Eric's 300Gal Build!

NeverlosT · Nov 20, 2014

Incredible build!

Careful, that DC pump on your WC station is not watertight for external use. Trust me, i tried. If it doesn't leak right away, it will...

Stand looks fantastic, great color

E_Aquatics · Nov 20, 2014

NeverlosT said:
Incredible build!

Careful, that DC pump on your WC station is not watertight for external use. Trust me, i tried. If it doesn't leak right away, it will...

Stand looks fantastic, great color

I had one running on my previous tank for almost a year with not a drop of water and so far the same with this one on my water station but I will keep an eye on it. Thanks

NeverlosT · Nov 20, 2014

Good to know! I tried two and they both leaked at the volute/pump interface. It is just a slip interface without a proper pressure backed o-ring seal.

It sounds like they are working well for you though!

Keep up the killer build

Scubafrog · Nov 20, 2014

Great looking build! You have a lot of talent. The stand looks great and I like how you ran new electrical lines for the tank. Nice and clean looking setup.

I like the Biocube/nano tank on the custom stand in the garage. Looks like an inTank media basket inside. How do you like the media basket? I'm thinking about getting one for my Biocube. I'm pretty new to reefing.

Also, what CAD software are you using for the tank and stand drawings? I in the structural steel field but we only use AutoCAD. I like how your drawings look.

Can't wait to see all the fun stuff added to the tank!

E_Aquatics · Nov 20, 2014

NeverlosT said:
Good to know! I tried two and they both leaked at the volute/pump interface. It is just a slip interface without a proper pressure backed o-ring seal.

It sounds like they are working well for you though!

Keep up the killer build

What fittings did you use to connect it externally? I had to order special female adapters from Spears manufacturing that had the same thread type these punks have.

E_Aquatics · Nov 20, 2014

Scubafrog said:
Great looking build! You have a lot of talent. The stand looks great and I like how you ran new electrical lines for the tank. Nice and clean looking setup.

I like the Biocube/nano tank on the custom stand in the garage. Looks like an inTank media basket inside. How do you like the media basket? I'm thinking about getting one for my Biocube. I'm pretty new to reefing.

Also, what CAD software are you using for the tank and stand drawings? I in the structural steel field but we only use AutoCAD. I like how your drawings look.

Can't wait to see all the fun stuff added to the tank!

Thank you!! About the Biocube I never really got it setup because I started working on this tank and I really don't need two tanks. I bought the BioCube used and it came with the intank media basket.

The software that I use is Google sketchup pro. It's a really simple to use program once you get the hang of it you can do a lot of cool things.

Jepsep · Nov 20, 2014

Great job man!! I'm tagging along for some ideas on my next build! Keep up the great work!

PCygni · Nov 20, 2014

This should be good -- real good.

E_Aquatics · Nov 20, 2014

Jepsep said:
Great job man!! I'm tagging along for some ideas on my next build! Keep up the great work!

Thank you!! If you need any advised or help let me know. I'll help you as much as I can if you need help.

E_Aquatics · Nov 20, 2014

PCygni said:
This should be good -- real good.

I hope!!

E_Aquatics · Nov 20, 2014

Got all the baffles cut out…

Jepsep · Nov 20, 2014

Cool thank you!!

E_Aquatics · Nov 24, 2014

Update - 11/24/2014

Currently working on the plumbing… More pictures to come!

E_Aquatics · Nov 29, 2014

Update 11/29/2014

I managed to get most of the plumbing done in the past couple of days and I also got all the rock and sand in the tank.

The Marco Rock sand was a PITA to rinse but it was well worth it.

Here is a shot when I first started and it took about 20 minutes for the water to clear up and this was with the bucket 1/3 full.

Eventually it ended up like this

310lb of dry rock.

Rock work all done… Will get better shots later on

Last night I finally got the tank wet.

4 hours later and 38 gallons later.

Before i went to bed last night I noticed the water was not level in the tank so I took out my level and notice the bubble wasn't perfectly center. I had tanks in this same spot before and it was never an issue but they were only 4 foot. For this tank it the small imperfection in the floor cause the water to be 1/2" higher on one side. This morning I drained the 38 gallons out and had to come up with a way to lift up the stand with the tank, rock and sand. This is what I came up with..

After an hour I got the stand shimmed and perfectly leveled and pumped the 38 gallons of water back in a continued making water.

This is where Im at as of now, about 100 gallons. Before I began to filter the water I installed a 150gpd upgrade kit to my RODI unit so the whole process should go a little quicker and save me some water.

Closeup of the Marco Rock Bahama Coarse Aragonite sand

Jepsep · Nov 30, 2014

Looking fantastic man!!!! Keep up the great work!!

E_Aquatics · Nov 30, 2014

Jepsep said:
Looking fantastic man!!!! Keep up the great work!!

Thank you! It's been a long 3 months but I'm almost done with the build.

ReeferEric · Nov 30, 2014

Nice work very well thought out. Can't wait to see what you have for tech.

Jepsep · Nov 30, 2014

It really pays off when you take your time and do it right, took me 4 or 5 months to plan out my upgrade to my 150, but it all went perfect and everything fit where it needed to, so again, great job man!!