SeaMonster's 100 gallon cube

Good morning team,

Getting back into the game and I figured I'd use this forum to document my rebuild.
4 years ago I let my old tank just die down and the rock go real bad. The rock just sat in the backyard for 3-4 years, but 3-4 months ago I started cleaning it and bringing the passion back to life.

What I've done so far:

Clean the rock: soaked in pure bleach, let dry, soak in fresh water, change water 5-6 times. let dry again.

Rebuilt the sump: Its a cubic 40 gallon sump with fuge display in the front. It'll have LEd lighting with just some Chaeto.

Rebuilt the lighting system: It's a metal halide/PC combo with an Icecap ballast. I painted it and upgraded the bulbs.

Water station: today I started putting together the RO/DI / salt water station. It'll sit outside right behind the wall within a few feet from the tank. More coming soon

My goal is to automate and DIY everything, and get this whole thing up and running for as little $$$ as possible. This project must be wife-friendly; so no hauling water inside the house, no mess around the tank, etc. I've become a much more organized person since the last time I had a reef so this time around we're doing things right!! Expected completion date: November 2015

 

Sounds like a good size tank. Welcome back.

 

love the design of the sump! looks very space saving

 

Changed the design a bit

 

this is obviously not your first rodeo welcome back to the hobby! looking forward to your progress! what are your plans for the tank?

 

nice set up!!! i was the same out for 4 years and back at it again. It does help from your first mistakes to build a better set up!

 

Well designed Wish I had room near my tank for something similar Did you consider using the same pump for mixing the salt water and pumping it to the tank, just another valve. Assuming my sump is large enough I'm considering a shut off system that stops the tank flow (like a Power failure) allowing the sump to fill to it's hold position, pumping this water out to a drain then refilling the sump with fresh saltwater then turn the tank system back on. Makes for an undiluted water change and keeps from bothering our finny friends

 

Yes, I did consider mixing and pumping the salt with the same pump but I cannot figure out how to switch between the two functions from inside the house! Any ideas? My goal is to do a 10% water change in under 3 minutes and without going outside. I'm also trying to minimize the number of holes through the wall.

Still hoping I'll find a way to deliver the salt water to the sump without a pump but I cannot lift both fresh and saltwater containers above sump level, Unless unless I make the entire shelf system very tall....then i'd need a ladder to access the top!

 

That drain will not work the way it is drawn.You will need another gate valve.

 

why?