75 gallon build!

#1
Hello everyone!
Several weeks ago I posted a potential plumbing build for my first ever reef tank. I received some great feedback (mostly about drilling the tank), so I took the plunge and had it drilled. I then spent a lot of time researching and planning and have what I now think might be strong plumbing design. I’ve attached some photo’s and video to show most of it prior to gluing anything together. It’s a 75 gallon tank with an Eshopps eclipse L overflow. I‘m also using an Eshopps R-100 sump. Using the bean animal setup, I have the main return draining into the first stage/filter sock area of the sump. The second (durzo drain) is draining into the refugium (not 100% sure if it should stay) and it‘ll be just below the water line of the refugium. The third (emergency) drain is draining into the skimmer section (again not 100% sure if it should stay) with the pipe extra high so I can hear the splash if it‘s getting used. My return pump is a Jebao DCP 3500. I’m still waiting on my check valve for the return line, but everything else is ready for feedback. I used several unions and I have the “T” in the return line there for a manifold upgrade at a later date. Please comment with any advice or suggestions. My biggest concern so far is where I’m draining the durzo line and the emergency. Haven’t found much material out there showing the bean animal draining into the eshopps R-100 sump. Thanks!
 

SynDen

Administrator
Staff member
M.A.S.C Club Member
M.A.S.C. B.O.D.
M.A.S.C President
M.A.S.C Webmaster
#2
That looks much better! Good work

Sent from my Nexus 6 using MASC mobile app
 

Dr.DiSilicate

Great White Shark
M.A.S.C Club Member
ex-officio
#3
Looks great, one question as I don’t see it in the pics. So you have a gate valve for your main drain? You’ll want one, that’s how the bean animal works.

You are going to be way happier with this set up.


Sent from my iPhone using MASC mobile app
 

halmus

Registered Users
M.A.S.C Club Member
ex-officio
#4
Looks good.

My personal opinion on the two 180 deg bends up in the overflow box: I wouldn’t glue them in place. I’d leave those joints dry in case you ever need to service the drain pipes. In my system, I just ended up putting a 90 deg elbow in and don’t have any trouble with noise from water draining.

The full siphon tube should be dead quiet anyway because it’s running full with no trapped air. The second tube should ideally only have water trickling down the walls of the tube. That means minimal trapped air gurgling in the pipes and minimal noise.

If you don’t glue the 180 deg bends in place, you can play around with different configurations until you get the results you need. Plus, there is no chance of water leaking because those fittings are just directing water inside the overflow. It’s all wet in there.
 

TheRealChrisBrown

Reef Shark
M.A.S.C Club Member
ex-officio
#5
I give it an A+, as mentioned above a gate valve on the main drain line will make tuning it way easier. I ended up taking off the 180 degree bends and going with 3 straight pipes because it kept "flushing". Anyway, it's good to not glue them as you may end up doing a lot of height adjustment to get them quiet.
 
#6
Good Morning, It’s been a little over 2 weeks since my last update but here it is! After trial and error and several leak tests I finally have the plumbing complete and working properly! Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I did and do have a gate valve on the main drain. I have gotten my RO/DI system in place and I’m making water as I type. QT tank is set up. Here is my aquascaping..... I’m pretty happy. Got lots of caves for fish, some flat shelf’s for corals, and I should be able to place corals at multiple heights in the tank based on their needs. I feel like my flow might be a little low, but I’ll have to cross that bridge down the road when I‘m finally ready for corals. Should be getting this baby wet later tonight or early tomorrow! Would love any feedback anyone has!!!! Happy reefing!
 

SynDen

Administrator
Staff member
M.A.S.C Club Member
M.A.S.C. B.O.D.
M.A.S.C President
M.A.S.C Webmaster
#8
Looks good. Although for the scape, I would suggest to try and make one of the piles higher then the other. If one is a bit lower and the other higher, it helps quite a bit in visual balance. Just my thoughts. Good start either way!
 

halmus

Registered Users
M.A.S.C Club Member
ex-officio
#9
Looking forward to seeing water in this. You’ll still have the opportunity to move rock around once it’s wet. Water might alter your impression. I’ve heard that the water makes everything appear 1/3 smaller due to refraction. In general, most of us tend to put rock a little too close to the glass which can limit future coral growth and placement.

But, you’ll have plenty of time to play with it while cycling. Looks good!

If you’re interested, I enjoyed reading a series of articles about the “aesthetics of aquascaping”.


https://www.reefsmagazine.com/aesthetics-of-aquascaping/
 

SkyShark

Dolphin
M.A.S.C Club Member
#11
Awesome!
How is the rock work held together? I would look into the different ways to hold the structure all together (other than dry stacking). Also, I’d consider using a little less rock. It will look small at first, but once things start growing it will look much less so. You’ll thank yourself down the line for sure. Just remember that the coral will be the focus, and not the rock.


Sent from my iPhone using MASC - Marine Aquarium Society of Colorado
 
#13
Superglue and putty for the rock structure. Got some pieces that can be removed pretty easily if it’s too much. Also got my quarantine tank set up and cycling. Might add some clowns to that soon and give them a nice long qt while he display tank cycles.
 
Top