My 110 upgrade

**tdkarl** · 03-22-2009, 10:34 PM

Originally Posted by rayme07

Tony, your sump looks great.

Thanks! Between melevsreef.com and that part 1 and 2 sump video on youtube YouTube - LimpitsReef's Channel, I was able to figure out how I wanted to design it. The silicone joints are put on pretty thick on the baffels, but I wanted to get a good seal and since this sites under the tank I wasn't to worried about it looking to pretty. More focused on functionality.

**tdkarl** · 03-24-2009, 11:55 PM

Finishing up the rock formations that will sit in the middle of my tank. Used a entire box of 12oz zpoxy on these two bad boys. They are both aprox. 20" tall. I ended up using a little "great stuff" just so I could get these two finished. Ace still hasn't shipped my touch and foam, it says it goes out tomorrow. I plan on using these two as the main rock structures in the tank. Nice thing is there is a ton of surface on these still that wasnt touched by the epoxy which will turn into live rock once they spend some time in the tank. You have to use epoxy on the "great stuff" foam since it doesnt have UV protectant in it. But I went ahead and expoxyed all the foam even the black foam which has UV protectant in it. I just like the way it looks versus the exposed foam. Its really hard to get a feel for the way they turned out in the pictures, but I was very pleased with the end result. I believe they will look really cool in the tank for aquascaping.

**rayme07** · 03-25-2009, 02:25 AM

It looks great cant wait to see it in the tank.

**saltaddict** · 03-25-2009, 08:18 AM

Cool - is each structure made entirely of foam covered with epoxy?

You look totally different than you do in your avatar photo!

**PhotoJohn** · 03-25-2009, 02:57 PM

Originally Posted by saltaddict

You look totally different than you do in your avatar photo!

I second that

**tdkarl** · 03-25-2009, 03:07 PM

no its pieces of LR (or base rock) that are glewed together with the foam. I cover the foam with epoxy to seal it (the great stuff isnt UV protected, but the black foam is), then put crushed coral on it, I think it looks better covered with the coral. Of course after a couple months in a tank you wont notice it anyway since it get covered in coraline algree.

**tdkarl** · 03-25-2009, 03:13 PM

question and I will also post this on the close loop forum, what is this piece of pipe for in plumbing? Do you have to have it? I notice some people do and some dont. It comes up from the pipe on like a sideways T and is capped off and goes no where. I believe its for back presure or knocking or something. Anyone know? Do you have to do this?

**PhotoJohn** · 03-25-2009, 04:38 PM

I have only seen that extension on pipes for drains. On drains you drill the cap and it keeps the drains from flushing. I have no idea why you would have extra on the end of a closed loop.

**tdkarl** · 03-25-2009, 04:40 PM

I only ask cause I thought I've seen that on plumbing, say for a home, on pipes running to the faucet.

**tdkarl** · 03-26-2009, 10:53 AM

Latest pics of the background, the left side is done but the right still needs epoxy and crushed coral.

**saltaddict** · 03-26-2009, 05:18 PM

Wow - looks like a cool project. I can't wait to see it in the tank.

**rayme07** · 03-26-2009, 06:41 PM

Looking good.

**tdkarl** · 03-26-2009, 09:39 PM

The first picture is of the dry fit before I covered the right background. The second is after both backgrounds have been completed. Now onto installing my lights in my canopy.

**rayme07** · 03-27-2009, 03:23 AM

It looks great in your tank.

**tdkarl** · 03-28-2009, 10:27 PM

Here are my 2 foam rock backgrounds in my tank. I spent all afternoon getting them in there and secured. I used silicone all over the place, I plan to water test the tank in two days. I wanted to make sure these have a snug fit and won't float. I am going to epoxy and coral the center divider I foamed after I put the two in earlier. I didn't like the separation in between them.

The PVC you see is pressing the background against the back glass until the silicone dries. Anyone want to by any 15" pieces of PVC, lol. I will have plenty to spare in a couple days. JK

**CarmieJo** · 03-29-2009, 12:00 AM

I love the backgrounds!

**saltaddict** · 03-29-2009, 07:27 AM

Tony - the backgrounds rock! Literally

**Skurvey Dog** · 03-29-2009, 10:19 AM

That is a totally awesome project! Thank you for taking the time to take all the pics so we can follow along and understand all of the time and effort that you have put into this project.

I can't wait to see what it will look like after the system has been up and running for a few months.

**tdkarl** · 03-29-2009, 10:20 PM

Originally Posted by Skurvey Dog

That is a totally awesome project! Thank you for taking the time to take all the pics so we can follow along and understand all of the time and effort that you have put into this project.

I can't wait to see what it will look like after the system has been up and running for a few months.

Thanks I just had read allot about this on reef central and people did some deep in depth threads on how to make it. So I didn't really see anything detailed like that on talking reef so I figured I would explain in detail the process of what I went through and what to use and not to use. you have to be careful doing this since there can be negative effects on the tank if you don't do it right. People have been doing this a couple years on tanks with great success. I am really digging the way it turned out and can't wait to see how it looks when I set it up next weekend with my lights. I am soooo glad I went with a new taller 36" stand versus reusing my old 30" stand. It really gives it a better presentation. I tell you this setup is tall. With a 36" stand, 30" tall tank and 15" canopy your looking at 81" tall when said and done. I need to buy a taller step ladder to work on this thing.

My next project is getting the lights installed in the canopy. I bought the 2 coralvue 250's. I am trying to figure out a way I can install them in the canopy on some type of home made rail type system. That way I can move them around a little for adjustment. With the two large reflectors there isn't much wiggle room. But I know once they are running for a few days I may want to be able to reposition them a little here and there. Also my objective is to be able to mount them so they are easily remove during maintenance. I have a few ideas I am brain storming.

Here are the latest pics with the structures and the background installed and finished. Its almost hard to see the defined top of the structures. The background and structures look so similair they kind of blend together in the pictures.

Plan to water test it Tuesday.

**rayme07** · 03-29-2009, 10:24 PM

It looks great cant wait to see it filled.

**Carty** · 03-29-2009, 10:57 PM

so will the rockwork background be completely watertight (if it goes well) against the back side of the tank?? I see the right side juts out a bit, is that for the overflow?

**tdkarl** · 03-29-2009, 11:04 PM

Originally Posted by Carty

so will the rockwork background be completely watertight (if it goes well) against the back side of the tank?? I see the right side juts out a bit, is that for the overflow?

No its not water tight, I did silicone a majority of it, not so much for water integrity as more to ensure it doesnt float up. This stuff is foam, to if you dont have it secure really well, then POP, up it does. Thats when you see the PVC a couple posts up in the pics. The PVC was pushing the background to the back glass to ensure it had a nice snug fit as the silicone dried. Its tight enough that I am confident nothing as far as livestock, will get back there but water will. It can also seep through sections of the foam, there are tinny spots (holes) here and there that water will seep through on the background also. I am sure I will get a ton of pods back there, at least thats what I here happen from others who do this. I purposely didnt paint the back glass so I can look back there occasionally and keep a eye out for anything going on that might raise concern and need to be dealt with.

Yes the overflow is on the right hand side, I wrapped it.

**Carty** · 03-29-2009, 11:45 PM

I don't know much about the subject, thats why I ask... your not worried about stagnant water or detritus just sitting?

**saltaddict** · 03-30-2009, 08:06 AM

Tony - the tank, stand and canopy look so good as well as the rock work. It doesn't seem like there is much room left now that all the rock work is in it. Is there more room than appears in the pics?

**tdkarl** · 03-30-2009, 08:16 AM

The tank is 18" deep. The wall takes about a 1" of that, and in the area where the close loop was plumbed takes up to about 2x2" strip down the wall. Thats why I ran the second set of CL pipe down the corner by the sump. I dont plan on putting to much LR in the display portion. I will just stick with the two structures I built. I plan on putting some LR down in the sump to help with filtration. Also the exposed rock on the wall and structures will turn back into LR over time. It probably 40 lbs or more built into it. The epoxied / foam portions of the rocks will not of course become LR, but there is plenty of room of exposed base rock in all that to become live again.