Paul’s 240 gallon upgrade!

[TaylorPilot]

Overflow:
First, I'd like to thank @TaylorPilot for being so incredibly patient as I asked a billion question over the course of a few months. The dude has been seriously helpful.

I'll be replacing my current Shadow Overflow with Exotic Marine Systems 35" Overflow with 1" drains.

-Paul

It is literally cutting out as I type this!

 

[Dubs83]

It is literally cutting out as I type this!

Yes!!

Okay, here's where we are with the rearrangement of the fish room. The 40 breeder will serve as a fuge/settling tank and the 125 sump will do sump things. Any advice before I move forward?

 

[User]

Lol- those holes are exactly where mine are on my 125 sump. It too started off as a DT with a shadow overflow.

 

[Dubs83]

Lol- those holes are exactly where mine are on my 125 sump. It too started off as a DT with a shadow overflow.

Lol, I couldn’t find a model without the holes... but it’s accurate, I’ll have to cover them up with glass

 

[User]

Lol, I couldn’t find a model without the holes... but it’s accurate, I’ll have to cover them up with glass

I’m actually using one of mine as the overflow input from my frag tank that’s plumbed in. Overflow from frag goes to return chamber via these holes. The holes are 5 inches lower than the trim, which makes it 10” from the bottom of the overflow box on the lowboy 50. I get to keep a decent grade on the pvc run and will get great flow. If I had it come over the top of the trim, the grade sucks and I don’t get good flow. So it worked out great. The other one is getting plumbed into the main drain so I have an overflow if I have a sump level high flood situation.

 

[Dubs83]

Well, update time. I’ve hit a snag in the upgrade. I picked the 180 up used and after bringing it home and putting some effort and elbow grease into cleaning it up... you know what, I’ll just get to it. It’s scratches to s**t. Excuse the language but it’s the best way I can describe it.

I contacted the seller and explained what I had found. He seems pretty reasonable about the entire thing and we are working on a solution.

On to some good news, though. I woke up this morning and spoke to my fiancé about it and expressed my concern about buffing the scratches out and my uncertainty about how structurally sound the glass would be after removing some of it with the buffer. After two solid days and about 15 minutes this morning, she stopped me from saying anything more. I don’t know if she just wanted me to shut up or if she felt sorry for me, but what happened next left me speechless. “Why don’t you just ask me if you can order a new one?” And THAT is why I’m marrying this one!!

So, with the thumbs up I’ll be replacing it with a new one. “Cheap form of insurance” is what I told her. [emoji3][emoji3]

Anyhow, out of sheer joy I went and snuggled with one of our puppies.

And then, the door bell rang! What could it be?
As always the dogs beat everyone to it thinking it was a mega sized Bark Box... not today pups!

Our daughter, Alexia, has been especially interested in this upgrade (much more so then the 125) so of course I enlisted her help...

Penny making sure it’s definitely not a Bark Box.

It’s an AquaMaxx XXL media reactor!

 

[Dubs83]

So, this is an ongoing conversation! I just got the “since we are getting a new one, why not get a longer tank?” Stay tuned!

 

[Dubs83]

Okay! We have come to a decision. We’ll be upgrading the upgrade to a 84x24x24! Brings us to 200 gallons!

I’m thinking of going through Custom Aquariums to get the tank and stand.

 

[najer]

Nice size.

 

[Bj’s Reef]

I’m going to follow along. This looks like fun.

 

[Dubs83]

Update: the seller of the used 180 has agreed to refund me what he and I came up with to be a fair amount. That’s the stellar news. Unfortunately, and fortunately I suppose, it’s Labor Day weekend. Everything has come to a halt as I await on more toys to come in and replies on aquarium quotes.

My daughter and I plan on taking a trip to the ol lumber store to pick up some 2x4s to start work on the new sump stand and later on today I’ll be getting the QT tank up and running for some new additions.

Realistically, I’m still a few months from this becoming a reality so I appreciate your patience.

Any one have any insight on heating larger tanks? The basement gets pretty cool in the winter (around 60) and it currently takes about 1100watts to keep up with the temp. I feel this won’t be anywhere near enough when I add an additional 100 gallons to the mix. I thought about some type of closed loop on demand system but I’m clueless as to how I would pull it off. Any insight would be appreciated.

Paul

 

[User]

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/h...t-water-heater-save-40-on-energy-cost.338018/

 

[Dubs83]

... tank ordered. Will have details later!

 

[Dubs83]

I. Am. So. Excited.

 

[Dubs83]

Yes!!!

More to come when the kiddo gets home. I suppose with as little traffic as this is seeing I’ll just ruin the surprise on tank size.

Stay tuned!

 

[Dubs83]

Coming home to a bunch of boxes is usually pretty nice. There’s some new dry sand in there a long with 50 kilos of aqua forest probiotic salt. I was thinking of giving aqua forest a shot with how difficult it still is to find a steady supply of the triton supplements.

The other two boxes had some sweet, sweet goodies.

I received some of my loc line stuff and sch80 bulk heads but also... these sweet gems-

Random flow generators...4 of them

MP10s to join the two MP40s for additional flow.

And this here Reeflo Yellowtail

 

[Dubs83]

Hmmm. Looking at the picture, I just noticed the damage on the back side of the Reeflo pump. Isn’t that bitter sweet

 

[User]

Yeeeesssss- I’ve been eyeing the RFG’s. Thinking 2 of the 3/4” connected to a y on the 1.5” return... but I’m worried about drain down since they need to be ~1” under the surface. That’s 7.5 gallons on my 180 tank.

Won’t know if I really have the spare sump capacity until I get my water flowing and do a pump stop test. I *should* but I want to be sure before I drop $60.

What size are those, and your returns?

 

[Dubs83]

Yeeeesssss- I’ve been eyeing the RFG’s. Thinking 2 of the 3/4” connected to a y on the 1.5” return... but I’m worried about drain down since they need to be ~1” under the surface. That’s 7.5 gallons on my 180 tank.

Won’t know if I really have the spare sump capacity until I get my water flowing and do a pump stop test. I *should* but I want to be sure before I drop $60.

What size are those, and your returns?

Those are 3/4” RFGs. The returns will be 1.5” until it reaches the tank. It will split into two 3/4 inch bulk heads to feed the loclines. Each bulkhead will have a Y so total of 4 RFGs. As far as available volume for siphon, I plan on only using about 80 gallons of the 125 gallon sump which should give me plenty of head room. I’ll also drill a small siphon break hole in each locline and add a check valve at the pump.

Speaking of pumps, just ended my phone conversation with BRS and as always their customer service was incredible. A new yellowtail is on its way!

 

[User]

Awesome. I put my return over the trim so a little different. Volume measurements today so order soon hopefully

Was about to ask what was up with the reeflo, but then I saw the pic [emoji44]