Brack's 55 gal journal of sorts

[Brack-Man]

Ok, so, like I've been hearing everywhere, there's never enough room for corals. So I have decided to upgrade my 20gal into one of the spare 55 gals I have sitting in my garage. This upgrade is almost going to be as extensive as a new build up since I'm changing lights, gonna build a new stand and canopy, a new DIY sump bigger and better Closed loop system...etc etc etc *thumbsups .

So I guess I'll start with what I have equipment wise.

55 gal AGA w/o overflow...gonna do an external overflow on the back
30 gal long AGA... sump to be
1 SCWD flow diverter
1 Mag 12 pump
1 Mag 7 or 9 cant remember which one it is...its currently running the CL on my 20 gal
I also have several aquaclear PW's that hopefully I wont need
130w PCF lights for the sump
I'm going to use 2-175w MH's supplemented with actinics...I just finish DIYing my ballast box for the tank, pics below.

I started my lighting project with 2- M57 ballasts, and a metal switch gear box that I picked up from my local electrical store. The box measures 12"x12"x6"

pic of box...I had already added the holes before I took the pic

pic of box with ballasts mounted in it

mounting the switches in the front panel

I used single pole/single throw lighted rocker switches from Radio Shack

MMMM...fun

All wired up

all closed up with home made warning labels in-place

I odered 2 reflector kits from Hellolights.com
MH Parabolic Reflector Set w/ Mogul Base

The next thing I will be doing will be to build my stand and canopy...Thats tomorrows project...so stay tuned...*DRUMMER*

Oh yeah ...almost forgot...all comment are appreciated...and any questions anyone has I will be happy to answer

1 more BTW...I will also be putting the ballasts for my actinic supplement lights in this box as well

 

[YahooFishKeeper]

haha, looking sweet. couldnt do that if i tried! i see windows messenger and MFT in the background too

 

[Mahamotorworks]

It looks good the only thing I would do is install a cooling fan. To be on the safe side. With it being, well looking like Aluminum once any part os hot it will all be hot. Good job on keeping the wireing neat.

It is a good start lot of light.

MAHA

 

[Limi310]

Very Nice Jerm, I'm impressed! Good Job on the labeling
Can't wait to see your stand and canopy next.

 

[Brack-Man]

Maha, I am adding a cooling fan, they just didnt have what I was looking for today when I picked everything else up...all they had were 12 & 24 volt fans and I want 120 volt fans. Oh and by the way the box isnt aluminum...its stainless, heavy duty, commercial grade switch gear box.

 

[Mahamotorworks]

Great minds think alike. It looks good.

MAHA

 

[Brack-Man]

Ok, time for some updates, hehe, sort of. I havent finished the stand yet but here are a couple of pics of what it looks like so far.

The front

The back

The stand is 60"W x 24"D x 40"T. I'm using Brazilian Oak plywood for the facings and I think I'm gonna use Maple for the doors.

Next...I built my overflow for the back of my tank. I'm using an external overflow with 2- 1" bulkheads for drains to the sump, and I also added a 3/4" bullkhead into the overflow for my closed loop sytem. I'm currently planning on using a Mag 9.5 for my return from sump to tank and a Mag 7 with a SCWD for my closed loop.

Pics of overflow

Overflow installed on tank...

Notice that I cut the center brace off of the tank, I'm going to Eurobrace it once I finish cutting the opening for the overflow.

Now for those wondering why you cant cut/drill tempered glass...this is what it looks like when you attempt such a feat

I didnt know it was tempered when I started cutting it but let me tell you, I found out reall quick that it was. I was using my DeWalt rotary tool to cut the glass where the tank drains into the overflow when it exploded.

Just a minor set back...and about four extra hours of work gone to the dogs, since I had spent one night last week taking the tank apart and polishing the glass and resealing it...oh well.

 

[Brack-Man]

I also completed my sump/refugium over teh weekend, but for some reason , I didnt take any pics of teh completed project, but here are some pics of teh tank I'm using for the sump/fuge.

Hmmm nice and dirty, can you tell its been sitting in a garage for over a year

Here it ios all cleaned up...well sort of all cleaned up *thumbsups
EDIT:Oops forgot to post the pic

I'll post pics of the completed sump/fuge tomorrow, and as for replacing the glass on the tank, I ordered the new glass for it this morning, and since the glass is only $30 dopllars a piece, I decided to go ahead and replace the front and rear pieces.

 

[GIS Guy]

Will you be adding a center vertical brace to the back of the stand just like the front has?

 

[Limi310]

Wow I hope you were wearing safety goggles! What a shame, you got that tank so sparkly..
I think it's funny that your work doesn't care that you bring in a fish tank.....

 

[Brack-Man]

Will you be adding a center vertical brace to the back of the stand just like the front has?

No, what I will be doing is adding 2 horizontal braces from front to back at the top of the tank, to minimalize the bowing of the glass *thumbsups

 

[Brack-Man]

Wow I hope you were wearing safety goggles! What a shame, you got that tank so sparkly..
I think it's funny that your work doesn't care that you bring in a fish tank.....

Uh yeah I had on saftey glasses...and as far as work ...Well, what they dont know wont hurt me...

 

[Mahamotorworks]

I bet that was a lot of fun. I can see it... Noise of the Rotary tool going, then Smash, Broken Glass Every where. I would be soo pissed. You just replaced the Broken Glass? I guess it wouldnt be that hard.

Everything else looks good.

MAHA

 

[Big Vine]

Wow, Brack-Man, you've sure been hard at work!
I need to pay closer attention to this section of the forum so I can catch up on what everyone's got brewing these days. I admire your ambition in taking on a project of this magnitude...the rewards, as you know, will be worth all the hard work in the end.

Big Vine

 

[saltwater4life]

wow bet your glad you bought those 2 dollar goggles to bad about the tank... i didn't think a 55 would be tempered anyways i cant wait to see the tank all set up!
BTW nice DIY ballast like the red buttons
Best of luck!
Nick

 

[Mushroomman]

Neat, jeremy. Let us know how it goes.

What do you plan on useing for a glass type shield under the lamps?

 

[kevin4052002]

Looks great! I love the ballast box.

I've seen pictures of people trying to drill the bottom of their 180's.....glass EVERYWHERE.

 

[Brack-Man]

Mushroomman: Neat, jeremy. Let us know how it goes.
What do you plan on useing for a glass type shield under the lamps?

Well now that it seems I'm gonna have an extra piece of tempered glass (leftover from re-redoing the tank ) I'll probably just incorporate it into my hood under the lights.

kevin4052002: Looks great! I love the ballast box.

I've seen pictures of people trying to drill the bottom of their 180's.....glass EVERYWHERE

Thanks. Yeah it sucks when you expect the glass your fixing to cut to be regular ole plate glass, and it turns out to be tempered . Plus it makes for a nice big mess in the driveway as well.


Thanks to everyone for the complements. *thumbsups

 

[Brack-Man]

Ok here are the pics of my completed sump, I managed to remember to take them this morning at about 5 AM when I got up to get ready for work, so the quality may be questionable

Front...from left to right the layout is skimmer section > bubble trap> return section < refugium

Back with 3/4" bulkhead for return pump

Top veiw

 

[Mahamotorworks]

Looks good. With the Fuge on the Right side are you going to have a drain form the Overflow box go into so it have some water flow?

MAHA