Chad November 6, 2011 Share November 6, 2011 When do you want to be project manager for a bunch of WAMAS workers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave w November 6, 2011 Author Share November 6, 2011 When do you want to be project manager for a bunch of WAMAS workers? Is "project manager" code for beer dispenser? I think a couple of weeks, once three layers of fiberglass are on the main tank. Then everyone is invited for a reef making party if they want. Sound OK? What else can we do for fun at that point? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vadim November 6, 2011 Share November 6, 2011 strippers maybe? want to make sure that fiberglass is nice and sturdy and won't crack or anything. just to be on the safe side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hbh November 6, 2011 Share November 6, 2011 I think after you all are done working, a few should don the leftover Halloween clownfish suits get in the tank and do a photo shoot! ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chad November 6, 2011 Share November 6, 2011 ^LOL, that is awesome!! If you need help with anything in the meantime, put out the call!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraffitiSpotCorals November 7, 2011 Share November 7, 2011 I would love to help with anything I can just to see this setup in person. I am glad you have space and time do set up something like this! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave w November 10, 2011 Author Share November 10, 2011 strippers maybe? want to make sure that fiberglass is nice and sturdy and won't crack or anything. just to be on the safe side. very funny, but the joke of an unmarried man. by the time you reach middle aged married like me you know that your wife would kill you for the idea. so we won't tell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave w November 10, 2011 Author Share November 10, 2011 I would love to help with anything I can just to see this setup in person. I am glad you have space and time do set up something like this! Then you are invited to play. I will let you know when. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason the filter freak November 10, 2011 Share November 10, 2011 I've stayed away from this thread for way too long. How many layers of fiberglass is it going to be, sorry if its already been addressed, didn't see it on my skim though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave w November 11, 2011 Author Share November 11, 2011 I've stayed away from this thread for way too long. How many layers of fiberglass is it going to be, sorry if its already been addressed, didn't see it on my skim though. No problem Jason, 350 posts make a difficult read. When the tank fills with water it's probably time for a new thread and archive the construction project. There will be three layers of fiberglass. The first layer is already giving me problems. It went on with mastic made for FRP and vinyl tiles, but the cold weather has slowed its cure and edges keep popping up. I use cinderblocks to hold it down. Once it sticks I will caulk with 3M Marine Adhesive Sealant 5200. This stuff seems to cure as hard as steel (in fact I know a mechanic who uses it to put on car bumpers). Then a coat of West 105 epoxy to glue down a roll of premade 5 oz fiberglass layer #2. Then it's 18 oz cloth and epoxy for the final coat. I am going with epoxy resin because when I sampled polyester resin it didn't bond very well. The corners and custom work will take a lot of time, but we start the reef as soon as layer #3 cures. I will work on custom areas while others make the rock. Coming over? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave w November 11, 2011 Author Share November 11, 2011 (edited) I've had a spirited discussion with a guy on Reef Central. He's feeding algae paste to a rotifer reactor and this put a thought in my little head. Why not feed detritus to a rotifer container just like the brine shrimp? Its been done before by researchers in Mississippi. I'd have to grind some detritus and pump it into a rotifer cone. A sump pump on the bottom kicks on a few seconds per cycle to regrind and resuspend detritus that falls to the bottom. Sustainable rotifer density may be low but that translates into long term cultures, and fish will provide the poop for free. Criticisms? Witticisms? Edited November 11, 2011 by dave w Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LanglandJoshua November 12, 2011 Share November 12, 2011 I like the idea, it does sound like natural selection for which rotifers can swim away from that pump though! The most potentially frustrating part would be collecting the detris from every nook and cranny. But it may work with shifting currents like we mentioned before. Particularly with an hourly spike in turbulence of the water to stir things up. I would think the smaller the food is, the easier it would be for them to eat. RPM's may become a factor for you. Finding the best pump to make the smallest peices. Unless there is such a thing as "too small" for fish poo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave w November 12, 2011 Author Share November 12, 2011 I like the idea, it does sound like natural selection for which rotifers can swim away from that pump though! The most potentially frustrating part would be collecting the detris from every nook and cranny. But it may work with shifting currents like we mentioned before. Particularly with an hourly spike in turbulence of the water to stir things up. I would think the smaller the food is, the easier it would be for them to eat. RPM's may become a factor for you. Finding the best pump to make the smallest peices. Unless there is such a thing as "too small" for fish poo! Joshua my friend, you've been away too long. The reef is set up off the sand a couple inches and the poop is "leaf blown" across the tank and drops into a hole at the end called a settlement chamber. There a sump pump turns on for a few seconds periodically and pumps poop to the zooplankton reactors. I am proud to say that I'm soooo lazy I will look to automate any type of maintenance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest thefishman65 November 12, 2011 Share November 12, 2011 I gave you some more ideas over on RC. Seemed like it fit in better over there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave w November 12, 2011 Author Share November 12, 2011 I gave you some more ideas over on RC. Seemed like it fit in better over there. Good call. The Reef Central thread is a little more "tech heavy", whereas this one is more about the philosophy of how to build an ideal system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LanglandJoshua November 12, 2011 Share November 12, 2011 Joshua my friend, you've been away too long. The reef is set up off the sand a couple inches and the poop is "leaf blown" across the tank and drops into a hole at the end called a settlement chamber. There a sump pump turns on for a few seconds periodically and pumps poop to the zooplankton reactors. I am proud to say that I'm soooo lazy I will look to automate any type of maintenance! Awww I missed the fun parts... maybe some time I can come on by around feeding time! (I could bring hot dogs ) I've been working on my tank and spending way too much time at work...but I am proud to say I should have a reefkeeper elite by the end of the month! I look forward to no more 5 gallon buckets...YAY LAZY! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave w November 14, 2011 Author Share November 14, 2011 Joshua, I looked again at your build thread and it looks great. Are you going to do anything with the raw wood around your light hood? It seems that it will catch salt spray and be hard to wash. Perhaps you've already done something about it. Congrats on your continued progress. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LanglandJoshua November 14, 2011 Share November 14, 2011 Joshua, I looked again at your build thread and it looks great. Are you going to do anything with the raw wood around your light hood? It seems that it will catch salt spray and be hard to wash. Perhaps you've already done something about it. Congrats on your continued progress. Yep, I'm updating the thread now. I've been busy with work, so progress has been slow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave w December 16, 2011 Author Share December 16, 2011 Progress has been slow the past month but I've gotten some work done. I'm using epoxy instead of polyester for the fiberglass and epoxy requires higher temps to cure, so I got a LP heater to keep the greenhouse warm. I used batts to attach clear plastic under the roof beams. Because the roof beams are 2x8's, this creates a 7.5" sandwich dead air space and should make the greenhouse easier to keep warm through all the work this winter. The FRP panels are caulked with 20,000 psi marine sealant and I hope to start the first layer of fiberglass this weekend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave w December 28, 2011 Author Share December 28, 2011 Another update. Rob (fishman65) came over one day and helped me and my boat building friend Walt put 4 layers of fiberglass on the tank bottom. It turned out well. After new years we will glass the sides. I had an allergic reaction to the epoxy with red bumps all over my arms. But after a week it went away. Definately wearing a respirator next time. Then after glass panes go on the back and sides we will start reef building. We will leave glass off the front until the reef is built. Thanks to rob (zygote) for the xmas gift of valves. Happy new year to all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave w January 5, 2012 Author Share January 5, 2012 (edited) Here's a pic of the 18 oz fiberglass roving used on the tank bottom, the mallet is to show scale. Edited January 5, 2012 by dave w Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave w January 5, 2012 Author Share January 5, 2012 (edited) Here's a pic of the fiberglassed tank bottom. on the west side of the tank. It has 1 to 2 layers of roving against the FRP bottom and 1 to 2 layers of 5 oz finish cloth on top for smoothness. Everything has been wrapped with newspaper because epoxy is very sticky stuff and a real pain to clean off once it cures. Edited January 5, 2012 by dave w Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave w January 5, 2012 Author Share January 5, 2012 Here's the bottom of the east side in fiberglass. We've put plastic on the greenhouse to make an 8" air bubble for insulation so we can warm the greenhouse up enough to allow the epoxy to fully cure. It needs to be at least 50F, but 80F makes a much faster set, hence the propane heater. The trick is to work the epoxy while it is setting slowly at 50F, then when the epoxy is all worked into place, turn on the heater and leave the room for a couple of hours so it sets quickly. Most fiberglass disasters come from a mix that sets too quickly on you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roni January 5, 2012 Share January 5, 2012 looks great! Can't wait until this is up with water in it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave w January 5, 2012 Author Share January 5, 2012 At my current speed, that looks to be sometime in the year 2112! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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