310 GALLON BUILD

Jrod381

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Hello all I have been in the hobby for about a year now and like all I got hooked fast especially once I got through some tough times and saw progress starting to be made.

Right now I am in the planning stages for custom aquarium which will be acrylic made by acrylic habitats dimensions of 96”x30”x30”. It might change to 96”x36”x30 but not sure yet based on placement. Wife and I will start this build in a year or maybe sooner. We are still trying to decide if It will be a in wall tank and making one of the rooms off the tank a fish room or just a display tank in the family room with space pending, that’s the reason for the two different size tanks. Right now I am slowly gathering all the supplies that will be needed, and definitely waiting for Black Friday to purchase the bulk of the equipment hoping for some good deals. Tank will start as a Fowlr then slowly add corals liking to do mixed reef after a 8 months or so. I want tangs and wrasses wife wants a couple Angelfish so I know we have to be cautious. We also will probably do half the tank with sand and the other bare bottom to allow some encrusting corals to grow out

I live in central Florida and it gets hot. One of the key features and why I would like a fish room is to be able to have a mixing station.

For those of you in Florida if I do not do a fish room will a mixing station be ok in a garage with feeder lines for ato and water changes through tubing or pex pipe through the attic to the display tank?

I’m concerned with the heat in Florida with the garage sometimes reaching in the high 90’s

Another question is we run central AC all year would I have to make any changes to the bedroom that would convert to a fish room due to moisture or salt?
 

Flippers4pups

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The heat in the garage could be a issue. Possible to run a chiller on the system.
 
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Jrod381

Jrod381

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To update I do have a couple quotes on custom tanks, but I’m stuck trying to decide if I should do a 6 foot or 8foot tank. It will most likely stay at 30” wide and 30” deep. I have a quote from Glass cages and from acrylic habitat. One tank is glass and the other acrylic. I’m looking to pull the trigger in beginning or middle of December it’s a tough decision to make
 
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thewackyreefer

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One thing to consider is whether or not you'll be able to reach to the bottom in the back in the middle of the tank, if you feel you need to. If you go to 36" that will make it a bit more challenging.
 

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I am in the middle of downsizing from a 375g peninsula style which was 84x42x27. The 27" height was tough to reach. I am also going with glass this time. I hated the scratches on my acrylic tank. I will go longer so you can keep some of the more larger tangs.
 
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Jrod381

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So I just decided to look again and realize that glass cages.com has a 96”x30”x24” tank 300 gal at a very good price. When I include the stand and all low iron glass panels total before shipping is not to bad at $3100 including overflow covers, bulk heads etc.. that’s a heck of a price compared to the other quotes I have received. How good is glass cages and does anyone have experience with them? I would hate to pinch pennies and then experience a tank blowout. I will most likely purchase the sump from leviathan
 
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Never used GC before but thought about it a couple times. You can always give a few other shops a chance to bid and pick. That is what I did and ended up going with Concept Aquariums out of Calgary, Ca. Great price and shipping was reasonable. I also had them do the stand out of steel since it was a great deal. I was going with my own but comparing lumber to their price done. 210 gallon here.
 
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Jrod381

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Yea I just did some research and I’m seeing mixed reviews on Glass cages, I did look at planet but they are pricey. But I am a firm believer you get what you pay for. I would hate to pinch pennies and end up with a crappy tank. I am actualy going to go to WWC sometime this week and see if they recommend anyone. I’m sure they will recommend acrylic habitat since that is the company that made their sumps and fish systems but we shall see I appreciate everyone’s feed back. For now I guess I will just keep alert for some Black Friday deals on equipment for the new build.
 
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Jrod381

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What would everyone recommend I do as far as a return pump thinking of going Ecotech L2. Should I get one or two units if I plan on adding a manifold?
 
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Jrod381

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Update to my build. With the advice from @WWC i pulled the trigger today and purchased an early Xmas present for myself. 310 gal tank made by Planet Aquariums. 96”x30”x25” of awesomeness should be here sometime within the next couple of months. Also going with the TideLine 48 as my sump.
 
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Jrod381

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Welp first piece of equipment arrives corallife 36w UV. Trying to decide which return pumps to go with as there are mixed reviews on everything. Thinking of two pumps for the return as I will be running a manifold for the reactors and uv plus any other equipment I decide to add. I was looking at the Ecotech L1 and L2 but was told the L1 have lots of issues. Looked at Jebao as well but also has mixed reviews but for the price I can buy the two and extra as a backup. Hmmm decisions decisions
 

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You will love the 310 from Planet, I am. I run a M1 revised at about 70%. My first M1 only lasted less than a year and its replacement was so much stronger, and is working flawlessly. I would run two M2's before one L2, just in case something goes wrong you still have one. I keep a Pan World 50PXX as a backup to my M1.
 
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Jrod381

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You will love the 310 from Planet, I am. I run a M1 revised at about 70%. My first M1 only lasted less than a year and its replacement was so much stronger, and is working flawlessly. I would run two M2's before one L2, just in case something goes wrong you still have one. I keep a Pan World 50PXX as a backup to my M1.

Do you recommend running two pumps if I’m going to be adding a manifold?
 

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I have never ran a manifold so I can't answer that one. I like keeping my return pump separate and only use as a return pump.
 
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Jrod381

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While try to decide which pumps to go with I did a little shopping 140# life rock mixed with some shapes and 180# of special grade sand. More on the way should total 300# of sand. A couple boxes scheduled to arrive of more life rock and may add some arches this aqua scape is going to be epic

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Jrod381

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Preliminary aquascape would like to add a life rock arch highlighted with the blue. That would be the highest peak in the tank. The highest is where it is highlighted in blue on the right where the arch ends is a small branch rock and that’s @15” the tank is 25” deep I figure an arch can get it to about 20-21”. The small individual rocks in the corners are for galaxea, lepto etc... What are everyone’s thoughts? I am open for feedback

82BB604B-49A3-4FCB-A788-353D74D72BB8.jpeg E2C06E77-B737-41FA-8B90-F1858F8E587C.jpeg 360E1FD4-2841-4453-9993-A585A20C3557.jpeg B688A5E2-BC68-498C-8FAA-27306D8D1D84.jpeg
 
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Jrod381

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Played around with some more ideas more of a back to front aquascape with the highest points at 21” two islands and thinking in the center something kind of like a horseshoe shape for a mini lagoon and adding an arch over the top to connect to one of the islands. Definitely going to have to order more rock I think another 40#’s will do and purchase one or real reef shelf pieces for an overhang towards the back of both islands aiming towards the center

6BEE8A5B-FB9B-4A61-8F70-16E5B1B514B6.jpeg F560CFF1-1F3A-4F72-8207-7B8A08530E4F.jpeg
 

A worm with high fashion and practical utility: Have you ever kept feather dusters in your reef aquarium?

  • I currently have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 64 36.8%
  • Not currently, but I have had feather dusters in my tank in the past.

    Votes: 59 33.9%
  • I have not had feather dusters, but I hope to in the future.

    Votes: 25 14.4%
  • I have no plans to have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 26 14.9%
  • Other.

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