Syn's 850g.t.v Deep Brain system

[SynDen]

Thanks!
Yep indeed, doing most of it in sch80, and using mostly http://www.supplyhouse.com/, http://www.pvcfittingsonline.com/, and http://pvcpipesupplies.com/
The only plumbing I got from Bulk Reef was their sch80 heavy duty bulkheads for my closed loops, as I couldnt find those particular ones anywhere else

 

[halmus]

Thanks for the links. What's your technique for PVC? Do you still use the purple primer and then glue it? Scuff the pipes with sandpaper prior to joining? My old plumbing jobs always held, but they were ugly with primer and glue showing at every joint. I want my next job to look good without compromising on joint integrity.


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[SynDen]

Well since sch80 is dark grey it is a bit more forgiving with showing the purple primer, but you can also use clear primer like this http://www.homedepot.com/p/Oatey-8-...gclid=CLSAyMjR888CFUONfgod6dsEiQ&gclsrc=aw.ds

I dont sand the joints, this is what the primer does for you. Just clean the pipe of any burrs or imperfections around the cut point. After dry fit, I mark the spot the pipe at the top of the fitting so I know how high to run my primer and cement. When you apply the primer, apply it fairly liberally, to both ends, and continue to apply until the applicator starts to stick a bit to the pipe as you are applying the primer. The 'stickiness' from this means the primer has sufficiently softened the pipe and its ready for cement.
After that apply a liberal amount of the cement to the pipe end, and a thin layer to the fitting. Press both together and give it a 1/4 turn while doing so. Hold the fitting together for about 30 sec to ensure it doesnt push back out of the fitting. After that, just take a rag and wipe off the excess cement at the top of the fitting. Wiping the glue off will also wipe of most the excess primer too and will make a nice clean pro looking joint. If any still remains you can use a small amount of acetone to remove any remaining primer after the cement has dried.

 

[halmus]

Thank you for the details.


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[MuralReef]

Updates?

 

[SynDen]

Thanks for asking, sorry for dark iPad photos.
Well I have been kind of heads down working on this beast the last few weeks. So far for plumbing I have the first closed loop, the water change drain, and main DT drain done. I have also been working on the initial round of the skirts, which are mostly just plywood. Need some more touch ups but coming along nicely.

The front panel doors I made using the old painted window that used to be in my downstairs bathroom. Which came out as part of our remodeling project. I took the old glass panels out of the old windows and the reframed them with an LED rope light behind them. The panels themselves are floating and not attached to the frame. They basically slide on the carpet and use the tiles as a guide and they can easily be removed to access the bottom of the tank.

Hoping to finish plumbing soon, then it's on to the sump build, electrical, light rack, water change station and I'm sure like 10 more things, but steadily making progress toward W-day

 

[TheRealChrisBrown]

I love the glass doors! Very unique. When you slide the doors out of the way can the LED rope lighting be used to light up under the stand? Or does it slide away with the door?

 

[SynDen]

Thanks. I left a bit of the rope sticking out the backside of the panels, so when slid open, they do light under the stand. The rope though is inside the panel, so if you remove them the light goes too. Although I likely won't remove them very often as there isn't much under the stand except the pump and plumbing for the main closed loop.

 

[BrianH]

This is looking to be epic!!! Nice work!!

 

[SynDen]

Thanks, the 'vision' is starting to come together. Lately I have kind felt like the absentminded professor though, as I have been very single minded working on this beast. Bless my amazing wife

 

[halmus]

Really nice work on the doors!

How long do you think it will be before you have water in the tank? Maybe that's a bad question to ask. I know what all still needs to be completed on my project but have no idea how long it will take.

Are you building a light rack for a more open look or are you building a hood around everything?

 

[SynDen]

Thanks I am shooting for within the next 2-3 months, but ya really couldn't say when exactly, the list of things to do before hand never seems to get any shorter. I'm still only about halfway on plumbings and preparing for another order of fittings and pipe. I still need to drill that 210 and build the baffles for it, and after that I have to install a sub-panel in the basement and add a few more dedicated circuits for the tank.

Once those are done I likely will start leak tests, while I build a light rack. For the light rack Im thinking simple rods with pulleys laid so I can pull all the lights up into the rafters as much as possible. Need to be able to pull the lights up enough so that I can lay on top of the tank in times of need and lower them back into place all other times.
I am thinking of just doing some simple light skirts around the tank. I was thinking to use a steel L beam and mount it to the rafters along the edge of the tank. Some light weight panels, of wood or acrylic, with magnets along the top to stick them in place.

After looking at the tank from my desk for a while, I realize that without light skirts, I am pretty sure I wont be able to see my computers from the glare. I could foresee blinding myself regularly as I turn around to gaze at the tank from the desk with nothing to block the lights.

 

[SynDen]

While waiting for the next plumbing order I started on the fuge stand skirts and a little cabinet next to it for QT and other supplies. It also helps hide the water main that comes in from the street just in front of the stand
Nothing fancy, just basic plywood, some pivot hinges, a few magnets, and two long hinges. Going to take them down to sand and seal with killz before I put them back up and seal them again.

Considering doing a tree of life engraving on the 4 door panels. Would be an outline mostly, and then paint over for a more subtle effect I think. I used to do wood engraving a bit when I was a kid, and I have been inching for an excuse to use my dremel, but that's for another day. Not sure the plywood wood will do all that well for that anyway, so may have to wait till I do the trim and then I can do a thin board over the top of the door panels.

 

[SynDen]

Kind of dark pic but plumbing is in and all dry fit together. Only partially glued together so far, but with the cold I dont want to work with all the windows open, so I gotta to wait till this weekend to finish.
I ended up going with spa flex and sch40 for the closed loops as it made it much easier to plumb and will help ensure max flow from the pump(s).

 

[Sctip]

Man that is a lot of plumbing.

Looks great.

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[SynDen]

Thanks, ya I think there must be about a mile worth of pipe on this thing. Bless my wife, but she looked at me cross eyed every time I ordered more pipe lol. I have extra fittings left over too which makes her give me dirty looks every time she sees them lol. In her mind I should have got 100% of everything I needed in the first round, and I wouldnt have had any left over parts. I roll my eyes in her general direction and slide the box of parts under the stand, and out of sight

 

[SynDen]

Here's the rest of the plumbing back to the sump.



Next step is going to be getting the sump built. I still need to drill it so I can hook up that pump under the stairs. Then I need to build all the glass dividers, but I need it to be warm out for that as it will involve a wet saw to cut some of it. Once some more construction on my house is done, then I will move in the mixing tank and complete the last part of the plumbing. I havent told my wife there is more plumbing yet though lol

 

[MartinsReef]

WOW! nice tank! Love the orca!

 

[SynDen]

Thanks man! Still debating whether to add another layer of epoxy to the orca before I add the bar rails. Ill have to decide before I fill the tank but no rush currently.

Update: Plumbing is pretty much done and all glued together. I need to make a few adjustments and then plumb the water change station once the tank is down here.
Decided I would go ahead and do some deco work on the 4 panel doors I made for the refuge/Mangrove tank next to the big tank. So I penciled in a "Tree of Life" and I have been steadily carving out all the pencil using a dremel and a few different etching bits. Once done Ill sand the top and then paint the whole thing white so that it will just be a somewhat subtle embossed impression of the tree.
Here is the pencil part. Ill post more once I finish the first door

 

[static reef]

Sick