My Dream Tank - 650 Gallons!

McPuff

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Might consider titanium Finnex heating elements run off a controller. For my 300 I've got an 800w and 500w. 300w heaters seem pretty small for your tank... you'd need about 8 of them. :0)
 
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Feet4Fish

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Might consider titanium Finnex heating elements run off a controller. For my 300 I've got an 800w and 500w. 300w heaters seem pretty small for your tank... you'd need about 8 of them. :0)

Thanks will look into them. Over last 8 years or so always fell back to jagers. The 300 max thing is kind of a pain in this situation! Will check out the Finnex!
 
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Got my return loop done tonight! Had to do a little pipe bending as I was trying to work with some holes already in place. I am using a reverse check valve ala Marc Levinson. The loop comes off a 1 1/2 inch return and splits into 2 1 inch paths.
 
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Giving it some thought I think I will install a gate valve right after the Tee fitting on the back side. That way if I later determine that flow is too strong on the back outlets versus the front I can apply some back pressure.
 
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Wow! Need updates haha

Not too much to update on.....6 kiddos tie up a lot of money and free time. What I can do is provide an updated plan for the system. Water will drain down the Bean animal style over flow with 2” primary, trickle and emergency drains. Water will drain down approximately 12 feet and over about 22 feet into my basement. There is a 100 gallon custom sump that essentially will function as a large mechAnical filter. Also there are two hundred gallon Rubbermaid stock tanks. In the basement it will be filtered and heated. Mechanical Filtration in the sump will be provided sequentially layered sheets 100 and 50 microns. Water will the flow through multiple larger marine pure blocks (8) in an active filtration manner. Last bit of mechanical Filtration will be provided by an ETSS Gemini 1500 downdraft skimmer that is powered by a Iwalki RTL 100. The sump is designed that I can also Install filter socks down stream if I want to filter down to 20,10,5 microns for parasite management.

The two Rubbermaid’s will be used as true Jaubert style plenums set up remotely. Flow will be maintained to about 50 gph and the units will be stacked and gravity drain down to fairy chamber of sump.

Also I am constructing a DIY ATS. I was going to go with a commercial unit rated for about 800 gallons but this proved far to difficult and absurdly expensive (as most things in this hobby are) for what it is.

One small component will be a 55 gallon tank plumbed in line that will be used to grow a few different leafy macros to provide a fresh and sustainable food for the tangs in the system.

Multiple bodies of water down in the basement can be used for grow out of fishy time out if needed.

Currently have a few fish in an acclimation tank simply because needed some fish to take care of and couldn’t wait any longer. I like to run a DE filter in this tank as oppose to widespread prophylactic medications for disease although I do have medications and protocols set up when needed.

Water returns from the sump with a reeflo tiger shark pump and a plumbed in dolphin back up pump. This water is returned through the return manifold. Further in ya k flow is provided by two Maxsoect Gyre 250s mounted vertical on the sides of the overflow box to hide them. Also a closed loop is set up in the bottom of the tank to move that water as well. That closed loop is powered by an Iwaki RTL 70.

I think that about covers it! Will post more as it happens!

On other recent purchase is a Sochting Oxydator W that will live in the sump.
 

Darsh

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Wow it's really huge, how many gallons total?
I like the idea of plenums and was considering one before, but my tank will be nothing compared to yours, a measly 25g haha.
If you're doing plenums to keep low nitrates and/or limit water changes you should check out the sticky thread in the DIY forum about the poor man's nitrate control. It's looks like a really cheap low maintenance way to keep those nitrates away :)
Good luck!!
 
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Display 550 ish gallons if consider functioning water height, sand and anticipated rock volume. Basement about another 300 gallons water volume. Currently have 300 pounds or so of rock curing since mid February.

Very familiar with poor mans nitrate destroyer and will keep the idea in my back pocket if ever needed.

The power of natural dentrification provided by a plenum is astounding. As I have the space in my basement it is the way I want to go for its Filtration abilities and the extra water volume.

Sometime plenum get a bad rap, but when you dig deeper you see mistakes. Sand bed depth not right. Plenum space not right. Air lift tube to plenum space. Wrong sand grain size or too much/not enough maintenance to sand bed.
 

Darsh

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Display 550 ish gallons if consider functioning water height, sand and anticipated rock volume. Basement about another 300 gallons water volume. Currently have 300 pounds or so of rock curing since mid February.

Very familiar with poor mans nitrate destroyer and will keep the idea in my back pocket if ever needed.

The power of natural dentrification provided by a plenum is astounding. As I have the space in my basement it is the way I want to go for its Filtration abilities and the extra water volume.

Sometime plenum get a bad rap, but when you dig deeper you see mistakes. Sand bed depth not right. Plenum space not right. Air lift tube to plenum space. Wrong sand grain size or too much/not enough maintenance to sand bed.

I just realised that I found your build thread because I saw you commenting on Donovan's nitrate destroyer thread haha.
To be honest I gave up on the plenum idea because I didn't fully understand the air lift tube properly, but yes the results speak for themselves :)
 

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I wouldnt feel bad about taking forever. I'm in a similar boat. I've been sitting on a 400 for a year now lol. There is just so much to do with a large tank.

Out of curiosity when you cleaned up the acrylic how did you go about it? I've been starting at 400 grit for deep scratches and working my way up to 12k grit. I've been using an orbital sander starting at 800 grit on up. And plan on using mequires plastics to buff.
 
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I wouldnt feel bad about taking forever. I'm in a similar boat. I've been sitting on a 400 for a year now lol. There is just so much to do with a large tank.

Out of curiosity when you cleaned up the acrylic how did you go about it? I've been starting at 400 grit for deep scratches and working my way up to 12k grit. I've been using an orbital sander starting at 800 grit on up. And plan on using mequires plastics to buff.

I am sure the McGuire’s wild work. Like you I went the sand paper route but then finished off with steps 3 and 2 Novus. Would love to see how yours turns out. Maybe take some before and after mesquires shots?
 

vetteguy53081

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I must be determined and then some. Got my 660on 4/27 and up and running. That’s a score you got on tank,etc.
Hiw is your project coming along?
 

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Hey there... Any updates? Anything new and different?
 
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Feet4Fish

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Have finished the sump. Next week will be cleaning out the basement of my current set up to get everything configured for this one. Then will get the basement plumbed out. Should have water in it in about 4-6 weeks. Will throw up some pictures of the progress over the weekend.
 

Mastering the art of locking and unlocking water pathways: What type of valves do you have on your aquarium plumbing?

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