40 Breeder Build Log

[Cichlid-Man]

Progress, though not much....still progress. Finished up re-enforcing the stand and expanding it to where it can hold a tank up to 20". I have 1" of room on both sides of my tank. Still need to cut the top to size and attach it, and skin the stand...if i do that at all and then its done. I put the tank up there to give everyone an idea.

Tank on stand and my future "fish corner". Building a working area back there that extends across the wall with the Ready Marines poster on it. Sump will go along that wall, half under this stand half sticking out under the other work area.

Thanks Dawn.

 

[Helena21]

Looking really good so far Matt!

 

[TRe]

very nice! cant wait to see it filled up, the coral will appreciate it too

 

[Lotus]

It looks like they did a nice job with the drilling

 

[skratikans]

nice tank ...I have the same shooting poster in my room too!

 

[TRe]

come on u dont got this thing filled with water and 80lbs of LR on the way?

 

[Airborneguy]

Moving slow... tsk..tsk..

 

[Cichlid-Man]

HAHA, nope nothing yet. I built the rest of the "sump stand". Its mainly just a small extension of the current stand that sits on the floor so the sump is supported while half of it sticks out from under the current stand.

My computer is busted right now (on laptop) so i'm gonna look into doing some plumbing work today, at least getting parts and the very least, making a list of parts i need.

 

[Cichlid-Man]

I'll probably work on plumbing tomorrow pending any setbacks. I know this is slow, but slow is good.

Looking at 2x 1" bulkhead intakes for the overflow and 2x 3/4" returns. I wish i could draw a picture for you to critique my plumbing...

I have 2 holes in the side of the tank. The coast to coast overflow will flow through these 2 holes and then merge as 1 and drop to the sump. The water will go through the sump and get to the return where it will be pumped back to the tank via a single line to an SCWD then split into 2. The skimmer will have water from the sump intake chamber pumped into it then dumped back into the sump.

I'm still unsure as to what size pump i need for the return. It needs to be able to pump up 4ft and keep a good gph that can benefit the tank.

 

[Joe Fish]

Make sure the drain lines are big enough so when you merge them you don't get a backup of water. I run a mag-drive 9.5 and it gets pumped up about 5' or so.

 

[jumpfreak26]

i have a mag 5. it feels weak. i want to get a 7 or even 9.5 when i install my SQWD, maybe for your drains get a 1" to 2" T fitting

 

[jumpfreak26]

just looked at the pics. dam. thats one thing i messed up on my tank with. i can only view it from one side. i really love the way ur tank looks with the multidimension. you have a whole new world of aquascaping by turning the tank 90 degrees. looking good! cant wait to see your overflow

 

[Cichlid-Man]

I've had problems fitting the PVC overflow like i wanted to. Might just go with a glass calfo overflow and just get the glass cut when i get it cut for the sump baffles. Easy and simple.

 

[jumpfreak26]

you could take a quarter section of say 6" pipe, and use that as the overflow. like a curved overflow. comprende?

 

[Cichlid-Man]

Problem is the holes are drilled to high. So i can't have any 90 degree turns going up to support my planned overflow because it'd stick out of water. If i came straight off the bulkheads it'd be to far under water.

Though i'm not sure i follow what you are saying.

 

[jumpfreak26]

is this the pipe intake? i would make a small durso. k. 90 elbow up connected to T fitting. T fitting is parallel to the smaller sides if the tank. Top of T is capped, and the last outlet is a 90 elbow down into the water.

 

[Cichlid-Man]

Could work. Is it just suction fed? The reason i like Calfo style overflows is they are gravity fed and easy to maintain. Plus they look cool.

 

[jumpfreak26]

ah. didnt think that one all the way through. is this a calfo style overflow? how exactly will yours be made?Reef Central Online Community

 

[Cichlid-Man]

Sort of kind of basically yes.

It will be an L of glass siliconed in the tank and the water will skim over the top into the holes. It not only provides an almost hidden or non noticable overflow but it surface skims as well and hardly any noise (assuming its done right).

 

[jumpfreak26]

ah i see. much more sense now. i have seen some people do straight bulkheads like yours and the overflows are just a couple of elbows pointing up with plastic screens over them.