300Gallon - Large Reef Build!

[KingAlee]

I have finally gotten my hands on the 300Gallon! That being said I plan on making it a mixed reef, and need some ideas! Anything helps!

 

[PPBlimpy]

very nice!!

I am also just starting a 300G. mine is 96x30x24, planning mixed reef also. Upgrading from a 125

What dimensions is your tank tank? my guess is 72x36x26?

do you already have ideas for lighting and flow? have a sump? stand?

getting the tank is the fun part, figuring out everything else is a pain.

 

[KingAlee]

very nice!!

I am also just starting a 300G. mine is 96x30x24, planning mixed reef also. Upgrading from a 125

What dimensions is your tank tank? my guess is 72x36x26?

do you already have ideas for lighting and flow? have a sump? stand?

getting the tank is the fun part, figuring out everything else is a pain.

It’s a 84”L x 36”W x 24”H, lighting I have no clue, sump is coming and flow I also have no clue lol…

 

[danreef55]

Suggest you inspect all of the seam checking for any cracking.
Hopefully everything looks great. There are so many topics that can be discussed. Specifically what type of input are you seeking?

 

[KingAlee]

How would you guys go about lighting this bad boy? Not looking to spend an arm and a leg (my other tanks just use black box lights). That being said what is the actual benefit of more expensive lights if any? Thanks!

 

[PPBlimpy]

For my 300, 30” wide, I have gone with noopsyche k7s

I purchased 4 used light for a steal and plan to mount them 12” above the water level, more toward the rear of the tank. If I can find 4 more I will run 8 total eventually.

But in the mean time I will probably pick up some eBay LED strip lights for the front half of the tank.

Same could work for yours, with the 84” length it would actually work a bit better then my 96” length. You would have less shadowing.

If you catch a sale on the noopsyche you can pick them up for $165 each. So in total $1320 plus tax for 8 lights is not bad and would have all the light you need.

 

[tbrown]

I did 3 Noops on my 135. 4 wouldn't be a ton of light. 6 could work decent, but I agree that 8 would be better.

Do them without the gooseneck and build a frame for them and mount them almost in pairs?

I'd go 10" off the back and 10" off the front, one set in the middle of the tank and then about 24"-30" each side of that. I forget what the coverage on these is but I believe it was 24"*24". 6 would leave some dark ends and possibly a few dark spots up top in between the lights.

 

[Subsea]

How many tanks do you have set up? I will,follow this thread and ask the question: what does mixed reef mean to you?

I am getting ready to turn my 120G tank into a Caribbean lagoon heavy on mixed invertebrates and ornamental seaweeds with very few fish. I like flame scallops, sea apples and sponges along with a diverse clean up crew that I label as “janitors”.

 

[KingAlee]

How many tanks do you have set up? I will,follow this thread and ask the question: what does mixed reef mean to you?

I am getting ready to turn my 120G tank into a Caribbean lagoon heavy on mixed invertebrates and ornamental seaweeds with very few fish. I like flame scallops, sea apples and sponges along with a diverse clean up crew that I label as “janitors”.

I currently am running a 125Gallon mixed reef, 75Gallon mixed, a 30Gallon AIO (my frag tank), and now the 300Gallon. A mixed reef to me is a healthy reef with a wide variety of different corals, invertebrates, and fish!

 

[KingAlee]

A small update with the plumbing!

I plumbed two closed loop systems, one for the top and one for the bottom of the tank that runs to the front which will be hidden with the rocks. Both closed loop systems are fed with 2” pipe straight from the back which will get a cover and is powered by 2 1000GPH pumps on each side of the 2” pipe (as seen in the picture).

The sump is an older wet/dry system (I was not able to get anything else sadly). It is ran from the two overflows with emergency drains within them. The returns are on either side of the 2” inlet for the closed loop system.

**I also have an extra AD600 protein skimmer brand new if anyone is interested**

 

[lubeck]

Awesome following along. Any particular reason you’re going with 2-1k per gal pumps and not something bigger?

Consider one of these.
Panta Rhei’s Hydro Tube is a next-level closed-loop pump

 

[KingAlee]

Awesome following along. Any particular reason you’re going with 2-1k per gal pumps and not something bigger?

Consider one of these.
Panta Rhei’s Hydro Tube is a next-level closed-loop pump

I ended up going with a 3200gph on the bottom half while I’m still looking for one for the top half. My two that I had on there I had one blow a seal and the other just straight up leaks sadly…

 

[KingAlee]

An update!! I have placed all rocks, I’m wanting more… but I am picking up two fish tomorrow (two of the others, my clown trigger and puffer died while in holding). Putting the bird wrasse and lion fish in.

 

[PPBlimpy]

Making great progress. its inspiring seeing your tank go up. mine is right behind it!

sorry to hear about the puffer and trigger.

the 36" depth of that tank is awesome and definitely have a ton of room! little jealous as my 300 is 30"

how much rock is that? i have about 150 lbs to transfer into mine currently. Will have to get some and ad later.

I am setting my 300 next week. working on the closed loop tonight.

 

[KingAlee]

Making great progress. its inspiring seeing your tank go u. mine is right behind it!

sorry to hear about the puffer and trigger.

the 36" depth of that tank is awesome and definitely have a ton of room! little jealous as my 300 is 30"

how much rock is that? i have about 150 lbs to transfer into mine currently. Will have to get some and ad later.

I am setting my 300 next week. working on the closed loop tonight.

The closed loop was my biggest step and hardest as I thought I had it all but nothing ever goes to plan I’m not redoing it!

About the rock I really don’t know the weights but some of those were 50 pounds give or take each!

I try to DIY most to try to keep cost down so I’m seeing where that takes me!

 

[KingAlee]

Decent update!!

Since the last post I have added multiple fish, rocks, and coral!

Livestock
Sailfin Tang
Scopus Tang
Bat Fish
Niger Trigger
Miniatus Grouper (for sale)
Bird Wrasse

Coral
Large bicolor Hammer colony (split into 3)
X2 small Zoa colonies (these where my testers)

Will be adding
A couple montipora
Large Green SPS colony (about the size of a volleyball)
neon green Kenya Tree
Some Zoa colonies

I also have finished one part of my closed loop, I’m now trying to get sea swirls to finish the top close loop system!

My ultimate plan is a mixed reef with a good amount of tangs and some smaller fish sprinkled within!!

I am looking for a larger sump for trade! I currently have a crystal trigger system CRYS30E! And will have a wet dry drip system (currently under the 300). The system I have is just too small for the tank and I would want a bigger one!

 

[PPBlimpy]

Decent update!!

Since the last post I have added multiple fish, rocks, and coral!

Livestock
Sailfin Tang
Scopus Tang
Bat Fish
Niger Trigger
Miniatus Grouper (for sale)
Bird Wrasse

Coral
Large bicolor Hammer colony (split into 3)
X2 small Zoa colonies (these where my testers)

Will be adding
A couple montipora
Large Green SPS colony (about the size of a volleyball)
neon green Kenya Tree
Some Zoa colonies

I also have finished one part of my closed loop, I’m now trying to get sea swirls to finish the top close loop system!

My ultimate plan is a mixed reef with a good amount of tangs and some smaller fish sprinkled within!!

I am looking for a larger sump for trade! I currently have a crystal trigger system CRYS30E! And will have a wet dry drip system (currently under the 300). The system I have is just too small for the tank and I would want a bigger one!

That is looking Great!!! Thank you for the update

 

[KingAlee]

As I’ve had some fish losses… I’d like to say we’ve majorly added all around!

Corals
Too many to name!

Fish
(2) “dorys”
(5) clowns
Bird wrasses
Mimic tang
Tomini tang
Sailfin tang
Scopus tang
Engineer goby
Coral beauty
Aptasia eating filefish
(2) blue damsels
(I’m sure I’m missing some!)

Next my electrical cabinet upgrade along with sump and stand finish!

 

[Rocks reef]

Wow!! That is a great build. Looking forward to seeing the progression of your tank.

 

[KingAlee]

An update to the 300!

I have finally pulled the trigger on changing the sumps (the temporary was not so temporary lol) now I I’m running a 3 tank system under the monster! I have a 40Gallon breeder with two custome tanks on each end of perpendicular. The drain pipes are both 1.5” pipes from the tank to both side tanks underneath. Both have individual shutoff valves for maintenance!

Both outside tanks are custom built with acrylic, both original had spots for filter socks but I changed the mechanical out for a filter roller and left the fuge side normal socks (might just take the out and let it freely flow).

Looking at it from the front:
On the right, we have my refugium tank (haven’t added fuge light will be doing this tomorrow) it is then connected to the breeder in the middle with an extra baffle area before return in the middle.

From the left:
This is my mechanical filtration side. That being said I have the redsea reefmat 1200 into the maxspect AD600 protein skimmer. That then runs into the 40 breeder in the middle from the left with a slightly lower section before the return.

In the middle:
The 40 breeder (was a 75 to begin with but I made a mistake on measuring everything and it didn’t fit) has two chambers on each side of the return. Both being fed from the outside tanks. In the back I have a large ATO capable of holding 15Gallons.

The return:
The return is ran by a 3200 GPH pump through a manifold, the manifold has 5 spouts on it with one being into my UV sterilizer which is the aqua ultraviolet 80watt! After running through the UV it loops back into the back end of the manifold and then to the main tank.

The closed loop:
The closed loop (blue pipes) was rerouted and made a little better. It’s ran by a 3200GPH pump on the backside which pulls from a 3” bulkhead in the middle of the back of the tank.

now the reason for all of this madness is ai simply did not plan ahead lol… I would’ve placed a normal 125Gallon (or similar size) but they could not fit!

Next addition will be fully closing in the bottom! And I think I want to upgrade my electrical cabinet again for something bigger. This took so long as I was building my trio frag tanks that are linked together in a similar fashion!

I will also be adding reactors and other stuff to control the tank as well!