Pete’s 40 cube build

[Just_Pete]

Equipment list

Tank - Innovative Marine Nuvo Black 40
Sump - Eshopps Nano Cube Sump
Skimmer - IceCap K2-50
Overflow - Eshopps Eclipse S
Return Pump - Jebao DCW 2000
Return - Glassholes 3/4 return kit
Heater - Eheim 150W
ATO - Tunze Nano 3152
Flow - Jebao PP4
Lighting - Radion XR15 G4 Pro
Stand - DIY


Coral list

JF Meteor Shower
JF Burning Banana
JF Yellow Bandit chalice
JF Jack-o-Lantern lepto
Pink Eye chalice
Yellow & Pink acan
Rainbow acan
Rainbow lobo
Torch
Hammer
Frogspawn
War favia
Rainbow ricordia
Godzilla ricoria
Rainbow BTA
Rock anemone
Sunny D zoas
Pink Passion zoas
Eagle Eye zoas
Sunset monti
Indo Blasto

FTS as of 6.26.18
IMG_2282 by Peter Hipsz, on Flickr

 

[hijinks7]

looks good.. make sure to spend a bit extra and use a gate valve on the primary drain. It will be easier to match the return flow.

 

[Just_Pete]

looks good.. make sure to spend a bit extra and use a gate valve on the primary drain. It will be easier to match the return flow.

Thanks. I was gonna go with a ball valve on both drain and return. I’m also planning on getting an adjustable return pump.

 

[hijinks7]

Thanks. I was gonna go with a ball valve on both drain and return. I’m also planning on getting an adjustable return pump.

Ball valves are for on/off. Gate valves are for fine tuning the flow

 

[Just_Pete]

Ball valves are for on/off. Gate valves are for fine tuning the flow

Noted, thanks

 

[Just_Pete]

Started the stand this weekend.

I have a bunch of these old wood pallets lying around so time to reuse!

The only material I did purchase was for the frame, pallets will be the skin of the stand.

 

[Just_Pete]

Stand is coming along. Bit overkill but I added 1/2 mdf in between the frame and pallet boards, stand weighs a few extra pounds but at least it’s solid. This weekend I’ll take apart more pallets for the door.

 

[Just_Pete]

Equipment list in first post.

 

[Just_Pete]

Made a little progress on the stand. Siliconed, stained, painted & hinged. Still need to get the top cover on it, will be half inch oak plywood.

 

[Just_Pete]

Sump and overflow box in

 

[Just_Pete]

Pukani rock is in! Ordered 15lbs of it... BRS def sent for than that. Nice!

I won't be using all of the new Pukani rock as I plan on seeding new tank with existing rock from my 20 gal.

The masking tape represents new tank dimensions. I am going for an non-symmetrical channel layout. I have a YUGE rock that I'd like to use as is for lots of coral placement. The smaller cluster of rocks to the right represents the encrusted zoa rock that will be coming from my 20 gal.

First pic shows the amount of rock received, second is my proposed rock scape.

Will begin bleaching and curing this weekend!

 

[Just_Pete]

Drilled the tank tonight. Not gonna lie... this was def nerve wracking but super easy after the first hole. (That’s what she said)

Also decided to Plast-dip the back glass black. The Nuvo tank comes with a frosted black glass but it is opaque, I want it black.

 

[Just_Pete]

Dry plumbing done. For the Eshopps overflow, I placed the gaskets on the glass sides. Hoping for no leaks. Used a oil filter wrench to tighten the large nut a quarter more after hand tightening.

I withheld using a check valve on the return... fingers crossed my calculations for extra space in the sump will hold the back siphon during power outage.

 

[Ranjib]

Looking good

 

[Just_Pete]

OK.

After second guessing, rethinking, re-calculating my plumbing and being paranoid, I decided to get a check valve. Better safe than gamble!

I'm thinking about installing the valve right before my return pump - see picture below. I'm thinking this placement will give maximum pressure to close the valve during power failure, plus allow easy access for removal and cleaning of the valve. Thoughts?

 

[Greybeard]

Nice looking start. Love the stand. In my neighborhood, a store would call that 'reclaimed barn wood', and it'd be _expensive_

Just my opinion, but I do not trust check valves. Had them fail on my one too many times. I insist that the sump be able to hold the volume of everything that drains or siphons when the power is off. I know, lots of people use them, but I've had to wet vac up one too many messes in my years of aquarium keeping. Any single point of failure capable of making a mess that can be eliminated, should be.

 

[Just_Pete]

Nice looking start. Love the stand. In my neighborhood, a store would call that 'reclaimed barn wood', and it'd be _expensive_

Just my opinion, but I do not trust check valves. Had them fail on my one too many times. I insist that the sump be able to hold the volume of everything that drains or siphons when the power is off. I know, lots of people use them, but I've had to wet vac up one too many messes in my years of aquarium keeping. Any single point of failure capable of making a mess that can be eliminated, should be.

Thanks @Greybeard

I have a boat load of used pallets, I'm starting to think I should go into business stripping them down, cleaning them up and selling them off, ha!

As for the check valve, I've seen members here using them and against them. Maybe it's my inexperience on the subject but I just don't understand how they would fail and cause a flood given the scenario... have a sump with enough room to hold the back siphon just incase the check valve stays open. Right? I mean how else do these valves fail?

 

[Greybeard]

Thanks @Greybeard
As for the check valve, I've seen members here using them and against them. Maybe it's my inexperience on the subject but I just don't understand how they would fail and cause a flood given the scenario... have a sump with enough room to hold the back siphon just incase the check valve stays open. Right? I mean how else do these valves fail?

Yup. If your sump holds the volume that is going to drain during a power outage IF the valve fails, then you're safe. But... what's the check valve for? Isn't it supposed to _stop_ the back flow when the pump is off? If the system is designed so that the back flow isn't a problem, then you're adding complexity, cost, and maintenance... for no reason. Admittedly, it's not much complexity, cost, or maintenance, but still, if it's of no benefit, why add it?

 

[heifinator]

Great start, love the stand!

 

[siggy]

I mean how else do these valves fail?

I have one and I think about all the little things that grow all over the tank, snails sponges ect. and figure one is bound to get in the way, It's just my luck...... Hey looking good and good luck