[ckusnierek]

It's about time!

Well my brother got a 345 last week and I decided I had to upgrade too!
Been looking for a used 180/220 for a while but could not find anything I was happy with.

Fortunately I have a LFS in town who does not stock any tank but will order them at cost for ya.

220gallon (72*24*30) Non drilled tank for $440! What a steal!

I'm going to drill the tank on one end for a 2000gph overflow.
the tank will actually stick out 8' from the wall. I'm going to build a 24" cabinet for supplies then the tank.

Plans for now (bound to change)
220g (duh!)
75g sump from my current system
200# LR
8x 80w T5HO Driven by 2 IC 660's and a 430
1500 gph return (blue line)
Etss 800 skimmer
4 Vortech MP40's all on the overflow end.

The return live will flow into the opposite end from the overflow.

Will stack rock along the center of the tank only about 16-20" high.
2 vortechs on each side.

This tank will be bare bottom.

Lots of work to do and this will be a long project but I hope to have it done within 2 months.

 

[ckusnierek]

w00t w00t ^^ 100th post :blob:

that sounds interesting.. only 1 thing confused me

Will stack rock along the center of the tank only about 16-20" high.
2 vortechs on each side.

4 Vortech MP40's all on the overflow end.

return line in this corner
I--------------TANK WALL---------------------------------I
I __________________________________________________I MP40
I XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ___I MP40
I XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ___I
I XXXXXXXXXXXX ROCK IN THIS AREA XXXXXXXXXXXXXX___I
I XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX___ I
I XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ___I MP40
I__________________________________________________ I MP40
I-----------------TANK WALL------------------------------I
return line in this corner

Kinda like that

 

[ckusnierek]

wow that looked better before I posted it....

 

[ckusnierek]

going to use 100% dry base rock. Most likely Morco Rocks.

I want to be 100% sure I get ZERO pests in this tank.

Last time I got live rock I hunted Xanthid and Gorilla crabs for a year!

 

[ckusnierek]

I have yet to tell my wife about this but the tank is for sure.
I still have to convince her about the peninsula....

 

[ckusnierek]

No I always get my way....
Just may need to buy her something....

 

[ckusnierek]

Well I just got a call from my brother....

Is has decided to NOT setup the 350 he just got.

His company is moving him to North Carolina in November....

Has has basically offered be everything but the tank.

3 Icecap 250w ballasts with IC HQI pendents
ETSS 800 skimmer
250#++ of Immaculate cured Marco Rocks.
Vortech Mp40
iwaki pumps and another dart.

all his corals and fish and he has LOTS!!!

Going to happen over the next month!

It will be awesome to put fully cured rock in and not have to worry about a cycle. :thumbup:

 

[ckusnierek]

:lol::needpics:

No pics yet... I don't even have the tank

but since you want pics here is the 350 bmy brother will not be setting up..

 

[ckusnierek]

WHOO HOOO Got the OK from the wife. It only cost me a Ipad

 

[ckusnierek]

OK just gto confirmation on the Tank!

It will be here Sept 9th!

Also going with a Glass Holes Dart Overflow rated at 3700gph dual 2" overflow.

Only plan on about 2000gph but it will be nice to have options.

Also going to use 3/4" Penductors on the return lines.

 

[ckusnierek]

Ordered 3 new Phoenix bulbs today!

I love the T5 but I do miss the shimmer I will love having it back!

For anyone who reads this and wondering about the T5's. I do honestly prefer them over halide but in a 30" deep tank I fell halide is a better option.

 

[ckusnierek]

Time to start phase one!

Build the stand.
getting lumber tomorrow. I will just build the rough frame for the stand and canopy.
Nothing will get finished till the tank is in place.

Also going to run 2 20a circuits to the tank. Plenty of power and maybe a 3rd for 220?

It will not be easy but doable. I have to snake wires thru the walls up and over about 18 feet to get to the utility room.

since my ro/di in also in that room I will also pull some 1/4" tube thru to the tank for ATO.

 

[ckusnierek]

I do LOVE radiums but was GIVEN 3 Icecap ballasts and Icecap DE pendants!
Cant pass that up..

In time I might go to radium on galaxy ballast with lumenbrights!

 

[ckusnierek]

Getting ready to go shopping!

(4) 2*4*8'
(12) 2*4*6'

White waterproof primer

100' 10-2 with ground romex
2 receps and boxes.

2 AFCI Combo breakers!!!
Super important! Arc Fault / GFCI combo breaker they are not cheap but could save my life and house! Not sure if I can get them local but I'm going to try!

(16) 1*2*8' for the canopy and storage.

I'm just going to frame the stand and paint it and do the electrical this weekend.

I will finish the stand one the tank is on it.

 

[ckusnierek]

Ok I got it and after talking to a local electrician I did not get the AFCI just GFCI outlets.

I was going to get two GFCI breakers and he also said that was a waste of $$$

He said with such a short run less then 20' and only one outlet per breaker the chances of a arc were slim to none.

And with the GFCI breakers costing $50 and the outlets only $5 that too made sense to use a standard 20a breaker and GFCI outlets.

Saves a few bucks I can put elsewhere.

 

[ckusnierek]

How about 4 of them?

 

[ckusnierek]

Chris, what is your brother going to do with that tank? Will he be taking it with him? I've had the bug to upgrade myself and I hate to see a large tank go to waste...

He is trying to sell it.
350g acrylic RR with 100g custom sump.
$2500 I'm sure I can get him to throw in a 5 foot tall skimmer he has for it.

 

[ckusnierek]

Time for a few pics not the tank or anything just preliminary stuff...

Here is where the tank will sit
It will be flush with the hallway entrance on the right and will stick out 8 feet to about where the center of the chair in the left is.

Yes it will stick out 8 feet although it's only a 6 foot tank. the first 24' will be a cabinet floor to top of canopy for supplies and on the lower 1/2 my skimmer. It's an external ETSS 800 that stands about 30' tall. My stand will only be 32-36 inches tall do I want to have easy access to it.

Hard to tell from the pic but this iv a very long room about 30 feet long end to end and about 14 feet wide. Fireplace on the center wall left side (out of pic)
That's my 125 (6') in the back there.

In the foreground is my sons toy/play area the tank will separate these two halves.

Please excuse the mess....
I did not feel like cleaning up my sons mess just so I could make my own.

The tank will actually cover 1/2 of that return air vent which will work out well to keep the stand ventilated. I am going to install a small filter there to catch salt and keep it out the the furnace system.

 

[ckusnierek]

Ok I know this may sound insignificant to you all but it was a mile stone for the build.

I got the electrical ran (not finished)

With out that this build would not be possible. That single outlet is attached to the entire basement circuit and is already about maxed out. (see above pics)

It was much tougher than I thought it was going to be.

Cut a small hole to feed the snake threw:

Here is where the wires will enter the utility room:

I actually had to cut out the header to get access to the small space there about 2" from the bottom the the duct the the drywall underneath in the hallway.

Here is the space I was working with. It's hard to tell but where the snake came into this space is about 10 feet away

I have to tape a hanger hook to the end of a telescoping pole to fish out the snake but necessity is the mother of invention right?
I got the snake threw.

Time to start pulling wires. Man that 90 degree turn coming down the was was a killer I thought I was going the break the wires.

WHOO HOOO
2 sets or wire and a 1/4" nylon tube for RO/DI Top Off.

And the wires/tube entering the utility room. My RO/DI is in there by the way.
Tomorrow I will install the boxes and get the outlets installed and hot!
Then there is a pile of lumber in the garage waiting for me!

 

[ckusnierek]

Once the 220 is up the 125 is coming down.
The glass is so scratched it makes me sick to just look at it.