125g Build

Looks good. Sorry to hear about the skimmer. Hopefully its fixable.

 

nice finish on the stand

 

Nice start can't wait to see it up and running, good luck!

 

Thanks guys/gals. I ordered replacement parts for the skimmer. It cost the wife a $100 swabbie for the wreckage. I have yet to put it together. I'm going to do it all at once so that I can open the glue and get it all done before it clogs up. Today (easter sunday) I'm going to work on installing the baffles into the sump. I finished all of the lower plumbing yesterday. I'll post another round of pictures later this evening.

My plan is to stage everything in the garage and check for leaks. Once it passes inspection, I will tear it down and beg someone to come and help me move it into the house.

 

I picked up those SCH80 valves at Ace Hardware, since the Lowes and HD near my house have poor selections on valves for some reason. They are a different design, but they appear to function the same. I bought slip and threaded versions. If you look at the pics above, I used the threaded valves on the return (3) drops, and slip on the pump side. No reasoning...other than I bought all 5 of the SCH80 valves that Ace had left in stock. I would have preferred all threaded, but I'm getting impatient and wanted to put it together. It is still repairable, as I used unions.

To your other point, yes I like starphire glass, but I was able to get this 125G Aqueon for $300 new. I traded an old 125 in on it that I picked up on craigslist with the stand and 55g sump, 6 shop lights, and a bunch of other stuff for $140. I figure that was a damn good deal since I re-furbed the stand as you can see and it came out great. The sump is perfect size and I had acrylic baffles cut for it. I am trying to do this as cheap as possible so that the boss doesn't complain too loudly. Perhaps in a few years after we get all of our debt paid off (lost job a few years ago + stupid $$ decisions) I will buy a premium tank and setup.

 

Well it looks great, I'm excited to follow this build. Are you setting up a water change station? Ideally I'd like to run my future tank to a utility drain and a sw reseviour for easy water changes.
For flow what re you looking at? Are you installing a closed loop with high gph with Low gph for your return pump? Thts wht I'd do along with a wavemaker box.

You never told me what purpose those valves are for? I assume its a section of pipe you do not need to glue together and can unscrew vlves to get to the pipes quickly? I've been serching for a check valve(1way) so when my return shots off no water goes reverse And bck into my refugium. Can't find any at lowes or at Ace. I refuse to shop t home depot since I used to work there and they treat employees like ****.

 

I have already built a water change station using two Brute 32G trash cans, an 18G plastic tote for waste water storage, and a eHeim 1262. The 1262 is actually going to be my primary return pump in the new setup. I was going to go with 2 Danner MAG 9.5's but decided against it due to concerns about heat and reliability compared to the eHeim. I'm going to switch the eHeim with a Mag on my mixing station and be done with it. One less plug to worry about under the tank.

The valves are just simple on/off valves that I am going to use to regulate the flow from the 2 --- 3/4" mega-flow drains. I put in 3 drain valves because I want more water to be able to leave the pipes than coming in. I know it is all 3/4" pipe, but that is my logic. 1 drain goes to the refugium, and the other goes to the skimmer ingress area, and the last will just dump into the skimmer chamber. The valves on the pump side are for pump maintenance. I need to be able to turn them off to keep the mega-flows from draining into the sump.

I am using 2 Ecotech Marine MP40W's for flow (have one so far). No closed loop necessary. I am not using any check valves. They have metal parts in them.

 

I put the swabbie together and repaired the base and top of the skimmer. Like new.

 

I also cut slots for the refugium wall, which I screwed up because I was in a hurry (I chipped a few of the teeth and the stop came loose so a few are deeper...oops). Note to self: be patient. Put in two of the panels, the tall one is for the ATO RODI storage.



the other end I'll do tomorrow...bubble trap:

 

I need to finish this tank and get it out of my garage. My mustang was telling me it is tired of sleeping outside.