T316's 280 Reef...continuation

[scotts]

Yeah it has been slow lately, but then the board always slows down when the weather gets better. People are out and about. Plus it is the finals of American Idol tonight. BTW what are you still doing up? Heck I am getting ready to go.
BTW what kind of fish do you have in there?

 

[t316]

Originally Posted by Scotts
http:///forum/post/2617278
Yeah it has been slow lately, but then the board always slows down when the weather gets better. People are out and about. Plus it is the finals of American Idol tonight. BTW what are you still doing up? Heck I am getting ready to go.
BTW what kind of fish do you have in there?
I'm a night owl.
American Idol went off hours ago, but I forget that you guys are on the West coast.
Current stocklist in the 280 right now is:
(2) Blue/Green Chromis
(1) Bangaii Cardinal
(2) Sixline Wrasses
(2) Maroon Clowns (mated pair)
(1) Yellow Tang
(1) Powder Blue Tang
(1) 6"+ serpent starfish
(1) Diamond Goby (but he's been MIA for over a month now)
(1) Cleaner Shrimp
(2) Pepermint Shrimp
(60-80) snails & crabs....you lose count after awhile
....I know I'm forgetting somebody, but that's the majority of it.

 

[stdreb27]

so when are you going to post some pics of your fish?

 

[nwdyr]

Just read this thread from page one ,

the only thing cooler then the tank is the house!!!! beautiful

these big builds always amaze me , how did you think of all of that plumbing stuff? Let me know what you do for a living cuz I want to live in that house

well one like it anyway , hope to see more pic's

 

[t316]

Originally Posted by stdreb27
http:///forum/post/2689514
so when are you going to post some pics of your fish?
Yes, I know. Scotts has been after me to get back on this. Hopefully soon. I was really trying to build up my livestock, and let the corals grow out a little more. But also, I still have not figured out how to take decent tank (inside) shots. Everything comes out either really blue, or with flash off, really brown/gray. I'm still trying though...

 

[t316]

Originally Posted by nwdyr
http:///forum/post/2689566
Just read this thread from page one ,

the only thing cooler then the tank is the house!!!! beautiful

these big builds always amaze me , how did you think of all of that plumbing stuff? Let me know what you do for a living cuz I want to live in that house

well one like it anyway , hope to see more pic's
Hey, thanks nwdyr. Plumbing is "usually" the easy part. I had a little mishap with the chiller (next part coming up soon), but otherwise not too much trouble.

 

[stdreb27]

what kind of camera do you have?

 

[t316]

Originally Posted by stdreb27
http:///forum/post/2689799
what kind of camera do you have?
I have no idea. I'll report back as soon as the wifey gets home (it's in the car). It's her's, either an Olympus or Cannon, digital. It takes great pics anywhere other than the inside of the tank. I have tried different settings but I don't know that much about them. I'll tell you what it is when she gets back....

 

[t316]

Originally Posted by stdreb27
http:///forum/post/2689799
what kind of camera do you have?
stdreb...camera is an Olympus FE-340 8 megapixel 5X zoom. I know how to turn it on/off, turn the flash on/off, and that's about it. Like I said, I have played with a few settings (I think there is even an underwater) but with no luck. I have taken hundreds of pics (which is what I'll use if I can't get any better one's) but if you know something, let me in on the secret.

 

[stdreb27]

Originally Posted by T316
http:///forum/post/2689886
stdreb...camera is an Olympus FE-340 8 megapixel 5X zoom. I know how to turn it on/off, turn the flash on/off, and that's about it. Like I said, I have played with a few settings (I think there is even an underwater) but with no luck. I have taken hundreds of pics (which is what I'll use if I can't get any better one's) but if you know something, let me in on the secret.
I'm not familiar with that particular camera, however play with your white balance settings, find the one with the brightest light, typically it is direct sunlight or outside type setting. I don't know what kind of lights you are running, but turn off anything 20,000 k and see how that works.

 

[saltn00b]

t316 great thread, great build man. keep up the good work, i will be hitting you up with questions about the water system shortly!

 

[t316]

Well, it's kinda slow here today so I thought I would tinker with this thread a little more. It's been awhile.
As most of you know, this tank build is complete for the most part, and I have just been posting some various build and equipment pics along the way. I know I mentioned the chiller somewhere back, but that's up next.
I noticed at the very onset of summer that temperature was going to be a problem in the tank. I really never put my glass tops on, so that was not an issue, so my next try was a fan, actually several. I put one down below where the sump and pumps are, one all the way up top blowing across the lights (this one is on a timer with the lights), and another fan blowing directly on the water surface. This seemed to drop the water temp down a few degrees, but on hot days, with kids running in/out of the house, I was still sometimes in the upper 80's.
Finally I just bit the bullet and invested in a chiller.
I bought a JBJ Artica 1/3 HP

 

[t316]

The chiller was too big to fit under the tank, and although it's not too noisy, I didn't want to hear anything, so it was placed down in the basement in the tank work room.

So the water leaves the sump upstairs (under the tank), then into the Blueline pump, which pumps it down to the chiller in the basement and is forced back up directly into the DT.

 

[t316]

Here's another shot of the workroom that I posted previously. The chiller is the black box up in the top left corner of the pic

 

[t316]

For the most part, the chiller was very easy to install. There were some tight spots trying to feed the hoses up thru the floor behind the sump, and the one "near flood" right after hook up. I had dry fitted everything first, but when I went back, I forgot to use some teflon tape or sealant on one PVC joint (bad, bad mistake).
All said and done, besides the addition of the RODI system, the chiller has to be one of the best investments that I have made. There are never any worries, and temp stays 78-79 ALWAYS...

...speaking of RODI's, saltn00b, did you get your system up and running yet?

 

[saltn00b]

hey, i had the electrician in today to get me a dedicated GFCI breaker for the tank and 2 dedicated conduits. .... woot!
at the same time i had the guy drill a hole in the concrete wall so that when i get the RO DI (soon) i will have a nice pass through for the auto top off.

 

[t316]

Originally Posted by saltn00b
http:///forum/post/2752901
hey, i had the electrician in today to get me a dedicated GFCI breaker for the tank and 2 dedicated conduits. .... woot!
at the same time i had the guy drill a hole in the concrete wall so that when i get the RO DI (soon) i will have a nice pass through for the auto top off.
Wow...coincidence you were working on it today. It's been awhile since we talked about this. I figured you were already up and running with it. GFCI is definately the way to go....

Are the GFCI's on your actual plug in's around the tank, or are they breakers back in the panel box?

 

[saltn00b]

yea i was chucling about the timing too. the GFCI is on the conduit like a bathroom outlet GFCI. in my old house i installed two GFCI outlets and had not one incedent of the GFCI's tripping off during normal operation, so hopefully everything stays the same. next on the shopping list is one of those guitar power strips with the 8 individual red-lit on/off switches. maybe 2!

 

[saltn00b]

alright i was basically planning on something almost exactly like your set up. i even have room set aside in the stand for a rubbermaid or maybe some small 20g type top off tank.
few questions:
1) what size is your top off tank, do you wish it was bigger, or is it a good size for your needs?
2) i was thinking of the top off tank too, but someone mentioned just having the RO unit directly top off the tank. i guess that is an option too, but then i would forego all of the niceties / conveniences you have built for yourself, no?
3) do you keep a pump in the salt can for mixing? right now when i make saltwater i mix it in the same type of can, but with a drill and a paintmixing drillbit. but i like being able to have aged salt all of the time.

 

[spiderwoman]

I found this thread again! You are going to love having a chiller. I don't miss those days with the larger tank and having all doors open to cool the stand and canopy down when the big MH's were on. We are running a Teco 1/3 and it's sitting next to the tank. Luckily it has a very modern look and the tank itself is louder than the chiller when it's running.
About your little birthday mishap. I actually thought you had it in your pocket and that's why everybody was staring at you