Dan's 220 Gallon build with extras

[Sharkbait5603]

Hi everyone, Welcome to my build thread. I have some plans set solid and a lot left up in the air. I still have a lot of cleanup work for the area the tank is going in and expect to have the tank up and running mid early to mid January (after all of the in-law holiday visits are done with). I am upgrading a 75 gallon with very little coral to a Marineland 220. the tank is drilled with corner overflows. I am starting off with an Eshopps advanced 300 sump and S-300 snow cone skimmer. I have a fluval ultra bright LED light. To start, this will span 2/3 of the tank and I will be buying a reef ready LED light for the other 1/3 of the tank. Eventually the fluval strip light will be replaced with more reef ready lights. I will start with 3 koralia powerheads but plan on eventually going with ecotech vortechs. After the tank is set up and running with a base of new dry live rock, I will be transferring all of the existing live rock, coral, fish and inverts to the new tank. Once the tank settles in and everything is running smoothly, I will be adding a larger 55 gallon above tank height refugium(the high height will have a purpose). I will have a pump in the sump pump up to the fuge and for now a overflow return to the sump. over time, I will add dosers or reactors, ATO, ect... the extras with will be plumbed into the system: A few clownfish breeding tanks, a frag tank, and a seahorse/pipe fish tank. The seahorse/pipe fish tank I am going to make myself out of acrylic. it will be positioned next to the 220 and made to match the height and depth. this tank will be fed by the overflow of the fuge and then overflow back to the sump. Also, before all of the extras get plumbed in, I realize I will need more overflow capacity in case of a power failure. I will be plumbing a horse trough style sump. There will also be a stand alone quarantine tank and a few stand alone clown fish fry grow-out tanks if the breeding is successful.

all system info:
220 gallon DT 72 x 24 x 30
40 gallon sump
55 gallon fuge will actually hold closer to 45 gallons

future additions to system
seahorse tank 75 gallons 24 x 24 x 30H
frag tank probably a 30 long
breeding tanks size tbd 40-50 gallons total
future sump 150 gallon
Total system volume 550-600 gallons

Tank stocking:
corals and seahorses/pipe fish species are TBD.

current fish list in my 75
1 Desjardini sailfin tang
1 Foxface
1 Green Mandarin
6 Green chromis
1 purple firefish
1 ocellaris clown
1 Carpenter's flasher wrasse

220 wishlist
1 Naso tang
1 Copperband butterfly
1 Bluespot jawfish
6 Anthias exact species TBD
1 Blue tang
1 Yellow tang
1 more purple firefish

These last 2 fish will be opportunistic pickups. I will wait until i see one i like that is healthy and eating at a LFS before I get one.
1 Regal angelfish (yes i know it might pick at some coral but I will limit my coral selection so I can have this fish and hey i might get lucky)
1 Achilles tang

75 gallon invert list
variety of snails and hermits
1 green brittle start
1 serpent star
1 shortspine urchin
cabbage leather coral
mushrooms
feather dusters


I may have forgotten a few details so please forgive me. any and all feedback, criticism or advice is welcomed. Pics of existing tank will be posted tonight or tomorrow. This is gonna be a long one but it should be worth it when it's all done (fyi, i'm never done. I have a secret addition I want to add to this system but I will not tell anyone what it is until I commit myself to doing it.)

 

[143MPCo]

Wow, sounds like a excellent build, welcome!

 

[Sharkbait5603]

 

[Sharkbait5603]

 

[SantaMonicaHelp]

Did I saw a MANDARIN?? I love your tank more now Also, I would love to see your seahorses and pipefish tank in the future!!

-Y

 

[Sharkbait5603]

Stand and tank in, tank shimmed, plumbing done and tested. the tank is filling with RO water now. should be full sunday morning.

 

[Sharkbait5603]

I also added a fish. My preferred LFS got this fish in and i watched it for 10 days. very healthy and active. picking at the sand and rocks but wouldn't eat frozen food. I decided to get him knowing the 220 is coming and he was better off in my established tank with live rock and sponge and pods than the empty store tank. I have now had him for 2 weeks and he has started eating sea veggies and flakes. he is still skeptical of frozen food but grabs a piece here and there. He has fattened up a little and was the new boss of the tank from day one. here he is.