240 Gallon Cube Tank Photo Diary - Page 3

Johnsteph10 · 05/02/2005, 06:10 PM

Darn double post.

sonofgaladriel · 05/02/2005, 09:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Wazzel
Unless I missed somthing your sump better be able to hold 300+ gallons. Without a check valve of suction break that reall nice tank will drain to the lowest point of the return system. I think you need to rethink you return plumbing.

Thanks for the concern.
The lowest point of the return will be only 1/2" to 1" below the top water level. The two returns from the sump come up inside and over the top of the overflow box and will sit just 1-2" below the water level. There will be a hole drilled in them just below the water level to act as a syphon break. The tank builder and I calculated that during a power outage or return pump failure, I should only have a maximum of 4 gallons return to the sump. A 90 gallon sump, with only 60 or so gallons of water in it could handle an additional 30 gallons dumped into it.
All the returns that you see in the current pics are of the closed loop system and are not capable of any water loss during a power outage. The only thing that could happen with them is if a pump seal leaks. Pump seal leaks happen slowly and with daily checks, I should catch any leaks well before they cause any problems.
I was pretty sure I thought of everything possible, but please let me know if anything else jumps out at anyone. The last thing I want is to come home to an empty tank one day.

Wazzel · 05/03/2005, 07:38 AM

The marked up picture overrode what I read about the return pump. The word "return" in red made my brain go cautious.

MGB · 05/03/2005, 06:28 PM

Tell us more about the jacuzzi bulkheads on your closed loops. How do they differ from regular ones and what are the pros and cons.

Thanks MGB

sonofgaladriel · 05/03/2005, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by MGB
Tell us more about the jacuzzi bulkheads on your closed loops. How do they differ from regular ones and what are the pros and cons.

Thanks MGB

Sorry, but I didn't get the jacuzzi style bulkheads. They were not long enough to go through the 1" acrylic. I went with regular 1" bulkheads with loc line adapters instead.

abfleck · 05/03/2005, 07:50 PM

more more more more !!!!!

bulldogfish · 05/08/2005, 07:06 AM

Your holding out on us! LOL. j/k. How are things going? Did you get the doors? Also how did your faux sand bed turn out? Lets see some pics.

sonofgaladriel · 05/08/2005, 01:06 PM

Yesterday was a big day. Broke down the 180 and moved it out to the garage. Moved in the new stand and cube. The stand actually fit through the door (with a little help from a hammer on the door frame

).
Unfortunately, I bought cheap single union ball valves from Lowes that leaked like a siv and we wasted several hours trying to stop the leaks before giving up and buying better quality valves and unions that I put on this morning.
I have leak tested the closed loop plumbing and its all looking good. Whew!

Here are a couple of new pics of the closed loop leak test. Boy is the water moving in there now!
I will drain the tank later today and move it against the wall directly behind it. I'll hang the lights this evening and take a few more pics later.
The doors will be picked up tomorrow and should be hung by Wednesday.

bassman57 · 05/08/2005, 02:12 PM

looks very nice. do you have any pictures between when you did the plumbing and now? Like how you plumbed the tubes at the front of the tank.

scolymia11111 · 05/08/2005, 05:17 PM

That tank is just incredible. Cant wait to see it finished and stocked!

newguy1983 · 05/08/2005, 05:21 PM

gonna be hard to play pool with your tank that close to the table...:-P

Awesome setup though! :-)

Alphabet · 05/08/2005, 05:26 PM

very nice setup, cannot wait to see the finished tank!!

TheCoralReef731 · 05/08/2005, 05:39 PM

lookin good

TheCoralReef731 · 05/08/2005, 05:41 PM

cool, looks great

sonofgaladriel · 05/08/2005, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bassman57
looks very nice. do you have any pictures between when you did the plumbing and now? Like how you plumbed the tubes at the front of the tank.

Have you looked at the other pictures previously posted in this thread? There are a few pics of the plumbing in previous posts.
Thanks for the compliments.

bassman57 · 05/08/2005, 07:53 PM

i looked at them thanks. you may have already said this but, are you going to have a sump? Right now it looks like you have two seperat closed loop systems.

palabok · 05/08/2005, 08:04 PM

looks really nice

ml44 · 05/08/2005, 09:18 PM

Looking good

can't wait to see it with the doors on. Are you going to put any trims around the top of the tank?

sonofgaladriel · 05/08/2005, 09:38 PM

I just moved it into its final position, leveled the tank, and have marked the ceiling for the pendant lights. I need to get some heavy duty mollies to hang the Oceanlights.
The sump will be installed tomorrow after work.
No trim around the top. Completely open top look.
I'll post some more pics tomorrow.

sonofgaladriel · 05/08/2005, 10:06 PM

Tank is now against the wall where it will stay. I have marked the ceiling for the hanging pendants but need to get some heavy duty mollies for the ceiling.

jthnhale · 05/08/2005, 10:48 PM

without a hood are you afraid of fish jumping out?

sonofgaladriel · 05/09/2005, 06:51 AM

Fish can jump out of any tank. I'll make sure I pic fish that are less prone to become carpet surfers.

RedEyeReef · 05/10/2005, 01:06 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by jthnhale
without a hood are you afraid of fish jumping out?

They normally only do it once.

...

Don't most people have their tanks uncovered?

JVHam · 05/10/2005, 11:32 AM

Why not build an open top canopy that will also hide the plumbing with"skirts". THen reather then hanging the lights from the seiling you can mount them on top of the canopy.

The Lance · 05/10/2005, 04:03 PM

From what I gather and what he has said in the past is that he is going for a euro garden feel and if you check out a lot of euro tanks don't use a canopy so you can get a good view from the top.

05/02/2005, 06:10 PM	#51
Johnsteph10 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: The South Posts: 2,537	Darn double post. __________________ John Current Tank Info: None

05/03/2005, 07:38 AM	#53
Wazzel Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Houma, LA Posts: 4,743	The marked up picture overrode what I read about the return pump. The word "return" in red made my brain go cautious. __________________ Mark Beware the light at the end of the tunnel. Sometimes it's a train. Current Tank Info: 120, LED, Bare Bottom, SPS/LPS

05/03/2005, 06:28 PM	#54
MGB Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Montana Posts: 270	Jacuzzi Bulkheads Tell us more about the jacuzzi bulkheads on your closed loops. How do they differ from regular ones and what are the pros and cons. Thanks MGB

05/03/2005, 07:50 PM	#56
abfleck Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Lake in the Hills, IL Posts: 3,773	more more more more !!!!! __________________ ((((((((((((((((29 Gallon Reef, 10 gallon sump/Fuge, Tunze Nano Skimmer, Precision Marine media reactor, 250 watt MH with XM 20K and two VHO actinics)))))))))))))))))0 Current Tank Info: 29 rr

05/08/2005, 01:06 PM	#58
sonofgaladriel Shiny! Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 1,670	Yesterday was a big day. Broke down the 180 and moved it out to the garage. Moved in the new stand and cube. The stand actually fit through the door (with a little help from a hammer on the door frame ). Unfortunately, I bought cheap single union ball valves from Lowes that leaked like a siv and we wasted several hours trying to stop the leaks before giving up and buying better quality valves and unions that I put on this morning. I have leak tested the closed loop plumbing and its all looking good. Whew! Here are a couple of new pics of the closed loop leak test. Boy is the water moving in there now! I will drain the tank later today and move it against the wall directly behind it. I'll hang the lights this evening and take a few more pics later. The doors will be picked up tomorrow and should be hung by Wednesday. __________________ Its not who you are, but what you do that defines you.

05/08/2005, 07:06 AM	#57
bulldogfish Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Central Missouri Posts: 529	Your holding out on us! LOL. j/k. How are things going? Did you get the doors? Also how did your faux sand bed turn out? Lets see some pics.

05/08/2005, 02:12 PM	#59
bassman57 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Florida Posts: 1,377	looks very nice. do you have any pictures between when you did the plumbing and now? Like how you plumbed the tubes at the front of the tank.

05/08/2005, 05:17 PM	#60
scolymia11111 Moved On Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 45	That tank is just incredible. Cant wait to see it finished and stocked!

05/08/2005, 05:21 PM	#61
newguy1983 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Triad, North Carolina Posts: 591	gonna be hard to play pool with your tank that close to the table...:-P Awesome setup though! :-) __________________ "If you let up for a second, expect to finish there..." Current Tank Info: In the market

05/08/2005, 05:26 PM	#62
Alphabet Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Michigan/Vegas Posts: 501	very nice setup, cannot wait to see the finished tank!! __________________ WHY NOT!! Current Tank Info: downsized to 75g

05/08/2005, 05:39 PM	#63
TheCoralReef731 Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Norwich, CT Posts: 993	lookin good __________________ Peter Current Tank Info: 29g and 90g Mixed Reefs, 37g Freshwater

05/08/2005, 05:41 PM	#64
TheCoralReef731 Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Norwich, CT Posts: 993	cool, looks great __________________ Peter Current Tank Info: 29g and 90g Mixed Reefs, 37g Freshwater

05/08/2005, 07:53 PM	#66
bassman57 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Florida Posts: 1,377	i looked at them thanks. you may have already said this but, are you going to have a sump? Right now it looks like you have two seperat closed loop systems.

05/08/2005, 08:04 PM	#67
palabok Moved On Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 116	looks really nice

05/08/2005, 09:18 PM	#68
ml44 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 13	240 cube Looking good can't wait to see it with the doors on. Are you going to put any trims around the top of the tank?

05/08/2005, 09:38 PM	#69
sonofgaladriel Shiny! Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 1,670	I just moved it into its final position, leveled the tank, and have marked the ceiling for the pendant lights. I need to get some heavy duty mollies to hang the Oceanlights. The sump will be installed tomorrow after work. No trim around the top. Completely open top look. I'll post some more pics tomorrow. __________________ Its not who you are, but what you do that defines you.

05/08/2005, 10:06 PM	#70
sonofgaladriel Shiny! Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 1,670	Tank is now against the wall where it will stay. I have marked the ceiling for the hanging pendants but need to get some heavy duty mollies for the ceiling. __________________ Its not who you are, but what you do that defines you.

05/08/2005, 10:48 PM	#71
jthnhale Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: NY Posts: 1,153	without a hood are you afraid of fish jumping out?

05/09/2005, 06:51 AM	#72
sonofgaladriel Shiny! Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 1,670	Fish can jump out of any tank. I'll make sure I pic fish that are less prone to become carpet surfers. __________________ Its not who you are, but what you do that defines you.

05/10/2005, 11:32 AM	#74
JVHam Premium Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 860	Why not build an open top canopy that will also hide the plumbing with"skirts". THen reather then hanging the lights from the seiling you can mount them on top of the canopy.

05/10/2005, 04:03 PM	#75
The Lance Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Nashville Posts: 178	From what I gather and what he has said in the past is that he is going for a euro garden feel and if you check out a lot of euro tanks don't use a canopy so you can get a good view from the top.