Bought Jakes Reef Builders 400G Closed Loop System

[TrottingReef]

I live in the Denver Metro and a few weeks ago I saw a post on the Marine Aquarium Society of Colorado FB group from Rob the managing director at Reef Builders that they were holding a "Moving Sale". They are closing The Studio in Golden. They were offering a bunch of equipment and live stock for sale as well as Jakes 400G Closed Loop system. I drove over to the studio and I bought the Christmas Tree Worm rocks they had. At the time that was all I had room for in my systems. I was already planning on buying a 300-400g system in the next year and so I messaged Rob back and asked how much they wanted for the tank and then I drove back to the Studio talked to Rob and we agreed on a price for the 400G tank, stand and pumps for the closed loop as well as lots of live rock. So this upcoming Saturday the Reef Builders 400G Closed Loop gets moved to my house.

I have a deep appreciation and love of Reef Builders. They first article I read about starting a Reef tank was a Reef Builders article. I learned so much from Jake and the staff and Reef Builders. I like everyone was greatly saddened by the loss of Jake and I would like to honor his vision for the tank so I will work to keep it as a SPS dominated hardline reef tank. This is going to be a challenge as I do not have a lot of SPS experience. Only softies and some LPS.

Tank Details

Manufacture: Planet Aquariums
Model: Tideline Crystaline
Size: 375G 96x30x30
Sump: Came with 60B but replacing with my IceCap ReefSump 48XL G1
Return Pump: Echotech Vectra L2
Flow Pumps: 2 x Echotech Vectra L2
Protein Skimmer: IceCap K3 250 OVP
Filtration: 1 Micron 20"x4.5" RODI style whole house water filter
UV: Jaebo STU-75 75w Stainless Steel UV Sterlizer
Lighting: 3x Nicrew HyperReef 150W (going to add more lights just what I have now)

Reef Builders stories I found on this tank

Beginning to Build a Massive Closed Loop [Video] | Reef Builders | The Reef and Saltwater Aquarium Blog

before propeller pumps took over how we generate water movement in our reef tanks, the most cutting edge way to do this, especially in large tanks, was closed loops. Still used on some of the largest…

reefbuilders.com

Building a Massive Closed Loop for the 400 Gallon Hardline Reef | Reef Builders | The Reef and Saltwater Aquarium Blog

There once was a time that every serious large reef tank was on track to become outfitted with a closed loop for providing water flow throughout the aquarium. Right before any kind of propeller pump…

reefbuilders.com

The Quest for Ludicrous Aquarium Water Flow | Reef Builders | The Reef and Saltwater Aquarium Blog

My path in the larger reef aquarium world began with college studies of the interaction between light and water flow, culminating in a water movement pattern that I introduced as ‘Gyre Flow’.

reefbuilders.com

Our Acropora Dominated Reef Tank Has Begun | Reef Builders | The Reef and Saltwater Aquarium Blog

The company mission of Reef Builders is all in the name – we like to build reef aquariums and will go to every length possible to learn and discover the best methods and the most progressive equipment…

reefbuilders.com

 

[TrottingReef]

Yesterday I went to the studio to review how the plumbing is all setup and get it documented before the movers show up this weekend and Rob mentioned I might as well grab the live rock and take it with me now. So I loaded up the live rock took it home and laid it out with some really nice dragon stone I have. Did a video. Really great rock.

 

[Featherweight]

Wow, that's an amazing project!

 

[TrottingReef]

I have been so excited for the last 2 weeks. But its so hard to. Each time I have gone to the studio seeing less and less gear in there has been hard and going yesterday was the worst. The space is now like 85% empty its just heart breaking. And talking to Rob about the old systems and stores from when Jake was a kid in high school. Man its been a real experience. Jake never really got this tank running before he died. Well it was running just never thriving with coral. And after he passed the tank never got the love it should have but I think it was out of respect for Jake that it was ignored. But even he was intimidated by that tank.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Following along!

 

[samcob]

This is going to be very interesting. Keep following. What a great project.

 

[Troylee]

That’s enough rock for polo reef! . Great variety thou and looking forward to your build!

 

[ZachariahBeanzz]

Following!

 

[TrottingReef]

That’s enough rock for polo reef! . Great variety thou and looking forward to your build!

Soo much rock. For sure it won't all fit in the 400. I already had extra rock. But will for sure be able to design one heck of a scape.

 

[TrottingReef]

My first real challenge is going to be figuring out how I can have a sandbed with extreme flow. Want to be able to have some sand sleepers. I was thinking to use crushed coral for the majority of the tank but find a way to setup a section of fine sand, just don't know how to do this. Was thinking maybe a 3" tall wall inside then setup rock all along that and put sand inside that wall and crushed coral outside of it. I am thinking I need to raise the eductors as well. Need to get them a lot higher with sand....

Thoughts?

I am going to take time to get the design of this tank right so I am expecting it to take me a few months to figure this stuff out but this seems like my biggest obstacle currently.

 

[alindell]

Nice I'm in the springs and saw the same post. I was gonna take a look. I wanted to tour that place before it shut down. Keep posting content. If you ever want to trade or looking to buy any SPS I have many things I'm growing out. Currently have a 625 red sea an 80 gal current USA and a frag system. I'm focusing on acro/ sps and euphyllia. I'm one of the few guys down in the springs that actually has some higher end stuff

 

[alindell]

My first real challenge is going to be figuring out how I can have a sandbed with extreme flow. Want to be able to have some sand sleepers. I was thinking to use crushed coral for the majority of the tank but find a way to setup a section of fine sand, just don't know how to do this. Was thinking maybe a 3" tall wall inside then setup rock all along that and put sand inside that wall and crushed coral outside of it. I am thinking I need to raise the eductors as well. Need to get them a lot higher with sand....

Thoughts?

I am going to take time to get the design of this tank right so I am expecting it to take me a few months to figure this stuff out but this seems like my biggest obstacle currently.

Also if you need any advice on building and set up for equipment, I have 15 years of reefing. As far as sand sleepers I'm assuming you mean wrasse. What I did was add a tall acrylic panel caddy corner on one side of 2 of my tanks. Wrasse need at least 3 to 4 inches of sand and they will kick it up when they burrow, so the tall panel helps block the sand from getting all over the tank. I've now kept successfully leopard, melanarus and coris all healthy and big sleeping in the sand bed at night. I don't like having a massive sand bed for reasons you brought up. It blows around too much and collects too much detritus so you need to clean it. I'm lazy so no sandbed and the wrasse stir up their little section of sand but it's contained.

 

[Troylee]

My first real challenge is going to be figuring out how I can have a sandbed with extreme flow. Want to be able to have some sand sleepers. I was thinking to use crushed coral for the majority of the tank but find a way to setup a section of fine sand, just don't know how to do this. Was thinking maybe a 3" tall wall inside then setup rock all along that and put sand inside that wall and crushed coral outside of it. I am thinking I need to raise the eductors as well. Need to get them a lot higher with sand....

Thoughts?

I am going to take time to get the design of this tank right so I am expecting it to take me a few months to figure this stuff out but this seems like my biggest obstacle currently.

Back when I was running closed loops on my tanks I just put strainers on the inlets and the outlets I used a tall piece of pvc with tons of holes drilled in it and a cap on the top that removed for cleaning if needed.. I put rocks around them all so nothing was visible and rocked on! We didn’t have the fancy dc pumps with modes so that would work really well!

 

[TrottingReef]

Nice I'm in the springs and saw the same post. I was gonna take a look. I wanted to tour that place before it shut down. Keep posting content. If you ever want to trade or looking to buy any SPS I have many things I'm growing out. Currently have a 625 red sea an 80 gal current USA and a frag system. I'm focusing on acro/ sps and euphyllia. I'm one of the few guys down in the springs that actually has some higher end stuff

Always nice to get to know other local reefers. Yeah I only saw the studio in its glory once outside of videos at one years Reef Stock event they had the studio open.

Back when I was running closed loops on my tanks I just put strainers on the inlets and the outlets I used a tall piece of pvc with tons of holes drilled in it and a cap on the top that removed for cleaning if needed.. I put rocks around them all so nothing was visible and rocked on! We didn’t have the fancy dc pumps with modes so that would work really well!

Yeah Jake had a strainer baskets covering the inlets. I was looking into these feet valve to replace the baskets. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Water-Source-1-1-2-in-Plastic-Foot-Valve-PFV150/203449573

 

[Salem-Novel Aquatics]

Following - glad it's going to a good home

 

[TrottingReef]

So doing more research on the substrate sand and looks like Tropic Eden Mesoflakes or Reefflakes will be the best option to have a few sand sleepers but not have sand blowing around in the water column.

 

[areefer01]

My first real challenge is going to be figuring out how I can have a sandbed with extreme flow. Want to be able to have some sand sleepers. I was thinking to use crushed coral for the majority of the tank but find a way to setup a section of fine sand, just don't know how to do this. Was thinking maybe a 3" tall wall inside then setup rock all along that and put sand inside that wall and crushed coral outside of it. I am thinking I need to raise the eductors as well. Need to get them a lot higher with sand....

Thoughts?

I am going to take time to get the design of this tank right so I am expecting it to take me a few months to figure this stuff out but this seems like my biggest obstacle currently.

The plumbing looks like it is threaded. Remove it and put 45's. Anything that is using PVC glue remove it as you will need to be able to remove for maintenance. I would anyway.

You are going to need a powerful pump to make use of those educators. I believe they are using Ecotech Vectra's which should be fine. Personally speaking, and knowing how that tank is plumbed, I would remove the pumps, place them on the ground, and add in some Ocean Motions 4 way sealed drums. Rocks to cover both educators and intake. Intake I would splurge, reach out to Abyzz, and get their titanium guards. Again you can place rock around it.

Tanks of this size it goes without saying that life support takes more of the budget than anything else. In both my opinion and experience.

 

[TrottingReef]

The system comes with the Vectra L2s that Jake used originally. The bulkheads for the closed loop are threaded.

 

[legate_gigas]

Hey from Brighton. I’m just north of Denver metro. Good luck on your build and I’m following along.

 

[TrottingReef]

Hey from Brighton. I’m just north of Denver metro. Good luck on your build and I’m following along.

Howdy from Arvada!