hux first tank build (will need help!!)

[hux]

okay so looking at the sump roughly it will look like this?

i hope i got this right..
will be working on alot of stuff over the next two weeks
=]


okay so this morning i recieved some products..
and today i have actually been in surgery..
i had my wisdom teeth out and thank god im actually feeling okay..
tonight when i arrived home i was please to see my LED lights had arrived...
heres a few pics...

packet

stainless steel holders

resistors

5mm white LEDs

and what they look like in the stainless steel holder =]

im quite pleased with how they look..
i just hope they do a good job..
i bought these so i can get the shimmering effect to my water...

also on another note if anyone was interested..
my 4xbulb T5HO light system has 2x white 10000k and 2x blue 6500k bulbs
i am happy with this system =]

so i do have a couple jobs to do...
-put together a fixture for the LEDs (tomorrow)
-take back some plumbing stuff and get money back
-order/find the union valves...
-when i get my hand back (thursday) change the sump around..
- redo the plumbing...
-clean tank+sand...
-make sure everything is working...

then add water and rock?

i have a couple of questions...

-should i buy other nutrients such as strontium and some other little ones just to have on hand?
-should i wait and buy all my cured live rock at once?
OR
is it okay to add all the water and about 50lbs of live rock first...
then because its so pricey, buy some more cured live rock until i get my desired amount..
i will of course buy all live rock before i add any fish/corals etc..
im not buying and dead/base rock because my store doesnt sell it.. at least i dont think?
i may choose to get some, but atm prefer to go with all cured live rock.

all ideas welcome..
thanks in advance..

and a special thanks to amp and ace who have been a big help
thanks guys

 

[hux]

well i sorta just said stuff it...
i got paid just before and it was a little cost..
so ive gone and order 3 bottles of stuff that may or may not be needed.
i think its good just to have things on hand if needed?

i ordered...
1x seachem reef plus 500ml
1x seachem reef trace elements 500ml
1x seachem reef strontium 500ml

i will probably not need some of these but like i said i ordered them because
i think its good to have things on hand just incase...


i will be posting some questions about food in the next day or two..
so if anyone is good with there foods..
please stay tuned and feel free to give your say..

cheers guys
1x

 

[Amphiprion]

Yes, that's right for the sump. That will keep the water level in your 'fuge consistent and minimize bubbles that make it to the return pump, which means less bubbles in the display.

 

[hux]

ahhk sweet thanks amp...
going today to get my money back from the crappy plumbing parts and hopefully get
some good stuff. eg. union valves etc =]

 

[hux]

okay today was basically plumbing day..
i went everywhere trying to find these union valves and i kept getting sent to different stores..
eventually an aquarium gave me a different valve which are all plastic...
so theres no metal which means no rusting etc..
so these should be sufficient enough to do the job...
ive also changed the outlet into the tank from 20mm piping to 15mm
just so the water coming back into the tank is with more pressure..

also if anyone can help with an auto top off system...
im ordered 2xwater liquid level sensor horizontal float switches
and yeah need some help designing an auto top off system..
if anyone knows some good DIY pages for one or anything throw it at me..

if anyone can answer any questions i asked in the above posts either..
greatly appreciated.

-should i wait and buy all my cured live rock at once?
OR
is it okay to add all the water and about 50lbs of live rock first...
then because its so pricey, buy some more cured live rock until i get my desired amount..
i will of course buy all live rock before i add any fish/corals etc..
im not buying and dead/base rock because my store doesnt sell it.. at least i dont think?
i may choose to get some, but atm prefer to go with all cured live rock.


thanks guys

 

[hux]

this question is directed at ace but anyone can answer..

in your LED DIY thingy..
you use 100ohm resistors...

im trying to build a fixture for 10 5mm white LEDs
the resisters that came with these are 560ohm..
am i able to use 1 resistor per two LEDs like you did or?
im not good with this technical stuff..
if you can help..
thanks alot mate.

 

[Ace25]

You use an LED/Resistor Calculator to figure out the correct resistors to use. It also depends on how many LEDs you put together and your power supply voltage. On my DIY, if I only did 1 LED per "puck" I would need 330ohm resistors, but since I put 2 in series, I use 100ohm. It is a little greek in the beginning, but once you put one together it comes much easier the second time.

http://www.led-calculator.com/

http://led.linear1.org/led.wiz

 

[hux]

sweet, thanks ace..
looks like i need 5x300ohm resistors to do two lights per resistor...

going to go do some plumbing stuff today..
i recieved my other 3 products today...
so now i think i have most nutrients/supplements on hand if they are ever needed.

here are some photos..

and a picture of all my supplements

getting the wire taken out of my wrist tonight and my cast off..
fingers crossed this is it and im back to full strength =]

will post more pictures tonight or tomorrow of plumbing and possibly LED fixture if i can get those resistors.

cheers

still after an answer about the live rock..

 

[Amphiprion]

Wow, hux--you're a living, breathing advertisement for Seachem, lol. It may be a while until you need new supplements, but there are much cheaper alternatives that work just as well for what you need. I think I spent a grand total of ~$60-$75 on about 5 years' worth of chemicals--all the baking soda, calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, and epsom salt I could ever wish for .

Edit: Ace, you're bringing back bad memories of E & M and Ohm's Law.

 

[Ace25]

I've never taken an electronics class in my life. I can tell you Moore's Law any day, I am a computer geek. Ohms law, no idea. I grew up and watched my dad fix TVs and VCRs on the side and just picked up the basics and have gotten really good at soldering over the years having modded about 5,000 video game systems. I can read and follow instructions, thats all you really need.

Hux, one bit of advice, if and when you decide to use those Amino Acids be VERY careful. That bottle is scary if over done. I have couple different AA bottles myself, tried it one dose at 1/4 strength and it was way to much. Put it back in the fridge and haven't touched the bottle since.