The "Quid Pro Quo" WB 130.4 Build

[qnguyen]

Looking ****** Jim! Nice work man!

Hi Joe! Thanks. I am definitely enjoying this hobby more the second time around!

 

[qnguyen]

Month 1 Update

I had a pretty quick cycle with the Fiji live rock that I got from a local reefer. I also added 50 lbs of live rock from Gulf Live Rock. Some of their rock was a bit too dense but I was happy with the overall quality. It came with alot of macro algae, sponges and other critters. My tank is crawling with copepods.

I am fighting a breakout of GHA, but I am not too worried about it. Just the normal uglies.

So far I have added the following:

• A pair of locally bred Picasso’s
• Clean-up crew
• Splatter hammer
• Black torch
• RBTA
• Solomon Island Super Green Tree
• ORA Hawkins
• Green hammer

All livestock and frags were sourced from folks in my local reef club (Boston Reefers Society).

FTS with white balance gel filter:

FTS with no filters:

Splatter hammer:


Black torch:


RBTA:


Solomon Island Super Green Tree:


ORA Hawkins:


Green hammer:


Sorry for the crappy photos. Most of the photos were taken with my iPhone without any processing and occasionally I use Aquarium Cam to apply gel filters. I need to dust off my DSLR.

Cheers

 

[LeprechaunReefer]

Very impressive build! That sump/fish room is !

 

[qnguyen]

Very impressive build! That sump/fish room is !

Thanks! It is a little small, but it has everything I need.

 

[keywestreefer]

Thanks for the build- completely awesome and totally jealous.

 

[keywestreefer]

We need a month 2 update

 

[Clayton Jessup]

I have to say this is a amazing build !!! Very very nicely done !

 

[RobB'z Reef]

The Sump Stand

A sexy Synergy Reef sump requires an equally sexy stand to sit on. I thought about doing a t-slot aluminum stand, but I couldn't justify the cost. So I started planning out a traditional 2x4 wood stand. But to be honest, I hate DIY stands. Or, to be more accurate, I hate the DIY stands that I am capable of making! So it was back to the drawing board. I wanted something that was easy to make, but also a little different from everything else I have seen. As I was scanning Amazon for ideas, I came across this modular workbench solution that uses 2x4s:

Each shelf can hold up to 1000 lbs which is more than enough for what I need. The plan is to have my sump in the middle shelf, ATO container in the bottom shelf and my refugium in the top shelf:

The hardest part was painting the wood. That took me almost a week with drying and sanding between three coats. I went with Behr's Ultra Interior Satin Enamel Flirt Alert Red (P150-7) paint for my accent 2x4 spans:

I used Varathane's Stain + Poly in Black Gloss for the shelves. The Varathane stain gave a nice finish while still preserving the grain in my Sande 3/4" plywood:

The modular workbench legs come with pre-drilled holes. It is truly made for the "DIY inept fool" like myself. Assembling the stand took less than one hour.

Step 1: Assemble the rear of the stand

Step 2: Assemble the sides.

Step 3: Insert the shelves prior to locking them into place with the front side of the stand.

Step 4: Install front side of the stand.

Finished product: I will have a dedicated pump in the skimmer section of my sump to feed the UV sterilizer and the refugium. The refugium will go on the top left platform and drain into the return section of the sump. I plan to add a sliding platform for the ATO unit to sit on so that it will be easier for me to access it to refill it. I will also add a drawer in the space below the sump for storage.

Onwards and upwards!

hahah I love it! Very creative and functional.

 

[Futuretotm]

really well done! Those hammers look amazing

 

[scavdog]

Update?

 

[mark Prieto]

"Priceless"

I am bored out of my mind with this self-quarantine. I decided to tally up how much I have spent so far on this build.

Here is what I spent broken down by category. I listed the full retail price as well as the discounted price I paid.

Type	MSRP	Paid	Savings
Controller	$3,007	$2,822	$185
Lights	$2,326	$2,277	$49
Tank	$2,337	$2,103	$234
Sump	$1,320	$1,320	$0
Return Pump	$1,500	$1,130	$370
Frag Tank	$1,407	$1,113	$293
Live Rock	$949	$949	$0
Refugium	$649	$649	$0
Skimmer	$654	$529	$125
Plumbing	$560	$560	$0
RODI	$480	$409	$71
UV	$440	$336	$104
SW Mixing Station	$352	$321	$30
Gyre	$520	$320	$200
Misc	$362	$311	$51
Manifold Pump	$369	$295	$74
Heater	$425	$274	$151
ATO	$184	$179	$5
Testing	$197	$177	$21
Battery Back-Up	$130	$117	$13
Salt	$100	$90	$10
Maintenance	$79	$63	$16
Total	$18,345	$16,344	$2,001

Here is the same spending broken down by what I spent at each store. P2P refers to used equipment that I bought from someone else.

Store	MSRP	Paid	Savings
GHL	$2,597	$2,412	$185
Waterbox	$2,337	$2,103	$234
Giesemann	$2,057	$2,057	$0
BRS	$2,233	$1,894	$340
eBay	$2,100	$1,605	$495
Synergy Reef	$1,320	$1,320	$0
MarineDepot	$1,314	$1,243	$71
TBS	$908	$908	$0
LuckReef	$780	$780	$0
P2P	$1,206	$740	$466
Plumbing	$560	$560	$0
Amazon	$420	$371	$49
Aquarium Specialty	$170	$151	$19
Ranco	$289	$146	$143
Battlecorals	$54	$54	$0
Total	$18,345	$16,344	$2,001

This does not include the cost of my basement sump room. Nor does it include annual maintenance items like salt, 2-part dosing, additives, filter replacements, etc. Oye vey. ;Nailbiting;Facepalm

I have a detailed spreadsheet that includes links to where I purchased each item if anyone is interested to get it to save themselves some time. Just send me a PM and I will send you the file.

I am so glad I found this link as I am new to this and I have been getting prices and I have quotes from $62,000 to $15,000 and I am just trying to ballpark what I will be spending. So far I have bought the stand , RO/DI, water tanks and I am in for $2858 so far not including the room I built for it and the tile and air handling for humidity Thank You

 

[jasper9]

Epic! I don't think you mentioned where the brackets came from you have the dosing containers are on. Are they from the peg board manufacturer?

 

[RyanHoan]

Plumbing: Part 1

This is only the second time in my life I have done any plumbing work. I think I have placed about eight separate orders for plumbing parts because I kept forgetting a part. So I'll document exactly what I did so that maybe someone else can benefit.

I am running a basement sump so the first thing I did was to drill a hole into the floor. My wife was horrified ;Nailbiting, lol. I am using the top grommet to run PAB cables down to my GHL Profilux. It is also big enough to fish through a 1/2" flex tube if I wanted to drain the tank down to my basement sink. The three grommets below that are for the two drain lines and the return line. I spaced the grommets far enough from each other so that I can use Schedule 80 unions without them touching each other. The grommets are 1.5" wide and fit 1" PVC perfectly. The Waterbox 130.4 uses a 3/4" return line, but I use 1" PVC from the return pump and step down to 3/4" only at the last transition to the main display tank:

This video provides a helpful guide on how to convert from Waterbox's metric fittings to standard. Here are the parts I used (going from left to right and top to bottom):

1) The left assembly is for the emergency drain:​

- One Metric/Standard Union Coupling (32mm to 1") ($6)​

- One 32mm to 1" Metric to Standard PVC Adapter ($8)​

- Two 1” Schedule 80 Union Slip X Slip ($10). One is visible in the picture below and the other one is at the floor level. It is up to you how many unions to use.​

- Two BioTek Marine Red 1" Furniture Grade PVC 45 Degree Elbow ($7); your set-up may require different fittings.​

​

2) The middle assembly is for the main drain:​

- One Metric/Standard Union Coupling (32mm to 1") ($6)​

- One 32mm to 1" Metric to Standard PVC Adapter ($8)​

- Three 1” Schedule 80 Union Slip X Slip ($15). Two are visible in the picture below and the other one is at the floor level. It is up to you how many unions to use.​

- One 1” Spears Gate Valve Slip x Slip ($36)​

- Two BioTek Marine Red 1" Furniture Grade PVC 45 Degree Elbow ($7); your set-up may require different fittings.​

​

3) The right assembly is the return line:​

- One Metric/Standard Union Coupling (25mm to 3/4") ($4)​

- One 25mm TO 3⁄4" Metric to Standard PVC Adapter ($8)​

- One Schedule 80 Reducing Coupler 1” Slip X 3⁄4” Slip ($3). This is to allow me to use 1" PVC for the connection from the return pump all the way up to the main display before reducing down to 3/4".​

- Three 1” Schedule 80 Union Slip X Slip ($15). Two are visible in the picture below and the other one is at the floor level. It is up to you how many unions to use.​

- One Georg Fischer 1” Wye Check Valve ($59). This is not really necessary as long as your sump is properly sized to catch any water that drains when your return pump is off. But I like to have it.​

- Two BioTek Marine Red 1" Furniture Grade PVC 45 Degree Elbow ($7); your set-up may require different fittings.​

​

In addition, I probably used about 5' of red PVC pipe ($13). So the total cost for this portion of the plumbing was $212.​

The next task is the plumbing in the basement. Fun.

Hey man,

Great build! I'm planning on getting a 130.4 as well, and I'm trying to copy your plumbing. My sump is just gonna be in the stand like a simpleton

I'm a little confused about the parts for the main and emergency drain:

- What is the purpose of the Metric/Standard Union Coupling (32mm to 1"), if you already converted to standard with the 32mm to 1" Metric to Standard PVC Adapter? Perhaps I don't understand the plumbing configuration since I don't have a Waterbox in front of me to look at.

That's my only question for now. Thank you!