92g corner build + closet fish room

[sagecx]

So I have been meaning to create a build thread for my current project but I am horrible about taking pictures during the process and even though it’s later in the build process I am reaching the more DIY part so feedback is always appreciated.
Background
I am upgrading to a 92 corner from a 60 cube. After having a 240 in Seattle I knew I needed something bigger but I don’t quite have the room here that I did there....tiny Boston apartments. My goal was to get to a larger size while still condensing so I wouldn’t take up to much space. I wanted to coordinate this with my move to a new apartment. Long story short I ended up acquiring a corner tank and then finding a great deal on a place that didn’t have any true corners in the living room >_< . So sprang the idea of a closet fish room.
Goal
Ok background complete so my goal here was to make a mixed reef attached to a frag tank and then mixed with a refugium (or two) and a chamber for my skimmer and equipment. At this point I am partially complete. As a side goal I will build a DIY LED setup for the frag tank in a few weeks to see how I like it. With the goal of converting the main tank to leds if I like how the frag tank does under them. Will give them about 6 months which are when I need to upgrade my halide bulbs before I make the call.
Equipment
92g corner aquarium with built in overflows
Flow:
2 tunze 6045 power heads
vortech mp40w
Filtration:
150 lbs + of live rock
3-4” live sand across the entire bottom
Lighting:
2 250 icecap ballasts powering a 14k Hamilton and a 20k radium under a spider reflector
4 24” T5’s under tek2 reflectors. 2 UVI super actinic, 1 UVI actinic white, 1 Giesemann AquaBlue +
powered by 2 giesemann ballasts
24” icecap moonlight strip (waiting on delivery)

This drains to a 20g refugium which contains:
30 lbs+ live rock
1” mineral mud across the entire bottom
Clump of chaeto
3 mangroves
Clip on CF bulb and reflector from HD

This drains to another 20g Rubbermaid which contains:
300w heater
ASM G4+ Skimmer(leftover from my old tank probably to powerful but I really like it)
Korallin calcium reactor drip location(Still need to set this up)

This drains into the final 20g sump which holds more live rock, chaeto, and mangroves. Also attached down here is a 5g bucket used as a RDSB and 2 media reactors contains phosban, purigen, sometimes carbon or other media.
Anther clamp on HD light
external Eheim 1262 return pump
Other:
Reefkeeper light runs the lights, heater, and fans
35g water reservoir …currently holds another 80+ lbs of live rock of which some will go into the frag tank and the rest eventually sold
20g salt water bucket for easier water changes…currently running as my water reservoir
Tunze Ato
Pulley system to raise the canopy
*expansions*
I will be adding a 40 breeder on the top shelf hopefully over the next few weeks which will pull from the skimmer chamber and drain in the first refugium.
DIY light setup for the frag tank
Problems:
My canopy has no opening for fish maintenance. Didn’t notice this when I bought it. Also it sits very low only about 9” above the water. I decided on using a pulley system to lift the canopy out of the way when I wanted to work on the fish tank. I am one of those people that have their hands in the tank all the time. Next I realized that the halides were way to close to the water and I would heat up the tank fast. So I raised the canopy about 2” to let more air flow through. Still was getting to hot and my fans weren’t cutting it. So as I walked by a garage sale I saw one of those smaller vornado fans the 503 model. Well it’s not quiet on full blast but wow almost no heat issues now. Although my top off went way up hence the ATO purchase.
Plumbing well I am a fan of chaotic plumbing (anyone who saw my cube with secondary refugium in the closet around the corner understands). But had a few issues with gravity and of course small leaks. Most of it is now resolved although I have learned an important thing about shut off valves and water pressure.

Will post some pictures they are not great because they are off my iphone. Still looking for my camera battery charger. Also they are not clean pics I haven’t had the time to make everything pretty yet so bare with me on that.

 

[sagecx]

Pictures of the raised canopy, original light layout, actually layout after implementation and a better picture of the skimmer chamber. Also the fan I needed to keep things cool....dont mind the cords everywhere i am going to zip tie them all up once i have everything set up how i want.

 

[jtmac]

sweet!!!!!

 

[JayM]

I'll wish you the best of luck on your new setup, but I would DEFINITELY make sure your renter's insurance covers aquarium floods, because those Rubbermaid totes are not designed to hold saltwater long term. They are the wrong shape, and the wrong material.

I had one almost exactly like those burst at a bulkhead about 4 years ago. It made a huge mess in my (thank goodness) basement.

The bulging sides should be warning enough.....::

 

[lisa foster]

The canopy on the pulley system is a very cool idea.

 

[sagecx]

I'll wish you the best of luck on your new setup, but I would DEFINITELY make sure your renter's insurance covers aquarium floods, because those Rubbermaid totes are not designed to hold saltwater long term. They are the wrong shape, and the wrong material.

I had one almost exactly like those burst at a bulkhead about 4 years ago. It made a huge mess in my (thank goodness) basement.

The bulging sides should be warning enough.....::

I do worry a bit about the rubbermaids but I have used them for years without issue(not that it cant happen). As for the bulging it is common with them when filled because of the material. My second tank had one that looked worse than these and it was handed down to me after 6 or so years of use. These only need to last half that before i will end up further modifying it again.

In case of disaster each chamber is set up so if one chamber fails it will cut off without to much additional water loss. As a precaution my renters insurance covers the fish tank as well as any resulting floods from the filteration chambers.

 

[JayM]

well, as long as "its been discussed"

if you keep the Rubbermaid totes, GLWT

 

[dcforester1]

The guy I bought my RODI thought the same thing. Until a 30gal one split open in his livingroom on the 3rd floor, of a condo complex. Needless to say the assoc wasnt to happy about it. Made for some good deals on reefing equipment, when it all must be gone by the end of the month

 

[jimrawr]

I also had a rubbermaid like that which ended up bursting.. Just keep an eye on it

 

[sagecx]

hmm think i will add some support braces just in case. When they burst did they break from the bulkhead or near the lip?

 

[JayM]

mine cracked where the bulkhead was drilled, and the split went up to the lip.

not trying scare tactics, trying to let you benefit from other reefers' experiences.

all you need to do is look how the weight and pressure of that water is distorting the dimensions of the tote, and you know it's 'not right'

my hope would be that you'd never have an issue.

 

[sagecx]

No i understand it wasnt scare tactics and i didnt mean to sound defensive. I know it has worked before for me and others. But I dont want to to have to deal with that should it happen. Maybe i will switch it out with a glass tank or two if i can find something that would work. If i did that could i still use the 1" mineral mud i have in one of the tubs? or would disturbing that have negative effects on the tank? It has only been set up for 2 weeks now. So i am thinking if i swaped it during the first month I should be ok?

 

[sagecx]

So after thinking about Jays advice i decide i want the path with the least risks so went out and purchased a 40breeder to replace the 2 refugiums i had set up.

My question is should i try and make baffles(bubble are handled at the final refugium at the bottom so that is not an issue here) to divide the skimmer chamber and the mud/chaete/rock section. I was thinking about getting a glass panel to place there but not sure how i would get it cut and how much it would be. I considered using silicone to make a makeshift divider with a cut up section of the rubbermaider as a wall but not sure that would work.

On the other hand i could just use egg crate or some other thing to elevate the skimmer to the ideal level so it would be away from the mud and either remove the chaeto or put a foam intake guard on the skimmer pump? Any ideas would be great. As i have a few days tell my drill arrives to make the holes needed.

 

[jimrawr]

Mine had cracked right in the middle where it bulges out. The crack started at the top of the bin and ran down the side. I caught it soon enough where there wasnt a big spill

 

[sagecx]

yeah enough people mentioned they had problems so i figured i would just swap it out with a glass tank. I am now trying to decide if i want to cut one of the baffles from my sump out so i can fit the skimmer or if I should get a baffle and install it as a divider for the new combined refugium.

 

[JayM]

whatever your flow is, my best luck has been when the skimmer has the 'dirtiest' (right out of the display tank) water.

Also, refugiums benefit from lower flow rates. I'd add the glass baffle to the 40G, and then put the skimmer in the 1st compartment - or, make the fuge first, split your drain, and have the skimmer in the second compartment, with the water coming from your fuge, and the rest of the drain flow from your split DT drain, and from there, your return pump.

 

[sagecx]

So i found a place to cut me baffles that is close by so going to go that route. Anyone know the average cost per baffle? I was qouted at around $12(15 if i want one edge beveled). Is this a fair price?

flow is coming from 1" drain so not sure if that helps. I have always had the best luck with a skimmer being the in the first chamber as well. But with the way its all gravity fed and my need for easy access to the skimmer it has to be in the second chamber. I really like the idea of a spit drain though i need to see if it will work with my setup.

Thanks again everyone for all the advice.

 

[AgioNiko]

What if sagecx were to add roof rack straps to the rubbewrmaids would that end up creating a more stable rubber maid container?

 

[sagecx]

So got my Leds crazy fast. Started working on them today by trying to experiment with best ways to set them. I am only building a test fixture for my frag tank so finding the best methods now will make future projects easier.

First picture is the led kit from raidled.com. comes with basically everything you need to build a led setup.

Secong picture is the layout for the first heatsink. After applying adhesive I realized the spacing was just a bit longer then the precut wire I was provided. So off to the hardware store for more wire.

Third picture is after soldering the wiring. Was my first time soldering anything and i have to admit i was horrible at it. Important lesson a 25 watt soldering tool with leds pre attached to the heatsink is a bad idea. I would recommend a 40 watt or better. Next really important lesson : place the soldering tool someplace where the cord wont catch on anything. Knocked the tool off my work bench and by reflex caught the tool before it hit the ground. HUGE mistake since i caught the hot side, burnt my fingers real good and put an end to my soldering for the night...maybe longer depending on how things look tomorrow.

good news is i tested all the leds and despite my horrible soldering all wiring so far works and lights up.
Will try to keep updating as i do things.

 

[sagecx]

And I have light! The whites lite up perfectly the first time. But nothing from the blues. After testing each led again i found my two shorts ...caused by my poor soldering so i had to redo the soldering on both of them. In the process of testing for shorts i learned a few do nots and shorted out one of then perfect white leds Sigh so now i have the blues running great and the white minus one.

Looking back i see why everyone says to get a spare or 2 just in case. Also set up the current on the drivers. I tuned it to exactly 1000, wow big difference from just leaving it turned down at the min. Over drove the white by acident cause i turned the knob to far to the left. It really doesnt take much so just a heads up for those that are going to try this as well

...after looking at the upload pictures i noticed one of the blues didnt firre up. Wiggled a wire around and now everything is good again.

Next i am going to finish the fixture housing and drill a few holes for my new sump. Hopefully will get a bunch of it done tomorrow.