46 Galon Bowfront build

[lightningfront]

Thought I'd start a thread on the build of my first reef tank. Standard 46 gallon bowfront with an aquatic fundamentals stand that will fit a 20 tall as a sump.

Stated the build today with drilling the holes for the 3 1" bulkheads that will be my overflow.

Started by making a template in a piece of wood to drill the holes.

 


Holes drilled, and I didn't break the tank!






I finally got someone who know hows to cut glass at lowes so I have the galss to build the overflow box and the baffles for the sump.

[jake]

nice now you can breathe the tank didn't break.

[Revaltion131]

Looks good so far.  It'll be nice to see this completed, when you get there. You don't see many bowfronts anymore.

[Joel]

Looks good, interested in seeing the over flow box installed.

What did you put under the face of the tank while you drilled it - to prevent it from rocking back and forth?

Joel

[jake]

ya thats what we had been discussing at work was how to get it level and not pressure pointed when drilling it. I suggested a sofa ,but I doubt any wives would have that

[lightningfront]

Looks good, interested in seeing the over flow box installed.

What did you put under the face of the tank while you drilled it - to prevent it from rocking back and forth?

Joel

I had it laying on a folded up thick moving blanket, and put 2x4's under the blanket on both sides to keep it from rocking.

[lightningfront]

Got the baffles installed in the sump last night and let them dry over night. Filled with water today and tested with tap water, no leaks from compartment to compartment so thats good.

Baffles installed.



Wet Test. I just ran the return line back over into the drain chamber to run the sump. No bubbles in the pump/skimmer section so thats good. The center section will be filled with sand, live rock rubble, and cheato.



Here is the layout of the pump/skimmer section. Thanks joel.

[lazylivin]

Looking good

[UD Flyer]

If you put sand in the middle, will that restrict the flow since the middle baffle is not all the way to the bottom of the aquarium?

It looks good and you planned it out perfectly to fit a lot of stuff in a little space.

[lightningfront]

If you put sand in the middle, will that restrict the flow since the middle baffle is not all the way to the bottom of the aquarium?

It looks good and you planned it out perfectly to fit a lot of stuff in a little space.

I put the baffle 3.5" from the bottom of the tank and plan on running a 1.5-2" sand bed so it won't obstruct the flow. That baffle it just a bubble trap to keep bubbles out of the pump chamber

[Joel]

A sand bed that shallow won't do much beneficial for the aquarium. Closer to 6 inches will be thick enough to have the benefits that a RDSB will do. If it's an option, a minor modification to accommodate this would make a major differance for your aquarium in the long run.

Joel

[lightningfront]

I'm planning on running a 6" DSB in the main tank. I didn't think you needed a DSB in the sump.

So unless you run a DSB there is no point in sand in the sump?

[Joel]

A deep sand bed in the display tank can become a problem in time.  Debris over time can settle into the sand and in some cases become a nutrient sink. This can cause major algae issues. Also, the fine sand can get blown around by recirculation pumps.

A RDSB typically does not develop these problems because we have more control over debris getting to it.

[lightningfront]

So even with the proper clean up crew of sand sifting stars, snails, and fish a deep sand bed in the display tank is bad?

My skimmer is designed to run in 6-8 inches of water. If I raise the water level in the sump I would have to raise the skimmer, but I only have 6" with it at this level before it contacts the bottom of the stand.

[lightningfront]

Made a little more progress today.

[jake]

So when are you gonna tell her you got the tank man? lol

[lightningfront]

So when are you gonna tell her you got the tank man? lol

When I move it home in January. It's my birthday present to myself.

[lazylivin]

What color and brand is the paint? If I ever build a new tank I want to use that same color it looks fantastic.

[lightningfront]

What color and brand is the paint? If I ever build a new tank I want to use that same color it looks fantastic.

It's Krylon Fusion for plastics (smooth surface) Doesn't have a color name just blue cap on the can.

[jake]

ya same stuff I used it worked great and the color was good

[ohioreef]

Thought that blue looked familiar! That is what I used on my first tank.

[lightningfront]

Made a little more progress today.

Bulkheads and drains installed.





Overflow box has been glues and sealed.



Sorry about the crappy pics, didn't have my camera and had to use my phone.

[jake]

No way she'll think its used

[apelaston]

us girls are not dumb. u r going to have to get that baby dirty if u want her to think it is used.

[lightningfront]

Lol, You shoulda seen the 125 I bought used. It looked brand new when I brought it into the house. I always clean tanks very well.

[cyberwollf]

does one of the overflows have a siphon break or are they all siphon?

[lightningfront]

does one of the overflows have a siphon break or are they all siphon?

Yes on one of the drains there will be a hole drilled into the cap on top, and an airline tube run from there back into the overflow just above the waterline.

The center one is a full siphon, the left is the secondary drain, and the right an emergency overflow.

[lightningfront]

Overflw box glued and sealed to the tank.



Drain plumbing finished.

[UD Flyer]

Looks good

If the sump has a leak or something of the sort, how do you plan on getting it out?

[quicksilver]

very nice keep up the good work.

[Bigmoo]

Details, details.... Looks very nice though. Really like the background color.

[jake]

A hammer and saw all

Nice man it looks tight. I like the plumbing like art ,but for fish geeks

[cyberwollf]

I was reading a thread on RC about that overflow setup.  I am going to try it on my next build.  Question about the box: Does anyone else run one without teeth (cutting teeth in glass would suck)?  More problems with fish flowing into the box?  I have seen a jig with a dremel tile cutting bit that might work if you wanted teeth

[jake]

Put some egg crate or sponge on the top of it

[lightningfront]

Ya there is only a 1/2 inch or so inbetween the top of the box and the glass lid that will be on the tank. If I find fish are getting into the box I will add some kind of strainer to keep them out.

[lightningfront]

Excitement Filled with tap water and checked everything out. All is good and the overflow works flawlessly and silently. Drained and have started to fill with RO/DI. Could take a while I only have a 50gpd RO/DI.

[Joel]

Ya there is only a 1/2 inch or so inbetween the top of the box and the glass lid that will be on the tank. If I find fish are getting into the box I will add some kind of strainer to keep them out.

A piece of egg crate trimmed to snugly fit inside the o/f box flush with the top of it, works pretty well at keeping most fish out. Snails are really bad about getting into un-screened o/f boxes and end up getting into & blocking the drain tubes. Super cheap, easy way to prevent this.

Looks good BTW...Congrats....Joel

[lightningfront]

Managed to get it the rest of the way filled and salt added. Just waiting for the water to clear up. I'm gonig to go tomorrow and pick up some of the tonga branch rock at a LFS and some live rock with christmas money and get things started.

[lightningfront]

Picked up some tonga branch and some live rock.



First corals, Thanks Jake.

[lazylivin]

Got to love new tanks, So clean and algae free!

[jake]

Looks like they opened up pretty good. Nothing a hammer cant fix right. I just need a band saw now

[Arcade_Guy]

lookin good man. the tonga adds a nice touch.

just need some frogspawn in there now right? lol