Thanks guys, I'm got the first coat of primer on the stand doors, RO/DI mounted, all 12 bulkheads installed and closed loop pump (Dart) mounted in the stand. Just have to get the plumbing pieces tomorrow and I'll get to work on plumbing the CL and then I can put some water in it to test the CL flow... It's pretty cold here today so I didn't get to work on the sump at all, hope to get the pieces cut tomorrow for it.

Looks awesome!!!

By the way, I live in Michigan...it's usually cold here this time of year, no excuse though.

(I'm waaaaaay to anxious to see this done)

Good lord, you weren't kidding!

Nope, no kidding.

Well I'm 99% done with the closed loop, just have to get some 1" tubing to connect it all...

I thought I cut these holes large enough to tighten the bulkheads but my channel locks aren't long enough to reach up to tighten them. I ended up lifting the entire tank 1" to slide some locks under the tank to tighten the bulkhead nut... Oh well.

Tomorrow is supposed to be nice and I hope to get some outdoor time to finish working on my cabinet doors, and sump work. The catch is we have our 18wk ultrasound appointment in the morning (hopefully we'll know the sex of our next child tomorrow) and I'm sure we'll end up on the phone with family for a lot of the day.

Updated pics tomorrow... sorry.

Well here's my update:

It's a boy! Wow, that makes 3... We were hoping for a girl, so I guess this leaves us with a house of manhood and chaos.

Here's the progress I've made on the tank... Sump pieces are all cut, 1 sump is assembled (just have to attach the bottom) and the second one is almost completely assembled, should have it done tonight. 3 of the 6 doors have been painted and just need a final sanding, the other 3 have been primed and should be painted tomorrow.

Here's some sump shots:









The T's will have a strainer on each end (5 T's 10 strainers) and 4 returns which will be split into 2 loclines (8 heads total).



Here's the Dart plumbed up:



and the feed pipes, the bottom one is the drain line (2") w/ 5 1" bushings and nips, the upper one is the return line (1.5") w/ 4 1" bushins and nips.



Here' my dilemma today, I think I'm going to have to buy lots more tubing and connect them to nips further away to keep the kinks out of the hose.



And for a test fit, here the skimmer in the first sump under the tank, zone 1 will be for skimming, zone 2 will be for acclimating new fish or to seperate existing fish... This will connect to Sump 2 with a 2" pipe with strainer to keep fish from swimming through to zone 3 which will be fuge, and finally zone 4 which will be for return and ATO float valve.

wow..........awesome.

Congrats!!!




What if you didnt use braided hose? Non-braided is much more flexible!

I used the braided, hoping it would help keep it from kinking... I've used the standard vinyl tubing and I find it kinks even worse. I think I either need a softer material (like a silicone based tube), or I have to use more of it to keep it straight... I just can't find a softer material in 1" ID.

what about spa flex.....more rigid? i think softer will kink more.

Been looking into it, but it doesn't bend as tight... I think I'm just going to have to buy lots of tubing and run the connections to nips further away to keep the bends to a minimum. Kind of sucks at almost $2/ft.

This is really inspiring

Looks GREAT! I love the build part of an aquarium. I guess thats why I'm an engineer...

Keep up the good work, as always!

Thanks guys! I picked up 25' of clear vinyl tubing today along with tons of clamps... We'll see how far that lasts.

Boths sumps are basically done, just some polishing to finish, I also built a new Ca Reactor for the 225 at my folks... I don't think it's as pretty as the last version, but I think this one will be easier to use.







Aluminum screws to prevent any corrosion but allow for maximum torquing.

wow, everything looks great cal. this tank is truly an inspiration. i really like the idea of a pygmy angel trio or a school of gobies. can't wait to see the progress.

congrats on the next little calvin.

The first picture of that reactor made me think the countertop was actually the floor. I thought it was an enormous reactor as high as the microwave!

LOL me too!! I was like wtf?!?

Thanks Travis!




LOL! I got the same reaction on that other site. That was totally an accident! I didn't even try to get the counter to line up with the floor!



LOL! A reactor that large would be cool, but man if it was that large, I'd only need like a drip a minute to keep up with the demands of any tank!

Damn good job Calvin !

I am so excited to see how this one turns out. Such a cool idea!!!

Come on now.......you did that on purpose......admit it.
Awesome Mega Reactor!

Well, the maxijet would have to be the size of a child's head...

SWEET!

any updates?

+1 updates. My favorite build, keep it up!

Forgive me for not seeing this sooner!!!1

MORE PICHERS!!

hey i have been watching this for months and wanted to ask when ru gonna add rock it all that crap looks great wish i could afford that I'm only in highschool but I'm Building a 20 gallon you can follow along it will be a couple months tho.... http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?...p;hl=caddyshack

Suggestions Welcome

P.S. its not as cool as calvins tho

bump!

MOAR!!

+1

Thanks!



Coming right up...



Thanks! Updates at the end of this post...




Forgiven. LOL!



PICHERS? What's a picher?



Funny you should ask about rock...



Hear ya... Here it comes.



Hear ya... Here it comes.

Sorry for the delay, I've been so busy with numerous projects, but I did get some progress done.

First, I was able to pick up 150lbs of bone dry, lights as a feather rock (probably equals about 200-250lbs wet LR)... I hope it's enough.





Tough to get a perspective of how much rock this actually is, but that's the front of a 9HP snow blower and that's a 32 gallon trash can!



Here's what the CL plumbing now looks like






I also picked up some more 15g barrels for water changes... I planned on using 55g drums, but didn't have enough for 2 under my stairs (well not room for 2 and room for me) so I'm using 1 55g drum for fresh RO/DI, and then I'll have a pair of 15g's for mixing my SW for water changes. I figure 30g weekly water changes on a 130g tank (minus LR and sand) and about 30g in the sump will be plenty (over 20%).



I've located the last pieces for my lights, and I've decided to go open top... So I will be building a pendant/light box (what ever you want to call it) that will be suspended over the tank and will house 3 IC 660's and 12 54w bulbs. Since I blew the budget getting the rock now, I'm trying to find funds for woods to build the pendant. I'm so close, but so far away and it's driving me nuts!!!

Thanks for reading and your patience as I struggle to finish...

where did you get those 15 gal jugs?

+1

I need some of those boys too!!!

I get them through a group buy at my Church, but they are available online.

FROM ?

Check at boat shops... Also GO CAL GO!!!

-pinner

This tank is what everyone has said,, nuff said..

jesus's wine

Holy crap... You guys have the internet, learn to use it...

Google 15 gallon barrel

Here's 3 sources from just the first page...

http://www.bayteccontainers.com/index.html
http://www.cherubimfood.com/en/15-gallon-water-barrel.html
http://www.arizonabarrels.com/15_gallon_cl...rels_drums.html

I love what you have done so far! I almost feel like this is my tank & can't wait for it to get finished! This will be so awesome when it is finished!

awesome

so do you have all the equipment setup? and your just waiting on building the light pendent?

Where can I get this... internet..?

Thanks!



I still have to plumb the sumps and return pump/return line, along with my mixing barrels for WC's... I remembered yesterday that I forgot to polish the edges of the tank, so I still need to do that. I have the pendant to build (I have my lights, just need a place to put them), and rock structure to form. I still have sand to buy, along with power management. I will build my own Ca Reactor, but I need to get a bottle, regulator, solenoid, and pH controller which can be added later... I think that's it.



It's a secret, but I can get you in touch with a guy named Gore who can tell you more... LOL!

i see water!

LOL!!!! Thanks!



I don't see it yet, but I dream about it.

Cal,

Every time I get an alert that someone posted something on this thread I come running hoping to see new pics of your set-up......

....so please just do all of us a favor and take some pics, of you tank, stand, ceiling, whatever, and put them up already!!!!!



Thanks!

-J

p.s. but seriously, take a week off from work, fill the thing with LS, LR, and water, force it to cycle overnight, stock it with schools of fish, and pounds of rare and exotic coral, and then pots the pics for all of us to drool over.

Maybe it is time we took up a collection to help him get this finished!

I'll chip in a piece of rubble....