New 125g Plumbed to Basement

[Techknowledgy]

Here are some pics of my tank, born April 15th. Just getting going. So hard to hold off getting more critters. All of the chemistry is perfect right now. The LF is purpling up nicely now. Just have the one Daisy Polyp in there right now, and it seems quite happy! 4 Green Chromis, a Sally Lightfoot crab and a bunch of reef janitors. Whattya think?


Bottom Three.....
........ it has changed a bit......:)

[Nigritude]

Heh it is hard not to rush to an LFS and buy everything. The aquascaping looks cool. Make sure the rocks are stable. You don't want it to fall apart when you are putting in your corals. I had the misfortune to experience that once.

[GAD]

tank is looking nice. What do you plan on keeping in there? I like to hear when fellow reefers take their time, this hobby does require a lot of patience.

[Techknowledgy]

Thanks Guys,
The rocks are quite stable, and worked down together. It is going to be a pretty much mixed reef. Heavy on the low maintenence corals etc, with many very small but amazingly beautiful itty bitty reef fish. The plan is to add something new every couple of weeks. I figure by taking it quite slow I will be less apt to have major mishaps. That patience thing is driving me nuts though. Never thought I would get so much pleasure out of looking at live rock!

[Daniel]

I had the misfortune to experience that once.
Only ONCE?! This happens to me like every month! :eek:

[Techknowledgy]

Only ONCE?! This happens to me like every month! :eek:
Funny,
I learned a lot about that when I had a fish only tank in the early 70s. I had a huge Zebra Eel that could move just about everything!

[DaChrisDude]

Sweet! What's that cylindrical pipe looking thing running around the top of the tank... return plumbing?

Definitely want to see pics of all your plumbing/filtration -you ran it into a basement? Sweet!

[convictcichlid]

dido. i would love to see pics of the plumbing to the basement, that must of been a real tough job, its an Awesome looking tank! :)

[Nick_Kun]

equipment list?

[onad75]

yeah post some pics of your plumbing

[DaveMorris]

A basement in San Diego?? How'd you pull that one off? I had to put in a Tuff Shed for my equipment. Tank looks great so far.

[Techknowledgy]

Thanks for the kudos guys,
Here are some pictures of the plumbing. Our house is on a canyon, so we were able to use a space that was part of the slope. I put in the door, and have been slowly excavating under there for a couple of years.

The water takes quite a tumble 8 feet to the sump, into the filter sock. It is all insulated so it can be as noisy as it wants and you can't hear it in the rest of the house.

That tube running around the top of the tank is the return. It comes up, splits and then runs to the other end of the tank where an octopus spews a constant current back towards the outflow. You can't see the return unless you get on your knees. The hood hides it.

Right now I have two sets of Current 10k and actenic T5s, soon to add another set.

There is room in the basement for a fuge, it is still in the planning stages, as well as a doser. Suggestions?

Last two......

Three months later....

[victortrav]

with an 8' drop to the sump you would think that you could put some sort of turbine on there to run another piece of equipment. If they can do it at the hoover dam ???

[Techknowledgy]

Funny Victor!
You are an engineer at heart. (The drop is more like 5 1/2 feet, but hey I am a guy!) Objects in the mirror are smaller than they actually appear. The fuge will sit above the tank on a shelf and be fed off the line you see sitting on the bench right now. It will gravity feed back to the sump. Impossible to overflow! Took a look at your monster tank. How is it coming? Gonna costs a fortune to stock it... but what fun!

[swissfish]

are your sure you have enough room for a fuge:D

Looking good, i wish i had a basement to hid all my stuff.

[victortrav]

i figure you can get one of those old school bicycle generators (that runs your bicycle lights) maybe several in series or go with a water wheel principal. would be a great science project. That monster is just that, its been up for about a year or so. everything is great with it a few modifications i want to do to it but whew its been expensive, which is great cuz i got no choice but to go slow.

[Techknowledgy]

Hey Swiss,
It will fit next to the stereo. I spend so much time doen there now that it got quiet with just the water noise! When I was planning the tank everything was going in the cabinet underneath, but then on the Talking Reef forum I ran across a guy who plumbed to his basement. A light went on.... and the doorknob saw came out!

[Techknowledgy]

i figure you can get one of those old school bicycle generators (that runs your bicycle lights) maybe several in series or go with a water wheel principal. would be a great science project. That monster is just that, its been up for about a year or so. everything is great with it a few modifications i want to do to it but whew its been expensive, which is great cuz i got no choice but to go slow.

I like it! I wonder if it could actually drive some LEDs? Slow is the only way to do this unless you have recently had a rich uncle die. (Won't happen to me.... don't have one.) My tank has only had water since May 15th, so I have a long way to go!

[victortrav]

sloro did the led lighting i know they dont require alot of power, hmmm... i hear the A-Team theme playing in the back ground

[Techknowledgy]

Yeah,
A cross between A Team and McGuiver! Do you know anyone who has done a LED DIY? They are out there, but I several thousand for them is nuts. I want to build my own with moon lights.

[victortrav]

http://www.freesciencefairproject.com/physics/water_turbine.html
http://www.sdreefs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18757&highlight=led+light

[victortrav]

http://www.sdreefs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18757&highlight=led+light

[Techknowledgy]

Cool,
His photos wouldn't open for me though. Wonder why?
I am looking somethibng like this. What do you think?
http://extremeled.com/detail.aspx?ID=87

[victortrav]

i think it can be done more food for thought
http://www.scienceshareware.com/pedal-power-build-your-own.htm

[Techknowledgy]

Funny,
I guess it would work! I saw one of those NEW LED Reef light set ups on a real tank. Amazing. It makes everything glow, and the colors are so vibrant. It all starts with just an idea. (I could have the kids do shifts on the bike in the basement!)

[victortrav]

hey the money you save in electricity you can put into a college fund for them. i was thinking the water wheel take the place of the bicycle and there you go

[Techknowledgy]

Bump to new.

[acbaldwin]

Hey Roland that's a nice looking start! Have any more recent pics?

[Techknowledgy]

They are at the bottom.... I will take some more soon.... there is a LOT MORE!

[dhuynh]

so the real question is... you have a "basement"? ... in CA? :)

[Techknowledgy]

Yeah,
My house is built on a canyon, and so there is a space under the middle level that we have excavated. My sump, fuge and all the smell, mess and noise is doen there. It ROCKS!

[fishfinger]

That basement set up is great. Dang.......wish I had a basement