The "She Said Yes!" 120 Gallon Build

OP
OP
dangles

dangles

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 22, 2022
Messages
1,226
Reaction score
1,458
Location
Ohio
Rating - 100%
2   0   0
This is the inspiration for the cabinet doors

(From Pinterest)

IMG_7508.jpeg
 
OP
OP
dangles

dangles

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 22, 2022
Messages
1,226
Reaction score
1,458
Location
Ohio
Rating - 100%
2   0   0
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.


Screenshot 2023-09-27 at 12.58.39 PM.png



This is the version with the components in place...

Screenshot 2023-09-27 at 2.00.36 PM.png



Not all of these spaces will be filled. I wanted room for expansion down the road if I end up adding components.
 
OP
OP
dangles

dangles

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 22, 2022
Messages
1,226
Reaction score
1,458
Location
Ohio
Rating - 100%
2   0   0
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 :smirking-face:

71823455986__BA571334-1C62-4A61-B696-7D4185AFFF42.jpeg



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.
 

Harpo

Coral Junkie
View Badges
Joined
Jan 7, 2009
Messages
705
Reaction score
258
Location
Royal Oak, Mi
Rating - 100%
2   0   0
Build looks great. I strongly suggest you upgrade those valves. Does your friend do small batch jobs?

 
Last edited:
OP
OP
dangles

dangles

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 22, 2022
Messages
1,226
Reaction score
1,458
Location
Ohio
Rating - 100%
2   0   0
Build looks great. I strongly suggest you upgrade those valves. Does your friend do small batch jobs?


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 :grinning-face-with-smiling-eyes:
 
OP
OP
dangles

dangles

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 22, 2022
Messages
1,226
Reaction score
1,458
Location
Ohio
Rating - 100%
2   0   0
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").

IMG_7632.jpeg


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:

IMG_7634.jpeg

IMG_7633.jpeg


So I will once again have to make use of my friend's CNC router :)


IMG_7635.jpeg





Animated GIF
 
OP
OP
dangles

dangles

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 22, 2022
Messages
1,226
Reaction score
1,458
Location
Ohio
Rating - 100%
2   0   0
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.

IMG_7714.jpeg
IMG_7712.jpeg
IMG_7717.jpeg
IMG_7718.jpeg
 

Black Dog Reefing

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 24, 2019
Messages
64
Reaction score
81
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
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:

IMG_7411.jpeg


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).
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!!
 
OP
OP
dangles

dangles

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 22, 2022
Messages
1,226
Reaction score
1,458
Location
Ohio
Rating - 100%
2   0   0
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.


IMG_7752.jpeg



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.

IMG_7756.jpeg



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!
 
OP
OP
dangles

dangles

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 22, 2022
Messages
1,226
Reaction score
1,458
Location
Ohio
Rating - 100%
2   0   0
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.
 

HAVE YOU EVER KEPT A RARE/UNCOMMON FISH, CORAL, OR INVERT? SHOW IT OFF IN THE THREAD!

  • Yes!

    Votes: 32 45.7%
  • Not yet, but I have one that I want to buy in mind!

    Votes: 9 12.9%
  • No.

    Votes: 26 37.1%
  • Other (please explain).

    Votes: 3 4.3%
Back
Top