GoToSleep's 700g Build Thread (& complete remodel)

I'm having a wonderful morning spreading more spar urethane. This time it's on the interior of my canopy. While I wait for the first coat to dry I'm doing some prep work for a little project on the floor of the fish closet.

 

Well, there's nothing more exciting than watching paint dry so between coats I decided to get my 7 stage RO/DI unit installed. It's flushing now.

 

Your my hero gotosleep! Can't wait to see more pictures!

 

I find the idea of a 7 stage water filter mind boggling...what GPD does that sucker have? Because that tank is going to take forever to fill up

 

I got mine from BRS. Their stanard RO/DI unit is a 5 stage (sediment filter, carbon x2, RO, DI). A second RO cartridge brings the unit up to 150 gpd and 6 stages. When I ordered mine their special was a free second DI canister (seven stage unit). I was pleased to see that I've got 50psi of water pressure at the unit. TDS meter read 12 after the RO when I first turned it on. I'm not sure if this is representative of what was coming out of my tap or if it was high because I was flushing the system for the first time. After the initial 1 hour break-in, the TDS meter read 1 after the RO and 0 after the DI.

 

My 100gpd unit puts out about 60gpd with our water temp and pressure. You will be surprised how fast it will fill up.

 

great thread

 

Scott,

What are your thoughts on mixing my initial salt water outsisde the tank (I've got a 200 gal vat so I could do this with 3 batches). Or would you recomend doing the initial mix in the tank? I'm thinking that's how you did yours but wasn't sure if you'd do it the same way if you had it to do over again.

 

Not speaking for Otty, but I imagine in such a scenario as long as:
1. there's no livestock in the tank,
2. no live rock in the tank, and
3. there's ample time to adjust salinity before introduction of either above.. . ... .

then it doesn't matter.

It would all depend on whatever is easier for you in your specific setting. There's no downside to doing it either way when there's no risk of harming livestock or cycling rock.

I've done it both ways. It's a bit cleaner to mix the salt and water outside the tank for clouding reasons--but again, in your situation where I'm pretty sure you're using base rock to start out, there's no argument against dumping the water and salt mix in the tank and adjusting from there. I probably don't have to mention this, but just make sure you leave enough room to adjust either water, or salt upwards.

Of course, you'd have to have all pumps and power heads running to mix salt and water should you choose to use the tank as the mixing vessel.

 

Wohoo!! Sometimes it's better to be lucky, than good. I got a great deal by preordring my skimmer before the first ones were ever shipped to North America. When I ordered it the dimensions weren't even available but I figured how big could this thing be anyway? When I finally found out the dimensions I almost choked. It is much bigger than I had anticipated. Combine this with the fact that my LFS helped me out by ordering my custom sump for me before they let me know that it was 4" taller than I was looking for and I have spent the past several weeks fearing that I wasn't going to be able to fit my skimmer in the sump under my tank. Ouch!

Well, my 135gal sump was delivered tonight. I had to lay the skimmer cone down in the sump before sliding the sump under the stand. I then stood the skimmer up. The collection cup fits between the top of the sump and the door opening on the stand with 1mm to spare. I have to put the collection cup down in the sump to get the Self-Cleaning Head on top of the cup. Then I lift that assembly up an have about 1 inch of space to get it manuvered on top of the skimmer body.

We worked till 1 AM and will pick up again tomorrow evening. We'll take the 135g out from under the stand. Then we'll drill it, cut the weirs, and silicone them in. I think we'll also try to get most of the plumbing done. My old tank was running a Mag 12 for the return pump. This one will have a Barracuda.