450 Gallon Display Tank and Fish Room

[Oberst Hajj]

Just some more progress pictures. Plumbing the drains. My supplier had to order more unions, so I just plumbed 3 of them in straight and will install once they come in.

I wish I had the space in my fish room to have such clean lines for the plumbing! Mine had to be all crazy due to the limited space and alignment of things.

What is the back of your tank covered with? I've never seen a brown tank back before.

 

[MarkDarnell]

I wish I had the space in my fish room to have such clean lines for the plumbing! Mine had to be all crazy due to the limited space and alignment of things.

What is the back of your tank covered with? I've never seen a brown tank back before.

It must be the lighting or camera, it's definitely black. Could be dusty in that picture maybe.

 

[Oberst Hajj]

It must be the lighting or camera, it's definitely black. Could be dusty in that picture maybe.

Ah, probably the lighting.

 

[MarkDarnell]

Started filling over the weekend. 150gal so far.

Started finishing some loose ends. Use strut and clamps to secure my plumbing behind the tank. Still have a few clamps to attach to the tank frame, but it definitely holds well.

Waiting on a few parts to finish the plumbing, but otherwise it's almost done.

Probably early next week, we will start to plan the transfer of existing live rock and water to the new tank. Will add bacteria to the new tank also to be safe, but I think we will be ok.

 

[JSR]

Nice! May have missed it but why acrylic over glass.

Personally I have any acrylic tank; actually love it. Never worry about it leaking or things hitting it/cracking it. Scratch fears minimal w/ proper cleaning products. Thinking if I went with a new tank large tank Id do acrylic again.

What are your thoughts?

 

[MarkDarnell]

Nice! May have missed it but why acrylic over glass.

Personally I have any acrylic tank; actually love it. Never worry about it leaking or things hitting it/cracking it. Scratch fears minimal w/ proper cleaning products. Thinking if I went with a new tank large tank Id do acrylic again.

What are your thoughts?

This is my first acrylic tank. Have always had glass before. I have to say, so far so good, and I wouldn't go back to glass.

For this size of a tank, I wanted the peace of mind on the seams was the primary reason for acrylic selection. After that, the pricing was very similar compared to glass quotes I received. The weight would be somewhat a factor, but my tank is on concrete, so that wouldn't matter too much.

 

[JSR]

Agreed!

the fact that you can hit it with a baseball bat doesn’t hurt either.

Scratches are easy to avoid w good supplies. The hardest part to clean is the last 1-2” before the sand. If its not too late Id raise the trim up to have a “hidden” sandbed. If its too late, always clean sand last

-Plain magic erasers work wonders on acrylic inside to get film algae
-Flipper platinum scraper that you can load w credits cards is great
-Magnetic scraper -get an algae-free; just beware the size for acrylic is different than glass. takes a stronger magnet. BRS lists it as equivalent to glass but the packaging states different.

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

Agreed!

the fact that you can hit it with a baseball bat doesn’t hurt either.

Scratches are easy to avoid w good supplies. The hardest part to clean is the last 1-2” before the sand. If its not too late Id raise the trim up to have a “hidden” sandbed. If its too late, always clean sand last

-Plain magic erasers work wonders on acrylic inside to get film algae
-Flipper platinum scraper that you can load w credits cards is great
-Magnetic scraper -get an algae-free; just beware the size for acrylic is different than glass. takes a stronger magnet. BRS lists it as equivalent to glass but the packaging states different.

Great info there, thanks!

Just a question

I use the magic eraser allot around the house but I use it with plain water and after rinsing it out a few times with plain tap water, it has a bit of soap sud feel to it. I always thought there was something in the eraser, some type of chemical, the "magic".

Do you use this in the aquarium water, or is this for external use only?

 

[JSR]

Use it right in the water—-Great at getting little film algae off micro scratches. Also good for corners.

The generic is Melamine foam pads.

Seachem sells them as “algae pad”

If using Magic eraser it HAS to be original. No scents/antifungals/kitchen/etc. Search the forum—tons of experience.

Despite, I dont use them every time —just when due for a deep clean. Sometimes will slice a thin piece off and wedge between magnet cleaner.

 

[MarkDarnell]

New Update

I started filling the tank last week and put in some starter bacteria to get ahead of the tank changeover. I also installed the two extra Kessil A360X.

I picked up my plumbing parts on Friday while en route to a baseball tournament all weekend. Had a delivery come in from Saltwateraquarium.com and it was all waiting for me when I got home late Sunday. Started first thing Monday morning with the finalized plumbing behind the tank.

I also drilled the sump, installed the bulkheads and finished plumbing between the two. Drilling the sump was easy, but I measured everything about a dozen times before I started cutting. There wasn't much room for error as I wanted that portion hard piped.

Once all my glue dried and my wife got home from work, we started the change over with rocks and water. We put rocks in and created some caverns and more tunnels. I didn't have many corals at all to move as most had died from my move to this new home last November. I do however have 9 anemones (maybe 10 I quit counting lol). The dialing in of the sump overflows was easier than I thought and my water calculations were pretty close. We ended up not using all the live rock from the 220gal so I need more water, which I had 50gallons already ready.

I brought over the other 3 Kessil A360X lights and hooked everything up and went to bed.

I didn't sleep well, worried about the fish, the plumbing, my temporary hanging method for the Kessils, etc.

But I got up today and everything and everyone is fine.

 

[Oberst Hajj]

That's a big milestone, congrats on getting everything moved over.

 

[revhtree]

SWEET build! Congrats!

 

[1ocean]

Just some more progress pictures. Plumbing the drains. My supplier had to order more unions, so I just plumbed 3 of them in straight and will install once they come in.

great design, I am building my own two race track sumps and I incorporated a shut off valve at each of my two return ecotech pumps to minimize water mess when I go to clean them. Perhaps having a shut off value for each of your pumps would help reduce water mess, since even if your system is off you will have to deal with the water in the last chamber. Just my thought..

 

[MarkDarnell]

great design, I am building my own two race track sumps and I incorporated a shut off valve at each of my two return ecotech pumps to minimize water mess when I go to clean them. Perhaps having a shut off value for each of your pumps would help reduce water mess, since even if your system is off you will have to deal with the water in the last chamber. Just my thought..

I didn't have enough room for that valve, so when I need to do that, I plan on using these and hoping it doesn't spill too much water. My strainers aren't glued on, so I will just cut a small piece of pipe and stick these caps in the bulkhead.

 

[1ocean]

I didn't have enough room for that valve, so when I need to do that, I plan on using these and hoping it doesn't spill too much water. My strainers aren't glued on, so I will just cut a small piece of pipe and stick these caps in the bulkhead.

gotch...could work...maybe even just shop vac the last chamber out...and could help make cleaning the sump easy., I do that with my current 140 sump...

 

[reefpizza]

So nice! Follow

 

[mattgsa]

Amazing build, thanks for sharing

 

[SaltwaterAq]

Hey I have 4 new versa pumps here for you at my desk if you want to stop over and grab them. I just have to get you a base.

 

[1ocean]

totally been following your build. i been busy too on my 300.
these are pictures of our progress as of last week.
Started wood cabinet around the fiberglass square stand and added a drawer in the center section of the cabinet.
This week started the canopy for the 4 Gen 5 XR30s and thinking of adding 3 kessil's in between each radion.
tank is 300 (96x30x24 tall) acrylic build to my spec's
The two sumps, far left and far right i made, race track design 24x28x15 tall.
The center of cabinet has a 2 chamber refugium and a blue acrylic box i converted into a kalwassser and RODI ATO dull 7 gallon each chamber.
Check out my build thread for better pictures.
Just got (today) the last two brackets (current brand) for my lights from saltwater Aquarium.com...to build into the canopy..........thank you...for the speedy process.

 

[MarkDarnell]

Hey I have 4 new versa pumps here for you at my desk if you want to stop over and grab them. I just have to get you a base.

Awesome. I'll be in touch today