The Silver Linings Tank Thread, or "My 180G Build"

[PedroYoung]

So I figured you would be the best person to answer this seeing as how you’re the chalice expert. Are these generally a very thin coral? Like potato chip thin? Yours don’t look thin at all. I got a 4” piece of Hollywood stunner (I know, too common for your taste ;Happy ) for $5 and it’s suuuuper thin all over. I set it on the sand after dipping/acclimating and my snail keeps knocking it over. I’m pretty sure it will crumble if I try to glue it to a rock. Did I get an unhealthy piece?

Chalice are encrusting corals (mostly) so their skeleton is pretty thin. Mine look thicker because they are on thick pieces of live rock. Some are more “fleshy” than others. The Hollywood stunner likes to shelf, like a monti cap, so just glue it to a piece of rock and let it rip.

 

[PedroYoung]

Very cool in glad I caught this. Great pix as always!

Thanks for stopping by !!

 

[PedroYoung]

Quickie update. Working on the piping from overflow to the sump. Wrapping my brain around how it's going to go...(secret, sch 40 is much cheaper than the sch 80 pipe so I use it in the planning/dry fit stage)

Untitled by Peter Young, on Flickr

Then got the bulkhead stubs for the main siphon and open channel along with some manifold concept work

Untitled by Peter Young, on Flickr

Coming along. Couple quickies from the 75
stellaria-26 by Peter Young, on Flickr

stellaria-31 by Peter Young, on Flickr

PC Rainbow-3 by Peter Young, on Flickr

Thanks for stopping in...

 

[PedroYoung]

Another short update, starting to chip away at the plumbing. Got the bulkhead stub for the emergency drain done (center of the sump at the skimmer section)..

Untitled by Peter Young, on Flickr

Then I put together the 90's and union for the transition from horizontal to vertical for main siphon and open channel (you can see where one goes in the top picture on this post

Untitled by Peter Young, on Flickr

So basically just have to measure, cut and glue the 2 vertical and 2 horizontal pieces for the main siphon and open channel and then plumb the emergency drain before I can get it wet. Wow.

How about a couple pics of my Acan Maxima after being fed. I liked these shots.

maximafeed-6 by Peter Young, on Flickr

maximafeed-2 by Peter Young, on Flickr

maximafeed-7 by Peter Young, on Flickr

Thanks for looking.

 

[PedroYoung]

Well, making some more progress. Taking some time off from the J.O.B., mandatory vacation burn so taking Fridays and Mondays off for the next month (can get used to 3 day weeks). Gives me time with the plumbing.
Doesn't look like much, but these last couple lengths take more planning, measuring, and precision. Putting about 1/8" of fall per foot on the horizontal sections is a whole new dimension (literally) .
Got the primary siphon finished.
Untitled by Peter Young, on Flickr

and all but the vertical on the open channel
Untitled by Peter Young, on Flickr

Looks like I'm going to be 10" short on 1.5" pipe!!! Guess I'm running down to Ferguson this morning (cheaper to get 20' there than 2 46" pieces from BRS).

fantasmo by Peter Young, on Flickr

firemellon by Peter Young, on Flickr

Thanks for dropping in.

 

[TriggerFinger]

Whoohoo you’re getting closer. Enjoy your long weekends. I really like the fire melon, I don’t remember seeing it before.

 

[PedroYoung]

Got "a little" more done the last couple days. Finished all the plumbing from the overflow to the sump!!

Untitled by Peter Young, on Flickr

Only thing left is to finish the manifold plumbing and the emergency return pump loop (THAT is going to be a nightmare FYI).

And, Ah YES, the Stellaria (this thing is on fire in the 75G right now).

stellaria-36 by Peter Young, on Flickr

stellaria-34 by Peter Young, on Flickr

Thanks for stopping in!!

 

[PedroYoung]

Chipping away! Cut and glued the manifold (just a single 1/2" gate for now, room to grow left if needed).

Untitled by Peter Young, on Flickr

Just the emergency return pump loop to go!

Here are a couple pics of my smaller Stellaria chalices. These came from Unique Corals many (like 4) years ago and has been fragged a couple times trying to save it. Finally looks like they're happy. Sorry, these pics are a little fuzzy. Had to shoot at a pretty severe angle through the glass.

UC stellaria-2 by Peter Young, on Flickr

UC stellaria by Peter Young, on Flickr

UC stellaria-3 by Peter Young, on Flickr

Thanks for your interest.

 

[Jared's Reef]

Awesome macro shots! Your corals look awesome. What kind of lens do you use? I just recently bought a Nikon D7500 DSLR but my macro lens is nothing compared to yours. Trying to learn as I go.

 

[PedroYoung]

Awesome macro shots! Your corals look awesome. What kind of lens do you use? I just recently bought a Nikon D7500 DSLR but my macro lens is nothing compared to yours. Trying to learn as I go.

Thanks for the kind words. I use a Canon 100MM macro on a Canon T6i. Best thing I ever did for my photography was to just keep shooting......

 

[PedroYoung]

So small progress, but every bit helps. I glued the elbow and ball valve to isolate the emergency return pump line. This means that technically I could hydro test the system by just closing this ball valve. Tempting......., but then I'd prob'y never finish this last bit of plumbing. Basically the idea is if the Abyzz ever goes down I can open this valve behind the sump and it will feed the Reeflo on the floor. I'll close the valve right above the sump to isolate the Abyzz.

I also switched out the impeller in the emergency pump (Reeflo hammerhead/barracuda hybrid). They ship with the higher flow impeller (6000 GPH) and the lower flow (4590 GPH) is closer to the Abyzz A200. That was actually pretty easy. Now just another 4' or so of 1.5" pipe, along with another half dozen 45's and we can call it a wrap!! Since you're hear take a look at some of the latest pics out of my Orange Peel in the 75G. This guy will eventually migrate into the 200G when it's (the tank) stable and happy.

orangepeel-25 by Peter Young, on Flickr

orangepeel-24 by Peter Young, on Flickr

orangepeel-26 by Peter Young, on Flickr

Thanks for checking in!! Onward and Upward!!
P

 

[PedroYoung]

Wow, so I just went back and saw I started the plumbing on this tank Sept of 2018!!!! Can you say "slow"? Big milestone today. Finished plumbing. Got the last bit of the emergency return loop finished.

Kinda crazy, I was able to put away my saw for the first time in quite a while. So, gonna let the last bit cure for a bit while I silicone the starboard into the bottom of the main display. Haven't done anything up there in a looooong time. Took a quick pic of my live rock lagoon. Been basically curing for a couple years since just before the Fiji ban went into place. Lost the great coraline that it had, but the bacterial cultures should all still be kicking. I've been feeding them, and doing H2O changes.

Kinda wild to think I could be placing that rock in the display soon (how soon, we'll see). It's incredible rock, super porous and cool shapes. Looks like I'll have a spare 100G stock tank soon...........

Just kick a couple pics from the 75G to get you to come back and look

jellybean lg-9 by Peter Young, on Flickr

jellybean sm-14 by Peter Young, on Flickr

flamethrower-2 by Peter Young, on Flickr

Have I really been growing these guys out so I can move them into the 200G when it's ready? You'll have to stay tuned to find out!! Thanks for coming by.
P

 

[TriggerFinger]

Have I really been growing these guys out so I can move them into the 200G when it's ready? You'll have to stay tuned to find out!! Thanks for coming by.
P

Unless you’ve been growing them out to frag, they would have to go in the 200g right?! You’ve said the 75 is so packed!
Do you have any fish now? Or planned for the 200?

 

[PedroYoung]

Unless you’ve been growing them out to frag, they would have to go in the 200g right?! You’ve said the 75 is so packed!
Do you have any fish now? Or planned for the 200?

Yeah, definately have to move some of them just to avoid normal coral aggression. Had half of my Blue Raven Blasto colony get blasted 2 nights ago by the Acan Maxima!! Lost probably 10 polyps. Didn't see that coming, usually a well behaved Acan ). Some of these corals are just doing so well it makes me nervous to put them anywhere else, so will let the 200G stabilize for a while before moving the big dogs over. Still trying to pick a fish vendor (have a couple in mind, but haven't settled on one yet). This tank will def have more fish in it than my 75G which just has a clown, yellow tank, naso tang and long nosed hawkfish. Will have a good tang gang (might move the naso out of the 75G into the new one, he's tiny but will grow up). Maybe a small school of pyramid butterflys, maybe some Anthias, maybe a regal Angel. The new tank will have more SPS than the 75. Lighting will be stronger, flow higher, but will aquascape some quiet spots for the LPS.

Just took this shot of the Orange Peel, this thing is so hard to photograph. The way it glows under blue LED's makes it look fake. Never really satisfied with it.
Orangepeel-30 by Peter Young, on Flickr

and skirt on this smaller jellybean is really picking up
Jellybean sm-16 by Peter Young, on Flickr

 

[TriggerFinger]

I’m totally satisfied with the orange peel pics and all the rest of them!

 

[JJ440]

This is a beautiful setup! Great story of taking something tragic and being able through patience and perseverance turn it into something amazing! Following along

 

[PedroYoung]

Thanks, stick around for a hopefully happy ending (well, maybe not ending, but you know what I mean)

 

[PedroYoung]

Several updates that I'm going to cram in on one post, been pretty busy (both on the tank and otherwise). Spoiler alert!! Got water running in the tank yesterday!! ;Woot

So to get there I had to:
-silicone the ABS insert into the bottom of the tank, didn't get any great pics, just prepping the insert

taped the inside of the tank bottom and ran big beads across the bottom, then dropped in the ABS with some help from my wife because it doesn't fit inside the Eurobracing without some acrobatics and ran a bead of silicone around it. Pulled the tape up and let it sit for a week.

- I hung the Abyzz A200 controller on my control board

- I also hung the board for mounting reactors etc from the manifold. I use marine grade plywood on treated 2x4's (luckily I have a buddy who is a carpenter and he lets me use his red head which shoots nails through the 2x4's into the poured concrete walls with .22 cal shells) which I then treat with a sealer.

Then the big test yesterday, filled the tank with garden house (that took a while)..............................

Then I got my wife to hold the hose while I ran to the basement and watched the sump start to fill....... Everything seemed good, I had the main siphon wide open so all the flow from the overflow was going down that main line. Once the sump got mostly full I shut down the water and prepped for pumping upwards. Turned on the power to the Abyzz controller and started to ramp it up.
So realize I have roughly 14' of head pressure, along with various reductions, elbows, check valves etc. It has been a concern (way back in my head) that this A200 wasn't going to have enough juice. It's soooooo small compared to the Reeflo I got as a backup. I had done my calculations, put in a big fudge factor and decided it was big enough (2 yrs ago). So I started at 10%, nothing. 15%, nothing, 20%, nothing. 30%, nothing. 50%, nothing (about now I'm starting to sweat bullets). 65%, I hear what sounds like an air bubble or belch. 70% I hear my wife yelling "It's going!!", which I only hear in the back of my mind as I'm seeing water running out of the right check valve union. Shut the pump down, tighten the union, start it back up. I'm seeing beads of water at a couple other unions. Shut the pump down, tighten those back up. Start the pump again. Don't see any leaks. I go upstairs and see that there's plenty of flow coming out of the 2 nozzles (all I'm looking for is 2-5 times turnover, just enough to keep the water warm and get tank water down to go through the skimmer). Most of my in tank flow will be the 4x MP40's.

Observation on the Abyzz A200. I'd read there is a 3 day break in where they might be noisy as the bearings wear in. From the time it started moving water I literally can't hear it run. I've cranked it up to 85% and that's too much flow for what I want (and it's still dead silent). Crazy to think that little pump can crank that much water so efficiently!!

So, started tuning the overflow with the 1.5" gate valve. No idea what I'm doing. I've never had a bean animal style so winging it. Started closing the valve for what seems like for ever. Suddenly it gets super noisy, then quiet. I jump up and check the back of the tank. No leaks on the bulkheads (both on the overflow and the return nozzles) and I see the level in the overflow box is up to the secondary drain. Good. I run to the basement and sure enough, there is water coming through the secondary "trickle" drain. Bad, there is water coming out of both of the unions in that line. Shut the pump down, try and tighten it up, start it up again. Still leaking. I do this a couple times and realize I can't get enough Umph on the horizontal run and I remember seeing a post earlier in the week from @Bulk Reef Supply doing Randy's plumbing and they had some prob's with unions. They used a strap wrench and it helped tighten down stubborn unions so off to Lowe's I went. I highly recommend!!!!! Made it super easy.

So got all those leaks fixed and let it run the rest of the evening. Turned it off right before bed (didn't want to wake up in the middle of the night wondering), and turned it back on the next AM. Went down to the basement around lunch and saw some moisture on the floor behind the sump. HMMMMM. finally found a slow leak on the bulkhead exiting the back of the tank for the emergency drain.
Untitled by Peter Young, on Flickr
I don't have a 1.5" bulkhead wrench so I got my biggest pipe wrench and gave it a little quarter turn, came back, still leaking. This went on for several hours. I finally was concerned I was going to break the bulkhead. SOOOOOOO, drained the sump, dried it out, and went to bed.
Got up this morning and decided to support that horizontal run going into the emergency pump. That sch 80 is heavy and there's a 1.5" ball valve basically hanging on the back of the sump. Found a brick (left over from the original house) that fit perfectly under the piping. Tightened the bulkhead back down and put water back in the sump. So far, so good. Been about 6 hrs and no leak. Gonna let it sit overnight and if it stays dry, will fire the pump back up and run some more. I'm looking for 3 days of hydro testing with no leaks.

WHEW, crazy couple days. LONG post. Here are a couple pics to thank you for making it this far.

lil stellaria-2 by Peter Young, on Flickr

stellaria sm by Peter Young, on Flickr

orangepeel-48 by Peter Young, on Flickr

Thanks for looking.

 

[PedroYoung]

Whew, no leaks. Been running for a couple days and all dry. While I'm running the tank I did a quick mod on my DOS which I saw posted on another forum (which shall remain nameless). I have a standard DOS setup on my 75G and hate the supplied Neptune tubing. Poor connections, kinked, etc etc. I saw a mod to sub in John Guest fittings so you can use standard RO tubing.
DOS with supplied compression fittings

Remove the outer part of the fitting

Slice off the barbed end (note that this is optional, but allows the RO tubing to go further up into the JG fitting). I used an razor blade.

Then thread the JG fitting onto the threads. Picture here of the fittings

This literally took me 5 minutes.

So another day or so of running tap water and then drain it. I will prob fiddle a little with the secondary drain stand pipe length to try and get complete silence. It is super quiet right now, just a faint trickle as the water flows from the internal box to the external box but now is the time to play. Then, aquascape!! Well, and try and figure out how I'm going to get 250 gallons of saltwater ready............

A couple quick pics I took tonight.
lightningtip-2 by Peter Young, on Flickr

blueraven-3 by Peter Young, on Flickr

jellybean sm-17 by Peter Young, on Flickr

Thanks for checking it out!!
P

 

[PedroYoung]

Been a while since the last update. Been tinkering down in the basement mostly.

Got the control board laid out, I got this "open slot wire duct" from automation direct. Pretty cheap and really cleans up the wiring.

Also, prepping for live rock transfer to the main tank so I pulled the ATO reservoir and put in in place. Man, Synergy Reef does some nice work!!!

And big news is, prepping salt water for tank fire-up. If BRS will ever deliver the bottle of super glue I'm waiting on for the aquascaping, I'm ready to go. Got 50G in the sump, about 115 made up in brutes, and as soon as I pull the rock out of the stock tank, I'm going to start running RO in it to get the last 90 or so gallons. Figure I'll have enough to submerge the scape, and then top off with the final addition. Man, this is a lot of water and salt!!

A couple other odds and ends. I hung a power strip in the cabinet under the tank for the 4 MP 40QD controllers. I've configured the Apex, plugged in heaters and probes (since I finally have salt water in the sump), and general cleaning up in the basement. Years of accumulated boxes for all this gear really added up. I'm hopeful this glue will show today. Postal service is really hosed. I've had 3 packages that were "2-day priority mail" in the last 2 weeks that all went a week before being delivered.
Here are a couple pics from the 75 to tease you, I mean thank you for checking in.

teenybeany-15 by Peter Young, on Flickr

acanmaxima-10 by Peter Young, on Flickr

stellaria-54 by Peter Young, on Flickr

Thanks, P