| Author |
 Topic Search  Topic Options
|
rufessor 
Guest
Joined: January 25 2011
Location: Salt Lake CIty
Status: Offline
Points: 566
|
 Post Options
 Thanks(0)
 Quote  Reply
 Topic: Rufessor's 57 Gallon Oceanic Rimless build
Posted: October 19 2011 at 9:27am |
Here goes-
Picking up the tank tomorrow evening from BCarter from a sale off the classifieds here! Super excited to be upgrading to a "real" tank from the BioCube 29 that I am running now, its just too small and I am getting sick of constantly moving stuff around to keep it from killing something else or overgrowing it.
Tank has overflow (stock) with two nice big holes in the bottom, a sump and a stand. No plumbing, hardware or anything else.... so its going to be a little bit of work to bring it to life. Still contemplating lighting... LED for sure, no other option for me. Seriously considering two Kessil A150W in the 15K (maybe 10K) variety, building a canopy and including my Panorama Ecoxotic modules in the canopy for moon lighting and "sunrise" by staggered on/off cycles. Also seriously considering building three pendant style fixtures DIY and a curved mount so I have a suspended ARC of lighting and using different angle lens on the LED depending on their angle to the tank. Either way the canopy I build will be suspended 12-18 inches from the water surface so I will probably need to build a mesh to cover the tank.
Help on the mesh part would be great... looking for a super clean look with the mesh maybe even 1 inch beneath the water surface ... or would that look stupid from the side? probably- but I am trying to keep it looking pretty much like a open top rimless tank.
Thinking about going with a Reef Angel controller so I can write my own programs etc, this *should* be quite simple for me as I have extensive background in system automation through programming- Anyone use one of these?
Will post pics of tank etc tomorrow. First order of business is to get stand painted, paint back of tank and get going on plumbing. Then lights... Keep checking back I will try to be good and post pics as progress is made.
|
|
Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler -A.E.
57 Gallon RImless build in progress check the thread before if becomes boring and just full of nice pictures of colorful coral!
|
 |
rufessor
Guest
Joined: January 25 2011
Location: Salt Lake CIty
Status: Offline
Points: 566
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: October 24 2011 at 9:11pm |
First UPDATE.
Tank is in the garage. I have been working on clearing the lower intake of the overflow chamber for increased flow from the bottom of the tank. Since the overflow is sand/rock encrusted this has been a bit of an adventure with the dremel but its working out great.
Thanks to BCarter for the sale, it came with the 57 gallon Oceanic Illuminata rimless tank (36x24x18) a custom stand (being painted, was new and white) and a 30 gallon breeder set up as a sump with 3 chambers, 1 as an overflow to 90% tank height (cheato and deep sand bed will go here as well as about 1/3 of return flow), a middle chamber (maybe 50% of tank) where I will be putting my skimmer and a UV sterilizer if I can find one cheap, and a return chamber with a bubble trap.
Please comment on my plumbing plans as I have all the pieces but have not cut anything yet and would like to know if this will work well. Keep in mind two things, it needs to keep the floor dry above all else- it needs to be whisper quiet.
Basics- Durso in Overflow is 2 inch T and 2 inch intake with screw in mesh cone for large object rejection (snails etc), reduced to 1.25 inch pipe to bulkhead where it goes into a 1 inch pipe through the tank bottom then 90 to two drops, one with a reverse durso which is to the skimmer chamber and should be at about 2/3 of total flow, the other to the cheato chamber with a loc line termination in a wide nozzle to disperse flow. Keep in mind that above each drop, I have a ball valve which is not pictured and unions on each side of the valve for quick painless maintenance. On the return, I am running a 700 pump which is 1/2" MPT, I sized up to 1 inch PVC to the bulkhead and 3/4 up through the overflow to a T directing return flow to each side of overflow and terminating on each side with a Y locLine fitting with wide nozzels on each return flow (4 total). I plan on pointing on on each side at the sand and the other at the front glass and top of tank for good surface aeration.
Please let me know if there are things you would change. I am considering a Y fitting instead of a T on the reverse Durso in the sump... heard it might be quieter.. other suggestions/experience would be considered
|
|
Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler -A.E.
57 Gallon RImless build in progress check the thread before if becomes boring and just full of nice pictures of colorful coral!
|
|
kody72
Guest
Joined: October 05 2009
Location: North Ogden
Status: Offline
Points: 1466
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: October 24 2011 at 9:29pm |
|
Instead of doing a t on your return. I would put a 3/4" scwd for added movement and it will still get good surface aeration
Edited by kody72 - October 24 2011 at 9:54pm
|
|
|
|
rufessor
Guest
Joined: January 25 2011
Location: Salt Lake CIty
Status: Offline
Points: 566
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: October 24 2011 at 9:30pm |
Pic of rough built Durso (no glue, down pipe is WAY too long etc) Pic of general idea for return flow and dremmel work on lower overflow intake, I need to carry it across to the left of the rock to add a few holes there, they exist but are covered by sand and gorilla glue... tough stuff.
|
|
Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler -A.E.
57 Gallon RImless build in progress check the thread before if becomes boring and just full of nice pictures of colorful coral!
|
|
rufessor
Guest
Joined: January 25 2011
Location: Salt Lake CIty
Status: Offline
Points: 566
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: October 24 2011 at 9:38pm |
|
SCWD would probably fit (need to check) and would be a very cool addition. You do take a small hit in flow velocity with these guys don't you? Pump is 700 GPH but I probably have 4-5 ft of head so its probably in the 350 range. For now would have about 600 GPH from two in tank powerheads (just moving them from the nano) so total flow should be about 900 GPH so only 10X volume.... which is low I think??? Or is it ok..
|
|
Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler -A.E.
57 Gallon RImless build in progress check the thread before if becomes boring and just full of nice pictures of colorful coral!
|
|
kody72
Guest
Joined: October 05 2009
Location: North Ogden
Status: Offline
Points: 1466
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: October 24 2011 at 10:00pm |
|
Its okay depending one what corals you have. I would upgrade in the near future if I was you though. the scwds are designed to fit in the standard overflows like yours.
|
|
|
|
kody72
Guest
Joined: October 05 2009
Location: North Ogden
Status: Offline
Points: 1466
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: October 24 2011 at 10:04pm |
|
Oh it doesn't reduce your flow that much they have a chart somewhere that show flow through the scwd also how long it takes it to switch from side to side
|
|
|
|
rufessor
Guest
Joined: January 25 2011
Location: Salt Lake CIty
Status: Offline
Points: 566
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: October 27 2011 at 10:21pm |
Next phase of design is nearing completion.
Here are my relatively complete scale drawings of the light coverage from the canopy with optics as well as the planned layout (to scale) on aluminum heat sinks hung inside the canopy. Heat sink is 7 inch wide material that has 0.19 inch thick machined base (solid forged 6061 aluminum clear anodized) I will be using Cree XP-G Cool whites and Cree XP-E royal blues for lights, total is 28 white 35 blue, tank is 36x18x24 (LxWxD) so I should be good at near full power for about a 14 K light appearance with plenty of PAR for SPS.
Let me know if you think my modeling is correct.... I KNOW that my light cones will not actually be as wide after the light hits the water... I know that the light will not escape from the aquarium due to critical angles not being achieved, I know that 60 or 80 degree optics will still spill 10-20% (or more) of light past that conical section, but really... were designing an aquarium canopy with a bit of forethought, not a manned moon shot... so I think I have taken into consideration quite a bit... but I have never built an LED... so PLEASE rip it apart constructively and tell me what you think I could improve... I am concerned that the 80 degree center lights might spill into the room... would love to find something like a 70 degree optic...
Here are the diagrams.
And here is my design for the LED layout on the heat sinks... ends are 10x7 middle is 14x7... no LED is closer than 1 inch to anyother, Black denotes cool white, blue denotes RoyalBlue ALL LED will be lensed, 60 everywhere but on center star which will all use 80 degree lens, side star layout on center heat sink will use 60 degree lens as in illustration of light spill/coverage
|
|
Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler -A.E.
57 Gallon RImless build in progress check the thread before if becomes boring and just full of nice pictures of colorful coral!
|
|
rufessor
Guest
Joined: January 25 2011
Location: Salt Lake CIty
Status: Offline
Points: 566
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: November 02 2011 at 10:39am |
Ok... so I got the stand sanded down to 400 grit wet and will be using my HVLP sprayer to color it and then top coat with a Valspar marine varnish water resistant glaze for the finish. I coated the top of the stand where the aquarium sits with a pickup bed coat (armor Kote) which is a very water resistant flexible black coating that will keep the stand in great shape even with a bit of water on it. I also coated the entire bottom of the cabinet internally and about 1/2 inch up the walls with the same material so the sump can be a little wet (water changes etc) and not rot the stand.
My question now is... I am about 1 week from final plumbing and would theoretically be able to move live stock at that point... but without any lights.
I could move the top from the BioCube (new PC bulbs 26 Watt Actinic + 36 watt daylight) over to the 57 gallon and just set it on egg crate until I got my lights built. I also have 2 panorama modules (LED) from ecoxotic, one 455 nm blue, one mixed blue white. If that would be enough light to keep the corals going, and I put them all on one side under it. I plan on that.
If its not enough light, my next option is to get the 57 running with a single panorama module and 1 or two pieces of new rock and essentially cycle it with some cheato in the fuge and steal a good bit of the sand from the Biocube to seed the tank and then cycle it.... would that be even usefull as I will eventually just dump all 25 lbs of rock and coral into the display and fill the cheato chamber with the sand to 5 inches deep or so... so its not going to cycle once I transfer everything.
What do you think... will the biocube top with the LED Modules keep stuff going for a month (or less) while I build my lights... or would I be better served to just wait until the new tank and lighting is DONE and skip any cycling and move it all on day 1 with my new LED array over the tank.
Other options considered... I thought about asking for a loaner light but am concerned that the corals would need to adapt to that and then again to the LED which might be bad.
|
|
Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler -A.E.
57 Gallon RImless build in progress check the thread before if becomes boring and just full of nice pictures of colorful coral!
|
|
P.Kapp
Guest
Joined: July 16 2009
Location: Roy
Status: Offline
Points: 874
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: November 02 2011 at 11:47am |
I have seen a bunch of overflows that people have covered, but I think this one is my favorite. It really looks natural, and will look even better with some color on it. Nice job!!
|
|
Preston Kapp
210 Gal Reef
|
|
rufessor
Guest
Joined: January 25 2011
Location: Salt Lake CIty
Status: Offline
Points: 566
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: November 02 2011 at 11:55am |
|
I wish I could take credit. BCarter did the overflow and then decided to stop his build and that is where I came in after purchasing the tank stand and sump. I have finished dremmel routing out all the overflow holes on the left side at the bottom. Looks even better when they are symmetrical.
|
|
Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler -A.E.
57 Gallon RImless build in progress check the thread before if becomes boring and just full of nice pictures of colorful coral!
|
|
Ahanix
Guest
Joined: February 11 2010
Location: Eagle Mountain
Status: Offline
Points: 1670
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: November 03 2011 at 9:27pm |
|
Depending on what you want to do with the setup, if you decide to run ecobak, or any form of biopellet eventually your chaeto will die off... Just for future planning, if you decide you want to go this route you wont need to focus as much on the refugium
Oh, in addition to that, I would personally suggest going with Neutral White LED's over the Cool Whites, the coloration is much better in your reds and they are closer to "full spectrum"
Edited by Ahanix - November 03 2011 at 9:28pm
|
|
rufessor
Guest
Joined: January 25 2011
Location: Salt Lake CIty
Status: Offline
Points: 566
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: November 04 2011 at 9:26am |
Ok, Thanks for the heads up on coloration. I do have a number of orange red corals and would like to see them as they are quite beautiful.
I do however like the fluorescent pop you get with the 15K light color, so I am thinking that what I might do is to mix about 2:1 Cool:Neutral whites as I do not want any "yellow" tinge to the color... This is so hard to comment on as everyone has a unique take on what looks good and what looks too blue/yellow/red.. But, since you comment I assume you have a LED so can you give me your impression of the amount of red/yellow dominance with the neutrals? Sorta kinda thinking that maybe I would put 80 degree lenses on the neutrals to spread them out more and place them in the middle positions on my arrays. Also, hearing from at least one person that I may be a little high in terms of LED numbers for this tank size and depth so I was going to cut out about 10...
If you have some LED build experience can you comment on which to remove and where you would put cool/neutrals?
|
|
Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler -A.E.
57 Gallon RImless build in progress check the thread before if becomes boring and just full of nice pictures of colorful coral!
|
|
rufessor
Guest
Joined: January 25 2011
Location: Salt Lake CIty
Status: Offline
Points: 566
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: November 04 2011 at 2:08pm |
Confirmed from another source that cool whites are no longer suggested... changes daily. Current recommended ratio for best coloration is
7:4:1 Neutral White:Royal Blue:Std Blue
Cree XP-G neutral:Cree XP-E royal:Cree XP-e Blue
Because I am a renegade... I am thinking of putting 2-3 Green LED over the tank... some say in very low doses they are nice (no lens I should think).
Any other comments... still have yet to order parts.
LED #'s... now that I am using neutrals I am less concerned with too much PAR. I think they are a bit less powerful than the cool whites.
|
|
Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler -A.E.
57 Gallon RImless build in progress check the thread before if becomes boring and just full of nice pictures of colorful coral!
|
|
rufessor
Guest
Joined: January 25 2011
Location: Salt Lake CIty
Status: Offline
Points: 566
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: November 10 2011 at 4:57pm |
Update... The canopy is built and the stand and canopy will be finish painted tonight. Plumbing will start this weekend and I am hoping for a wet tank and a dry floor in a week or so.
Here are two pics of the canopy I built, its 39 inches wide and follows the curve of a 72 inch diameter circle. Total depth of the enclosed part is just shy of 6 inches, so lights should not show once installed. Its going to hang via 3 wires off the ceiling, still have to figure out that mounting but should be pretty simple.
Its UPSIDE DOWN... duh...
And here is what it will look like (upside down) just from the side as you would see it over the tank... when its not going to be upside down..
Super psyched with how this came out. I have it finish sanded and all seams and wood grain are filled for HVLP spray prep, pic is of rough construction not yet filled and sanded so you can see stables and some joints. Stand and canopy will be an espresso black color, super dark brown almost black. SHould look nice during the day and at night the stand and canopy will not really show up- just a nice bright tank.
Edited by rufessor - November 10 2011 at 4:59pm
|
|
Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler -A.E.
57 Gallon RImless build in progress check the thread before if becomes boring and just full of nice pictures of colorful coral!
|
|
ptronsp
Guest
Joined: November 09 2010
Location: St.George
Status: Offline
Points: 2080
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: November 10 2011 at 5:08pm |
You did a fantastic job on that canopy. LOVE the color you are painting it too. I am not normally the dark wood kinda girl, but this should be beautiful! GREAT job! Pam
|
|
The only clowns I like are in my tank!
|
|
rufessor
Guest
Joined: January 25 2011
Location: Salt Lake CIty
Status: Offline
Points: 566
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: November 14 2011 at 10:28am |
|
|
|
Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler -A.E.
57 Gallon RImless build in progress check the thread before if becomes boring and just full of nice pictures of colorful coral!
|
|
rufessor
Guest
Joined: January 25 2011
Location: Salt Lake CIty
Status: Offline
Points: 566
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: November 14 2011 at 10:38am |
Well... after sucking some major laquer thinner fumes.... the stand and canopy are now finished.
Here are pics of the final product after two coats of color and two coats of laquer... the color that we had asked to get a match came out a little bit lighter than my wife and I had hoped, but its close enough and way too much work to change it now, after bringing a sample piece inside, we decided it looks a bit darker under normal lights (using super bright halogen spots in the garage for work) and will be ok. Next time were going to do black.... whatever.
The door is in the back of the pic... the canopy is also done...
Its still kinda sorta wet in this picture, the orange peel is looking a lot worse than it is, finish actually came out very nice, considering I had never used my HVLP spray gun prior to this project... I will not claim its absolutely perfect but good enough to move into the house without any reservations.
|
|
Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler -A.E.
57 Gallon RImless build in progress check the thread before if becomes boring and just full of nice pictures of colorful coral!
|
|
Jeremyw
Guest
Joined: April 09 2009
Location: Utah County
Status: Offline
Points: 8513
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: November 14 2011 at 10:39am |
|
Canopy LOOKS GREAT!
|
|
rufessor
Guest
Joined: January 25 2011
Location: Salt Lake CIty
Status: Offline
Points: 566
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: November 14 2011 at 10:47am |
THANKS!
I ordered my SKIMMER! SHould be here this week, so looking for water in it and plumbed by the weekend! Awesome to be done with the thankless carpentry work, somehow its more fun to be putting PVC together and getting water into the setup.
I ordered my SKIMMER!!!!!!!!!
Bubble Magus 180-a should be plenty o skimmer. Reviews have been great for these and they use a very high end acrylic cone. Its an ATB body, one pice cone with apparently similar performance. Great deal, looking forward to seeing things swimming in the tank soon.
|
|
Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler -A.E.
57 Gallon RImless build in progress check the thread before if becomes boring and just full of nice pictures of colorful coral!
|
|
