Slowly starting a new build

flagg37

Anthias
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#1
I’m finishing our basement so I decided to reinforce the area where the fish tank will sit above it before the drywall goes on.



I added a couple extra steel I beams. From what it looks like, each one on its own will hold about 12,000 lbs. on the low end for the span they make.

Next step I want to add some plumbing and electrical in anticipation.
 

SynDen

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#2
I love it when build threads start with adding beefy structural supports! Looking forward to the build
 

flagg37

Anthias
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#7
Please tell me it’s a 29G biocube.

How did you tie the new beams in? Do they loosely sit on the foundation or are they anchored down?


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Right now they are simply laying across the other beams. There was an 1-1/4” gap between the plywood subfloor and the top of the beams that I filled with a 2x4 that I ripped down to size. It’s sandwiched in there pretty good but I suppose I could weld a piece from the steel beam below it to it to make sure it doesn’t slide at all.
 

flagg37

Anthias
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#9
Right now the plan is it’s 96”x27”x27” and sits in the wall between my office and living room.

View attachment 15157

I plan on the ghost overflow to be on the right side inside the door of the cabinet. The right side under the cabinet will be the dry side with all the electrical and dry goods storage with the right side having all the wet stuff. The plumbing for the return would be inside the left door (currently hidden along with several other doors) of the cabinet.

The stand will have a steel frame wrapped with walnut plywood.

So much is still up in the air but this is what I’ve got so far.
 

flagg37

Anthias
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#13
Can you hook that thing up to my plumbing for like 10 minutes lol. I need to see if It can handle the head pressure I have. Asking for a friend.

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I suppose. It’s not getting hooked up to my tank for a while. Pm me. I’ve heard from one source that they don’t handle head pressure that well. He didn’t have one himself though. He just heard it from someone else. Mine is slated to only go about 5-6’ and with only one elbow. Plus, I’ll probably only run it at about 60%.
 

Andrew_bram

Tiger Shark
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#14
I have a calculated 21 ft of head not sure how accurate that is. According to the flow chart I should get 1000 gph. If that is true I would buy one in a heart beat.

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Andrew_bram

Tiger Shark
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#15
I suppose. It’s not getting hooked up to my tank for a while. Pm me. I’ve heard from one source that they don’t handle head pressure that well. He didn’t have one himself though. He just heard it from someone else. Mine is slated to only go about 5-6’ and with only one elbow. Plus, I’ll probably only run it at about 60%.
Have you hooked up this pump yet. Very interested to see if you love it for the price. Does it use standard fittings from home depot or do you have to buy special fittings.

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flagg37

Anthias
M.A.S.C Club Member
#16
I haven’t. I’m still so far off from it too. The basement has been priority one. It’s got drywall and the finish electrical and mechanical is done but I still need to do all the finishes which are the expensive stuff. Flooring, cabinets, I’m doing a floating staircase with a glass guardrail. You know, just the basics.

Then I’ll be able to start building the stand, sump, and tank.
 

flagg37

Anthias
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#17
It has indeed been a slow build but it hasn’t stalled. There is progress. The design has changed a bit. I wasn’t completely happy with the last iteration. There was too much cabinetry and it made it visually heavy. Plus I wanted to push it more in the modern direction.

Here’s the newest design. Ive hidden the doors so you can see all the equipment.
View attachment 19521 View attachment 19522 View attachment 19523 View attachment 19524

I’m still not pleased with the placement and plumbing of the UV. It’s the black cylinder along the ceiling in the sump area. Originally I planned for it to have its own dedicated pump that would have a closed loop in the return chamber of the sump. I watched a BRS video of the top UV mistakes and that was one of them. They’re argument is that you could be sterilizing the same water several times and it would be less efficient; which makes sense. I’m not so sure that would be the case in my situation. The recommended flow rate for algae/bacteria is 2700-3600 gph which is what I plan on running through the sump anyway. So if I have the UV drain near the return pump, there should be little if any drop in efficiency. If I drop down to the Protozoa flow rate of 600 gph there’s significantly less of a chance. Let me know what you guys think; Ive never run UV, maybe I’m overthinking this.
 

SynDen

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#18
Love the L tank. That will look awesome.

For the UV, the slower the flow the better. UV is all about contact time, if its flowing quickly it is pretty ineffective, since the water doesn't have enough contact time with it to be sterilized. Most prefer to just split off a section of the drain pipe, and direct into the uv, with a gate valve to precisely control the flow. If the UV drain dumps into the return pump section there is little chance that you will be sterilizing the same water over and over. One less pump and cord to deal with that way too.

Since you have it mounted on the top like that, there will be another issue if the return pump is ever turned off. You never want to run the UV light without water in the tube, or the tube inside could become cracked and brittle, and will eventually leak. Then is becomes a serious hazard. If its mounted up top like that, the water will drain out of it when the return shuts off, which will leave the tube partially or fully without water in it. Generally you want it mounted so that both outlets are facing upward, that way the UV tube never drains.

Also for plumbing, be sure to add Unions, or even true-unions, where ever you can. They will save you in the end and make it easier to change or maintenance the plumbing
 

flagg37

Anthias
M.A.S.C Club Member
#19
Love the L tank. That will look awesome.

For the UV, the slower the flow the better. UV is all about contact time, if its flowing quickly it is pretty ineffective, since the water doesn't have enough contact time with it to be sterilized. Most prefer to just split off a section of the drain pipe, and direct into the uv, with a gate valve to precisely control the flow. If the UV drain dumps into the return pump section there is little chance that you will be sterilizing the same water over and over. One less pump and cord to deal with that way too.

Since you have it mounted on the top like that, there will be another issue if the return pump is ever turned off. You never want to run the UV light without water in the tube, or the tube inside could become cracked and brittle, and will eventually leak. Then is becomes a serious hazard. If its mounted up top like that, the water will drain out of it when the return shuts off, which will leave the tube partially or fully without water in it. Generally you want it mounted so that both outlets are facing upward, that way the UV tube never drains.

Also for plumbing, be sure to add Unions, or even true-unions, where ever you can. They will save you in the end and make it easier to change or maintenance the plumbing
https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/emperor-aquatics-smart-high-output-uv-80-watt.html?qty=1

This is the UV sterilizer I’m looking at. I was hoping to be able to switch between the higher flow rate for algae and the slower one for Protozoa at the push of an apex button instead of having to physically adjust gate valves, but there is a lot of wisdom in eliminating another pump. The other thought about directing the flow off the drain was air bubbles, although I would think if I take it off the full siphon drain, there shouldn’t be any.
 

scmountain

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#20
Love the L tank. That will look awesome.

be sure to add Unions, or even true-unions, where ever you can. They will save you in the end and make it easier to change or maintenance the plumbing
THIS!

I added what I thought was too many, wasn't enough. they are so helpful and when bought online in bulk doesn't break the bank account as much.
Also hated having to turn off UV, wait 15 mins, and then turn off return pump for anytime I had to turn off the return.

I put mine on an inline wye from the return pump:

== ============== ==== >>>
\ \ / /
\ ==UV==Valve== /


Originally had it dump into the sump and potentially get "re-sterilized" and saw no issues with algae or protozoans FWIW. also love running it at night so I get less of a PH drop
 
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