3 Foot Long Nano

[Scorched]

Much of the equipment will be the same or just updated versions. It will pretty much be a new setup from top to bottom done in the same layout and style.

 

I will now have room for a skimmer but probably wont run one. I like the BRS canister filters for biopellets and carbon so I will continue to use those but will probably change to the short 5" versions and run them separately so I can control the amount of flow through each one. I have a new apex sitting next to my desk thats itching to get running. As for the top off and dosing Im not sure If I will continue to run Kalk or switch to 2 part.

 

Maybe dirtier isn't the best word to use but increased nutrients. More fish means more food and more fish poop. I've been slacking on my coral feedings and ran out of animo acids a few months ago. I've reordered more and will start that back up in a few days. With the new sump setup and a DC pump it should make feeding the corals much easier. I can just push a feed mode and have the pump slow way down or off and have the checkvalve stop the huge amount of back siphon. Currently I have to do it manually by completely killing power to the pump and closing the main valve so I don't loss a large amount of water. Its pretty easy but its hard to reach into my sump the way that its configured, and this valve being barbed and almost 5 years old is getting very hard to turn both open and closed. Having hard plumbing with easy to turn and maintain valves will make things cleaner and easier. Also the last time my tank leaked was due to me fiddling with my current valve and the pipe coming undone in the middle of the night. So for the last few months I try not to open and close it as often as I used to for fear of that happening again.

[metrokat]

Can you have a table top fan hooked to a temperature controller to blow air when the temperature gets hot over the weekends?

I have those aquarium cooling fans hooked to my Apex.

[Scorched]

 

On that note, I bought one of those Georg Fischer Wye check valves for my return line that you've been salivating over. Gonna try it out & see what all the fuss is about. I have the room in my sump for the display to drain, just would rather not have it happen all the time when I feed, so we'll see. Been a year in the making on my new build, but should have water in the next week & a half or so. I'll let you know how the check valve works out.

 

Let me know how it goes. After the stand is almost complete I'll probably make a huge plumbing purchase. 4 bulkheads, 2 sections of black pipe, 2 sections or orange, 20 or so Sch 80 fittings, 4-5 true union valves, 4-6 unions, and that check valve.

[Scorched]

Can you have a table top fan hooked to a temperature controller to blow air when the temperature gets hot over the weekends?

I have those aquarium cooling fans hooked to my Apex.

 

I probably could. It don't want it to be loud and interfere with other though. There was one summer 3 years ago when the AC completely went out at the building and I was able to get a huge air blower (usually used for drying carpeting) and point it into the stand with the doors open. I only used that for a day though due to the emergency situation as it was loud and unsightly.

[Scorched]

3 Foot Long 2.0

 

Black walnut custom built stand has been completed. Very similar dimensions to my current "tv stand" but with lots of little improvements to make it easier to plumb, access, maintain, and disassemble/reassemble.

 

• Doors have a nice soft close and are easily removable.
• Power holes out the bottom on either side. Only one will probably be used as the other will get covered by the sump. Not sure on which side it will end up on yet.
• Full solid back and sides for mounting equipment.
• The back is finished to look like the front so a full walk around/peninsula style tank could be possible.
• All 4 posts are multiple board combined together to look like large solid posts. The back posts do not have an inner core to allow for more room inside the stand. The bottoms are fully filled in to give the illusion that they are solid.
• The plumbing cutouts on either side have an open top to allow the tank and plumbing assembly to be dropped in and removed in one piece.
• Doors will eventually have small shelves for storage of foods, tools, and test equipment.

 

Now just to acquire 40+ plumbing parts and maybe even a new 12 gallon long.

 

 

 

 

 

[RollaJase]

That looks amazing, beautiful craftsmanship. I love walnut, the colour, the smell, excellent choice of wood.

[jstuver]

Beautiful stand!

[pappadumplingz]

This tank is gonna be great, judging from the stand and the other tank.

[dropped]

Yip looks great, so just a stand and sump upgrade, not going bigger?

[Scorched]

Yip looks great, so just a stand and sump upgrade, not going bigger?

 

Likely the same size. I might do the 22 gallon but I like the shorter skinny 12.

 

Right now that's my big thing is choosing a top, both in color and price.

 

I planned for solid black. I found one place that does granite remnants and I can do that for around $140. My wife then said black would probably be the worst color due to it showing any water spots and salt, food residue etc. So then I thought a travertine or similar looking sand colored top would look cool. I haven't been able to find a reasonably priced piece though. And buying it direct without going the scrap route is almost out of the question. Getting a new piece cut is usually 50-100+ a sq/ft. This top is 5 sq/ft so $350-500 just for the top is too much for me.

 

I thought a solid surface counter top would be cool. They are acrylic and come in lots of colors. They usually are only 1/2" thick though.

 

If anyone has ideas or suggestions please put it all out there so I'm more informed.

[Scorched]

Dang!!

I just had about 40 random pipe fittings, valves, unions, and other misc pieces in my Amazon cart. I've been slowly adding to it each night as I've been thinking about layouts and planning for each needed piece. Tonight 20 of them say they are now unavailable or are now sold by some random company that is charging almost 5x the price of what they used to be direct from Amazon. All of the unions I had set aside aren't sold by amazon or any third party. The true union valves I had in my cart all went to low stock so I just completed my order with what was still available. Hopefully they show up. Looks like Im going to have to do a bunch of small orders to eventually get everything.

[Preybilly]

Dang!!

 

I just had about 40 random pipe fittings, valves, unions, and other misc pieces in my Amazon cart. I've been slowly adding to it each night as I've been thinking about layouts and planning for each needed piece. Tonight 20 of them say they are now unavailable or are now sold by some random company that is charging almost 5x the price of what they used to be direct from Amazon. All of the unions I had set aside aren't sold by amazon or any third party. The true union valves I had in my cart all went to low stock so I just completed my order with what was still available. Hopefully they show up. Looks like Im going to have to do a bunch of small orders to eventually get everything.

Hey scorched, long time follower here. Your build inspired my plumbing ideas for my DIY.

 

I was able to procure all the fittings I needed for the build just recently from marine depot, their plumbing inventory seems to be the most extensive on the web at the moment. Like you, I also found that amazon was missing 1 or 2 crucial pieces I needed.

[mitten_reef]

 

Likely the same size. I might do the 22 gallon but I like the shorter skinny 12.

 

 

If you're not sticking to the same size, why not IM Fusion Black 30L? I think you can do awesome stuff with the dimension.

 

Awesome looking stand.

[niQo]

 

I planned for solid black. I found one place that does granite remnants and I can do that for around $140. My wife then said black would probably be the worst color due to it showing any water spots and salt, food residue etc. So then I thought a travertine or similar looking sand colored top would look cool. I haven't been able to find a reasonably priced piece though. And buying it direct without going the scrap route is almost out of the question. Getting a new piece cut is usually 50-100+ a sq/ft. This top is 5 sq/ft so $350-500 just for the top is too much for me.

 

 

See if you can find a black Quartz? Granite will absorb fluids if it is not sealed every year and I'm not sure if you want those sealer vapours anywhere near your tank. Also make sure to check if the piece is nice and level, both granite and quartz will bow slightly.

 

I have a white quartz top (with rubber mat) and I like it a lot. But I work in a granite shop, so it is way easier for me to pick something

[RollaJase]

Ceasar Stone is heavily used here in Australia as an alternative to Granite also. It is still porus but comes in at a fraction of the cost in most cases.

[niQo]

Ceasar Stone is heavily used here in Australia as an alternative to Granite also. It is still porus but comes in at a fraction of the cost in most cases.

I think I have CaesarStone. I don't think it's much cheaper than granite here in canada, but it can be depending on the type of granite. If I would go with granite I would pick the heaviest stuff as it tends to be more dense and won't absorbs fluids as quickly and easily.

[Scorched]

Yea Quartz was my preference as well due to the sealing and absorbing of granite. Its a little harder to find remnants of anything besides granite, and even then my pickings are slim for the exact color or size that I need.

 

Hey scorched, long time follower here. Your build inspired my plumbing ideas for my DIY.

 

I was able to procure all the fittings I needed for the build just recently from marine depot, their plumbing inventory seems to be the most extensive on the web at the moment. Like you, I also found that amazon was missing 1 or 2 crucial pieces I needed.

 

Thanks Prebilly. Yep I got most of my original barb fittings from them when I designed version 1.0

 

For the new build I'm going all schedule 80 and furniture grade pvc. Its a little harder to find some of the more unique fittings in Sch80.

Someone in our local club recommended I check out this place.

http://stores.drainageproducts.us/fittings-pvc-schedule-80/

[metrokat]

Beautiful stand

[niQo]

Yea Quartz was my preference as well due to the sealing and absorbing of granite. Its a little harder to find remnants of anything besides granite, and even then my pickings are slim for the exact color or size that I need.

 

 

Thanks Prebilly. Yep I got most of my original barb fittings from them when I designed version 1.0

 

For the new build I'm going all schedule 80 and furniture grade pvc. Its a little harder to find some of the more unique fittings in Sch80.

Someone in our local club recommended I check out this place.

http://stores.drainageproducts.us/fittings-pvc-schedule-80/

Just come to southern Alberta, we've got lots of quartz remnant, not tons in black though...

[Scorched]

Ok so 4 different stores later and I think I have all my plumbing parts. Seeing them all lined up is making me nervous. This is a lot of PVC and joints. For each part having 2 (up to 4 on the unions and ball valves) points of failure or leaks this seems bad. Also a lot of the 3/4" and 1" parts are very big. I probably underestimated how big they were when doing my 3D model and may have to reconfigure some things to make sure it all fits. Maybe I keep it closer to my current build and just use one valve for the return line, one valve for the reactors and don't even use the Wye Check with double unions. If I get a good DC pump it might make the check and extra ball valves unnecessary.





Still waiting on the caps and mounting brackets for the mini reactors. They will be black. The canisters seem to have a purple haze in the photo but in person they look a lot clearer.

The 2 White fittings are male threaded Tees with sockets on both ends. This seems to be a unique fitting as it only came in Sch 40 but it shouldnt matter I was going to paint them black to match the black PVC on the exterior anyway. They are for an external durso style overflow.



The new 12 gallon tank is also ready to go! I ordered this one in low iron. Im honestly not sure what my current one is.

I couldn't find any scraps of quartz I liked so I'm going with the black granite top. It is currently waiting to be cut. Should be ready by next week.

[NYfishies]

This is very, very exciting to watch. I love your detail and build style.

[HarryPotter]

Damn another?!?! Love it. Can you explain to me why you are doing this- your last setup seems like the epitome of success and you're not going to a larger tank.

[uwdanno]

Damn another?!?! Love it. Can you explain to me why you are doing this- your last setup seems like the epitome of success and you're not going to a larger tank.

 

Current tank is at his office. New tank at home.

 

PS- His office is awesome. Had a beer there when I picked up a Kelly Green Psammy from Eric. Really sweet work environment.

[HarryPotter]

 

Current tank is at his office. New tank at home.

 

PS- His office is awesome. Had a beer there when I picked up a Kelly Green Psammy from Eric. Really sweet work environment.

 

Oh!!!!!! I thought it was a replacement tank ??? all makes sense now, looking forward to what you do scorched!

[Scorched]

Damn another?!?! Love it. Can you explain to me why you are doing this- your last setup seems like the epitome of success and you're not going to a larger tank.

 

Cuz I'm addicted and maybe a little crazy?

 

I love the design and just want to make it better. There are lots of little things that bug you after a few years of use that I want to change and update. I want to make things easier to maintain and access.

 

Current tank is at his office. New tank at home.

 

PS- His office is awesome. Had a beer there when I picked up a Kelly Green Psammy from Eric. Really sweet work environment.

 

Oh!!!!!! I thought it was a replacement tank ??? all makes sense now, looking forward to what you do scorched!

 

While it MIGHT get set up at home. It is meant to be a replacement. The goal is to switch the tank at the office with this one once its all assembled. We'll see what the wife says once its all put together, maybe it will stay assembled at the house. If it does the one at the office might get taken down. I only have enough energy to maintain one tank, even if it is small.