Greener Pastures (Amoo's 32g Rimless build)

[Amoo]

Easy there Chainsaw... I believe I would have used a fine toothed hole saw for cutting metal to make the hole for the new bulkhead. Jig saws are great and all, but usually end up doing that to plastic because of the sudden jerk when they start. If you must use a jig saw, always get the saw up to speed before starting the cut, and if you can clamp a piece of scrap acrylic to your cut, the extra thickness will add support and help it to not crack.

Oh trust me, I KNEW I was going to chip the second side as soon as I knocked off the filter sock on the first side. Everything was supported with wood and taped...etc. To cut the second side I had to raise the saw up so it wasn't laying flat against the acrylic to prevent from hitting the filter sock holder again. Like I said originally, after I chipped the first side, I knew the second side was screwed. Also none of the chips happened where the cutting started because I cut everything with the saw up to speed already

Also where do you think I cut any metal?

 

[Amoo]

I think there's some rust on your display buddy. Also, how are you growing rust on your glass? Nothing like natural GFO

I wanted to make a tank to pay homage to your Algae collection.

 

[Rakie]

I wanted to make a tank to pay homage to your Algae collection.

Well, the back of my tank is covered in coralline, no doubt there. But it's a tinge more completely different color wise.

I'm actually considering scraping it clean... But it's so much work !!!

 

[Amoo]

Well, the back of my tank is covered in coralline, no doubt there. But it's a tinge more completely different color wise.

I'm actually considering scraping it clean... But it's so much work !!!

You and I both know you're not going to scrape coralline off your back glass unless it would help with your frag growth.

Also my bet is coralline is where your Mag is going

 

[TherealplexiG]

@Amoo
Silince I kills you's..
LoL.

Great build amoo..

 

[SashimiTurtle]

Oh trust me, I KNEW I was going to chip the second side as soon as I knocked off the filter sock on the first side. Everything was supported with wood and taped...etc. To cut the second side I had to raise the saw up so it wasn't laying flat against the acrylic to prevent from hitting the filter sock holder again. Like I said originally, after I chipped the first side, I knew the second side was screwed. Also none of the chips happened where the cutting started because I cut everything with the saw up to speed already

Also where do you think I cut any metal?

Ehh, did better than I would have. When I screw things up usually they are unusable afterwards.

 

[Rakie]

You and I both know you're not going to scrape coralline off your back glass unless it would help with your frag growth.

Also my bet is coralline is where your Mag is going

I'm starting to think so too. The stuff on that back wall is almost as thick as a freaking monty by now.

 

[Rakie]

Ehh, did better than I would have. When I screw things up usually they are unusable afterwards.

That sounds like me. I have a little sump outside that will win the spirit award in a beauty contest. On the grounds that it's too ugly to be functional, it has been veto'd.

 

[Amoo]

I'm starting to think so too. The stuff on that back wall is almost as thick as a freaking monty by now.

If you scrape it all off you'll get better reflection (assuming it's not painted) off the glass back into your tank which will increase PAR levels around the glass

 

[Amoo]

@Amoo
Silince I kills you's..
LoL.

Great build amoo..

@TherealplexiG Thanks man, welcome aboard.

 

[Rakie]

If you scrape it all off you'll get better reflection (assuming it's not painted) off the glass back into your tank which will increase PAR levels around the glass

Yep, but it is painted black so it wont help. It WILL help my pictures come out less purple though... Maybe i'll do it someday, maybe. Possibly.

 

[Rakie]

NOW YOU GOTTA MAKE A NEW TANK !

I'll get to that bottom third..... someday.

 

[Amoo]

Wait back to back updates on the 32G, what's going on here.

Ok guys do you want more pictures today or more talk?

Combination of both, got it. So I decided to start with plumbing the overflows first as I felt this was going to be the easiest.

I must say I'm glad I reduced down to 1" as there is NO WAY, I would have ever got both pipes into the filter sock had they been 1 1/2". Also, if you look at the two coupling right at the edge of the sump, those two pieces are not glued in and they are designed to go down INTO the sock and discharge below the water line, because who wants to hear splashing water?

Okay, okay guys I know, that was the easy part, I'll show you the harder part.

As you can see we had to come down, out far enough to clear the 1" piping and then over into the return manifold, which I remembered to plumb a T into for a reactor. Now obviously I'm going to have more flow restrictions on the return then the overflow, but I'd rather have it that way. This thing is only 32 gallons

Now everything you are seeing there is glued in place and in it's final position:

So with the clever use of unions and valves etc etc etc, I can at anytime take the entire system off of the tank and do something like this if I had to:

It's kind of unfortunate they don't make a 100% reef safe paint as it would have been nice to paint the entire thing, but hey, it's a friggen sump and it still looks better then the back wall of @Rakie 's tank even after he scraped the algae off. Of coarse it's really easy to hide all that Algae back there considering he has an entire warehouse worth of frags in an almost 50G, but hey who's counting right?

 

[Rakie]

Of coarse it's really easy to hide all that Algae back there considering he has an entire warehouse worth of frags in an almost 50G, but hey who's counting right?

I counted!

48 Unique Species -- And I guarantee I'm missing a couple..

But seriously... It's like 52 now. Plus RAP is coming... so we'll say 64 tentatively. That said, my sump is going to basically become a frag tank with a skimmer wedged in there.

Besides, it used to be much worse (better?)

 

[Amoo]

But seriously... It's like 52 now. Plus RAP is coming... so we'll say 64 tentatively. That said, my sump is going to basically become a frag tank with a skimmer wedged in there.

So I've always wanted to ask this to somebody who I see collects frags like you do, but don't want to come off as offensive. Since I know you can go cry to Daniel if you get offended I'll just ask you.

So seriously, what on God's green earth are you going to do with that many frags?

Are we one day going to get to see "Rakie's Rockin Corals" distribution? Are you hoping to eventually afford a bigger tank for them all. Like your scaping is beautiful man and your picture taking skills are up there with some of the better photographers I've seen on the forum, but man when I look at you tank I can't see the tank from the frag racks.

So essentially, what's the plan homie?

 

[Rakie]

The plan is simple.

1. Get Corals
2. ???
3. Have Corals

I'm at step 2, where things are coming and going. They'll come and go until I can't imagine pulling anything off to put in something new. Others are strictly trade fodder, and I guess like... 2 part fodder, or w/e else that's reefy I need to buy.

 

[Rakie]

Hey I forgot to ask, what paint did you use? It looks pretty solid

 

[Amoo]

Hey I forgot to ask, what paint did you use? It looks pretty solid

Which part? The frosted glass or the pvc or the stand itself?

 

[Rakie]

The PVC actually. I'm always paranoid to paint it haha

 

[Amoo]

The PVC actually. I'm always paranoid to paint it haha

I'll shoot a picture of the can later tonight, keep in mind though I don't paint parts that go directly in the water. Will make more sense when it's all back together