Project 300 is underway!!!

[robchuck]

I got the chance to glue just about all the pieces in that photo today. Plumbing is almost finished; I just have a few pieces to glue on the return line.
Once the majority of the plumbing was finished, I filled the rest of the tank up with tap water. With that, I was able to fire up the closed loop and also check the drain lines and only found two small leaks. Nothing that a little epoxy can't fix.
I'll get some more photos up tomorrow night.

 

[fishcrazy2]

Cant wait too see

 

[fishybiz]

:cheer:
Rob,
All I can say is WOW!!!
You're doing what most of us only DREAM about. That is SO awesome and I'm looking forward to seeing the finished product. I think I speak for everyone else by thanking you for sharing this experience with all of us. I hope the others that are doing this will do the same, it's quite an inspiraion. It's so cool to see it "becoming" step by step. Keep up the great work and keep putting those pics up!!
Chris
:cheer: :cheer: :cheer: :cheer: :cheer: :cheer:

 

[scott9311]

Originally posted by RobChuck
I just happened to stumble across a great used system at a great price, and had enough extra equipment laying around to make it a possibility. The Wavebox was the only splurge on this system. And for what it's worth, I'll only be out $3,500 after the project is complete (I lucked out by getting a fantastic deal on the system, I took advantage of some connections on the construction side, and I had a lot of equipment I have aquired over the years that's suitable for this tank).
Was curious Rob... Where in your tank are you going to put the Wavebox? I'm also thinking about getting one, and wasn't sure if I'd put it at one end (though am hesitant about that setup because it would obviously be blocking one side) or in the middle. Good luck with your project... It looks like it's going to look awesome!!!!!!

 

[robchuck]

I mounted the Wavebox on the short side that won't be exposed (the right side). It's sitting right in the middle of the pane shooting long ways across the tank. I had a chance to play around with it a little last night, and it moves ALOT of water! Not a single deadspot!

 

[jes281]

excellent prep work-you might want to look back at the begining
of this thread to see how far you've come. it looks like its been quite a journey-and the best rewards are still to come. you've used these boards to record your journey congradulations!!

 

[hariii2]

Hey, love the SOX hat. This is the year.............:jumping: (I have been telling my wife that now for 10 years :notsure: )

 

[robchuck]

Originally posted by jes281
excellent prep work-you might want to look back at the begining
of this thread to see how far you've come. it looks like its been quite a journey-and the best rewards are still to come. you've used these boards to record your journey congradulations!!
I've got quite the collection of photos going for this project, and when it's complete, I plan to print them out and my wife will make a scrapbook out of them (that's her hobby).

 

[robchuck]

Originally posted by hariii2
Hey, love the SOX hat. This is the year.............:jumping: (I have been telling my wife that now for 10 years :notsure: )
'94 was the year; stupid lockout!!! But they have been exciting to watch this year, and I think Kenny Williams has finally put a team together that has a leg up on the Twins. I'm more worried about the Indians this season; they have improved ALOT, and if their young players keep up their pace of development, I've got a feeling that the AL Central race will boil down to the Sox versus the Indians.

 

[liverock27]

Great start to the tank and I can't wait to see the side panel and the all the corals! Hope your Sox do well this season, no need to worry about the Indians right now with C.C. on the DL, but the central in the AL should be like the East in the NL (I'm a Braves fan) very close up until the end of the season. Got to love the Baseball season.

 

[crazyguy]

i have something similar but its a 400 g in the wall.

 

[robchuck]

Originally posted by LiveRock27
Great start to the tank and I can't wait to see the side panel and the all the corals! Hope your Sox do well this season, no need to worry about the Indians right now with C.C. on the DL, but the central in the AL should be like the East in the NL (I'm a Braves fan) very close up until the end of the season. Got to love the Baseball season.
I can't wait to see it either! The framing is coming along on that wall and I'm getting a better idea of how it will look when it's finished. And I've also been having a lot of fun playing with the flow, since I finally got the last plumbing fitting glued this morning; a Wavebox, Iwaki MD70RLT with a pair of eductors, and a pair of 1" Sea Swirls on the return line; now that's what I call a good time!
The Sox started a 3 game series in Cleveland this afternoon (and won the first game 2-1 I might add!). During the radio broadcast, the Sox announcers were discussing Sabathia and mentioned that he's slated for a minor-league assignment tomorrow night and will be back starting in the bigs this weekend. Even though it seems like the Sox have the Indians number so far this season, I'm still worried about them, and even Detroit a little.

 

[robchuck]

Originally posted by crazyguy
i have something similar but its a 400 g in the wall.
That sounds cool! Got any pics of it that you would be willing to share with us?

 

[fishybiz]

Hey Crazyguy, I'm agreeing with Rob. Let's some pics of that!
My Gosh, I was going to have my husband build a 200 custom in a while but after seeing yours Rob, and hopefully Crazyguys I'm thinking I need go LARGER. Heh heh. He's into it to though not as much as I am. He lets me take care of all the chemical and technical part of it, filtration, etc. but he's great with building things so one day we should have something really spectacular although I'm afraid it won't be for a few more years, unfortunately.
Anyone else out there have built-ins they'd like to share? I LOVE looking at pics of other reefs.
Chris

 

[daceman89]

Rob when you get a chance, can you post everything you will have to run this tank. I MEAN EVERY LITTLE DETAIL.
Thanx

 

[robchuck]

Originally posted by Fishybiz
Hey Crazyguy, I'm agreeing with Rob. Let's some pics of that!
My Gosh, I was going to have my husband build a 200 custom in a while but after seeing yours Rob, and hopefully Crazyguys I'm thinking I need go LARGER. Heh heh. He's into it to though not as much as I am. He lets me take care of all the chemical and technical part of it, filtration, etc. but he's great with building things so one day we should have something really spectacular although I'm afraid it won't be for a few more years, unfortunately.
Anyone else out there have built-ins they'd like to share? I LOVE looking at pics of other reefs.
Chris
Whenever you get around to your project I would love to see some pics, and wouldn't mind dropping some pointers as well.

 

[fishybiz]

Hey Rob,
Oh, you'll be hearing from me for sure! lol. I'll be asking you so many questions you'll want to change your screen name! lol
BTW, I'm sitting on the edge of my seat waiting for more pics of your project. It's unbelieveable! I am SO jealous, really. It's great that you have the knowledge to do it. Hats off to you.
Chris

 

[robchuck]

Originally posted by daceman89
Rob when you get a chance, can you post everything you will have to run this tank. I MEAN EVERY LITTLE DETAIL.
Thanx
You got it! Actually, I have been putting this list together so that I know what equipment needs to be plugged into an X-10 module for the Aquacontroller.
Tank:
-(almost) 300g acrylic (92"L x 30"W x 24"H) with dual corner overflows
Sump:
-40g breeder drilled for two 1" bulkheads
Return Pump:
-Little Giant 4MDQX (through two 1" Sea Swirls)
Closed Loop:
-Iwaki MD70RLT with two 3/4" eductors
Wavemaking:
-Tunze Wavebox
-2x 1" Sea Swirls (on the return line)
Skimmer:
-DIY Beckett (not built by me) powered by an Iwaki MD55RLT
Lighting (this is not quite certain, but likely to be the arrangement):
-3x400W PFO M59 ballasts running 3x6500K Iwasaki bulbs (for now)
-Icecap 430 e-ballast running 4x75W VHO actinics
Chiller:
-1/3 HP JBJ Arctica (I hope I won't need this much)
Calcium & Alk:
-K2R Reactor; 20 lb. CO2 tank; Milwaukee Regulator, solenoid, and needle valve; second chamber for reactor effluent (between both chambers, they'll hold ALOT of media)
-topoff water through a MRC Nilsen reactor
Carbon:
-run through a Phosban reactor
Auto top off:
-Tunze Osmolator
RO/DI
-Air, Water, & Ice Typhoon III
Monitoring & Control:
-Neptune Aquacontroller (the original unit); pH monitor & control of calcium reactor effluent; ORP monitor & control of planned future ozone generator; temperature monitoring; all timed functions will be run through the Aquacontroller's X-10 capabilities
-Pinpoint pH monitor to measure the tank's pH
-Lifeguard Small Time & Temp unit for redundant measuring of the tank's temperature
-Arctica Chiller; I will use the chiller to control the tank's temperature; I don't want to rely on X-10 for that!
-Low flow through the sump; I'll only have about 3x's turnover per hour, or about what the skimmer can process during an hour; this will keep microbubbles to a minimum and requires a smaller return pump
Methods & Maintenance:
-Much of the methodology comes from the Berlin system
-Barebottom
-Lots of LR
-Lots of gentle flow everywhere
-Intense lighting
-Wet skimming
-Bi-weekly 10% water changes
-Consistent feedings
-The tank will feature all types of corals, with an emphesis on SPS
Future Plans:
-Install an ozone generator to the air-intake of the skimmer
-Plumb a T and some valves off of the return pump and set up a pair of Rubbermaid bins for semi-automatic water changes; or possibly use a 2-channel Cole Parmer dosing pump that I have sitting around for almost fully automated water changes
-Install a solnoid on the output of the RO/DI and use a Life Reef float switch that I've had for a few years in the RO/DI resovoir to automate replenishment of the RO/DI resevoir.
-After all that's done, I just want to leave it all alone and let things grow!

 

[fishybiz]

My GAWD Rob, automated water changes and auto-replenishment of RO water? Holy Cow! Are you some kind of genius or something? You could make millions writing a book about this whole process. I'D BUY IT!!

 

[leona]

Very Interesting.