SaltyScotty's "Gonna take forever" 220g build

What size drains are the overflow? I might need to steal your bit if they're 1".... In exchange for heavy lifting of course ;)
 
yogoshio said:
Looking good man! Jealous that you get to set up such a monster! My wife maxed me out at the 110 area, lol.
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Too funny! I bet I wouldnt have been able to get this one if we didnt get such a steal on it...I still have less into this build then what a new 125 with stand would have cost.
 
Have some questions for everybody...

First off, the tank is in the house and there is one piece of plumbing left to do and I will be ready to start circulating water. My questions are:

1. What do I put in first? Rock, Sand, Water etc?

2. If I start with water to do my leak tests...should I spend the money and have it be salt water?

3. When should I turn on the skimmer and start breaking it in? Should it be with all the testing or should I wait till there is a bioload?

Any and all help will be greatly appreciated as always!

Scott
 
If you're going to leak test it then I'd use fresh water from a hose before I added any rock or sand. After that, always add your rock first then sand. You want the rock to be on the bottom so it can't shift like it would if there was sand under it. Som efolks have used egg-crate under their rock to protect the tank and cushion the rock. I've never done it but it seems like a pretty good idea. I never ran my skimmer during my last cycle, not sure if it makes any difference either way. I don't know that it can truly break in until there is a bioload.

Will you be using anything to accelerate your cycle?
 
SaltyScotty said:
Have some questions for everybody...

First off, the tank is in the house and there is one piece of plumbing left to do and I will be ready to start circulating water. My questions are:

1. What do I put in first? Rock, Sand, Water etc?

2. If I start with water to do my leak tests...should I spend the money and have it be salt water?

3. When should I turn on the skimmer and start breaking it in? Should it be with all the testing or should I wait till there is a bioload?

Any and all help will be greatly appreciated as always!

Scott
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1. Water, for leak test. If you want to save some time, you can use RODI water, and then just mix in the salt after you verify its dry. That way you can start mixing the salt. Then add your baserock, then sand (I'd use a pvc pipe to drop it in to keep it from stirring like crazy), then the rest of the rock.

2. Nope, leaks will happen whether or not its salt, and just in the off case there is, that's quite the waste.

3. Turn the skimmer on when you start cycling the tank. You won't pull anything out for a while since there isn't a bioload, but it will begin the break in process.

Are you going to be using LR or dry rock? If dry, then I highly recommend something like Instant Oceans Bio Spira. It'll speed things up quite a bit. Frankly, it'll make a regular cycle a looot faster too.
 
yogoshio said:
1. Water, for leak test. If you want to save some time, you can use RODI water, and then just mix in the salt after you verify its dry. That way you can start mixing the salt. Then add your baserock, then sand (I'd use a pvc pipe to drop it in to keep it from stirring like crazy), then the rest of the rock.
.
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D'oh !! Wish I would have done that last time. it would have been so much easier than draining the tap water after the leak test. Great tip :thumb:
 
EricTheRed said:
Will you be using anything to accelerate your cycle?
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I really wasnt planning on it... In all honesty we are not in that big of a hurry getting this all together. I am having surgery at the end of the month and wanted it in the house and circulating water so that I can try and listen to it for the relaxing qualities of it. Plus I'll have that time to look at it and plan out my next steps of course!

Thanks for the advice as always! Its strapped to the RODI system right now and SLOWLY filling up...Im guessing it'll take about a week to fill...75 GPD at best will have me filled in about 4...

Yogo!! when you comin over man?!?!
 
And its in the house...

Well this is how we are looking!!

The back is painted pipes are painted...and looking incognito...
View attachment 4842

This is a quick look underneath...2, 2" overflow dumps into the skimmer chamber. Chamber 2 is for the 950 gph pump with a Tee to the 3rd chamber that will soon be the refug...
View attachment 4843

Lastly a picture of where it sits...and a reflection of the lady and I imagining what our new view will be like
View attachment 4844
 
SaltyScotty said:
Well this is how we are looking!!

Lastly a picture of where it sits...and a reflection of the lady and I imagining what our new view will be like
View attachment 4844
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just a thought, it's sitting directly on the hardwood (or laminate) floor. Maybe thing about buying some thin rubber mat from menards or HD (in the carpet area) to put under it, to protect against spills, etc. You can cut it to maybe just allow it to be a couple/few inches around the perimeter of the tank. Will also protect inside the stand.

I had an old 95G (5 ft tank) on carpeting for many years, when I moved it was like there was never a tank sitting there.
 
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