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125/50 - update Jan 2018, rebuild planning commences

113K views 483 replies 32 participants last post by  crazymittens 
#1 · (Edited)
Update: Latest tank shot. Bunch of pics in latest post. Also just posted some brief YouTube videos.





Found a Kijiji deal I couldn't pass up...125G tank, stand, canister filters, the works. Yay birthday money. Yay people moving. Also, since I only need the tank and stand, I'm selling off the filtration (Rena XP2 & XP3) and bits to recoup some cost.





:icon_mrgr

The bullet-point-plan:
  • 125G tank
  • 50G sump
  • 30G shrimparium
  • MTS/gravel
  • T5-HO lighting

Things I want to do differently...
  • Change the overflow location from along the back to the side.
  • Do something more even/less turbulent for the return flow.
  • Returns will be over the top, not through glass.
  • Change plumbing, only on the ends (no longer blocking the view)
  • Change the sump configuration based on experience with this design.
  • Incorporate a refugium/shrimparium that uses the same water.
  • Adjustable height lighting so access inside is much easier.
  • Do the MTS/clay step correctly.
  • Less gravel depth, bigger driftwood/rock formations.

I'm excited about the 50G sump...the holes will be patched with glass/silicone, the dividers will be scrap glass. Now that I've seen many different ways of designing sumps (and some in action), I'll probably do something better for this one.

The old 30G sump will be dismantled and bits re-used where possible. Still not certain how it'll work for plumbing to/from the sump...a fun problem to solve.


My biggest issue with this whole project is that in order to do this...the existing system must be completely torn down, and I only have a 20G tank spare. This means some fish will have to be sent to other homes. I'll try and keep the cardinals/platies/phantoms...the angel and black skirts I'll have to donate. Still, that's ~20 fish in that little tank. Hm. Anyways...just the planning phase right now...

More to come.
 
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#457 ·
There's a bulkhead narrower in here somewhere.... :)



That's a foot of 2" Delrin round stock. Cost $32 before tax - and is exactly why manufacturing in North America is dying. Nobody is willing to pay $10 (plus whatever $ it takes to actually transform stock into a part) for a tiny adapter piece. After the amount of time I spend machining, measuring, electricity/supplies, etc - it'll probably be "worth" $100-150. For one part! Haha, good thing I enjoy this. :D
 
#459 ·
World's largest 75-gallon tank.
Hood Automotive tire Automotive lighting Tire Motor vehicle

Motor vehicle Automotive tire Automotive design Bumper Tire



So now we have a conundrum...
If you didn't catch that, I just bought a 90-gallon tank, advertised as a 75-gallon, and foolishly didn't ask for measurements. Even when picking it up, something tweaked in my mind, but I'd already agreed to buy it...

I am inclined to make it work, but had really not wanted to get into modifying the stand. I guess I could build some risers and add cladding... hm. Hmmm....

The inside "working area" of the stand allows 26" height. As you can tell, that's ~25" - a 75-gallon is 21" high. I guess even 3" was being ambitious

So what should I do?
  • Take it apart, cut down the front panel
  • Re-sell it, find an actual 75 gallon tank
  • The third option: Build risers for the stand
 
#460 ·
Ok, I honestly did not read this entire journal.

My head is spinning with all the possibilities and the complexity of the systems.

Are you and Phil Edwards both engineers? Because this would give my brother and dad a run for their money for sure.

For my first tank I am determined to keep it simple.

Love learning from both of you though :)
 
#462 ·
I say break it down, get the glass cut to ideal dimensions, and rebuild it. That's something the Crazymittens I know and love would do.


Shay,
I'm an environmental scientist and am the farthest thing from being an engineer you can imagine. I've just designed and built a lot of aquarium filtration over the years.
 
#463 ·
I slept on it, and I'm removing that as an option, lol. It'd be two tubes of silicone for sure, and after shipping that'd be like $50. Not to mention how the trend of my glass cutting results has not been positive, haha...

I'm super tempted by the risers option, but this is what the math adds up to:
  • 26" current headroom, 90G tank is ~25" high
  • ideally need ~6" or more to get your arms in there
  • means raising the tank that much, which obstructs 5" of the ~23" display

I think the wiser choice is to re-sell this and find a 75G tank. Then, worst case, I can add small (1-2") risers to provide more room.
 
#469 ·
lol which statement?

I've put the 90G up for sale. Feels like laziness on my part "just settling" with whatever comes my way. And I'm not in a rush to start this project, so there we go. The price I'm asking for it is quite good, comparatively, so hopefully it'll sell soon - not a fan of having a glass box sit in my garage. :D

This afternoon (new work policy says on-call person, at end of their week on, gets the afternoon off!) I might take a crack at machining some delrin, just to see how it works. I'm told it machines like butter, but releases formaldehyde if you get it too hot. Ha! Also going to run the melting furnace...and maybe even make some aluminum muffins... :D
 
#473 ·
Derlin does machine line butter...even at lower speeds and HSS it produces an excellent finish. I only wish steel/AL were as easy to work with! I just keep a small shop fan blowing over the work piece but I've never smelt anything when cutting into it.

very nice journal by the way!
 
#474 ·
Haha, it's been a journey. And thanks for the tip about the blower, will keep that in mind! Some further reading on the subject indicated that you really have to be abusing things to get the formaldehyde to come out. I still am learning about HSS grind geometry (specifically flycutter geometry is what's imploding my head right now), very much a newbie in machining, so tips are welcome. :)
 
#478 ·
Welp, here it is. A weirdo-size 70-gallon (48x18x18) showed up for a good price, albeit a bit of a drive. Only downside is it's a 1995 manufacture date, but it is a Miracles tank. Gonna do an extensive water test, but given the layout, and baffles providing extra support, and it won't ever see a full tank anyways, probably nothing to worry about.

Machine Steel Games

Text Font Commemorative plaque
 
#483 ·
Seriously, that fish is invincible and/or eternal. The Eternal Fish

Life has also been pretty crazy, cannot believe it's already fall. But I'm finally getting around to working on the sump, regardless of the state of Mr. Fish. Got it all cleaned up, scraped down, and it's leak testing in the garage right now.

http://www.practicaltech.ca/jpg/aquarium/125g/rebuild/75-sump_cleaning.jpg

http://www.practicaltech.ca/jpg/aquarium/125g/rebuild/75-sump_leak_test.jpg

I will give this a week to leak. (yar!) Then I'll move it into my office for 'annoyance storage', and start planning the actual project to revitalize ye olde tanke.

Edit: Pictures don't work because my ghetto DIY image hosting doesn't do https. Protip! The image auto linker forces https! (even if you specifically type in http!) Yay further unplanned work.
 
#484 · (Edited)
Fish continues to be eternal. I continue to be ok with that.

The sump tank leak tested fine, still in the garage, never got it into annoyance storage. Possibly why the fish is still alive?

Something curious though is how well this whatever it is plant is growing. I rescued one tiny frond from the bottom and put it up on top of the overflow grille. After 8 months or so it's really taking off, and roots are all over the place - down the sump drains, into the circulation pumps, haha.

The timing of all this is still up to that fish. :)

http://www.practicaltech.ca/jpg/aquarium/125g/125-20190202-growth.png
http://www.practicaltech.ca/jpg/aquarium/125g/125-20190202-growth2.png
http://www.practicaltech.ca/jpg/aquarium/125g/125-20190202-growth3.png
 
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