Catherine's 140g reef build!

S

Squirt

It has started, and it has been a definite exercise in patience. I bought a DeepSea Aquatics RR 140g tank and black oak stand with dual overflows and returns. Equipment so far is:
2500gph reeflo Snapper pump to run skimmer, chemical chambers and returns.
Sunpod 2x150w 14,000k metal halide with 18 led for moonlights
2-200w EboJager heaters
Berlin HO skimmer, rated for 150g. (already running this on the 50reef, I will try it on the 140 and see how it does before I upgrade)
This first pic is where I am starting from, my current 50 reef.
Many, MANY thanks to Dustin (hcivic1798) for all of his help on the plumbing and brainstorming!!!!
Catherine
 
Plumbing is for the stout of heart, because you need the patience of JOB to not pull your hair out, or get completely addled from the fumes of the cement! Here is the layout. I copied the idea from another build to have the manifold in place to run the future carbon, phosphate reactors and a spare for something else off the return. My skimmer will also be driven off the return.
After we had everything plumbed, it took 2 days to make enough RO to fill the tank for a leak test. Of course, where the bulkhead met the sump, leaked. I drained the sump, (yes, it is a rubbermaid container, I have used them successfully before) and resiliconed.
It is still dripping. AUGH. I may have to drill a smaller tank to use, or go to an acrylic tank for the sump.
Assisting in the project are my son Alec, my husband Peter and Dustin.
Catherine
 
Ok, the rubbermaid container doesn't work when drilled. It bows a little and I can't get it watertight. Even after resiliconing, it would dripdripdrip. So, tonight I went to DNA and bought a Eshopps ES-200 refugium. That will work! Drilling is put off until thursday and then it should start running!
Live rock comes in on thursday too!
 
Last weekend Dustin and I got the refug drilled and the system running! It has been cycling with 100lbs of cured rock (there is another 100 lbs in the 50g that currently has all of my fish, corals), and tonight I threw in a blue damsel as test fish. Thanks to GMACY, I bought my new lighting set up today, 2 x 250w DE MH pendant reflectors and icecap ballasts. Building a suspension system for the lights, and a DJ rack for electrics, is next weekend project!
 
You'll definitely love the dj rack. It's so convenient! I'm glad you found a sump to fit your needs. I would've worried with that rubbermade sump as well! It looks like your making some great progress!
 
Just because yours failed doesn't mean it won't work. I have seen several peoples work outstanding you just have to make sure you get the super heavy duty kind that doesn't bow as much and realize the limitations there. It's not like it's thick acrylic so you have to design around that.

Tank is looking great by the way!
 
I've had a rubbermaid sump for the past 6 yrs and I bought from a guy that had used it for 2yrs, so I'm pushing 8yrs with my rubbermaid. :D Maybe they just don't make them like they used too.. hehe
 
Rubbermaid for sumps = "Epic Fail" if they're drilled.



I think there's probably a 5% chance it works out well for posterity but personally the risk / reward is way biased toward fail.


Glass / Acrylic is where it's at especially if you need to drill it.
 
I agree... the rubbermaid I used before was used as an undrilled refugium with interior return pump, and it is still sturdy. But definitely for a drilling application and external pump, the acrylic sump was the way to go for me!
My lights are in and this weekend Dustin and I are going to build the suspension and hang them, then I can move the rest of my rock and stock over! It is nearly ready, Woot!!
Catherine
 
Yayyyy Good Luck can't wait to see more pics. . . . . .



If you haven't yet, I would recommend going by home Depot and spending $10 on a sheet of acrylic foam to put under the refugium.


I did and it served multiple purposes.

1.) it keeps the sump raised an inch or so above the base of the stand for drainage purposes.

2.) it reduces the shock of moving it with water in it if you ever need to slide it around under there a little to work.

3.) It provides insualtion against ground temp changes like in the winter time.
 
After two trips to Lowe's tonight, the lighting rig is built and up! Many, many thanks to Dustin for his hard work, doing all of the fabricating work, and to his girlfriend Jody for the infinite patience of our salty hobby. We bought 2, 10' pieces of 1/2" rigid tubing and using a pipe bender, put a nice 90* curve in the pipes, which were attached through the back of the stand with U clamps. Two Grow-Yo cable tensioners suspended a steel perforated strut that holds the lighting pendants. This way, the strut can be raised or lowered depending on the strength of the bulbs or out of the way for maintenance. The bulbs are two 250w 14,000 K Current bulbs. I love the blue! The best part is that the reflectors don't spill light across the whole room, it stays in the tank!
I moved a bunch of my rubble from my old refug into the new one, and tomorrow we plumb in the phosban reactors and skimmer! Then it is only a matter of transferring rock, corals and fish! Here are some pictures from today's adventure.
 
Tank looks really good. I love the minimalist approach with the liverock in your display. I think most people tend to put too much in and it always makes the tank look too crowded and doesn't account for future growth. Nice work!
 
Looks good! Nice work indeed :) Can't wait to watch some fish make it into the new home and the coral start to grow.
 
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