New tank

[fatman]

Originally Posted by stagofdoom

Tank and stand for 250. What do you guys think?

I would go for it at that price even considering tanks are cheaper there. As for back wall overflows it would be easiest if you first check out this site to see what is available. http://www.glass-holes.com The alternative is building a Calfo overflow which is typically glass, but I do not care for them as much due to the fact that I like notched overflows better as I seem to get better skimming of just the top layer of water. Calfo boxes are not as forgiving about the heights they are set in the tank and seem to not take the top skim off as well. Calfos for the DIY type is a lot easier to produce than a slotted acrylic overflow, but the quality and price of the glass-holes acrylic overflows are so good I do not even consider making my own and I have access to just about any tool that could possibly be used by a DIY reefer. I also have PVC pipe benders and such that are not commonly available to most reefers DIY'ers. One of the true advantages to living alone, no one to point out the fact that I might not really need all the reef stuff I buy.

[RyanG]

Fatman is your pvc bender electric or propane? Do you think it would be feasible to DIY? Know of a good spa-flex online vender?

[stagofdoom]

I was going to get my own lights for it because he has a certian setup in which they are built into the canopy.

I am going to get the lights that Lion has because they produce good wpg and they are good lights.

as for the overflow I was looking at putting a 1500 gph in the middle. As for the closed loop system I have no idea where to put the return pump things.

[RyanG]

The return pump itself or the returns?

[stagofdoom]

Originally Posted by RyanG

The return pump itself or the returns?

the returns

[fatman]

Originally Posted by RyanG

Fatman is your pvc bender electric or propane? Do you think it would be feasible to DIY? Know of a good spa-flex online vender?

It is electric, sold by Greenlee, a major electricians tool line. It was an impulse buy. I do not know if down their they sell oil pan heating pads like the do up here. They are just square or rectangular rubber pads that you stick to your oil pan with silicone cement and wire up to a standard plug for typical house hold 120 Volts. Oil does not flow at all at 50 degrees below zero, so we heat are auto motive oil and the batteries and the coolant in the winter. The PVC bender (heating pad) is just a larger version of those heater pads. It is a 13" x 8 1/4" pad with a simple velcro strap. It is sized for 1/2" to 1 1/2", but I have use it sucessfully with 2" PVC. It is just 200 watts. I believe with shipping by UPS 2nd Day, I paid around $200. I believe if it ever needs replacement a dealer that sells acrylic plastic supplies would sell an equivalent quite a bit cheaper. I think almost half of what I paid, I paid for the name brand. It is like the number one tool supplier for electricians, I believe. Up there with Rigid for plumbers, and Snap On for mechanics.
I buy my flexible PVC from a local spa dealer, as it cost a fortune to ship the flexible pipe to Alaska. If I used smaller 3/4" or 1" I could buy from electriavcal supply houses which up here all carry the small flexible PVC, but none carry the 1 1/2" and 2" which I commonly use. The only place I use flexible PVC is at my pump connections, to cut down on vibration and to allow a little slop in my plumbing as things always fit a little different dry fit than when solvent welded. Flexible PVC is a lot more expensive to make as well as it is shipped in rolls and large spools/drums which costs more. I also really like the appearnce of a well put together rigid pipe system. A flexible pipe system just is not visually appealing to me. It is more efficient in taht it cause less friction losses than all the 45 and 90 degree fittings. It cost about double per foot for flexible PVC as the cost of a 10 foot stick of rigid PVC here in Alaska.

[fatman]

Originally Posted by stagofdoom

the returns

Typically the returns are just run through bulkheads placed in the back walls.
Few people run any returns through the side walls also as I do unless the tank is a build in. My sidewalls are painted black just like my back walls. I have six 1" return bulk heads on my back wall, and two 1" return bulk heads on each side wall. I also have four 2" bulkheads in the back wall. Two feeding a glass-holes overflow box flowing to a sump/refugium with skimmers, and one each feeding a Sequence Dart in a closed loop and a Sequence Snapper in a closed loop. They are fed thru custom slotted inlet boxes made by glass-holes.

[stagofdoom]

Originally Posted by fatman

Typically the returns are just run through bulkheads placed in the back walls.
Few people run any returns through the side walls also as I do unless the tank is a build in. My sidewalls are painted black just like my back walls. I have six 1" return bulk heads on my back wall, and two 1" return bulk heads on each side wall. I also have four 2" bulkheads in the back wall. Two feeding a glass-holes overflow box flowing to a sump/refugium with skimmers, and one each feeding a Sequence Dart in a closed loop and a Sequence Snapper in a closed loop. They are fed thru custom slotted inlet boxes made by glass-holes.

Im planning on getting the 1500 gph overflow and placing it in the top middle of the tank. As for the returns where do you suggest. I was thinking putting four on the back walls and one on each sidewall. LMK what you think.

Also if I sell my paintball stuff which I just posted up soon I will be purchasing this tank ASAP. I posted the paintball stuff less than an hour ago and I already have a few interested people.

[stagofdoom]

So hopefully im getting it tomorrow.

Here is what im getting for 650, and ill post pics later.
RO/DI unit with meter.
135 gal tank
Custom canopy with 2 mh 250w and 6 t5 lighting
and stand
and thermometer thats built on the canopy.

Hopefully if everything works out I will be driving over with a check tomorrow. Ill post pics in a few minutes.

[stagofdoom]

here are pics of the tank and everything