Extreme Tank Makeover

[cyberwollf]

Ok, after I get a few other projects knocked out I will start on this shortly (about to remove a sink and facuet, its white with some stains and stuff but works great if anyone wants it)

Ok Heres the list

I have marked off the completed items, updated as of 6Mar2010
1. live stock into a temperay holding tank (55G)
2. Drill 3 holes in my 75 for a Calflo, and build the overflow out of glass (smoked glass)
3. Raise the stand 10 inchs or so, I hate bending over to look into the tank
3. replace the inwall electical box with a double box and run pvc through it (just replace with 2 outles when we sell the house and you'll never know
4. setup frag, skimmer tank
5. redo the baffels in my current 30G sump
6. Make a trashcan RDSB
7. grow Chaeto in a the chamber my skimmer used to be in, add 2nd CLF
8. Skin the stand
9. make reactors for GFO and Carbon
10. use uniseals to turn my cheap seaclone skimmer into a recirc
Added:
11. Paint blackground black
12. Convert from T5 to MH
13. build hood for MH

ok that should be easy    Also, this extra tanks etc, will be all run off gravity.  the frag tank will be lower than the overflow so water will flow down the pipe through the wall and back up into the frag tank (not high flow, but it doesnt mater) then from the frag tank to the RDSB, then back through the wall into the sump.  I'll just replace the impeller in my Mag 5 and turn it into a mag 7. suggestions?

[HUNGER]

wow cant wait to see it all done  looks like its going to be a fun one

[jjw2121]

Is that all you are doing?   

[cyberwollf]

ok painting the background. I have black plastic at it is.  paint it black or blue (like Lazylivin's) I like the blue color, but not sure.. thoughts? 

[slandis3]

black

[UDJustin]

when ordering your glass pieces for your calflo order black smoked glass ( saw Joel do this on a tank he did a calflo on a few weeks ago) it looks really cool and kinda makes the overflow dissapear a little bit

[ghurlag]

+1 black.  The back of the tank just fades away, so your livestock is the showcase, and not the back glass.

[jd]

FUCHSIA!

I think black only looks good on tank with very good lighting, you lose a lot of light with a black background. That being said, go black, I did.

[ghurlag]

Forgive me, please...  "Once you go black..."

[HUNGER]

Forgive me, please...  "Once you go black..."

u never go back

[cyberwollf]

Ok 1 of the 2 prerequisites done.  I had to replace the kitchen sink, and finish a shoe rack before I could start the tank makeover.....

Heres a few shots, Anyone want the old white sink and faucet? It would be great for a shop or something? Otherwise im ganna throw it out.  (I just spent more on a sink an facuet than the whole tank remodel is going to cost!  )

[slandis3]

Ok 1 of the 2 prerequisites done.  I had to replace the kitchen sink, and finish a shoe rack before I could start the tank makeover.....

  (I just spent more on a sink an facuet than the whole tank remodel is going to cost!  )

Im not surprised, I seen some faucets that were over $300 when we were looking for a new one.

[ghurlag]

That sink is totally hawt

[cyberwollf]

That sink is totally hawt

But the sawdust all over my kitchen isnt! I had to trim an inch from all sides of the countertop with a jig saw.... that crap is everywhere now

[cyberwollf]

Ok here's the sump idea.  Rip out the old crappy acrylic baffles and put in new glass ones.  I want to tumble cheato in 2 chambers and a little rubble and sand at the end for pods to grow in.  I will have a RDSB somewhere else in the system.  I dont know that i have ever seen a baffle setup like this, anyone see any problem with the design?

When getting glass baffles cut from the glass shop, are there any special instructions.  I read somewhere that you need to do something along the 2 bottom corners so you dont mess up the current silicone along the tank bottom?

[Wall_Tank]

I don't know what everyone has against acrylic, especially on small sumps.    In any event, just cut a small champfer on the bottom corners.......look at the size of the silicone bead in the bottom of the tank.

How big is the sump, looks like alot to fit into one space.

Also back to the whole system design, with such a large gravity drain system, make sure the sump can hold the water when the power goes off.

[cyberwollf]

The current acrylic baffels leak pretty bad ( chaeto sneaks into the next chamber through the seam) plus I'd like to make the sock and pump sections smaller with 2 macro sections. I figured if I'm ordering glass anyways, it's cheap and just redo the whole thing. I'll post a drawing of it's current baffel setup

[cyberwollf]

heres what the current layout the way i bought the sump

[Wall_Tank]

Ever thought about putting a chamber in for a bigger skimmer?

[cyberwollf]

Under the current plan i actually am going to put the skimmer in the fishroom and run it in a tub in there

[cyberwollf]

Ok, this week I am back from California so i will be working on the sump and probably building a protein skimmer like JDs.

Also I have one of those black color films on my tank.  Well i fliped it over to see what it would look like with a blue background... And i actaully like it.  It shows much more dirt and will require me to keep the tank cleaner... But i actually like the color rather than black.  It makes the tank seem brighter.

[ghurlag]

What color blue?  Is it the light to dark gradient?  I always loved that style, just wish I could get it painted on the tank instead of taping it.  There is nothing worse that water behind those things.    Looking forward to seeing the stages of development and results.

[HUNGER]

ya iv allways faved the blue in tanks  it does make it brighter

[cyberwollf]

Ok got some work done with the holiday today.  I tore down the sump and put the rubble and chaeto in a 55G for temporary storage.

Sump drained down before moving


New Temporary sump


Baffles riped out of the old sump


I got it cleaned up and the glass on order.

I also noticed the sand in my sump was clumped togeather.  I assume its from over dosing.  I have my topoff water running through Kalk so maybe thats too much

[cyberwollf]

OK part of this project i was dreading was drilling through the wall and putting a setup where a huge countertop currently exists in the laundry room.  However this idea just came to me.  It will just be an integral vertical cabinet.  That will also give me the height i have always wanted so i can do a gravity drain refuge/pod farm.