ReefSentinel’s 200g Mini Barrier Reef build.

[Oberst Hajj]

Hi Oberst Hajj

Thanks for the explanation on the USB cables, it can get confusing at times when people at first setting their Apex up & run short on a cable.

I will add that my dealings with USBfirewire was excellent with fast delivery considering the USA to Australia purchase, i think it was only 4-5 days until i had it.

That is some fast shipping, especially during these times. I've been on their site several times, but never made a purchase. It is good to know they are quick if I ever need a longer cable.

 

[ReefSentinel]

Hi All
Been a slow week or two playing the waiting game with tank builder.
I wish I could share better news but it is what it is.
Awaited the recommended time before water testing tank, fill tank up with 2” of water and had to stop due to a leak on the new front panel :mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:.

A bit over the tank issues now.
They said this hobby requires patience, so really learning the patience’s sides of things.

 

[Janci]

Hi All
Been a slow week or two playing the waiting game with tank builder.
I wish I could share better news but it is what it is.
Awaited the recommended time before water testing tank, fill tank up with 2” of water and had to stop due to a leak on the new front panel :mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:.

A bit over the tank issues now.
They said this hobby requires patience, so really learning the patience’s sides of things.

Sorry to read about this tank issue.
From the picture, it looks like they did a very sloppy job in replacing the front glass.
I hope they step up and get this done properly

 

[Oberst Hajj]

Oh man, that's rough. Sorry to hear that your issues continue.

 

[ReefSentinel]

Oh man, that's rough. Sorry to hear that your issues continue.

thanks, I am sure it will work out one way or the other.

 

[ReefSentinel]

Hi All,
Weekend update.
Tank builder was back during the week and carried out repair of tank, re-tested today and it seems ok (lets hope)
Tank builder coming out this week to clean up and bring inside, again....

Bean animal pumping setup, some what complete comprising of primary drain, secondary drain & emergency drain.
So far I have only glued the top section (u section) of the primary & secondary drains and the offset section of the Emergency, I was planning not to glue the pipes in the actual bulkhead -
Appreciate everyone's thoughts on this, my reason for no glue is easy to clean / remove pipe, cannot rotate pipep sections in weir, just think if the return pump was stopped if water would like its way through the bulkhead pipe dry fit.

Still working on the Apex setup,
As I have 2 x BOB's, powered buttons and many leak and door sensors connected to the some circuits it makes for a lot of wiring.

Tested the water sensors today, they actually work very well, I will be using 4 in total.
1 for the tray the chiller sits on
1 for the tray the sump will be sitting in
2 on the floor under the tank (1 at each end)
Plan to sit these on a piece of folded up paper towel with a small weight on the back of the sensor.
Amazon product

 

[ReeferJay86]

Hi All,
Weekend update.
Tank builder was back during the week and carried out repair of tank, re-tested today and it seems ok (lets hope)
Tank builder coming out this week to clean up and bring inside, again....

Bean animal pumping setup, some what complete comprising of primary drain, secondary drain & emergency drain.
So far I have only glued the top section (u section) of the primary & secondary drains and the offset section of the Emergency, I was planning not to glue the pipes in the actual bulkhead -
Appreciate everyone's thoughts on this, my reason for no glue is easy to clean / remove pipe, cannot rotate pipep sections in weir, just think if the return pump was stopped if water would like its way through the bulkhead pipe dry fit.

Still working on the Apex setup,
As I have 2 x BOB's, powered buttons and many leak and door sensors connected to the some circuits it makes for a lot of wiring.

Tested the water sensors today, they actually work very well, I will be using 4 in total.
1 for the tray the chiller sits on
1 for the tray the sump will be sitting in
2 on the floor under the tank (1 at each end)
Plan to sit these on a piece of folded up paper towel with a small weight on the back of the sensor.
Amazon product

Glad to see everything is starting to move along nicely.

 

[Ben Pedersen]

Standard busy week this week, been trying to get a few hours together to work on the built, spent a lot of time thinking about the plumbing arrangement, need to take the following into consideration.
- Position of FMM flow monitor
- UV being the only item after the 1" FMM flow monitor so I know the flow rate through the UV.
- Unions,
- Take offs for future items and chiller (chiller line to have 1/2" FMM

Also purchased a Waterbox 20 for the Fish Qt, still research the best QT method.

I think this will be the final layout of the plumbing, looks like a mess, wait it is a mess but i have a rough plan on paper and in my head.

Also added a skimmer air take line from outside, figured best to put one in the wall before the stand/tank is there.

Regarding the UV light configuration, do you plan on removing the whole unit when maintaining (cleaning the sleeve, replacing the bulb, etc.)? Also, will installing vertically insure that no air gets trapped in the unit?

 

[ReefSentinel]

Glad to see everything is starting to move along nicely.Glad to see everything is starting to move along nicely.
Glad to see everything is starting to move along nicely.

Glad to see everything is starting to move along nicely.

thanks,
hopefully not to many more delays.
Going forward most other things should be in my control.

 

[ReefSentinel]

Regarding the UV light configuration, do you plan on removing the whole unit when maintaining (cleaning the sleeve, replacing the bulb, etc.)? Also, will installing vertically insure that no air gets trapped in the unit?

Hi
Great question,
I had a few options for orientation and position, air being trapped in it was a consideration so when with the vertical option, also it fitted well there with access to plumbing etc.
Maintenance side of things I plan to plumb in a bypass so I can pull the UV off line and clean etc.

 

[ReefSentinel]

Groundhog day today,
Tank brought in for the second time, touch wood the last for some time.
Now the journey restarts, well maybe next week as I am away this weekend for kids sport soon.

 

[Oberst Hajj]

Nice to see it where it belongs.

 

[ReefSentinel]

Hi All, work & life has been busy at a start has been made on the plumbing.

A few pic's

Drains in and ready

Also seen something new last night which I thought a would share.
My invert Quarantine tank has 2 peppermint shrimp, Nassarius snail and 2 hermit crabs, it seems the hermit crabs have been busy as I was able to get a pic of one of the crabs changing shells and noticed what looked like eggs, after a little research i am sure it is eggs.
Once I took some notice of the eggs the peppermint shrimps also seemed to notice as well and when after them, I don't think any survived but you never know.

 

[Janci]

Those shrimp are predators.
Nice progress.

 

[ReefSentinel]

Another weekend gone but i was able to get my head around the plumbing requirements and get a start on the plumbing, fingers cross no leaks.

Through I would use the laser level to assist with getting the levels / heights correct, laser made the job a a lot easier.

 

[BeltedCoyote]

This build is looking insanely good! Well done my friend!

oh, and you’ve inspired me to try my hand at making a sort of canopy for my build. That and your idea about mounting your lights via the aluminum. Very nice

 

[ReefSentinel]

This build is looking insanely good! Well done my friend!

oh, and you’ve inspired me to try my hand at making a sort of canopy for my build. That and your idea about mounting your lights via the aluminum. Very nice

Thanks BeltedCoyote
It has taken longer than originally expected but I am getting there.
Regards the light bracket, so fair it has come in handle, it has been very easy to move up, down and back, just hope I have allowed enough high.

 

[ReefSentinel]

Hi All,
With my fingers peeling of PVC glue is has been a big weekend of plumbing, so far the plumbing is almost complete.

After seeing so many great plumbing builds here I definitely have more respect for the work that going into this kind of plumbing, I am sure I have done at else 25hrs plus on plumbing only, a lot of thinking and planning for future requirements, measuring, cutting, checking, gluing and gluing and more gluing.


Fingers cross no leaks, plan to do a water test next weekend.
I few pic for of the weekend work.

Basic design is as follows
Single return pump (COR20) feeds up to a "Tee" to the rear goes to a manifold setup which supplies chiller, 2 future taps and collects back into the main return however I have a ball valve that will be shut closed, this ball valve is really only there to help support the pipe work.
Front section runs across the front (right to left) through a Neptune flow sensor into the UV then up into the tank, this line also is fitted with a tap for future requirements this is after the return from the UV.
Also have a Neptune flow sensor on the outlet from the chiller.

 

[Oberst Hajj]

Man that looks really good! I like all the unions you used. They really help aligning everything on the 90° elbows.

 

[ReefSentinel]

Man that looks really good! I like all the unions you used. They really help aligning everything on the 90° elbows.

Thanks Oberst Hajj
Unions definitely helped not only for alignment but for easy dismantling and future expansion.