My 180g, 4 sided viewable project thread

[Hookup]

Yeah it's back under control.. finally...  first thing i did was check for overflowing anything... didn't find any... then panic really set it... something was broken... oh xxxx... so I tasted the floor water.. yeah i know.. but I couldn't think what else to do to determine if it was RO/DI problem or the tank... so once i confirmed it was salt-water on the floor, then i knew to troubleshoot the sump...

turned out that the sump ran dry, the returnpump then ran for a few hours dry... which vibrated the connection loose... so as soon as I shut down the return pump, the loos connection was the leak...  an easy fixup... but for a second i was freaking.


Nothing else has happened so far... probably work some tonight.

[RoxyDog]

Nice work so far!

And your wife loves you...a lot. 

[holachicka]

... oh xxxx... so I tasted the floor water.. yeah i know.. but I couldn't think what else to do to determine if it was RO/DI problem or the tank...

I think that a many of us would have done the same as gross as it is!

[Hookup]

Silent Overflows!


Well I spent some of the evening re-doing the stand to the correct size.  That is done now and i'm ready for the tank.  I'm hoping that i'll get people coordinated for a move as soon as tomorrow evening and have the tank on the stand at that time. 

The rest of the evening I worked on the silent overflow, and it is silent!  SUCCESS.

First, the parts list

4" to 2" reducer
2" to 1.5" reducer
1.5" PCV pipe - 3-4 inches
3" PVC cap

Tools

Dremel tool /w sander
Drill
Saw

Now keep in mind this is NOT the final version.  The final version will be sexy and look pretty.. this was a proof of concept version, a hack-job, to ensure that it would work in principal before I started to make it pretty.

Here are the PVC parts


The first job is to sand out the 2" to 1.5" reducer so that the 1.5" tube can fit in either end of it.


Once that is complete, attach the 1.5" length of pipe to the reducer.  As shown, you'll need some holes or cuts in this pipe.  The depth of these cuts cannot be bigger than the depth of the 3" end-cap.  Be wary of what can get into the holes, and what can clog the holes.  IMO more is better as you'll control volume with the return pump and close one of the two drain lines with a ball-valve later so more holes will give you extra flow when a snail gets into this system.


Insert the 2" to 1.5" reducer into the 4" to 2" reducer.  Of course, if you can find a 4" to 1.5" directly then adapt (and PM me with where you got it).  It should look as follows.


Drill a small hole in the top center of the 3" cap. I started with 1/16 inch and will go up from there as I adjust.  the 1/16th worked, but wasn't letting enough air in.  Place (and in the end product glue) the 3" cap over the cut 1.5" pipe.  This forms a durso overflow but does it in a circular pattern.


The height of the internal 1.5" pipe was cut so that the 3" cap was about 1/8 inch below the overflow line. I did this for astetics, and btw, I do not want to glue the 1.5" pipe into the bottom of the overflow... i want to be able to take it out, throw it in the dishwasher, and put in a second one... this makes mainteance on these a frig'n joke... cost of building a second internal overflow is about $4.50... so I will have a third one built so each month I can change out one for a clean one, throw one into the dishwasher and do nothing with the other one. (sorry this is on its side)


That's about it.  Like I said, I'll clean up the final version and make it sexy-looking, all nice and tight, but this worked and I was pretty jazzed so I wanted to share right away.

[Rybren]

Looking good Tim.

How much of a gap is there between the base of the cap and the 4" reducer?  What kind of flow are you expecting through this?

Keep up the good work & keep those pictures coming.

[Hookup]

In the current mock-up there is about a 1/4 inch of gap.  I want to reduce the "tall-ness" of the overflow which means cutting down the reducer, and the 3" cap but I have to find a way to cut it down uniformly.  I'm thinking I need to find/buy a big sander where I can sand-down the PVC uniformly.  The other option is finding a shop to mill it down... I used to own a wood lathe which would have done the frigg'n job perfectly... oh well.

My flow should be around 500gph from the display to the sump.  Remember that I have two drain-lines using the above method. One drain line will use a gate-valve to limit the flow such that it is running as a siphon handling 450gph, this will then put about 50gph through the second line which will function as a durso.

I will run some flow-tests, as best as I can, to see what kind of volume I can push through the overflows.  Last night I had about 600gph working on just one of the overflows without any issues what so ever.

[Rybren]

Sounds like a great setup.  Good work!

Is the tank on the stand yet?  If so, WE NEED PICTURES!

If not, LMK if you need another set of hands.

[Hookup]

The tank has been on the stand, off the stand, on the stand, off again.. the stand ripped down to nothing, rebuilt, then the tank put back on, taken off, put back on... um... i think that's got it...

It is right back on the stand again... and I think for the "last time"... it's home...

I need to re-drywall some parts now to keep things moving... I need to change out 2 plugs for GFI's and add a 3rd for the lights.  I'm waiting on some plumbing parts that I need, and because the bank owns my house I have to go to work tomorrow, which means a flight to the US for 2 days... boooooooo

I'm gunna take some photos for an update soon... just a bit tired now.

Oh, I flooded my basement again by overflowing my sump by forgetting that I was adding water to the system... THANK GOD I was adding salt-water... I got to get my head out of my a$$ before I wipe this system...

[Rybren]

got to get my head out of my a$$

My head spends a lot of its time there as well (my a$$, not yours).  In fact, its begining to call it home.

Flooded my basement tonight - forgot I was making RO water.  I save the waste water in a large container (but obviously, not large enough, 'cause it overflowed)

[Hookup]

I xxxx you not... since my last post I flooded again.. and this time WOW...

From my top tank in my sump... at about 4 feet high, there is a line that goes to ground-level... connects to my pump for my skimmer... In connecting it back up, the spa-flex slipped right out of the ball-valve, on the tank side... 1.5" line will empty a sump PDQ!

Some how, by the grace of god, or Neptune, an air-block was formed in that tube after about 10gallons emptied onto the floor... that gave me enough of a break to yell for my wife, who got towels, PVC glue, paper-towel, etc... and I patched that sucker back up standing in 1/4" of water...

I'm frigg'n tired of being stupid, and wet... time to smarten up!

[guyfish]

U know, you could probably save yourself alot of hassle if that 92 wasn't there..    It just seems like it's just getting in the way sooo much...
I only say this so that you can focus on bigger and better projects 

[Hookup]

I know i know... i'm flying to NY today... this week... fo sure... on the + the fire engine red monti has encrusted pretty good size (1"x0.5") on the walls/rocks in two places... so the new owners going to have some sexy corals..

[Hookup]

I have several photos to take and post of the tank sitting on the stand.  I'll try to get to that tonight.

I needed a place to recorde my lastest idea so here it is.

Variable flow/speed for the two closed loops controlled by the GHL Profilux controller.  This requires the following parts;

1) Wet Side (Impeller & Housing) for a pump
   -taken from a barracuda or hammerhead or bought from www.reeflowpumps.com for $119
2) A 3 phase pump to match the reeflo pump size you need
   http://www.baldor.com/products/detail.asp?1=1&catalog=JM2450&product=AC+Motors&family=Pump%7Cvw%5FACMotors%5FPump
3) A Variable Freq. Device - VFD
   http://www.factorymation.com/s.nl/it.A/id.193/.f

Cost total around $500 USD without looking for used items and a few hours of wiring around... the VFD has an input for 0-10v so the profilux can control it.

I have 2 CL's in the system so that would create some pretty wicked flow patterns similar to the Echotech/Tunze controled in-tank pumps. 
   

[salvini55]

Still waiting for epic tank photos + missing hole

[Contains Moose]

I have several photos to take and post of the tank sitting on the stand.  I'll try to get to that tonight.

I needed a place to recorde my lastest idea so here it is.

Variable flow/speed for the two closed loops controlled by the GHL Profilux controller.  This requires the following parts;

1) Wet Side (Impeller & Housing) for a pump
   -taken from a barracuda or hammerhead or bought from www.reeflowpumps.com for $119
2) A 3 phase pump to match the reeflo pump size you need
   http://www.baldor.com/products/detail.asp?1=1&catalog=JM2450&product=AC+Motors&family=Pump%7Cvw%5FACMotors%5FPump
3) A Variable Freq. Device - VFD
   http://www.factorymation.com/s.nl/it.A/id.193/.f

Cost total around $500 USD without looking for used items and a few hours of wiring around... the VFD has an input for 0-10v so the profilux can control it.

I have 2 CL's in the system so that would create some pretty wicked flow patterns similar to the Echotech/Tunze controled in-tank pumps. 
   

If you are going to do this properly you should get a couple of Iwaki mag drive wet ends that are already engineered to fit 3 phase frames, trying to retrofit Hammerhead or Cuda pumps and seals is going to be problematic.

[Hookup]

I'm making progress despite the lack of photos... Sorry.. been lazy on that front.  I've got some chaning ideas fo the rock-work but I'm not saying anything at this point...

On the Closed Loop Front, I'm ordering the following on monday
2x Hammerhead Housing from REEFLO
2x JM2450 Baldor Pumps
2x TECO FM50 AC Drive, 0.5 HP

The goal:
Have 2 closed loops, independently controlled via my GHL controller using the 0-10v outputs (2 of them on my GHL).  Each 3phase pump + VFD will have 10 different RPM's (flows) operating independatly of each other.


I need to find a method to "push-button" have the CL pumps go into "feeding mode" i.e. low RPM's.  It's very possible that I can wire up a box/switch that will connect to the VFD's and over-ride the 0-10v input from the GHL.  Also, if/when ghl comes out with the v3 version of the view-screen, they are supposed to have options to allow me to use the touch-screen that might allow me to send a singal back to the GHL for just this purpose... including a mode for "photography" where I can shut the pumps right down to 0 flow.

I figure about a week for that stuff to come in, and about 24hours for me to wire it up... I also have some fancy-smacy plumbing parts coming in for the closed-loop systems under the tank that I need, which will be here in a week or two.

I have to say, today I woke up with that.. wooo hooo kind of feeling.... the end is getting closer and closer...   I think I've even figured out my raising and lowering light problem..

[salvini55]

Nice, I hope you ordered a robot servant to raise and lower the light.

[Contains Moose]

I'm making progress despite the lack of photos... Sorry.. been lazy on that front.  I've got some chaning ideas fo the rock-work but I'm not saying anything at this point...

On the Closed Loop Front, I'm ordering the following on monday
2x Hammerhead Housing from REEFLO
2x JM2450 Baldor Pumps
2x TECO FM50 AC Drive, 0.5 HP

The goal:
Have 2 closed loops, independently controlled via my GHL controller using the 0-10v outputs (2 of them on my GHL).  Each 3phase pump + VFD will have 10 different RPM's (flows) operating independatly of each other.


I need to find a method to "push-button" have the CL pumps go into "feeding mode" i.e. low RPM's.  It's very possible that I can wire up a box/switch that will connect to the VFD's and over-ride the 0-10v input from the GHL.  Also, if/when ghl comes out with the v3 version of the view-screen, they are supposed to have options to allow me to use the touch-screen that might allow me to send a singal back to the GHL for just this purpose... including a mode for "photography" where I can shut the pumps right down to 0 flow.

I figure about a week for that stuff to come in, and about 24hours for me to wire it up... I also have some fancy-smacy plumbing parts coming in for the closed-loop systems under the tank that I need, which will be here in a week or two.

I have to say, today I woke up with that.. wooo hooo kind of feeling.... the end is getting closer and closer...   I think I've even figured out my raising and lowering light problem..

So how do you plan on controlling this to your tanks benefit?

[Hookup]

The GHL is fully programmable.  Though it cannot accept input/feedback like a PLC i'm positive it will do the job just fine.  I can have dozens of programs for variable flow and every day of the week, heck, even every hour or so, have the GHL switch programs for each pump.   With very little programming on a PC, i'm positive I can get a random generator involved as well.  Sky is the limit at this point.

[Contains Moose]

You may want to run the pumps through a zero to full cycle to see how they sound, they have a nasty habit of being noisy at certain inputs and we all know how you like things quiet.