TJ_Burton Posted January 3, 2019 Author Share Posted January 3, 2019 1 hour ago, Rory282 said: Finally, you are doing something with that awesome sump. Good to see you back Thomas! Thanks a ton! Good to be back 🙂 been soooooo long overdue. Going to try a Monti dominant tank. Maybe have some birds nest and cats paw too. We shall see. Also going to go bare bottom which I've never previously done for aesthetic reasons. Want finally give it a go! More soon! 1 Quote Link to comment
teenyreef Posted January 4, 2019 Share Posted January 4, 2019 Welcome back! I never knew plumbing could be sexy until I found your builds 🙂 1 Quote Link to comment
kristonenicolas Posted January 4, 2019 Share Posted January 4, 2019 I've been looking forward to this! 1 Quote Link to comment
TJ_Burton Posted January 4, 2019 Author Share Posted January 4, 2019 Here is the video I made a few weeks back. 2 Quote Link to comment
kristonenicolas Posted January 5, 2019 Share Posted January 5, 2019 On 1/4/2019 at 4:55 PM, TJ_Burton said: Here is the video I made a few weeks back. ahhh such a tease. cant wait to see it wet! Quote Link to comment
TJ_Burton Posted January 7, 2019 Author Share Posted January 7, 2019 I just realized I've been a member of this forum for 15 years 🤯 1 Quote Link to comment
TJ_Burton Posted January 10, 2019 Author Share Posted January 10, 2019 Finessing the pipes into place takes a lot of patience... will be worth the frustration in the end I'm sure lol. 5 Quote Link to comment
kristonenicolas Posted January 14, 2019 Share Posted January 14, 2019 On 1/10/2019 at 6:44 AM, TJ_Burton said: Finessing the pipes into place takes a lot of patience... will be worth the frustration in the end I'm sure lol. So I'm setting my Xaqua and thought about hard plumbing it with a union but there isn't any space for one cause the piping is too close to the tank. Did you bend the PVC out a little to do this? 1 Quote Link to comment
Scorched Posted January 16, 2019 Share Posted January 16, 2019 Glad to see some more bent colored PVC around here. 2 Quote Link to comment
TJ_Burton Posted January 17, 2019 Author Share Posted January 17, 2019 On 1/14/2019 at 3:25 PM, kristonenicolas said: So I'm setting my Xaqua and thought about hard plumbing it with a union but there isn't any space for one cause the piping is too close to the tank. Did you bend the PVC out a little to do this? That is precisely what I did! Took a few tries actually... hahaha. Not an easy bend to make over a short distance. Pipe wants to kink quite easily, amd it's not really long enough to fill with sand etc. 20 hours ago, Scorched said: Glad to see some more bent colored PVC around here. You're my inspiration! Your build is what inspired me in the first place 🙂 finally finished the main drain and return. Almost completely glued at this stage as well. Next up is the Aux drain line and its going to be one wacky series of bends... not sure if I can pull it off but I will try! 😄 4 Quote Link to comment
Christopher Marks Posted January 17, 2019 Share Posted January 17, 2019 Nice progress @TJ_Burton, I admire your patience in getting all the details right, it really pays off. Those Xaqua overflow and return fittings are a really slick solution, very trim. Who makes the check valve on the orange return line? Quote Link to comment
TJ_Burton Posted January 17, 2019 Author Share Posted January 17, 2019 26 minutes ago, Christopher Marks said: Nice progress @TJ_Burton, I admire your patience in getting all the details right, it really pays off. Those Xaqua overflow and return fittings are a really slick solution, very trim. Who makes the check valve on the orange return line? Thanks! 🙂 it's been a month long (maybe longer) headache... err... I mean process so far. Hahaha. The check valve came from BRS. Not 100% on the manufacturer. Valves are Spears and the Tees and 90s are Ipex. 1 Quote Link to comment
TJ_Burton Posted January 18, 2019 Author Share Posted January 18, 2019 Almost there! This grey pipe has been quite the adventure... 😅 1 4 Quote Link to comment
Reefkid88 Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 I absolutely love the new tank and setup. That plumbing is so nice. What light fixture is that ? Quote Link to comment
TJ_Burton Posted January 18, 2019 Author Share Posted January 18, 2019 28 minutes ago, Reefkid88 said: I absolutely love the new tank and setup. That plumbing is so nice. What light fixture is that ? Thanks for the kind words 🙂 It's an old Aquaticlife 4 bulb T5HO fixture with a built in timer and LED moonlights. I dismantled it last year and gave it a slick paint job! 1 Quote Link to comment
Reefkid88 Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 I give credit where its due. Everything you touch or build is absolutely sick,so golf clap for you sir. Simple but easy,I love it. 2 Quote Link to comment
TJ_Burton Posted January 23, 2019 Author Share Posted January 23, 2019 I was asked by a number of people how I bend my PVC and if I could do a how-to, so here it is! 4 Quote Link to comment
TJ_Burton Posted January 28, 2019 Author Share Posted January 28, 2019 Alright so I've officially finished with all the bending and gluing of PVC pipe! I still have to teflon tape the threaded barb that goes to the XAqua return, and figure out what return pump and fittings I want to use in the sump, but that is easy compared to all of that pipe bending I managed to pull off. I'm going to do an update video and give everyone a good look at all the bends and were they go. Its hilariously wonky looking when the pipes are removed from the system! Gives you an appreciation for the complicated mess it actually was to create it hahaha. Going to try to do that asap so I can get the system in place and fill with RODI for a leak test! Soooooo close! 4 Quote Link to comment
Scorched Posted January 28, 2019 Share Posted January 28, 2019 You've probably had good success with Teflon taping threaded fittings but I highly recommend trying Teflon PASTE. Its a thick white goo and stays a bit pliable forever. A little messy but I've never had the joints leak on me since switching. 1 1 Quote Link to comment
TJ_Burton Posted January 28, 2019 Author Share Posted January 28, 2019 1 hour ago, Scorched said: You've probably had good success with Teflon taping threaded fittings but I highly recommend trying Teflon PASTE. Its a thick white goo and stays a bit pliable forever. A little messy but I've never had the joints leak on me since switching. I've used high quality tape for years and years successfully, but I'm open to new things if they work better! Does it come in orange or purple? 😛 Quote Link to comment
Scorched Posted January 28, 2019 Share Posted January 28, 2019 6 minutes ago, TJ_Burton said: Does it come in orange or purple? 😛 White, Grey, Blue, and Black. (Which is 3 more colors than necessary) I've used the white on black bulkheads and pipes. Just clean up the paste that squeezes out the back and you don't even notice. 2 Quote Link to comment
TJ_Burton Posted February 3, 2019 Author Share Posted February 3, 2019 Welllllll... I have yet to do my wet test, but mostly because I got an Axolotl and spent some time getting it all set up and shooting a vid. P.s I am taking ideas for names! Haha. So that aside I contacted Pro Clear Aquatics to inquire about some more custom colored acrylic for this reef setup. Looking at a Skimmer, ATO Reservoir, and an idea of my own invention that I am excited about! Considering a chaeto reactor, but it would have to be a small external model I could mount horizontally if I plan to fit it in the cabinet. I think that means either Pax Bellum or Pacific Sun. That or I try to DIY something... buuuut hoping to get a solid unit. Just pricey!!! I'll be posting some pics of the pipes completed before I get the tank wet. Probably today. No promises lol. Back soon! 2 Quote Link to comment
TJ_Burton Posted February 3, 2019 Author Share Posted February 3, 2019 Mounted the NanoBox Mini Tide! 7 1 Quote Link to comment
kristonenicolas Posted February 4, 2019 Share Posted February 4, 2019 beautiful work as always! Question, have you tried connecting any loc-lines to the return of the INOUT? Quote Link to comment
Christopher Marks Posted February 4, 2019 Share Posted February 4, 2019 That sump is a masterpiece @TJ_Burton! 😲 1 Quote Link to comment
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