Mehaffy's 1100+ gallon Plywood display in North Alabama

[mehaffydr]

I worked again today most all day but it really doesn't seam like I got much done. I did have to make 2 trips to the hardware store for PVC fittings. I started plumbing the return lines, first I connected the line to the input side of the pump and then started the output side. I am running the plumbing up the wall to the ceiling and then down to the tank to keep the pipes out of the way. With the pump I'm using (Reeflo Tigershark ) that has a max head height of 56' and at 8' it still pumps 8000 GPH. I will have more than enough flow. I have 2 hot tub manifolds that I bought each has 6- 3/4" outlets, just to make this simple. I have 4 lines going into the end of the tank and I will have 8 pointing down from the top to make sure I don't have dead spots. I am sure I will have to make some adjustments later to prevent sand storms but I can always use valves to control flow.. I also had to move some of my apex gear that I had in the way of the plumbing.

 

[gpd124]

This is a great build - everything is coming together nicely!

 

[mehaffydr]

This is a great build - everything is coming together nicely!

Thank You
I will be out of town for most of this upcoming week but when I return the push will be on to get it wet. I think that I still will have a couple weeks working on finishing touches like return plumbing, Hanging lights, Aquascaping (have to cement a lot of rock with Marco 400) and somehow lift it up and in the tank. I think it will have salt water before the end of February.

 

[mehaffydr]

I am getting ready

to get out of town for a few days so not a lot getting accomplished. We are taking the RV out for the next few days going over to The Smokey Mountains. But I was able to get the corner overflow box siliconed in place. I had 1 tube left of the silicone I got from Glasscages so I used that.
When I get home I will complete the plumbing and start on the aquascape. By then the silicone holding the glass will be cured and it will be time for a water test. I should have water in the tank by Valentines Day. Maybe not completely full but Ill have a good start.

 

[CrimsonTide]

Have a good trip! Overflow looks good. I love going up to the smokies! I have friends that own a hostel on the Appalachian Trail north of there. Cant wait to see the scape and water in this beast!

 

[mehaffydr]

I am now in the Smokey mountains but I did snap a quick picture of the overflow before I left. I’m really happy with how this turned out.

 

[Auflyfish]

We went to a few stores in St Louis during a visit before covid and when me and the wife told them where we lived (Nashville) almost every store we stopped at replied with "yea we've heard the LFS scene there is lacking". Their prices were so much better than what I'm used to seeing here.

I live up in the Nashville area Murfreesboro to be exact you are right on the money in terms of our LFS there are only two real stores in this area and I have to drive at least an hour to both of them..... prices are crazy at one, quality is hit or miss at the other except I like the staff a whole lot more at the further of the two and being picky of what I buy keeps quality up

 

[jaxteller007]

I live up in the Nashville area Murfreesboro to be exact you are right on the money in terms of our LFS there are only two real stores in this area and I have to drive at least an hour to both of them..... prices are crazy at one, quality is hit or miss at the other except I like the staff a whole lot more at the further of the two and being picky of what I buy keeps quality up

Like the staff at EB and prices crazy at AQ? That's how I feel lol.
When we first started out (granted part was on us for not doing enough research beforehand) we had someone at AQ tell us a sailfin and a blue hippo would be fine in our brand new 75g tank. Also sold us a BTA when our tank was like 2 months old. I'll give you a hint about how many of those are alive now.

 

[ca1ore]

A watch out .....

When I built my plywood tank year sago, the epoxy coating cracked along all the external 90 degree corners of the overflows. I had to drain the tank and silicone on clear acrylic L moulding. Then it was good to go.

 

[mehaffydr]

We came home from the mountains early because of the snow storm that was coming in. We have a class A motorhome an I did not want to drive the Smokey Mountain roads in that beast. So good news I was able to get quite a bit done today.
First I started by building a platform behind the tank so that I would have access after I gt the water in it. I was able to get it all built but it is still in parts so that I could pull it out and paint it. This is what it looks like in place. I made it 32" tall and it works great I can actually reach the bottom of the tank. Only problem is my arm is less than 36" so I will get very wet working in this tank so I will really paint this good because I anticipate quite a bit of water on it. I used 3/4" plywood for the top walking surface that I had left from the build.

 

[mehaffydr]

I then worked on more of the return plumbing. just another days worth of work and that should be complete. I am painting t=some holes in the top I drilled for bulkheads so I still need a few days to get good seal on those with epoxy before I install this bulkheads and complete the plumbing. I did realize today that I left out the Neptune 2" water flow sensor that I had purchased just for this build so I will have to cut out a section of pipe and get that installed but that will be fairly simple.

 

[mehaffydr]

I also started hanging light fixtures. These need den MH bulbs that i just ordered from BRS but I still wanted to get them hanging and see what the how the light spread looked. These pics are the MH only no T-5's. Each of the 2 fixtures has 4ea. T-5 bulbs. I also have a 6 bulb T-5 fixture that will go on the end and 5 Kessil 360X that I still need to decide where to place. In these pics you can see 7 WAV power heads across the back wall. I will have 9 total but 2 are on the temporary tank right now. Hopefully wit the Reeflo Tigershark and 9 WAV's I will have adequate flow.

 

[Omelette_du_Fromage]

I am now in the Smokey mountains but I did snap a quick picture of the overflow before I left. I’m really happy with how this turned out.

Is the water level will not be too low ?

 

[mehaffydr]

The water level will be controlled by a gate valve. I am doing a modified Bean Animal overflow. So I have the main drain controlled with a gate valve this will set and determine the water level. the second pipe will be just above the desired water level for backup to the main drain and then a third pipe will be all out emergency overflow. I don't anticipate water ever entering the third pipe. The weir does not determine the water level it only allows water without fish into the overflow area where the pipes and valves will control flow through the drain and to the sump. The water will come up about 2" on the weir when flowing the way I want it. I made this large because I am running a Reeflo Tigershark pump that is rated at 8500 GPH. With head loss and restrictions I anticipate about 6500 GPH.

 

[mattgsa]

You have an amazing build, I'm loving the thread. I'm wishing I had the room in my house for that size of tank. Here in central Texas, i would worry about the amount of heat all those bulbs are throwing off. However, it may not be a problem in you neck of the woods. Again loving the thread, can't wait to see it full of fish and corals.

 

[mehaffydr]

Getting close to the water test I will be putting water in this weekend but cant decide on exactly how. I could just use tap water and fill it up in 1 day and then drain or I could just start the RODI and slowly let it fill over a week but if there are any problems that would suck to waste the DI resin.
What do you guys think?

 

[CrimsonTide]

I would say throw in the tap water if it holds drain it. However long you need the tap water to sit let it sit to test it. Maybe run the wavemakers get an idea of everything. Then start the RODI over the week time. How long would you need to leak test it? A day? Two? A week?

 

[mehaffydr]

I have continued to make progress with the plumbing. I have the returns on the solid end complete which is 6ea 3/4" lines all on lock line so I can adjust direction as needed. Here's a picture from the inside. The 2 on the outside corners are to make sure there are no dead spots in the corners and the middle 4 will flow over the rocks.

This is a pic from the outside I used a combination of hard PVC and flex PVC

 

[mehaffydr]

I also cut the main return pipe and added in the Neptune flow meter so I can tell how much flow I'm getting from the Reeflo Tigershark pump.

 

[mehaffydr]

One more thing I think I have figured out is what to put on the bottom to protect the epoxy from chips from the rocks. We had this plastic at work that looks like corrugated cardboard but its really plastic. We were not using and going to throw it out so I brought a couple 4x8 sheets home. Its about 3/16" think and I think it will be great under the rocks. I took a picture of the end so you can see the corrugated .