Hydrored's 300 Glass Cages Build

[afrokobe]

I went with the corsair kit to simplify my life other than the water block for the 3080 ti, it came with all of the RGB fans but I actually have all of the lighting off in the case. I prefer no light at all. The Corsair kit while expensive, is great because it comes with everything you need to do that WC build.

Yea its great that now its more accessible. When I first started wc, you had to piece everything together. A lot of trial and error and figuring what you need/don't need. I still have huge excess of angled fittings/rads/blocks.

Here's my build from a few years ago. In a Caselabs S5 case (MATX)

 

[Hydrored]

Yea its great that now its more accessible. When I first started wc, you had to piece everything together. A lot of trial and error and figuring what you need/don't need. I still have huge excess of angled fittings/rads/blocks.

Here's my build from a few years ago. In a Caselabs S5 case (MATX)

I had the same case! Too bad Case Labs is long gone. I enjoy the full custom builds but there is a lot to be said simplifying things. I have been water cooling pc’s for years now as well. Silent PC is a must for me, I always over do it it with rads and fans just running everything on low

Nice looking build!

 

[m.kristoff]

A day late but sumps and frag tank is here!

how is the build quality? Mine will hopefully be delivered in a few weeks. I went with Red and White to match my Bubble King skimmer!! also had John build me a 4 chamber dosing box to match

 

[Hydrored]

how is the build quality? Mine will hopefully be delivered in a few weeks. I went with Red and White to match my Bubble King skimmer!! also had John build me a 4 chamber dosing box to match

Im very happy with the quality itself, I will say the dosing lines are not where I requested them so I’ll have to drill the sump and move them

 

[m.kristoff]

What sold me on Glass Cages was @Joe Glass Cages acknowledged the issues they had in the past, put quality control in place, and through conversation I could tell his craft really excites him. I have nothing but great things to say about the customer service so far.

My expectations are very high from Glass Cages. I’m a person who puts quality, detail, and customer service over cost.

I’m excited!

I ordered a 135 peninsula about 11 years ago.. the seams were a little sloppy but had 0 issues with the tank. Glad to hear the cleaned it up

 

[Hydrored]

Hello,

I’m going with GHL for my new controller. I will be testing Trident, KHD Director, and Alkatronic side by side. No matter what I’m leaving Apex behind and I’ll no longer support their products but worth the testing anyways while my 210 is still running. I will decide if the KHD or the Alkatronic stays. I only have one more major expense left to wrap this new build up, tank is now scheduled for delivery 11/22.

Mega set, extra power bar, 2 doser 2.1, KH Director

 

[m.kristoff]

Hello,

I’m going with GHL for my new controller. I will be testing Trident, KHD Director, and Alkatronic side by side. No matter what I’m leaving Apex behind and I’ll no longer support their products but worth the testing anyways while my 210 is still running. I will decide if the KHD or the Alkatronic stays. I only have one more major expense left to wrap this new build up, tank is now scheduled for delivery 11/22.

Mega set, extra power bar, 2 doser 2.1, KH Director

wow I have been considering doing the same. The ecotech and MP40's lack of support without down grading to get them to work got me researching. love to have a conversation for how you reasoned out this decision

 

[sdreef]

Hello,

I’m going with GHL for my new controller. I will be testing Trident, KHD Director, and Alkatronic side by side. No matter what I’m leaving Apex behind and I’ll no longer support their products but worth the testing anyways while my 210 is still running. I will decide if the KHD or the Alkatronic stays. I only have one more major expense left to wrap this new build up, tank is now scheduled for delivery 11/22.

Mega set, extra power bar, 2 doser 2.1, KH Director

Sorry if I missed it in an earlier post, but interested to know why you are choosing to move to GHL. I considered GHL when I was planning out the controller for my system. I decided to stick with the apex primarily because it was familiar and I felt comfortable with the programming. Interested to know what made you decide to go this route.

 

[Hydrored]

Sorry if I missed it in an earlier post, but interested to know why you are choosing to move to GHL. I considered GHL when I was planning out the controller for my system. I decided to stick with the apex primarily because it was familiar and I felt comfortable with the programming. Interested to know what made you decide to go this route.

Hello and good morning,

The main reason of moving away for me is over there years I’ve had many critical failures as it relates to Apex, to the point where I kept a full new in box apex system as a spare along with many other Neptune spares. I travel about 50% of my working life currently so reliably is the most important to me personally. Most of the failures are items that sit in a dry cabinet not over the sump.

This build I’m going a different direction in that I will not be relying on controller power bars for most equipment including AWC and ATO.

I had 2 separate dedicated circuits ran, one on each side of the tank. 1 Royal exclusive return pump each will be on the 2 different circuits, same goes for my power heads along with the battery backups. The only critical items I’m planning for the power bars is a heat controller, 1 each on the 2 different circuits.


Another goal of mine is to not have one wire running from one side to the other in this build, I really want things to be easily accessible.


To sum it up I’m just not pleased with Neptune overall, I’m really only looking for a monitoring device this time around and to have the ability to shut heaters off in case.

 

[m.kristoff]

Are you going to use any type of controller for lights and flow pumps?
smart move on 2 circuits . I just did the same thing

 

[Hydrored]

Are you going to use any type of controller for lights and flow pumps?
smart move on 2 circuits . I just did the same thing

Lights are all controlled internally along with Kessil BT for each, they are tied to one of the circuits with the least load above the tank. I'm using Mobius for the 6 MP pumps, I will no longer be using the 4 gryes I have as I want no wires in the tank and low maintenance with head swaps.

I'll add that I also have a whole home natural gas-fed generator, battery backups are not really needed. That generator saved our butts with the Texas deep freeze this year

 

[m.kristoff]

Lights are all controlled internally along with Kessil BT for each, they are tied to one of the circuits with the least load above the tank. I'm using Mobius for the 6 MP pumps, I will no longer be using the 4 gryes I have as I want no wires in the tank and low maintenance with head swaps.

I'll add that I also have a whole home natural gas-fed generator, battery backups are not really needed. That generator saved our butts with the Texas deep freeze this year

You might want to add some kind of battery backup to clean the power while the generator is kicking on. I'm a IT guy and have seen damage from surges when generators kick on

 

[Operator Wrasse]

Hello and good morning,

The main reason of moving away for me is over there years I’ve had many critical failures as it relates to Apex, to the point where I kept a full new in box apex system as a spare along with many other Neptune spares. I travel about 50% of my working life currently so reliably is the most important to me personally. Most of the failures are items that sit in a dry cabinet not over the sump.

This build I’m going a different direction in that I will not be relying on controller power bars for most equipment including AWC and ATO.

I had 2 separate dedicated circuits ran, one on each side of the tank. 1 Royal exclusive return pump each will be on the 2 different circuits, same goes for my power heads along with the battery backups. The only critical items I’m planning for the power bars is a heat controller, 1 each on the 2 different circuits.


Another goal of mine is to not have one wire running from one side to the other in this build, I really want things to be easily accessible.


To sum it up I’m just not pleased with Neptune overall, I’m really only looking for a monitoring device this time around and to have the ability to shut heaters off in case.

How are you going to handle testing? Low tech sounds great, but I imagine that traveling for work and maintaining an SPS tank would be difficult.

 

[ScottB]

Not much of an update, new GNC lights will be here Friday, stand from Framing Tech is paid for, should be here in 6 weeks along with button fasteners-

I have also ordered 2 9780 XL Acroporock from Aquaroche that is in customs now, I will be replacing my existing caribsea rock and keeping all of the from ocean live rock. Don't let the picture fool you these are large! 30x18x18 x2-

https://www.aquariumpartners.com/product-page/acroporock-xl-kit-13pcs-30in-x-18in-x-18in

Elos has been great to work with so far on the lights and rock

I built a reef structure with Aquaroche a year or so ago. The tank had a weird (stupid) footprint, very tall, very wide, but only like 14" front to back. Peninsula format to make matters even worse. It was a different piece than the one you linked, but it worked out real well.

 

[ScottB]

Very valid point, I’ll reach out to Joe today as I’d like to see if he could ship it at the same time. I’ve never owned a frag tank and I see some people like to tie them into their display and others keep them separate. I’m thinking more along the lines of separate but then I’m taking care of and monitoring 2 tanks….. a lot to think about

What height do you recommend @Operator Wrasse ? this will only be for sticks

Another question I have has anybody ever insta tanked a frag system using existing water and existing live rock in the sump or am I asking for trouble?

Hey just catching up on this thread so apologize if I am too late on some of these questions.

I would tie the two together in such a fashion that you can segregate them easily in an emergency. I have 3 frag systems all tied together, but one can easily be segregated. Just makes filtration and water mgmt so much easier. Plus the stability benefit.

You might want to think about starting the frag system up segregated, and dosing it up with nutrients a little until you get some bacterial film and film algae covering all the sterile surfaces. Once they are coated up you can open the valves and fire the separate return pump in the shared sump. Doing this avoids an absolutely certain dinoflagellate outbreak in the frag tank. Not that that is a huge deal anymore, but one less headache.

The downside to tying in is of course you don't have a true "backup" system.

*EDIT
Well I made it all the way through the thread now. I see you got a sump for the frag tank so you can run separate. If that gets old (maintaining 2 water systems) you can always tie them together later with a "water bridge" or load balancing pipe between the sumps. Then move the frag return pump to the big sump. I have three frag tanks and 3 sumps tied together this way.

 

[Hydrored]

Hey just catching up on this thread so apologize if I am too late on some of these questions.

I would tie the two together in such a fashion that you can segregate them easily in an emergency. I have 3 frag systems all tied together, but one can easily be segregated. Just makes filtration and water mgmt so much easier. Plus the stability benefit.

You might want to think about starting the frag system up segregated, and dosing it up with nutrients a little until you get some bacterial film and film algae covering all the sterile surfaces. Once they are coated up you can open the valves and fire the separate return pump in the shared sump. Doing this avoids an absolutely certain dinoflagellate outbreak in the frag tank. Not that that is a huge deal anymore, but one less headache.

The downside to tying in is of course you don't have a true "backup" system.

*EDIT
Well I made it all the way through the thread now. I see you got a sump for the frag tank so you can run separate. If that gets old (maintaining 2 water systems) you can always tie them together later with a "water bridge" or load balancing pipe between the sumps. Then move the frag return pump to the big sump. I have three frag tanks and 3 sumps tied together this way.

You bring up a valid point, I'm rethinking the plumbing a bit and will spend the weekend planning it out, good news is I have plenty of room to drill the sump if needed.

 

[Hydrored]

lighting is hung! I just have to move the stand to plug in the one power cord in the outlet up top

I took PAR reading for giggles and have 240- 247 on the bottom, obviously this will change with water.

4 GNC Blueray Pros and 3 Kessil A360x’s-

 

[Hydrored]

Lol- my neighbor just sent this, oops

 

[t5Nitro]

Doing them a favor imo. Free Xmas lights.

 

[ScottB]

My evening blues are very visible from the street and driveway as well. Funny though, only the odd (UPS,USPS,FedEx) reefer driver ever says anything. I always bring them inside to see things before they rush off. Hoping they handle my livestock accordingly.