Frankie's 120gal. glass experiment

Frankie · 04-01-2005, 04:40 PM

Hello everyone,
I have been working on a new tank for the last 3 months and am getting ready to set it up. So I thought I would start a thread on it for all to see and how it turns out in the end. (if there is an end)
First I must thank the people who have helped me get this far with it:
mike (MOJO) for all his knowledge with the cost to coast overflows and patients with the PM's I kept sending him. Nikki for letting me copy her ideas.lol. And Witfull for being such a good friend and helping me with plumbing idea's and tons of stuff I was able to get from his recent threads.
Ok, I took a used 120gal. tank I was given and drilled it full of holes. Two outputs for the closed loop and four returns. Two in the bottom for the overflows. The sump returns will go over the top. I used hayward bulkheads for all the holes. the outputs are drilled 2" and the returns and overflows are 1 1/2" holes. I am useing an ampmaster 3000 for the closed loop. The return splits off with a Y fitting with a PVC gate valve on the short side so I can fine tune the flow to the other side. There are no leaks from the tap water test I did the other day. I ran the closed loop for 6 hours. All was good.
The cost to coast overflows I made myself. I used 1/4" black acrylic for the corner boxes that I bent useing a heat gun to get a perfect 90` angel. the boxes are 4 1/2"x 5". For the trough I used a 1/4" piece of black acrylic for the face and a 1/2" piece for the bottom. I did that so the bottom would be strong and straight. I glued the trough to the overflow boxes useing IPS weld-on #3 solvent for joining acrylic. the whole thing is glued to the glass tank with a GE silicone thats made for industrial purposes. I know its risky but I made a custom durso pipe that I will talk about later for a fail safe, incase the overflows seperate one day.(though I dout it ever will) Well here's a pic for you all to see to start with. I'll get more with the plumbing and the stand frame over the weekend.

Woodstock · 04-01-2005, 05:27 PM

Super Frankie!

This will be fun watching it come ALIVE!

Witfull · 04-01-2005, 07:12 PM

moved to Reef Chronicles, so he can be with the rest of the Mad Scientists

Witfull · 04-01-2005, 07:26 PM

PS,,,anything i can do to help,,thanks for the kudos.

Gina · 04-01-2005, 07:42 PM

Looks like it's going to be a nice set up! I like the coast to coast overflows. I've seen a few of them at IAP and they look nice!

Looking forward to watching your progress as it moves forward!!

What do you plan on keeping coral and fish wise?

Tarasco · 04-01-2005, 07:58 PM

Looks like it's going to be a great set up. That rear overflow looks really nice. One question, why do you have two outputs for the closed loop if they basically flow into the same pipe before getting into the pump? Is this so that you can get extra flow? Wouldn't the fact that they merge into the same pipe so close together basically negate this?

Frankie · 04-01-2005, 08:52 PM

Hi Tarasco, good question. The two outputs on the closed loop are so incase somthing clogs one up the other can make up for it till I get to it. Like a snail or fish, even an anemone. It also reduces the suction incase a fish dose get sucked onto it.( eww what a mess that would be

) Not that I see any of my fish having that problem since there all large and there will be strainers on them.

Frankie · 04-01-2005, 09:00 PM

Hi gina

Its going to have my tangs, true percs, a new angel I just bought and a wrasse with a lot of SPS and a few softies I already have. this tank will be bare bottom. Im planing on building surge tanks for this also. I feel from the books im reading and the troubles ive seen online, flow is the most important thing we must concentrate on to keep healthy fish and corals. (then lighting)

Frankie · 04-01-2005, 10:22 PM

Ok, so today I moved the tank and stand frame I built upstairs to the sun room (to the wife's dismay) The stand frame is made out of 2x4's and 2x6's. I made it 3' high because I never liked how low the standard hight is. I glued a 1/4" black acrylic to the bottom with a 1/4" bead of silicone for impacts from rock fall's and such. I left the edges unglued so the gases from the silicone could escape. I'll seal the edges in on monday.It will also keep light from the refugium from shining up.( good idea witfull

Wasn't easy but I got it in in one piece. I was given a 75gal. Tenacor acrylic fish tank from the LFS (Tropical Show Case long island NY, thanks Gene!

for the building of the refugium. Its a brand new tank with a blue back on it. I am going to be framing out the refugium part and that will be on display under the tank. The two sides that im sectioning off will be behind black glass doors and will house the overflow area, sump/dropin chiller/skimmer. The sump will be designed like the one im running now but on a larger scale. I'll put a pic of the 30gal. one in now. Its a mud/fluidized bed system that Gene helped me design. works great and there are no gas buildups in the mud. Oh and the lock line came in today but short 3 T's. Its cool, since I still have to swiss cheese the tenacor and wait till next friday for the sump return pump.

sarah · 04-03-2005, 08:19 PM

cant wait to see it up and running

good job frankie

Sarah xxx

Frankie · 04-03-2005, 09:05 PM

Thank you sarah

Witfull · 04-03-2005, 10:26 PM

sounds like fun,,i want to play,,,oh yeah,,,,i am

NaH2O · 04-04-2005, 02:12 AM

Woohoo!

Quote:

Nikki for letting me copy her ideas.lol.

Not a problem!

Glad I could help with this, and it is so great to see it come together!

The 2 closed loop intakes are really nice. The suction is not bad at all from them, but I imagine with only one intake, it would be hard for smaller fish. My fish don't have a problem, and when my RBTA took a walk onto the lower intake, all was well with the tank. I've only had a couple small snails lose their life on the intakes, but everything else has been fine. Also, I made sure when I aquascaped that the rock wasn't crammed against the back of the tank. This provided me with the most flow/better circulation from the closed loop, and no dead spots back there.

Brucey · 04-04-2005, 05:24 AM

Hey, Frankie, just tagging along buddy . . . . keep up the updates and give us some pics . . . .

Brucey

Frankie · 04-04-2005, 10:48 AM

glad your watchig brucey

Ill get some good pictures tonight I hope of the plumbing job and the 75 gal. sump/refugium im building now. I have been thinking of connecting the two bottom inputs for the closed loop with a spray bar. Keeping the top two with the T'ed off lockline. I think Ill get better circulation under the rocks that way I think. Any comments will be welcome here! Im still iffy about spray bars. I wont glue it on so I can remove it for cleaning purposes. If I do go for that option i'll use clear pvc so its not seen as easy till the coraline grows on it.

04-01-2005, 04:40 PM	#1 (permalink)
Frankie Fuzzy Sticks Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: AStrangerInAStrangeLand Posts: 11,216 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Frankie's 120gal. glass experiment Hello everyone, I have been working on a new tank for the last 3 months and am getting ready to set it up. So I thought I would start a thread on it for all to see and how it turns out in the end. (if there is an end) First I must thank the people who have helped me get this far with it: mike (MOJO) for all his knowledge with the cost to coast overflows and patients with the PM's I kept sending him. Nikki for letting me copy her ideas.lol. And Witfull for being such a good friend and helping me with plumbing idea's and tons of stuff I was able to get from his recent threads. Ok, I took a used 120gal. tank I was given and drilled it full of holes. Two outputs for the closed loop and four returns. Two in the bottom for the overflows. The sump returns will go over the top. I used hayward bulkheads for all the holes. the outputs are drilled 2" and the returns and overflows are 1 1/2" holes. I am useing an ampmaster 3000 for the closed loop. The return splits off with a Y fitting with a PVC gate valve on the short side so I can fine tune the flow to the other side. There are no leaks from the tap water test I did the other day. I ran the closed loop for 6 hours. All was good. The cost to coast overflows I made myself. I used 1/4" black acrylic for the corner boxes that I bent useing a heat gun to get a perfect 90` angel. the boxes are 4 1/2"x 5". For the trough I used a 1/4" piece of black acrylic for the face and a 1/2" piece for the bottom. I did that so the bottom would be strong and straight. I glued the trough to the overflow boxes useing IPS weld-on #3 solvent for joining acrylic. the whole thing is glued to the glass tank with a GE silicone thats made for industrial purposes. I know its risky but I made a custom durso pipe that I will talk about later for a fail safe, incase the overflows seperate one day.(though I dout it ever will) Well here's a pic for you all to see to start with. I'll get more with the plumbing and the stand frame over the weekend. Last edited by Frankie : 06-03-2006 at 10:22 PM.

04-01-2005, 05:27 PM	#2 (permalink)
Woodstock The Wand Geek was here. ;) Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 25,500 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Super Frankie! This will be fun watching it come ALIVE! __________________ ~Doni Marie~ *GOT ICH???* *My Victorious Battle with ICH* 120 Reef Chronicle ~ *Breeding Picasso Clownfish~* *Massive 300 gal growout~* *My Anemone & Picasso Tank ~* *Picasso & Snowcasso for sale~* "Energy and persistance conquer all things." Benjamin Franklin __________________________________________________ ______________________________________________

04-01-2005, 07:42 PM	#5 (permalink)
Gina Moderator Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Indiana Posts: 8,842 View Gallery Karma Komment	Looks like it's going to be a nice set up! I like the coast to coast overflows. I've seen a few of them at IAP and they look nice! Looking forward to watching your progress as it moves forward!! What do you plan on keeping coral and fish wise? __________________ Gina and Mark's 75 Visit Our Sponsors Gina's Cube Gina

04-01-2005, 07:58 PM	#6 (permalink)
Tarasco Plate Coral Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 724 View Gallery Karma Komment	Looks like it's going to be a great set up. That rear overflow looks really nice. One question, why do you have two outputs for the closed loop if they basically flow into the same pipe before getting into the pump? Is this so that you can get extra flow? Wouldn't the fact that they merge into the same pipe so close together basically negate this? __________________ Mike "I saw what the governor makes. That's like four hands of blackjack." -- Charles Barkley on why he wasn't seriously considering becoming the Governor of Alabama

04-03-2005, 08:19 PM	#10 (permalink)
sarah Scopas Tang Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: england, midlands Posts: 486 View Gallery Karma Komment	cant wait to see it up and running good job frankie Sarah xxx __________________ I am the way i am..so please be nice

04-01-2005, 08:52 PM	#7 (permalink)
Frankie Fuzzy Sticks Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: AStrangerInAStrangeLand Posts: 11,216 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Hi Tarasco, good question. The two outputs on the closed loop are so incase somthing clogs one up the other can make up for it till I get to it. Like a snail or fish, even an anemone. It also reduces the suction incase a fish dose get sucked onto it.( eww what a mess that would be ) Not that I see any of my fish having that problem since there all large and there will be strainers on them.

04-01-2005, 09:00 PM	#8 (permalink)
Frankie Fuzzy Sticks Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: AStrangerInAStrangeLand Posts: 11,216 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Hi gina Its going to have my tangs, true percs, a new angel I just bought and a wrasse with a lot of SPS and a few softies I already have. this tank will be bare bottom. Im planing on building surge tanks for this also. I feel from the books im reading and the troubles ive seen online, flow is the most important thing we must concentrate on to keep healthy fish and corals. (then lighting)

04-01-2005, 10:22 PM	#9 (permalink)
Frankie Fuzzy Sticks Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: AStrangerInAStrangeLand Posts: 11,216 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Ok, so today I moved the tank and stand frame I built upstairs to the sun room (to the wife's dismay) The stand frame is made out of 2x4's and 2x6's. I made it 3' high because I never liked how low the standard hight is. I glued a 1/4" black acrylic to the bottom with a 1/4" bead of silicone for impacts from rock fall's and such. I left the edges unglued so the gases from the silicone could escape. I'll seal the edges in on monday.It will also keep light from the refugium from shining up.( good idea witfull Wasn't easy but I got it in in one piece. I was given a 75gal. Tenacor acrylic fish tank from the LFS (Tropical Show Case long island NY, thanks Gene! for the building of the refugium. Its a brand new tank with a blue back on it. I am going to be framing out the refugium part and that will be on display under the tank. The two sides that im sectioning off will be behind black glass doors and will house the overflow area, sump/dropin chiller/skimmer. The sump will be designed like the one im running now but on a larger scale. I'll put a pic of the 30gal. one in now. Its a mud/fluidized bed system that Gene helped me design. works great and there are no gas buildups in the mud. Oh and the lock line came in today but short 3 T's. Its cool, since I still have to swiss cheese the tenacor and wait till next friday for the sump return pump.

04-03-2005, 09:05 PM	#11 (permalink)
Frankie Fuzzy Sticks Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: AStrangerInAStrangeLand Posts: 11,216 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Thank you sarah

04-04-2005, 05:24 AM	#14 (permalink)
Brucey Reef Lobster Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Reading, England Posts: 1,292 View Gallery Karma Komment	Hey, Frankie, just tagging along buddy . . . . keep up the updates and give us some pics . . . . Brucey __________________ 160UK Gallon. (192US Gallon). 400Lbs LR. Aquamedic Turboflotor 5000 Shorty skimmer. Arcadia 3Series pendant (3x250W 14,000'K MH & 2x58W 60" actinic) (DIY cooling fan). Tunze 7095 Multicontroller & 2xTunze 6100 Streams. Redsea 100 Aquazone Plus ozonizer and redox computer. Aquamedic Ocean Runner 6500 return. TMC Vectron 30W UV sterilizer. Aquamedic Aquaniveau auto top up system through Deltec 500 kalk stirrer. PurityOnTap RO/DI. Deltec FR509 (ROWAPhos). Aquamedic PH computer controlling KNOP HD Calcium Reactor. Setup Nov 2002 See my tank here http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...&threadid=4486

04-04-2005, 10:48 AM	#15 (permalink)
Frankie Fuzzy Sticks Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: AStrangerInAStrangeLand Posts: 11,216 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	glad your watchig brucey Ill get some good pictures tonight I hope of the plumbing job and the 75 gal. sump/refugium im building now. I have been thinking of connecting the two bottom inputs for the closed loop with a spray bar. Keeping the top two with the T'ed off lockline. I think Ill get better circulation under the rocks that way I think. Any comments will be welcome here! Im still iffy about spray bars. I wont glue it on so I can remove it for cleaning purposes. If I do go for that option i'll use clear pvc so its not seen as easy till the coraline grows on it.

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