WVNeds's Tanks

Love that! Six month into my live rock, I would still find new critters popping up. Best part of reefing.

 
Asterina starfish appeared last night. 3 on the glass.
The 75 has been up quite a while now.
I haven't added anything to the tank in months.
It always amazes me when something new seems to appear out of nowhere.
Yep. Those stars are sneaky. :-)
 
and it is set
next I will paint the back and then start the plumbing.
IMG_1064-XL.jpg
 
I am going to remove the drywall and put up T-11 siding on the wall and add 2 new electrical circuits in the fish room. The sump will be made out of a 100 gallon stock tank and a 40 gallon one sitting over it. I am going to put a stand pipe in the 40 to control the water height for the skimmer. That way I can adjust it. The return section will be 5 gallon buckets in the stock tank. I think I am going to set up my cube tank next to it as a refugium. It is already drilled and will just drain to the stock tank. I still have my viparspectra lights to put over it. I may build an algae scrubber too. Lots of ideas.
I have to move lots of junk I mean really good stuff we piled in there when we moved in.
Having the shingles was a really miserable experience. It was very painful and has set me back pretty good. It was kind of like a 24 hour a day ice cream headache with an occasional stab through the head with a screwdriver. I still have a dull headache but am somewhat functional again. Yay for antivirals.
 
Hey Ned I see you and the snails have gotten busy;) Whats the plan for the over flow?
 
IMG_1075-XL.jpg

There are lots of threads on filtration. This is a shot through 4 feet of water and you can clearly see the stuff on the wall beyond the tank. This is with nothing but a skimmer running on the tank.
The lights are off or the snails wouldn't be out. During the day you only see 2 or 3. I don't know where they all hide at but they do. I would guess there are about a 1000 or so and you can see multiple generations by the sizes of them. I have no idea what kind they are.
 
Hey Ned I see you and the snails have gotten busy;) Whats the plan for the over flow?

It's going to have 4 x 1 1/2 inch drains. I decided it would be stupid to not put them in now. I will control the water level in the box with PVC risers stuck in the bulkheads just like I do now with my HOB overflow. I think I am just going to use flex PVC. I think that will allow me to stress the box less. The drains will only be about 3 feet long and go the other side of the wall.
 
and it's not.
I have been going over in my head how to run a tank when you cant see the DT and the sump at the same time. No floods please.
I have decided to replicate the tank water level in the fish room using a 40 gallon stock tank. The skimmer is also going to sit in this tank with a 100 gallon stock tank under it to drain down into. It will be controlled with standpipes instead of valves. I will put a uniseal in the stock tank with a 2 inch emergency drain to set the maximum level as a last resort.
I now do stupid things at times when I am tired. Need to make this bulletproof.
IMG_1084-XL.jpg

No overflow box. I am going to connect the 2 x 1.5 inch drains straight from the tank through the wall and into the stock tank. I will just use the overflow parts inside the tank.
The biggest if is can make this quiet.
I think I can
I would post a thread but the last one got a single answer of "bump". I have never been afraid to do my own thing though.

Putting the new wiring in. 2 new circuits with 5 duplex outlets each.
IMG_1085-XL.jpg


The pump controllers and light ballasts and timers will be in the stand. There will be no wet elements in it. I am not a neat wiring guru like some people on here. 4 cords for outlet strips will leave the stand and go to outlets behind it and I will probably stick the pump controllers to the backs of the doors so I an see them. If I get the Maxspect
Syna-g and some wifi timers I can run it all from my chair.
 
I may be slow but I am persistent. Slinging sheets of plywood by myself isn't as easy as it used to be. I like the heavier T-11 siding because I can screw stuff to the wall where ever I want. The other 2 walls in this room are block.
I was placing the new wiring into the breaker panel and found some bare spots on the hot legs with the ground wires. Big flash in my face. I didn't even pee myself.
That is all done and buttoned up. There are 2 new 20 amp circuits each with 5 duplex receptacles. That gives me 4 outlets behind the tank and 8 in this room.
1 will have a light and heaters, 2 largish loads, the other will have a light and pumps. There is another circuit in the wall so If I want to plug in my shop vac it wont be on ones with tank stuff.
IMG_1088-XL.jpg

We had a humidity event in the basement where water condensed all over the AC ducting and vents and started to drip. It has happened before in this house because I replaced the water stained ceiling tiles after we moved in. I don't think it had anything to do with the tanks but I cut insulation sheets and covered them. They needed it anyway to keep dirt and dust out.
I think it was due to leaving the doors open so the dogs could wander in and out.
There is a mechanical room on the other side of the wall behind the water change station that is open to all the ceilings on the lower level. I installed a dehumidifier in there and the water dried up. It is reading 45% now so I think that problem is solved.

Where I moved my desk to gives me a view of my 75 through the end. Yesterday I caught myself thinking how nice a 4 foot by 8 foot by 30 inch tank would be. 600 gallons says the math. Then I smacked my face and said stop that.

After bottle feeding Millicat every 2 hours for a week Jeanna has decided it will be her cat named Kit. It's eyes have opened and it is doing well.
IMG_1080-X3.jpg

Did you know kittens cant retract their claws?
 
Last edited:
I am feeling better. It is coming along faster now.
IMG_1095-XL.jpg

Time to clean up and then do the plumbing. I don't have the outlet covers yet and I have to wire 2 more in the other room behind the tank..
I have to build a "stand" for the sump setup to sit there. The tank on the right is going to be next to it for a refugium.
I still have my Viparspectra lights to use on it. I think I will stick a Brut can in the corner for ATO water. I already have them with holes for a float valve.
I haven't decided if I am going to connect the 75 to this, take it down or use it as a QT. I want the sump out of the stand in any case. I haven't gone to far down that road in my head yet.

In other news
Society6 has cool stuff. I got some more mugs
IMG_1096-XL.jpg


and Kit cat
IMG_1099-X3.jpg
 
Last edited:

IF YOU HAD TO TAKE A REEFING EXAM, WOULD YOU PASS?

  • Yes!

    Votes: 32 45.7%
  • Not yet, but I have one that I want to buy in mind!

    Votes: 9 12.9%
  • No.

    Votes: 26 37.1%
  • Other (please explain).

    Votes: 3 4.3%
Back
Top