My new 180 SPS build, in the grand scheme of things, it is still a nano

[filefish949]

WOW great tank, and a really good write up of the process.

 

I like the idea of the rods to hold together the rock work

Reef Central Online Community > General Interest Forums > Reef Discussion > Show me your Pillar's

Sorry, RC blocks hot links so you will have to navigate your way there to read the thread

 

 

the stand is made of maple and maple ply, it is very strong, the only real deficiency in the structure is shear value but after adding some gussets and the face frame I think I am good to go

 

many comercialy avalable stands are made of 3/4" pine or even MDF

[brshriver]

Nice tank (love the 180s)

 

Nice stand.

 

Great woodworking.

 

Nice rock stacks!

 

Great job. Tagging along....

 

Did you ever try that KMart magnesium?

[filefish949]

Nice tank (love the 180s)

 

Did you ever try that KMart magnesium?

 

yea the 180 is a great size, it is basically 3 24" cubes stacked together even though 30" deep is way nicer, most halide fixtures are designed to cover a 24 X 24 area, so 30"ers can be a PITA to light

 

As for the MG, I was sufficiently scared away from it LOL

 

Here is a small upgrade I did to my skimmer, which i converted from a ER 6-2 to a ER 6-2+ by upgrading the pump to a SP2

 

it was very simple to do but the unexpected consequence was that I made more and darker skimmate in a day than the SP2 mad in a week, I had to empty the cup twice a day

 

I went down to HD and bought a 3/8" Push-Fit Fitting with a threaded end. Then I drilled the side of the collection cup with a unibit just until I could thread the connector in tightly. I covered the threads of the connector with 100% silicone and threaded it in. After that I just drilled a hole in the cap of a 2L soda bottle and ran a hose from the connector to the cap, then I used a zip tie to secure the hose from pulling out of the hole in the cap

 

 

here is the entire setup, i think I may switch to a 1 gallon milk bottel as the 2L does not last a week

 

 

the skimate is prety darnd dark

 

 

here is 2 days worth

 

 

I have been advised that when skimming that much, I need to add a gallon of salt water for every gallon of skimate I dump. I am keeping 3 X 2L bottels of saltwater under my stand and every time I empty the skimmate, I just dump a bottel of fresh salt water in so that my ATO system does not turn my tank brackish over time

[BKtomodachi]

As much as we bicker [or whatever you want to call it] in the lounge, I must say-

 

You have an excellent tank! Very well thought out, impeccably maintained, with very a very professional appearance. I like it!

[FateX9]

must say your setup is cooooooooo

reason why temp is lower in this tank is just massive volume

just an increase in volume will decrease temp if everything else was the same as before

[brshriver]

Can you still clean the skimmer collection cup itself with the drain mod? Ie, does the hose disconnect easily.

 

Looks great!

[abe]

that's a lot of skimmate. least you know the skimmer's working. nice tank.

[filefish949]

As much as we bicker [or whatever you want to call it] in the lounge, I must say-

 

You have an excellent tank! Very well thought out, impeccably maintained, with very a very professional appearance. I like it!

 

thank you, from you that is quite a complament, as far as i am conserend the lounge is like Las Vegas, what happens in the lounge...stays in the lounge LP asside, when I am in normal people NR, i do not even consider anything said in the lounge

 

 

Can you still clean the skimmer collection cup itself with the drain mod? Ie, does the hose disconnect easily.

 

Looks great!

 

yes, it is a standard push connector like you would find on an RO/DI unit, just I used a bigger one (3/8") so it would not get clogged

 

the skimmate has slowed considerably, to about 2L/week, which leads me to conclude that I was not running as nutrent-free of a tank as I had thought now that the water has been purified

[brshriver]

the skimmate has slowed considerably, to about 2L/week, which leads me to conclude that I was not running as nutrent-free of a tank as I had thought now that the water has been purified

Those connectors are awesome.

 

You might see if cleaning the skimmer throat as frequently as you did before you added the drain increases the production again.

[filefish949]

I cleaned the throat 2 days ago and it has slowed production considerably. The old pump SP2 had 2-3 broken needles. I think I am getting a much finer bubble now and my nutrient level has been lowered, once the skimmer got the tank down to where it likes it, I guess it just did not need to pull so much anymore

 

 

just for fun, I fitted the old SP2 pump to my ASM mini-G which I modified to recirculation and is running in the sump of my 7.5 gallon nano, now that is some serious over skimming LOL

[lakshwadeep]

Your woodworking skills really show in that stand and canopy! Very nice tank; I'm looking forward to seeing giant acropora thickets...

[filefish949]

Well, my biggest 2 acros right now are A. tortusa, a Cali tort about 5" and an Oregon tort, about 3"

 

my return pump is dying, it is a very old Rio 2100 it started making noise about 2 months ago so I replaced the impeller. unfortunately the noise is coming back so I just ordered an ocean runner 2500

 

also, I have been having flow problems. while I was looking for solutions I found that my Tunze 6100s (3,170GPH) are actually 6000s (1,800GPH). with the 6045s I figured I had 12K GPH, turns out it is more like 9K GPH. I am now weighing options, upgrade one or both to 6100 which is $80.00 or buy a 6201 (5,283GPH) either way I think would work. the one thing for sure is that 9K GPH does not get it in a 180 SPS

[filefish949]

I just picked up a 60" PFO VHO setup form Gcarrol (reefing in so cal is great) I am converting from T-5 dusk/dawn + 20k heliose to 10k Aqualine Busch + supplemental this weekend, i also need to reconfigure my lighting rig, as it is still setup for a 60" tank, and the new tank is 72" my camera has been fading fast, but if it cooperates, I will post photos on Monday

[Daemonfly]

Here's a project to add:

 

DIY acrylic skimmate reservoir with carbon filter on the air vent.

 

 

Something about the steel cable around the tank itself doesn't sit well with me (looks like it's resting agasint the glass itself). I keep foreseeing the cable causing chips in the edge of the glass. I probably would have considered beefing up the top of the stand and then anchoring that to the wall. Most likely won't be an issue, unless someone gives the tank a hefty bumping, or mild quake.

[Roc!]

Well, my biggest 2 acros right now are A. tortusa, a Cali tort about 5" and an Oregon tort, about 3"

 

my return pump is dying, it is a very old Rio 2100 it started making noise about 2 months ago so I replaced the impeller. unfortunately the noise is coming back so I just ordered an ocean runner 2500

 

also, I have been having flow problems. while I was looking for solutions I found that my Tunze 6100s (3,170GPH) are actually 6000s (1,800GPH). with the 6045s I figured I had 12K GPH, turns out it is more like 9K GPH. I am now weighing options, upgrade one or both to 6100 which is $80.00 or buy a 6201 (5,283GPH) either way I think would work. the one thing for sure is that 9K GPH does not get it in a 180 SPS

 

Can I see a pic of that Oregon tort

[filefish949]

Can I see a pic of that Oregon tort

 

the camera is dead, here is an old pic

 

[Roc!]

gourous

[SPS20]

I admire your craftsmanship. You do very good work.

 

I'll be following this.

[Sexy Shrimp]

I am in awe!

[Diatome]

Great looking tank. Thanks for sharing.

[StevieT]

Need more FTS

[filefish949]

Need more FTS

 

 

ok, but i promise to pose a better one when I figure out how to use my camera click the pic for a link to a full sized pic, then click that pic for it to open up

 

[Pili]

Pretty slick! The pillars are awesome, cant wait to see the tank mature!

[filefish949]

Pretty slick! The pillars are awesome, cant wait to see the tank mature!

 

thanks, give it a year ot two dang I was looking at your flicker account and you have mad photo skills

[TJ_Burton]

Pretty slick! The pillars are awesome, cant wait to see the tank mature!

 

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