Wen’s 280 Build

[Wen]

My hubby is away golfing this weekend, so that means I can reef the whole weekend!!!
Friday received 2 new fish and started ttm bucket.
Today was 4 hour maintenance and laying out new apex board.
Sunday complete water testing, ttm transfer and working on a liner for under fish closet sink.

Existing apex board, ugh.

New apex board, a fun puzzle!

 

[Wen]

Had this little Caribbean blue 3 weeks in an observation tank filled with macro algae.

The little guy is a lawn mower!
Outa the bag he had 8+ Lympho spots and after consuming copious amounts of greens, the Lympho is completely gone!
Tank before little tang.

Tank after 3 wks.

He eats everything offered.

 

[Wen]

Thought these were funny.

And this one too!

 

[Osric]

Are you using the lifereef skimmer yet? If so, how do you like it?

 

[Wen]

Are you using the lifereef skimmer yet? If so, how do you like it?

Hello Osric,
I have not used it yet. Waiting for tank/sump to be delivered in March???

 

[Osric]

I have not used it yet. Waiting for tank/sump to be delivered in March???

Fair enough - I wondered if you'd tried it out on your 150 while you wait, but obviously you're not as impatient as I am

 

[Wen]

Fair enough - I wondered if you'd tried it out on your 150 while you wait, but obviously you're not as impatient as I am

Lol, i did try, but won’t fit in 150 sump/cabinet.

 

[Wen]

Sump progress photo.

Anyone in Southwest Florida interested in a plumbing job?

 

[Wen]

Back to working on the equipment closet today and see that I need a foot more of the ATK water level sensor cords. They can’t reach FMM from the ato tank.

 

[Wen]

That seems a bit small to me for that size tank. I Have a 20 gallon ATO for my 6 foot waterbox and that barely lasts 7-10 days.

Took your advice and now going with a 30 gal ato tank and a 50 gal nsw tank. Thank you.

 

[dbl]

Hey @Wen, glad to see things coming together.

 

[Wen]

Hey @Wen, glad to see things coming together.

Thanks dbl, I appreciated your visit and suggestions. (Bigger ato reservoir and manifolds with gate valves for uv and chiller line.)
Anything new with your tank?

 

[dbl]

Mine continues to be neglected...lol. I'm trying to get re-motivated.

I can probably help with the plumbing if you still need help. Maybe my friend Ron @Ron Reefman can tag team and get the best plumbed for you.

 

[Wen]

Mine continues to be neglected...lol. I'm trying to get re-motivated.

I can probably help with the plumbing if you still need help. Maybe my friend Ron @Ron Reefman can tag team and get the best plumbed for you.

Nick from Gulf Coast Aquariums in Ft Myers dropped by yesterday to take a look. He services some impressive tanks and has plumbed 50-3000 gal tanks, so I’ll probably hire him.

Maybe you need some new fish or an aquascape change to motivate you.? I picked up some gorgonians fromGulfcoast Ecosystems just to give it a try, and they’re gorgeous!!!

 

[Ron Reefman]

Wen. that's a lot of very impressive equipment and build process going on. Did you put the sump together yourself? I do a fair amount of DIY and assembling my own tanks, but that sump looks incredible. If yo do end up needing help with the plumbing, I'm reasonably good at it (20 years doing home repairs and remodeling for other people), and now I'm retired so I can usually find some spare time.

 

[Wen]

Couple exciting updates in the equipment closet:

Added super bright LED light panel, hubby made me an under sink leak catch basin W/shower liner & 2x4s, replaced loud check valve w/ quiet one and RODI is about ready (leaking tds meter probe).

 

[Wen]

Received my diver direct shipment of 6 yellowhead jawfish juvies that just began ttm. Need to get these guys ready to go into 280gal first...so they can set up housing before the established fish go in.

KP Aquatics sent me some awesome looking Fresh from Florida pearlies!

 

[Wen]

280 delivery planed for early June so it’s time to get some plumbing parts. I could use some opinions on my plans. Please chime in where you see mistakes or areas of improvement.
Return plumbing starts with 2 cor20s located in sump under tank.

(BRS chat recommended I do this section using all slip.)
Does this look ok?

 

[Wen]

There will be 3 1.5” drain lines into sump. (One is emergency drain.)
Question: should I add a gate valve to 1, 2 or none of the drains? I know Red Sea uses them to quiet any gurgling. My current 150 does not have a gate valve on 2 drain lines and it doesn’t gurgle.

 

[Wen]

Moving along the plumbing project, we come to attaching the uv (pentair 40watt) and chiller (jbj dba-150), these located in closet behind tank to another cor20 located in sump.

This will be more challenging

there are a lot of options and variables here.

How do I use a manifold system in a tight space with short lengths where flow sensors, gate valves, unions and turns are involved?

I would like this pump to supply uv, chiller and Future calcium reactor all in room behind tank.