Anderson Family Reef - Concrete Aquarium DIY 5K All The Way (Page 33)

[dca22anderson]

think I’ll end up using the third bin for 180gal active water changes (in place of one of the standing barrels), fish acclimation, could even leave It empty, really just a utility bin at this point. You will also see the base for the9’x4’x26.5” sps tank coming together with the blocks in between the bins... progress

 

[dca22anderson]

Worked all day today to get the second sump dialed in with its supports and belly band and found two slow leaks in the bin I cut the legs off of...

Luckily the bulkhead on the rock bin sprung a leak so I took it all apart and moved it over 6” so I can get in there and mess with the bulkheads down the line if they get loose, that’s when I found it

 

[dca22anderson]

 

[dca22anderson]

Moved all the Apex gear out of the far closet and closer to the sump. Still have some cord management work to do...

Treating with Chemi-clean so the skimmers are on standby mode...

All power now evenly spread to 4 dedicated 20 amp breakers rolling through the EB8’s...

 

[dca22anderson]

 

[dca22anderson]

 

[dca22anderson]

 

[Feet4Fish]

Moved all the Apex gear out of the far closet and closer to the sump. Still have some cord management work to do...

Treating with Chemi-clean so the skimmers are on standby mode...

All power now evenly spread to 4 dedicated 20 amp breakers rolling through the EB8’s...

Cords look perfect to me!!!!

 

[Feet4Fish]

stunning queen and dussumieri tang! Both are on my stocking list. By tomorrow should have all plumbing down and will start fresh water testing this week. Can I ask do you get most of your fish from the same supplier? Do you have any QT or conditioning protocol?

 

[dca22anderson]

stunning queen and dussumieri tang! Both are on my stocking list. By tomorrow should have all plumbing down and will start fresh water testing this week. Can I ask do you get most of your fish from the same supplier? Do you have any QT or conditioning protocol?

That’s awesome!! Congratulations, let the fun begin!! I try and buy gently used fish from local tank tear downs, I usually add fish to my sump for a month or so then move them to the show. I will set up QT tanks for anything I add from here on out. I treated my tank with chloroquine phosphate and prozipro and it has helped a ton! (I did have to move all the corals to the bins and another system)

 

[dca22anderson]

I have to throw this out there. I spend too much time over the holiday rearranging the filtration in hopes of plumbing in the Aquarium Engineering skimmer and CaRx. I am still waiting on some parts for each of those so they are sidelined sitting in the room collecting dust. It has been over a year since I paid a ton of money for them and too much time spent in follow up trying to get all the correct parts to actually use them, super frustrating.

I cut the feet off of one of the bins in hopes of lowering it by 6” so it would fit better under the 9’x4’x26.5” tank I am building next above them. (I have some of the panels to build the tank but I’m waiting on Bill Wann to square up on what I ordered to finish this tank). In the process I left the bin outside for a few days in the freezing weather.

I brought the bin inside, plummed it up and supported the belly only to notice that the bin had cracked along the bottom and had a very slow leak!

bin in place ready to roll!

a few cracks that developed during the move.

in full disclosure I put the bin on top of a layer of bricks (that should have supported it even better than beforebut didn’t add that extra step of putting foam under the bin. This may have been the reason for the cracks developing.

I spent one whole day dialing this in only to tear it all out and redo everything. Happy to report no leaks with the sump and rock bin. This is how it sits while I decide if I want to try another bin or use something else.

 

[biecacka]

Looking good. Sorry to hear about the equipment issues with Bill. Seems to be the norm, however when people do get the stuff they love it! Did you order one of the automated calcium reactor?

corey

 

[Fudsey]

What about using the cracked bin with shower lining or pond lining inside to make it water tight again?

 

[dca22anderson]

Looking good. Sorry to hear about the equipment issues with Bill. Seems to be the norm, however when people do get the stuff they love it! Did you order one of the automated calcium reactor?

corey

Thanks! I love the build quality of the equipment for sure. Just need to get it in action!! I do have the ACR from Bill, he is sending out a new updated controller but that is taking forever. Was excited to get it up and running but now I'm just waiting for the parts...

 

[dca22anderson]

What about using the cracked bin with shower lining or pond lining inside to make it water tight again?

Good idea, thank you! I also heard I could use a soldering iron to melt it back together. I am looking for a 5 year + solution so I may just build them out of acrylic which would allow me to see inside them better once the tank is above them...

 

[dca22anderson]

 

[McPuff]

Whoa, looks awesome!! Looking forward to the next tank build as well.

FYI on the chemiclean... you'll want to put the air intakes for your skimmers under water. This vastly improves the efficacy of the treatments! The directions claim otherwise but I have seen the difference.

 

[dca22anderson]

Super stoked!! Finally found the right spot for the skimmer in the fish room!!
I can walk past it and still service all the pumps behind it, won’t block the second tank at all, close to the sump feed pump and I can service it 360 degrees.
It’s right next to the window crack for ph goodness
CaRx can go in the back corner with easy access too!!
Stooooooked right now, the puzzle finally feels right!! Boom!! 360 access to all pumps and equipment!!

 

[dca22anderson]

Final Skimmer spot!

 

[dca22anderson]

test 600 platform