# Update on the ultimate sorority project



## Smokey65662 (Sep 11, 2011)

Ok so a week or so ago I posted a thread on here about my plans to make an ultimate betta sorority. Well I have officially dove into it (at least financially) so I know over the next 2 moths this project WILL be coming together  I visited Petco yesterday just by habit of looking, which if your like me isnt a good idea since I always walk out with something...lol Anyway they were having their Dollar a gallon sale on glass fish tanks made by Aqueon. This was the first time I have ever experienced this sale. Long story short I brought home a 40 Gallon breeder (the largest I could fit on my stand that wasnt obnoxiously tall) and a 20 gallon long. I filled both up for water to test for leaks and it looks like we are good  Also I got talked into getting a 24w uv sterilizer. We will see how that works out. The first thing I plan to do is to go to home depot and get some acrylic sheets, or plexiglass (ive been told both will work for the 20 long) to make the baffles for the sump. The only thing I have set in stone as far as filter media is that the first chamber will be filled with k1 filter media and moved via an air pump. Thats really it for now. I will update once I get the stuff to build the sump, and or I get the sump built


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## iloveengl (Sep 1, 2011)

lol I just saw/commented in the first thread! Yay for progress! :greenyay: 

Do you have a pic of the stand and new tank?


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## Pitluvs (Jun 22, 2011)

I think I have a 40 for my bearded dragon, nice size tank. I wish they had those sales here lol Can't wait for pics!!


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## Smokey65662 (Sep 11, 2011)

Here is the 20 long being tested for leaks.









Here is the stand it will be going on. This thing is seriously heavy duty. It was given to me by my aunt. Its not something im used to seeing. Im used to seeing stuff made out of particle board, and plastic....no, this beast is SOLID wood (heavy too) and is supported by 6 solid steel beams.
Dont mind the computers....thats another long time hobby of mine 









Heres the underside where the sump will be placed....its going to be a pita getting it in there though....









Also here is the reason its going to take so long to get set up....I have to wait for this to be put down. We just got it, and it has to "acclimate" for 2 weeks before it can be put down.

















Heres the UV sterilizer I got.









And finally heres my 10 gallon with my two fishies in it 
Niki is the girl (left) and Jeffrey is the male (right)


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## iloveengl (Sep 1, 2011)

That's a great stand. Honestly, my favorite stands have always been solid oak buffets that I picked up at thrifstores and such. That solid office and dining furniture can be way stronger and more stylish than a lot of the tank stands for sale. 

I've never used a sterilizer before. What's their purpose? Do they replace water changes, or prevent bacteria or algae or something?


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## Pitluvs (Jun 22, 2011)

What's the measurements on the 40g? I thought I had one, but mine would.never fit on that table lol Mines 48" long. I'm so confuzzled now. Love the stand though!!


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## Smokey65662 (Sep 11, 2011)

Here is the 40 gallon breeder. I had to re-size it before I could upload to imageshack.









And the UV sterilizer basically uses UV light (emits radiation at a certain frequency) to disassemble the dna and rna of many common bacterias, and parasites (basically many of the things that make fish sick). They arnt very commonly used on freshwater tanks, which imo is because 1, freshwater is easier to keep clean and 2 the majority of people who do freshwater like to keep it simple. I on the other hand enjoy a challenge xD so I got one so see how well it works


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## Smokey65662 (Sep 11, 2011)

Idk if you can see the dimensions in the photo or not..if not ill go and look for you.


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## Pitluvs (Jun 22, 2011)

Ohh ok, mine must be a 40g long, cause mine is 4ft long lol That's shaped like my 29g but bigger. Still an amazing tank and price, jealous!


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## Smokey65662 (Sep 11, 2011)

Yeah, petco had the 1 dollar a gallon sale. I think it goes on until the 19th.


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## Pitluvs (Jun 22, 2011)

We don't have sales in Canada like that


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## Smokey65662 (Sep 11, 2011)

Awww  Im sorry. That really stinks :/


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## Aquarianblue (Aug 26, 2011)

I am excited to see how your Ultimate Sorority project goes. Would you mind linking the first thread of your vision? I want to follow along, and see how it goes. I myself am debating on what I want to do about my upcoming female sorority. Still brainstorming. lol.


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## Smokey65662 (Sep 11, 2011)

http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=81106&page=0#post827247
Theres the link to the first thread. I think I will keep updating here as I go along. I got frustrated because I wanted to add the link to my first post (the thread starter) but I for the life of me couldn't figure out how to edit my post....it angered me slightly lol.


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## Silverfang (Mar 25, 2011)

I'm excited to see how this progresses. Are you going with live plants? I've just gotten my sorority started, just need to add the girls! It will be so exciting to see. And I'm eager to see how yours progresses.


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## Smokey65662 (Sep 11, 2011)

I plan to use fake plants in the display tank and I will have a section in the sump similar to a refugium in a salt water setup that will house java moss to remove the nitrates


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## Aquarianblue (Aug 26, 2011)

Sweet, thank you. Now I'm gonna be able to follow along here, and first thread. I wish the best of luck in your endeavors!


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## Smokey65662 (Sep 11, 2011)

UPDATE: So today after work I went to lowes and picked up 2 sheets of Optix acrylic ( not cheep...but not that bad at the same time). It should be more than enough to do all of the dowels in the sump. Im going to pick up another sheet towards the end to make into a hood for the sump so to minimize evaporation. I also picked up some silicone while I was there. I did my homework on silicone and got GE 100% silicone 1, which has NO anti mold chemicals in it what so ever. Its FDA approved to not harm you if ingested....which is good enough for me. I also read on a few different websites that the Aquarium safe silicone you see at pet stores is the same thing as this, just relabeled by whoever is selling it. Weather this is true or not....idk, but for 4 bucks for a big tube....I couldn't argue xD So the next thing to do is to plan exactly how im going to set up the sump and probably tomorrow cut all the pieces and put them in place. I want to know if people would rather a video of the process, or pictures? Let me know  Ill upload pics of the sheets, and silicone in a little bit


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## iloveengl (Sep 1, 2011)

What kind of a tool does it take to cut that acrylic sheeting?

(I've used the same silicone in my aquariums for years without issue.)


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## Smokey65662 (Sep 11, 2011)

A standard razorblade. Something really sharp that cuts it and from there you can just break it in half. Its just like cutting and sizing drywall (if you have ever done that).


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## Smokey65662 (Sep 11, 2011)

UPDATE: Ok, so today I had a major financial set back  I was about to scrap this whole project completely seeing as I am a full time college student and paying for school is more important. Luckily my girlfriend (trumpet4life375) was kind enough to offer to pay for the rest )) I dont like taking money from anybody, but this will be hers as well so its all fine. I ordered A pump, two overflow boxes, and the biological media I will be using today.
Pump:http://www.amazon.com/SUP-MAG-DRIVE-WATER-PUMP/dp/B001D11NBA
Overflow box:http://www.amazon.com/CPR-Aquatics-CS50-Siphon-Overflow/dp/B0009YF1W4/ref=pd_sbs_k3
Filter media:http://www.columbiawatergardens.com/Kaldnes_K1_Media_25_Litres_box_p/k125l.htm

I chose the pump based on many other enthusiast reviews on the web of this pump. Also I wanted a pump that would turn over the tank 10x an hour (or close to it). The overflows are rated at 300gph a piece, so I got two of them to put on both sides of the tank for a combined 600gph drain into the sump. In general you want your overflows to handle more water than what your pump pumps out. The mag 7 can push 700gph but thats with no head height. By the time it pumps up to the tank its more like 560gph. I will have a ball valve on both inlets and outlet to control flow as needed JIC. I also got a 25L box of K1. I read that this stuff is the best filter media money can buy when it concerns biological filtration so I went with that. The 25L box may be a little more than needed but it was the easiest to get like that in the US, also I can use it in my GF's tank, and my 10 gallon  I will do my best to upload some photos in the next few minutes. Let me know what you guys think


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## Smokey65662 (Sep 11, 2011)

This is the plexi I am using









This is the silicone:









And this would be the tool used to cut the plexi:


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## TequilatheBetta (Apr 5, 2011)

glad your girlfriend is footing the bill  are you gonna do two sororities with the tanks? or use the other tank for something else?


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## Aquarianblue (Aug 26, 2011)

I am very impressed! Keep up all the good work, yeah?


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## Smokey65662 (Sep 11, 2011)

TequilatheBetta said:


> glad your girlfriend is footing the bill  are you gonna do two sororities with the tanks? or use the other tank for something else?


The 20 gallon tank is going to be the sump, while the 40 gallon is going to 
be the display tank. Yeah im glad she is too...but ive gotten her lots of stuff before, so this is nice for a change


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## Smokey65662 (Sep 11, 2011)

Aquarianblue said:


> I am very impressed! Keep up all the good work, yeah?


I sure will. I might make some cuts tomorrow


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## iloveengl (Sep 1, 2011)

This is a great thread. Your pics and details are very helpful. 

Good luck on the cutting today.


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## Smokey65662 (Sep 11, 2011)

UPDATE: So today my girlfriend came over and we worked on cutting the plexi for the sump together....just me just say I have cut plexi before but boy did i forget how mad it seems to make me. Word of advice if you are not a patient person then dont even attempt it...I was spewing out profanity like there was no tomorrow....but in the end I would say it turned out decently. There was one piece that is slightly cracked, but its at the top where it shouldn't really come into contact anyway, and I don't want to waste that stuff....its too expensive. The only thing I have left to do is cut some one inch pieces to hold up the lid above the K1 media and my mechanical/chemical filtration. Thats tomorrows project though, and once those are cut I will commence putting everything into place with the silicone  I will be uploading pics here shortly, and I think tomorrow im going to make a video and put it on youtube. I haven't done that in a while and I think most people would like to "see" the sump (and my dirty floor xD) in a more....lively fashion, if that makes sense to anybody lol.


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## Smokey65662 (Sep 11, 2011)

The victim 









Here is the T-Square I used. This is the tool used to hold a streight line for you to cut against.









I got distracted and took pictures out the window xD Somebody might think it looks nice lol.









Vice grips. Good tool to use to hold the T-Square onto the plexi for you. Also good for helping break off the stubborn pieces of plexi.









I just used an old washcloth to protect the plexi when I clamped the T-Square to it.


















T-Square clamped to the plexi.









I just put the cut pieces in there to make sure they all at least fit alright, which after some sanding with a belt sander they did


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## Aquarianblue (Aug 26, 2011)

This should be stickied. for no other reason then to allow other members wishing to do the same thing/similar setup, but never knew how to do this themselves. I find this very helpful, and easy and fun to read along with. Thanks for putting in the work for us. We all enjoy it.


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## Smokey65662 (Sep 11, 2011)

Well thankyou. I will gladly pour in as much information as I can when I upload pictures/videos, and answer as many questions as I possibly can. If this thread doesn't qualify to be stickied, then maybe at the end of it all I can write a detailed how to maybe? Idk who the mods are on this site. There input would be appreciated


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## Smokey65662 (Sep 11, 2011)

UPDATE: So today I cut the one inch strips that will hold up pieces of plexi, that way I can remove them for easy access to my different filter media's. I will also be cutting two one inch wide pieces and bracing the 40 gallon. I know this isnt required but it wiuld help me sleep better at night so im going to go for it. I went ahead and ordered this (http://www.amazon.com/Rena-702E-Mod...?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1316481603&sr=1-9) To "boil" the biological media. Should me more than powerful enough to move, and bubble it the way I want. I also tried out the UV sterilizer today to see if I liked it before it got too long of having it to return it if some incident were to arise. Well...I took it back. It is poorly made IMO, and is a very poor design. Don't get me wrong im sure it works and for some people will do the job well, but for me it just looked too cheep and poorly made for me to keep it. I will later get something different when the time comes.


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## adamxaotmic (Aug 24, 2011)

Not sure how thick the Acrylic your cutting is. But whenever I cut it, I like to use something like this. http://tinyurl.com/3sef4ha
Or anything with a high TPI. It makes the job a lot easier than scribing the Acrylic and trying to break it. It also gives you a lot cleaner edge.
This is a star I was cutting out for a side panel window for my girlfriend's PC.









Just make sure you use a piece of wood and a clamp on each side to hold it down or it'll flex a lot with the motion of the blade.

*Looking great though!* Can't wait to see the result.


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## Smokey65662 (Sep 11, 2011)

That looks like a great cutting job  I am currently using one of those stupid tools you get from lowes to basically scribe it and break it...I would like to use something else but at this point (almost done cutting the stupid crap) I guess I will have to live with it. I recon if I ever start working with it again (im sure I will) I will go out and get the better tools to do the job. I have been using vice grips and a rag to clamp the T-Square to the plexi to keep it from moving on me and it has worked ok enough for this project. I think the next thing I will do involving plexi is possibly something when I order a new case for my desktop. Until then this little plastic grimlin tool will have to serfice lol. AS far as updates go I will be uploading a video late tonight to show the progress. I wanted to do a video since I can pack a lot of info in there all at once and give people a nice view of the project. Its a little ghetto, and its not perfect, but im not one to be picky unless its something im showing off...and the sump is just going to hide under the desk so im not to concerned lol. Anyways I will keep everybody posted as to when the video is up for everybody's viewing enjoyment


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## Smokey65662 (Sep 11, 2011)

I am now uploading the video to youtube. It will be 2 or more hours but when It is done I will post the link here.


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## Smokey65662 (Sep 11, 2011)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaFyk-GLbVs
Here is the first video.


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## Smokey65662 (Sep 11, 2011)

Ok all the pieces are cut and im ready to silicone  I will post pictures later tonight to show what it looks like.


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## Smokey65662 (Sep 11, 2011)

UPDATE: So last night I got around to trimming off all the extra silicone that was around the edges of where the plexi meets the glass. It was a pain in the butt but in the end I think it turned out pretty good. I also got my pump, and the bio media (25L of k1) in the mail last night  so I wasted no time putting both to work. I used the pump to drain the water from the tank once I had it leak tested and filled up and I made a homemade bio filter for my 10 gallon tank (I will make a diy guide in the next couple of days that I will post). I am very happy with both products so far, but the bio media is going to take a while before I can fully rate how well it works. Here are some pictures.

This is the 20 gallon long. I had already siliconed this 2 days ago and now it was time for the clean up (sorry there are no pictures of the siliconeing.....it was a messy job lol).


















This was the second two chambers being leak tested after the cleaning. Im happy to say I had no leaks 













































And this is the entire tank filled up to the brim after testing the second chamber.









Here is a nice side view full of water.



























This is what the mag drive 7 looks like


















And heres the 25L box of K1 media (the biological filter)


















Thats it for now. Will post more when it happens


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## TequilatheBetta (Apr 5, 2011)

looking good!


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## ollief9 (Mar 16, 2011)

more please!


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## Smokey65662 (Sep 11, 2011)

You know...I was starting to get bummed that people hadn't commented for a few days...thanks guys  I really appreciate any and all comments, questions, etc. Gives me a drive to do more. Anyways I just built a mini bio reactor for the 10 gallon. I got the idea off of a few sparse youtube videos I found showing something like it. Im going to upload the video to youtube to show it off and post video updates as the bio media matures  I will post pics here if anybody wants to see it but not listen to me yack lol. I also WANT to write a guide on how to make one explaining its benefits and how it works...I just need to know if I could possibly get it stickied when its done. No point in writing a guide if nobody can see it.


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## Smokey65662 (Sep 11, 2011)

EDIT: I guess you cant embed videos here :/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iusB-dTKl_k


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## ollief9 (Mar 16, 2011)

those k1 filters are supposed to be EXTREMELY effective, albeit noisy. i've never considered making one myself, i'd rather buy a commercial filter which i know will work (im hopeless at diy)


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## Smokey65662 (Sep 11, 2011)

The only noise I can see it making is the noise that comes from the air pump itself, and the tiniest sounds that come from the little bubbles. To me its quite peaceful, but I suppose that to some it can be noisy. I personally love DIY, and trust me....im not THAT good with it. I simply like to learn and say...hey..I made that lol.


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## Neil D (Apr 10, 2011)

Neat! Make sure you keep us updated! ^_^


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## Smokey65662 (Sep 11, 2011)

UPDATE: The two overflows I ordered came in yesterday. Here are some pictures of them. They are made VERY well....just by looking at them I feel its money well spent on a quality product 





































Here is the bulkhead that was included. I like that it comes with a sponge and a adjustable silencer rod.


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## Neil D (Apr 10, 2011)

*is eager to see finished project*


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## Smokey65662 (Sep 11, 2011)

well im really happy that people are finding interest in my project. I will be uploading more pictures today of the tools I used to silicone, and clean up the 20 GAL sump  Im eager to see the finished product as well )) But its going to be months before this thing is stocked with little girls lol. I want to do it right the first time, so I can sit back and not worry about it lol. Also if you havent seen from the youtube videos my room is going to undergo a renovation here soon, so until thats finished im about to hit a roadblock as far as what I can do. If you go to my youtube channel I will be updating on some other projects of mine if you are interested. Ive found new fun in uploading youtube videos lol


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## BettaMiah (Sep 12, 2011)

I have been secretly stalking this thread.


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## Smokey65662 (Sep 11, 2011)

UPDATE: Well....its not directly on the sorority, but it is related by all means. This is day three of the home made bio reactor for the 10 gallon. I am uploading daily videos to show its progress. This same stuff (the K1) is what I am going to use in my sump as my main bio filter  Just thought you guys and gals might like to see its progress on a smaller scale for now 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnClfuYJsns


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## Pitluvs (Jun 22, 2011)

Question about the silicone, I notice its for struck and basement. Are you sure there is no anti mold agent in it? GE suggests using Windows and Doors Type I only for aquariums, but I have never seen one with article and basement. Any reason why you picked it?


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## Smokey65662 (Sep 11, 2011)

It says for windows/doors/attic/and basement. Im assuming the picture only shows you the attic and basement part since its next to each other. Its FDA approved for accidental food consumption and lists nothing on it about anti mold agents. That is the GE II that has the anti mold agents in it. I did some research and many people use the GE I in aquariums, so im pretty confident that it will be fine. If im wrong then I guess I will take the bullet for it lol.


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## Smokey65662 (Sep 11, 2011)

UPDATE: Ok, now I have lots of pictures for those of you that like to stare at them 
Anyway, Today I went about Cutting the rest of the Plexi, and cleaning the 20 gallon sump up some more. Basically I took some gunk remover and cleaned some of the silicone residue off the class that was nowhere near the seam of silicone that held in the plexi, and then I followed with a good wiping of rubbing alcohol. After that I super-glued the four one inch pieces that will hold up the plates that hold filter media. The plates are removable this way which makes it much easier to service in the future. In a few hours or so Im going to go ahead and silicone the four pieces and the brace I made for the 40 gallon breeder. I will post pics of that after it happens  (unrelated updates) Yesterday I went and made two bio reactors for my girlfriends tanks. I think they turned out beautifully personally, especially the big one for the sorority. Here is a video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwYiymGagI0&

Also here is day five of my first bio reactor. Its the one I made for the 10 gallon.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ro9Nz0iOMGg&

Im going to start typing out a guide on how to make one of these, how they work, etc. Expect that to be done, pictures and all, in a week.

So anyway....back to the sorority project....these are the two products I used to clean up the tank some. The first is goof off, which is some strong stuff...I would greatly advise you do this outside, or in a room with the windows open. I just put a little bit on an old washcloth and cleaned up some of the excess silicone that got everywhere. Then I followed it with the rubbing alcohol, which I wiped every surface with.









Old washcloth used for the cleaning









Here is a picture of the before 









Here is some pics of the after. Not perfect but better.


















Here is what the one inch pieces look like. They basically support the plate that holds the "lid" to the bio chamber, and as the base that holds the active carbon in the other chamber.









I used some real fine emory cloth to sand the side that I was super gluing to help it adhere to the plexi.









Here is the super glue...I would NOT recommend anybody use this for this kind of project. It does not dry nearly fast enough (unless you get it on your fingers....lol). I would suggest something that's quicker to dry since it doesn't seem to insta-dry on the plexi. I didn't enjoy holding the pieces for 10 minutes to wait for it to bond.









Some after pics with the pieces in place




































This is the piece of plexi that I cut to brace the 40 gallon breeder tank. I was originally going to go with two pieces that were thinner but I figured one wider piece in the middle would be more effective.









So that's it for now. As I said I am going to silicone the rest of this tonight and post some more pictures. The project is going to slow down quite a bit until my room is finished, which I expect to take 3 weeks to a month. As always I will keep this thread updated as much as I can. I hope people are still interested in this project. I know the updates are random and sometimes not important....I just like to be informative. If you follow my youtube channel you will see all of my tank related updates in video  Hope everybody's enjoying this as much as I am lol


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## Reece (Aug 10, 2011)

ha I'm definetely still here lol. Love seeing the slow bits of process... Good luck!


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## Smokey65662 (Sep 11, 2011)

lol thankyou  I know people are watching...I just like to see peoples reactions and ideas on what im doing.


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## Smokey65662 (Sep 11, 2011)

So Here is the pictures from the silicone adventure tonight lol.


Here is the caulk gun I have been using










Prostate exam glove.....check xD










Silicone....check










Pictures after I got done putting silicone on the one inch strips.



















And here is the brace I made for the 40 gallon breeder. I siliconed it in there too.











Thats pretty much it for tonight


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## adamxaotmic (Aug 24, 2011)

Looks amazing so far! Keep up the great work..
Can't wait to see the finished product.


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## Smokey65662 (Sep 11, 2011)

adamxaotmic said:


> Looks amazing so far! Keep up the great work..
> Can't wait to see the finished product.


Will do


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## Betta311 (Sep 17, 2011)

Cant wait to see how to make that reactor  and your doing an awsome job.Im building a 55g for my guys  custom and this is good inspiration.


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## Reece (Aug 10, 2011)

What is the brace for on the 40 gallon breeder???? To me I just see a sheet of glass across the tank lol


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## Betta311 (Sep 17, 2011)

The brace will prevent the tank from bowing like this ( ) it holds it in [-] like that..lol


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## Reece (Aug 10, 2011)

ohh. Is it something technical to do with pressure or something lol


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## Betta311 (Sep 17, 2011)

Water is VERY heavy,thank tanks tall so there is a lot of water tryong to get out..that being said.its also a good place to rest your light


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## Reece (Aug 10, 2011)

ahh ok thanks!


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## TequilatheBetta (Apr 5, 2011)

I can't wait until you're done! Do you have your girls already? Can i go fish shopping with you ?


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## Smokey65662 (Sep 11, 2011)

lol The brace is just a precautionary safety feature I installed because...I don't want to take the risk of having 40 gallons of water on the floor. Also, like Betta311 said, it is a good place to rest my light  You know....I thought about putting sheets of plexi half way up in the tank that covered half of the tank and have like....a second story of substrate, and plants, but my GF talked me out of it. I dont have the girls yet, and I probably wont be getting them for a while. I really want to do this the right way the first time so I have to have time to finish assembling the tank, and cycling all the bio media I have. All of that is going to take a month + unfortunately. I am guessing it wont be until December that I Get all my fishies  BTW as a quick update, I just filled the sump with salt water to let it clean the tank


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## Neil D (Apr 10, 2011)

COOL! PIX!!!





Pwease.


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## Smokey65662 (Sep 11, 2011)

Neil D said:


> COOL! PIX!!!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


That kitty is adorable  and sure you can have one....just pay for the materials and ill make it no charge  I like building this stuff lol


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## Neil D (Apr 10, 2011)

I meant can I have a pic...I don't have time for a sorority.


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## Betta311 (Sep 17, 2011)

I wanna see how to make the bio reactor,what does it actually do?


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## Smokey65662 (Sep 11, 2011)

Neil D said:


> I meant can I have a pic...I don't have time for a sorority.


Well I will be uploading pics/videos of the project (and others now too) as it happens


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## Betta311 (Sep 17, 2011)

Im impatiently waiting bio instructions lol.how much k1 in a bottle?


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## Smokey65662 (Sep 11, 2011)

Betta311 said:


> I wanna see how to make the bio reactor,what does it actually do?


I will be making a full blown guide on these things within a week or so (very busy). Basically, the bio reactor is a filter. The purpose of the biological filter is to remove ammonia, and nitrites which are both harmful to your fish. If your tank is big enough, or you cycle it you can establish a biological filter in your tank basically by just having places that the good bacteria can grow and live on. The theory behind this bio reactor is that it is a place for a super colony of good bacteria to colonize and thrive that will effectively filter your water of ammonia, and nitrites. It also does a good job of preventing ammonia spikes after feeding. The bio media (K1) that is in there is designed to hold good bacteria in the inner part of the K1 while the outer riges are a place for new and thriving bacteria to grow, which is constantly renewed by the chaotic "boiling" of the media which knocks off old bacteria and allows for the new to grow. Using air to "power" the bio reactor is one of the main reasons it is so effective compared to the bio balls or other media. The oxygen feeds the rapid growth of the bacteria which is constantly renewed by the motion of the media once it is established.


I hope that wasnt to much. I am just amazed by how this stuff works and how effective, and helpful it can be when put into the smaller tanks....Once it is established it can help prevent ammonia spikes, and can contain the "cycle" of the smaller tanks all in one, even after the water changes


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## Betta311 (Sep 17, 2011)

I love it,i have bottles ready,all I need to know is how much in each.how many holes and what kinda air power lol.thank you so much I am a DIY guy for sure.


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## Smokey65662 (Sep 11, 2011)

^ I will be making a guide sometime this week when I have some free time.


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## Smokey65662 (Sep 11, 2011)

UPDATE: So I got a free tank  It was made in August 1990, which is old...but it looks pretty good for how old it is once I cleaned it up. I think its 55 gallons but im not sure. It holds water with no leaks as far as I can tell, but idk if I am going to re-silicone it yet. It has 1/4 inch thick glass which is beastly. I wish they were all made like that. Anyway I am probably going to re-seal this tank, and sell it since I have absolutely no where to put it....anybody interested? lol. As far as the sorority goes, I have completely finished all the plexi work with both of them and cleaned it all up. I filled both of them up with water with tons of AQ salt and declorinator. Im going to let it sit like that so if there IS any impurities, then they can be pulled out into the water, which I will empty in a week or so. Also its a good way to leak test them, which so far so good  Some pictures for ya'll lol


















































































smokey wanted to be included


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## Smokey65662 (Sep 11, 2011)

Here is a video for a little better view of this free tank


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## Anitax3x (Aug 26, 2011)

where in fl are you? If its free I'd be interested


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## Smokey65662 (Sep 11, 2011)

I want to try and sell it. It was originally suppose to be for my grandmother but she couldn't take it due to it being too big. The money I make I would like to put towards something fish related for her for Christmas


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## Anitax3x (Aug 26, 2011)

Hmm alright  it's gorg! If it is low price I may be interested!


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## Smokey65662 (Sep 11, 2011)

Im thinking 70 bucks. I might go lower but I need the money just as bad as every other poor college kid xD These things sell for 150 bucks at the store.


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## Anitax3x (Aug 26, 2011)

I'd do 70 if it came with a hood and filter or something. Cuz right now petco is selling dollar per gallon. But thanks anyways  I understand the feeling as I am also in college  haha


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## Smokey65662 (Sep 11, 2011)

Anitax3x said:


> I'd do 70 if it came with a hood and filter or something. Cuz right now petco is selling dollar per gallon. But thanks anyways  I understand the feeling as I am also in college  haha


I thought the dollar per gallon thing was over.....I got my tanks a dollar per gallon a month ago, and at my store they arnt doing it any longer :/


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## Smokey65662 (Sep 11, 2011)

Hey everyone 
I know it has been a while, but I wanted to post the updates to the project. It never stopped but had to be put on hold thanks to house renovations going on atm. Now that my room is done I can finish up the project and get it going again. I have had both tanks full of water for weeks w/ no leeks what-so-ever, so im confident that we are set as far as that goes. I went out with my gf and pick out some plants, and decorations for the display tank which IMO looks great. It's nothing spectacular, but it sure looks nice to me. I am going to add some more plants just in case you were wondering. This is just the start. I have two water pumps to keep the siphon going on my overflow's. I still have to cut the plexi for the sump (the platforms) and I have to go and get some hardware to plum this baby up. I should be ready to turn it on and start pushing water within the next week or so. Ill be sure to keep everybody updated 










The room just to see the change.









The 10 gallon. They got some fresh sand in place of pebbles and a clean tank 









The aqua pumps for the overflows.


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## Greenfish (May 23, 2011)

it looks really nice


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## Anitax3x (Aug 26, 2011)

This is amazing. I really wish I could be this creative!


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## Smokey65662 (Sep 11, 2011)

Anitax3x said:


> This is amazing. I really wish I could be this creative!


Thanks 

I feel like I could be more creative, but I simply dont have the time to do so lol. Once built a door alarm out of an old answering machine, some wires, and a 9V battery if that counts for anything xD
Gotta admit, most of the layout of the tank is due to my Gf. Shes the one who drew it up


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## Smokey65662 (Sep 11, 2011)

Ok so tonight I spent maybe four or so hours plumbing the tank and the sump together. Not too difficult, just time consuming. In the end I am VERY happy with how it turned out and Im proud of my skills enough to show you guys just how it went  (Please note this wasn't the first time Ive worked with PVC, so I didn't find it as difficult as some might have).

Alright, so lets see if we can make something useful out of all these parts 









Where the pipe coming from the overflows needed to go under the furniture to the sump I decided to use two 45 degree bends to make the transition a little smoother to help baffle water noise and to generally help water flow. I assembled them first and this is what I got.









First one is almost done!









Now the second one is done 









This is where the two water pipes meet over the K1 media reactor (or for better words, where the water comes in). I staggered there points of entry to provide better coverage over the soon to be pre-filter media and grate.









Setup is starting to come together.









Now we have the 1/2 inch pipe coming from the pump.









Picture of the almost completed project.









Good sump shot.









And finally this is the "water bar". Basically this is where the return water will expel. I used a coping saw to makes tons of slots (pain in the butt) for the water to come out in a even flow. The purpose is to try and reduce the pressure of the water flowing out at one spot as to avoid blowing the fishies all over the place.









Thats it for tonight. I am going to make the "slots" in the return water bar wider tomorrow and then sand it to remove any burrs. After that its down to the small things like cutting more plexi (ughhhh) and spending yet more money on stuff :/ O well, its all in the name of fish right?


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## NoahG (Oct 24, 2011)

This is really neat, especially the way you're presenting it. I haven't looked much into sumps, but I spent last night reading this all the same (it could well come in handy for me some day) and decided to subscribe over breakfast. Eager to see how it turns out!

You've done a nice job with it -- and from what I can see of the floor, you've done a nice job there as well, haha. I'm assuming you did the floor yourself as well?


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## Smokey65662 (Sep 11, 2011)

NoahG said:


> This is really neat, especially the way you're presenting it. I haven't looked much into sumps, but I spent last night reading this all the same (it could well come in handy for me some day) and decided to subscribe over breakfast. Eager to see how it turns out!
> 
> You've done a nice job with it -- and from what I can see of the floor, you've done a nice job there as well, haha. I'm assuming you did the floor yourself as well?


Me and dad did the floor. Im just an 18 year old college student keeping my mind active with fun hobbies  Ive been sick this past weekend but I plan to have it up and running hopefully by the end of the week.


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## NoahG (Oct 24, 2011)

Nice -- I'm in college too, but most of the rest of my time (and energy) is taken up by work. I'm planning to get my tank and set it up and running this week (hopefully Wednesday) and finally put all of this research to action. That'll be my fun hobby for a while.

I'm recovering from something I developed just before the weekend myself, so I can commiserate. Good luck with meeting your deadline!


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## Smokey65662 (Sep 11, 2011)

Ok everybody. The time has come for me to finally fire this bad boy up and see how it works. Today the Rena air pump came in along with the third heater and the two filters for the overflow starter pumps. I got two lids for the overflow boxes and made a lid for the 40 gallon tank out of thin plexi glass. So far I like it but I dont know what im going to do as far as lighting is concerned so we will see. I still have to cut some more plexiglass and tinker with some things to really get it working correctly but for now im really pleased. Its all working as planed and is cycling water amazingly  There are a few things that I messed up as far as sump design is concerned but they are not detrimental to the function of the system. I will explain all of this later when I got more time. For now though I have lots of pictures 































































































































Sorry, this one is a little random. It was something that came in through newegg that I accidentally uploaded.


























































































Thats it for now. Im quite busy with finals this and next week so sorry if theres a lack of information. I hope everybody likes it as much as I do and if you have any questions feel free to ask


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## Anitax3x (Aug 26, 2011)

Wow. Puts my 40 to shame. Are you an engineering major?


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## Edifiler (Nov 28, 2011)

WOW 40$ for a 40g? That is a price i'll die for. Here in Perth, all the tanks are all expensive ._. A tank less than 10G is around 40-60$ ._.


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## Smokey65662 (Sep 11, 2011)

Anitax3x said:


> Wow. Puts my 40 to shame. Are you an engineering major?


No. I just have a liking for tinkering with things. Im currently going to school for something in computers.


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## Smokey65662 (Sep 11, 2011)

Edifiler said:


> WOW 40$ for a 40g? That is a price i'll die for. Here in Perth, all the tanks are all expensive ._. A tank less than 10G is around 40-60$ ._.


I got lucky and got it on sale. A dollar a gallon. There isnt any sales like that there?


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## Edifiler (Nov 28, 2011)

Nope petstores here in Australia never have sales, and are really expensive ._.


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## Smokey65662 (Sep 11, 2011)

A quick update to anybody who is interested.
I Had to go out and get a one way valve for the return pump. As soon as I would turn off the system the water would vigorously siphon back through the return water bar and overfill the sump. Luckly I caught this and lifted the bar out of the water to stop the siphon. I went to the Lowes in town and got me a 1/2 inch copper one way flapper that I hooked in line to the return water bar. It is basically just a little flapper that opens to let the water flow by up to the return bar but as soon as the water tries to siphon back the flapper closes and seals off the return so it cant siphon back. Now that I got that installed I can run it 24/7 no worries of any major problem. I can say that using a sump system filters like no other. The water got quite cloudy over the few days it was stagnant but as soon as I ran the system for 24 hours it was and still is crystal clear. I filled the K1 chamber up a few days ago with about 10L of the stuff and about 3/4 of it is moving around as it should (looks really neat too). I still need to get a hood for the display and cut the plexi for the sump so I dont keep loosing so much water due to evaporation. So far so good  Just need to find some ammonia so I can start fishless cycling.


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## Reece (Aug 10, 2011)

I have evaporation issues too. I lose about half a centimetre per day :L lol


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## lulupie (Dec 12, 2011)

loooks amazing , cant wait to see how it looks like


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## Smokey65662 (Sep 11, 2011)

There probably wont be any more updates. Ive lost almost all interest in fish keeping for the time being. Sorry guys :/


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## Anitax3x (Aug 26, 2011)

Aww man ! I was really looking forward to seeing how it came out


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## NoahG (Oct 24, 2011)

Anitax3x said:


> Aww man ! I was really looking forward to seeing how it came out


Man, same here. Ah well, no sense in pursuing something you're not interested in.


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## Smokey65662 (Sep 11, 2011)

I will finish it one day....its just going to be a while. Im focusing on school and a few other things. maybe once summer comes around ill get it finished.


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## Smokey65662 (Sep 11, 2011)

Almost one month later and I think im ready to continue on and get this thing done with  (Sort of tired of looking at a bare tank anyway).
So a couple of things:
1. The tank has been "running" for 3+ months or so with no issues concerning the design as far as I can tell. AKA: So far no water on the floor.
2. Initially, when I went to begin fishless cycling I put WAY too much ammonia in the tank. It was so high that it was enough to keep the process from really starting to begin with. So after a 20 or so gallon water change and close to 1 1/2 months the ammonia finally went down to zero. So I brought it back up to ~3 ppm using about 7-9 drops of ACE hardwares pure ammonia. Be careful, the fumes of this stuff are enough to make you ill.
3. 2 of the 3 150w Aqueon Pro heaters are not working properly. Sometimes they work and other times the light goes out and it stops working completely. Tried contacting Aqueon, but im doubtful thats going to be resolved quickly. Since they were bought online a while back not really sure what im going to do as far as the heaters are concerned. One 150w heater is enough to keep it at 84 degrees when the house is warm, but as soon as the AC kicks on or the temp drops on a cold night it struggles to keep up.
4. I ordered a hood online for the display. Should be here next week sometime.
5. Built a light under the display to light the sump using a DC adapter, and a strip of white LED'S. I have it hooked up on a switch, which is convenient. It looks pretty ghetto but it works magnificently 
6. Went out and bought a nice dremel tool a few weeks ago to make cutting the plexi glass a LOTTT easier.
7. I went by petco today and bought a little 4 inch gold ribbon. I am going to see how I stand when it comes to growing live plants. Test tank will be the 10 gallon with the two girls in it  Any tips on the live plants would be awesome.

Thats pretty much all I can think of. I am ready to get the 40 Gallon stocked with fish so I can actually feel like all the electricity, and time its using is worthwhile 

Almost forgot.....I liked the RENA air pump that I bought for the sump so much that I bought a Rena 300 for the 10 gallons bio reactor. The one I have now is just ungodly noisy. I can stand it, but I would rather a Rena after hearing the other one I have. Ill post my thoughts once it gets here for anybody who is interested


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## kfryman (Nov 7, 2011)

Yay I am glad it is back up! For live plants light is the most important thing. Then comes nutrients, some plants feed mostly from the roots and some only get a tad from the roots. Swords and crypts are heavy root feeders.

What kind of substrate are you using anyway?


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## Smokey65662 (Sep 11, 2011)

kfryman said:


> Yay I am glad it is back up! For live plants light is the most important thing. Then comes nutrients, some plants feed mostly from the roots and some only get a tad from the roots. Swords and crypts are heavy root feeders.
> 
> What kind of substrate are you using anyway?


Standard black sand. I used to use gravel, but I couldn't stand how the waste and stuff got stuck in between the pebbles. Is sand alright? lol Also the light will be provided by 20-30% sun, and the rest the fluorescent light in the hood


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## Zero186 (Feb 21, 2012)

My experience is in reef tanks but I would assume that sand creates a better environment for the bio cycles in the tank than pebbles would.


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