Compromise for 120g display

[JimmyC]

Ok my wife loves her electric fireplace she bought like 8 years ago and I built her a small cubby in our living room for her so it looks like a real fireplace, well I bought a 120 gal upgrade and I had no room to put it and thought it would look good having an in wall, SO I asked my wife to let me put it in the spot where her fireplace is cause she doesn't use it and she just covers it with stuff anyway, well that didn't go over to well. So after gifts and but kissing and alot of begging , we came to a compromise. I can put my tank in the wall but I need to keep the fire place there. So here is the start of the in wall reef tank/fireplace. Hope it don't go up in smoke. lol

OH BTW the hole in the wall is the heating pipe I had to fix when I hit it with the first nail shot, it went threw the stud and pierced the pipe. Not a great start.::


I am going to have the fireplace on bottom and put the tank above it and frame it in like a picture frame. Will see how that goes.

 

[Owen386]

subscribed looking forward to seeing this one. What are the dimensions of the tank? Wheres equipment going to go?

 

[JimmyC]

Tank is 4'X 2' X 2' and I'm going into the basement with a 55 sump and 55 refuge. Looking for a 40 breeder for a frag tank to add to that. Just put the tank in last night and got 50 gallons of water in it so far. Today I am hoping to fill it and put some rock and sand in it.

 

[jason401]

Less leg shots, more tank shots

 

[JimmyC]

Did you say More leg shots, less tank shots lol here ya go.....

 

[beelezebubba]

haha, lookin good

the plans for the tank i mean

 

[JimmyC]

haha, lookin good

the plans for the tank i mean

These plans or technical data.

Tank is 4'X 2' X 2' and I'm going into the basement with a 55 sump and 55 refuge. Looking for a 40 breeder for a frag tank to add to that. Just put the tank in last night and got 50 gallons of water in it so far. Today I am hoping to fill it and put some rock and sand in it.

 

[beelezebubba]

yeah the whole general thing you're doing, very technical lol. not the short shorts

 

[JimmyC]

yeah the whole general thing you're doing, very technical lol. not the short shorts

Well was kinda going to wing it. lol the 120 has two 1" drains , i'm going to bring them together to a 1 1/2" line drill a hole in the floor, (SHHHHHH don't tel the wife that ) and run it to my 55 refuge which then will run into my 55 sump just like in the pic. Then the water will be sent back up threw a 3/4 line powered by a External pump ,i can't remember the name of it but its rated for 1850gph. So I'm thinking that should be enough pressure. I am going to hang my DIY led fixture over it in the wall for light. Sump will hold a G3 protein skimmer, 300 watt heater, cheato, maybe a carbon bag. When I get a 40 breeder I'll branch off the return line and feed the frag rack.

 

[Skeeter7424]

nice! any other shots of the LED fixture?

 

[frank180reef]

wow great stuff, yes any more on the LEDS?

how large in the LED in post 9?

 

[JimmyC]

update: got some rock in and some more water. Now sand tonight and the rock building begins. I am currently working on an upgrade for my leds but need more money.lol nothing new!

 

[gweston]

Sounds like a neat project!

You may be able to use the electric fireplace as a double-duty tank heater Planning to put anything between the tank and fireplace below it? Such as a fire/heat wall? I guess it depends on the fireplace and how warm it gets on top when in use. If heat from below is of concern.

Maybe something like this? A firewall/board/insulation product.
http://www.roxul.com/building+envelope/products/roxul+firewall®

LOL one of these days I may need to bug you about an LED build. I am watching my amps shoot up for the new tank (Apex power monitoring), and I am afraid of this month's electric bill. Or I should say. I am afraid of how the wife is going to react to this month's electric bill!

 

[JayM]

I would absolutely NOT tie my drains together. You would be better off leaving them apart, and feeding one to your sump and the other to your fuge, which would then feed to your sump and return.

You are WAY better off making gravity work for you instead of pumping water. My 2c.

 

[JimmyC]

Sounds like a neat project!

You may be able to use the electric fireplace as a double-duty tank heater Planning to put anything between the tank and fireplace below it? Such as a fire/heat wall? I guess it depends on the fireplace and how warm it gets on top when in use. If heat from below is of concern.

Maybe something like this? A firewall/board/insulation product.
http://www.roxul.com/building+envelope/products/roxul+firewall®

LOL one of these days I may need to bug you about an LED build. I am watching my amps shoot up for the new tank (Apex power monitoring), and I am afraid of this month's electric bill. Or I should say. I am afraid of how the wife is going to react to this month's electric bill!

Actually the fireplace is very cool inside, I tested that first thing and the heater fans launch the heat a good distance , plus I have 10" of mantle on top so even if the heat rises it won't effect the tank, I also used 3/4" plywood as a base for the tank. As of the LEDs pm me anytime or call me I'm always around to talk LEDS or reef. lol 339-224-0390

 

[JimmyC]

I would absolutely NOT tie my drains together. You would be better off leaving them apart, and feeding one to your sump and the other to your fuge, which would then feed to your sump and return.

You are WAY better off making gravity work for you instead of pumping water. My 2c.

I was thinking that too and now you helped me make my decision. Thank You I will be going with the two separate lines.

 

[JayM]

You could also feed your frag tank with one drain, and the fuge/sump with the other.
I have tanks at 4 levels in my basement fish room with the sump at the bottom. I have a little more 'moving' to do, but I will end up with my drains going into a 40g plenum where my skimmer sits, and that will feed my refugium (40g), cryptic zone (40g) and frag tank (75 g for now). They all drain into a sump. It is all fed by gravity from the display.

 

[JimmyC]

Sand and some rock in, going for the the rest of the rock ,coral and fish today.

 

[jason401]

looks awesome

 

[JimmyC]

Thanks Jay

looks awesome