WVNeds's Tanks

Lights have shipped from Hong Kong
I should be able to finish the stand by tomorrow
Harbor freight has a lift table for $250 dollars. No one rents them here. I could then set a 350 gallon tank by myself.
And the 75, 40 and 29. This would be a nice capability to have. Just like no more carrying buckets of water.
It lifts to 27.5 inches. Easy to shim it up to 30 under the tanks.
Now for the changes to the fish room. Lots of options. Easy versus fixing everything bugging me to something in between. An example would be mounting the dosers lower to the ground making filling the bottles easier.

I need to clean the room up good first, move stuff to the garage for now and measure what fits best where.
I could make the sump so I could almost walk all the way around it.
That lift table is handy for more than just a fish tank lol. I have used mine for tanks and tons of other things. Mostly not car related, like it was intended when I purchased it lol.
 
The Stand got painted again yesterday. I am no fancy carpenter but It will hold the tank. We are cheap retired people now.
Jeanna will be here on break next week. Extra muscles. Small ones.
I have never used a dual overflow doodad like is on this new tank. Looking at the parts it's just 2 open standpipes.
I think I am going to plumb them both to one 2" pipe back to the fish room.
Now to go see what that return pump in the box on the shelf is.
I cant remember much these days.
 
The Stand got painted again yesterday. I am no fancy carpenter but It will hold the tank. We are cheap retired people now.
Jeanna will be here on break next week. Extra muscles. Small ones.
I have never used a dual overflow doodad like is on this new tank. Looking at the parts it's just 2 open standpipes.
I think I am going to plumb them both to one 2" pipe back to the fish room.
Now to go see what that return pump in the box on the shelf is.
I cant remember much these days.
is it the 2 factory durso stand pipes and then 2 returns? 1 set on each side?

If so, they are actually pretty quiet when tuned correctly or you can change it over to 2 main drains at full siphon and then the others are used as emergencies. I have mine like this with the returns coming over the back.
 
is it the 2 factory durso stand pipes and then 2 returns? 1 set on each side?

If so, they are actually pretty quiet when tuned correctly or you can change it over to 2 main drains at full siphon and then the others are used as emergencies. I have mine like this with the returns coming over the back.
Yes, the standard setup I think. The pump I have here is a Simplicity 1600 gph. I think the same pump runs the 75 now.
2 large drains should be plenty for this tank.
 
Yes, the standard setup I think. The pump I have here is a Simplicity 1600 gph. I think the same pump runs the 75 now.
2 large drains should be plenty for this tank.
Ohh yeah., It will run fine on the stock pipes.

Trick to tuning them is really easy. Having an adjustable pump helps a ton as well. In either case, the little standoofs/air holes in the top of the pipes can be enlarged if needed or drilled out and then a small air valve put in them. I like the iar valve option, as you can fine tune the air that goes in and make it silent.
 
Ohh yeah., It will run fine on the stock pipes.

Trick to tuning them is really easy. Having an adjustable pump helps a ton as well. In either case, the little standoofs/air holes in the top of the pipes can be enlarged if needed or drilled out and then a small air valve put in them. I like the iar valve option, as you can fine tune the air that goes in and make it silent.
Between my tinnitus, dogs barking and farting and snoring and the metal halide light fans on the other tank moderately quiet will probably be fine.
 
Between my tinnitus, dogs barking and farting and snoring and the metal halide light fans on the other tank moderately quiet will probably be fine.
MH fans alone and the overflow is silent lol. I say try pump at 100%, make sure no "flushing" and let it ride. If flushing, turn pump down a little and then wait 20 minutes to make sure no "flushing at that speed". Only reason I converted mine was I wanted more turnover in sump and more flow from returns.
 
MH fans alone and the overflow is silent lol. I say try pump at 100%, make sure no "flushing" and let it ride. If flushing, turn pump down a little and then wait 20 minutes to make sure no "flushing at that speed". Only reason I converted mine was I wanted more turnover in sump and more flow from returns.
I always wanted a tank with no equipment in it. I know now how much trial and error that would take on my part for a large tank. So I gave up on that.
If these drains can hit the 700 gph it says on the label it will be fine by me. I am pretty sure that is what the 1600gph pump will push through the 2 small returns at about 80%.
 
I always wanted a tank with no equipment in it. I know now how much trial and error that would take on my part for a large tank. So I gave up on that.
If these drains can hit the 700 gph it says on the label it will be fine by me. I am pretty sure that is what the 1600gph pump will push through the 2 small returns at about 80%.
They hit it fine. Per my apex flow sensors, they held 900 with some noise issues. It is when I got to 1000 plus that I had issues with them not draining enough.
 
We are moving stuff out the fish room. I spent the morning arranging the sump in my head and finally convinced myself it wouldn't work. To much drain down in the sump system itself would negate the point of making it bigger.
So I found an online drawing tool and made different sketches. The 2 stock tanks would work with one 4 inches higher.

So what if???
Lets change some assumptions
What if the small tank sits on 2x4s that span the 150g stock tank. 4 of them perhaps but on their sides. 4 inch concrete blocks under the 100g. 14 of them. That gives me enough room to drain the 40 into the 100 over the top. Need 2 more 2 inch bulkheads for this version.
Ordered.
sump2-L.png

In an emergency both the 150 and 100 would hold drain back. About 110 gallons.
Need to measure sensor and pump cabling and see if it will reach. Maybe a new L shaped manifold with the pump in the 150 that spans the top of the 100.
Changing this over is going to be, well a lot of work that needs done fast. Has to be precise, one hole drilled of and I am screwed.

To get the 75 out of the way I need, 25 feet of spaflex or make a temp sump out of the 40 breeder sitting on the floor.
I have a reef octo skimmer here I used on the 75, a second Inkbird and some spare heaters.
Cut the returns and drains and move the tank. Replumb it to the 40B.

Need some 2x4s, a 2 x 4 foot piece of plywood, 14 concrete blocks
Okay
Stuff to make.
 
One advantage of the Hydros controller. It lets me detect when I have been stupid.
oops-M.jpg

I dose TM A+ and K-. One got empty so I replaced it and then put the doser in manual mode to refill the line. I left it that way, I noticed my pH is going down way faster than normal in the evening. Found the problem and restarted doser.

I use a cheap sediment filter ahead of my nitrate reactors. I changed it. You unplug the recirculation pump until the air is purged. I forgot to plug one in. I saw it and plugged it in the next day. It dumped fowl sulfur smelling stuff into the sump and stunk up the fish room. ORP goes from 350 to 49 on my ozone ORP controller. I moved the large Tunze powerhead in the sump upwards so it sucked a vortex and started blowing large amounts of air into the sump.

By the skin of my teeth.
I need a keeper myself it seems.

It's rather amazing that I can do things with no memory of them at all. Magic has returned to my life. Impossible things happen. One of the joys of Parkinson's disease or brain damage or whatever you want to call it.

I let the cats out on the deck this morning. Then I made coffee and went and did some stuff. I go to check on the cat's.
One is gone. It's Jeanna's cat Olive, OH CRAP. She has jumped down off the deck before. But I know, so I go look. She is sitting on the stairs by the front door. I let her in and don't remember doing it.

Time to go take 2 more of the 20 pills a day I swallow. 14 of them make my brain work somewhat. If I go off to PT or something and find myself 2 states away from home I hope one of you will put me up for the night and let me take a bath.
 
Last edited:
One advantage of the Hydros controller. It lets me detect when I have been stupid.
oops-M.jpg

I dose TM A+ and K-. One got empty so I replaced it and then put the doser in manual mode to refill the line. I left it that way, I noticed my pH is doing down way faster than normal in the evening. Found the problem and restarted doser.

I use a cheap sediment filter ahead of my nitrate reactors. I changed it. You unplug the recirculation pump until the air is purged. I forgot to plug one in. I saw it and plugged it in the next day. It dumped fowl sulfur smelling stuff into the sump and stunk up the fish room. ORP goes from 350 to 49 on my ozone ORP controller. I moved the large Tunze powerhead in the sump upwards so it sucked a vortex and started blowing large amounts of air into the sump.

By the skin of my teeth.
I need a keeper myself it seems.

It's rather amazing that I can do things with no memory of them at all. Magic has returned to my life. Impossible things happen. One of the joys of Parkinson's disease or brain damage or whatever you want to call it.

I let the cats out on the deck this morning. Then I made coffee and went and did some stuff. I go to check on the cat's.
One is gone. It's Jeanna's cat Olive, OH CRAP. She has jumped down off the deck before. But I know, so I go look. She is sitting on the stairs by the front door. I let her in and don't remember doing it.

Time to go take 2 more of the 20 pills a day I swallow. 14 of them make my brain work somewhat. If I go off to PT or something and find myself 2 states away from home I hope one of you will put me up for the night and let me take a bath.
and then send you home with a box of coral... ;) :)
 
Project modify lift table complete.
i-fZWbGzV-M.jpg

Made a 2 foot by 4 foot addition out of 2x4 and 2x6 lumber. Then I drilled holes and screwed it to the lift table top.
Mounted the handle horizontally. It has the control to lower the table top. All mods can be undone.
i-JCTBhVZ-M.jpg


The tank will be lifted by floor jack and cribbed with lumber until the table will go under it. It is sitting on furniture dollies now. Then we turn the tank to line up with the table and take it inside. The table will lift the tank even with the stand and we will move it across. On the vinyl tile I could move the empty 240 on the stand by myself so once in here I wont need a lot of help.

Coming soon.

Next is get some 1 inch PVC pipe and fittings and get ready to move and make the 75 run out of a 40 breeder sump
while the 180 is set up. Grant moved the 75 after it was mostly drained once. I will have to think up a more mechanical way to do it. I only make about 25% of the horsepower he does.
 
Rest , and Go Ned Go... ;)
 
Phase 4 - The 180
Phase 1 The lone 75 gallon tank when we move in this house.
Phase 2 Building the 240 and a common sump system.
Phase 3 converting the 75 to a predator tank.
Phase 4 adding a Marineland 180, making the sump system twice as big and moving the 75 to the fish room.

The new build begins

The tank is on the stand and fits perfectly.

My mechanical/hydraulic assistant worked well. See the previous page about the stand construction and making the Harbor Freight lift table hold a 6 foot long 2 foot wide fish tank.

I set the 180 on the stand by myself. The 2 hardest parts done.
i-Pr9KRd7-M.jpg

I have to do the sump upgrade before I plumb the new tank.
That's going to be long day but I have a plan.
 
Last edited:
No shimming needed. Proceed to installing overflows.
i-RXqFCkH-S.jpg
i-rtpZgGj-S.jpg

The overflows seem to be well made with siphon break holes and venting already made into them. I am going to try using them as supplied. The bulkhead nuts fit without interference from the stand.
Both the drains and returns are 1 inch.
The drains will exit the stand and travel horizontally about 12 feet.
The head on this tank will be about 14 inches.

I need lumber to build the platform the 40 gallon stock tank will sit on and we got 5 inches of snow last night.
 
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