- Joined
- Jan 22, 2009
- Messages
- 337
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- 402
Well it is finally happening. The tank of my dreams is starting to become a reality! Well, my realistic dreams anyway 
I am sure many of us would just build our homes underwater on a reef if it was feasible! This will be what I am terming a "low and slow" build, which is why I have waited so long to start a build thread. I have been working on everything since January and I am still a couple months away from the tank being on site. Speaking of the tank, it will be 8x4x4 and roughly 1000 gallons, or 861.1 gallons using internal dimensions. Hence the "ish"
Before I get too far in to this thread, I have to make a couple acknowledgements! I have a few friends that have been INSTRUMENTAL in keeping me going during this build. Whether encouraging me when I have been disappointed with the progress, sharing in the joy when things go right, or when I needed a kick in the pants when I was being lazy, they have all been there. They played no SMALL part in getting this build thread up! I fully expect an "Its about time!" from each of them. I will let them chime in with their screen names if they would like to, but Calvin, Travis, and Dave, you are all spectacular people and I count myself lucky to call each of you my friend! OK, sappy out of the way, on to the build!
The tank will be built on site by Bill Wann (Yes, 20,000 gallon "tank" Bill Wann) of Aquarium Engineering! He has already built me a custom skimmer and calcium reactor and they are top notch equipment! He will also be building a custom titanium heat exchanger and a 450 watt UV sterilizer to run on my closed loop.
I will start with a mock up I did in Sketchup of the display side. This will be an in wall system situated in front of my desk where I work everyday!
This will be the layout of the fish room. The skimmer will likely move to the other side of the basement past the furnace and water heater, but this is close enough!
My fish room is also shared with my laundry area, but it works! There is a dedicated and separate frag tank and fish quarantine system. I will also maintain a coral quarantine system in another room. I will continue to maintain a strict fish and coral QT process. I know many of you will disagree, and that is OK! I have been burned and lost nearly everything. If it happens again, it won't be because I didn't quarantine!
Next post, the end of the beginning? Starting where many build threads start, the tear down of the old system!
Heads up, there is going to be a LOT of content up front! I have 3 months of progress to get through...
Don
I am sure many of us would just build our homes underwater on a reef if it was feasible! This will be what I am terming a "low and slow" build, which is why I have waited so long to start a build thread. I have been working on everything since January and I am still a couple months away from the tank being on site. Speaking of the tank, it will be 8x4x4 and roughly 1000 gallons, or 861.1 gallons using internal dimensions. Hence the "ish" Before I get too far in to this thread, I have to make a couple acknowledgements! I have a few friends that have been INSTRUMENTAL in keeping me going during this build. Whether encouraging me when I have been disappointed with the progress, sharing in the joy when things go right, or when I needed a kick in the pants when I was being lazy, they have all been there. They played no SMALL part in getting this build thread up! I fully expect an "Its about time!" from each of them. I will let them chime in with their screen names if they would like to, but Calvin, Travis, and Dave, you are all spectacular people and I count myself lucky to call each of you my friend! OK, sappy out of the way, on to the build!
The tank will be built on site by Bill Wann (Yes, 20,000 gallon "tank" Bill Wann) of Aquarium Engineering! He has already built me a custom skimmer and calcium reactor and they are top notch equipment! He will also be building a custom titanium heat exchanger and a 450 watt UV sterilizer to run on my closed loop.
I will start with a mock up I did in Sketchup of the display side. This will be an in wall system situated in front of my desk where I work everyday!
This will be the layout of the fish room. The skimmer will likely move to the other side of the basement past the furnace and water heater, but this is close enough!
My fish room is also shared with my laundry area, but it works! There is a dedicated and separate frag tank and fish quarantine system. I will also maintain a coral quarantine system in another room. I will continue to maintain a strict fish and coral QT process. I know many of you will disagree, and that is OK! I have been burned and lost nearly everything. If it happens again, it won't be because I didn't quarantine!
Next post, the end of the beginning? Starting where many build threads start, the tear down of the old system!
Heads up, there is going to be a LOT of content up front! I have 3 months of progress to get through...
Don
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