Adam's (CableGuy's) breeding "Area"

Its about time I posted some pics.
 
I had glass grow out tanks but I took those all down and I'm now rebuilding my grow out. I just dropped my arm and a leg at home depot tonight and picked up 99% of the plumbing. The plumbing is "hung" (planning phase) for now I just need to glue / silicone it over the next couple of days. I also need to pick up some cinder blocks and some more BRT's.
 
Whole setup:
 

 
 
Close ups:
 
R/O & QT
 

 
 
Broodstock :
 

 
 
Rots / Pods / Larvae / Fridge
 

 
 
Thanks for any input and constructive criticism.

-Adam

Wow! I see new stuff that wasn't there yesterday, you've been busy! Everything I saw yesterday looked great, you're creating a nice system.  

http://www.fishtalpropagations.com/#!home/mainPage
"Making captive breeding easier."

Yeah, you have been busy, It looks different then just a few days ago when I was there...

Thanks Tal!  Most of it is from ideas you've shared with me and then ideas from other peoples builds.
 
Hoping this turns out and I can start to raise some babies!

-Adam

Some updates...
 
Drains...  They are glued on so no drains can pop off in the middle of the night. Also very easy to replace and clean.
 
Here are a couple I made:
 
 

 
My dried out & cracked plumbing hands.. owww
 

 
 
In use:
 

 

 
 
And lastly... an overall shot. Still need to install a few more power strips and power strip timers. Also need to get a big air pump and install an air system with drop down air hoses. I have a 20A circuit dedicated to this grow out. I also plan to hang some type of T5 or T5HO lighting at the ceiling for all of the tanks. The only tanks that will get more lighting will be the larvae tanks which will be taken off as soon as they are on Otohime.
 

 
 

-Adam

Looks good Adam, I like the drain idea, but I worry that it is too small diameter...?  What do I know though.  I am so jealous you have babies to work with!

Are you talking about the needle point (mesh)?? If so...
 
I have 4 different sizes to work with, the two you see being the smallest. As they fish grow I will change out the 90's to the bigger sizes.
 
It is as easy as:
 

1. Turn the flow off
2. Turning the 90 straight down to empty the water below the drain line after the 90 is removed
3. Remove the 90
4. Replace the 90 or clean and replace the 90 to the proper position
5. Turn flow back on

 
Let me now if that isnt what you were talking about.
 
 

-Adam

Yesterday I added my new skimmer and some K1 media.
 
The skimmer is an SWC-250 extreme with mesh modded wheels.
 
The K1 media is in a 5G bucket with a 700GPH power head powering it. I think I'll have to go to a 1000+gph because when I added air it took it down a lot in regard to flow. I'd say the 690GPH PH is pushing about 400 now with air.

-Adam

Nice!  I have two SWC skimmers (on my reefs) and really like them.  Good value.  I didn't know you guys got them in the US since the company is Canadian.  That's cool. 
 
In regards to the Kaldnes media, I was just thinking...an old skimmer body would work really well for tumbling the media.  Venturi or Berlin would both do a good job with the air turned down a bit.
 

 
No, I meant the diameter of the drain pipe that the mesh is attached it.  Small area might clog up fast...?

Good idea on the old skimmer body... got me thinking....
 
They are 1" drains.

-Adam

 
Ya I figured they were.  I just see lots of people using flared drains that I thought that was standard...?

1" seems to be plenty for me. They are fed with 3/4" PVC and then those are down to 1/2" barb fittings. Since I've had everything setup, I've changed a total of 3 fittings - 2 for cleaning and one I just upgraded today to a bigger size.

-Adam

Hmm, that's interesting.  It would be nice to not have to use flared drains simply because I am having a hard time finding them!!  HA!

Question for you.  What did you use to glue the needlepoint backing onto the PVC pipe for drains?  Silicone, hot glue gun.  Just curious.
 

Hot glue, cheap and easy!

-Adam

Cool, thanks!

Do you have pics of your K1 bucket?

http://www.fishtalpropagations.com/#!home/mainPage
"Making captive breeding easier."

I havent been home so I wasnt ignoring your request.   I'll grab a pic today. I need to do some work down there anyway.

-Adam

Changed the setup around a little. I'm going to build a room around all of this so I need to move things a little smaller - Went from about 50ft/sq. to 20ft/sq..
 

 
 
 
Kaldnes Media bucket - Powered by air and a power head.  (Just for Tal!)
 

-Adam

Where did you get the 55 gallon plastic drums?  Also the blue containers with the handles.  Those are nice and could really be handy for a lot of things.  Nice set up.

 
A local who works at a restaurant. They were used for vinegar and they would have been thrown out.  I washed them out and they have served me well since!
 
Thank you!

-Adam

 
I found a source for food grade, poly, 55's and the guy only wants $5.00 each.  They are about 50 miles away from me but could be well worth the trip.  He wants to sell them in lots of 6 so I could get 6 and then find a use for them in my breeding endeavors, I'm sure, or sell them and at least get my gas money back.

Its time for an update...
 
I've made a ton of changes to the fish room as of late and will detail them shortly in this thread with pictures.

-Adam

(runs off to get pop corn)

You big tease! 

http://www.fishtalpropagations.com/#!home/mainPage
"Making captive breeding easier."

Well ............................  we're waiting!

Sorry, busy day yesterday. I'll get post an update today.

-Adam

I wanted to take what I've learned from others and myself over the last year and improve on it, in functionality, ease of use along with a money saving opportunity.
 
Feel free to ask questions on specific's if you'd like.
 
Couple talking (thinking for me) points:
 

• I wanted to slow evap and keep heat in = Less on the electric bill
• I like having one large tank split up "x" amount of times, but what if it cracked?
• Drains that wont get salt creep
• Returns that don't splash (another source of salt creep)
• You can ask, but I don't have an answer - The bulkheads are all over as far as high/low location on glass, although they are 100% on center with the drains so they go straight down. This allowed me to hopefully get salt creep free drains - Time will tell.
• I tried to do everything as neatly and professional as I could.
• My old broodstock had its own light. This is now lite by the same light that is near my grow out, a 220W T5HO 8' light.  Again, save a few dollars a month.

 
New broodstock setup: 8' long, 9 10G tanks on each tier.
 
Overall shot - There will be another bank of tanks on the bottom. Just haven't got there yet.
 

 
 
Return lines - 1" out of sump, to two 3/4" ball valves.
 

 
 
Drain style - The different size 1.5" pipe is due to having scrap pipe. Too lazy to cute it to size, or due to having scrap 1" pipe that was short so I needed to use a longer 1.5" pipe. Worked well.
 

 
 
Return lines -
 

 

-Adam

Looks great! I love the extensions you put on your drains, clever idea.

http://www.fishtalpropagations.com/#!home/mainPage
"Making captive breeding easier."

Looks good Adam.  Is that just a nozzle at the end of your return lines?  (the part just peeking out of the corrugated  plastic)

like Jish said... deposit... NO refunds  -thejrc

Looks good!

 
They are 90 degree Tee's, so I have water movement going two ways, right near the water surface to minimize splash.

-Adam

What size pump do you use? Seems that 3/4" PVC would be quiet restrictive. I run 2" off my pump then reduce to 1/2" for each outlet. Less head loss per run. I use a snapper pump with 21 tanks.

 
Currently, a Mag18.... 3/4" with very low PSI should flow around 1000gph. I have 9 tanks up top, and 8 on the bottom.   I'd like to have around 40-80GPH per tank depending on its' inhabitants. 60GPH is one gallon per minute, which with a 10G tank, is good flow IMO for broodstock.

-Adam

Very nice. Strong work!

http://www.suzysreef.com/

The reason I asked is because I am trying to get as efficient as I can. Electricity in my operation has been cut in half in the past year and I'm lookin to trim some more fat per say. I think the snapper tuned down is less watts than the mag 18 but has less head pressure.