ToX's 220g In-Wall build

[ToX]

Just bought a house and moved in this month so I'm building a new tank. Bought a 220g yesterday after much considering the 300DD. The 220g is half the price and half the lighting also... and my gf is just happy I went with smaller then what I originally planned. It will be a in-wall tank with a dedicated room behind. Right now the plan is to light it with LED that i would buy in a kit that I have to assemble. For water flow, I have a MP40W and will buy another MP60. For a sump, I was thinking of buying a 150g rubermaid tub... the 90g (my present tank will be converted to a refugium.

Here are the picture of the room right now. I have to make the hole bigger for the new 220g tank.

[JetJumper]

Sweet!  Looking forward to watching this come alive!

[cory]

This is going to be Awesome!

[Coral beauty]

Awesome I'm in the process of doing the same with 120

[ToX]

Update

I've made the hole bigger this afternoon.

Tomorrow I'm doing and finishing the stand and in the afternoon I'm picking up the tank. I rented suction cup with handles in order to maneuver the tank in the basement (U-shap stairs).

[Todd]

Looks like a good start!  Looking forward to following this build.

[ToX]

UPDATE

Ok so I'm glad I didn't buy the 300DD, it wouldn't have fit in the stairs, the 220 barely fitted. I rented suction cups with handle and without them, I don't believe we could have done it.

Still not finish with the stand... My father-in-law is coming to help me tonight with an electric plug and wires that need to be moved in order to finish the stand. should be done tonight. Tomorrow I plan on priming it.

I order some Dry Rock from Eco-Reefer friday and when I arrive home today they were siting on the front porch. I chose to go with dry-rock because I wanted to assemble the rock more easily, introduce less pests in my tank and had already 150lbs of LR. So I ordered 125lbs. 100lbs of normal rock and 25lbs of cut rock ( the bottom is perfectly flat) to stack rock over it more easily. After looking at the boxes, I thought that it wasn't enough, but after unpacking every thing, it seems to be plenty, plus the rock I already have.

I plan on rising the dry-rock, should I rinse it with tap-water?

The plan is to have the tank on the stand this weekend.

I will need to disconnect my RO/DI from my parents place. Anyone knows how to block the hole from the needle piercing valve??? Also how to connect it with the new blue flexible PVC water line in homes?

When I'm ready to transfer the content of my old tank, I will install the two 250W MH I have while I figure out what to do with lights. I plan of building my own with kits from rapidleds but I'm not in a hurry.

[HomerJ]

Good progress!

I will need to disconnect my RO/DI from my parents place. Anyone knows how to block the hole from the needle piercing valve??? Also how to connect it with the new blue flexible PVC water line in homes?

I would honestly just leave the valve there (at your parents place) and buy a new one, they are fairly cheap.  As for the new PVC waterline, I went the complicated way and put a T inline when I installed mine.  The T has 2 "pvc hookups" and one 1/4" compression.

[Hookup]

looks like a great project... i'm very sad that my building days are done... that is definitely a lot of the fun.

as for rinsing your dry-rock... i would strongly suggest it.  infact, i would suggest using a power-sprayer to blast it...  i found with any/all of the dry rock i've used it's covered in rock-dust... once that gets into your tank it takes forever to settle and, it gets into your sand-bed which clogs it up...

tap-water is more than fine... i think in most cases using tap-water vs RO/DI is over-rated for small things like rinsing rocks or even a bit of top-up water once in a blue moon...

what style are you looking at for aquascaping?

What kind of tank (I assume reef tank?) but do you have any photos of tanks you are modeling your's after, in part or whole?

[Greatwhite]

Good progress!

I would honestly just leave the valve there (at your parents place) and buy a new one, they are fairly cheap.  As for the new PVC waterline, I went the complicated way and put a T inline when I installed mine.  The T has 2 "pvc hookups" and one 1/4" compression.

If you really want to remove the piercing valve which I'd recommend - just for peace of mind...  You never know if those things are going to seal up nice.  Cut the pipe on either side of the hole with a proper copper pipe cutter, just to get a nice clean edge on both sides.  Then put in a compression "coupler" fitting to re-connect the pipe.

The coupler should be pretty cheap, and can be found at any hardware store...

[liv]

looking sweet !
if you can.. seal the concrete below and in your fish room with a good epoxy paint or other concrete paint.
makes it much easier to clean. you can also add an abrasive like sand to the paint so you dont slip on a wet floor.

run a few dedicated breakers on gfci's then piggy back on those gfci's to feed your tank.
safety first

if you can.. try and seal the top of that wood frame above the tank with a steel sheeting or a good paint so saltcreep and humidity dont attack it.

How do you plan to light it ?

agree with hookup... no issue at all with a good rince using tap water.
i'm a fan of rodi for topoffs and saltwater mixes.. but washing the items before setup.. i really dont think they'd absord enough if anything to make a difference.

for the pierced hole.. if its pex, cut, get a male/male probebly 1/2" and find a pair of crimpers. if its copper.. cut, find a coupling.. weld. ( and cut the water pressure either at the main valve or if you have a valve above it before cutting or disconnecting the rodi ) he he

both 220 and the 300 are beautiful tanks.  hydro and costs of lighting etc are a real concern these days.  I'm in the same boat.. as much as i'd like 8x4.. i'll most likely end up with 6x3 instead.

[ToX]

The concrete is already sealed with the epoxy paint
I will be running 2 more circuits on gfi friday next week when a electrician friend will come to help me.
The top of the stand is missing a plywood sheet. The saw at RONA was broken, they got it fixe today. I'm going there right after this to buy the plywood, the primer and the paint to water proof the stand. I will also put some coking between the wood and the concrete. The interior of the room will be drywalled with the blue stuff (mold and moisture resistant).

I started to rinse the rock... looking good so fare

I bought the adapters for hooking up the RODI here... Need to buy the compression fitting for the copper at my parents place in order to install the RODI here.

[ToX]

Little update, the stand is finish, 2 coats of primer and 2 coats of paint. It's all white. Now Saturday is my gf birthday party and the housewarming party so I'll have plenty of friends to move the tank on the stand. I just bought a sheet of blue 1" foam to put under the tank. My leveling skills are off by 1/32" so I hope the foam will compensate for that.

I will add the dryrocks and the sand this weekend hopefully... if I can find the sand. I'm looking for roughly 120lbs of caribesea special seaflor grade sand. Enough for 2" hehe. My 90g was barebottom and I want this one to have sand.

I'll try to post pictures soon.

Any Ideas were I could find that sand here?

[ToX]

Where could I find 2 50g containers for FW and SW storage. I thinking 20g garbage cans are too small now...

[JetJumper]

Where could I find 2 50g containers for FW and SW storage. I thinking 20g garbage cans are too small now...

I went to Cohen's and Cohen's.  They have olive barrels there.  I bought 2 for I think $25.00.  Cleaned them out and now I use them.

[ToX]

I went to Cohen's and Cohen's.  They have olive barrels there.  I bought 2 for I think $25.00.  Cleaned them out and now I use them.

Thanks, I had never heard of that place, will go there this afternoon. I wonder if those white barrels would be okay or if I buy the olive barrels...

[assiegordon]

White barrels are typically used for industrial laundry detergent.....

[ToX]

Well I went there this morning and it was closed. I didn't felt like waiting for it to open so I came back home. Maybe when I go back on merivale I'll stop to take a look.

Bought my sand at Ray's, Thanks Hope 3 bags is enough.

So tomorrow my tank is going on the stand... Finaly

[gvv]

How are you planning to access the tank from the front side?
Do you have some more pictures?

I made my live terrible, as I forgot about front access and now can only access the tank fom the back side. This is pain...

[ToX]

How are you planning to access the tank from the front side?
Do you have some more pictures?

I made my live terrible, as I forgot about front access and now can only access the tank fom the back side. This is pain...

Yes I have, I opened the drywall all the way to the top and will eventually put some kind of cupboard door that will open.

I'll post pictures tomorrow when the tank is on the stand

[ToX]

Okay so since yesterday, the tank is on the stand Today is sand,dry rock and saltwater filling time filling time. First I have to hookup the RODI...

A friend and I did the electrical, we brought another 2 15amp circuits, each have 8 plugs so thats 32 outlets Hop I have enough...

Here are the pictures.

[Coral beauty]

Any updated pics??

[ToX]

Yes, I'll post some tonight. The tank is 3/4 full of SW, the fish have been transferred and the rock also. I need to clean my old 90g an modify it to be the sump. Then I have to do the plumbing.

[ToX]

as promised, here are the pics

[ToX]

one more .

[JetJumper]

A little bold to put an nem in there already no?

[ToX]

A little bold to put an nem in there already no?

Well were did you wanted me to put it? It is doing much better in the new 220g then in the old 90g. Plus it's with 100+lbs of 8year old LR.

[White Lightning]

Awesome work!

[ToX]

Ok so I have not done much in the past 2 months. I will be doing the plumbing this weekend. I will be using my old 90g that I have clean as much has I can. I was wondering if anyone had an idea of how I should separate it, the overflows are really awkward. The Sump is not to go underneath the display because it's too tall and I would only have 3 inch of clearance. So the sump is going where those 2 buckets are, that way it will be more accessible.

I also ordered a bunch of stuff from BRS.

So what do you guys would do fore the sump design of that 90g?

[ToX]

Ok so the 90g doesn't fit under the DT so before installing the sump and all the plumbing, I decided to do the drywall first. So last weekend, I did all the drywall. This weekend I will do the tapping and the mudding to be able to paint it this week and next week do the plumbing.

[Hookup]

have you considered cutting those overflows out of the 90g and just patching over the hole with a piece of the left over glass? 

I like the idea/plan to keep the sump accessible.  for myself it's all about easy-of-maintenance.... whatever is easy gets done, whatever is a pain gets neglected...

[ToX]

UPDATE

I finish the drywall and the paint... finaly....

I removed the overflows from my 90g and will now buy the glass needed for it to become a sump. The picture bellow is what I think I'm gonna build. What do you guys think? I don't need a refugium section since I will have a 40g that will become that.

It's taking me time but I'm getting there...

[ToX]

Update

Sump is finished, I'm now doing the plumbing. However, I seemed to hit a snag, some water fell on my mp40w controller and I think it's dead...

Can someone lend me a mp40w controller to see if it's the controller?

Thanks

[NjOyRiD]

Hows the return pump going?

[ToX]

Hows the return pump going?

I received it Wednesday, but I haven't hooked it up yet,

I using my old return pump now... water is circulating now Now I need to do the plumbing for the new return pump.

I need to fix my controller for the vortech or if someone can lend me one

Maybe I'll just buy the upgrade to the ES

[NjOyRiD]

Got your live rock also?

[BadTiming]

Was it salt water or fresh water that spilled on your controller? My daughter spilled fresh water on her lap top, dried it up and let it dry for a week ( recomended by our Engineering Guru), fired it up and no problems. Might be able to speed thing up using a hair dryer...

[Coral beauty]

Any update?

[Vincenzo.]

Lots of big project..that need big money...but could not spend the cash on bathroom grade drywall. Might b a prob down rd. My 02¢ 

[ToX]

Sorry for the long wait... I've been so busy with work...

Updates :

I finished the plumbing last week. I had the return pump since march and hadn't have the time to plumb it. Next thing to install is the lights.

I got a new mp40wes controller.

I got a used mp60wes. So now I have good flow.

I got a new fish. I bought a foxface. They are suppose to eat hair algea... mine doesn't seem to eat it lol.

Next thing to do is lighting. Maybe that's my problem, my bulbs are like 4 years old LOLOL. New LEDs will take care of that.

[ToX]

Lots of big project..that need big money...but could not spend the cash on bathroom grade drywall. Might b a prob down rd. My 02¢ 

The Blue drywall is much better and more expensive...

[NjOyRiD]

Sorry for the long wait... I've been so busy with work...

Updates :

I finished the plumbing last week. I had the return pump since march and hadn't have the time to plumb it. Next thing to install is the lights.

I got a new mp40wes controller.

I got a used mp60wes. So now I have good flow.

I got a new fish. I bought a foxface. They are suppose to eat hair algea... mine doesn't seem to eat it lol.

Next thing to do is lighting. Maybe that's my problem, my bulbs are like 4 years old LOLOL. New LEDs will take care of that.

GFO and a seahare, thats it thats all haha