preview of 800 g tank in 3 rooms

hatfielj · Jun 2, 2019

I agree with the heavy moving blankets and I would also build a plywood box around it too. We had an antique clawfoot tub on site during construction at our house and someone dropped a hammer on it from the floor above and ruined it. It's so easy to break stuff like this on a job site

Jimbo662 · Jun 2, 2019

That's going to be an amazing set up.

Siggy in CR · Jun 2, 2019

With as much as the tank is worth, I'd honestly wrap the thing in something a bit more substantial, like 1/4" plywood over a moving blanket. If you're worried about stray nails from a nailer that would be a bare minimum to reliably stop one.

crusso1993 · Jun 28, 2019

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

Cment · Jul 27, 2019

Bump! How about an update!

FishTruck · Aug 10, 2019

We are working on rocks. These are dry rocks from real reef, carib sea, and cheap stuff from amazon. I have stained them with purple wash made from simple acrylic paint and toned down with misted krylon fusion camo - after deciding that the factory painted rocks, while fantastic, are over-priced.

We smashed the rocks with a hammer, then, formed the shapes we wanted using pond foam and marco cement. Some of the arms have acrylic tubes drilled in for strength. These are very HEAVY and very stable, but, with mediocre porosity. The purpose is more about stable coral purchase and fish entertainment than filtration. Nothing is taller than 18 inches to allow for coral growth. There are multiple cantilevered arms to maximize coral separation, flow, and fish swim through areas. Also, I can group the rocks, entangling all the "arms" which confuses the eye and makes the grouped rocks look like massive rocks where I want it. I have a couple hundred pounds of mature live rock to disperse between these structure and also place in the sump.

Why paint rocks? I have been growing coralline on glass for ten years, but, never could get dry rock to look like the good stuff that we used to pull from the ocean back in the day. So... I am cheating. Plus, my daughters and I are having fun making these. They will soak for about three months before going in my tank - which should allow the anything from the paints to leech out. I've used acrylic paint, kryon, and factory painted rocks in the past, though admittedly not this much.

Each structure sits on three legs like a lunar lander. This creates a huge upside down surface for fish to swim through and sponges to grow, they are very stable for either bare bottom or substrate, and can be moved around so that I can trial and error to create multiple negative spaces view able from three sides, for a perspective that is very different depending what room the view is in and whether standing or sitting. The plywood is 8 x 4 (about 25% shorter than the actual tank bottom), so it will be a VERY open concept once these are spread out in the new tank.

FishTruck · Aug 10, 2019

This is the dual herbie mainfold that will attach to the overflow boxes. Two 1.5 inch pipes on siphon (gate valves), a balance pipe, with one overflow and one dry pipe. They collect in a 3 inch pipe that will make it's way to the basement. I am contemplating a nipple extension to plug in a siphon to allow vacuuming the tank into the sump. But, with a 12 foot tank, this might not be practical. Plumbing took a long time on my last tank, so I am getting stuff pre plumbed where I can. This needs to handle somewhere between 3000 to 5000 gph.

dca22anderson · Aug 11, 2019

FishTruck said:
We are working on rocks. These are dry rocks from real reef, carib sea, and cheap stuff from amazon. I have stained them with purple wash made from simple acrylic paint and toned down with misted krylon fusion camo - after deciding that the factory painted rocks, while fantastic, are over-priced.

We smashed the rocks with a hammer, then, formed the shapes we wanted using pond foam and marco cement. Some of the arms have acrylic tubes drilled in for strength. These are very HEAVY and very stable, but, with mediocre porosity. The purpose is more about stable coral purchase and fish entertainment than filtration. Nothing is taller than 18 inches to allow for coral growth. There are multiple cantilevered arms to maximize coral separation, flow, and fish swim through areas. Also, I can group the rocks, entangling all the "arms" which confuses the eye and makes the grouped rocks look like massive rocks where I want it. I have a couple hundred pounds of mature live rock to disperse between these structure and also place in the sump.

Why paint rocks? I have been growing coralline on glass for ten years, but, never could get dry rock to look like the good stuff that we used to pull from the ocean back in the day. So... I am cheating. Plus, my daughters and I are having fun making these. They will soak for about three months before going in my tank - which should allow the anything from the paints to leech out. I've used acrylic paint, kryon, and factory painted rocks in the past, though admittedly not this much.

Each structure sits on three legs like a lunar lander. This creates a huge upside down surface for fish to swim through and sponges to grow, they are very stable for either bare bottom or substrate, and can be moved around so that I can trial and error to create multiple negative spaces view able from three sides, for a perspective that is very different depending what room the view is in and whether standing or sitting. The plywood is 8 x 4 (about 25% shorter than the actual tank bottom), so it will be a VERY open concept once these are spread out in the new tank.

Well done! Love what you are doing here! Bonus - get to involve the family for additional buy in and engagement!

AbdominalSnowman · Aug 11, 2019

If you're still looking for lighting, Orphek's are on sale on BRS currently. $200 off per light.

FishTruck · Aug 11, 2019

AbdominalSnowman said:
If you're still looking for lighting, Orphek's are on sale on BRS currently. $200 off per light.

Just ordered four of them. Thanks abdominalsnowman... you just saved me 800 dollars!!! Well... you and bulk reef supply.

AbdominalSnowman · Aug 11, 2019

@FishTruck No problem, I'm probably about to order 3 myself!

I'll be following your tank build!

FishTruck · Sep 21, 2019

Making 2 x 2 x 4 boxes. Two will make my sump.... two will be for growing corals.

FishTruck · Sep 24, 2019

Working on the canopy above the tank, my builder and trim carpenters are good sports. The shelf above the tank forms a vapor barrier and anchor point for gas shocks, light mounts, etc... 13 ply birch. The space above will be good for ballasts, wire runs, etc... The access closet is on the left. This view will be from the hidden library behind the tank.