Dave W's 3000 gal plankton/reef tank

[dave w]

i finished reading a thread oer at Rc about a 1000g plywood tankbuild and I found the radiant heat "system" I was trying to find for you on top of the floor. here is a direct link to the thread, He ran pex tubing from his water heater through a hot water house pump controlled by a ranco heat controller and 100feet of pex tubing in his sump (separate systems so no contaminating the SW or house water) seems to keep his tank right where he wants it for very low cost. he was seeing less then 15 bucks for 1500gallons of water ish total to heat.

 

Pex radiant heat run

 

page 20 has more photos of the pump etc that may be of help

 

then something else that may save you innumerable headaches a DIY salt mix he used as well. seems his corals and inverts are doing as well or better then previous with RC/IO mixes

DIY salt mix

 

it is a bit to read but he has it in grams per 1000gallons, a bit later he breaks down what brand names he used to get the ingredients, and a math formula for mixing smaller amounts with proper ratios.

 

bit of a read but HTH

Thanks for the great leads. Regarding the pex tubing, I don't know how anybody has a $17 monthly gas bill. I'm not doubting him, its just that my house uses gas for one water heater, cooking and heating and is still over $100 a month in mild weather and can climb another couple hundred in winter. My electricity is minimum another $100 because water heater #2 is electric and I have 3 kids leaving lights and the TV on. I was under the impression that our 15 cents per Kwh of electricity and the price for a therm of gas were equal, so theoretically it should cost the same to heat water for the pex lines. In the old days gas was cheaper, but I don't think that's the case any more.

 

If someone has better cost data it will help me decide which water heater to pull the line from. I should actually pull from both and valve them off for versatility. If a winter storm took out our electricity it seems there should always be gas out in the line.

 

Regarding the salt mix, thanks for the wonderful source. I had looked into salt mixes before but found them too complicated. I think its a miracle that this guy made salt from off the shelf stuff with the right ionic balances. This can save me a huge amount of salt money. Many thanks for bringing it to my attention.

[dave w]

since I cant edit the last post dave you may wish to look into one of these things, apparently they do all sorts of water movement and do so with minimum electricity usage ie use solar to drive it, its like plug and play for a greehouse

 

granted I have no idea its cost, but it is cool.

http://www.oloid.ch/...nt=oloid_typ200

 

This does look cool. I think these are used in aquaculture operations to keep up the dissolved oxygen content of outdoor ponds, one hot summer night in a densely stocked pond can cause a huge amount of fish kill. But if I have low dissolved oxygen I probably have more significant troubles than can be solved with a wave device. I will look into the cost of these and let you know what I find. Every option is worth considering at this point and thanks for bringing it up.

[Jager]

the 15 dollar comment was that he said his gas bill did not go above an additional 15 bucks after adding the sump pex heat system, seeing as electric heaters and such are not feasible for the scale you are discussing, an additional 15 bucks or so to heat your water is peanuts compared to other costs.

 

I do know after reading the entire thread on that 1000g plywood tank splits and all (i was bored xD) he has significantly cheaper gas then electricity, so that is likely why it worked so well for him, I know it is about equal in cost down here, although i do miss gas hot water heaters when power goes out... cold showers are no fun. neither is emergency tank heating with a generator and blankets. if your gas is significantly more expensive as you said maybe only as a backup.

 

the german wave design "thing"

I only brought that up as a wave making device since it is able to be solar powered, should save money depending on its initial costs in the long run since yo are not plugging "one more thing" into the house.

 

Whether it is a viable unit for your use i haven't a clue, but they discuss the wave curves it can do without disturbing the waters surface, so in theory you should be able to make a very large wave or gyre style effect (simulating the reef very well)in your tank potentially without the salt creep issues of dump boxes etc.

 

http://www.oloid.ch/frame.php3?lang=en&nav=ver&content=ruehrer

Edited February 17, 2011 by Jager

[dave w]

the 15 dollar comment was that he said his gas bill did not go above an additional 15 bucks after adding the sump pex heat system, seeing as electric heaters and such are not feasible for the scale you are discussing, an additional 15 bucks or so to heat your water is peanuts compared to other costs.

 

I do know after reading the entire thread on that 1000g plywood tank splits and all (i was bored xD) he has significantly cheaper gas then electricity, so that is likely why it worked so well for him, I know it is about equal in cost down here, although i do miss gas hot water heaters when power goes out... cold showers are no fun. neither is emergency tank heating with a generator and blankets. if your gas is significantly more expensive as you said maybe only as a backup.

 

the german wave design "thing"

I only brought that up as a wave making device since it is able to be solar powered, should save money depending on its initial costs in the long run since yo are not plugging "one more thing" into the house.

 

Whether it is a viable unit for your use i haven't a clue, but they discuss the wave curves it can do without disturbing the waters surface, so in theory you should be able to make a very large wave or gyre style effect (simulating the reef very well)in your tank potentially without the salt creep issues of dump boxes etc.

 

http://www.oloid.ch/...content=ruehrer

 

$15 of increased gas costs to heat the tank sounds like a great deal and I will take it. Like I say, I will plumb both my water heaters to the pex lines and figure out later which is cheaper to run. Thanks again for the link to the Oloid system. It's hard for me to figure out how it works but I will get some prices and keep asking questions until I understand it.

 

I agree about the dump boxes and salt creep. I have moved the refugium around to the back of the sunroom to make the tank less horseshoe shaped and more circular in shape. I'm not anticipating dump boxes right now, but am thinking of a second small piston in the refugium to keep waves for the filamentous turf algaes. The refugium is now designed at 45 square feet of surface area and about 350 gallons.

[Jager]

I have moved the refugium around to the back of the sunroom to make the tank less horseshoe shaped and more circular in shape. I'm not anticipating dump boxes right now, but am thinking of a second small piston in the refugium to keep waves for the filamentous turf algaes. The refugium is now designed at 45 square feet of surface area and about 350 gallons.

 

That sounds like a cool idea, and i agree pistons are certainly capable of fulfilling your needed water mover roles here, on the refugium you want to move around, could you leave it suspended like you have in the drawings, and walk under it to view the center tank area? I know it might be and probably will be a giant pain in the arse, but tank up higher and a curtain on the walkway and you got yourself 360 degree views from your couch,

 

while probably also not feasible, they do make rotating floor assemblies (saw it on an episode of mancaves on DIY network) where they moved the couches in the center of the room to point at the various tvs and big screens, while i doubt it is cost effective, if your tank stays 20x11x11 you would certainly have the real estate to have different style of reef worth viewing.

you may also want to put a stack of folding chairs nearby for your first tank tour down the road, we Wamas types like to put noses to glass almost to get the best photos we can xD one couch in the middle simply wont be enough

Edited February 18, 2011 by Jager

[dave w]

That sounds like a cool idea, and i agree pistons are certainly capable of fulfilling your needed water mover roles here, on the refugium you want to move around, could you leave it suspended like you have in the drawings, and walk under it to view the center tank area? I know it might be and probably will be a giant pain in the arse, but tank up higher and a curtain on the walkway and you got yourself 360 degree views from your couch,

 

while probably also not feasible, they do make rotating floor assemblies (saw it on an episode of mancaves on DIY network) where they moved the couches in the center of the room to point at the various tvs and big screens, while i doubt it is cost effective, if your tank stays 20x11x11 you would certainly have the real estate to have different style of reef worth viewing.

you may also want to put a stack of folding chairs nearby for your first tank tour down the road, we Wamas types like to put noses to glass almost to get the best photos we can xD one couch in the middle simply wont be enough

 

When I figure out how to post the updated sketchup of the room, you'll see that the refugium is one inch above the tank water level and completes the U shape into a circle. Because I have doors entering the room from two different walls, they meet at a landing above the water level and then the stairs drop down to the room level. Easier to see the pic than understand my description.

 

I have about 14' of clear floor area between the viewing panes which is ample for a sofa and coffee table. I could put the sofa or a loveseat on a turntable and rollers without too much trouble, I could even suspend it from the rafters like a hammock. But I'm not sure how much it would add to the experience. Having the tank on 3 sides already gives a 180 degree view from the sofa. The refugium that wraps around the rest of the room is only a foot deep and probably doesn't offer the same level of viewing experience. Personally I love studying refugiums, which is why I am tucking a desk, refridgerator, wet countertop and a double sink under the 15' length of the fuge. And even though it's only a foot deep I would like to keep seahorses. I think the fuge will be at eye level while sitting at the desk.

 

The room will probably seat four or five comfortably, for a big WAMAS bash it will have to be standing room only, depending on how many show up. A half dozen plastic chairs should be easy to fit in. In design, I've tried to be generous on sofa, walkway space and leg room, but in practice every inch of space ends up getting filled up. The tendency is to keep crowding in more things until the room is chock full.

 

I've already started buying my salt elements and can't believe how much cheaper the homemade mix is than the commercial mixes. The clerk at Walmart looked at me funny when she rang up 60 pounds of epsom salts. Thanks for the great tip.

[dave w]

Over the past week I got all three volumes of Delbeek and Sprung's reef books and have spent a lot of time reading them. Many of the topics in the current threads are also addressed in the books, especially volume three. I have learned a lot already and need a lot more study time to absorb all the new ideas to see how many can be incorporated into this tank. These are two authors that really know their stuff.

 

 

[Chad]

How is the build going, Dave? Weather has been reasonable the last couple of weeks

[dave w]

How is the build going, Dave? Weather has been reasonable the last couple of weeks

 

 

Chad,

 

The build is going well, thanks for asking. The sunroom is completely glazed in, the floor has been leveled and today I put in most of the stairs and landings serving the two doors. Tomorrow I hope to finish the block work on the inside bearing wall. While the outside bearing wall was finished to frame the walls and put on polycarbonate, the inside block wall supporting the viewing panels was put on hold. After that I will plumb it and frame the floor. Then comes the stainless steel aquarium frame. I've tried to post pictures but keep messing it up.

 

The tank continues to evolve. The refugium has been moved from the top of the tank to the back of the room, turning the U shaped tank into a circle (actually a square is more apt, as it wraps around the perimeter of the 18' x 20' room). This will add about 500 gallons to the tank volume. I am putting pipes in to connect all the seven sumps into one 2,000 gallon system if it is necessary. I've decided to put the algae refugium on a reverse photoperiod for pH stability. I've also decided to build the concrete "coral trees" directly in the tank - after the steel frame but before glass installation. This could really slow down my schedule if I build as many as a dozen of them.

 

I'm intrigued by an idea in Sprung and Delbeek's book. They mention a windshield wiper device on a clear glass plate. The plate grows a biofilm and periodically the wiper scrapes the film off into the water as a plankton snow. I am trying to figure out a way to incorporate this to help in the attempt to keep delicate feeders like basket stars and dendronnephthyas.

 

That's it for now. I'd love to host a build party but if the coral trees are made one at a time they are not very conducive to a good party. But I would still like to invite people over to comment and constructively criticize. Everyone's advice here has been incorporated but there is nothing as effective as seeing the whole setup in person and seeing how the pieces fit together.

[dave w]

Very exciting today, the stainless steel was delivered to build the frame. We have been busy parging the sumps, today I tried to line them with PVC pond liners but discovered that I had dug them too deep for the liners to fit, I will try to buy bigger sheets of PVC or vinyl from Home Depot tomorrow. In digging them into conical shapes for easier cleaning, I increased the sump volume from 2,000 gallons to almost 4,000 gallons. Oh, well, more pods to grow. With any luck I could be welding the frame next week, although I don't have a welder yet. I could do it myself with argon gas, but my welding skills are mediocre. A laser level shows the 43 feet of aquarium back wall (and also the front bearing wall) to be within 1/8" of level.

 

I ordered a bunch of 1/8" to 1/4" solid fiberglass rods 8' long (they look a lot like fishing poles!) and will experiment with building coral heads. Putting them together will look like a round patio table I once had, all the rods join at the circular bottom of maybe 16" diameter, then curve into a middle band about 10" diameter, then mushroom at the top to be 30" or 36" diameter. They will be tied together with flat strips of fiberglass, and the intention is to build them inside the tank after framing but before glassing. I have a friend to help who is a sculptor/aquarist/diver and carpenter, quite a nice set of skill for reef building. We have ideas how we want the reef to look but we don't know for sure how we will get there. All advice is welcome.

 

Pics and updates to come soon. If the fiberglass reef goes in like we hope, soon it may be time for a build party to custom build the individual nooks and crannies and parge concrete onto the structure.

[Jager]

i have seen your coral head proposal done in smaller scale, and they did not just pour into the molds, but used the molds in corners and covered the outsides as well with good results, in order to break up the design and make it more "natural" they stuck rock to the epoxy as it was setting up and then left that side to cure withe the rock facing up or down (so it did not fall off.) also seen the sculpted areas hit with shotcrete/gunnite then that pockmarked, drilled, patterned, etc to create "rock" even using other rock to push into and remove to create all the little holes and such.

 

i dont know about you but the second you said steel was in, I was gonna ask whether you were feeling confident welding it. welding as you know isn't too hard, but on a project of such weight and possibly a mini tsunami of water if a weld broke, I probably would find a steel shop with a warranty and use them. nothing like letting their structural engineering staff sign off on it for any future issues with insurance or damage to cover yourself if you don't have a certified welder friend.

 

also something that caught me on reefcentral, you may want to check and update your homeowners policy if necessary to cover any slow or catastrophic leaks. the gentleman in Richmond VA had his 300gallon tank bottom just let go while full. his homeowners covered that, but not a slow or persistent leak. he ended up having to rip his entire hardwood floor out and do repairs to his foundation and house beams due to the damage. I know you are "separated" from the house and have taken more then enough precautions, but its always better to be safe and get a check to cover the damage then lose such a tank and have to eat repair costs.

 

good luck on the pours and hope it goes well

Edited March 23, 2011 by Jager

[dave w]

i have seen your coral head proposal done in smaller scale, and they did not just pour into the molds, but used the molds in corners and covered the outsides as well with good results, in order to break up the design and make it more "natural" they stuck rock to the epoxy as it was setting up and then left that side to cure withe the rock facing up or down (so it did not fall off.) also seen the sculpted areas hit with shotcrete/gunnite then that pockmarked, drilled, patterned, etc to create "rock" even using other rock to push into and remove to create all the little holes and such.

 

i dont know about you but the second you said steel was in, I was gonna ask whether you were feeling confident welding it. welding as you know isn't too hard, but on a project of such weight and possibly a mini tsunami of water if a weld broke, I probably would find a steel shop with a warranty and use them. nothing like letting their structural engineering staff sign off on it for any future issues with insurance or damage to cover yourself if you don't have a certified welder friend.

 

also something that caught me on reefcentral, you may want to check and update your homeowners policy if necessary to cover any slow or catastrophic leaks. the gentleman in Richmond VA had his 300gallon tank bottom just let go while full. his homeowners covered that, but not a slow or persistent leak. he ended up having to rip his entire hardwood floor out and do repairs to his foundation and house beams due to the damage. I know you are "separated" from the house and have taken more then enough precautions, but its always better to be safe and get a check to cover the damage then lose such a tank and have to eat repair costs.

 

good luck on the pours and hope it goes well

 

Jagr,

 

I now lean toward tying together the "fishing rods" to create an external skeleton to be left with open caves rather than a filled mold. Let me know what you think the tradeoffs would be of an open structure versus a filled one. If convinced, I will fill it with pipes, aragocrete or rubble.

 

The reason I now lean toward hollow "cavey" tree/mushroom structure (different from last week!) is that I don't think I need much live rock mass in a rubble base for denitrification or to show off the corals. With 1,000 gallons of refugia the nutrient absorption by algae and inverts will be more efficient than anaerobic bacteria in live rocks. Perhaps only 5% of my tank volume will be live rock as opposed to 30 or 40% of other hobbyists.

 

Sloped rock displays accomodate lots of live rock and are beautiful but the luxury of a large tank is the depth and length for valleys, crevices and caves for more of a three dimensional view than smaller tanks. That being said, I can fill the inside of the structure with rubble, pipes or other things for more denitrification. Either way I hope the structure with lots of caves, pockets, protrusions and shelves on the outside of the frame will look like natural crests and outcrops. This is easy to say but hard to do, it may require months of tinkering.

 

I have changed from pure 316 stainless steel which requires a professional welder to 304 stainless which can be welded by a jackleg like me. I am still much better off with a good welder. I understand your concern of a catastrophic failure. Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night wondering what I may have missed in design or construction and how much of the kid's college fund will be needed to fix it.

[Jager]

my only concern with that dave is whether the open areas are "open enough". any debris or detritus that gets caught in a less open structure could get caught and stay, turning toxic or anoxic at least.

 

if you plan as most do to keep the open areas free flowing with the water (or have a powerhead or such back there to get water moving, then you should be fine. You are correct that "less is more" in a tank this size, use your massive lower areas to do filtration and aquascape and tune the display tanks to look how you want them to.

 

the stuff above about a piston wave maker would be good for keeping detritus suspended in a semi enclosed area behind your aquascaping for sure. probably more efficient then most other designs since you are carrying the debris out, rather then just blowing it around chaotically like a powerhead.

 

if you are comfortable with your welding then godspeed sir, I am not a bad welder per se, but I am not certified now, when I used to weld we used to park a truck or other heavy point load weight on the part to guarantee the small parts were up to snuff (we had to hold 1500lbs I think per part on that run). I was always happier with 304 stainless welding or machining even though its more likely to rust, simply due to the less heat required to ensure a proper weld, less burning through and 304 isnt as hard so it didnt eat the carbide tipped cutters when we cleaned the welds and machined to spec. are you mig welding or tig welding? there are some great online resources for wire feed rates, mig wattage needed per thickness etc as well as the whole range of tig settings and wire types to use, I highly recommend using them if you have any issues or questions.

 

If i am visualizing this correctly my only concern or suggestion would be to buy por-15 or another type of truck bed liner/metal protector that becomes inert once it sets. then you can coat your welds and the steel, then set the steel right on or above your concrete sumps without worrying about corrosion and rust falling into your water. (had that issue before and it required a total tear down of a persons tank due to the levels of iron in the water.)

 

HTH and good luck with the welding, and if you are concerned with a weld, test it with weight if you can. You could call a weld shop and see if they have recommendations for a scanning service (or if they will) to xray or otherwise scan the welds to ensure no pockets or stress fractures, cracking etc exist. its not the cheapest thing, but if peace of mind is what you want, then that will be the best you get. (probably overkill tbh though) a nice slow rate and steady hand will get you great welds, and you certainly do not strike me as an amateur at this stuff ( I likely am by now more then you)

Edited March 24, 2011 by Jager

[dave w]

my only concern with that dave is whether the open areas are "open enough". any debris or detritus that gets caught in a less open structure could get caught and stay, turning toxic or anoxic at least.

 

if you plan as most do to keep the open areas free flowing with the water (or have a powerhead or such back there to get water moving, then you should be fine. You are correct that "less is more" in a tank this size, use your massive lower areas to do filtration and aquascape and tune the display tanks to look how you want them to.

 

the stuff above about a piston wave maker would be good for keeping detritus suspended in a semi enclosed area behind your aquascaping for sure. probably more efficient then most other designs since you are carrying the debris out, rather then just blowing it around chaotically like a powerhead.

 

if you are comfortable with your welding then godspeed sir, I am not a bad welder per se, but I am not certified now, when I used to weld we used to park a truck or other heavy point load weight on the part to guarantee the small parts were up to snuff (we had to hold 1500lbs I think per part on that run). I was always happier with 304 stainless welding or machining even though its more likely to rust, simply due to the less heat required to ensure a proper weld, less burning through and 304 isnt as hard so it didnt eat the carbide tipped cutters when we cleaned the welds and machined to spec. are you mig welding or tig welding? there are some great online resources for wire feed rates, mig wattage needed per thickness etc as well as the whole range of tig settings and wire types to use, I highly recommend using them if you have any issues or questions.

 

If i am visualizing this correctly my only concern or suggestion would be to buy por-15 or another type of truck bed liner/metal protector that becomes inert once it sets. then you can coat your welds and the steel, then set the steel right on or above your concrete sumps without worrying about corrosion and rust falling into your water. (had that issue before and it required a total tear down of a persons tank due to the levels of iron in the water.)

 

HTH and good luck with the welding, and if you are concerned with a weld, test it with weight if you can. You could call a weld shop and see if they have recommendations for a scanning service (or if they will) to xray or otherwise scan the welds to ensure no pockets or stress fractures, cracking etc exist. its not the cheapest thing, but if peace of mind is what you want, then that will be the best you get. (probably overkill tbh though) a nice slow rate and steady hand will get you great welds, and you certainly do not strike me as an amateur at this stuff ( I likely am by now more then you)

 

Jager,

 

Sorry it has taken a while to respond, I took my laptop to work and hadn't had time to catch up. Your welding skills are undoubtedly better than mine. It has taken longer than I thought to put in the sublfoor plumbing so I will probably not be ready for a welder until next week. When I am ready, I will call the local companies and see how much they charge per hour. I put six half inch PVC lines per sump (36 total) under the floor, as well as I pulled 12/2 wire for six duplex recepticles under the tank frame to serve the sump. I also installed a surface drain to each sump. All this should be hidden from the viewing sofa. This evening I will try to pull the pex heating lines through the floor, although I am still trying to figure out what type of floor drain to use. I will not be able to pull pex heating lines under the main tank until the frame is a bit more ready.

 

For my inspiration in pulling all the subfloor water and electrical lines, I stared for a while at a bowl of spaghetti then did my best to duplicate it. I have pipes and wires going everywhere, I must have put in 400' of water lines in so far. I won't be able to test welds with weights, but will fill the tank with fresh water for a while to see if we have any flaws. I like your idea of the truck liner, a friend has recommended an epoxy primer used on boats, so I will try to decide which one will be better. I will try to post pics. Again.

[zygote2k]

methinks with all those 400' of waterline tubing that you should vacuum test it before you get to the water stage.

I worked for a pond company and was told by another employee that there were no leaks and they backfilled... let's just say there were plenty of leaks that took weeks to fix because everything was already in place.

[Jager]

hey dave, glad to see he tank hasnt eaten you yet, but wih all the spaghetti references now I am hungry

 

mmm word of warning on any paints etc, most indoor outdoor or marine paints have anti mold agents that do offgas, (several giant rc tanks are dealing with this issue. so check the msds sheets on any paint you go with to be sure its not gonna ruin your sump area over the course of several years. (reefski on RC has been battling the effects of that for ages :( lost alot of corals)

 

on the wire once it is installed, you may wish to look into electrical potting silicone, and using it to seal and cover the wires box entrances and any stripped areas. it is an electrical insulator/isolator, and will keep SW or salt creep out. (yet another RC thread on LED's by nuclearheli, he went Highvoltage DC worth a read if you like that stuff.)

 

 

I think calling in the welders was a good idea, if nothing else liability for issues goes to them unless your plan is poorly engineered, but most shops check that first. your insurance rep will probably thank you for spending a bit more. I would offer to help, but after years of disabilities, my welding is probably too poor for structural work. I still have the knowledge maybe I should go teach high schoolers.... nah I would be laughing too hard when one of them didn't listen and held the part with a hand while electrically spot welding and made himself jump.

 

 

I hope you are able to attend the meeting april 10th. I am gearing up for the trip myself, it would be a pleasure to put a face and a handshake to the screenname.

[dave w]

methinks with all those 400' of waterline tubing that you should vacuum test it before you get to the water stage.

I worked for a pond company and was told by another employee that there were no leaks and they backfilled... let's just say there were plenty of leaks that took weeks to fix because everything was already in place.

 

A vacuum test would be a good idea, and I will do one if I have time. If I am doing simple PVC tubing with short runs I usually don't bother to test, even thouth I know that sounds stupid. I would definately test any fittings that used pipe clamps. I have three spare lines per sump (18 total) so not much will be lost if I get a leaky pipe.

[dave w]

hey dave, glad to see he tank hasnt eaten you yet, but wih all the spaghetti references now I am hungry

 

mmm word of warning on any paints etc, most indoor outdoor or marine paints have anti mold agents that do offgas, (several giant rc tanks are dealing with this issue. so check the msds sheets on any paint you go with to be sure its not gonna ruin your sump area over the course of several years. (reefski on RC has been battling the effects of that for ages :( lost alot of corals)

 

on the wire once it is installed, you may wish to look into electrical potting silicone, and using it to seal and cover the wires box entrances and any stripped areas. it is an electrical insulator/isolator, and will keep SW or salt creep out. (yet another RC thread on LED's by nuclearheli, he went Highvoltage DC worth a read if you like that stuff.)

 

 

I think calling in the welders was a good idea, if nothing else liability for issues goes to them unless your plan is poorly engineered, but most shops check that first. your insurance rep will probably thank you for spending a bit more. I would offer to help, but after years of disabilities, my welding is probably too poor for structural work. I still have the knowledge maybe I should go teach high schoolers.... nah I would be laughing too hard when one of them didn't listen and held the part with a hand while electrically spot welding and made himself jump.

 

 

I hope you are able to attend the meeting april 10th. I am gearing up for the trip myself, it would be a pleasure to put a face and a handshake to the screenname.

 

Thanks for the advice on the potting silicone to fill the outlets. I didn't know of the April 10th meeting, I'll look it up. The best prank to pull on newbie welders is to heat a piece of metal cherry red, then let it cool until the grey color comes back, then tell the new guy to get the piece of metal for you. I've never done that but I've heard it done.

[dave w]

methinks with all those 400' of waterline tubing that you should vacuum test it before you get to the water stage.

I worked for a pond company and was told by another employee that there were no leaks and they backfilled... let's just say there were plenty of leaks that took weeks to fix because everything was already in place.

 

Rob, I keep going to "My Gallery", but can't find the link up upload pictures. What am I missing?

[WaterDog]

Rob, I keep going to "My Gallery", but can't find the link up upload pictures. What am I missing?

This might just be me, but I find it easier just to upload pics to my photobucket account, then to put the image into a post.

[dave w]

This might just be me, but I find it easier just to upload pics to my photobucket account, then to put the image into a post.

 

WaterDog, thanks for the advice. I don't have a photobucket account but will look into setting one up.

[dave w]

WaterDog, thanks for the advice. I don't have a photobucket account but will look into setting one up.

 

here is a pic from the outside

 

[dave w]

Here's a pic of the east half of the tank with the sumps nearing completion.

 

[dave w]

Here's a pic of the 2 x 4 joists over the sumps which will support the weight of the tank showing the center of the tank. These joists are laid in loosely and haven't yet been cut to length. More support will be added. Thanks to WaterDog for telling me how to use Photobucket.

 

[Jager]

dave, i wore gloves for that very reason. nothing says a person's first day like that "AAAAHHHHHH THATS HOT " followed by alot of swearing.

 

beautiful looking work so far, I cannot wait to see the progress continue. You certainly will have a stunning system. or a really nicely deck surround swimming pool there. I promise not to suggest that to anyone else in your family

Edited March 30, 2011 by Jager