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Cultivated Reef

Urbanek's ADA Trio


urbaneks

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Holy smokes, got it looking amazing. I'm new to this forum but judging by your replies, this is the kind of thing you do and you might've outdone yourself!

 

I also can't wait to see some in-depth pics of the plumbing! I'm new to overflow systems as I only have AIO experience previously, and worked with pvc for the first time yesterday haha.

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Wire Management Behind the Drywall

This is my 4th build and in all but my first build I've implemented this solution for getting cables/wires from the light down to the controller/outlets.  All you are doing is installing two boxes in the wall which allow you to feed wires into the wall and pull them out in another location.  In this case, I'm installing one above the floating shelf and the second behind the aquariums.  Home Depot recently came out with a product that makes this task even easier.  Here is a link to the product that I used, the CE Tech Flexible Opening.  Here are a few photos along with some commentary on this pretty simple task.  First of all, you need to know where your vertical studs are as well as if there are any horizontal studs that may impact your ability to drop wires down the wall.  When I did this on my 250, I ran into horizontal studs.  PITA but not a show stopper. 

 

Here is a photo of the product I referred to above.  You will need two of these, one for the top location and another for the bottom location. 

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The kit comes with a nice template that you can tape to the wall in the location where you will install the box. 

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Trace the outline of the template on the wall so you know where to cut. 

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This is the part where you may want to ask your wife to leave the house for a bit.  Cutting holes in the drywall may not be something she wants to see in person.    A nice drywall saw makes this a very easy task.  Before I cut into the wall, I like to say, "Here goes nothing."  Here is what your wall will look like when you are done cutting. 

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Once you have the hole cut, the box slides in the hole and you can tighten it into place with the provided screws.  It's best to fish the wires through the wall before you put the boxes and plates into place.  A fish tape will make pulling the wires through the wall much easier.  Repeat this process for your second hole location and you are good to go.  No more wires running down your wall, no more unsightly conduits taped to the wall. 

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Looking good! I found something similar to that a few years ago when hanging a TV on a wall. Did not want cables coming down from behind as I hate seeing cables also........

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Christopher Marks

This is coming along beautifully! That's a great solution for hiding cables in the wall, I've been considering getting one of those wall plate kits for my TV!

 

I love the design of the lighting shelf, very clean look. How will you manage air flow for the fixtures once they're more enclosed?

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7 hours ago, Christopher Marks said:

This is coming along beautifully! That's a great solution for hiding cables in the wall, I've been considering getting one of those wall plate kits for my TV!

 

I love the design of the lighting shelf, very clean look. How will you manage air flow for the fixtures once they're more enclosed?

Thanks for taking the time to view and comment.  They work great for TVs and fish tanks. :)

As for the ventilation on the lights, the shelf will be open at the top above the lights.  The fan and heat sinks will be able to work without any restrictions.  

 

10 hours ago, spectra said:

Looking good! I found something similar to that a few years ago when hanging a TV on a wall. Did not want cables coming down from behind as I hate seeing cables also........

You are exactly right, that product at Home Depot is actually in the same isle with the TV cables.  

 

On 2/27/2017 at 6:32 AM, Mariaface said:

#Goals.

Seriously, all your builds are amazing!

Thanks so much.  Really appreciate the #.

 

On 2/27/2017 at 5:34 AM, bofo said:

Holy smokes, got it looking amazing. I'm new to this forum but judging by your replies, this is the kind of thing you do and you might've outdone yourself!

 

I also can't wait to see some in-depth pics of the plumbing! I'm new to overflow systems as I only have AIO experience previously, and worked with pvc for the first time yesterday haha.

Thanks for the view and comment.  I will get some plumbing photos and descriptions up soon.  Just not quite there yet.  

 

On 2/27/2017 at 5:22 AM, RIP Sebastian said:

Nifty! Love this. Did you keep any livestock from your 250? (I think it was close to 250...)

Thank you!  I'm reusing some rock and sand from the tank which I actually dried out over the past few months.  I also cut frags of my favorite corals which are at a friends house in his frag tank.  I did not keep any of my fish, most were too large fit in the new tanks.  

 

On 2/26/2017 at 10:07 PM, J-Ranko said:

Wow!  The planning and design of this system is amazing. You really put such great thought into every detail--this should turn out to be as spectacular as your 250. B)

Thanks!  I love the planning and build process as much as having a tank.  In the grand scheme of things, the planning and executing phase is such a short time compared to the time spent reefing.  Because of that, I like to take my time and enjoy the process.  Much easier now that I've done this a few times.  

 

On 2/26/2017 at 9:59 PM, urbaneks said:

 

 

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Installing the Back Lighting and Uprights

My next two projects on the build are the upright supports that will give the barn wood between the tanks support and back lighting.  I failed to take many photos during this portion of the build so I may get a bit wordy as I try to fill in the gap that the photos don't show. 

 

First for the upright supports.  Here is a photo before I started adding the supports.  You can see that I'm working between the tanks.  I went ahead and added the plumbing to this portion of the tank so that I could tell how small the supports needed to be. 

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With the plumbing in place I cut my boards to fit the height and width that could be accommodated.  In order to give some extra strength and rigidity, I used a combination of metals straps and L brackets.  You can see one of each in the photo below.  I repeated this process until I had an upright support installed on all 4 corners between each tank. 

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Once the uprights were in position, I could not help but to build the top that sits in between the tanks.  This piece can be removed if I need to get to the plumbing or MP10s between the tanks.  Here is a teaser pic of the reclaimed wood sitting between the tanks. 

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The photo below shows a bit more detail on the upright supports but also shows another important addition for the build.  If you look back a few entries, you will notice that if you look through the tanks, you can see the pieces of beam that I used to tie the supplemental cabinet to the studs of the house.  Obviously, I don't want to look at these through the tanks.  My solution was to build a small platform that fits between each tank and the wall and slips down over the top of each piece of beam.  Once I built these, I painted them with a high gloss black spray paint.  In addition to concealing the pieces of beam, these also provide a spot to attach the back lighting to.  You can see the platform if you look closely in the photo below. 

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With a platform behind each aquarium, it was time to add the back lighting.  I used a color changing LED light that I bought from Home Depot.  See link for the exact product that I used.  I can chose between 15 different colors and dim/brighten to my liking.  I think the back lighting adds a very cool effect to the tank.  I will use it more in the morning and evening when the tank lights are dim.  Here is a photo of what the tanks look like with the back lighting on.  Take note that the pieces of beam behind each tank have disappeared.

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5 hours ago, DaveFason said:

You are so trendy with your back lighting. ;) @urbaneks

I didn't realize back lighting was trendy.  Here I thought I was setting a trend. :)

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Christopher Marks

I've never seen a backlit tank before, I think it's brilliant! I was wondering why you didn't paint the backside of the tanks :)

 

You really are a trend setter @urbaneks! I bet it will look cool to set it to red in the evenings.

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12 minutes ago, urbaneks said:

I didn't realize back lighting was trendy.  Here I thought I was setting a trend. :)

A bunch of the "professional" aquascapers over in Europe do it. I was approached by a company as well. In the right environment like yours it looks incredible. 

 

-D

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7 hours ago, Christopher Marks said:

I've never seen a backlit tank before, I think it's brilliant! I was wondering why you didn't paint the backside of the tanks :)

 

You really are a trend setter @urbaneks! I bet it will look cool to set it to red in the evenings.

Glad you like it.  Not painting the tanks was twofold, one was the back lighting, the other is that I'm hoping the room color will add a nice backdrop and give the tanks a bit more depth. 

 

7 hours ago, DaveFason said:

A bunch of the "professional" aquascapers over in Europe do it. I was approached by a company as well. In the right environment like yours it looks incredible.

-D

How do you become a professional aquascaper?  I want that job!  I'm thinking 9 to 5 wouldn't be so bad it I just aquascaped all day!

 

7 hours ago, TJ_Burton said:

Following this one! 

Good to hear from you here on the new journal.  Thanks for following along. 

 

5 hours ago, brad908 said:

Yea, pretty much every FW aquascaper uses backlighting

Dang it!  Thought I was doing something original.  Not the first time I thought I was ahead of the game only to find out I was late to the party.  Either way, I like it!

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Plumbing Details

A few folks have asked for plumbing details, so I'm going to try my best to explain the plumbing details.  If you have questions, don't hesitate to ask them.  While the plumbing of my system is pretty basic, what made this a difficult task was getting the plumbing situation so that the cabinet drawers would still close.  Before I get started with an explanation of my plumbing, I wanted to share the glue that I used.   I've used a few different brands/types in the past and this is by far my favorite.  I like how both the primer and glue are clear.  Much better than having the blue/purple stains from the types I've used in the past. 

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Before I could start plumbing the tanks, I wanted to reinforce the bottom of the cabinet where the sump will sit.  The cabinet has a center brace under the bottom shelf and is supported around the outside edge of the cabinet.  In order to distribute the weight of the sump to the edges and center brace, I built this small platform with supports that match up with the supports from the base cabinet.  In hind sight some photos of the underside of the platform would have been helpful.  In order to make more room to work and to fit the sump, I removed the drawers and the center brace.  These will go back in once the plumbing is completed. 

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The plumbing can really be divided in 3 parts, the plumbing in the right cabinet, the plumbing in the left cabinet and the plumbing that is above the cabinet.  The photo below shows the plumbing in the right most cabinet.  This is obviously where the sump is placed.  I purchased a stock Trigger Systems sump with came with just two drains into the sump.  In order to accommodate the 3rd tank, I had to drill another hole in the drain section of the sump.  It's difficult to see in the photo but this is the top left portion of the sump.  Each one of the 3 lines connects to one of the tanks overflow.  For the return, I built a manifold, seen on the right of the photo.  The return pump feeds the manifold, capable of running 3 reactors, then T's off through a check valve, then a true union ball valve and then splits off to each tank.  I believe the photo below shows this level of detail pretty well. 

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The photo below shows the plumbing detail that is in the left most cabinet.  These lines are a continuation of the drains and returns that you see going through the wall in the second photo.  These lines go up through the top of the cabinet and then on to the tanks.  In the photo, you are seeing 2 returns and 2 drains to up thru the top of the cabinet.  The other tank's drain and return can be seen in the previous photo. 

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The photo below shows the solution that I used as I come up through the cabinet.  I terminated all of the hard plumbing with barbed fittings which will then be connected to the tanks with silicon tubing.  The lines in the photo below correspond to the lines you see in the previous photo.  In order to create nice clean transitions in the top of the cabinet, I used a 2" hole saw and then finished each hole off with hole covers from Home Depot. 

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The photo below shows the hard plumbing connected to the tanks.  The silicon tubing mentioned above connects from these fittings down to the fittings in the previous photo.  Hose clamps were used on the silicon tubing.  This completed the plumbing and I was ready for a leak test. 

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Very happy to report that the system had no leaks.  Here are a couple photos with water in it.  While it's not salt water, the system is wet which is a step in the right direction. 

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Here are two more photos, one showing the cabinet open with equipment and the other with the door shut hiding the system completely.  Note that all the doors and drawers still work perfectly.  Excuse the clutter in the cabinet, I have not started with organization yet. 

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Yes! I always get excited for a daily update because I feel like I am building this setup haha. I'm not allowed to have a 2nd tank but I love the build out process almost more than the stocking and enjoying.

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Those holes look a little ragged for something you would do ;) surprised you didn't drill from both sides :lol: have to give you crap as your builds are always great! 

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SaltyBuddha

Wow. Awesome set up. As an engineer just getting into salt water tanks, I am definitely intrigued. I love the challenge of putting the design to the test. And creating a mini ocean environment in our living room is amazing. Looking forward to the seeing the tanks progress as much as the build.

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19 hours ago, braaap said:

Yes! I always get excited for a daily update because I feel like I am building this setup haha. I'm not allowed to have a 2nd tank but I love the build out process almost more than the stocking and enjoying.

Thanks for taking the time to view and comment.  I'm glad that someone looks forward to an update.  With the weekend coming up, I'm hoping to make some great progress on the tank.  

 

18 hours ago, spectra said:

Those holes look a little ragged for something you would do ;) surprised you didn't drill from both sides :lol: have to give you crap as your builds are always great! 

You have a keen eye!  I should have drilled from both sides.  Thanks for the view and comment.  It's appreciated.  

 

18 hours ago, SaltyBuddha said:

Wow. Awesome set up. As an engineer just getting into salt water tanks, I am definitely intrigued. I love the challenge of putting the design to the test. And creating a mini ocean environment in our living room is amazing. Looking forward to the seeing the tanks progress as much as the build.

Engineer?  Sounds familiar, that's what I do as a day job.  

 

5 hours ago, Rain24 said:

That plumbing job is amazing. But I'm really here to comment on the nice trio of artwork you've picked out above the tanks. ;)

Thanks and Thanks!  I try not to post photos of older builds but I think based on your comment, this must be done.  You will notice that the artwork is being carried over from my old hosue/build.  Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!

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2 hours ago, urbaneks said:

Thanks for taking the time to view and comment.  I'm glad that someone looks forward to an update.  With the weekend coming up, I'm hoping to make some great progress on the tank.  

 

You have a keen eye!  I should have drilled from both sides.  Thanks for the view and comment.  It's appreciated.  

 

Engineer?  Sounds familiar, that's what I do as a day job.  

 

Thanks and Thanks!  I try not to post photos of older builds but I think based on your comment, this must be done.  You will notice that the artwork is being carried over from my old hosue/build.  Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!

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Not sure its a keen eye its just my eyes period :lol: I always seem to find the issues.........25 years of dealing with architects has soured me ;)

 

That was one thing I did on mine was to drill from both sides. I cant stand plywood when it splinters out when the bit comes through.

 

Still looks great though!!!!!! keep up the great work and that last tank :wub:

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Are these the plumbed together? Interesting if so. Do you plan to have compatible or even complimentary livestock ? It would be neat to have one tank benefit the next in some way...

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Skinning the Supplemental Cabinet and Floating Shelf

The decision on how to finish the project was a difficult one.  I love many of the reclaimed woods most of which just did not match with flow of the house.  We have lighter wood floors and lots of white in paint colors and cabinets.  After careful consideration, I decided to use speckled white reclaimed wood.  This wood is pulled from old white barns and fences.  While I don't know where this wood spent it's first 100 years, I imagine it was from an old barn like the one pictured below. 

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I'm fortunate to have a couple locations near me that sells reclaimed wood.  With the popularity of these materials I would imagine that most cities have a source near by.  I purchased my reclaimed wood from Porter Barn Wood in Phoenix, AZ.  A visit to their website is worth the time, they have hundreds of great ideas.  Here is a nice closeup of what the speckled white wood looks like.  While many people these days are finishing new wood to look like this, I don't think you can duplicate the years of mother nature working her magic. 

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The process of adding the reclaimed wood is pretty simple once you get the wood planed down to a consistent thicknesses.  All of my materials were milled down to about 1/2".  With consistent boards to work with, its as simple as cutting pieces length wise to fit and attaching them with a finish nail gun.  The hardest part of the process is deciding how much variation you want.  In the picture below, I'm having my wife hold some pieces in place as I decide if I like the fit and variation. 

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Here are a few more photos that I snapped during the process. 

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