2000g system, 7x6x5 foot tank

[Jayden K]

Hi everyone,
I really want a large tank, I'm pretty much 100% sure I'm going to get this tank. This project will be done this time next year but I'm OK with waiting. First thing is that this tank is going to be on the basement floor that's right ontop of the foundation, it will weight ≈10 metric tonns full. I looked at the house blueprint so I know that there is a large foundation right under the floor. The main display is 1570g. The main sump is a 220g tank, the refugium is going to be a 75. I also plan to have 2 frag tanks attached to the display system each 125s and then 2 seperate qt 220s. All the glass for the tanks is around 15k. The tanks are going to be built in the house. Also main tank is 3/4 glass, a popular company told me they use that size for all of their larger tanks. However there is going to be a 5 inch euro brace on the tank. Also due to the ceiling height aquascape is going to be done before front glass goes on. Filtration lights and heater are going to be 25k. I will add all of that equipment soon. Also I plan to do this build I already looked at all of the possible negatives and my parents don't really care as long as it's engineered right with all the shut offs and flood prevention equipment. Honestly if you have a comment on some advice on how to do this I would appreciate it but I really don't need discouragement, yet negative feedback with possible corrections is always welcome. Thanks for your help on this. (Hopefully this opens as a build thread).

 

[Subsea]

Whenever you move out of your parents home, what happens to 2000G system.

I am a marine engineer and I built a 10KG propagation system in a greenhouse. Send me your schematics & drawings of your system and I will evaluate them for you.

 

[buruskeee]

Why would you want a 5ft tall tank that’s only 7ft long? I think you would relieve tons of headaches by just making it a more manageable 3ft tall. It would look better IMO too.

 

[Jayden K]

Whenever you move out of your parents home, what happens to 2000G system.

I am a marine engineer and I built a 10KG propagation system in a greenhouse. Send me your schematics & drawings of your system and I will evaluate them for you.

My brothers are going to take care of it. They know how to take care of the tank, but i want it to be mostly automated. I'll pm you the drawings when I get home from school.

 

[Jayden K]

Why would you want a 5ft tall tank that’s only 7ft long? I think you would relieve tons of headaches by just making it a more manageable 3ft tall. It would look better IMO too.

I like the way polo reef looks, I think there's no tank that looks like a slice of the reef like that tank. Its also really easy to get acros at the surface, yet I can still have softies at the bottom. Not a big fan of lps. But sps at the top and softies at the bottom so there's barely any need for light at the bottom. It's a big tank, I can always put on my wetsuit.

 

[Subsea]

I like the way polo reef looks, I think there's no tank that looks like a slice of the reef like that tank. It’s also really easy to get acros at the surface, yet I can still have softies at the bottom. Not a big fan of lps. But sps at the top and softies at the bottom so there's barely any need for light at the bottom. It's a big tank, I can always put on my wetsuit.

“It's a big tank, I can always put on my wetsuit.”°

Cute comment, but not practical.

In first reading your construction post, did I understand that you will do aquascaping on bottom before installing front panel. In the future, do you have enough clearance on top to perform routine maintenance on the bottom or more likely, during the life of the tank is it easy to get access to tank interior to do maintenance.

“Also due to the ceiling height aquascape is going to be done before front glass goes on.”

 

[Subsea]

My brothers are going to take care of it. They know how to take care of the tank, but i want it to be mostly automated. I'll pm you the drawings when I get home from school.

How long are your brothers going to live at your parents home.

No matter the amount of automation, it will be a never ending project. Is that what your parents want in their home when all children have moved out.

 

[Jayden K]

“It's a big tank, I can always put on my wetsuit.”°

Cute comment, but not practical.

In first reading your construction post, did I understand that you will do aquascaping on bottom before installing front panel. In the future, do you have enough clearance on top to perform routine maintenance on the bottom or more likely, during the life of the tank is it easy to get access to tank interior to do maintenance.

“Also due to the ceiling height aquascape is going to be done before front glass goes on.”

The reason that the tank is going to be aquascaped before the glass comes on is because its way easier to scape everything in the tank than above it, also less likely to damage something. Also just a side comment/question, I'm planning to put egg creates on the bottom to distribute the rock weight on the bottom pannel. What maintenance would need to be done? Just corals and cleaning the glass, water changes done through the sump.

 

[Subsea]

I think your vision may be short sighted. Tunnel vision.

It’s your dream, do what you want, but it’s your parents home.

 

[Troylee]

The reason that the tank is going to be aquascaped before the glass comes on is because its way easier to scape everything in the tank than above it, also less likely to damage something. Also just a side comment/question, I'm planning to put egg creates on the bottom to distribute the rock weight on the bottom pannel. What maintenance would need to be done? Just corals and cleaning the glass, water changes done through the sump.

Lots and lots of Maintence! Have you ever owned a reef tank? It’s not that easy lol…

 

[Cheese Griller]

The reason that the tank is going to be aquascaped before the glass comes on is because its way easier to scape everything in the tank than above it, also less likely to damage something. Also just a side comment/question, I'm planning to put egg creates on the bottom to distribute the rock weight on the bottom pannel. What maintenance would need to be done? Just corals and cleaning the glass, water changes done through the sump.

Even though you're planning on automating the system, that doesn't make it completely hands-off. You mentioned polo reef as an inspiration, any look at their social media reveals how hands-on running a tank of that size is (Yours will be smaller, but the point still stands). There is constant upkeep on all the automated systems, monitoring of fish and coral health, and improvements to equipment that need to be managed. Your parents may not care now, but they will when this system torrents extreme amounts of electricity, or one of the automated systems fails, your tank crashes and now you have hundreds of dead coral pieces and fish in their basement.

This isn't meant to discourage, but more so to be a reality check. If you want a larger system, get a 300 gallon tank for the remaining time you're living at your parents, invest the rest of the upfront cost so that you can have your dream system when you have your own long-term living situation.

 

[JTP424]

It's going to be a solid daunting task. A good challenge for someone who likes to push themselves.
We do always say bigger is better on this site. My question is how is the 150 you have up going? Continue to work on your plan for this large tank, but use the 150 to hone your craft.

 

[Jamie814]

How does a college bound high school student have 40K to start this along with another 20K+ for livestock and an easy 6K annually just for Maintenace on a system this size?

I hope you are not taking out student loans for school and spending you hard earned money on the tank instead. Just asking

 

[Subsea]

@jayden kolonne[/USER

As a Marine Engineer and a Subsea Engineer in deepwater drilling on well control instrumentation, I know automation quite well. As a reef hobbiest of 55 years, I also know how ecosystems work.

AI is not as smart as you think it is.

I believe in Intelligent Design that is built into the DNA code. Coral Holibionts are more intelligent than AI.

I suggest you run your 150G tank for a little longer before you get into DEEP WATER.

PS: Next year, when you go off to college, bring a nano tank to your dorm.

In 1970, I wanted to be Jacque Cousteau when I returned home from 4 years military duty. Yet, I went to Texas Maritime Academy for Marine Engineering.

Where are you considering university and what major?

 

[Jayden K]

How long are your brothers going to live at your parents home.

No matter the amount of automation, it will be a never ending project. Is that what your parents want in their home when all children have moved out.

My brothers will be here for another 6 years, all the small feedings will be done with automatic feeders, all my parents need to do is feed once or twice a day and fill the feeders every 3 days. I also plan to go to a college only 2 hours away, so I will probably come home twice a month.

 

[Jayden K]

Lots and lots of Maintence! Have you ever owned a reef tank? It’s not that easy lol…

I have a 150 right now, it's doing really well, i see a new head on at least 1 of my frogspawn colonies every 3 days.

 

[Jayden K]

It's going to be a solid daunting task. A good challenge for someone who likes to push themselves.
We do always say bigger is better on this site. My question is how is the 150 you have up going? Continue to work on your plan for this large tank, but use the 150 to hone your craft.

My 150 is doing well, just bought some clover polyps this weekend. They look so cool, and I really don't do any maintaince, just feed pellets once when I get home and once right before I go to bed. Also feed frozen clam/shrimp every 2 days + plankton or mysis everyday. Also algea which i haven't seen the tangs eat once but I see pods all over it. I also don't know if TOO much pods can be a problem but if it is i have it, there are SO many pods all over the glass and in the water column. I really do think that the fish distributor was the problem since I have had only 1 fish die, which was the clownfish, but everything else is fine. I also really am having a hard time understanding what will be hard after the tank is set up.

 

[Jayden K]

How does a college bound high school student have 40K to start this along with another 20K+ for livestock and an easy 6K annually just for Maintenace on a system this size?

I hope you are not taking out student loans for school and spending you hard earned money on the tank instead. Just asking

I am not using student loans for college, my dad saved up money since I was born for all 3 of us (me and 2 brothers). The fish tank money is weird story but don't really worry about it. I also have plenty of my own hard earned cash saved in s&p 500 for later down the road.

 

[Jayden K]

@jayden kolonne[/USER

As a Marine Engineer and a Subsea Engineer in deepwater drilling on well control instrumentation, I know automation quite well. As a reef hobbiest of 55 years, I also know how ecosystems work.

AI is not as smart as you think it is.

I believe in Intelligent Design that is built into the DNA code. Coral Holibionts are more intelligent than AI.

I suggest you run your 150G tank for a little longer before you get into DEEP WATER.

PS: Next year, when you go off to college, bring a nano tank to your dorm.

In 1970, I wanted to be Jacque Cousteau when I returned home from 4 years military duty. Yet, I went to Texas Maritime Academy for Marine Engineering.

Where are you considering university and what major?

Thank you for your service, what branch? Assuming navy. The college I applied to allow for 29 gallon fish tank or less, so I am planning to do a small freshwater and small saltwater tank split down the middle. I love both so I can't choose. I'll dm you the college I applied to but I applied as an electrical engineer and economics degree, it's a management and technology program for 4 year. And you get 2 degrees. Also just a hint is this college is ranked one of the top for business and finance, and anything money related.

 

[mizimmer90]

Can I ask why you want to spend 10's of thousands of dollars and countless hours setting something up in a home you'll only visit a few times a year?

I love this hobby and can understand an urge to go big, but wouldn't you want to make use of your investment?