Plywood Tank Build. TOTW 5-7-07

[jgb23]

Samper,

On Page 1 of the string, someone asked if the epoxy you were using was safe. It appears to be the same epoxy paint you use to paint garage floors with. Is there any chemical leaching you have to worry about?

I am trying to piece together the water flow path of the system. Can you briefly explain it?

Great job man, great job!!

[TGreene]

Hi everyone, Samper's partner here...

jgb23 -- The paint is the Behr Garage Floor Epoxy, and it's been used by myriads of reefkeepers for years, with no reported issues. This is a 1pt epoxy paint, that once fully dried and cured, becomes completely inert. Once painted, it sat in my garage for nearly 2 months until being moved to my basement to complete the build. Once there, it sat for a couple more weeks before water was added.

In regards to the flow patterns, I created the following diagram to properly explain the system.

The pink leg between the {FUGE} and the {SUMP}, is an anti-overflow control drain. This was added after-the-fact when I turned the wrong valve, which enabled the fuge to overflow (simple oversight). Since the {FUGE} is being run in the same mode as a forced-fed closed loop, with the exception of a gravity flow drain to the {MAIN TANK}, flow control had to be precise, but w/ the secondary drain installed, it will never again be an issue.

With roughly #300 of sand in the system, it's amazing to see all of the rifts that have formed, due to the flow patterns.

[Samper]

Glad you made it over here Tim! Nice drawing.

[TGreene]

Thanks Chuck.


BTW: Somebody way back in the thread mentioned that they too have an AATOC Top OFF Controller. SWEET!!!

To expand a bit on the way this particular controller was built; it was actually built from the sump out, and as such, would be the only AATOC designed this way... I know, because I'm actually the person that designed them and originally owned "Reef-Relief", before selling the company to "ReefTek" in the spring of 2005. -- I retained the right to build them for my own use.

Chuck mentioned the larger floats as well, but these are actually the same style floats that I used when I was manufacturing them. ReefTek changed suppliers somewhere along the line, and the newer floats are not as large as the ones I used, thus they tend to "bounce" a bit more, which is annoying to have to listen to, and it will also wear out the reed switches faster.

-Tim

[jgb23]

TGreene and Samper,

Thanks for this thread and your explanations. I am planning on building something like this, on a smaller scale. This thread has really helped me out. Please keep posting updates. My plan is to build a coral table that is 3X6X14 for two purposes. The first reason is that I am going to break down my current tank in order to put tile down and then install a larger tank (150). It will give my animals a more comfortable place to stay and sprawl out as I slowly put my larger tank together. Will the shallow depth (14 inches) be ok for fish such as Tangs? I assume that since many species show up in tide pools they should be ok. I figure it will take me 3-6 months to put the large tank together.
Secondly, I want to use it to propagate corals for trade and such. For the tank size I am planning, I have just enough room to put this table, sump and equipment into my office and still have room for comfort.

Once again, great job!

[TGreene]

You should be fine with Tangs in a shallow tank with those dimensions, because they are swimmers and will love the length and width in which to play. If you install Locline return nozzels like I did, chances are you'll find your Tang(s) forever playing in currents.

FWIW: My 125 is 18"T, and with a deep sandbed, my Tang only has 14-15", then when you consider the rocks...

-Tim

[TGreene]

The Diatom bloom is in full swing, and as evidenced by the lighter colored circular blotches, our (DSquared, Samper and myself) idea to add sand to the paint for increased surface area for bacterial colonization, has worked beautifully.

These blotches were not at all visible yesterday, so you can see that the colonies are growing so rapidly, they are beginning to consume the Diatoms already.

Last evening I did a complete water test, and the results are as follows:

• Ammonia | 0.25 (inconclusive, because that's the lowest I've ever seen the test)
• Nitrite | 0.0
• Nitrate | 5 (The presence of Nitrate indicates that the Ammonia would more than likely be 0.0)
• SG 1.026
• Temp | 79-80

I will continue to test the Nitrogen cycle params for a few more days, after which I will begin testing the Ca, Alk, Mg and PO4. All in all, I have to say that were kicking serious ass at this point, since the salt wasn't even added until July 6th!

Ca, Alk and Mg have been dosed since about Day-3, so the levels should be right on par.

[TGreene]

With the help of a friend who owns a local HVAC business, I built a special climate control system to regulate a window air conditioner in order to maintain very specific room temps. This will adjust the room temps to offset the additional heat from the lights, as well as the hottest time of the day.

After I had explained to him what I was "hoping" to be able to do, he gave me an old 13,000 BTU AC unit, a high-end fully programmable 7-day digital thermostat, a 24v transformer, and a contactor that was pulled from an old furnace. He then drew a simple diagram of how to connect what, so after getting the other necessary parts and spending a couple of hours assembling everything, I have a fully programmable AC unit that is now controlled based upon the needs of the Aquaculture system.

The way it works, is to plug the AC power cord into the control box, which is wired to the programmable t-Stat that's mounted elsewhere in the room. When the room temps hit a pre-selected level, the t-stat regulates the AC unit, just as your standard t-stat adjusts your entire home. The difference being, is that this has no effect on any other room or area in my house. Also, because it's regulated remotely, the temps are able to maintained to a much more exact range than an expensive AC unit that has a similar feature built in, because the t-stats in those will detect too much heat from the actual AC unit itself, and throw false readings.

Without the AC, the temps were reaching as high as 84, and with the AC on constantly the swings were anywhere from 77.5-81 degrees. Now that I have this "climate control" system in place, the maximum swing has been .75 degrees... Humidity is also no longer a factor!

[TGreene]

For anyone that's interested, I now have the climate control dialed in so tight, that the system only has a 0.5 degree swing.

[Samper]

If anyone is ever in our area you really should come check this out.

[jgb23]

Since I got into reef aquaria, I wanted to build something similar to what you built. The first time I went to a reef fish store, they had a similar design and really liked how you look down and see everything. For the longest time, I didn't have the space, time and most importantly, extra cash to build something like that.
However, with time, I have acquired a bigger house, have more time, and most importantly, more cash :-). I want to build something like you did, but on a much smaller scale. I was thinking 6 feet long by 3 feet wide and
12-14 inches deep. I have a 10 X10 office inside my house and can
utilize some space for it. I live in Florida and with searing temperatures, I don't want to put it in my garage. I couldn't image the size of the chiller I would need to keep it at optimal temperatures.

I am trying to come up with a parts list and estimate a price. Here is what
I figure for parts. I haven't figured out brands yet, just ball park ranges

Tank, sump and refugium
2- 4X8 ¾ inch plywood. I was thinking of marine grade, but since it will be fiberglassed, I don't see the need for marine grade
16- 2x4x8
5 gallons of resin
2-3 yards of Fiberglass (4oz or maybe a Roven Weave, 38" wide)
1 gallon of epoxy paint
1-Industrial sized Rubbermaid tub (100 gallon) for sump
1-29 gallon fish tank for a refugium
Hardware- Various
Pumps and equipment
2-3-high powered pumps capable of providing 1000gph. I was thinking of
using 1 for a closed loop and the other for a return pump from the sump
to the tank. For the fuge, I was thinking of using a smaller pump to
pump water in from the sump. I am still doing research on this though.
1-Protein Skimmer. I was thinking something like a Coralvue Octopus
Recirc Model 150 (good for up to 350 gallons) or a Precision Marine Bullet-2
Precision Marine Calc Reactor-250G

Lighting
Since heating is a factor, I want to shy away from MH. I liked the
t-5's and was thinking of 3 fixtures (6 bulbs) 36 inches long.

Plumbing
Havent planned but figure a lot of !

based on these items (I did some online price searching), I came up with about 3 grand. I did include approximately 300 for plumbing, 150-200 for salt, and 100 for hardware (screws, etc) and 220 for a RODI system.

Am I missing any major components?

Thanks in Advnace,

Joe

[TGreene]

Controllers, top off system, PVC Ball valves, PVC Unions, Kalk reactor, dehumidifier, electrical build-out, sand & rock, high-volume RO/DI (add another $100 to your budget), bulkheads, an additional $100 a month on your utility bill, existing plumbing and drain issues, egg-crate, John-Guest fittings, grinder for fiberglass, hole saws, glass bits, Motrin, etc...

There were a lot of "unknowns" that had to be added in at the last minute, either due to the scale or the manner in which the system is actually situated. It's amazing how many feet of PVC pipe, or how many fittings can get wasted due to mis-alignment or an addition or subtraction from any part of the system. Certain aspects of the build were truly trial and error, because this isn't the type of system that you build everyday -- or ever in most cases!

Sadly, the big things are the easiest to plan and budget for... It's the million little trips to Lowes or Home Depot for the under $25 items that tend to add up and kill ya on a project of this scope. Then there are the tiny "upgrades" here and there to allow for a much smoother running system and/or additional safety measures (ie: JG Check Valve for reactor feeds or a programmable timer to regulate the top off system, due to constant cycling caused by having a huge sump.).

We've seen a few similar systems over the years as well, so in designing this, we decided to combine our favorite features from all of them into one unique system. I have some more "stuff" in the works for this system, but due to being either 1-off prototypes or beta products that are not yet available on the market, I'm sworn to absolute secrecy....

When it gets right down to it, it's a labor-of-love, and it has to be to make it worth justifying.

-Tim

[TGreene]

One more thing to consider is relying on friends in the industry to help keep your costs to a minimum... If you don't have a "good connection" that will sell to you for somewhere about midway between wholesale and regular online retail, find one!

If you have trouble finding someone local, you can always get ahold of me by visiting my homepage and contacting me, and I'll handle it for you.

-Tim

[TGreene]

For anyone that's interested, I now have the climate control dialed in so tight, that the system only has a 0.5 degree swing.

A bit more tweaking this morning, and Ithe system has now gone 15 hours without leaving the 79.0 degree mark...

I've never seen any system anywhere go that long without some type of temperature swing!

Here's the data - The 1st row is time, 2nd is pH, 3rd is ORP, 4th is temp.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9PM,10PM,11PM,12PM,1AM,2AM,3AM,4AM,5AM,6AM,7AM,8AM,9AM,10AM,11AM,12PM,1PM,2PM,3PM,4PM,5PM ,6PM,7PM,8PM
803,804,797,801,802,803,798,796,811,811,807,804,81 1,810,806,799,797,797,796,797,799,799,800,801
379,392,389,394,380,389,386,389,365,378,388,390,37 5,384,381,369,375,378,383,382,384,390,379,382
80.2,80,79.9,80,80,79.8,79.6,79.4,79.2,79,79,79,79,79,79,79,79,79,79,79,79,79,79,79
800,800,800,800,793,795,795
800,800,800,800,819,821,821
350,350,350,350,329,329,351
350,350,350,350,372,385,399
78,78,78,78,78.6,78.6,79
78,78,78,78,79.8,79.9,80.3

[scubadude]

First off welcome to RL Tim

Nicely done on the whole system....both you and chuck seem to have a knack for this

Oh and Chuck I will definately come check out the system if im in the neighborhood....you know this!

[Samper]

Well I hope you will sometime Rocky. It's been a long time since I've seen ya and I could put you up for as long as you want. Tim has a ton of great ideas and he is definately the DIY guy. I just want to thank him for giving me the opportunity to be a part of this. If it wasn't for him we wouldn't have a reef club in the area and we definately wouldn't have this system to tinker with. We have had a lot of help and support and we can't wait to give that same courtesy back. Tim I know we've been a little overwhelmed with money issues lately but I truly feel it will all work out. The temp not swinging is as you said unheard of and all parameters are falling into place. We'll be ready for corals in a few weeks and I am already working on fragging what I have to grow out. Rocky...get your butt down here.

[TGreene]

Tim I know we've been a little overwhelmed with money issues lately but I truly feel it will all work out.

A little..? <-- That's me crying, not laughing, but crying!

[redvipe2010]

Great thread! Can't wait to see more pics!

[jenn78]

Awesome Setup!

How's things going with it? Any livestock yet?
Hey Samper How much does a setup like this cost to build , and how much did it increase utility bills?

Jenn

[jenn78]

Wow! what did I miss ?

Sorry for asking