Sweatervest's 125g reef build!!

[2quills]

Sounds like you've been having quite the adventure over there my friend. Don't be afraid to be a little generous with the glue. When working with pvc you should glue the outside of the pipe as well as the inside of the fitting. Push, twist and hold for about 10 seconds. On threaded fittings always use teflon tape or even better get some liquid teflon thread sealant. Anxiously awaiting pics.

 

[acrylic51]

Quote:
Originally Posted by 2Quills http:///forum/thread/385156/sweatervest-s-125g-reef-build/100#post_3400661
Sounds like you've been having quite the adventure over there my friend. Don't be afraid to be a little generous with the glue. When working with pvc you should glue the outside of the pipe as well as the inside of the fitting. Push, twist and hold for about 10 seconds. On threaded fittings always use teflon tape or even better get some liquid teflon thread sealant. Anxiously awaiting pics.
Agree......Push, twist and hold......I was actually amazed after all these years doing this stuff, when I seen a fitting literally back off when I laid it down....

I actually gave up on teflon tape.....I used the liquid teflon on my 240 threaded fittings and have never looked back........

 

[acrylic51]

Dang!!!!! Corey's got you rockin' there on that plumbing.....I'm gonna have to get you and Corey to come over and plumb mine for me......

 

[sweatervest13]

lets try this for pics.

 

[sweatervest13]

I think it will let me do one pic at a time. Well at least that is all I want to chance because it takes 5+ minutes to upload one.

 

[sweatervest13]

got a few on that last one.

So I rebuilt the return in the overflow. before it was made with a more flexable tubing with barbed connections. I got a new 3/4" bulkhead but it was slip on both sides. So I figured that a longer piece of 3/4" PVC should work. Used a 2 foot section and found a elbow that was slip and threaded to go to the spray bar for the return. On the bottom I just needed to get a coupling that had a threaded end to connect to the existing union. The Lowes I was at was out of the last piece I needed to get. So today I will got to a speciality plumbing store and get a 2" threaded nipple, or maybe a close threaded nipple. I just need something to go from the return line in the overflow to connect the spray bar thing.
Let me know what you think about the plumbing so far. One question that I have is: Will it be an issue for the return line to have a bid drop in the spa flex tube? The pic is in the last post from behind the tank where you can see both drain and return running along the wall. Will that stop it from backflowing into the sump when the power is cut off? Any thoughts?
Thanks
Ryan

 

[2quills]

Quote:
Originally Posted by sweatervest13 http:///forum/thread/385156/sweatervest-s-125g-reef-build/100#post_3400849
One question that I have is: Will it be an issue for the return line to have a bid drop in the spa flex tube? The pic is in the last post from behind the tank where you can see both drain and return running along the wall. Will that stop it from backflowing into the sump when the power is cut off? Any thoughts?
Thanks
Ryan
The drop will not be an issue for you. Your pump is way larger than what the system needs so I would not even worry about it. As far as your backflow is concerned the water in the drain line will stop draining right after you turn the pump off. With no water being pumped into the tank it should only take a handfull of seconds or so to stop. But as far as your return is concerned the best way to minimize backflow from that is to adjust your outputs near the surface. Once power to the pump is cut that return is going to turn into a siphon and will continue to siphon untill enough air is introduced into the line in order to break the siphon. You could drill a small hole in the eblow on the return inside of the overflow box right at or just above the water line which will act as a siphon break when the pump gets shut off similar but a little smaller than the hole on the elbow which is on the drain. But you have to remember to keep the hole cleaned out ever once in a while because if it gets blocked up then it might not stop the siphon completely.

 

[sweatervest13]

Ya, I thought that the pump would be powerful enough to just push past that dip. Right now there is a small hole in the return line, it is on the underside of the elbow that connects the vertical spray bar.
Do you see any issues with how I rebuilt the return pipe in the overflow? It just seems cleaner to me. My buddy Jeff was able to find a threaded nipple to connect the last two pipes. I think I might try to get some water in it today!!!!!!
Right now the only places in the plumbing that is not glued (or threaded on with T-tape) is the connection from the drain line to the media box (I decided to use this at least as a way to direct the drain to the skimmer chamber and the fuge chamber). And then the drain overflow to the start of the plumbing. I think I am going to glue that last part. The pipe I would glue to would have to be cut off if there is ever a problem, but I have some experience in PVC now and could make the overflow drain pipe and bulkhead again.

 

[2quills]

Quote:
Originally Posted by sweatervest13 http:///forum/thread/385156/sweatervest-s-125g-reef-build/100#post_3400957
Do you see any issues with how I rebuilt the return pipe in the overflow? It just seems cleaner to me.
No, it looks like it will work just fine.

 

[sweatervest13]

 

[sweatervest13]

Wahoo!!!!
No leaks!!! For some strange reason I was a little worried about using too much PVC cement. The last few connections that were cemented I was very generous and gobed it on there. The new bulkhead and overflow pipe for the return line works great. I love that the plumbing segemented so that if I ever have issues I do not need to replace the entire line, just a section between unions.
I finished up last night about 8:00pm with the plumbing. I had a bunch of RO/DI water made up and needed to test the system. I was a little short with both RO/DI and patience, so it was off to Walmart to get fill my four 5 gallon jugs and one 5g salt bucket. Got the sucker filled and pumps running by 11:00pm. I did the rock work earlier with about 2" of water in the tank. I put the bottom rocks on the eggcrate stands I made filled them with sand and arranged the rocks into two islands (might change rock work of course). Then I filled in sand all around the rock and rest of the tank.
While sitting looking at all the water in the tank, I was like,"finally this is done". Then I remembered that I did not add salt yet. So in went 3/4 bucket of Reef Crystals into the sump. I might need to add more, my refractometer read 1.018-1.019 but it was only mixing for an hour.

 

[sweatervest13]

I moved my 29g tank that was running fallow into the fish room last night. I kept about 20 lbs of live rock in there. The rest of the rock I moved to the big tank. I would say that it was about 30-40 lbs of live rock. I also added 2 scoops of live sand to the big tank. I will test the tank tonight and see where its at. I am not sure if I will get an ammonia spike with just the live rock. Might need to add a raw shrimp. We will see I guess.
I am very glad everything is in the fish room (except the DT, lol) makes the basement look a lot cleaner. To celebrate the big milestone of finally getting the tank up and running I am taking the wife and my buddy Jeff who has helped throughout to Outback tonight!! I love me some Outback!! But I told them no drinks there, as I still have lots of stuff to buy for the tank, we can drink after wards at home. LOL
Okay 3 posts in a row on my own thread is my limit... I will not post again until I get some feedback.

 

[2quills]

An unfortunate side effect of the hobby. It can cause one to start talking to ones self. It only becomes terminal once you actually start answering yourself though. So you're good so far.
Everything looks real good man. Don't worry about the pvc glue once it's cured it wont hurt anything.
Chicken on the barbie and an order of coconut shrimp for me please. Aussie fries, no veggies.

Update please!

 

[scott t]

Very nice build you have going there I have to admit that I have not ready everything, but have read some of it, I plan on tonight as I am sitting and watching my tank that i am going to read through the whole thread. In about 12 to 18 months I want to set up a 125g tank too, but I also want to keep my 75 up and running.

 

[sweatervest13]

An unfortunate side effect of the hobby. It can cause one to start talking to ones self. It only becomes terminal once you actually start answering yourself though. So you're good so far.

Everything looks real good man. Don't worry about the pvc glue once it's cured it wont hurt anything.

Chicken on the barbie and an order of coconut shrimp for me please. Aussie fries, no veggies.

Update please!


Too funny. I will get an update w some pics soon. I am unfortunatly out of town for a funeral. Won't be back home til late Thursday night. It's a messy one too. My wife's cousin, cancer, he was my age (34) , two kids. He was diagnosed a year ago, had been doing well, then took a turn for the worse , two weeks later he's gone. Poor sob. He was a great guy and father. He went out with class too.
It really helps put things in perspective.
BTW outback was the whoop.

 

[sweatervest13]

Very nice build you have going there I have to admit that I have not ready everything, but have read some of it, I plan on tonight as I am sitting and watching my tank that i am going to read through the whole thread. In about 12 to 18 months I want to set up a 125g tank too, but I also want to keep my 75 up and running.
Thumbs up on the 125 and keeping the 75 going!! It's been a fun build so far. Got a lot more to do but I am on a budget so gonna take my time. Still have not decided on a fish list yet. Also I know I would like to try sps but idk how that will go.

 

[2quills]

Quote:
Originally Posted by sweatervest13 http:///forum/thread/385156/sweatervest-s-125g-reef-build/100#post_3403365
Too funny. I will get an update w some pics soon. I am unfortunatly out of town for a funeral. Won't be back home til late Thursday night. It's a messy one too. My wife's cousin, cancer, he was my age (34) , two kids. He was diagnosed a year ago, had been doing well, then took a turn for the worse , two weeks later he's gone. Poor sob. He was a great guy and father. He went out with class too.
It really helps put things in perspective.
BTW outback was the whoop.
Condolences. I just turned 35 last weekend, always sucks to hear this happen to someone so young. Best wishes for his family and safe trip home for you guys.

 

[1guydude]

LOL i like how uve got that big a** tank with that little a** light!!!! U need to save that pic, so when u get some pics down the road u can look back and say damn that was my tank at one point!
Looks great though man....glad u guys got some water in those tanks now!

 

[sweatervest13]

LOL i like how uve got that big a** tank with that little a** light!!!! U need to save that pic, so when u get some pics down the road u can look back and say damn that was my tank at one point!
Looks great though man....glad u guys got some water in those tanks now!

LOL. That's why I love swf.com. they keep pics for me. Ya that's just an extra light I have for my qt, but I wanted to see what the tank would look like lite up. That actually brings me to my next decision. I don't have the money right now to do led's even a DIY. So I have been thinkin about getting three 250 w mh's with some t5's actinics. The cheapo brands. I could get all three for under $500. What does everyone think. Those would get me by for a year of two until I could DIY some led's.

 

[sweatervest13]

***Update****
Well not too much of an update. The tank has been cycling and the two fish I have are in QT. I did a hypo treatment on them and it was 6 weeks and there appears to be nothing on them. So on Tuesday of this week I started to raise the SG back to 1.022. Should be done by this weekend. I think the test kit I have may be too old I added like two large shrimp to the big tank to kick start the cycle. I originally thought the live rock I had would just do it but after testing after a week I have 0's across the board. I put the shirmp in for like 4 days and maybe got an ammonia spike of .25 (went on vacation for a week) and then it was back to zero. So IDK. I am going to bring some water to the LFS and see if they get the same reading.
Well that's it for now. Hopefully it wont be much longer and I can add my two small fish to the big tank. They will love the room after being in the 10g QT for 6 weeks. LOL.
Have a goodt one.