Glass lined masonary tank.

[essabee]

Finished the tile job. Tomorrow will be a real clean up job as I have smeared so much cement all over the place that a major work awaits me. Please wish me patience as if I am hasty I am sure to mess up something.

[essabee]

Finished the cleanup without messing up anything.

Found that I had to clean up my tool room too. Tomorrow, being the 17th day of September, it is the day dedicated to the Celestial Artisan - namely Vishwakarma - (transliteration Universal Constructor). All of us who work with tools and machines venerate Him and in mark of our respect clean our tools etc. and also the work place. Some go to the extent of installing and idol and praying to Him, I don't. The funny thing here in India is that the cult of Vishwakarma is followed by all sects, even non-Hindus including Muslim artisans (perhaps as it provides a tools down period).

So no progress should be expected on the GLMT for the next 2 days. On Friday I shall construct my in-tank version of the Rex Grigg reactor.

[essabee]

My version of intank Rex Grigg reactor is in and all that is left to do with it is the plumbing. Before I do that I must build the sump filter as it is going to use the returning water.

I built the reactor using strip of 3.5 inch glass siliconed to the rear corners of the tank. This gives an area of the triangle formed equivalents to the cross-section area of a 2.0 inch diameter pipe. As I would not like my fishes to enter the reactor, I have put a screen over the outlet which is merely a 1.0 inch hole. I made the screen out of the intake grid of the pumps that I had adapted for aquarium use. The pumps that I use for aquarium are not on aquarium supply list, but are manufactured in India for general purpose and have a ceramic magnet, therefore quite safe for aquarium use and also economical and long lasting (I don't know why aquarium goods are overpriced). I cut of the excess and then used epoxy putty to form the base. Silicone does not hold on to plastics but does hold epoxy putty well.

For the top, I took measurement after placing the 3.5 inch strip in place. Actually made a template out of thick paper and then cut the glass accordingly. Drilling a hole in a small piece of glass needed some helping hands to hold the glass. I siliconed this to the top of the 3.5 inch strip and left it overnight to cure.

I fitted the inlet pipe (which went in tight through the hole in the triangle glass) and fixed it with synthetic rubber adhesive using rings that I had sliced out of a socket. I wanted the pipe to end high up in the reactor so that the water current can scrounge the CO2 bubbles that manage to rise to the top of the reactor. I made a hole on the elbow fitting for the top and inserted a gas pipe down to the mouth of the elbow. This should place the gas pipe end close to the mouth of the inlet pipe of the reactor, a natural venturi point, and I hope to get a lot of small bubbles out from it when in use, although that not matter much in the Rex Grigg type of reactor.

I hope all of you appreciate the visual result without minding the bad photography.

[essabee]

A close up.

[essabee]

My order for the light fittings were deliver last evening so back to the GLMT for execution of the work at hand.

[essabee]

I did put up the MH fittings but as I am waiting for replacement of one of the bulb holders could not complete the job. I am getting impatient too.


When I was putting up the light fittings in the twin tank - Incomparable - 7 years ago, I did not realise what I was doing wrong. This time I have corrected (over corrected??) my mistake. I am posting a picture of the fittings in the Incomparable and the GLMT for comparison.

[deacon]

5 MH lighting? what wattage r u using??

Looks like over kill, but you'll have all the shimmering you'll ever need!

[bossteck]

Keep the updates coming!!
Can't wait to see the full tank shot when it is fully planted.

[essabee]

5 MH lighting? what wattage r u using??

Looks like over kill, but you'll have all the shimmering you'll ever need!

They will each be 150W. I shall also install 4 X 36W PLL 6500K in addition to these 5. Now if you think these lights are an 'over kill' just look at my calculations.

Tank GLMT
Volume 252 gallon
Surface area 2470(SI) square inch
depth (inch) 24
Total Watt 894
Watt per gallon WPG 3.55
Total installed Lumen 82488
Total Lumen directed to water 73116
Illuminance @ water surface (LSI) 29.60 lumens per square inch
less surface reflection (LSI) 25.16
at half depth (LSI) 22.30
at full depth (LSI) 19.77

[essabee]

The glass ordered finally arrived, badly cut and with sharp edges. The glass for the sump after being ground to remove sharp edges has been silicone pasted and what better place to do it in but inside the tank to which it will act as the dedicated sump. There it will out of the way while I work on the plumbing, reflooring, and repainting the broom cabinet to convert it into the sump cabinet. I plan to put all the MH ballast (5 of the GLMT and 5 of the incomparable) in that cabinet. Remember I have an eight inch diameter fan connected on one side to the GLMT (and through it to the Incomparable) and the sump cabinet.


Size 42" X 18" X 18" but I intend to keep the water level at 12".

[essabee]

Can a screw, screw up your working? Yes! I found that out the hard way.

The MH fittings that I had acquired online for the GLMT had very good looks, light and were most probably sourced from China, manufactured to American standard. The bulb holders were in pairs for the two ended bulbs neatly built ceramic that were attached to the body of the fittings – with screws.

The holders felt loose to touch and that I thought was due to loosening of the screws from the vibrations of transit. One of the holder had even come off and broken, I had complained about it and the seller had couriered the replacement promptly. Not expecting any problems, I tried to tighten them using a driver. It was then I found out that some of the screws were too short and just made it to the screw housing of the body of the fittings. I needed longer screws.

Taking one of the screws to match the thread, I searched all the places of the town for the size I needed, I was willing to accept even longer ones for I could always trim them to size, but the thread had to be the same. The thread stumped all my sources as it was American standard and the screws used in this country were usually of British standard. The thread had to be matched; the screw housings were raised tubular structures made of what looked like antimony; too fragile to be tapped to change the thread. The other alternative was using a slimmer, longer screw and then drill through the housing and using a nut on the outside of the body of the fitting. An unacceptable alternative, to be accepted only as a last resort, for it would open out unprotected spots which would corrode in the high moisture atmosphere of the aquarium top, with time. Unless I could match the thread, I was screwed.

A friend was going to Kolkata (Calcutta) to get some supplies for his business and offered to get me the screw if it was available there. Beggars cannot choose, I put the work on GLMT on hold, and decided to wait for the screw.

It finally arrived yesterday and now the MH are wired and tested and working. My heart is working too, and I now intend to finish the rest of the work

[bossteck]

Interesting sharing. Glad to know you managed to get the part in the end.

[essabee]

When I decided to add the GLMT, I also decided to reorganise the wiring of all my tanks. All the wires that lead to the tank that I have named “Incomparable” went through the GLMT so I was forced to rewire that tank. This requirement caused quite a delay in completion of the GLMT.

My scheme of reorganisation of the wiring comes from the necessity of relaxing my very strict routine chores. I have decided to use timers for the lights, CO2, and aeration. I have decided to divide the light wires – part of lights will have backup from the inverter – the rest will only be powered when the generator comes on for the longer power outages. All the heaters have to be supplied by a power line without any backup. This means that there are five separate phase lines with one common neutral going to every tank, and another phase line for the solenoid of the CO2.

The six phases:-

1) Red wire – No backup power line – For the heaters.
2) Blue wire – Generator backup and photoperiod timer – 2/3 of the lights in each tank.
3) White wire – Inverter, generator, & photoperiod timer – 1/3 of the lights in each tank.
4) Green wire – Inverter, generator constant line – For the filter power-heads.
5) Yellow wire – Inverter, generator & night timer – For the aerations.
6) Brown wire – Inverter, generator & CO2 timer – For the CO2.

I shall need just 2 timers for this scheme to be possible. I shall use the timers only to run three relays. This will keep the loads on the timer low. The photoperiod timer shall run two separate relays one to connect the blue wires on its on period and the other relay connecting the white wires. The CO2 timer will run a single relay; it will connect the green wire to the yellow wire through NC and the brown wire through the NO.

[essabee]

The wiring is finished. The ballast of both the tanks, GLMT and the Incomparable, are in the sump room. You see the fan which will keep the 2 tanks cool.



Need two volunteers to fix the viewing glass.

[essabee]

The GLMT is finally a tank. The viewing glass is in position and I will only have to wait for the curing to take place before testing it with water. Meanwhile I must work to complete the sump and the timer system. I shall also have to wire the sump room for lights and the sump pumps, heaters, aerators etc.

[essabee]

I just filled it up with water to just below the sump overflow level. Now I will spend the next 24 hours with my fingers crossed (for the entire period when I am not working on the sump).

Wish me well.

[essabee]

Well, nothing has broken as yet. I can uncross my fingers and not look suspiciously at the GLMT. Now to finish the sump and the timer circuits. I wish to add a 10% daily water change to the GLMT.