2024 Ohio Reef Frag Swap

2024 flyer

Author Topic: 130g in-wall tank build  (Read 6144 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline guynamedfleck

  • Lifetime Premium Member
  • Juvenile
  • *****
  • Posts: 198
130g in-wall tank build
« on: November 26, 2018, 18:57:31 »
Hello everyone!

it has been a long time coming, but I am finally settling into the new house and starting on the new fishroom. I have been collecting pieces for the last 2 years in anticipation of this build.  I was lucky enough to find a new place in Cincinnati that had a half finished basement which will be perfect for the in-wall build I was planning.  I still have a ways to go, but i think this project is far enough along to begin sharing with the group.

The plan:
The existing basement was half finished, with an in wall bar and original fireplace, and half unfinished for utilities.  These two spaces were separated by a 7 foot cased opening, which was kind of odd. The obvious solution? cut a new doorway and fill in the old opening with a 6 foot aquarium! This lets me enjoy the reef from the finished basement bar and hide the life support on the unfinished side.

Step one, as always is to knock together the stand!
 

The rough stand for the 130g DT I picked up from a retail shop in downtown Cincy. If you would believe me, it came from a shoe store where it was the center of the store display years ago.
Also a peak into the unfinished side of the basement. A pair of 55g drums that will act as RODI storage and pre mixing station for water changes.



A view from the other side, you can see the start of the maintenance access platform and into the finished basement.


More to come as the build progresses!

Offline guynamedfleck

  • Lifetime Premium Member
  • Juvenile
  • *****
  • Posts: 198
Re: 130g in-wall tank build
« Reply #1 on: November 26, 2018, 19:01:27 »
Day two and the progress continues.  I managed to frame in the rest of the wall and finish the stands for the DT the sump and the adjoining maintenance platform.

From the fish room.
 

And the bar


The plan is to have a bookcase/hidden door to the left of the tank to easily access the bar. there is also a main entrance into the utility room and fish room from the stairs.

Offline guynamedfleck

  • Lifetime Premium Member
  • Juvenile
  • *****
  • Posts: 198
Re: 130g in-wall tank build
« Reply #2 on: November 26, 2018, 19:04:00 »
Day 3 and the tanks are in place.  This old 130g is ridiculously heavy! I just barely managed to lift it up on the platform by myself, but so happy to see it in place!

From the bar.


And from the fish room! complete with sump in place.  The sump is a ~150g acrylic breeding tank I picked up from a gent in Urbana a while back.  It has 6 independent chambers that I plan to modify into a sump, top-off reservoir, and a quarantine tank.  I could definitely use some help on the sump plan.  Hoping to include 2 filter socks, a media area, refugium, external skimmer, grow out, and return.   


Next step is roughing in the plumbing and closing up the wall.

Offline ohioreef

  • Lifetime Premium Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4,673
  • Founding Member
Re: 130g in-wall tank build
« Reply #3 on: November 26, 2018, 21:24:29 »
Looking good! So wish I had somewhere to put in an in-wall tank.

Offline cbell56

  • Juvenile
  • ***
  • Posts: 187
Re: 130g in-wall tank build
« Reply #4 on: November 27, 2018, 11:15:01 »
Looks very well done so far. Keep us up to date.

Offline guynamedfleck

  • Lifetime Premium Member
  • Juvenile
  • *****
  • Posts: 198
Re: 130g in-wall tank build
« Reply #5 on: November 27, 2018, 19:44:27 »
Thank you! I'm awaiting a few black Friday equipment purchases, but work keeps plugging along.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk


Offline lazylivin

  • Administrator
  • Adult
  • *****
  • Posts: 11,471
Re: 130g in-wall tank build
« Reply #6 on: November 27, 2018, 23:55:27 »
Looks great Fleck! Nice job

Offline guynamedfleck

  • Lifetime Premium Member
  • Juvenile
  • *****
  • Posts: 198
Re: 130g in-wall tank build
« Reply #7 on: December 27, 2018, 20:38:23 »
Most of my holiday was spent last minute out in the workshop, but I got a chance to sneak a few minutes hear and there on the build.

Started in on plumbing the tank. got the unions installed for the overflow box as well as the return lines. I also added a 1" drain with ball valve for water changes out one side of the display tank. I need to do some heavy modifications to the sump before I can finish the plumbing.



Then I turned my attention to the much anticipated RODI upgrade. I cleared out a corner of the basement and built a wall panel on one side of the barrel stand. This let me properly install the new 150gpd unit and tidy up the tubing. This unit runs into the right barrel with a float valve as a primary top off reservoir.  The left barrel will be for mixing saltwater. down the road i will tie it directly into the RODI unit and modify the barrel to make the process easier.

Offline Miles

  • Lifetime Premium Member
  • Adult
  • *****
  • Posts: 568
Re: 130g in-wall tank build
« Reply #8 on: December 28, 2018, 10:34:05 »
Then I turned my attention to the much anticipated RODI upgrade. I cleared out a corner of the basement and built a wall panel on one side of the barrel stand. This let me properly install the new 150gpd unit and tidy up the tubing. This unit runs into the right barrel with a float valve as a primary top off reservoir.  The left barrel will be for mixing saltwater. down the road i will tie it directly into the RODI unit and modify the barrel to make the process easier.


For my setup, I ran the RO/DI output to a 3 way valve (https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/3-way-ball-valve-with-john-guest-1-4-push-connect.html) and then added a float valve to the other barrel also. That way i can choose which barrel gets filled and it will still trigger the auto shutoff on the RO/DI.

Offline merlin3

  • Lifetime Premium Member
  • Adult
  • *****
  • Posts: 456
Re: 130g in-wall tank build
« Reply #9 on: December 28, 2018, 10:35:40 »
Same here, a valve between two containers, one i use for fresh and one for salt and both have float valves

Offline guynamedfleck

  • Lifetime Premium Member
  • Juvenile
  • *****
  • Posts: 198
Re: 130g in-wall tank build
« Reply #10 on: December 28, 2018, 10:45:41 »
Awesome,  thank you guys!  That is an excellent solution.

My plan is to enlarge the opening on the top of the second barrel for easier access for mixing and then split the output of a pump inside for mixing and refilling the DT.

I've got a good bit of acrylic to cut (router) to get the sump up and running, which I have been hesitant to start on. Maybe that will be a good new years project.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk


Offline guynamedfleck

  • Lifetime Premium Member
  • Juvenile
  • *****
  • Posts: 198
Re: 130g in-wall tank build
« Reply #11 on: January 01, 2019, 16:54:01 »
Managed to blow off all my responsibilities for a day and put a few hours this fine new years day to work on the sump.

First up I knocked out a quick CAD drawing for a filter sock holder and made the returns for the sump.


I'm still trying to figure out milling acrylic on the x-carve, but this will do for the immediate need. Use what you've got, right?


And installing the returns in the first two chambers.


Aside form this, I capped off the return holes previously drilled in the tank in its past life and sheeted the wall on the display side of the room. Bonus, is i am one step closer the finished bar/game room!  Progress is slow but steady, we may even have water in the system by the end of January.

Happy new year everyone!

Offline guynamedfleck

  • Lifetime Premium Member
  • Juvenile
  • *****
  • Posts: 198
Re: 130g in-wall tank build
« Reply #12 on: January 02, 2019, 21:13:48 »
First 2 baffles installed which create the return chambers of the sump. Bonus: first minor blunder. I had to modify the sock holders, since after being installed, I could no longer fit the baffle panels through the hole at the top of the sump to install.  :alas:


Now knowing where the socks will rest, I was able to glue up a bit of the overflow piping.


Slow and steady... it is coming along.

Offline Miles

  • Lifetime Premium Member
  • Adult
  • *****
  • Posts: 568
Re: 130g in-wall tank build
« Reply #13 on: January 03, 2019, 08:56:06 »
Did you have any issues cutting acrylic on your CNC? That is something that I need to try on mine, just haven't gotten around to it. My concern is that Id end up going too fast or slow and end up with melting plastic.

Offline guynamedfleck

  • Lifetime Premium Member
  • Juvenile
  • *****
  • Posts: 198
Re: 130g in-wall tank build
« Reply #14 on: January 03, 2019, 09:19:00 »
Did you have any issues cutting acrylic on your CNC? That is something that I need to try on mine, just haven't gotten around to it. My concern is that Id end up going too fast or slow and end up with melting plastic.
I've tried a couple times and still haven't quite gotten the nack of it.  Heat is definitely the enemy. I tried with a previous project using a 1/16" bit for detail and that was a big fail. The bit heated up quickly and bound to the acrylic, than snapped.
For this layout I used a 1/4" bit and speed up the feed rate.  It was usable for a sock holders, but still got too hot by the end of the second piece.

I'd say using the largest bit possible, feeding faster, and keeping the run time short is your best bet. Unless you want to run a coolant of some sort.

A laser cutter or water jet will always be best with acrylic, but we have to use the tools we have. Give it a try, you can help me dial in the sweet spot!

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk


Offline guynamedfleck

  • Lifetime Premium Member
  • Juvenile
  • *****
  • Posts: 198
Re: 130g in-wall tank build
« Reply #15 on: January 07, 2019, 19:44:16 »
ughh, this is a sad day.  I got so caught up in the DT build and the holidays that I slacked on water changes in the transfer system.  Got around to it tonight and found my purple tang floating.  I am a little upset that I let this happen.

Offline Miles

  • Lifetime Premium Member
  • Adult
  • *****
  • Posts: 568
Re: 130g in-wall tank build
« Reply #16 on: January 07, 2019, 19:47:24 »



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Offline guynamedfleck

  • Lifetime Premium Member
  • Juvenile
  • *****
  • Posts: 198
Re: 130g in-wall tank build
« Reply #17 on: January 13, 2019, 18:59:24 »
Almost ready to start filling the tank for cycling.  Had a go at what I find to be the most difficult and critical part of thew build... the rockscape. All input is absolutely welcome. 
I have a pair of really large toadstool corals (~6" and 10"), so kept the rock work a bit lower than I normally would thinking they will want to move upward.







What are we thinking? Thoughts? Recommendations?

Offline Miles

  • Lifetime Premium Member
  • Adult
  • *****
  • Posts: 568
Re: 130g in-wall tank build
« Reply #18 on: January 13, 2019, 19:01:37 »
You gonna put sand in there?

Also, those sound pretty small for toadstools....




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Offline guynamedfleck

  • Lifetime Premium Member
  • Juvenile
  • *****
  • Posts: 198
Re: 130g in-wall tank build
« Reply #19 on: January 13, 2019, 19:31:41 »
Yes, sand is the plan. And after seeing your toads the last time, yes, I am planning for their growth!

You gonna put sand in there?

Also, those sound pretty small for toadstools....




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Offline Agame43

  • Lifetime Premium Member
  • Adult
  • *****
  • Posts: 721
Re: 130g in-wall tank build
« Reply #20 on: January 13, 2019, 21:33:49 »


  Great looking Toadstools - they do grow quick! I got a really nice one from Lazy back in the summer and it has doubled in size already. One point of interest, maybe cut the egg crate in rectangles that fit under each rock island and get rid of the rest - detritus catcher?

Offline guynamedfleck

  • Lifetime Premium Member
  • Juvenile
  • *****
  • Posts: 198
Re: 130g in-wall tank build
« Reply #21 on: January 16, 2019, 17:50:29 »
Got a another evening of work in of the tank last night.  The stones are cemented into place (where needed), so the structure won't shift about once the inhabitants move in.  Added about 7 gallons of dry sand as well.  If all goes according to plan, I will add a few bags of live sand and a kick start culture by end of week and start the cycling process!

For those wondering why my wall is made of plywood, this wall will eventually be fished off as tudor wood panel. this is just the quick foundation underneath the nice wood so i could section off the two rooms and get the tank up and running. I will never complain about drywalling again, lol!

I am fairly happy with the rock work. plenty of ledges for coral as well as open space for the tangs.



More work finished on the sump. it will run right to left.  the 1st and 2nd chambers are split in half (front and back).  Chamber 1 receives the main return line from the DT in the back and hold bio-blocks in the front. Chamber 2 receives secondary return for the DT in the back and cheato in the front. Chamber 3 is a fully open space for frag grow out. The external sump will sit behind this chamber and feed in and out here.  Chamber 4 will hold the heaters and feed the return pump.
The last two chambers are independent of the sump and will house an ATO reservoir (chamber 5) and a quarantine tank (chamber 6).



I also broke out the dremmel and took the top off of the 2nd 55gallon barrel along with plumbing in a shut off valve and the T split for the water line (thank you guys for the recommendation!) I've got both filled in preparation for the tank flooding later this week.




Offline guynamedfleck

  • Lifetime Premium Member
  • Juvenile
  • *****
  • Posts: 198
Re: 130g in-wall tank build
« Reply #22 on: January 17, 2019, 17:50:00 »
Question for the group.

I picked up an external skimmer at a swap ages ago.  I am not 100% confident that i know how to connect it up.  See my photo below.  Am I headed in the right direction? I am thinking now that i don't need to supply air via pump, only the inlet? Help!  :alas:




Offline NeveSSL

  • Fry
  • **
  • Posts: 61
Re: 130g in-wall tank build
« Reply #23 on: January 17, 2019, 17:56:19 »
That looks like a Beckett style skimmer.  It will take a fairly large pump to run it if so.  For the output that you are not sure on, that's just a skimmate drain so you don't have to empty the cup as often. 

Did it come with a pump?

Brandon

Offline guynamedfleck

  • Lifetime Premium Member
  • Juvenile
  • *****
  • Posts: 198
Re: 130g in-wall tank build
« Reply #24 on: January 18, 2019, 17:29:02 »
Thank you for the ID.  looks like I have some reading to do.  It did not come with a pump, but I got it at a steal. looks like I  am investing in another pump...

 

Powered by EzPortal