Dream Tank DIY Pre-Build - Mixing Station - Outside Air - Waste Water Drain - And More

[SkiCatTX]

After the outside air setup, the pH has improved. Not completely, but as expected just a bit, though it's still an improvement. Mostly on the low end at night, the low values are now in the 7.8-8.9 range instead of below 7.7 in some cases. Here is a screen grab of the few days right before and after the change:

The little dip on the third day was a partial water change, with apparently low-pH new salt water, which quickly recovered.

 

[Indymann99]

I got two 55 gallon NSF Ace Rotomold containers from a local supplier. I highly recommend you find someone local if possible, even if you have to drive a couple hours away. Containers like these can be had for $100 to $200 each depending on the size, however, you will likely pay upwards of $200 EACH to ship these freight...just insane...

How are you going to deal with the 120+deg SW that will come out of those tanks??

 

[SkiCatTX]

How are you going to deal with the 120+deg SW that will come out of those tanks??

huh, yeah, could be an issue, especially if I needed a lot of it at once for a large water change. However, with an auto top off that only uses a few gallons per day, and auto water change that similarly only changes a few gallons at a time, I don't expect any issues with the temperature of the water. I have kept my mixed saltwater in the 120' garage for 20 years with no obvious issues, so my expectation is that this won't be all that different.

I do plan on having a temperature probe in the containers, so I can monitor if it gets out of hand. I have also considered having the larger containers drain into smaller ATO/AWC containers in the stand, which in turn dose into the tank if it becomes an issue.

 

[SkiCatTX]

Electricity is now live! I now have two GFCI 20 amp outlets dedicated to the fishtanks in the office.

I also got the house water supply tapped and run to the mixing station area.

Next step there is to build the stand and mount area with the drip pan to put the containers on...

 

[crusso1993]

Electricity is now live! I now have two GFCI 20 amp outlets dedicated to the fishtanks in the office.

I also got the house water supply tapped and run to the mixing station area.

Next step there is to build the stand and mount area with the drip pan to put the containers on...

Sweet! You're gaining on it!

 

[marks1630]

Following, excited to see the finished setup. I am about to close on my house and once we're settled in want to do a similar set up for my tank. Why did you decide to install the tanks in the attic and not just pump the water in from the garage?

 

[Eagle_Steve]

Electricity is now live! I now have two GFCI 20 amp outlets dedicated to the fishtanks in the office.

I also got the house water supply tapped and run to the mixing station area.

Next step there is to build the stand and mount area with the drip pan to put the containers on...

It is getting there. Keep on rocking with it!!!

 

[DerekC]

GFCI - instead of one at the breaker panel, install multiple of them at the wall outlet so that if one equipment is tripping, not all equipment would shut down.
If flexible, I would use your gas water heater to heat the tank. It is a lot cheaper then electric heater especially if you are pay 40 cents per kwh and have a big tank. Search "Heating large tanks with your gas hot water heater."

 

[SkiCatTX]

GFCI - instead of one at the breaker panel, install multiple of them at the wall outlet so that if one equipment is tripping, not all equipment would shut down.
If flexible, I would use your gas water heater to heat the tank. It is a lot cheaper then electric heater especially if you are pay 40 cents per kwh and have a big tank. Search "Heating large tanks with your gas hot water heater."

Thanks for your ideas.

On the GFCI, there are two circuits, each one going to its own single 4 gang outlet and separate AFCI/GFCI breaker. I plan to distribute the equipment between the two, and I always run everything on UPS batteries as well so the tank, or at least most of it, can run for an hour or two with the power out, then things start shutting down via Apex programming, leaving just a few pumps that can run longer.

As for the heater, never thought of that, but in Houston my office stays around 77/25C year round, so it's actually the chiller that costs the most to run, the heaters don't come on all that much except maybe at night in the middle of the winter. And my electric is more like 9 or 13 cents or something depending on usage.

 

[SkiCatTX]

Floor is back down in the attic. We painted the floor area with sealant Killz.

Weight distributing treated wood base and plywood. Still need to frame and seal this, then the drip pan goes on top.

 

[SkiCatTX]

Making progress, some additional parts arrived today for mixing station.

 

[FernandesReef]

Nice work, and enjoying the detailed write up .
Please keep it up.
Thanks

 

[SkiCatTX]

Nice work, and enjoying the detailed write up .
Please keep it up.
Thanks

Yeah, thanks, it's a lot of work right now, but hopefully will mean way less work in the future...

 

[SkiCatTX]

Platform in place and painted

With drip pan fitted and rubber mat for tank supports

 

[SkiCatTX]

Vertical panel for RODI (Probably going to need to add a light over here...)

And electrical and control left side front next to the tanks

Also, drain pipe for drip pan has been run, center back above.

 

[SkiCatTX]

Got some colored pipe from Home Depot. Hopefully I'll have some time this weekend to get back to work.

Colors were chosen by my daughter...Purple for recirculation, Green for new salt water, Clear for new fresh water!

 

[SkiCatTX]

Oh, and I figured I should show off my current mess of a mixing station in the garage...I'll be glad to have this space back for other things...

 

[SkiCatTX]

Also, almost forgot, right before putting up the mounting wall, I was laying out out fixtures and making sure I had enough...

 

[crusso1993]

Oh, and I figured I should show off my current mess of a mixing station in the garage...I'll be glad to have this space back for other things...

Nothing to see here... move along.

 

[SkiCatTX]

Nothing to see here... move along.

lol