Calvin415's LED lit 12 footer

[calvin415]

Awesome! Simply awesome. Still.

 

LOL! Thanks.

 

thiss keeepsh gettin bbbetter!!!

 

 

dang!

 

LOL! Thanks!

 

Liking the progress... I can almost see the finish line. At the rate you are going a few weeks from now we will all see water in this tank.

 

 

Adolfo

 

I sure hope so...

 

whats the stocking list like, btw? any ideas yet?

 

I have an idea in my head, but ultimately it will come down to what is available and what I want when the time comes to stocking it.

 

 

Wow, great progress! Looks like the basement turned out very nice. That wood looks good with the wall color.

 

Thanks! I'm not sure if I like the color or not, a little bluer and less gray than I wanted, but it's up and do not want to paint it all over again. Oh well, the furniture will hopefully be a sand/brown color so it might give the appearance of the ocean and sand... LOL!

[reefer123]

this is one of the sickest designs i have ever seen

[calvin415]

this is one of the sickest designs i have ever seen

 

 

Thanks!

[East1]

this is the chuck norris of tank build threads

[DCG1286]

AMAZING!!!! WOW!!!! It's been a while since I checked the progress on this tank...I am speechless...this tank is going to be so awesome once it is set up (which I can see...will be VERY SOON!)

 

-David

[revaltion131]

Looking great!

[calvin415]

this is the chuck norris of tank build threads

 

ROTFLMAO!!!

 

AMAZING!!!! WOW!!!! It's been a while since I checked the progress on this tank...I am speechless...this tank is going to be so awesome once it is set up (which I can see...will be VERY SOON!)

 

-David

 

Thanks! I just rememberedI have to get my loc lines before I can get sand. Might be a little longer than I hoped, since I'll need about 95 bucks worth of loclines...

 

Looking great!

 

Thanks!

[jerzsky]

after u get your co on the construction, u should take that outlet out of there! would look so much cleaner!!! stupid inspectors!!!

 

but looks amazing and very professional!!!

 

after u get your co on the construction, u should take that outlet out of there! would look so much cleaner!!! stupid inspectors!!!

 

but looks amazing and very professional!!!

[calvin415]

Basement is done and everything is signed off, but I'd rather just leave it over yet another drywall patch. I'm going to go get some plastic sheeting to seal off the drywall tonight, then the cabinet door frame and doors will go on.

[holdorf333]

The 14ga should have no issues getting into the push terminals on the endcaps.

[Matty1124]

i wouldnt be worried about getting the wires in the caps... id be worried about getting the wire in the ballast... i tried to do mine with a size lower wire and the ballast terminals werent having it...

 

EDIT: tank looks great by the way

Edited November 21, 2008 by Matty1124

[calvin415]

The 14ga should have no issues getting into the push terminals on the endcaps.

 

Cool beans.

 

i wouldnt be worried about getting the wires in the caps... id be worried about getting the wire in the ballast... i tried to do mine with a size lower wire and the ballast terminals werent having it...

 

EDIT: tank looks great by the way

 

I'm connecting the standard wiring harness wires to the 14ga with a connection strip so I should be fine. Thanks!

 

At the risk of being the most off topic -- love the color choices for the walls and trim. Great way to lighten up the basement. What's the flooring made out of?

 

Can't wait to see this full of water and corals and stuff.

 

LOL! Thanks, I'll be sure to let my wife know. It was her choice. Flooring is Swiss Plank Elite http://www.kronoswiss.com/eng/products/flo...plank_elite.htm

[SeeDemTails]

Awesome pics and progress, this is such a nice and unique tank!!!!

[calvin415]

Thanks! Here's some more!

 

I was able to install a plastic liner to protect the drywall and studs. Half the return plumbing is done including the valves for water changes, feed line to Ca Reactor, feed line for carbon reactor, and a feed line for phosban reactor.

 

I set the ATO barrel on it's side to get it elevated to ensure sufficient pressure on the drain line to feed the float valve (still to be installed), and put the return pump at the end of the stand instead. Since I decided to go to a pendant instead of a canopy, I can't run the return line from the overflow, hence the pipe at the end of the tank. It's not drilled yet, but the pipe is to give a visual, you can see the open pipe connection at the top of the return from the pump Sorry, but there isn't another way... Here's some pics.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The vinyl tube is the main drain which feeds directly to the skimmer, the PVC pipe is the backup flow which has a durso. The main drain will be kept to only about 500 gph, with the back up pipe picking up only about another 200 gph so the bubbles should be very minimal in the sump.

 

[glennr1978]

looks great as usual.

 

please tell me you are going to brace the stand the barrel is on.....

[calvin415]

I will because it will also be my electrical management, but that bow you see in the middle is because the plywood is warped. It will hold just fine as is, but it will be beefed up before it's finished.

[Marteen]

For the return why can't you just convert one of the closed loop outputs into a return. You could extend it up near the top of the tank and use rock to conceal it. So if your return pump were to shut down the whole tank wouldn't drain.

[JKUNZ]

Looks great!!!

 

When are you coming up to michigan to build me that shallow reef???

[East1]

For the return why can't you just convert one of the closed loop outputs into a return. You could extend it up near the top of the tank and use rock to conceal it. So if your return pump were to shut down the whole tank wouldn't drain.

i think it has an overflow drain, if im not mistaken, and the pipes at the bottom are the return pipes?

im not sure tho but thats what i thought:D

[calvin415]

For the return why can't you just convert one of the closed loop outputs into a return. You could extend it up near the top of the tank and use rock to conceal it. So if your return pump were to shut down the whole tank wouldn't drain.

 

Because I don't want any rock work up to the top of the tank, and still don't want to see a pipe going from bottom to top. I'd rather make the tank a little ugly on the outside rather than make it really ugly on the inside. JMO.

 

Looks great!!!

 

When are you coming up to michigan to build me that shallow reef???

 

LOL! Not any time soon.

 

i think it has an overflow drain, if im not mistaken, and the pipes at the bottom are the return pipes?

im not sure tho but thats what i thought:D

 

All the fitting in the tank are Closed Loop drains and Returns. The drains in the overflow box are for filtration (and a pass through for the wires to the lights) which dump into the sump/skimmer, the return from the sump is the issue at hand.

[reefone]

cal lookin fckn sweet.

 

the only thing is the yellow pump on the right side of the stand. when u remove it for cleaning its going to get water all over. already been there . i would suggest unions on the in/outputs of the pump with ball valves just after that. the way u have it now when u close the ball valve all that pipe is still full of water.

[varanus37]

I don't think that return pipe looks all that bad where it is. If you do want to keep the super clean look going that you have now could you move the pipe over to be right against that pillar? At least as close as possible, then maybe use a trim piece of some sort? It would look a bit out of place, admittedly, but even if you leave it just as it is the overall amazingly clean look won't suffer from it. Just a thought.

 

Bill

[calvin415]

cal lookin fckn sweet.

 

the only thing is the yellow pump on the right side of the stand. when u remove it for cleaning its going to get water all over. already been there . i would suggest unions on the in/outputs of the pump with ball valves just after that. the way u have it now when u close the ball valve all that pipe is still full of water.

 

Yeah, I got that on another site too. LOL! I'll see what I can change out... I can't believe I missed that myself.

 

I don't think that return pipe looks all that bad where it is. If you do want to keep the super clean look going that you have now could you move the pipe over to be right against that pillar? At least as close as possible, then maybe use a trim piece of some sort? It would look a bit out of place, admittedly, but even if you leave it just as it is the overall amazingly clean look won't suffer from it. Just a thought.

 

Bill

 

Yeah, I'll have it right against the pillar. Thanks for the feedback.

[Ben314z]

Lookin good! It's too bad they don't have this stuff laying around at the local hardware store for that return pipe at the end of the tank. Even tho its a lil' expensive, I've always thought it would be cool to plumb visible things out of. Never have tried it tho.

[calvin415]

Actually I could order it easily, but unfortunately it doesn't stay clear... Well the pipe does, but with all the light it will get filled with crap including coraline making it impossible to keep clean looking. At least not without replacing it all the time which I guess is an option.