220 Gallon Setup, Lots of DIY, Sump in Crawl Space!

[wlecount]

Thanks for all the replies!!!

I had a bunch of trouble with the plumbing on this thing and that's why the return is still white. I had one that was painted black, but things were changed and I just have yet to paint the new one. It's on my list, but after 2 months of seeing it sitting around not working, once it was up, I just have not wanted to mess with it.

 

[RexFish]

Thats a nice setup

 

[wlecount]

Now may the picture party may begin. I'll start with the early shots in the garage, the stand and canopy, filtration, and everything else. In these shots you'll notice the two overflows, I painted both of them black, but in the end only 1 was used as I purchased an Eshopps overflow box (I modded that as well).

 

[wlecount]

Stand was finally stained and put into the living room.

 

[wlecount]

Lights! Currently 3-25W CFL (100 watt equiv) and 3-13W CFL (65 watts maybe). The original plan was 6 of the smaller bulbs, but I decided on more light with the plants, Also some shots of it finally all sitting in the house. No water yet!

 

[wlecount]

The first of many plumbing failures! I tried to hardline the entire thing and it simply didn't work. The pump was a bit out of line which didn't help and sent a horrid hum throughout much of the house.

 

[wlecount]

I finally filled it, but I still failed on the plumbing. Lesson to be learned.

KEEP
IT
SIMPLE
STUPID

I kept trying to out think myself on the entire design. This cost me about $200+ in wasted connections, pipe, and other crap!

You'll notice that only 1 piece of the original driftwood setup would remain. I spent about $150 on ebay buying up nice pieces and chose only my favorites for the final steup.

 

[wlecount]

The Eshopps overflow box. Worked good by itself. Works 100% after I modded it!

Thanks to Stockman for the basic design. Thanks to myself for making it work. It was a bit tricky, but I made it work. I painted both black after these pictures and made a cover for the overflow in the tank. I was finding all my fish in the sump dead each morning. The seemed to think the mystical water flow would take them somewere special, were they wrong!

 

[wlecount]

Finally some shots of the guts of the operation. The "sump in the crawl space". It's not the prettiest of sites, but it works. I was so happy to just have it running that I still have yet to go down and clean the place back up.

The pump is a Reeflo Barracuda and I certainly recommend their product and their customer service. As I said the first pump was a bit out of line and they without question sent me a new one. The inlet is 2" from the sump and the outlet is 1.25". I could go up to 2" on the outlet, but I just don't need that much flow.

I really wish I would have used the hose to begin with, but as I said earlier I thought hard lining was the best way to do it.

 

[wlecount]

Well that basically wraps up the entire design process. Clearly there were many more changes and adaptation through the entire process, but I am never able to take step-by-step photos. I've included just a few more shots of the final setup as well as the likely inhabitants. I hope to keep the tank a community tank with the piranhas, but as I have learned in the past I need to be prepared for losses. My piranhas have lived with 4 giant danios for 2 years as well as some convicts and other fish along the way. They have become large enough that they are not too interested in the other fish, but they can never be trusted. Thanks for all the comments and I hope everyone enjoys the photo journal of my tank!