|
|
|
|
Feb. 18, 2007
Storing the water and equipment pending the final switchover. |
|
|
|
Feb. 18, 2007
|
|
|
|
Feb. 18, 2007
|
|
|
|
Feb. 18, 2007
Ready to swap for a more flexible sump. |
|
|
|
Dec. 14, 2006
Blue (Hippo) Tang in the QT for Christmas Morning. |
|
|
|
|
|
Sept. 25, 2006
|
|
|
|
Sept. 24, 2006
|
|
|
|
Sept. 24, 2006
|
|
|
|
Sept. 24, 2006
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sept. 20, 2006
Green with Phyto-Feast (13 ml per day starts in that 'fuge and goes throughout the system). |
|
|
|
Sept. 20, 2006
Saved for the moment from a (possibly) failing cheap 'fuge... |
|
|
|
Sept. 20, 2006
Rotifer culture established for a few days. I'm feeding it one species of algae that may be too big. I plan to add copepods to eat it and be part of the culture. |
|
|
|
Sept. 9, 2006
This plumbing is now substantially finished. |
|
|
|
Sept. 9, 2006
This is the eastern branch of the second closed loop. |
|
|
|
|
|
Sept. 9, 2006
... by plastic gutter sections and reflective tape. |
|
|
|
Sept. 9, 2006
The DIY fixtures are finished ... |
|
|
|
Sept. 9, 2006
A photo of the finished DIY Fish Nook Refugium fixture. |
|
|
|
Sept. 2, 2006
"Monster" now lives in this refugium, which I will put on display when I finish the basement (according to current plans). |
|
|
|
Sept. 2, 2006
A view of the whole Fish Nook including the new DIY 175 W MH fixture. |
|
|
|
|
|
Sept. 2, 2006
The refugium looks pretty good under the new DIY 175 W MH fixture. |
|
|
|
Aug. 6, 2006
Two days later, there still seems to be no leaking (nothing significant, at any rate). I will watch it closely but I'm going to go ahead and put the rest of the sand bed back in place. |
|
|
|
Aug. 4, 2006
These are my attempts at repair, being tested. |
|
|
|
Aug. 4, 2006
I damaged the refugium recently by pushing the far end of the plumbing from the drilled pane too far. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
July 16, 2006
|
|
|
|
175 W MH Installed over Prop Tank
|
|
|
|
175 W MH Installed over Prop Tank
|
|
|
|
DSB Added
|
|
|
|
Added a Deep Sand Bed
|
|
|
|
|
|
July 14, 2006
|
|
|
|
Live Rock baits a trap...
|
|
|
|
July 13, 2006
|
|
|
|
July 13, 2006
|
|
|
|
July 13, 2006
|
|
|
|
|
|
Clearer thanks to charcoal
|
|
|
|
Aquaclear Filter
Will be converted to an additional refugium. |
|
|
|
July 12, 2006
|
|
|
|
July 12, 2006
|
|
|
|
Closeup of the Propagation Tank
|
|
|
|
|
|
July 12, 2006
|
|
|
|
July 12, 2006
|
|
|
|
July 12, 2006
The sump view of far end from pump end. |
|
|
|
July 12, 2006
Sump around pump. |
|
|
|
Baffles receiving inflow...
|
|
|
|
|
|
The leak is fixed, refugium, full...
|
|
|
|
The fix is in, ready to test...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ready to plumb to the sump...
|
|
|
|
|
|
Around the bend...
|
|
|
|
Manual drains for the Crawlspace...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stowed and ready...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
New drilling setup ready...
|
|
|
|
Filling for more cleaning tomorrow.
|
|
|
|
|
|
First round of cleaning complete...
|
|
|
|
Ready to fill for cleaning and setup...
|
|
|
|
And after some hard efforts it's in place!
|
|
|
|
One more modification to the platform...
|
|
|
|
Lagoon 1 is ready
|
|
|
|
|
|
Built a ramp and platform and removed the rail in the stair well.
|
|
|
|
Lagoon 1 Stand is Ready
|
|
|
|
And the Fish Nook Electrical is complete.
|
|
|
|
Three outlets at the entrance to the crawlspace...
|
|
|
|
Three outlets in the ceiling...
|
|
|
|
|
|
Detail of initial plumbing from SWMR
|
|
|
|
Detail of plumbing to SWMR
|
|
|
|
A view from a different angle...
|
|
|
|
New Salt Water Mixing Reservoir
This is the cannibalized old Calcium Reservoir. |
|
|
|
This sand has been waiting...
|
|
|
|
|
|
The system will be ready soon!
|
|
|
|
Squared up and fairly solid
It needs some nails to give it additional resilience |
|
|
|
For Lagoon 1 (150 G)
|
|
|
|
Assembling the Stand
|
|
|
|
Let There be Light!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fish Nook Electrical #2 Finished
|
|
|
|
Utility Light Mounted
Ready for completion... |
|
|
|
Utility Light under Construction
|
|
|
|
Fish Nook Circuit #2 Light Switch Raw
|
|
|
|
Fish Nook Electrical #2
Second outlet in series. |
|
|
|
|
|
Fish Nook Electrical #2
The second outlet in series... |
|
|
|
Fish Nook Electrical #1
This has been in place and functioning for a long time. |
|
|
|
A view of the Calc Topoff Valve
|
|
|
|
Plumbing partly completed for SW Fill
|
|
|
|
Rough plumbing to ReefLagoon Calc Topoff complete
|
|
|
|
|
|
Assembly of SW Platform 4
|
|
|
|
Assembly of SW Platform 3
|
|
|
|
Assembly of SW Platform 2
|
|
|
|
Assembly of SW Platform 1
|
|
|
|
Plumbing complete to manual spigot
|
|
|
|
|
|
A view of the QT Topoff from above
|
|
|
|
Most of the way to the new reservoirs...
Just have to take it across to the other wall. |
|
|
|
Across the fish room...
|
|
|
|
Plumbing from manifold ...
These are mostly cannibalized, but I've added another ball valve (the dark colored handle). |
|
|
|
Bulkhead and riser
|
|
|
|
|
|
Just the bulkhead for the pump
|
|
|
|
New Dissolution Chamber
This plastic sprinkler will distribute pumped water through the precipitated CaOH to mix and dissolve it. |
|
|
|
Finished QT Topoff (phase 1)
In operation... |
|
|
|
Old and new plumbing for new QT Topoff
|
|
|
|
Reused the old manifold for new plumbing
|
|
|
|
|
|
Old Calc Reservoir
The CaOH was not effectively dissolving. Clearly I need a way to mix it without adding CO2. |
|
|
|
Old SW reservoir, new Calc Topoff
|
|
|
|
Plan B: Removing old setup...
Photo of the setup after removal of the old salt water mixing reservoir. |
|
|
|
Refugium 29G in testing
I had to see if it would leak. It will be ready when it has been drilled for overflow and a platform built for it. |
|
|
|
Refugium 29G
Bought 10.15.2005 to provide a viewable, accessible and productive refugium in the crawlspace. |
|
|
|
|
|
Diagram of Refugia etc.
This is a basic diagram of how the infrastructure in the crawlspace will work. |
|
|
|
View Inside the Sump
... with the submersible pump plumbed temporarily. |
|
|
|
Fish Nook
It's far to cramped and busy to be called a "room". |
|
|
|
Finished Reservoir Plumbing
The plumbing is complete all the way to the crawlspace (but not yet to either main or QT sump). |
|
|
|
Victory!
After I removed the ineffectual stand pipe and plumbed straight across, the Saltwater Reservoir now fills as it should! |
|
|
|
|
|
Contraption B Filled
But Contraption A is still filling from the RO/DI Reservoir. |
|
|
|
Contraption A
A small pump moves water into the reservoir attached to the Calcium Hydroxide Reservoir |
|
|
|
Contraption B
I cut off the useless PVC tubing when it was time for The Contraption. |
|
|
|
Manual Outlet Valves
The user will be able to get at any of the three types of water for manual maintenance. |
|
|
|
Plumbing to Reservoirs
The Saltwater reservoir will be filled manually (the manual valve is just below the picture); the Calcium reservoir will be topped off automatically as it is depleted. |
|
|
|
|
|
Stand Pipe
This idea did not work. Somehow I managed (I suppose) to lose so much pressure in the standpipe that neither reservoir would fill! Time for the Contraption... |
|
|
|
Filtered Water Plumbing
This is the path for filtered water out of the RO/DI reservoir to fill the Calcium and Saltwater reservoirs. |
|
|
|
Control Valves Plumbed
The plumbing of the automated valves to/from the Calcium and Saltwater Reservoirs is finished as of 9/24/2005 (pending testing, of course)... |
|
|
|
Salt and "Kalkwasser" plumbing
Automated valves will alternate between topping off ("Kalk") and water changes (Salt), controlled by a float valve in the sump. |
|
|
|
Automated Water Changes
This valve will be activated on a timer and allow overflow water to leave the system. |
|
|
|
|
|
Automated Valves
I bought some bulk valves on eBay, and use 3/4" mpt/slip adapters sealed with aquarium sealant to plumb them into my lines. |
|
|
|
Calcium Hydroxide Reservoir
"Kalkwasser" will be maintained here for topping off the system to replace evaporated water and maintain calcium levels. |
|
|
|
T'ain't purty, but...
It is sturdy. The QT will be viewable from a future rec room. |
|
|
|
CaOH and Saltwater reservoirs
... will go on the top shelf. The "fish room" will always be ugly and cramped. As long as it works... |
|
|
|
QT Tank Almost Ready
I had to cannibalize one of the fittings on the tank, so I need to redo one bulkhead and then I can put it in service. |
|
|
|
|
|
Pickling Lime (Calcium Hydroxide)
This arrived Sept. 15. Now all I have to do is build and plumb the slurry barrel... |
|
|
|
Finished Plumbing 18 Gal. Refugia
This picture illustrates the connections finished between the smaller refugia. |
|
|
|
Finishing the Bulkheads
These bulkheads allow plumbing for constant flow between the refugia all the way to the sump. |
|
|
|
1 1/4 in. Bulkhead
Consists of one 1 1/4 in. electrical PVC terminal adapter, a female adapter, and a tub drain gasket. |
|
|
|
Filtered Water Reservoir
When the level falls, an irrigation valve opens and more water comes through the RO/DI to fill it up. |
|
|
|
|
|
RO/DI
This is the filter that provides the water. I paid just over $100.00 on eBay, including shipping. |
|
|
|
Ballast Central
All the ballasts for the Metal Halide lighting of the RLP will be here. I paid an average of less than $45.00 for each ballast. |
|
|
|
Quarantine/Hospital Tank
This 55 Gallon tank is already plumbed and ready to go. It will be separate from the rest of the system, obviously! |
|
|
|
Waste Water Reservoir
The current plan is to use this barrel to hold wastewater from the RO/DI for utility purposes such as cleaning, rinsing, and so on. |
|
|
|
Refugia Platforms
The refugia and sump will be in the crawlspace. I built the platforms on Labor Day 2005 out of OSB and 2x4's. |
|
|
|
|
|
DSB Refugia
The taller tubs on the right will be placed centrally and some will house Deep Sand Beds. |
|
|
|
Refugia and Sump
Here I laid out the sump and 16-gallon "muck buckets" that will serve as refugia. Now I have to plan and execute the plumbing... |
|
|
|
Wastewater Drain Reservoir
Connected directly to my main stack with a 3" trap, this will supply an exit for change water and emergency overflow. |
|
|
