Hello everyone,
I am in the process of designing a tank, hopefully two, to build and thus this post. I would really appreciate any opinions/feedback/advice on the design. Below you can see my initial display tank design and features/considerations for a 370gal tank and a 210gal tank (with same design but smaller by about 20%) - unsure which will be built first though. I have not included an image of the sump setup (will be drawn up/shown after tank design is more or less settled), but it will be a pretty 'standard' 4 part sump and probably only run mechanical filtering and return to start and add skimmer/refugium when/if needed.
Design features/considerations
Automation features for water
Some questions I have after doing some reading/research
As I said earlier I would really appreciate any inputs/feedback on the design, and hoping to avoid any design woes later down the road. The build plan is going to be water mixing/storage system, sump, and then tank but the water and sump designs are much easier and less involved than the display tank so working on that first.
I am in the process of designing a tank, hopefully two, to build and thus this post. I would really appreciate any opinions/feedback/advice on the design. Below you can see my initial display tank design and features/considerations for a 370gal tank and a 210gal tank (with same design but smaller by about 20%) - unsure which will be built first though. I have not included an image of the sump setup (will be drawn up/shown after tank design is more or less settled), but it will be a pretty 'standard' 4 part sump and probably only run mechanical filtering and return to start and add skimmer/refugium when/if needed.
Design features/considerations
- Mixed Reef Setup
- Sand substrate (the translucent gray in bottom of tank image), with rock aquascaping
- Rocks will be lifted/supported off bottom of tank to about 1 in below the top of substrate.
- The 'peaks' of the rock forms can be visualized by the standpipe heights in the image below.
- There will also be a few random rocks on the substrate for corals (seen them called 'coral gardens')
- 5x/hour tank turnover
- Bean Animal drain
- 1.5in lines (should result in a water velocity of about 5.62 in/sec at rated turnover rate)
- Emergency drain set at 1in from top of tank
- Secondary standpipe set with air vent set at 1/2in below emergency drain.
- Primary drain is open at bottom of overflow box.
- Supply is via a 2in supply line, from the sump, that is further divided into four separate standpipes that are hidden/used by the aquascaping of tank.
- 2in to reduce water velocity (sound consideration)
- 4 - 1in lines to be located within aquascaping. This should give very gentle flow (<= 1in/sec per standpipe) 'out' of some of the crevices, and also provided support for some rock features (overhangs, off-balance towers, etc.
- Siphon break holes drilled into the 'U' bends in the overflow so tank does not 'back drain' into the sump on loss of return pump/pressure.
- Glass
- Three pieces of low-iron (HiVis), 3/4in for 370gal and 1/2in for 210gal.
- 'Standard' glass for bottom/rear of tanks
- Annealed glass - NOT tempered glass.
- Euro bracing on top of tank, and support bracing around bottom of tank provided by custom stand.
- Overflow to be built from acrylic and joined to rear of tank.
- Auto top off (ATO) system
- Semi-automatic water replacement system (frequency/volume TBD still)
- Water/Flow sensing in emergency drain to turn off/stop return pump(s)
Some questions I have after doing some reading/research
- Anyone know where the name 'Bean Animal' come from?
- What sets the nominal tank level with the Bean Animal setup? The height of the air vent or the drain line off the side? I understand the air vent is to break a siphon that might form from the secondary standpipe drain getting submerged and the level is primary standpipe has a valve that works with the secondary to establish the level. Just unsure how high the secondary should be positioned.
- Instead of using a perforated standpipe inside of aquascape, would a more 'directed' return be better? The question/idea being that would give better flow through the 'valley' of the aquascape?
- For the sump capacity, since an external overflow is being used the 'minimum' volume the return section of sump only has to be the volume from top of display tank to the bottom of the weir, correct?
As I said earlier I would really appreciate any inputs/feedback on the design, and hoping to avoid any design woes later down the road. The build plan is going to be water mixing/storage system, sump, and then tank but the water and sump designs are much easier and less involved than the display tank so working on that first.
