Picture Frame 20's!

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AlexfromSATX

New Member
Ok, today I didn't get everything done but I did get a nice chunk finished. About half way. Now I just have to buy the molding to go around the cutouts, Get hinges to make the door, and Paint! Here is today's update.

Re-did the plumbing. thanks for making me aware of this guys!




Finally got the front cut out!!



and here's a pic with the front just put in front to kind of give me an idea of what it looks like




I'm off tommorrow so hopefully I can get the framing and hinges done and start painting.

Thanks again! And as always if you see anything I can do to make this better please chime in, all input and comments are appreciated!
 
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Anonymous

Guest
Looking good Alex! You are sure moving faster than I did on mine. ;-)
 
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AlexfromSATX

New Member
No, I only bought the molding to go around the cutouts and the hinge for the door, but I didn't get to tinker with anything last night or tonight. Hopefully tommorrow though.
 
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AlexfromSATX

New Member
Tank project is coming along very Slowly! Been busy this past week so just got to it yesterday. I finally have the piping the way I want it. I also finally got the Mag pumps in. I started to cut out the Molding for the frame and got one of the frames done, and then it started raining :sad: . SO today I am going to get the second one done. And hopefully start painting tonight as well. Pictures of the framing will be up tonight.
 
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AlexfromSATX

New Member
Here are the pics of the Framing! :lol3: Finally!!!




These aren't glued or nailed yet, but just a lay out to see what it looks like.
 
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AlexfromSATX

New Member
OK, Some Updates!!! Finally, I know!

I got the stand completely painted and the molding for the frames are painted. everything is in place and I finally have my 20H sump! Here are som pics. As soon as the framing is done, I will get it all cleaned up and add some water and get this thing in motion!




 
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Anonymous

Guest
The cat looks like he is already getting in line for the seafood buffet! :lol: That is one serious piano hinge there! :shock: Like the way the front opens up like that. I was wondering how you were going to access the tanks. Cool idea.
 
TimSchmidt

TimSchmidt

New Member
Very nice and ingenious. Ok, time to show my ignorance, why does the eggcrate in the bottom tank have the gap with pvc in it? I'm guessing it has to do with the nitrogen cycle but I would like to hear the explanation. Also are the "waves" in the material asthetic or functional?
 
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AlexfromSATX

New Member
TimSchmidt said:
Very nice and ingenious. Ok, time to show my ignorance, why does the eggcrate in the bottom tank have the gap with pvc in it? I'm guessing it has to do with the nitrogen cycle but I would like to hear the explanation. Also are the "waves" in the material asthetic or functional?
Click to expand...
That will be my display Fuge and it does have to do with the Nitrogen cycle. the eggcrate will create my plenum, As for the PVC I did take it out because it was making the eggcrate too thick. I then just put 3 pieces of eggcrate on top of eachother to lower it an inch and then I will put 3 inches of sand on top of that. so 4 inches total on the bottom. Explanation (in theory):

This space becomes filled with water and organic waste in the water gets transported into the plenum by way of diffusion. As the water goes through the sand, nitrifying bacteria in the upper layers of sand utilize the oxygen in the water and break down the organic waste from Ammonia, to Nitrite, and then into Nitrate. The Nitrate is then transported into the plenum via the oxygen reduced water. The Nitrate concentrates in the plenum and slowly gets broken down into harmless chemicals by denitrifying bacteria that live in the oxygen poor environment of the lower levels of the sand bed.
Click to expand...

basically another filter along with the algeas I got the Idea from the LFS and he runs it on his, whether or not it helps, I don't know, but it is worth a try (if anybody has opinions, please share). As for the waviness in the beginning pictures it was just too big and I hadn't cut it to size yet (it was a donation from my LFS). If you look at the last pic you can see that it is flat now. I'll get a better picture of it tonight. I have the bottom frame left to glue and nail, and then I have one more magnet to put on the door.

Thanks for all the comments I will post more pics tonight.
 
TimSchmidt

TimSchmidt

New Member
Thanks for the explaination! But isn't that just a saltwater version of the undergravel filter? If so don't you have to clean it yearly? Sorry for the questions but if the system doesn't require cleaning I may try it in my fuge area for more nitrate reduction.
 
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AlexfromSATX

New Member
Thanks for the explaination! But isn't that just a saltwater version of the undergravel filter? If so don't you have to clean it yearly? Sorry for the questions but if the system doesn't require cleaning I may try it in my fuge area for more nitrate reduction.
Click to expand...
I don't mind the questions. From what I've read they do not need to be cleaned out every "X" amount of years. Once the Plenum area matures supposedly it even reduces how often you need to do water changes. Here are some links that I read to decide:

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/sept2002/feature.htm

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=84357&hl=plenum&st=0 <-----This is a great thread! It discusses RDSB's, Plenums, and Denitrator coils. This is also where I found the above link.

I hope these links help. I know I didn't explain it, but I don't think I can without it sounding confusing. I've been researching the plenum Idea for about 2 months, ever since I saw it at the LFS that I like to go to.
 
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Anonymous

Guest
i have been running a plenum system in my 125 since it got set up in '93 without ever touching it. the basic idea is nothing like the undergravel filter of fresh water tanks.
oversimplified of course, basically we all know there is a bacteria that converts ammonia to nitrite and then another that converts that to nitrate and that is where the process stops - so we change water to keep the nitrate from accumulating.
but a plenum system is different - it creates an area under the sand where the O2 level gets greatly reduced but not completely depleted - this allows another kind of bacteria to convert nitrate into free nitrogen. now this process also happens somewhat in LR but not in a sand bed without a plenum because the problem with a sand bed without a plenum is if it is too deep it will go anerobic turn black and release sulferous gasses.
plenum systems need to be set up right and like many things in this hobby there are a lot of misapplications of the science and theory resulting in less then optimal results. if you are going to try it - follow a tested methodology because depth/ grainsize/ plenum height are all important to the success or failure of the system. some people out there report plenum crashes - but here 13 years later mine is as good as ever....????
 
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AlexfromSATX

New Member
J&D, What kind of substrate are you using on your plenum, I hear bigger grain sizes are better. I also read in a forum that FIji pink special grade is a good option, is this true? I have my plenum space right at 1 inch and I was planning on 3 inches of sand above that, what do you think?
 
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Anonymous

Guest
i have carib sea's special grade reef sand the reason is that there is NOT a uniform grain size which means compaction is less of a problem. using too small a sand or a sand that is all exactly the same size is not good. second thing that is very important is screening. besides the screening covering the plenum itself you should have a second layer of screen to protect the anoxic layer. something like this from bottom to top:
plenum 1/2 or 3/4 PVC covered by 1/2 eggcrate
fiberglass screen - make sure sand cannot get into plenum area from sides, front or back
2" of nonuniform aragonite based sand
fiberglass screen - this protects the lower area from critters and worms
2" of nonuniform aragonite based sand
since this is going in a 20 long you will be losing a lot of depth but since its your refugium who cares??? i'm assuming your just going to put some chaeto, inverts, and maybe a fish or two in there anyway. you may get away with a slightly shallower top bed but 4" is about the ideal with 3 - 6 in use by different people today
do not use sugar or oolitic sand but i think that figi pink stuff is a reasonable choice
but this is what i always use

http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem. ... uct=CS0050
 
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Anonymous

Guest
very nice!! - i like it a lot one of the most natural and comprehensive systems i've seen - in the future some time i may try something similar again but oposite - with the fuge and fish on the top and corals underneath - i like fuges upstream..... JMO not meaning to distract from the beauty of this sort of system with my opinions :) it should serve you well......
a few add ons though ....... look at a aqua-c urchin to put in that sump it is a wise investment - i love my remora....... i clean the glass on my figi only about once a month! and thats only to take pics not that it needs it
and two a sock for that sump return line - easier to clean then sponges and will keep a lot of detritus from entering the nitrogen cycle - a true algae solution.
nice work!
 
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