Budster's Twin in Wall Build

Budster's Twin in Wall Build

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I have finally finished my design for my twin in wall 150's system. I have considered most idea's received on various forums and knowledge I have gained through experience and a year of research, and have decided on the following.

The System Flow: The system circulation rate will be a total of about 2000gph provided by a RO WB 10000 (2600 gph). Each tank will recieve 750 gph and the 40g. Frag tank will recieve 500 gph. Both DT's will drain to the Skimmer section of the sump. The Skimmer (RO SRO 5000) will be external and will be fed 750 gph with the effluent directed to the Refugium. The additional 750 gph in the sump will flow through filter socks to the return portion of the sump. The 500 gph to the Frag tank will drain to the Refugium. The socks in the sump will be used for filtration or media or both as needed. The return sump will provide space for heaters, system sensors, etc.

The Refugium: The Fuge will be 75g. external Tri-Plex design and will recieve a flow rate of about 1200 gph.,from the skimmer effulent and the drain from the Frag Tank. The bottom 8" will be 1/2 benthic zone and 1/2 DSB. The above 3" will be Live rock rubble on a removable egg crate tray. The remaining 8" will be a shallow Culerpa zone. The Fuge will drain to the return sump using a C to C over-flow on the end to control drain back to the sump on system shut down.

Supply Water: Water will be provided by a 4 stage RO/DI that will produce 75gpd to a 55g. mixing/storage tank. There will be an additional 110g of water storage, all of which will be plumbed to a pump to move water from tank to tank ,and for auto top-off and water changes. The 64g. sump will drain to a floor drain, and the system will refill sump by pump for easy water changes. The system will also be plumbed to a QT rack to supply those tanks, by pump, with fresh mix.

The DT's: The Tanks will be in wall and each will be 60"x24"x25". One DT wil be a mixed Reef tank with what I hope will be a beautiful assortment of all types of coral and many Reef safe varities of fish. The other Tank will be what they call a FOWLR. Many varieties of fish that I like best are the more aggresive types, it will be a challenge to populate this tank with what I like and with what can co-habitate successfully.

Lighting: Both DT's will use ATI Sun Power T-5 fixtures. The Reef wil be a 8x80w fixture and the FOWLR will be a 4x80w. fixture. I especially like the ability to control color spectrum with T-5's, and I believe T-5's to be comparable to LED's that I found out of reach due to cost and savings return.

After a year of R&D the above is what I am hoping will be the ideal system for what I want to do, so I will order equipment right away and get started. Thanks to all who have helped.......................Budster
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PS: I will post as progress is completed, it will be fun to share this



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Current Tank Info: Still in R&D

Sounds like a sweet setup. I will definately b following your build.

Thanks Grim: If you've got any comments or concern's feel free to let me know, I can use all the help I can get!.......................Budster

I hope you are going to be taking lots of pics to go with your thread. This sounds like a dream build for everyone on the forum.

Yeti:

I will have pictures as I go, and I hope to meet some of ya'll seeins how we all live in the same general area.............................Budster

Wow, sounds awesome and you did a lot of research on it before hand that is great as I know I normally just decide I want to do something and learn as I build it that my idea had more involved than I thought Look forward to seeing pics and hearing news on the progression.

Thanks Grawlfang, exicited about the build!......................Budster

Just a short up-date on my Aquarium build. I have changed direction a little bit, due to a lack of cooperation and interest from Tom at Glass Cages, I was not able to reach a deal for the (2) 150g. aquariums. Seems all he wanted to was argue why he couldn't build what I wanted instead of finding a way to help me, anyway I had to look elsewhere for a builder and finding one I could afford anywhere near east Texas was tough. I did, however, run across the Miracles in Glass company near Toronto, Canada. They are great, did everything possible to make this happen, so, because of the added shipping expense and currency difference I ordered one tank instead of two, It is however a 225g., 6'x30"x25", starphire glass with coast to coast internal over-flow. By using a 6 ft. tank now it will leave 30" on both sides for additional in wall tanks in the future. I have a delivery date of May 8, and I am busy now preparing the fish room and installing the supply water system, hope to be ready by May, will keep ya"ll posted.

Daaaaang! Sounds sexy!!! Can't wait to see more. :-)

Reefsters:

Got word yesterday that the new tank will ship from Onterio on Monday, should be in Tyler Tx. on Friday. Hope to have it set by Saturday if I can get some Reefsters together to help. I will post pictures next week-end.....Budster

Tank arrived in Tyler on Friday as promised, picked it up and scheduled the move from my truck to the fish room for next Thursday.

Move to Fish Room went as planned, took six of us but we got it on the stand over the 1/2" styrofoam and slid into place in the wall opening. Since then I have been in Colorado for about a month, finally sold property there I have been sitting on for 5 years, anyway, back now and ready to plumb and start cycling this monster. Parts are ordered, pumps and support materials are in place, so we should have test water in a couple of weeks, Stay tuned.

Hello Reefsters:

Because I can not post pictures on this forum I have submitted an up-date with pictures at the link provided below
Looking forward to hearing from ya'll soon.......................Budster



Post #26

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=20558700#post20558700

Look below for new up-date, Got pics on post thanks to Donnie P.....................Budster

You can add pics to your post here easily! Click on the link below for a very simple tutorial on adding pics.
ADDING PHOTOS TO YOUR POST

Hello Reefsters:

Just a short up-date on progress. Have spent most of the last month buying and waiting for parts and equipment. The Reef-Flo Super Gold Dart pump I am using was back ordered for a couple of weeks, but I have everything now and have started the assembly. In the pictures attached the large blue barrels are for RO/DI production storage, top off storage, and salt water mixing and storage. All will be plumbed together as to move RO/DI to and from and to the return sump, controlled by an auto top-off system (a third tank is not pictured). The two half blue barrels are the drain sump and return sump. The drain sump will provide water for the external Skimmer pump, and because these sumps are attached by a control valve it's plumbing will have a drain valve, draining both sumps, up to 70g's, for water changes. The return sump will provide water to the Super Gold Dart main circulation pump. The 70g. green tank is the Refugium, supplied by the skimmer effulent, and 600gph from the return pump (this will eventually provide circ. to the frag tank which will drain to the fuge). The new RO/SRO 5000 (pictured on the stand) will set on the floor near the fuge and will return to the fuge. Everything is pretty well set now ready to finish the plumbing. I will have more when I finish this plumbing and build my display tank drain system (Bean Animal design)........Budster

Worked great! Keep us updated on the build.

That's a serious set up you have there! Good luck.

An amazing set up, I have to agree. Just one question, is the shelf actually part of the wall? As I see no supports for the shelf where it opens into the viewing room.

Yes, that is correct. The joists for the shelf are supported by a plate that is built into the wall structure. The joists are 12" oc and doubled at the seams of the sheathing. The rim joist is a double 2x6 supported by triple 2x4 legs. The shelf will have to support about 4500# when I get the other two tanks on it (30"x30"x25", 90g FOWLR display tanks).

Hope to make some progress this weekend, stay-tuned for more pics................................Budster

Reefsters:

I have completed plumbing the system, test running 150g fresh H20, calibrating the pumps and valves, and assesing system performance. The result is both good and bad The over-all design works well, however I have one area that will need mods. The 2" pipe I am using for flow between the sumps and sump/refugium is not adequate. It appears from testing they will carry about 1000gph max. safely without chancing back-up. That number is not adequate for fuge to return sump flow, or for future flow between dump sump and return sump. In addition my Super Dart Gold main system pump that is rated at 4300gph, is only producing 1200gph max out-put. I will need 1800gph min. for current needs and an additional 1000 to 1200gph for planned future additions. I am creating some additional head pressure by using a manifold system for distribution, and reducing flow by reducing delivery pipe size from 1 1/2" at manifold to 1" at delivery, but I don't think it's enough to cut my flow by nearly 75%. I will talk with Reef-flo today and get more info. Attached are some pics. of system during testing. I will provide more info. in future posts.
..........................................Budster.

More Good News:

Just got off the phone with Chriss at Reef-flo, seems I chose the wrong pump for my system configuration. The Dart has high flow, but not alot of PSI, I was going by flow rate assuming the PSI would be adequate for the design, WRONG. So the good news is not my mistake, but that the great people at Reef-flo are going to ship me a Barracuda/Hammerhead Hybrid and my only costs are shipping. This pump costs $90.00 more than the Dart, but they will ship me one for shipping cost both ways, about $40.00 Spread the word guys, We all know that their pumps are good, but I think their service is even better. Three Cheers for Reef-flo.

Now to solve the flow problem.........................................Budster

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Wow!!! Looking great! :-)

Reefflo does have excellent customer service! I completely agree!

Just looks in awe..... with a tinge of envy perhaps.

Reefsters:

After some thought about the flow problem I have decided to simply add another 2" flow Pipe between both the sumps, and the fuge/return sump. This will increase my flow rate to about 2000gph in both directions which will be adequate for my needs both now and when I expand this system. Parts were ordered yesterday, new pump should be here monday, and I have drained and started dis-assembly. I will post again when I have re-assembled the sytem in it's second configuration and has been tested. Thanks to those of you who have kept in touch, would like to hear from those who are tagging along but might be shy? Why?................................Budster

Hello Reefsters...........Well things have progressed nicely in the last month. I have aqua-scaped the DT, built the duplex Refugium, added 340g of salt water started the cycling process and purchased and installed a Reef Keeper Lite reef control system. I used 250#'s of Marco Dry Rock in the DT. as I have always heard, the Marco Rocks were beautiful, large, very porus and each and every rock in 5 boxes (250#'s) were individually wraped in bubble wrap, almost no rubble, great packaging and great rock. I added to the DT, to seed the "dry rock", about 25#'s of Live rock from Florida Live Rock in Tampa. I purchased my substrate from Marco also, I added 200#'s of course Bahama Argonite sand, it also is very nice. In the Refugium I built a structure from black egg-crate, to create a benthic zone that supports an egg-crate tray that holds approx. 20#'s of dry rock rubble and 25#'s of live rock rubble. When the tank cycles and I start to add live-stock, I will add "Cheato or Culerpa" to the Fuge. I put my water production system to the test, producing and mixing 300+ gallons of Salt Water to fill the system. I was able to produce and mix 300+g's in about 3 days, 55g's at a time, about twice a day. The system configuration makes it very easy to produce, mix and distribute water where and when needed. I am cycling the system "fishless". I placed in the C/C overflow, 3 raw shrimp to decompose and start the cycle. The Amonia levels are currently at about 1.0ppm and nitrite levels about the same, so the cycle has started. There are conflicting opinions about skimming during cycling, but I have chosen not to, trying to promote maxium bacteria growth as soon as possible. Because I used such a large amount of dry rock and dry rubble, the seeding and cycling phase of this project may take a while, however, a clean-up crew can not be too far in the future!

While waiting through this process I decided it would be a good time to add my Reef Keeper controller. I have purchased and installed the Reef Keeper lite, with two power control units (PC4's). I have managed to get the temp. and Ph probes functional, programmed the controller to monitor my heaters, set to sut them down in the event they fail, and have successfully installed a float switch and programmed the controller to manage auto top-off, with no lack of difficulty and frustration. This baby is not easy to use, very cool, but very difficult to understand. First off it comes with virtually no instructions, you have to go to a web site and download a series of manuals for each component. I guess if your young and have been raised in the digital generation, the logic behind this device would be understandable, but being an old analog head, I just don't get it. With the help of some fine Reefsters on their Forum, I was walked, step by step through these processes and have started to catch on. In the future I will program the controller to manage the skimmer, manage cooling fans, create stand-by periods for feeding and maintainance, and provide monitoring and alarms for critical parameters and functions.

I have made my decession on a lighting configuration. I have decided to bite the bullet and use LED lighting on my tank. I have ordered from Salty Supply, two Maxspect Razors, a new Led fixture from Maxspect maker of the Mazzara LED system. In researching the "expert opinions" on the subject, I decided this new fixture provided all the necessary specs., and then some, at the best price, actually less than comparable ATI Sunpower T-5's. I was sold on the LED concept just couldn't justify the price till I discovered these. The catch? high demand, not availiable till mid december, O well, I can wait. I have also ordered the last of my major expenses, 2 Vortech 40's, should arrive any day now. Based on the difficulty and lack of understanding of the Reef Keeper system, I will use the programable features of both these products to manage their functions, both have extensive capabilities, and can be incorporated into the Reef Keeper system for monitoring and alarm functions.

Kind of got carried away up-dating this project, I hope you can bear with me, kind of excitied about getting this thing going. I have not finished triming the display side of the tank, and building the bar-top under the tank and adding four stools, for viewing, but when I do I will provide some pics. of the "business side" of the tank....................Budster

See post below

[quote="budster.stig"]Here are a few pictures of the system in it's current configuration. Please excuse the lack of trim around the DT on the display side, I will add a narrow bar top with stools under the DT for easy viewing, I haven't finished the details yet....................Budster