fishy610 Posted January 14, 2005 Share Posted January 14, 2005 After 3 months of gathering information, planning and building, my new 20L will finally get started today! Here are the complete specs: - 20L AGA, drilled, with 1" bulkhead, the back is painted with about 5 layers of blue WalMart Krylon paint - 2x65W CurrentUSA Satellite Fixture (1x65W actinics, 1x65W 50/50) - SCWD wavemaker - 18lbs. Aragonite (2" sandbed) - 24lbs. Marshall Island Live Rock 12 lbs new, 12lbs from old tank) - 10g AGA Sump/Refugium with 1" bulkhead and a retrofit 2x13W PC fixture (50/50) - Red Sea Prizm Deluxe Skimmer (in sump) - Mag 5 return pump (in sump) - 75W Ebo Jaeger Heater (in sump) - 50W Tronic Heater (in sump) The stand/shelf is a DIY project. I got a few standard concrete blocks from Home Depot and spraypainted them black. The shelves and top is standard 1.5" wood - sealed, primed and painted in a mahagony color with the rims painted with black latex. I cut two holes in the top with a 1 3/4" hole drill for the intake and return line. The storage cube is a QBits dark alder cube from Target. Total cost for the stand: approx. $50. The tanks have been drilled with a 1" diamond hole saw from Harbor Freight and enlarged with a 1" diamond sander, also from Harbor Freight. The new LR is scheduled to arrive via UPS sometime later today (from premiumaquatics.com). All systems are a go after a more or less hectic two evenings of plumbing (due to my procrastinating). I tested the sump, plumping and SCWD yesterday for leaks and everything seems to be alright. Last night I added the Aragonite first and filled the tank with 10g pre-mixed water, put the heater in it to get to the right temperature when the new LR arrives. To be continued... Link to comment
fishy610 Posted January 15, 2005 Author Share Posted January 15, 2005 The live rock has arrived, but I had a few setbacks. First my light fixture dropped into the half-full tank blowing one ballast. It just dropped in on one side for about an inch (I was able to pull it out juuuust in time, but that was enough to fry one of the two ballasts). Then I tested the plumbing again, just now I have found two leaks and on top of all my misery the SCWD does not switch between the outflows for some reason. Anyway, the rock is in and I haven't even had a good chance to look at it. I have quite an agenda tomorrow re-tightening the entire plumbing, getting a replacement ballast, cleaning and checking the SCWD and installing two check valves. ...right now I am just tired.. zzz Link to comment
cj_basser Posted January 15, 2005 Share Posted January 15, 2005 sounds like a great start minus the few minor setbacks! Link to comment
King-Kong Posted January 15, 2005 Share Posted January 15, 2005 dont worry -- your problems are identified and you will solve them! in time, that 20L is going to look AMAZING. keep us posted! Link to comment
fishy610 Posted January 15, 2005 Author Share Posted January 15, 2005 I am almost done re-plumbing everything with PVC pipe. I tested the SCWD yesterday in the sink and no matter what I do, it won't switch. I also read from various sources that the SCWD's are often of poor quality, so I decided not to use it in my tank at all, because just the thought replacing it again will make me want to scream. The new plumbing features a simple T-section with ball valves on both inflows and a check valve (oops, we forgot about that, didn't we?). I am thinking about adding just one powerhead to the new tank and to run it off my good ol' Wavermaster for a little wave movement, although my goal was to unclutter the main tank. Oh well. I also sucked up all the information that I could get on how to replace my fizzled ballast. I ended up getting a standard Sylvania 2x32W electronic ballast from Lowes for $20 and it works like a charm. My LFS wanted my to charge $70 for a similar unit. Grr. Anyway, tomorrow the plumbing will be (hopefully) done and the sump will finally get started. YAY!! Link to comment
fishy610 Posted January 17, 2005 Author Share Posted January 17, 2005 YAY. The tank and sump has been started and everything works great. The plumbing with PVC piping was much easier than I thought and the seals are tight as they can be. Here is a close-up of the running sump with the heater and skimmer installed. God, I love it. Finally my main tank is uncluttered and all those unsightly powerheads and the skimmer is gone! Keeping you posted ;-) Link to comment
King-Kong Posted January 17, 2005 Share Posted January 17, 2005 that looks awesome.. i really love your sump work. how did you construct the sump's baffles. what materials and adheasive were used? Link to comment
fishy610 Posted January 17, 2005 Author Share Posted January 17, 2005 The baffles were actually the easiest part. I went to my local Lowes and had the glass pre-cut: 2 x 10"x10" 2 x 10"x8" I used DAP Aquarium Sealant 100% Silcone from Home Depot. It seals very well and cures within 24-48 hours. Link to comment
King-Kong Posted January 17, 2005 Share Posted January 17, 2005 fascinating -- thank you! Link to comment
fishy610 Posted January 18, 2005 Author Share Posted January 18, 2005 Another busy day, but the worst is over. I started this morning by siphoning out about 50% of my old tank and filling it into my new one. After that I transferred my liverock from my old tank, did a quick aquascaping, transferred the inverts and snails, fish and finally the corals. Then I siphoned out the remaining water out of my 10g and added it to my new tank. Last but not least, I took about 30% of my old sandbed and filled the sump. *ding* Everything got transferred to the new tank within 5 hours. After the entire ordeal, I just had to go to my local LFS and got some macro algae for the sump and added 2 new hermits and 2 turbo snails....and a Green Star polyp. All inhabitants seem to be very happy. The crabs are currently snacking on some seaweed that I got them to make it up for all the stress. The two clowns are doing just fine as well and are curiously inspecting the new tank ("Honey, don't you love it?"). The turbo snails went right to work on the rock. My Xenia opened within an hour, so did the mushroom. The new Green Star even opened 30 minutes after adding it to the tank. I also spotted my old peanut worms looking for food, so I assume I did everything right! Nothing more rewarding than to see everyone happy!!! So, far so good. Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 0, pH 8.2, Alk 3.5 ppm (could be a tad more), Calcium 380ppm, Salinity 1.023, Temperature 79F. It has been an intense weekend or reading, more reading and sucking up all the information I can to set up everything perfectly. The work over the past three months has paid off. The 20L looks so much bigger and better than my old 10g. It feels and looks more like an aquarium and I do have some many more options. I plan on adding a shrimp and maybe a goby, eventually an orange star. For the corals, I think about zoos, some more shrooms, leather and then take the plunge to LPS. But that'll all happen over time. I won't add anything in a next few weeks. At least, i am trying not to. Link to comment
Travis Posted January 18, 2005 Share Posted January 18, 2005 Sounds good, but I want to see the pics before I make my final judgement Link to comment
The_Barbe-Hatten_Project Posted January 18, 2005 Share Posted January 18, 2005 great... have you seen my thread? look below... Link to comment
fishy610 Posted January 18, 2005 Author Share Posted January 18, 2005 OOOOoh, very nice, Barbe-Hatten-Project! It makes me want to build my sump all over again! May I ask what kind of return pump you are using? Link to comment
The_Barbe-Hatten_Project Posted January 18, 2005 Share Posted January 18, 2005 well thanks, but to tell you the truth i think yours looks better... i'm using a CA or CAP 2200 great pumps... and cheap too.. Link to comment
fishy610 Posted January 18, 2005 Author Share Posted January 18, 2005 Very nice. I really didn't regret to drill my tank. It was way easier than I thought. The extra two baffles really help to reduce any bubbles and to slow down the flow in the fuge. However, I would make a few changes. I should have left more room for the return chamber, because right now, the sump will overflow if the pump gives out, because the outflows will siphon back. I installed a check valve, but apparently it doesn't work with the relatively low back-siphon. I just might get a longer tubing to put the outflow nozzles a little higher. Link to comment
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