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

Discussion in 'Show Off Your Fish Tanks!' started by GoToSleep, Aug 16, 2009.

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Page 17 of 151

micstarz Astrea Snail

Joined:

May 11, 2009

Messages:

37

Location:

Hong Kong
Looking good ;D

micstarz, Aug 25, 2009

micstarz, Aug 25, 2009

#161

ChrisBs Purple Spiny Lobster

Joined:

Sep 22, 2008

Messages:

488

Location:

Melbourne , Australia
this is AWESOME

ChrisBs, Aug 25, 2009

ChrisBs, Aug 25, 2009

#162
ReefSparky Super Moderator

Joined:

Nov 27, 2007

Messages:

3,675

Location:

South Florida
GoToSleep said: ↑

Sparky, thanks for the feedback and please keep it coming.

The packaging on these particular covers said wet location and in-use. They looked to me like they would provide a better level of protection then the other type of cover (and I have a few of those sitting beside my stand now). You are very observant to pick up on the fact that I installed these things upside down. Thanks--but that's what I do for a living. I tried to mount them the other way round but I didn't have enough clearance from the bottom rail on the stand. I may look around a bit more and see if I can find something that hinges to the side but anything with a hinge on top has to be mounted upside down.
The reason that those don't look like GFCI outlets is because they are standard outlets.

Is it important to have GFI for outlets sitting in proximity to hundreds of gallons of salt water? It's crucial. The National Electrical Code dictates that receptacles in wet areas such as kitchen counter tops, bathooms, and any outdoor receptacles must be GFCI. Ignoring the code for now--just consider that they are designed to save lives. They simply compare the incoming current to the outgoing current, and when there's a discrepancy exceeding 4-6 mA (milliamperes), it opens the circuit. In laymens terms, that equates to short circuits or ground faults--situations under which currents can spike to nearly unlimited levels faster than the blink of an eye. It's insanity to have non-GFCI receptacles used directly for an aquarium.

Thanks for looking out for me here. I was concerned that GFCI outlets can be prone to inappropriate tripping if a device with a high start-up draw is attached. I wanted to minimize the possibilty that my MH ballasts or a chiller could trip the GFI's and take town crucial elements of my system. That's a common misconception. GFCI's aren't subject to nuisance tripping in the same way breakers and fuses are. Inrush current can trip a breaker, or blow a fuse; but is outside the parameters of anomolies monitored by these devices.

Instead, I went with GFCI breakers in the panal. Each one of those outlets is on a seperate 20 amp GFCI protected circuit. Each circuit also has another outlet in the fish closet so there are 6 2-gang outlets on 3 20 amp circuits. Then you're golden. GFCI breakers serve the identical purpose as GFCI receptacles. You did good!

I remember from my childhood, having metal cover over the outdoor outlets that would protect the outlet from the weather but you had to have the door open (no protection) while anything was plugged in. That is not the kind of cover that I have on here. Good. Then I was mistaken. That's the kind of cover I discerned from the picture. I'm glad to be wrong. These covers have a tiny little opening at the bottom (er, top in my case:-[) to feed the cord out. the cover itself is an expandable rubber gasket that billows out however much you need to accomodate the plugs. The picture shows the cover opened up in the position that would allow you to insert the plugs.
Click to expand...

Looking good!! Are you using a step ladder to get into and out of that aquarium?

ReefSparky, Aug 25, 2009

ReefSparky, Aug 25, 2009

#163

1 person likes this.
GoToSleep Torch Coral

Joined:

Jul 6, 2008

Messages:

1,170

Location:

Central Virginia
ReefSparky said: ↑

Looking good!! Are you using a step ladder to get into and out of that aquarium?
Click to expand...

It depends. When they snapped the pictures of me in the tank Sunday night, I just put a foot on the 3" ledge surrounding the tank and pulled myself up by the rim at the top of the tank. Once I was standing on the ledge, I used the top rim to jump up and get my foot to the top of the tank. It seems kinda strange to be manhandling a giant glass box like this but it was engineered to handle 5000lbs of saltwater and rock so my 175lbs is really insignificant. I will say that dropping 4' over the edge of the tank and trying to hit that 3" ledge can be a little exciting when I was too impatient to pull a ladder close by.

GoToSleep, Aug 25, 2009

GoToSleep, Aug 25, 2009

#164
gfunk823 Coral Banded Shrimp

Joined:

Mar 21, 2009

Messages:

361

Location:

ct
every time i look at your progress i get more excited because its closer and closer to being finished keep it up mayn

gfunk823, Aug 25, 2009

gfunk823, Aug 25, 2009

#165

~B~Low~HighTide Spanish Shawl Nudibranch

Joined:

Jan 15, 2009

Messages:

77
That sump fits so nice under there...It looks super clean and the Electrical is supurb..

I like the look of long tanks and this one is gonna be sweeet when its filled.

~B~Low~HighTide, Aug 25, 2009

~B~Low~HighTide, Aug 25, 2009

#166

dirtydavenkc Purple Spiny Lobster

Joined:

Mar 24, 2009

Messages:

489

Location:

kansas city missouri
i wish i lived near by. im sure this is just something you would have to see for yourself. matter of fact my mother lives in buena vista. maybe i can come "visit her"

dirtydavenkc, Aug 25, 2009

dirtydavenkc, Aug 25, 2009

#167
GoToSleep Torch Coral

Joined:

Jul 6, 2008

Messages:

1,170

Location:

Central Virginia
dirtydavenkc said: ↑

i wish i lived near by. im sure this is just something you would have to see for yourself. matter of fact my mother lives in buena vista. maybe i can come "visit her"
Click to expand...

Richmond is really worth the trip if you like nice big tanks. Between the best 3 LFS here, there's a 1200g reef, a 900g reef, an 800g reef, and a 1200g FOWLR. Those are just the sizes of the display tanks. Always plenty of rare fish and corals in stock too. One of the shops is a Tunze distributor and the other is a Deltec distributor.

GoToSleep, Aug 25, 2009

GoToSleep, Aug 25, 2009

#168
=Jwin= Tassled File Fish

Joined:

Nov 26, 2008

Messages:

1,968

Location:

Chattanooga, Tennessee
Oh man I'm road tripping to Richmond some time You're not that far away from me...neighboring state for the most part.

Everything's looking fantastic. I can't wait to see it up and running.

=Jwin=, Aug 25, 2009

=Jwin=, Aug 25, 2009

#169
amatta1989 Astrea Snail

Joined:

Aug 25, 2009

Messages:

40

Location:

Greenwich/Westchester
wow just wowwwww, talk about doing it right! great job

amatta1989, Aug 27, 2009

amatta1989, Aug 27, 2009

#170

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