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GodfatherNikki's 29g Tax Return


godfathernikki

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godfathernikki

Current FTS:
Jan 1 2013
fts_201301.jpg

Hardware:

  • DIY LED lighting fixture
  • Tunze Nano DOC Protein Skimmer 9002
  • Tunze Silence T1073.040 return pump
  • MP10es
  • 10 gallon custom sump/fuge
  • Aqualifter and DIY switches for ATO
  • Reef Angel controller
  • 80mm pc fan for cooling
  • Co2 scrubber

Corals:

  • Alien Green Confusa
  • Ultra Purple Ricordia
  • Fiery Orange Digitata
  • Orenji Juici montipora
  • X-Factor foliosa
  • Purple Polyp Capricornis
  • Neon Green Slimer
  • Tropical Rainbow Montipora
  • Tubb's Birdsnest
  • Milka Stylophora
  • Tyree Pink Lemonade
  • Ultra Toxic montipora deliculata
  • True Purple Capricornis
  • Meteor Shower Cyphastrea
  • Tyree Sunset Montipora
  • Emerald Pocillopora
  • Purple Death Palythoa
  • ORA Red Planet


Livestock:

  • Purple Flamefish
  • Yellow Clown Goby
  • Blue Green Chromis
  • Emerald Crab
  • 10x Nerites
  • 10x Ceriths
  • 1x Turbos

History:
Apr 18 2012
build_1.jpg
May 22 2012
build_32.jpg
May 29 2012
build_39.jpg
June 11 2012
fts_201206.jpg
July 3 2012
fts_201207.jpg
Aug 15 2012
fts_201208.jpg

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Ahhh thank you uncle Sam for holding my money for a year so i can buy a new aquarium!! Yess!!

 

If I were to start a tank with my tax return it'll be an empty spot since I rather pay than let them hold my money.

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thegambler26
If I were to start a tank with my tax return it'll be an empty spot since I rather pay than let them hold my money.

I know technically it's like giving the government an interest free loan but if I were to have the extra money on my paycheck it'd probably end up going to stupid stuff like food or heating my house! Lol

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godfathernikki

And so it begins...

build_1.jpg

 

First things first, water test! Can't have a leaky tank now can we?

Both tanks filled with tap:

build_2.jpg

 

I let both of them sit for several hours and everything looked good :) Next up was to head to the lfs and get a hand drilling out the bottom. I went through a lot of deliberation before I finally decided what I wanted to do (more on that here). What really sold me was seeing and hearing the different drains in person. I ended up deciding to go with a durso and an emergency backup standpipe, centered in the bottom back of the tank.

Results:

build_3.jpg

 

Overall they looked good, not exactly even but close enough to work behind an overflow chamber :) The best part? They gave me a dull bit to work with- those two masterpeices took about 30 min a pop :o But hey, 5 bucks is hard to beat, especially when you have someone with experience helping you out.

 

After the lfs and a trip to home depot, the bulkheads:

build_4.jpg

 

And a test fit:

build_5.jpg

 

More to come!

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godfathernikki
Nice start. Had you looked into a Herbie overflow? they are dead silent from what i have seen..

 

Yes, actually my first idea was a beananimal design that incorporates a full siphon, but decided against it to cut back on the amount space taken up by plumbing. What I have now would be really easy to turn into a herbie if the durso is still too loud for me, just take it off the stand pipe, or replace the cap on the durso with one without a hole.

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acropora1981
What I have now would be really easy to turn into a herbie if the durso is still too loud for me, just take it off the stand pipe, or replace the cap on the durso with one without a hole.

 

Not unless you have a really really big sump... Your design (without an overflow box) would not be a good candidate for a herbie conversion. The siphon tube has to be low enough not to suck in air, and that would necessitate a very large sump in order to accomodate the top 1/4 to 1/3 of the tank in case the power went out.

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godfathernikki
Not unless you have a really really big sump... Your design (without an overflow box) would not be a good candidate for a herbie conversion. The siphon tube has to be low enough not to suck in air, and that would necessitate a very large sump in order to accomodate the top 1/4 to 1/3 of the tank in case the power went out.

 

You are correct, which is why I have been planning a box from beginning. There is a link to a topic I made about it a few posts back. The box is a figment of my imagination atm, but I finally found someone who's going to make it for me.

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godfathernikki

Ok, so I tested out the drains yesterday, aaaaaaaand I was less than impressed. The actual drains in the display tank were quiet- sometimes. If I did not restric the airflow,(like in the picture below) the tank would be quiet, but the sump would sound and look like a jacuzzi, which is obviously not what I want.

Quiet drian:

build_7.jpg

 

Loud sump:

build_8.jpg

You can see all the bubbles and splashing ^^

 

So I put an air valve on the durso for some better control, but I could never seem to find that magic spot that would make the water level 1/2 way up the durso. It would either climb to the top of the t and sound like a jacuzzi, or be quite for a while, then start a siphon and sound like a flushing toilet- also not good. I worked on this for hours adjusting and waiting and could never seem to get it right.

 

So I pulled the emergency drain leaving just the bulkhead to act as a siphon, and adjusted the drains to work like a herbie. The result was the silence I was looking for. So it looks like im going back to the lfs to pop another hole in this tank. Shoulda never let them talk me out of my original idea lol.

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godfathernikki

Mockup for the overflow:

build_9.jpg

The other side:

build_10.jpg

The new hole to turn this into a herbie is going to go right in the middle of the back of the tank, possibly a couple inches higher. It will be a full siphon so no elbows or piping necessary.

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godfathernikki
Cardboard....really.....maybe this will work better.....

 

 

Overflow_Box.jpg

 

It's on it's way to you today.

 

But it's corrugated.... :P

You're awesome yankeepete! Looks great and exactly what I wanted, I can't wait to see it in the tank!

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godfathernikki

Ugh well I'm tankless now :( Drilling the 3rd hole cracked the tank. I think it was a combination of a wobbly bit and my adding extra pressure to keep the bit from hoping around from the wobble. In hindsight I should have just stopped when I noticed the problem, but a little extra pressure seemed to smooth things out so I didn't think it would be a problem.

I'm going to pick up a new tank this weekend, and I ordered my own bit from ebay so I don't have the risk from the shoddy gear at the lfs.

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godfathernikki

New tank! Except this one is by marineland, the last one was aqueon. The new one also has black silicone, I know some people really like this, I personally could go either way. My drill bit also arrived earlier than expected, so I went ahead and got started.

I did things a little differently this time, mainly because I made one of these from some scrap acrylic:

build_11.jpg

I have to say that using a template made the holes much easier to get started, I would definitely recommed it if you have some scrap material laying around. Things went very smooth this time, thanks to the template and a decent set of tools.

New tank with new holes:

build_12.jpg

Next up is plumbing and painting the back.

I'm still waiting on the overflow from yankeepete, but I haven't found a good way of making a strong solid connection between abs and glass yet, so if anyone knows a good method I'd love to hear it.

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New tank! Except this one is by marineland, the last one was aqueon. The new one also has black silicone, I know some people really like this, I personally could go either way. My drill bit also arrived earlier than expected, so I went ahead and got started.

I did things a little differently this time, mainly because I made one of these from some scrap acrylic:

build_11.jpg

I have to say that using a template made the holes much easier to get started, I would definitely recommed it if you have some scrap material laying around. Things went very smooth this time, thanks to the template and a decent set of tools.

New tank with new holes:

build_12.jpg

Next up is plumbing and painting the back.

I'm still waiting on the overflow from yankeepete, but I haven't found a good way of making a strong solid connection between abs and glass yet, so if anyone knows a good method I'd love to hear it.

 

No reason not to use silicone.

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godfathernikki
No reason not to use silicone.

I heard that the normal ge silicone 1 people use doesn't stick too well to plastics, or permanently. I actually found several people who recommended something called Dow cornering 795 to connect plastics to glass. Supposedly one of the best for getting a good bond between plastic and glass. I've got it ordered already so we'll see if it lives up to its reputation.

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Are you referring to the bulkheads and the glass? I'm assuming now and your talking about the overflow to glass, in that case it would be acrylic on glass.

 

My recommendation is to pick up some aquarium grade black silicone (one time thing and you can use it on your sump) to assemble it. The pressure of the water vs the overflow shouldn't be a problem with it moving around once it's dried. I would think the acrylic overflow is already cemented together and your getting how it looks in the photos from the builder.

 

Looks to be great build in the process.

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godfathernikki
Are you referring to the bulkheads and the glass? I'm assuming now and your talking about the overflow to glass, in that case it would be acrylic on glass.

I am referring to the connection between the overflow box and the glass. The box is also abs btw, not acrylic.

 

My recommendation is to pick up some aquarium grade black silicone (one time thing and you can use it on your sump) to assemble it. The pressure of the water vs the overflow shouldn't be a problem with it moving around once it's dried. I would think the acrylic overflow is already cemented together and your getting how it looks in the photos from the builder.

 

Looks to be great build in the process.

The corners of the box are 90degree bends, all from one piece of abs. When it gets here all I need to do is attach it to the tank- no assembly of the box required.

Thanks for the suggestion, but since I already have the 795 paid for and on the way, I'm going to give it a shot first.

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godfathernikki
The Overflow shows it's out for delivery as of this morning!!!

And I just got word that it arrived :) Can't wait to get home and see it!

Wanna hear something crazy? That dow 795 I ordered LAST NIGHT at 7pm from amazon... is here already. And according to my better half, delivered by someone without a uniform driving a 1997 Honda Accord. Man I love the internet.

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godfathernikki

Awesome work. The overflow turned out to be exactly what I asked for. Very professional looking, too. Clean, square cuts, all measurements are accurate, and there isn't a single burr on the thing. The plastic is also very robust, a lot heavier than I had expected. I like the look of the rounded corners as well. I would highly recommend yankeepete :)

I didnt have time to post pics, but they will be on the way.

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YankeePete
Awesome work. The overflow turned out to be exactly what I asked for. Very professional looking, too. Clean, square cuts, all measurements are accurate, and there isn't a single burr on the thing. The plastic is also very robust, a lot heavier than I had expected. I like the look of the rounded corners as well. I would highly recommend yankeepete :)

I didnt have time to post pics, but they will be on the way.

 

I am glad it is what you were looking for to complete your tank. Yes 1/4" material makes for some pretty stout parts! That is one of the advantages of the process I use to machine my components, being able to make 3 sides all one piece adds a lot to the strength and looks of the product.

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