Making my 800 gal larger.

[TheFishGuy]

After numerous attempts at filling and re-sealing I still have a leak.
Unfortunately I cannot find the source. I am not sure what my next step is
going to be but I will be taking a break from this project. You tube
consistently keeps rejecting my videos all of a sudden so there will be no
video up date this time around. I did fill the tank and sump (which does
not leak) this afternoon and I also finished the plumbing for the filter.
I temporarily put the pump in and tried to run a cycle on the tank.
Unfortunately the tank is going to need another bulkhead to feed the sump
as the pump almost overflowed the tank while simultaneously draining the
sump tank. According to my calculations each inch of the tank is 39.83
gallons and it takes two inches to fill the pipes in the filter system so
roughly 80 gallons to get the filter running. But again, the sump is not
getting fed fast enough. In theory the sump should be half full when
running normally and completely full when sitting idle or during a power
outage. If when I add another bulkhead to the tank it is still not enough
then the sump tank needs to be larger. I find this hard to believe since
this is the same pump that ran the 800 with zero issues in a sump tank
that held only 115 gallons or so. The only difference is 12 gallons of
water per inch in the addition. In my opinion 24 gallons is not enough of
a difference to warrant a larger sump tank than 163 gallons. The major
difference is one less bulkhead, one less feed to the sump.

That is where we stand.

I need to work tomorrow on a small job that should take less than 12 hrs
to complete, so nothing is going to get done tomorrow.

Here is a punch list of things that need to happen before full operation
and stocking of fish:

1.) Fix the leak.
2.) Install the under gravel jets and spray bar.
3.) Add a bulkhead and another run to the sump.
4.) Install and connect the heat coil.
5.) Make lids.
6.) Test everything for a week.
7.) Drain and decorate.
8.) Stock.

2-8 are very easy steps. It’s one that I’ve got an issue with. The only
feasible idea I have is to re-coat the entire tank by spraying it. Other
than that I’m open to ideas. I believe I’m only a few clicks away from
reaching my limit of patience. Honestly, I’m past patience and frustration
and have moved right onto the “I don’t care anymore” stage! LOL

So please. Any and all ideas are welcome.

Jonathan (aka TheFishGuy aka MonsterFishRescue)

 

[Gator]

Sorry to hear about all the problems. Have you thought about maybe running a bead of silicone on all the corner seams? It might not look the best but if it stops a leak then it stops a leak. As for the Sump have you thought about running a little smaller pump? I have 2 extra pumps sitting in my basement the one is a Beckett 3500 which I think is the one your running but the other is a Gen-X 8500 (2250 gph) its submersible also and runs on 70 watts less than the Beckett.

 

[cvermeulen]

That's really a mindf*** man, and I'm sorry to hear it's not going well for you. This is one very, very good reason for using thinner products that require several coats to build the final thickness - you are far less likely to have tiny fisheyes and pinholes when you're sanding, cleaning, and recoating 4-5 times. Spraying is an excellent way to cover everything evenly, but unfortunately most epoxy products are not recommended for spraying because of the health concerns. Can pond armor be thinned? Maybe something thinner like industrial formulators Cold Cure epoxy, or West systems marine epoxy will bond to the pond armor, but can be rolled on in several coats for a more consistent coverage.

If you can't find something to go over the pond armor, and you can't thin it out to make it cover better... I dunno man, there's always the possibility of putting a liner in it. Take a few days off, the solution will come to you.

 

[schlambambel]

Hay I've followed the built very close as many of use have. Great work. Sorry to hear about the set backs. I truly feel for your pain and frustration. I know this sounds stupid. When the tank is full the weight and pressure of the water maybe causing the corners and floor to separate slightly. Then when you drain the tank the pressure is released and the seam/leak isn't visible any more. Reinforcing the corner is all I can come up with right now.

 

[Gator]

That and Silicone in the deep end might work out well. BTW the Pump is free I have no use for it anymore and since I have an FX5 for back up I can go a week or so for a replacement for my sump.

 

[ozpkchris]

man i woulda of ripped that thing down a long time ago, im frustrated for you,
but you didnt and i respect you for your patience

i've read and watched every second of this build and i am confident if it can be done you will do it

in fact i know you will fix it.

keep on keeping on,

curse, punch the wall (not the tank), drink, take some time off and in the mean while ill be cheering for you

 

[larryluvfish]

It has been awhile since I post on here, but I was try to keep up with the thread. Looks like you have made alot of progress TFG, sorry about the leak sometime you have to walk away and just think about it. Anyway good luck getting it fix which I know you will.

 

[danz]

Looks like you can spray pondarmor so that may be a way to go but I think that the pressure may be causing some issues. From what I recall you used the same ply all the way around and you may need to laminate an extra layer of ply to ensure there is no flexing under that extra load. That of course means cutting out the hardy, installing wood and putting the hardy back/replacing but you may want to take the time to do an ultra close inspection and put a coat of pondarmor while it out then armor the seams when it goes back in.

 

[TheFishGuy]

Well, I'm not tearing the thing apart to reinforce it. I will bring up the silicone in the corners to Butch and see what he thinks about that. I had thought about doing that but when I inspected with a friggin magnifying glass I saw zero issues in the corners. Also, every corner is beyond reinforced with 2x lumber, I simply cannot believe they would be moving at all... One thing I was considering even though it would be ugly as sin was reinforcing the corners with fiberglass like I was upposed to in the begining. But after conversations with Butch after he saw the construction he agreed it wasn't necessary... He did tell me that before I silicone the glass in to sand the pondarmor first. I'll need to get his opinion on if I need to sand the inside corners first...

Butch talked me out of spraying because he said it's a gross waste of the product and my project was not big enough in his opinion to warrant the waste... I agreed with him and still do, but I also feel that spraying might be the best option right now. you can thin the product with denatured alcohol of course you'd all know this if you tube didn't suck... I've got like six videos I'd like to upload

Gator, as for the pump. I would like to try it. That would be easier than cutting another hole or using the shut off valves on the pump to tone the pump down. Restricting a pump of it's flow is never a good idea. Email me if you would please at jonathan@monsterfishrescue.com Thank you good sir. You're a gentleman and a scholar

My wife has informed me that we've got a million and one appointments this week so maybe that's good. I've got the heat cranked to 85* in the room so hopefully by the time I get to do anything it'll be nice and dried out.

 

[nolapete]

Add a T to the output of the pump. Plumb a ball valve then pvc back to the sump. This allows you to divert water back into the sump which is the same thing as idling down the pump without applying back pressure on it. The flow is the same. It just doesn't all go to the tank. The ball valve allows you to adjust the flow precisely.

You could make a chemical media chamber easily out of some 3 or 4 inch pvc and a few reducing bushings then connect it to the diversion for added filtration. Fill it with activated carbon (or whatever other media you like) in filter bags and stuff them in it.