Variant's Acros n' Nems

[antsypants]

1 hour ago, Variant said:

It's clean because there's no equipment in the stand just yet! 😂

 

I'm excited to see how this unravels too! The sump can't come any sooner...

Well looking at what you have so far, I won't be surprised if it stays that way!

[Greatreef777]

Any new update ?

[Variant]

On 5/7/2019 at 10:29 PM, Greatreef777 said:

Any new update ?

 

Nothing to share right this moment. But after tons of thinking, I decided to make some fundamental changes with the tank. This means I'll have to sell/replace a few pieces of equipment to get the setup to where I need it to be.

 

I'll have some pretty big updates next week Monday though! Tune in then~ 😉

[Variant]

Spent the past few days enjoying the outdoors...

 

 

To make things even better, when I got home today, I was greeted by a nice surprise - my sump finally got here! After 12 weeks of waiting somewhat patiently  I finally got to slowly put things together. 

 

 

With the sump here, I'll be putting together the plumbing in the next few days. Side note, just a quick comparison between the regular 90 degree pvc elbows versus the SPEARS brand long sweeping elbows I got in hopes of reducing head pressure.

 

[Variant]

Couple additional goodies arrived in the mail... The GHL Breeze and a little SwitchBot.

 

Since I'm not able to use a chiller outside my home, fans are going to have to be my main source of chillin. Got the biggest set of fans I could mount on this tiny tank!

 

 

Since the fan's effectiveness is in part influenced by room temperature and I don't have central air conditioning, I'll be relying on the SwitchBot to make sure my A/C unit turns on/off based on the room temperature. Trying to make my dumb in-wall unit smarter .

 

 

SwitchBot in action! 

  

[Tigahboy]

That bot is so cool!!  Didn't even know that existed.  May need to pick up one for myself (for what reason I do not know yet).

 

Very nice sump as well.  This build is top shelf so far!

[pricewayne]

22 minutes ago, Tigahboy said:

That bot is so cool!!  Didn't even know that existed.  May need to pick up one for myself (for what reason I do not know yet).

 

Very nice sump as well.  This build is top shelf so far!

@Tigahboy Hahaha, I thought the same thing! I’d name mine.

 

@Variant really excited for your build. It’s looking incredibly clean cut and well thought out in all the right details.

[Variant]

1 hour ago, pricewayne said:

@Tigahboy Hahaha, I thought the same thing! I’d name mine.

 

@Variant really excited for your build. It’s looking incredibly clean cut and well thought out in all the right details.

I can't wait for my build too! This has been in planning since November 2018... I am planning on replacing my overflow with a higher gph rated overflow, which means more delays! 😐

[Tigahboy]

13 minutes ago, Variant said:

I am planning on replacing my overflow with a higher gph rated overflow, which means more delays! 😐

Wow.  Why?  Haha.  

 

How much flow will the new overflow be able to handle?

[yoshii]

What a clean build! Nice tank and light! I miss T5s

 

Also that switchbot looks so cool, I want one just to have one

[Variant]

1 hour ago, Tigahboy said:

Wow.  Why?  Haha.  

 

How much flow will the new overflow be able to handle?

The new overflow will be able to handle up to 1200 gph. It had to be custom made because I already drilled my tank to fit the 800 gph. While the 800 gph would technically work, I think the 1200 rating would give me some peace of mind at night since my return pump is more than capable of delivering over 800 gph at full power (based on the head pressure calculator on a different forum).

 

Hopefully it shipped out this week!

[Christopher Marks]

This is an awesome build coming together @Variant! 

 

I was just recommending a GEO auto roller sump to someone earlier today, those are really slick! I got a demo when I was at MACNA last year. I like your Switchbot solution as well, how clever!

 

How is the plumbing coming along. Those SPEARS long sweep elbows are a nice find too, were they difficult to source?

[Variant]

1 hour ago, Christopher Marks said:

This is an awesome build coming together @Variant! 

 

I was just recommending a GEO auto roller sump to someone earlier today, those are really slick! I got a demo when I was at MACNA last year. I like your Switchbot solution as well, how clever!

 

How is the plumbing coming along. Those SPEARS long sweep elbows are a nice find too, were they difficult to source?

Thank you! The GEO AFR sump is definitely a show stopper and in high demand, explains the 12 week wait time 😂

 

The plumbing is coming along but waiting on a few more items to get me across the finish line. One of the accessories I'm glad I got was the stainless steel pipe holders, which will make the plumbing stronger and lets me get rough 💪 on the planned manifold without the plumbing falling apart.

 

The long sweep elbows were pretty easy to find. I got them from USPlastics which has been a great place to buy nifty things here and there. I got my 28 gallon remote ATO tank and a nice 5 gallon bucket featuring a red fold-able arm that makes it easier to screw the lid on water tight and unscrew after. It also has a retractable outlet on the lid for easier pouring. 

 

 

 

 

 

[tanacharison]

Looks amazing! The sump is really bad ass and looks worth the wait time. 

[pricewayne]

Now wondering what other life hacks or tiny robots you've thought of beyond reef//tank keeping lol.

 

Just saw you're in LA -- I'm in west hollywood. Any favorite fish shops? Golden State Corals, Unique Corals, Ultragem Fish/Corals & LAX Aquarium are prob the best I've hit up so far.

[pricewayne]

1 minute ago, pricewayne said:

Now wondering what other life hacks or tiny robots you've thought of beyond reef//tank keeping lol.

 

Just saw you're in LA -- I'm in west hollywood. Any favorite fish shops? Golden State Corals, Unique Corals, Ultragem Fish/Corals & LAX Aquarium are prob the best I've hit up so far.

I've clearly lost it... just clicked back to page 1 and we've already talked local hahahaha 

[Variant]

Who said the back of your sump had to be a mess or wires and tubing?  This is what happens when I can't make any more meaningful progress until the man in the brown suit comes and drops off my much needed boxes of reef supplies...

 

Got some 1/4" tubing channels to route dosing lines and ATO lines while using wire holder/hiders to route all the wires coming out of the sump. Hopefully this will let me put a bunch of equipment on this side of the stand like skimmate holder, co2 scrubber, UV sterilizers, and whatever else I can fit.

 

 

[pricewayne]

@Variant -- I'd love info on your stand. It looks like T slot aluminum frame? I'm working on a 50g setup and stand options are killing me.

Thinking I'll either do something DIY with T slot frame or having a local fabricator weld me a steel frame.

[ef4life]

I’m in love with your ato bucket, I need 1 or 2 of them in my life, and I’m totally jealous of your roller mat sump.

[Variant]

Just spent the last two days plumbing only to find that I am short a few feet of silicone tubing... More delays, but such is life. Knowing my luck, there will be a leak and I'll have to re-do the plumbing and the tank won't get went till 5 years later 🤣 Will post pictures once things are cleaned up.

 

18 hours ago, pricewayne said:

@Variant -- I'd love info on your stand. It looks like T slot aluminum frame? I'm working on a 50g setup and stand options are killing me.

Thinking I'll either do something DIY with T slot frame or having a local fabricator weld me a steel frame.

Yep, I ordered from a local distributor of 8020. The engineer there helped me find the appropriate size for the weight and dimensions of my tank. I got the black anodized version to prevent any potential rusting. I went through a similar thought exercise. With 8020, you pay for parts and with steel frame, you pay a good chunk for labor, making it potentially more expensive if you have a non-cookie-cutter design. With 8020, it comes with a black anodized version to prevent rusting. With 8020, it's easier to move. I don't own a big truck or SUV so transporting a steel stand back home and inside would have been a hassle. Only downside with 8020 was that aluminum isn't magnetic so I have to add magnets to the wood panels inside.

 

5 hours ago, ef4life said:

I’m in love with your ato bucket, I need 1 or 2 of them in my life, and I’m totally jealous of your roller mat sump.

It's the small things in life that make it feel more complete 🙂 Of course having a roller mat helps too haha.

[pricewayne]

13 minutes ago, Variant said:

Just spent the last two days plumbing only to find that I am short a few feet of silicone tubing... More delays, but such is life. Knowing my luck, there will be a leak and I'll have to re-do the plumbing and the tank won't get went till 5 years later 🤣 Will post pictures once things are cleaned up.

 

Yep, I ordered from a local distributor of 8020. The engineer there helped me find the appropriate size for the weight and dimensions of my tank. I got the black anodized version to prevent any potential rusting. I went through a similar thought exercise. With 8020, you pay for parts and with steel frame, you pay a good chunk for labor, making it potentially more expensive if you have a non-cookie-cutter design. With 8020, it comes with a black anodized version to prevent rusting. With 8020, it's easier to move. I don't own a big truck or SUV so transporting a steel stand back home and inside would have been a hassle. Only downside with 8020 was that aluminum isn't magnetic so I have to add magnets to the wood panels inside.

 

It's the small things in life that make it feel more complete 🙂 Of course having a roller mat helps too haha.

Sweet, thanks for the info. Still have the contact you used for the local distributor?

[Variant]

1 hour ago, pricewayne said:

Sweet, thanks for the info. Still have the contact you used for the local distributor?

Yep, just PM'd you. I also have the new 800gph modular marine overflow I was originally going to used for sale. PM me if you need one for your build~

[Variant]

Made good progress on the plumbing over the long weekend! Just waiting on some silicone tubing that'll come in the mail this Friday to finalize everything. 

 

 

 

 

[Tigahboy]

Nice job on the plumbing work!  Looks great!

[mitten_reef]

14 hours ago, Variant said:

Made good progress on the plumbing over the long weekend! Just waiting on some silicone tubing that'll come in the mail this Friday to finalize everything. 

 

 

 

 

If I got something like this under my stand, I won't even bother filling up the tank. It'd just spoilt this state of the art masterpiece.  🤣

 

Looking sharp!