The "She Said Yes!" 120 Gallon Build
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McCarrick
Active Member
I think I've settled on my scape...
Based on the location of the tank, it will mostly be viewed from the front and right side.
What did you use to hold your scape together? Looks great!
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dangles
Valuable Member
Progress update...
My friend with a large CNC machine introduced me to the program his machine uses to plan projects.
This is what I've come up with for my layout. These are all the cutouts (I'm not sure why some of them are pink). The board itself will be a large (32 x 70 x 0.5) piece of white expanded PVC. I ordered some orange grommets from @TheHarold along with 2 of his Ecotech Battery Backup Voltage Meters. I'll be adding some shelves on the back for the DOS bodies and power supply bricks and other random things.
This is the version with the components in place...
Not all of these spaces will be filled. I wanted room for expansion down the road if I end up adding components.
My friend with a large CNC machine introduced me to the program his machine uses to plan projects.
This is what I've come up with for my layout. These are all the cutouts (I'm not sure why some of them are pink). The board itself will be a large (32 x 70 x 0.5) piece of white expanded PVC. I ordered some orange grommets from @TheHarold along with 2 of his Ecotech Battery Backup Voltage Meters. I'll be adding some shelves on the back for the DOS bodies and power supply bricks and other random things.
This is the version with the components in place...
Not all of these spaces will be filled. I wanted room for expansion down the road if I end up adding components.
OP
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dangles
Valuable Member
A little plumbing for today…
I wanted to go with colored PVC and valves but I have WAY WAY overspent and had to cut some corners
Still waiting on the uniseals for the containers and new couplings for the Vectra (I bought it used and the couplings were already glued). I also forgot a 1 1/4 to 1/2 reducer for the spigot on the front.
The valve you see on the back will go to a canister with a filter in it, then back into the sea water container.
I wanted to go with colored PVC and valves but I have WAY WAY overspent and had to cut some corners
Still waiting on the uniseals for the containers and new couplings for the Vectra (I bought it used and the couplings were already glued). I also forgot a 1 1/4 to 1/2 reducer for the spigot on the front.
The valve you see on the back will go to a canister with a filter in it, then back into the sea water container.
Build looks great. I strongly suggest you upgrade those valves. Does your friend do small batch jobs?
www.bulkreefsupply.com
Ball Valve
Why does BRS recommend this? Those who have used Cepex ball valves know they are worth every penny. Most hardware stores carry cheap ball valves that over time get hard to turn and can break pretty easily. Cepex ball valves will last a lifetime with super smoother operation. We are always...
www.bulkreefsupply.com
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dangles
Valuable Member
Build looks great. I strongly suggest you upgrade those valves. Does your friend do small batch jobs?
Ball Valve
Why does BRS recommend this? Those who have used Cepex ball valves know they are worth every penny. Most hardware stores carry cheap ball valves that over time get hard to turn and can break pretty easily. Cepex ball valves will last a lifetime with super smoother operation. We are always...
Yes, that’s definitely the plan. Just not right away. I’ll be using the higher quality ones on the actual tank plumbing.
I’m rolling the dice hoping to get at least six months to a year out of these, at which point I’ll replace them with the Cepex valves.
No he doesn’t do side jobs unfortunately. He owns his own business and has 4 kids. He barely had time to squeeze me in
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dangles
Valuable Member
Sump and filter roller update…
I knew I would need to modify my sump to accept the ClariSea SK-3000 G3. This is what I’m up against…
I’ve already started Dremeling out the filter sock holder (Commitment with a capital "C").
But I’m going to need to get a little more creative because the Dremel won’t QUITE fit where I need it to in order to *cleanly* cut out the remainder of the black acrylic. The arms for the roller won’t sit right with what’s left of the black acrylic in the way:
So I will once again have to make use of my friend's CNC router
I knew I would need to modify my sump to accept the ClariSea SK-3000 G3. This is what I’m up against…
I’ve already started Dremeling out the filter sock holder (Commitment with a capital "C").
But I’m going to need to get a little more creative because the Dremel won’t QUITE fit where I need it to in order to *cleanly* cut out the remainder of the black acrylic. The arms for the roller won’t sit right with what’s left of the black acrylic in the way:
So I will once again have to make use of my friend's CNC router
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dangles
Valuable Member
Controller board update…
My DIY “Adapt(ed) Reef” controller board is coming along nicely! I still need to reinforce the back a little more, and add some shelves and cable organization do-dads, and figure out how best to mount the board to the TV mounts. But I’m getting close! I also still need to finish the cabinet doors.
My DIY “Adapt(ed) Reef” controller board is coming along nicely! I still need to reinforce the back a little more, and add some shelves and cable organization do-dads, and figure out how best to mount the board to the TV mounts. But I’m getting close! I also still need to finish the cabinet doors.
Black Dog Reefing
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No way! I shop at Matt’s corals as well! (probably too often haha) I was in for their labor day sell as well, what a small world. Good luck with the build!!My LFS (Matt’s Corals in Columbus, OH) had a Labor Day sale this weekend…
20% off in stock Tideline sumps - which happens to be the sump I decided on!
So here it is, freshly leak tested and washed:
This is the 36” model (41 gallons, although I’m not sure if that’s filled to the brim or what).
I plan to “Bubba” it a little and remove the filter sock holder. I’m going with a filter roller instead.
I’m also going to have a buddy CNC some lids for the other chambers to match the one on the left (with smaller cutouts for the equipment I plan for those spaces of course).
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dangles
Valuable Member
TV mounts installed! These will allow me to pull the board away from the wall so I can access everything on the back. Two mounts might be excessive, but given how tall it is, and how heavy it will be with the 2 battery backups mounted to it as well, I didn’t want to take any chances.
The TV mount is secured to the board using bolts that pass all the way through. The material is only 1/2” thick so I didn’t want to just use screws. The little white plastic caps hide the bolts well enough.
Next up…
Install the cabinet doors.
I will need to extend the cords on my MP40s, which will also allow me to run them through the holes without having to make the holes bigger.
I also still need to round off the edges of the board, install little shelves on the back for the power bricks, install 2 new circuits with outlets on the wall where the cabinet/board is going, as well as cut a little “pass-through” for the cables and tubes.
Matt the owner of my LFS also just messaged me yesterday to let me know my tank has shipped!
The TV mount is secured to the board using bolts that pass all the way through. The material is only 1/2” thick so I didn’t want to just use screws. The little white plastic caps hide the bolts well enough.
Next up…
Install the cabinet doors.
I will need to extend the cords on my MP40s, which will also allow me to run them through the holes without having to make the holes bigger.
I also still need to round off the edges of the board, install little shelves on the back for the power bricks, install 2 new circuits with outlets on the wall where the cabinet/board is going, as well as cut a little “pass-through” for the cables and tubes.
Matt the owner of my LFS also just messaged me yesterday to let me know my tank has shipped!
Gumbies R Us
Certified Noob
Some great progress is being made!
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dangles
Valuable Member
I updated my pump plan to reflect dual M2 pumps. Definitely overkill. But my original plan to use an S2 as one of the two pumps wasn’t going to be enough as far as I’m concerned. Once you calculate head loss through 5-6 ft of 3/4” pipe, a couple of elbows, and up 5 ft, the output at full power would drop from 1400 gph to 500 or so. I don’t want to have to run it at full blast. With 2x M2s, I’ll dedicate one to the UV (then on to the display) and the other through a manifold and then to the display. Both pumps will be able to be run on the low end, and if I ever lose one, I can ramp the other up to compensate.
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