the ball valve.


Here is my soon to be return pump. Dart 3600gph. I think there should be no more than 7' tp 8' of head.



Welcome any feedback or advise.

[marineduud]

Did you remove the center supports on the stand ?

[seaheard]

I used a Kreg pocket hole jig for all my vertical supports and did not screw the front and back center supports in yet, because I still need to cut and lay some plywood for the inside of the stand.

Thanks for the help with my thread issues.

I'll try to get some pics of the used reactor, I picked up fron Ginko, thanks to you.

[seaheard]

Robert, I'm sure but I think you said you made your own doors for your wifes new tank, which looked awesome. If so, let me know if you'd be interested in making (2) for my stand.

[marineduud]

What are the opening measurements ? you may want 4 doors if the opening is 30in.

[seaheard]

I will measure tonight and let you know. Thanks.

[cam'sreef]

Looking great and am excited to be along for the ride!!

[seaheard]

Thanks Cammie.

Robert, door openings are roughly 24" wide x 22 1/2" high. I prefer the look of 2 large doors over 4 smaller doors.

[seaheard]

I need some feedback and advice.

I'm hoping to drill (2) 1 1/2'" holes for my overflow drains, possibly tommarow. My tank is an older tank and the bottom is not tempered. I know I would like to have the overflow in back middle of the tank. Uncertain if I should:

1) drill the bottom and fabricate an overflow box that will run the entire hieght of the tank (with (2) durso pipes).

or

2) drill the back of the tank and fabricate a smaller box ( big enough to house (2) 1 1/2" bulkheads. similar to this pic by ckusnierek in his "Chris' 125 Build Thread.

The diference being - I am planning on (2) holes, thus the box would be wider to acomidate 2 bulk heads and the fact that I am not using a CLS.

Other than freeing up some space below the smaller box in option 2 is there an advantages or disadvantages.

[marineduud]

If I had my choice on drilling back or bottom I would go with the bottom and a full center overflow box, like on the Oceanic Teck tanks, but the overflow box would need to 5ins. insted of 4in. because of the 1 1/2 bulk heads. Are you drilling return lines in the overflow also ? 2 1in. maybe ? Or are you going to run a manifold up the back of the tank ?

[crvz]

Looks like a great project so far. Did you mention what you plan on keeping in the tank?

[seaheard]

I have yet to make my fish wish list. But I am certain I'll transfer my 6 line, purple tang, potter anglel, dottyback, and my 2 clowns. I rencently have caught the SPS bug, yet I still think it will be a mixed reef.