Dan's 120 Build

Discussion in 'New Tank Builds' started by dlbowlin, Oct 31, 2014.

  1. dlbowlin

    dlbowlin Plankton

    I plan to order my 120 tank soon but I am starting to build out my sump room and water changing equipment.
    I started with a 5 X 8 room in my garage that I guess was intended for a storage room
    IMG_20141025_095424323.jpg
    This will document how my new build proceeds. Let's hope I don't run into too many snags.
    IMG_20141025_095416654.jpg
    I will be building my Water making shelf in this part of the room.
     
  2. dlbowlin

    dlbowlin Plankton

    OK, so I ordered a HEAVY DUTY shelf from home depot..... and began to put it together..... Wow not so heavy duty.
    IMG_20141025_095629124.jpg
    It says up to 4k pounds right...well I put my foot through the shelf without any problem.
    IMG_20141025_100421328.jpg
    IMG_20141025_102419554.jpg
    So I bought 3/4" plywood and cut shelves. I then doubled the wood on the shelves to 1.5" after all there will be over 450 pounds on each shelf.
    IMG_20141025_122653634.jpg
    IMG_20141025_125728275.jpg
     
  3. dlbowlin

    dlbowlin Plankton

    Got my first container for my water making shelf in hope to finish this up this weekend.
    IMG_20141025_125719170.jpg
     
  4. Kim

    Kim Secretary Staff Member

    Hiya,

    If you don't have your tank already, Kevin at Paradise Pets can order it for you. He's got really good prices on tanks.

    Kim/Benton, AR
     
  5. dlbowlin

    dlbowlin Plankton

    Thanks not familiar with Paradise Pets... I have been going to Hot Springs and the guy over there seems really willing to work with me on price. I will compare..thanks.
     
  6. dlbowlin

    dlbowlin Plankton

    Did some work this weekend...added a backer board to the wall to mount my Apex Controller
    IMG_20141101_174803547.jpg
    EB-8 power unit to power Protein skimmer, main tank return pump, refuge lighting. Dosing pumps.
    PM-2 unit for Salinity and Temp in Main sump.
    Break out unit for float switches for Auto Top off

    IMG_20141101_174811676.jpg
    These are near the Water making station. I want to put a break out box here too so I can connect float switches. I also will need power for the bottom tank that will hold all my trash water from .auto water changes, protein skimmer, and RODI black water.
    PM-2 unit is for Salinity and temp in NSW tank.
    EB-4 unit to power pump to empty trash water tank.

    Also Mounted the RODI unit
    IMG_20141101_174824219.jpg
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 3, 2014
  7. huntindoc

    huntindoc RRMAS BOD Membership Director Staff Member

    Two EB 4's? Are those two small units breakout boxes? What are they for?

    Great start. I like the planning and execution even before the tank is there.
     
  8. dlbowlin

    dlbowlin Plankton

    Added some commentary to those last photos...thanks for the compliment huntindoc... I hope to have my sumps cycled before I get my main tank in....
     
  9. huntindoc

    huntindoc RRMAS BOD Membership Director Staff Member

    Cool. pH and temp came with mine. I'm really interested to see how well the salinity probe works. Do you have a refractometer? It would be nice to see how accurate it is.
     

    Attached Files:

  10. dlbowlin

    dlbowlin Plankton

    Yes got one just to make sure and calibrate the probes correctly.
    Got the PH too need that for my two part dosing.
     
  11. dlbowlin

    dlbowlin Plankton

    Finished my water making station. top tank is for RODI, middle tank is for Salt mixture, bottom tank is for trash water. I will be plumbing that into the drain so it will pump straight to the drain when float triggers.
    IMG_20141108_141140784.jpg

    I also got in my main flow pump
    IMG_20141108_141101369.jpg

    My Ozone maker that will attach to my protein skimmer
    IMG_20141108_141109560.jpg

    and some bio media that I intend to build a cage for in my sump.
    IMG_20141108_141045121.jpg
    OH yea got the auto top off too

    I also added my float controller
    IMG_20141108_141117323.jpg

    Bought the first of my sumps...big Rubbermaid 100 gal stock tank. Got to get a 2" bulk head fitting for that though because it only comes with a 1" on it.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 8, 2014
  12. dlbowlin

    dlbowlin Plankton

    Bought my sump. 100gal Rubbermaid. Glad I tested it before putting it in the fish room. Guess I will have to replace and test again.

    IMG_20141111_063210002.jpg
    IMG_20141111_063215661.jpg
     
  13. Chum

    Chum RRMAS Supporter

    The bulkhead fitting on these Rubbermaid tanks can be a bit rough on the molding seam and cause a leak. Take it completely off and clean up the excess on the molding seam where it meets the rubber gasket.
     
  14. dlbowlin

    dlbowlin Plankton

    Did that...still leaks... I have a 1" schd 80 bulk head that I will replace it with tonight and add some silicone around the hole too.
    then retest.....
     
  15. dlbowlin

    dlbowlin Plankton

    Had some time to work on the fish room today. Not in to big a hurry because the tank won't be in until January. Oh well.
    I started my sump. created wiers to channel the water the way I want it to flow. I put bio media between the wiers and created an area to throw cheto.
    I hooked up all my probes and placed them...
    IMG_20141123_085115899.jpg

    I also got in my glass jars for incubating my phytoplankton. I got to Chinese LED's to put on either side of these jars.
    IMG_20141123_085124867.jpg
     
  16. dlbowlin

    dlbowlin Plankton

    Well did make some headway this weekend on my build. Set up my Skimmer
    Skimmer.jpg
     
  17. dlbowlin

    dlbowlin Plankton

    Got my skimmer collection method setup to go straight into my waste water tank.
    Set my phyto production with 3 different kinds of phypto: Tetraselmis, Isocrysis, and Nannochloris
    Can't add any more pics. because it says I have reached my limit. Sorry.
     
  18. dlbowlin

    dlbowlin Plankton

    Well my 120 has grown to a 150. I just ordered the tank from Chris. should be in before the end of the Month...
    I have well established phyto production, my pods aren't growing as well as I would like, and my bio filter seems to have cycled.
    I started my bio reactor last week so I am hoping that by the time the tank gets here that will have begun to cycle. I bought one from Reef Dynamics.
    It took over a month to come in but at least it is up. I found a 2nd skimmer that I bought. MR-2R from MRC.... got it in yesterday. going to clean it all up and figure out how to get it into
    the system.
     
  19. huntindoc

    huntindoc RRMAS BOD Membership Director Staff Member

    Who is your tank maker?

    Love the jars with the spigots on them, where did you pick those up?
     
  20. dlbowlin

    dlbowlin Plankton

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