Lance's 215 Build Log

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Laser

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Finally got the 200 gallon RR acrylic tank I have been wanting. I currently have a 125 DAS that I have modified inwall. I will be taking down the 125 and move it outside the fish room to begin construction of the wall to accomodate the larger tank. ToddLaCo has generously offered for me to borrow his 2 100 gallon Rubbermaids to make the transition easier. The 200 gallon I purchased only has one overflow on the left side. :sad: I am thinking I will need to add another to the right side as all RR tanks I have seen seem to have one on both sides when they are as large as this tank. The tanks dimensions are 68.5 long x 30 deep x 25 tall. I am also considering drilling the tank for a closed loop. I have purchased a Gen X Model PCX-70HP for my return pump. The new tank (which is actually used) has no locline for return inside the return box so I guess I will need to add one of these as well. I have many questions as to the preplanning so please comment on adding another return section on the right side of the tank as well as your thoughts on the return box configuration and drilling for closed loop. I would like to clear up these issues before breaking down the current setup and drill the tank while it is empty and easy to do.
 
I resized it from 2000 pixels wide to 800 wide. :)

A single overflow might be okay, depending on its size. The more linear overflow you have, the better. My tank has two very large overflows, 12" x 6", so I have 36" of linear overflow for a tank that is 72 x 30 (surface footprint).

Drilling it for a closed loop is fine. I would recommend that you drill in the upper third of the tank, so if anything ever goes wrong, 2/3 of your tank remains full.

Locline is easy to add.

And I just realized whom you are. :lol: Your username wasn't really giving me any clues, but as soon as I saw your tank, I knew immediately who you were. Your tank looks great. Hopefully your corals will put up with the upgrade.
 
Overflow footprint is 10" x 5" for this tank. I am not worried about flow in tank as I will have vortec and wavebox. Can I get away from drilling for a closed loop if I already plan on having a wavebox and vortec for flow inside? I can always add another vortec. I will post pic of overflow and connections to figure out how that works. If I can get away from adding another overflow then tanks will be ready to move when I remove old setup. That will speed up process!!
 
More pics..Here is new tank lonely in the corner waiting to move to new fish room. I will not use the sump of the Coralife Skimmer seen here.
 
closeup of overflow from top. As mentioned earlier there is only one on the leftside. Footprint of overflow is 10 x 5. I am not sure how to add the locline yet but I assume that a few teeth are missing from the overflow and that is where the locline will come out into the tank. What needs to be added to the drain. Do you use a dorso standpipe inside these boxes to keep water level up in them? If so how tall for best results of flow into box?
 
I will use the sump I am currently running that Mark built for my 125. Here is a shot of it currently running with old tank. You can see on the right side the chiller I have running currently. I am up for ideas on how to get the vented hot air out of the room. I have read others that have built a plenum and attached to back of the chiller. How does this work??
 
@Reefer madness wrote:
closeup of overflow from top. As mentioned earlier there is only one on the leftside. Footprint of overflow is 10 x 5. I am not sure how to add the locline yet but I assume that a few teeth are missing from the overflow and that is where the locline will come out into the tank. What needs to be added to the drain. Do you use a dorso standpipe inside these boxes to keep water level up in them? If so how tall for best results of flow into box? said:
The bulkhead on the right is installed upside down, and it going to be too restrictive. I would probably just replace it with a brand new one, as used bulkheads seem to always be problematic when tinkered with.

If you have two 1" bulkheads (hard to judge from your picture), one could be used with a 1.25" Durso standpipe. You'll need a 1.25" to 1" reducer that screws into the bulkhead (assuming the bulkhead is threaded internally on the wet side). The return line will be 1" all the way up, with an elbow, then the appropriate locline fitting connected to that.
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Things to do for prep
1- make water to break down original 125 and move out of fish room
2- determine if closed loop is good option for this setup (Marc is coming over Sunday to take a look at everything and give suggestions, He is easily swayed with beer)
3- determine if I need to add another overflow box (sure hope not)
 
Everything going great Robert. I have been a little incognito lately with the birth of our second child. We have a big boy on the ground. Wife is letting me rebuild the fish room to have a bigger tank.
 
After talking with Robert I have the gameplan. I will borrow the 2 rubbermaids from ToddLaCo and store most of LR and fish in one and corals and a few pieces of LR in the other. I will run a refugium light on the LR and fish RM and MH's on the coral RM. I will have to store the corals for several weeks while I rebuild the fishroom to accomodate the new tank and get it set up and cycling with the addition of much more livesand. Off to the fishstore to get another bucket of salt and start stocking up on more black sand to add to the new tank. I will save as much sand in smaller rubbermaids to put in large rubbermaid to keep biological going and reuse in new tank bottom and add new to top. I will then run cycle on new tank before adding livestock back.
 
Update. I have now broke down the 125 and moved all LR and fish into one 100 gallon rubbermaid. I have moved some LR and all corals into another 100 gallon rubbermaid with my Levenson sump all hooked up. I am running MH's on the corals and have calcium reactor and skimmer hooked up. All seems to have made the transition with no problems. I have taken the sand into buckets and will wash in the next few days to have ready to start new tank. I will have to add at least 100-200 lb more sand. I plan to start new tank with LR and new sand and let cycle for a few weeks before adding back livestock but am up for suggestions as I have 200 gallons of water already with current temporary setup. I will begin construction of fish room once old tank which has been sold is out tomorrow!! Cant wait to get the saw saw after the wall. I am really up for ideas on how to best vent a chiller in a closed fish room. If I can figure that out I think the room will stay much cooler and the chiller will not have to work near as hard with new install. I will post pics of temp setup tomorrow or the next day as well as construction on room. I am really going to be checking out inwall tanks with a front access to get ideas so let me know if you have suggestions. Thanks for looking and offering suggestions.
 
I'm sorry I never got over there Sunday, Lance. The BOD meeting was long, and after that I ran to TS to check out the store, and then Mickey was at my door that evening and we talked for a while. I simply forgot about my plan to see you until I saw this thread notification. We can still get together at some point.

If you could set up a remote chiller like Rick did, that would be best. That way you get the cooling while the unit and heat stays outdoors. David (bulldogger1) had one as well, using a coil inside connected to a window a/c unit sitting outside.
 
No problem Marc. Let me know when you think you can come over and give some advice.
As far as the chiller goes I am thinking of running it up in the attic and plumbing it down into the fish room. It would be out of the way and not have heat going into the fish room that way and would not be exposed to the colder elements in winter months. I am just scared to run the unit outside and having water freeze on one of our rare very cold days as you know how this hobby is if you leave for the day and it freezes that will be the day power goes out and no water movement equals big problems outside. Any downside to having the unit in the attic other than excess heat during summer which I dont see as much of a problem?
 
I may have to do the chiller in the attic thing too. I am also concerned about the excess heat up there during the summer. From what I have heard it isn't a good idea.
 
@Reefer madness wrote:
No problem Marc. Let me know when you think you can come over and give some advice. As far as the chiller goes I am thinking of running it up in the attic and plumbing it down into the fish room. It would be out of the way and not have heat going into the fish room that way and would not be exposed to the colder elements in winter months. I am just scared to run the unit outside and having water freeze on one of our rare very cold days as you know how this hobby is if you leave for the day and it freezes that will be the day power goes out and no water movement equals big problems outside. Any downside to having the unit in the attic other than excess heat during summer which I dont see as much of a problem? said:
another option is to find one of those old TV mounts and place it close to the ceiling that way all of the hot air stays up high. You can vent the room out with an ceiling fan, this way the chiller runs efficient and isn't trying to pull out hot air to chill and you push the hot air into the attic. The down side, is the chiller looks a little funny hanging up on your wall :? .
Click to expand...
 
Making some progress. I have now broken out the reciprocating saw and torn up the fish room again. I have the wall the correct size to slide the new tank and stand in. All I need to do is add some 2 x 4's to the top of the frame so I can support the opening that will be added for front access. I think I have decided to install the chiller outside of the fish room in the game room to have the heat stay out. I am a little scared to run the chiller in the attic with the hot air intake in the summer and not comfortable with running the chiller outside in the winter due to a possible freeze. Other option is to build a plenum in the fish room so if anyone has ideas how to do this that is probably best option. Should have tank in wall in next 2 days and add black sand from old setup that has been washed. I will then add LR from one of 100 gallon Rubbermaids and all of water to have it ready to go without cycle. I will then let this setup run a few weeks before adding rest of LR and corals that are in other 100 gallon Rubbermaid. I am planning to have only 2-3 inches of black sand and considering adding RDSB under tank for denitrification as I will have room as the black moon sand does not do a good job of breaking down. It really serves as just cosmetic which I really like. I feel it brings the colors in the SPS out much more. I will post pics of room tonight.
 
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