# 68 Gallon Rimless Reef Build



## zhasan (Oct 28, 2010)

Hi everyone!! After much success with my 72 bowfront Discus tank I decided to sell it and move on to the salty side of the hobby.. or so called The Dark Side.

I'm planning on setting up a reef tank. I've been reading a lot of articles over the past few weeks and learning about how to start things up the right way to ensure success in the long run! Biggest lesson learned so far: PATIENCE WILL GET YOU THERE ONE DAY!!

Also, I've talked to Chris (tand_daddy) and Anthony (SeaHorse_Fanatic) and they have been very helpful and given me some solid advise.

I picked up a used setup from Craigslist in the beginning of the year and was wanting to set it up at the time but things didn't work out and it just sat in my house. Now I've gained momentum again and hopefully will carry the torch through.

So, the equipment.

Tank:
Custom ELOS Tank (36" W x 22" H x 20" D) - Rimless Starphire Glass


















Stand:
The stand this tank came with is not tall enough for my liking it does not have enough space inside for a decent sump. I've decided to build a custom stand out of ¾" plywood after being inspired by sphelps's stand for his 100gal build. I'm building a 48" W x 24" D x 40" H stand. The reason why its that size is because I'll have ample space for everthing down below and I want to upgrage to a 4'x2'x2' (120gallon) tank in the future so I can use the same stand.

Lighting:
2 x LumenMax Elite Reflectors, 250W Metal Halide Ballasts, 250W 20K Radium Bulbs
2 x T5 Actinics 
These are currently installed in the Vented Canopy. Yes, the guy was using a canopy over this tank










Here is where I'm a little confused. I want to upgrade to LED lighting. However, I don't want to dish out the cash as of rightnow&#8230; So I'm thinking of using 1 of the MH pendants for now coupled with the Actinics T5s. Would it be okay to use that light for softies? I want corals in the tank but don't want to kill them with too much light.

Filteration:
This setup did not come with a sump so I have to build that from scratch. I have a 30gallon tank (36" W x 16" H x 12" D) that I'm thinking of making into a sump.










I'm planning a 3 chamber sump. First for skimmer also the filter sock will be here too. Second for refugium with DSB and Chateo followed by bubble breaker and return chamber.

Also, will be hooking up the TLF Phosphate Media Reactor 150










Skimmer:
Warner Marine AS150 Skimmer










Return Pump:
Iwaki 30 RT Pump










This is an external pump so I still have to see if I can use this or maybe sell this and buy an Eheim return pump.

Water Movement:
Vortech MP20 unit & controller










I also have two Tunze Power Heads and a Koralia 4 to supplement the vortech.

Other equipment:

Spectra Pure 4-Stage RO/DI System










Profilux 3 Channel Doser and three containers for supplements










Digital Aquatics ReefKeeper2 with powerstrips, PH probe, temp Probe and other stuff.










Tunze ATO Osmolator










So this is all I have at the moment. I'll be building the stand this sunday hopefully and will start working on the sump sometime during next week. I'll post the dimensions for the stand to have them double checks by the pro DIYers!

I want to hear your ideas and suggestions. I'm in the learning phase of the hobby so any help is highly appreciated.

Thanks for looking!


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## Lady_Bobo (Oct 15, 2012)

Oh Wow ! Looking like is gonna be a sweet set up!
:lol:


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## zhasan (Oct 28, 2010)

Lady_Bobo said:


> Oh Wow ! Looking like is gonna be a sweet set up!
> :lol:


Yeah I hope so too!! really looking forward to having it up and cycling!


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## Algae Beater (Apr 21, 2010)

a couple points for you to ponder,

first off, NICE score on the tank! ELOS tanks are typically laminated glass, and very well made! 

The single metal halide with actinics will suffice nicely for most softies and LPS corals. 

DO NOT use the UV on a standard reef, especially one focussed on corals! while it may have been a common practice years ago, a UV will sterilize the water, which is fine for fish but not at all desirable for corals, inverts and other filter feeders. the more progressive approach to a reef system in the past few years is to use a 'pro bio' method. this uses the culture of bacteria to function as both nutrient export and to add to the planktonic flora within the water of the system. this has several advantages over a traditional DSB / Chaeto style system. It's less messy, easier to run and when using carbon dosing pellets properly, much more rapid at removing excess nutrients. using a carbon dosing media also prevents large scale water born bacterial blooms that one may experience with liquid dosing IE vodka. 

I could rattle on about system(s) such as these for hours. but since you have a phosban reactor already, it may be worth investigating. 

looks like a great start! keep us updated


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## The Guy (Nov 26, 2010)

Hey Zee: Nice looking set up, and oh Ya! the term has officially been changed to the bright side :lol: I got into it in January of this year as well and have not looked back. I currently have a 50 rimless hagen reef going as well as a 33 long. I have decided I'm not broke enough yet so I'm putting together 90 gallon.
I also am building a custom stand for this set up. Anthony has talked me into making it longer as he's sure I will want to go bigger one day HA HA!


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## zhasan (Oct 28, 2010)

Algae Beater said:


> a couple points for you to ponder,
> 
> first off, NICE score on the tank! ELOS tanks are typically laminated glass, and very well made!
> 
> ...


Hey Algae Beater, thanks for your comments! Really appreciate it!

I dont really understand what you mean by the pro bio method. I understand that the UV might kill some bacteria that are needed for the coral to live/grow so for a reef tank UV is a no no.

You talk about the pro bio method having advantages over the DSB/chaeto system. As per my understanding, isnt DSB used to produce different pods and stuff which will migrate to the tank for fish to feed on? Also as far as I understand so far, Chaeto helps by reducing nitrates from the water column. Am I right there or not?

I dont really know much about the carbon dosing and stuff and have no idea about vodka. All that I know about dosing is that I have to dose Calcium, Alkalinity and Magnesium but maybe not in the beginning as I wont have a lot of corals then.

The phosban reactor I have is to keep phosphates at 0 to ensure I don't have Algae problems in my tank (fingers crossed).


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## zhasan (Oct 28, 2010)

The Guy said:


> Hey Zee: Nice looking set up, and oh Ya! the term has officially been changed to the bright side :lol: I got into it in January of this year as well and have not looked back. I currently have a 50 rimless hagen reef going as well as a 33 long. I have decided I'm not broke enough yet so I'm putting together 90 gallon.
> I also am building a custom stand for this set up. Anthony has talked me into making it longer as he's sure I will want to go bigger one day HA HA!


Hi Laurie! Thanks and I didn't know about the official name change from dark to bright.. guess i'm in the right direction then 

I recall you were starting a 29gallon in January I think... Thats when I was doing a lot of research and had picked up this package too... just didn't end of starting on it till now.. I guess better late then never! And wao.. you're really going BRIGHT with three of them going at the same time. Its a solid proof that you're loving it and enjoying it! Looking forward to see some pics of your setup!

Building a stand is a lot of fun! I get to use the skills I learned in grade 12.. lol! And yeah... thats what they say.. you'll want to go bigger sooner than you think.. so its good that you're already preparing for it like I am!


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## zhasan (Oct 28, 2010)

Alrighty so bit of an update..

Went to home depot today to buy the plywood for the stand and basically got total brainwashed into making a frame out of 2x4. So back I came and took out all the trusty 2x4s and started to build the stand.

Now I have a pretty strong frame made out of 2x4s.... Its 70% done. Gonna pick up the finishing materials tomorrow and continue working on it. Planning to have it all done and ready by wednesday!

Here are a few pics..

A family friend of mine helping me out throughout the day!










Basic frame is ready!!










Another View









The scene of the garage at the end of the day









Thanks for looking!!


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## SeaHorse_Fanatic (Apr 22, 2010)

Looks good. I love that rimless Elos tank. It will be a sweet system I predict.


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## zhasan (Oct 28, 2010)

Thanks Anthony! The tank is really nice indeed! I just hope I can pull off what I am imagining! Once the setup is ready, I'll probably bombard you guys with stupid questions!


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## zhasan (Oct 28, 2010)

So a bit of an update with my slow progress. I got the stand all skinned and the top cut out to size with the hole for the overflow and return. Now just gotta get it all primed and painted.

A few questions:

is it a must to paint the inside of the stand with the Mold and Mildew resistant paint or any indoor semigloss paint will do?

Also, I'm now thinking about the Live rock and base rock. I want to have a good start but don't want to dish out 600 bucks just for rock. I'm thinking of mixing LR and base rock. Is there a ratio that works well?

I was thinking of ordering 50lbs Bulk Fiji Dry Rock from bulk reef supply and adding about 10lbs of live rock from LFS. Would this be a good mix to seed the base rock and get curing the LR as well as cycling the tank?

Also, I was out at Rona to pick up the silicone for installing the sump baffles, but couldnt find anything. Can someone point me in the right direction please!!

Photobucket is acting up.. so no pics for now


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## sunshine_1965 (Aug 16, 2011)

I believe Petsmart sells the silicone in a bigger tube for aquarium use. I have seen it lately in one of those type stores anyways.


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## zhasan (Oct 28, 2010)

sunshine_1965 said:


> I believe Petsmart sells the silicone in a bigger tube for aquarium use. I have seen it lately in one of those type stores anyways.


Thanks Sunshine! I'll check them out after I'm back from my holidays!!


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## zhasan (Oct 28, 2010)

So photobucket is not back with a new site layout... so here are the pics of the stand build thus far!

Left side - Big opening for me to be able to work on the skimmer and whatever else will go on this side of the sump










Full open front for easy access to the sump and fuge area










Right side - Big opening for me to access all electrical stuff.. I'm thinking about making a small electrical cabinet on this side to keep it all almost completely away from water. It depends on how much space is left after I hook up my external pump and other things.










Another view










Installed the braces on top for the added support










Here is the top, made out of 1/2" MDF with the cut out for the overflow and return pipes










Right side with top on with 1/2 moulding work done - Ran out of the moulding pieces.










Left side with top on with complete moulding work done.










Another view showcasing the front and left side.. ofcourse not all finished yet with the mouldings.


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## zhasan (Oct 28, 2010)

*Finally!!!*

Alright folks so I finally got some time to post an update!

My build took a big halt by the end of October because I went down to Mexico just before I started my new job. Came back from vacation and started work right after and didn't step foot in my garage for about 3 weeks.

But then I finally got caught up with things and slowly started painting the stand. Finally its all done!! well atleast enough for me to move on with other things.

Here are some pics... I have a LOT of questions in my mind at the moment that I'll be posting after the pics.. I hoping to come up with some solutions this weekend so I can get going right after new years!!

Here is the stand in its final resting place! 









Side view! 









RO/DI Water mixing station

















0 TDS!









Alright, so I have a concern with my RO/DI unit..

On the TDS meter, it says 000 for all readings (in and out). Is that possible? or is it possible that my unit may not be functioning properly because its been sitting in storage for more than a year now?


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## zhasan (Oct 28, 2010)

I'm also a little perplexed about my sump design.

I'm thinking of a 3 chamber sump. First for Drain and Skimmer, second for return and third for fuge.

However, I only have 36" to play with.

First section will be 16" next for return will be 8" and that leaves me with 12 inches for fuge. Is that ample size for fuge and return chamber?

Here is a pic of the "to be" sump!


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## zhasan (Oct 28, 2010)

Most of my equipment will be dipped in Vinegar water tonight and cleaned tomorrow! I'm hoping to have the tank up on the stand by tomorrow afternoon! 

Still debating whether to put a foam insulation sheet under the tank or not.. 

The stand top is made out of MDF.. its pretty stable as it is.. What the community's opinion on that?


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

None of the pics are showing. The message is that they were moved or deleted.


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## zhasan (Oct 28, 2010)

Thanks Gary, I just realized that... I went on to organizing my photobucket albums after posting here.


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## tony1928 (Apr 22, 2010)

Love your project. I'm always impressed when people put as much effort into making things look great as much as they put into making things work. Just admiring your stand and your RODI that's nicely organized, even your water tanks. Plus drooling over the ELOS tank. I didn't even know you could buy those things here. 

I've always wanted to do a SW setup.....one day perhaps.


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## zhasan (Oct 28, 2010)

tony1928 said:


> Love your project. I'm always impressed when people put as much effort into making things look great as much as they put into making things work. Just admiring your stand and your RODI that's nicely organized, even your water tanks. Plus drooling over the ELOS tank. I didn't even know you could buy those things here.
> 
> I've always wanted to do a SW setup.....one day perhaps.


Thanks for your kind words Tony! I'm very happy with how the stand turned out!

This time I just wanted to take my time and do things the way I wanted them to be done. I just hope I'm able to pull through it and see water in my tank by the end of Jan if not earlier!

Yes, Elos tanks are certainly nice! This particular one is custom made from Italy but you can order them from states I think!


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## The Guy (Nov 26, 2010)

Great job on the stand Zee I think you will enjoy the rimless tank as I did but I'm really enjoying the 90. Keep the pictures coming.


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## target (Apr 21, 2010)

zhasan said:


> Still debating whether to put a foam insulation sheet under the tank or not..
> 
> The stand top is made out of MDF.. its pretty stable as it is.. What the community's opinion on that?


Since the tank is rimless and will be sitting right on the top it is a judgement call. Stability isn't really the issue, The issue is whether there is any slightly high points where it could put some pressure on the glass. you could do what Gary did with his stand and put down a piece of yoga mat to absorb any irregularities. I sugges tthis instead of the foam since it blends nicer with the look of the stand instead of having blue or pink insulation foam showing around the edge.

Also, as for painting the inside of the stand, any interior semi-gloss paint would be just fine. I'm guessing you have already made that decision though.


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## tony1928 (Apr 22, 2010)

target said:


> Since the tank is rimless and will be sitting right on the top it is a judgement call. Stability isn't really the issue, The issue is whether there is any slightly high points where it could put some pressure on the glass. you could do what Gary did with his stand and put down a piece of yoga mat to absorb any irregularities. I sugges tthis instead of the foam since it blends nicer with the look of the stand instead of having blue or pink insulation foam showing around the edge.
> 
> Also, as for painting the inside of the stand, any interior semi-gloss paint would be just fine. I'm guessing you have already made that decision though.


I actually used a piece of high density hardwood floor underlay. I had some left from installing floors a few years back. It was even self adhesive. That's under my cube tank. With my 400 I used pink foam board from Home Depot.


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## BaoBeiZhu (Apr 24, 2010)

come on dude, speed up the process !! 
I know you cant wait to fill that baby up with "SALT" water


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

target said:


> Since the tank is rimless and will be sitting right on the top it is a judgement call. Stability isn't really the issue, The issue is whether there is any slightly high points where it could put some pressure on the glass. you could do what Gary did with his stand and put down a piece of yoga mat to absorb any irregularities. I sugges tthis instead of the foam since it blends nicer with the look of the stand instead of having blue or pink insulation foam showing around the edge.





tony1928 said:


> I actually used a piece of high density hardwood floor underlay. I had some left from installing floors a few years back. It was even self adhesive. That's under my cube tank. With my 400 I used pink foam board from Home Depot.


I think either will work. In your case Tony, the acrylic has some flex so it's not as critical, but for a rimless glass tank, any slight high points could stress the glass over the long term and cause a leak or crack. I like the yoga mat option myself. Actually, even the anti-slip mats for tool boxes and shelving would work for that also. The only advantage of the foam is that you might be able to slide the tank easier if needed later on, which you wouldn't be able to do with the other options.


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## tony1928 (Apr 22, 2010)

2wheelsx2 said:


> I think either will work. In your case Tony, the acrylic has some flex so it's not as critical, but for a rimless glass tank, any slight high points could stress the glass over the long term and cause a leak or crack. I like the yoga mat option myself. Actually, even the anti-slip mats for tool boxes and shelving would work for that also. The only advantage of the foam is that you might be able to slide the tank easier if needed later on, which you wouldn't be able to do with the other options.


Yeah I was gonna say that a thicker solution probably would work better in this case. Also my wife didn't appreciate it when I was eyeing the yoga mat. Lol.


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

tony1928 said:


> Yeah I was gonna say that a thicker solution probably would work better in this case. Also my wife didn't appreciate it when I was eyeing the yoga mat. Lol.


Yeah, I had to buy a new one, as I got the evil eye when I asked my wife about hers.....


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## zhasan (Oct 28, 2010)

The Guy said:


> Great job on the stand Zee I think you will enjoy the rimless tank as I did but I'm really enjoying the 90. Keep the pictures coming.


Thanks Laurie! I took a lot of effort (Atleast for me as I don't normally do these DIY things) I'm really happy how it turned out and now I'm even more excited about the rest of the process! As per the rimless aspect of the tank, the next step is to build a hanging canopy after the tank is up and running!

I really like your idea of a built-in tank! Its turning out really neat! Its sure a joy to see a DIY project turn out nicely!



target said:


> Since the tank is rimless and will be sitting right on the top it is a judgement call. Stability isn't really the issue, The issue is whether there is any slightly high points where it could put some pressure on the glass. you could do what Gary did with his stand and put down a piece of yoga mat to absorb any irregularities. I sugges tthis instead of the foam since it blends nicer with the look of the stand instead of having blue or pink insulation foam showing around the edge.
> 
> Also, as for painting the inside of the stand, any interior semi-gloss paint would be just fine. I'm guessing you have already made that decision though.


I doubt there is any high points on the top. Its pretty smooth and flat!

Its sitting on the top and thats exactly my concern that it'll look ugly with the foam. One solution I thought of is that I can wrap around some molding that'll cover up the foam part and Tank will level out right at the top of the molding.

I looked at the bottom of my tank today more closely and base seems to be recessed in by 1/8th of an inch. Plus the bottom pane is actually two layers of 1/2 inch glass with a layer of silicon in b/w them. So I'm thinking it may be fine without the foam.



tony1928 said:


> I actually used a piece of high density hardwood floor underlay. I had some left from installing floors a few years back. It was even self adhesive. That's under my cube tank. With my 400 I used pink foam board from Home Depot.


How thick is the underlay?



BaoBeiZhu said:


> come on dude, speed up the process !!
> I know you cant wait to fill that baby up with "SALT" water


Oh buddy you have no idea! I bought this setup at the beginning of this year... So I've been itching for it get going for a while now.... But I'm glad things are shaping up slowly! If all goes according to plan, I should have it up and cycling by mid Jan!! Fingers crossed!!



2wheelsx2 said:


> I think either will work. In your case Tony, the acrylic has some flex so it's not as critical, but for a rimless glass tank, any slight high points could stress the glass over the long term and cause a leak or crack. I like the yoga mat option myself. Actually, even the anti-slip mats for tool boxes and shelving would work for that also. The only advantage of the foam is that you might be able to slide the tank easier if needed later on, which you wouldn't be able to do with the other options.


Hey Gary! That's a great idea! I'm going to stop by at a dollar store tomorrow and see if I can find a white color anti-slip mat! I can't really slide the tank anyways because of the plumbing coming down the side of the overflow. The only way is to lift it and put it into its place.


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## tony1928 (Apr 22, 2010)

I think based on what has been discussed you should probably use something thicker. My mat was very thin but as Gary said my tank is acrylic and can probably tolerate things a bit better than rimless glass. I would guess my foam pad is about an eighth of an inch.


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## monkE (Aug 4, 2010)

great job on the stand buddy, lot's of hard work certainly paid off! can't wait to see this tank completed.


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## zhasan (Oct 28, 2010)

tony1928 said:


> I think based on what has been discussed you should probably use something thicker. My mat was very thin but as Gary said my tank is acrylic and can probably tolerate things a bit better than rimless glass. I would guess my foam pad is about an eighth of an inch.


1/2 inch foam would suffice? I don't want to go thicker because then I won't be able to hide it behind a piece of molding.


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## zhasan (Oct 28, 2010)

monkE said:


> great job on the stand buddy, lot's of hard work certainly paid off! can't wait to see this tank completed.


Thanks Mike! I can't wait either!!


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## zhasan (Oct 28, 2010)

Hey Guys, looking to get some feedback on my sump design.

Here is what I'm thinking of doing.










I want to know if 10" height for the baffels good or should I decrease it to prevent potential overflowing.

Also, is it better to have a sand bed in the fuge or LR rubble?

I'll be using a phosphate reactor on my tank, will a fuge with chatoe be redundant?


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## target (Apr 21, 2010)

zhasan said:


> 1/2 inch foam would suffice? I don't want to go thicker because then I won't be able to hide it behind a piece of molding.


1/2" foam would be more than enough. You'd probably be ok with 1/4"


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## zhasan (Oct 28, 2010)

target said:


> 1/2" foam would be more than enough. You'd probably be ok with 1/4"


Where can I buy 1/4" foam? That'll be optimal for my situation. I looked at home depot and they only have 1/2" foam.


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## zhasan (Oct 28, 2010)

*Finally!!!*

Hi Everyone!! Its been a long time since my last update. I've been working on my build slowly and now its finally taking shape!

Here are the pics!

The tank made its way on top of the stand!! I used a thin layer of wood flooring underlay. I think it worked out very nicely!










Meanwhile the doors wait to be painted!










Time for a vinegar bath!










While the tank get a vinegar bath, I gathered all my plumbing supplies and tools to get down with the wrench and pvc cement!










Sump complete with bulkhead and baffles and water tested!










More plumbing... Time for the return pump to get hooked up!










Time to test run the plumbing and check for any leaks!










SUCCESS! No leaks!


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## zhasan (Oct 28, 2010)

Alright, now the fun begins!

Rock is in, Saltwater is in!










All this gloominess is due to the overloead of Micro bubbles that I'm getting. Its extremely frustrating to see them in the display.

Any ideas on what I could do to fix this? 




































I think, I may have screwed up on my sump design. I see this long 'worm like' line of bubbles going in through the return that get blasted all over my tank.



















Here is a shot of the complete setup. I ran my skimmer today as well just to see how its performing. It seems to be doing okay. ofcourse no skimmate just yet. It seems a bit loud atm, will have to look into how I can reduce its noise level.


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## zhasan (Oct 28, 2010)

I'll be adding about 10lbs of live rock to my tank to properly seed the base and dead live rock. I'm thinking about adding agents like prodibio to aid in the cycling process but have not decided on anything yet. Still have to look into their benefit and costs. 

I really need you guys' help on my sump design/return for this micro bubbles issue. I want to get this issue out of the way before I add any live stock to my tank. Please throw your ideas and comments out there for me to learn from and hopefully come up with a solution for my problem! 

Cheers!!


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## Bien Lim (Apr 21, 2010)

Very nice tank.


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## zhasan (Oct 28, 2010)

Bien Lim said:


> Very nice tank.


Thanks Bien!


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## dabandit1 (Dec 6, 2010)

maybe if you reversed the baffles to under ,over, under it would quiet it down and reduce the bubbles maybe? the water would be falling within the baffles into a smaller volume of water which would be quieter in theory? and the air may escape in the last baffle chamber. just a guess lol
Looks good,good luck....could try some filter floss too?


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## zhasan (Oct 28, 2010)

Hey Thanks for your response! Its much better now actually... I tweaked around with the flow coming from the display to the sump and also I utilized the 'T' I installed to feed the fuge. It worked wonders and bublles are non existent now. I also added a 90 on the bulkhead and faced the inlet down to reduce the chance of the pump sucking in air. 

So far so good! 

I also added another 20lbs of LR form J&L so seed the rest of the system. will be finalizing the rockscape tomorrow which means I get to play with putty again!!:bigsmile:

Will be adding Live sand on thursday then hopefully can get some critters in on the weekend! I can finally see things coming together.. So EXCITED to say the least!!!


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## dabandit1 (Dec 6, 2010)

Glad to hear you got it. lol I love new builds :bigsmile:


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## zhasan (Oct 28, 2010)

Alright, rock scape is completed, live sand is in and the water is cloudy! Hopefully will be adding some critters on the weekend!

Here are some pics!!


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## dabandit1 (Dec 6, 2010)

Scary that sump doesnt look like it would hold much overflow have you tried shutting the return pump down to see if it will hold enough overflow?...did you use a one way valve? Maybe im worrying for nothing hard to tell size in pictures....exciting to see some water


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## zhasan (Oct 28, 2010)

yeah, the sump is a little tight. I need to reduce the size of the fuge baffle to compensate for the water that'll drain in case of a power outage. Is there a tool I can buy that'll help me cut it through the middle while the sump is installed that way it it? Or do I have no option but to stop the pump? 

I don't have a one way valve, however I have a whole to break the siphon on my return line. The concern is my drain line. It'll bring the water level down by about 1.5 inch during power out. which is a lot of water and won't all fit in the space available atm. So far, I'm just hoping that nothing like that happens until I get this issue taken care of!


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## zhasan (Oct 28, 2010)

Hi All, a little update on the progress.

The cloudy water is almost gone but not quite. I didn't have my skimmer on thinking all the sand particles might cause damage to it... but now I have it on and it was a pain to tweek it but now I think I have it at the right setting after cups of salt water going down the drain!

Did a water test last night here are the results if you're interested:

NH3 - 0
NO2 - 0
NO3 - 0
PH - 8.0
KH - 11
SG - 1.024

QUESTION:

I'm wondering how to get rid of all that sand in my drain section.. should I siphon it out or let the skimmer do its thing and eventually it'll be gone?

Here are some pics.


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## zhasan (Oct 28, 2010)

Alright, clean up crew is in!!!

My 250 watt Metal Halide is sitting on top lighting the heck out of my tank and living room!

Here is a list of what I added today:

5 Cerith Snails
20 Blue Leg Hermits
2 Red Scarlets
1 Emerald Crab

Plan to add my first fish next weekend if all stays well till then!

Water column still seems dirty.. I think I need a filter sock to clear things up more.


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## JTang (Apr 21, 2010)

Great start man! So happy finally see some lives in the tank. I wish I have all those gadgets n fancy equipments...


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## dabandit1 (Dec 6, 2010)

Looking good did you get the sump issue sorted out? you need to lower the height of the baffles,only way I know of to do that is to drain the puppy. Cool trick when I made my last sump was to put the sump in before installing baffles and letting the water fill it until it stopped...then I knew what height to make my baffles. Dont feel bad it took me about 5 sumps to figure that one out lol,just keep a towel close by problem solved lol

P.S you could leave the sand be its not hurting anything settled like that or siphon it if it bugs you....but it wont dissapear


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## dabandit1 (Dec 6, 2010)

Sorry just looking at this again I love the ruffles jars lol....cut the baffle to the height your skimmer needs to be if your going to cut it anyway fix two problems at once. Just remembered I always wanted to do that but never did lol


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