Mikeyboy's Fish Room...waiting on tanks!!

[MikeyBoy]

After some thought, I decided to start a thread on my fish room project.
After much internal debate, I decided to turn my entire formal dining room into a 11x15 fish room with an in wall 215 gallon "brick style" braceless Oceanic.
The 215 RR tank will be here next week and I cannot wait.
It will be placed a the front of the room and then walled in.
The "whole in the wall", which is actually just the entrance into the formal dining room, is currently 8' square. When the tank arrives next week, all I have to do is build a 1' wall on either side of the 6' tank and then frame in the top over the tank.
A cool design I have worked up is that the 6' center piece of wall that is over the tank will actually be hinged so that it can be swung out of the way so that I can work on the front of the tank when cleaning time comes around. It will also house 4-5 400 watt Metal Halides and 4 72" VHOs.

The double sink is already full functional and as a cool design, I added two spray nozzels. The silver one on the left will be fed by the skimmer pump. This will be a neat treat when it comes time to clean something, all I have to do is turn the valve and have handy salt water to clean with.

As you can see, I have purchased a Aqua Medic Tubo Floater 5000 Twin, 72" Model. It comes with 2- Ocean Runner 3500 pumps and will be fed by a PanWorld 1267 GPH pump. The supply pump will be here tommorrow.

The main return pump is Sequence Hammerhead. As you can see, I have a 1 1/2" Wrye that will feed the different componets.

Along the wall, between the main pump and the skimmer I am buliding a stand that will hold a 18"tall x24"deep x6' long refugium. Underneath the stand will sit a sump of the same measurements. Both the Sump and the Fuge should hold about 100 gallons. Total water capacity should be somewhere around 450 gallons.

Enough for now, I am building the stand this week and will post more pics when the skimmer pump and stand are installed.
Hopefully Dan can do the sump and fuge this week.

Bye for now.

Mike

[MikeyBoy]

Darn it, I wanted the Pics in reverse order....so as to set up the positioning of the components.

Oh well.

[NaCl_H2O]

Look'in good Mike! That skimmer is going to be AWESOME! Might even take the salt right out of your water ;)

It's really gonna be neat to see your project progress, reflecting on past months on my project, and being GLAD AS HELL it is you & not ME :grin: :grin: :grin:

Have a ball!

[JeffCo]

Looking great so far! Your at the fun part now, buying all the equipment and planning. Next comes the stand, plumbing and electrical. Keep us informed and maybe we can share some ideas. I will be posting a new thread soon to give updates on my build.

[MikeyBoy]

Oceanic is building the stand. I didn't want to gamble with that part.
I think I am going to have all 4 holes in the returns be drains.
Because it is in wall in my fish room, I think I am just going to go all outside the tank for the return lines including all the line loc stuff. I got this idea from Blake.

I can pretty much do it any way I want because of the flexibility of the room I have.

[don-n-sa]

ok...let me get this strait...You have a total disaster in your living room when a 105g tank basically falls apart on you. Then the guy you bought the tank from stiffs you and now you get the ok to do this awesome project????? How did you do it? What's your secret? Tell us please!!!!!!! lol :o :-o :eek: :shock: 8) :wtf: :moon:

[MikeDeL]

ok...let me get this strait...You have a total disaster in your living room when a 105g tank basically falls apart on you. Then the guy you bought the tank from stiffs you and now you get the ok to do this awesome project????? How did you do it? What's your secret? Tell us please!!!!!!! lol :o :-o :eek: :shock: 8) :wtf: :moon:
There are several things that can explain this.
1. He's single
2. His wife is out of town on business, and will be coming home to a big suprise :o
3. He has his wife locked up in the basement, so he doesnt have to "hear it".
LOL

[GaryP]

Mike's single.

You guys have to go by and see his house, its awsome. What he didn't say was that on the other side of his dining room is his "trophy room." The walls are covered with african and american mounted trophies.

Gary

[MikeyBoy]

Single I am and Single I may stay.
If the hunting bug didn't run off the women, this fish room and in wall tank might.

Actually, I am hoping this beautifull tank will be mood enhancer for the ladies, yea, that's it.
There is my justification.

[NaCl_H2O]

Actually, I am hoping this beautifull tank will be mood enhancer for the ladies, yea, that's it.
There is my justification.

Yea, show them your reciepts, that will be a "mood enhancer" :o :shock: :o :shock:

Then let them clean that skimmer ...

[GaryP]

I hear that skimmer aromas are a great aphrodasiac.

Gary

[Jenn]

Yea, show them your reciepts, that will be a "mood enhancer"

Then let them clean that skimmer ...


LMAO!!!!! :-D Being a woman, let me just say that would be the true "test" - if she will clean your skimmer, she worth a second date.

[RobertG]

I hear that skimmer aromas are a great aphrodasiac.

Gary

The Big Sexy, should be your new nic. You hear lots! LMAO! :-D

Well if your gonna get wet you might aswell jump straight in!

Mike that is going to be one fun project, I could only imagine what I would of done with no wife! Keep the honeys outta the skimmate, nothing like a sick date! :-D :evil:

[Brett Wilson]

You guys give GREAT inspiration for those wanting to get married. lol

[GaryP]

Robert,

Your house without a wife is called Larry's (Instar) house. He's got my wife going out there trying to help him reorganize it and do some decorating so that women don't go screaming out the door as soon as they walk in.

Personally, I love contemporary marine biology lab decor. I don't see the problem. The 10 aquariums in the kitchen are a definite plus. The green water tank in the window gives the place a definite charm and think of all the money he saves on scented candles and incense.

All it needs is a few Nemo and Dori cushions on the coach to give it that homey feel. I think the goal is more of a SeaWorld decor. Hmmmm, maybe some stadium seating? Larry's place would be a great monster house project.

Gary

[MikeyBoy]

I have to go see his setup, so that I wont feel so bad about turning my house into such a wreck right now.
Mine wouldnt be so bad, but they just laid 400 sf of Tile on Saturday, furniture everywhere......uuuugg.

[MikeyBoy]

Here is an update............Built stand for Fuge and Sump.
Electricity has been ran!
Got tank in today!!!! Just placed in its spot.
Going to build the wall tommorrow!!!
Will post Pics tommorrow as well.

Everything is coming together nicely!!

[::pete::]

Looking good ... is that an oceanic stand?

[scuba_steveo]

I thought you were not getting the tank until today.

[MikeyBoy]

Yes it is an Oceanic........I built the stand for the fuge / sump, not the one for the main tank.

Steve,
It came in a day early.....Its already in place.
If you can get out of the house, give me call.
I will be messing with it for the next few days.....er years...

[mathias]

Hmmmm Im jelous.......

[GaryP]

Man, I'm glad I missed out on moving that beast. Wait a minute, now that I recall I didn't miss out. My brain is frost bitten.

Gary

[dan]

i hope you have the room to get those 6' filter and fuge in?????????? maybe go through the kithen?

[GaryP]

Naw, he'll just knock out a wall to bring them in.

Gary

[MikeyBoy]

Its actually an in wall now!!

Worked most of the day on the wall.
As you can see, the 6' piece above the tank hinges back to allow for access to the front of the tank.
The hinging part like a little to be desired. I will probably re-work them tommorrow.

Anyway, here is todays work.

[::pete::]

Dang ... its coming along nicely !!

You hinged it right on the header?

[MikeyBoy]

Yea, but it is binding a bit.
Think I am gonna redo it tommorow and make it a slide in panel like you talked about.
I have a awesome overhead header where the lights can hang from.
Gonna build something like you would see at a rock concert.
All the lights would hang on one assembly and lower up and down.

[MikeyBoy]

Dan, there is a nother entrance to that room.
It is indeed right off the kitchen.

Gary's wife George is going to make me a curtain to close the room off completely.
Also, I am going to have some black fabric to put on the back of the tank helf with double sided sticky or something so you cannot see through to the back of the room.

[::pete::]

Where is it binding ... the center?

If so you could add another hinge.

[JeffCo]

Looks like your making some great progress!! :D

What are your ideas for the top? I'm doing something similar on my new setup and I'm trying to figure out the front access. I want it to look built in, but still have a few doors in the front for access. Keep the pics coming!

[MikeyBoy]

Frontal access is why I wanted the hinging top on top of the tank.
The 4" trim that will trim the tank and the hinged door should cover the gaps such that when I close the hinged part, it will close next to the trim, looking like a complete wall.

Pete, I am probably going to leave it like it is until Sunday when you come over and see what we can do.
I think I am going to take the 4 hinges off and make it a slide in panel like you suggested.
Right now, it just doesnt want to close all the way flush to the rest of the wall.

[::pete::]

No problem it might be a quick fix though.

[scuba_steveo]

It is looking very nice! I will try to come over Sunday if you will be around.

[MikeyBoy]

I will indeed be here on Sunday.
Pete is supposed to come over and help me with trim work.

Dan said he would have the sump and fuge done on sunday as well.
He said he is already done with the fuge.

Just give me a buzz.

[MikeyBoy]

After much work and the AWESOME help of ~Pete~, Here is the update.The front wall is built, I just need to paint the trim white.

Both Sump and Fuge are here, AWESOME job by Dan.
All Water is in and everything is flowing nicely.

I will post more later.

Mike

[MikeyBoy]

Fug and Sump are both 72" wide x 24" wide, and 18 tall......they are incredible!

[::pete::]

Lookie there .... sand and rock !!!! :) I found a ball valve in my truck.

[NaCl_H2O]

Man, you have been busy!!!!

Looks great, did you get the skimmer fixed/replaced yet?

[MikeyBoy]

Pete, you can keep it, I already bought a replacement!!!
I needed two more anyway, I was wondering what happened to that darn thing.

Steve, talked to Premium Aquatics today, they said AquaMedic out of Colorado is shipping me a skimmer body today.
I have been impressed with their customer service.'
They have called me three times since my email.

[NaCl_H2O]

Mike, how much flow from that monster ruturn pump are the Oceanic overflows handling?

I was also VERY pleased with Premium Aquatic's customer service :-D

[MikeyBoy]

I dont know how to describe it but to say that I am definately having to use the third ball valve that just returns to the pump.

If I turn the main return lines up, I can make a bare bottom very quickly.
I have 12 loc line returns, so its getting plenty of flow.
You should drop by now that its up and running.
I would appreciate some pointers as to where to head from here.

I got a pinpoint salinty monitor and temprature guages in today and I am playing with those.

Also was trying to figure the Tunze Osmo I bought.....think I am going to get some help from ScubaStevo on that.
Trying to figure out how to mount it on the lip of the sump when it has braces that overhang.


Anyway, all is great for now.
Tried to buy more sand tonight, but Felipe was out.
Gonna stop by the tommorrow I guess.

[::pete::]

Trying to figure out how to mount it on the lip of the sump when it has braces that overhang.

Velcro ... will it work?

[MikeyBoy]

Well, the live rock is in......I think it looks pretty good.
I kind of like the arch.
I have about 300#in the system totally.
I doesn't look like it, but the center piece is 40# by itself.

Anyway, most of the lights will be here Thursday, it will have about 2200 watts of light over the 215.

What do you think?

[::pete::]

Looks good ... turn on the lights ;)

[NaCl_H2O]

Look'in good :-D Did you buy more sand, or is that all sugar size?

[MikeyBoy]

Well, I spent all weekend figuring out a pulley system for the lighting setup.
I finally got it all setup and ready for the lights.

2 of the 400w DE came in and 2 more are in the mail.
Also 4 60" T5 Actinics are in the mail as well.
The 2 lights I do have are finally up and cranking, man those things are bright!! I cannot wait for the other 2 and the T5's!

The cabeling system is up and working really well.
It has enough flexibility to allow the light rack to be lowered all the way to the floor so that you can work on it.

Well, off to clean up my weekends mess.

[::pete::]

Nice job ... looks good!! 8)
No light coming out the front either ... ?

Is that one continuous run or 2 runs of rope?

[Sherri]

Wow...outstanding Mike...impressive.

[NaCl_H2O]

Very nice Mike, I can't wait to see it in person!
... Now watch that algae grow :-D

[georgeortiz]

One word to describe it Mike.
SWEET! kEEP up the good work.

[MikeyBoy]

Steve,

You think I should go ahead and order the clean up crew?
I was thinking about ordering a big packages of 300-400 critters total.
Varios Snails and Crabs and such.

How big of a package did you start out with?


MP

[NaCl_H2O]

Mike, from the pictures, I think you are still too early for the cleanup crew! Nothing for them to "clean" yet, and I doubt that your nitrogen cycle has really gotten going yet? Your lights should kick things into high gear

... but you did have some well established live rock that should help? Have you been testing Ammonia, Nitrite, & Nitrate? Any peeks?

I started with about 120 turbos and 200 hermits - across all three tanks. I added these when the nitrogen cycle was nearly complete, and algae was COMPLETELY OUT OF CONTROL!