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Chimeras Tank Build (Sump room, new tank etc)


chimera

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i've just worked out power points required around the sump room. so far im at 5 singles and 5 doubles. that doesnt include too many spares either :( im mainly using the singles for equipment on timers whereas the doubles are for things on 24x7... contrary to that the return pump is on a single because its being wired to a master switch upstairs in the "fishroom" where i can turn it off incase of emergencies :) i'll be getting a 25amp circuit on rcd wired up on saturday morning. the 4 foot will be moved out of the wall and into the sump room that day as well (that means all live rock and fish too!) so the lounge wall can be cut out more and the tank stand extended and the top re-created complete with holes cut out in the plywood for the tank valves in the bottom of the tank (for the closed loops) a little shit scared doing all this. the 5 footer probably wont go in until next saturday as there is so much to do until then (gib cut out, new beam in, studs changed, plastered, painted etc) my bro inlaw is designing and building a hood for the new m/h lighting and moonlight to run on pulleys (dont have much room between lights and the ceiling though) will take progress shots during the weekend and post later!

wish me luck.... :)

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now i have to post this AGAIN... i posted last night and it got deleted for some reason...

about 16 power points were hooked up yesterday on a 20amp circuit to the sump room. the 4 foot tank, fish and rock, corals have been moved to the sump room yesterday, what a mission! the old stand's been ripped out and a new one put in (much stronger) here's some pic's:

4 foot tank removed, front shot:

4foottankoutfront.jpg

4 foot tank removed, back shot:

4foottankoutback.jpg

smashed out the gib floor to ceiling as i need to shift the lintel beam up:

holeinwallout.jpg

new stand being built:

newstandconstruct.jpg

new stand almost complete

newstand.jpg

big hole in the wall!!! (last weeks project in the background :) (fireplace) ) also shows 'pump' switch on the wall to the left. this is the master switch for the pump downstairs - just incase i need to switch it off in an emergency!

bigholeinwall.jpg

4 footer in sump room (cables just randomly plugged in at this stage!)

4footinsumproom.jpg

framing needs completing today, then gibbed and plastered and finally painted. more pic's to come!!!...

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the rest of the tank install didnt quite go as smoothly as the previous day. got the stand complete but never got as far as completely framing and gibbing (ran out of materials and places were closed :( ) I made my first screw up too - when we were moving the tank in to check for size, the front bottom edge of the glass broke off as it was lifted up on its edge. Luckily its fixable and not a major! Did freak out though at first. A little bit of silicon should do the trick. Next, we found because of the tank valves, the tank had to go in on an angle - and even worse, the lintel was 5mm too low :evil: Had to skilly that out. Finally the tank got put in though. Its nice to have it there, even with nothing in it. At least I know I can finish the framing around it and know I'll get it right! Some pic's:

Back, new tank in:

backofnewtank.jpg

Front, new tank in (gib is just leant against the wall for now, but at the bottom of where it will be):

frontofnewtank.jpg

and yes, i know it's fireline gib, its what i had left over from the fireplace!

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I got the framing around the tank finished last night and the gib has been cut-out for around the tank. Just bought some 90 degree gib bracing (to secure the frame) which will go in tonight after the gib goes up. Got plumbing for closed loops installed in the tank. The inside is in desperate need of a clean out - amazing the amount of dust generated from such small cuts :roll: More pic's up tonight once the gib and bracing is up!

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Got studs running up to lintel nail platted tonight for extra strength. Got the gib cut and glued/screwed up. Put the intakes and outlet plumbing (spray bar) in the tank (temporarily) to show how it will eventually look (will be sitting under a reef rack) Cellphone is in bottom corner purely to give a size comparison (difficult to tell otherwise):

newtankinwallgibbed.jpg

Shot from sitting on couch (and having a bottle of red wine :D ) Started adding 90 degree angles around framing here:

newtankinwallbrace.jpg

Tomorrow night will be finishing off the angles on the sides and starting the plastering. Im actually considering to pay someone to do the plastering as I want it done right first time (and I hate plastering, Ive done it enough to know I completely suck at it!!!)

Designing the hood tonight for the metal hallides. Hopefully be able to make that this Friday night/Saturday morning. Hoping to be on target for a fish/corals/rock move by the following weekend (11th/12th Sept) Time to check the tides for then for a 600 litre NSW collection!!!

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ease up! thats what im majorly afraid of, cleaning cyano out of this one would just be painful. im hoping like hell the extra water movement, lighting and sheer volume of water will help. perhaps the calcium reactor might help too!

Hasn't helped me...

Hey just a thought, and possibly too late now, but why didn't you paint the sides as well? I know the ocean is blue, but its definatly not 'wood grained' anywhere i've been. Just may spoil the effect if you don't.

Otherwise looking good.

I got to see my tank yesterday. UBER. Although its still not build, the base is glued and drilled and all the bits are cut.

Piemania

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Advantages: Cheaper, may be more convenient for those close to the sea.

Disadvantage: You have no idea what sort of crap is in it. Some stuff may be beneficial, some may not. Depends on where you collect it I suppose.

Each to their own I suppose.

Layton

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wood grain, ha haaaa! :D so it appears - but the "wood grain" you see is actually curtains about 2 metres to the side of it. nice illusion. the room will be pitch black in there and the m/h's will be pointing directly down over the tank. sure, a bitta light maybe dispersed out the sides but once i get mega corraline growth, i wont see it 8)

anyways, im almost getting to a stage where im getting sick of this project. its f@#$ked me off one time too many and im losing patience. not a good thing. basically cant be screwed painting the sides more than anything else.

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Not wanting to dredge up the NSW vs. ASW debate but I belive it 'should' work like this.

Do you have a source of clean Natural Sea Water?

Can you be bothered collecting it?

Is it practical for you to collect it?

If your yes to all of the above questions you should use NSW. Its niave to think that artificial salt water is better than real sea water. After all the ASW is trying to be just like NSW.

I don't think using NSW is cheaper, the time an energy to collect it make using ASW far easier. I use NSW because I belive it better for the tank and its inhabitants.

Pies

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