New Build: 10 foot frag tank

[Digitalfirex]

It does in some respects make me wish I had stuck with Glass Cages. These guys are "local" and I have seen some (2)of their big boy systems in NYC commercial office buildings.

TBH, I rushed it.

They do have an impressive portfolio, I must say. On their Instagram at least... 30ft tank at a museum, fish tank over stairs at Bloomberg HQ etc... just not sure that was needed for the sump lol

I found a local local acrylic shop. Not a fish tank shop, but just all things acrylic. I've been meaning to see if they can make frag racks etc just never got a chance lol this is The Plastic Factory in Bridgeport. I ran into them when I cut my own acrylic sheet and needed weldon16 to put it together.
I've also heard good things about max reef I'm bridgeport. They sell fish and coral, but u didn't know they had a custom tank department, normal aquatics.

 

[ScottB]

They do have an impressive portfolio, I must say. On their Instagram at least... 30ft tank at a museum, fish tank over stairs at Bloomberg HQ etc... just not sure that was needed for the sump lol

I found a local local acrylic shop. Not a fish tank shop, but just all things acrylic. I've been meaning to see if they can make frag racks etc just never got a chance lol this is The Plastic Factory in Bridgeport. I ran into them when I cut my own acrylic sheet and needed weldon16 to put it together.
I've also heard good things about max reef I'm bridgeport. They sell fish and coral, but u didn't know they had a custom tank department, normal aquatics.

I keep meaning to visit that store. I am in Bridgeport M/W/F for flight training but am either mentally wired or exhausted coming and going. Getting better though recently.

Seeing their stuff for real was impactful. The original CAD also impressive. Remain hopeful that I will have more pretty pictures to share in the coming weeks.

 

[ScottB]

Sump is scheduled for delivery this coming Thursday. 114" for those not keeping track.
Only 200 lbs this time, so not real daunting on the move. The plumbing will take a few days knowing me. I promise I will do better on photos going forward.

 

[ScottB]

Alrighty the sump is home now. I am pretty pleased. The thing is bigger than imagined. Plenty of space for all my sump rock, refugium, skimmers, media and return pumps. They delivered it with mesh socks which I think I will try out. Washing 8X4" socks all the time is a pain.

I will knock out most of the plumbing, but not going to make the big move until mid September. I am traveling the first half of the month. I don't like to travel with "loose ends" on either of my systems.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

Alrighty the sump is home now. I am pretty pleased. The thing is bigger than imagined. Plenty of space for all my sump rock, refugium, skimmers, media and return pumps. They delivered it with mesh socks which I think I will try out. Washing 8X4" socks all the time is a pain.

I will knock out most of the plumbing, but not going to make the big move until mid September. I am traveling the first half of the month. I don't like to travel with "loose ends" on either of my systems.

Ohh yeah!!!!!!

 

[Digitalfirex]

Alrighty the sump is home now. I am pretty pleased. The thing is bigger than imagined. Plenty of space for all my sump rock, refugium, skimmers, media and return pumps. They delivered it with mesh socks which I think I will try out. Washing 8X4" socks all the time is a pain.

I will knock out most of the plumbing, but not going to make the big move until mid September. I am traveling the first half of the month. I don't like to travel with "loose ends" on either of my systems.

That's a nifty set up so far! Wish I had the space for something remotely 1/2 as nice.

 

[ScottB]

That's a nifty set up so far! Wish I had the space for something remotely 1/2 as nice.

Thank you. It will look an awful lot nicer than the contraption it is replacing. I will be glad when everything else is cleared out of the basement.

 

[ScottB]

Well I exhausted all my excuses for not getting this project going. Vacations are over. Golf is slowing and 5 bad days of weather kept me grounded so here is what I have been up to lately...

Moved over all the water, corals and fish...

 

[ScottB]

Roughly 20 fish, 120lbs of rock, ~100+ corals are all stuffed into the 150G Rubbermaid. Spinning 4 MP40s. Tunze osmolator and ink bird temp control. The only unexpected difficulty was I over tightened the (cheap, ABS plastic) drain plug, cracking the darn thing. Had to wait a whole day for the 2-part epoxy fix to cure. Yes, it held. Also thankfully, the bucket-stand held up fine as well.

 

[ScottB]

And cue the drumroll... It is set & level. That was A LOT of iterations to get everything level front/back and end to end.

Aside from refilling the tank, there is a LOT of work to do. Like two 12 hour days worth.

 

[ScottB]

Recall how I kept the stand, sump and tank up on the dollies, in the other room, while I did all the plumbing? That was so I could easily roll it into the other room and drop it down, solo. Simple.

 

[Digitalfirex]

And cue the drumroll... It is set & level. That was A LOT of iterations to get everything level front/back and end to end.

Aside from refilling the tank, there is a LOT of work to do. Like two 12 hour days worth.

Nothing as satisfying as visible progress. Looking good!

 

[ScottB]

The good folks at my local Ace Hardware were rather impressed that I managed to break the dolly. Said they'd never seen that before. They were happy to replace it, even though I might have been pushing the 400lb rating.

 

[ScottB]

And now I bring the discussion to the present time with pictures of the wet tank! I have plenty of work to do tidying up miles of cable.
Quiz Question of the day: HOW MANY ELECTRICAL OUTLETS ARE LIVE RIGHT NOW ON THIS SYSTEM?

 

[Digitalfirex]

And now I bring the discussion to the present time with pictures of the wet tank! I have plenty of work to do tidying up miles of cable.
Quiz Question of the day: HOW MANY ELECTRICAL OUTLETS ARE LIVE RIGHT NOW ON THIS SYSTEM?

My guess is 20

Mostly because not everything is plugged in lol 10 in lights alone probably

 

[ScottB]

My guess is 20

Mostly because not everything is plugged in lol 10 in lights alone probably

Higher. Lights are 14 including refugium. I am counting things plugged into the APEX power bar. (Not including the power connections between the APEX components though.)

 

[MartinM]

I’d say 35-50 plugs! I think I have more than 20 in use just for my Red Sea cube, 35+ for my 1000L system.

Is there anything you’d do differently when it comes to the dimensions or are you happy with the design?

 

[Joe Glass Cages]

And now I bring the discussion to the present time with pictures of the wet tank! I have plenty of work to do tidying up miles of cable.
Quiz Question of the day: HOW MANY ELECTRICAL OUTLETS ARE LIVE RIGHT NOW ON THIS SYSTEM?

Looks amazing @ScottB

radical!!!!

 

[ScottB]

I’d say 35-50 plugs! I think I have more than 20 in use just for my Red Sea cube, 35+ for my 1000L system.

Is there anything you’d do differently when it comes to the dimensions or are you happy with the design?

Close enough -- 47 active outlets. I have two dedicated 20 amp circuits but still feel like I am pushing it a little.

In terms of dimensions I guess time will tell. I had more room lengthwise to go, but that would've required a "custom" production of sheet acrylic. 10' is hard enough to come by but Joe came through with that.

I could not go any wider in that space as there is a lally column 32" in front of the tank, and I wanted 24" to be able to walk all the way behind/around the tank.

I am very happy with the quality of both the tank and the sump.

 

[ScottB]

Looks amazing @ScottB

radical!!!!

Thank you Joe! More pics incoming.