Ep. 11 | Build Series: Plumbing the Tank

[@claudiamelfi3882]

wow your amazing i can't wait to see it with fish and coral. You are blowing my mind.I wish you lived next door to me!!!!!!

[@ReefEco]

Thanks Claudia! Appreciate it!

[@ProducerReef]

This is the most elaborate build I’ve seen. Thought out everything properly. When I do my dream tank, I would love to get some advice. This is amazing!!!!

[@ReefEco]

Thanks PR - I had a LOOOONG time to plan this out through four years of renovation on the house - I was chomping at the bit to do this build with a lot of pent-up energy : ) Always here to help with what I can - ask away my friend!

[@logan.vanderbeck]

Your craftsmanship and planning is top notch. Love this series

[@ReefEco]

Thanks Logan - Happy to have you along for the ride!

[@jheezie]

I’ve been waiting for this video all week! I binged most of the rest last weekend lol. Great build series!

[@ReefEco]

Thanks Josh - appreciate it! Lots more to come - I'm trying to get something out at least weekly...

[@dougyoud5944]

Holy crap dude this is well thought out. Well done! Only have a 60g cube myself, but would love a multi-tank setup like this one day.

[@ReefEco]

Thanks Doug! Had waaaay too much time to plan this build, LOL...

[@LikinThemSuperSour]

Excellent video!! One of the best I’ve seen that actually details sump plumbing. Just found your channel, and so far every video has been fantastic!

[@ReefEco]

Thanks so much - appreciate the kind words and the watch!

[@ArrickthaRed]

Really enjoying this. I am not handy at all but I'm learning a lot that will be of use once I start setting up my new build. It will be nowhere close to this elaborate though. I have watched this 3 times today

[@ReefEco]

Thanks Arrick - I appreciate the binge watch! : )

[@Jackal799]

Dude…. This is epic! Fantastic job!

[@ReefEco]

Thanks Brandon - appreciate you stopping by to watch!

[@mikkostenberg1740]

Great work and video! 😊

[@ReefEco]

Thanks Mikko!

[@rolisreefranch]

Interesting build

[@robertcookson7681]

Intelligent use of space. Love the flexibility of the design for your sumps. Roller filters are a modern essential imho (filter socks are nitrate 'tea bags') - my dream build I am considering dual roller filters with different grade filter paper - would add in a by-pass, so if nitrates too low I can effectively take one of the roller filters out of the equation. I noted no ATS, so interested how you will manage nitrates (I know you have a refugium - I am talking about increasing nitrates if needed). Also not heard a peep on reactors... I shall hold my tongue as no doubt you have this all planned out. Simply excellent channel. Awesome build and documenting the build process. 😀

[@ReefEco]

Thanks Robert - yes, designing the roller filters now actually - agree they are essential. I'm getting so tired of washing filter socks! Funny you mention a bypass, mine will have a motorized bypass valve that opens at night, to allow coral foods to circulate in the system (skimmer is turned off also). Fuge will be chaeto, at least that is the plan - still dosing nitrate and phosphate at this point, so when the fish load goes up, plan it to remove that nutrient dosing and add the chaeto for the pH boost. Will eventually build a CA reactor as well - I have some some LPS and a few acro frags in there right now, and two part demand is 450ml a day(!) plus a gallon of kalk, mainly I think from all the coralline. Videos are about 4-5 months behind real time... trying to catch up as fast as I can!

[@carlosaquaticexhibits9492]

This is an amazing channel. I’ve set up my fair share of tanks over the years. Planning plumbing around making maintenance easier will make you more successful. If I can help in any way feel free to reach out. Even with the apex and programming. Sweet build, you got your self a subscriber

[@ReefEco]

Thanks CAE! Appreciate the sub, and happy to have you along. I'm always learning, one of the things I love about this hobby, so I'm sure there will be questions!

[@tookmyhandle2]

This is a really fantastic build series! I saw your thread on R2R today. Cool. I'm curious about the choice to add diy LEDs instead of just the oprheks. If you built the system a second time, would you still do the DIY?

[@ReefEco]

Hey ASD - thanks for following along! I would still add the DIY Led's just because I can adjust all the various channels for color rendition, which is its basic function - plus adding a little more lower blue spectrum. I love the Orpheks, but they aren't adjustable at all - no color channels, etc just on/off. I had all the LED drivers already leftover from other builds (some hydroponic lighting I built a while back) so the cost was really just the LED's and the heatsink, which was about the most cost effective solution I had for a 6ft multi-channel light that spanned the whole tank. I love the Kessils, but since these are the 360we's, not the 360x's the spectrum adjustment is a little limited. I'm going to be doing another lighting video with a par map of the tank and will get into it a little more then. Good question though! And its kind of funny, the corals look best with just the DIY led strip on, LOL - go figure...

[@elslice]

I watched this video twice to take in all the information. How in the world did I not know about flex PVC??? I am in the middle of an overly complicated plumbing project tying two tanks together with a common refugium and a common sump. I have barbed pieces everywhere connecting PVC to vinyl tubing!

[@ReefEco]

Thanks Hunter - yes, flex PVC is some good stuff, and especially useful for those awkward angles and connections to remove complicated multiple elbows. Plus, if you are in earthquake country like me, they are also useful for isolating elements such as sumps from tanks for that little bit of extra protection against the shaking.

[@umoraes2009]

Hi... what return pump are you using ? thanks!

[@ReefEco]

Hi there - I'm using the Reef Octopus Varios 8's for everything. Great pump, and very quiet.

[@jamesmcfarlandiv3867]

I would love to know what in the engineering marvel is that floating shelf that holds the " clown tank"?

[@elslice]

Those are manufactured steel brackets that are attached to the studs and then drywalled in. I think it was video 1 in which he covered those.

[@ReefEco]

@@elslice Hunter is right, it is a company called www.countertopbracket.com/ and they have a lot of great bracket solutions. Check out episode 1 on fishroom basics...