Joining the 75g crew.

[Daemonfly]

All thread pics will be clickable for larger versions.

 

Got a like-new 75g, 10g, and a table the guy was using for a stand, all for $112. Will be picking it up on Tues outside of Cleveland. Got a lot of organizing to do and tearing down of other tanks (29g fw algae farm for example) so this will be a slower build. Focusing on softies/LPS with some SPS (to start, lol).

 

Here's the plans so far:

 

- Fully DIY oak-sheathed stand & canopy

- DIY pvc recirc. skimmer

- 2x MH or 4x T5HO or so retrofits (strongly considering the T5 due to slightly less heat output)

- Closed loop with manifold return

- wide internal overflow (possibly tank-length)

- fuge/sump - have a 29g may use that, not sure yet.

- rock-lifts to keep bulk of rock slightly above sand for better circ. http://thereeftank.com/forums/showthread.php?t=85616

- considering DSB due to large ammount of overall tank flow combined with rock-lifts should help keep detrius from settling.

- probably DIY a calcium reactor since I already have all of the CO2 equip

- DIY ATO

 

I'm also going to either need to get an RO/DI setup, or beef up my current DIY DI system.

[Monkeyrobb]

The lift idea is cool. Make sure to take plenty of pics.

[Withers]

Welcome to the club! This looks like it'll be a great build.

[Daemonfly]

Picked up the tank today, not as "like-new" as I thought "like-new" would be , but still a great tank & worth the money, especially because I got a bonus... Plastic trim was scratched a bit here & there, and the center brace looked like it was braced up a bit due to light heat warpage. All this would be hidden by the stand/canopy anyway. Glass & silicone all look great.

 

 

Guy was like "Hrm, I think I have something else you might be interested in" and took me out to his garage. There sat a supposedly un-used 3' or 4' tall Kati-ani unit (2 separate clear cylinders). I offered an extra $100. Even if it is used, the resins are each in a separate cylinder and are easily recharged. I'm going to add sediment & carbon block filters to this for a complete system. Guess I won't have to upgrade my old DIY DI unit

 

So, got a 75g tank, dirty 10g tank, some cheap light fixtures, plastic plants, table tank was sitting on, and the kati-ani system, all for $220.

 

I'll post up some pics once I get it all cleaned up.

[Daemonfly]

Initial pics. Still gotta give the tanks a good scrubbing, but got all the water-level sharpie markings off the front glass.

 

 

Pic of the Kati+Ani setup, as well as a 4" pvc skimmer I started a little while ago. This will have a sediment filter and carbon block filter added in before the kati+ani once I get to it.

 

 

Table will be replaced with an actual stand, of course.

[Maeda]

How is the kati+ani setup working for you?

 

I was wondering what your before and after TDSes are...

[Daemonfly]

I blew up the Kati-Ani, so I'm currently repairing it (damn backorders on glue...). Don't build something in a rush, especially when thinking (Meh, I'll remember to keep that valve open...).

 

But as for Kati-ani as a system, I had a DIY smaller version for my nanos and always had very low, if not 0 TDS output, and no waste water to worry about.

 

 

As for the tank, I should get started on the stand soon, and have to get some diamond bits to drill some holes.

[Maeda]

what was your tds out of the tap?

 

mine is anywhere from 300-400. I dont think a kati-ani will cut it for me.

[Daemonfly]

Never tested it the tap, but I can.

 

I do know that it will cause algae issues if I use it

 

 

There's more info over on Anthony Calfo's section at Marine Depot. He, as well as a few others there, are big proponents of kati-ani setups.

 

The main argument is having to recharge the resins, which requires running an acidic mix through one, and basic mix through the other.

 

 

Edit - Tap water is 190 TDS. I knew it wasn't bad, but it's a bit high in phosphates, etc...

 

 

Got my Ani tower almost completely repaired, and calculated that I lost about 2 quarts of resin This is the more expensive of the two to replace too - $46 for 2 quarts. On order now.

[Daemonfly]

Kati-Ani system fully repaired & set back up, for anyone who wants to see it.

 

 

Blue resin is how much I had to replace. No valves anywhere this time, all the connections to the K/A towers are just hoses pushed-on. It goes Sediment>carbon>carbon>kati>ani

 

 

As for the tank itself, been a bit busy, but still working up exact plans for stand(considering steel stand as my buddy has a welder) as well as overflow design. Gonna try to get some work done on it soon.

[offsprg01]

dfinatly go with a steel stand. i used 1" square tubing to build a stand for an 80 gallon used as a fresh water display in the archery shop where i work from time to time. i just built a big box with no inner support accept for cross bracing for the decking. steel is so much stronger than wood. there's no need over build the stand and loose under tank space that could be better used for fuge/sump prop tank ect ect.

[Daemonfly]

Was ready to order some custom glass for an internal overflow when I found an interesting design over at RC. Nothing but PVC pipe for a wide internal overflow.

 

 

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.p...80#post10292180

[wav3form]

I'm not sure I like it... all you see is overflow. Seems overpowering.

[Daemonfly]

I'm liking it better than the glass box overflows in the same thread. Most of those are just ugly and corrupt the visual aspect of the tank.

 

I was gonna do a thin & wide internal overflow box feeding into an external box holding the dursos, etc... Black glass (or painted black) with black silicone so you don't see it.