My 300g to 130g upgrade!

DaveMorris

MACNA2016 Co-Chair
View Badges
Joined
May 9, 2009
Messages
786
Reaction score
562
Location
San Diego, CA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Yes, thats right I am considering my move from a 300g set up to a 130g setup an upgrade. Maybe not in water volume but certainly in a cleaner set up. The 300g system is in the garage and the new set up will be in the house so the whole family can enjoy it. It will be a little slow going, but I am excited about it.

Here is the tank:
IMG_0162-405x301.jpg
IMG_0165-435x314.jpg

It is a Leemar tank, 48" x 24" x 26", euro-braced, with external Calfo overflow. I will be running a Bean Animal drain. There are two 1" return holes on either side of the overflow. The front panel is Starphire. The tank turned out beautiful. Leemar did a great job.

Here is the beginning of my stand:
IMG_0209-405x299.jpg
IMG_0210-390x284.jpg

After I get the tank all built and in place I will have a skin made for the stand that will slide over the front and sides of it. The three holes in the back are to help support the BA drain pipes. I will drill two more for the returns once I figure out how I want to route them. Tomorrow I will attach the bottom and top and begin to paint the whole stand. Everything will be white.

Here is the tank that I am replacing:
IMG_0206-450x338.jpg

300g Leemar, 96" x 24" x 30", Starphire front, dual overflows. I love the size of this tank, but its time to put a tank in the house.
 

revhtree

Owner Administrator
View Badges
Joined
May 8, 2006
Messages
47,603
Reaction score
85,991
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
Cool! Keep us updated!
 
OP
OP
DaveMorris

DaveMorris

MACNA2016 Co-Chair
View Badges
Joined
May 9, 2009
Messages
786
Reaction score
562
Location
San Diego, CA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Well, between my bad back and neck and work, I haven't been able to get much done on my tank build. I attached the bottom ply to the stand and sealed the cracks. Hopefully tomorrow I will be able to get at least a couple of coats of paint on it.
 
OP
OP
DaveMorris

DaveMorris

MACNA2016 Co-Chair
View Badges
Joined
May 9, 2009
Messages
786
Reaction score
562
Location
San Diego, CA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Today I got the first coat of Kilz on my stand. I'm going to do a second coat of Kilz, a couple of coats of white paint followed by a couple coats of urethane. Its coming along slowly but surely.

IMG_0368-405x303.jpg

IMG_0369-480x354.jpg
 
Last edited:

Duffam3434

**TASTE THE RAINBOW**
View Badges
Joined
Jul 23, 2013
Messages
1,565
Reaction score
46
Location
Minnesota
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I gotta find a nice tank with the starphire front panel! This is going to be a Nice setup! Cant wait to see More!!
 
OP
OP
DaveMorris

DaveMorris

MACNA2016 Co-Chair
View Badges
Joined
May 9, 2009
Messages
786
Reaction score
562
Location
San Diego, CA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Well time for a long overdue update!

IMG_0482-357x480.jpg
IMG_0481-358x480.jpg

The stand has all the paint and urethane on it now. I also added in a divider that will serve as a mounting board for the controller, ballasts, and other electronics.

IMG_0485-420x317.jpg
IMG_04872-298x405.jpg

I am using this electrical PVC raceway to keep the chords organized and neat. It wasn't too expensive and I hate wires hanging out everywhere.

And here is a shot with the custom made sump in place:
IMG_0490-420x304.jpg


More updates coming soon….
 
OP
OP
DaveMorris

DaveMorris

MACNA2016 Co-Chair
View Badges
Joined
May 9, 2009
Messages
786
Reaction score
562
Location
San Diego, CA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I thought I would outline my plan for lighting this tank. I will be using two 150w Phoenix 14,000k halides in Lumenmax reflectors driven by two Coralvue electronic ballasts. I am also re-doing my Stevesleds.com DIY LED setup to incorporate into this setup as well. I will be using 5700k Luxeon White LEDs, Luxeon True Blue LEDS, and Luxeon Ultra Violet LEDs driven by StevesLEDs.com drivers. I will be using blue moon light pods for moonlighting controlled by the Digital Auqatics MLC. I am using an ALC to control the LED stuff. I have built an aluminum frame to hold the fixtures and I have about 25% of this setup all done.

IMG_0496-420x309.jpg
IMG_0494-420x306.jpg

Everything will be mounted to the frame and then the hood will attach to it on the outside. I also ordered some extra LEDs and Molex connectors from StevesLEDs.com. The Molex connectors will help make the wiring much easier to deal with.

IMG_0501-420x311.jpg
IMG_0500-299x405.jpg

Some of these LEDs are Luxeon Reds because I am going to make a small fixture for the fuge section in my sump using Reds and Daylight LEDs. These Coralvue Lumentek ballasts are switchable between 150w, 175w, and 250w so if I find that the 150w lamps are not enough to keep things happy I will just put 250w lamps in and switch the ballast over. I may have to change out the reflectors too, but at least the expensive part won't have to be replaced. :)

I found these LED tapes that I will be using under the stand to light up the sump area for maintenance. They aren't too bright, but should be bright enough for work light.
IMG_0517-595x448.jpg
 
OP
OP
DaveMorris

DaveMorris

MACNA2016 Co-Chair
View Badges
Joined
May 9, 2009
Messages
786
Reaction score
562
Location
San Diego, CA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I've done a good amount of work on my plumbing. It isn't done yet, but I am pretty much done with everything under the tank. Just have to finish up the return lines and drain lines above the stand. I want this setup to be ultra clean and neat. I have cleaned all of the UPC codes and printing off of the PVC and keeping everything nice and white. When the skin for the stand is done, the sump and everything under the tank will still be somewhat visible through frosted glass. The sump will be just as much a part of the display as the tank is. Here are some pics of the plumbing so far….

IMG_0534-362x480.jpg
IMG_0549-357x480.jpg
IMG_0539-361x480.jpg
IMG_0532-354x480.jpg


The three drain pipes are for a Bean drain. The reactor is going to be for bio pellets and the return pump is a Diablo 5500. I am using a CADLights 1220 skimmer. I want this system to be as silent as possible so I went with the single pump for everything. It feeds the manifold and then up into the tank. Hopefully it will be enough. I haven't decided if I am going to use filter socks or not. I prefer to use them but I may see how it goes without for a while.

The drains were a little funky working them around the center support brace, but if it was easy, everybody would do it, right?
IMG_0548-600x450.jpg

The tee is for the returns. There will be one on either side.

IMG_0533-600x450.jpg

Here is a shot of the manifold. I only had to make it twice due to mis-gluing some pieces. I hate that!
 
OP
OP
DaveMorris

DaveMorris

MACNA2016 Co-Chair
View Badges
Joined
May 9, 2009
Messages
786
Reaction score
562
Location
San Diego, CA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Today I got the electronic components mounted and started to get everything wired up.

IMG_0575-360x480.jpg
IMG_0580-355x465.jpg


IMG_0581-356x480.jpg
IMG_0583-359x480.jpg

At the top is the RKE head unit, Vortech MP40 controller, and the Diablo 5500 controller. The two Coralvue MH ballasts are at the bottom. I will be running the following Reefkeeper modules:

(3) PC4's
SL2 v2
SL1
ALC
MLC
SW5
NET
HUB

I will finish up the control wiring tomorrow and get the PC4's labeled. I make my own data cables so I can keep them the exact size that I want. I am just about ready to get the tank placed on the stand, finish the return and drain plumbing, and then testing everything with water. Better to do a water test in the garage rather than in the living room!
 
OP
OP
DaveMorris

DaveMorris

MACNA2016 Co-Chair
View Badges
Joined
May 9, 2009
Messages
786
Reaction score
562
Location
San Diego, CA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Great setup. Curious, what all are you controlling with your PC4's?

PC4-1:

300w Cobalt Aquatics Heater
EcoTech MP40wes power head (power only)
Diablo 5500 DC return pump
CADLights 1220 skimmer

PC4-2:

150w MH light
Empty channel
150w MH light
StevesLEDs DIY LED system (power only)

PC4-3:

Stand work light
Cooling fans over sump
Future use
Future use

The LEDs are all controlled by the ALC module and the moonlights are controlled by the MLC. I will also have the NET module connected for remote access as well as my monitoring via Reeftronics.net (One of my favorite websites!). I may also place a WiFi camera in the sump area to be able to see whats happening in there. I travel quite extensively for work and it has been a life saver in the past being able to see things for myself instead of relying on a family member or friend to describe what they see.
 

NeveSSL

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 20, 2007
Messages
2,640
Reaction score
240
Location
Kodak
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Your stand concept looks familiar, Dave! Haha! Great minds think alike. :) I love the plumbing and wiring. Super clean.

How are you planning on skinning your tank?

Brandon
 
OP
OP
DaveMorris

DaveMorris

MACNA2016 Co-Chair
View Badges
Joined
May 9, 2009
Messages
786
Reaction score
562
Location
San Diego, CA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Your stand concept looks familiar, Dave! Haha! Great minds think alike. :) I love the plumbing and wiring. Super clean.

Thanks! Ultra clean and neat is what I want this set up to be.

How are you planning on skinning your tank?

Brandon

It will be painted white to match other living room furniture that it will be sitting next to. I am going to put frosted glass on the doors sort of like an old school medicine cabinet. The "skin" will just slide into place so off I needed to do some serious work requiring serious under tank access, I will be able to pull the skin away to get at things.
 

NeveSSL

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 20, 2007
Messages
2,640
Reaction score
240
Location
Kodak
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Awesome! Since I don't have anything under my stand, my wife and I are planning on making our tank stand look like a nice piece of furniture of some sort. She's been scoping out some Pottery Barn pieces and I think we're we're going to mimic one of those. Just like yours, ours will easily removed if I need to get under our stand.

Brandon
 

Mastering the art of locking and unlocking water pathways: What type of valves do you have on your aquarium plumbing?

  • Ball valves.

    Votes: 66 51.6%
  • Gate valves.

    Votes: 67 52.3%
  • Check valves.

    Votes: 32 25.0%
  • None.

    Votes: 29 22.7%
  • Other.

    Votes: 9 7.0%
Back
Top