Servo's 850 gallon Upgrade

[penrosereefer]

So awesome

 

[peter blair]

Let me know when your ready to plumb this beast.

 

[Servo]

Thanks for all the positive responses!

Let me know when your ready to plumb this beast.

I will. I'm going to set up the lanthanum chloride tubs for the dry rock that is going in there. I will hopefully get it moved and placed on a stable surface on the stand soon. Once that happens, I'll need to get it plumbed. Thanks for the offer! It's been FOREVER!!!!

 

[Atif]

Servo you r going to build a huge tank God bless you.. keep it up

I want to start to get some ideas for my new tank build. I will be building a new home and in the process, I'll have the opportunity to upgrading from my 400 gallon system. I've learned a few lessons from my current tank and will be incorporating them into my new system.


The Tank dimensions are going to be 10 ft X 4 ft X 34 inches deep.


BUILD/DESIGN

I'm not sure who I will have build the tank. I wish Aquarium Obsessed was still in business *sigh*. I'll probably go local given the pending size of the tank. That leaves, AGE, Deep Sea Aquatics, Dutch Aquarium Systems and some other smaller builders. I know that there will be a couple of these vendors at MACNA, so I'll have a chance to sit down and hammer out some concepts, details and pricing.


The tank will be another in wall tank with 2 viewable sides. This is posing a bit of an issue with our architect, as the stinking fish room is killing the flow concept within the house. :headwall blue: I will have a coast to coast over flow with sectional dividers. I have been contemplating installing a wet box at the other end of the tank for hiding my 2 Tunze wave boxes and a few 6300's.


The stand will be a Steel powder coated stand with an attached hinged sectional catwalk. I will need some fancy way to access the top of the tank given the 4 foot width.


FLOW


I have no idea what I will ultimately do about flow. I hated my closed loop on my existing tank. HATE IT!!! I used a reef flow dart pump. After a couple of years, the seals went bad *as they do on all of those pumps* and I took it off line. The tank is drilled on the sides. When the loop was in use, I placed penductors at the outflow. It looked bad, but there was a ton of flow. The good really was bad because it ends up blasting a ton of water in a pin point location, so I was stuck with the inability to really use the space at the ends of the tank.


I'm going to use sea swirls for all of the returns for oscillating flow.


I'll transfer my current Tunze pumps (2 6105, 1 6205 and 2 wave boxes) and likely add one or two 6305. I'll likely sell my 3 controllable nano streams as they haven't really lived up to their price. Then again, I could add a couple of MP60's.


With all of this flow, I still will may need some internal closed loop given the size of the tank, as much as I don't want to add one. Anyone with a tank >500 gallons wanna try to convince me?




Lighting


At first I was on the fence about MH or LED's. I was contemplating 8 400W 20K Radiums. Going with LED's will be a huge savings in kilowatts, but I haven't been happy with the coloration that my current LED's set up give the corals in my frag tank. My slimmer looks amazing, but the remainder of the corals are nothing special color wise. I do have to admit, I am still playing with the output programming.


I may use solar tubes as constant "ambient light", but I'm obviously not going to rely on them as a primary source.


Sump/Circulation


I am going to have to increase the size of my sump. This is one of the biggest bummers about my current system. I was forced into too small of a sump for my system. Thats a long story. With this sump, I prefer 270 degree access, so I don't think I'm going to put it under the tank. I want to set up an automatic water changes by turning a pump on for a designated period of time and then dumping in the new water. I'm going to have a drip tray with a 2.5 inch lip with an output drain into the floor drain.


I'm going to build in redundancy with 2 return pumps to the tank. I'm going to have a massive manifold. The pumps will feed all my reactors.


Chemistry


I'll use my existing Deltec PF 501S reactor and upgrade to a 509. I have the ability to automate dosing with my profilux. If the Deltec, can't keep up or the point of sale aqua bee pump dies *again*, I'll have a backup.


Aquascaping/livestock


I can't wait for this. I have some great ideas about aquascaping this tank. Essentially, I'll use slabs to create a bunch of coral bommies. THe rock will be drilled and arranged around in a pedal like pattern to allow me to place corals on them. I'm going to place my M Capricornis near the center with about 2-3 feet of room to grow and scroll. I plan on doing a couple of monoculture bommie's. One will be all stylopora while another will be Seriatopora.


With the size of the tank, I'm going to stock smaller fish first. I'm more of a coral guy, but there are a few fish that I really want including an Achilles Tang. I'm debating trying a Morish Idol.


Filtration


I'm Debating upon a rubbermaid vat filled with LR. I don't want the importation of pests (algae/majanos/aptasia), but I would love the extra autotrophic denitrification.


I will set up the system with biopellets.


QT system

I will need a separate system QT system for both corals and fish. This will allow me to purchase maricultured colonies and watch them for about 3-4 months before I but them into my main display. I will have to figure out size of each, but I'm thinking a couple of 40 gallon breeders and a 20 gallon hospital tank. I'll be able to keep on of the breeders stocked with macro algae and throw new tangs in their to graze till their little hearts are content. I'll start my wish list later.


Frag tank


I was planning to use my current 2 frag tanks and daisy chain them into the main display tank. This may not work given the dimensions of the room. I may have to have one large long shallow tank built for this and sell off my other tanks. My current system with the frag tank attached to the main display has worked out well.


Humidity


In my current system, I am able to open the fish room to the outside. The fish room is in the garage. I can open the doors to the room and have the garage cracked or even completely open. I also have the attic ceiling door in the fish room. This helps tremendously with any humidity problems. If I want the tank a centerpiece of this house, I'm going to have to have the fish room incorporated into the house, so I won't have the ability to separate the humid salty air from the circulation of the house.


I'll likely need professional input on a HVac/fan system.


Cooling


Guess what folks; I'm really thinking about going geothermal with this. I hate the fact that I'm replacing in wall AC units every 2 years on average. It is a colossal waste of resources. I don't want the hassle of a 2 ton chiller and the pain to replace it when it breaks. (because it will!) I'm done buying AC units and reinstalling and trying to find equivalent models/sizes. My biggest reluctance is doing this right. I don't have any resources to know if this is good or bad, but if effective, should keep the tank 77 degrees without fluctuations. Joe Yaiullo runs geothermal doesn't he? I'll have to sit down with him at MACNA and find out. Is there anyone else out there that has the resources to do this?


Fish Room/Accessories


As stated earlier, the fish room will have an drain in the floor. This is one thing my current room doesn't have and I would have saved a ton of spills and RO overflows gone wrong.


Currently, my biggest problem is that I don't know what exactly will go into the room dimension wise *other than the tank*. My current room is 12.5 X 8 and is too small. This is a big sticking point with my Architect.


Sink. YES. I love my sink in my fish room! I'll have an acrylic filter sock holder with a built in clamp to hold a hose built onto this one. The biggest headache of mine is trying to secure the other end of the hose into the sink when I do water changes. If I want to siphon any detritus, it becomes a major PITA as the hose flops around and pops out of the sock from time to time.


I'm planning on having a counter for fragging and testing


I'm going to have a water making station that is essentially a large vat that is tee'd into the large container that I will need to use for mixing/housing water for water changes as well as the 100 gallon container that I will use for top off water. I will have this container setting in essentially a small tiled shower. I am likely going to set up a cistern for rainwater collection and irrigation, so I will send my waste water into this!


I need input and advice on a container for my R/O and Salt water for water changes. I will use a 100 gallon or greater container.


Electricity


Of course I will have an independent circuit breaker for this system, as I currently do for my system. I will end up with a "whole house" gas powered generator for any power losses.


My vision is a well thought out tank that is focused on a quality environment for corals. The aquascaping will allow for plenty of growth.


I've spent some time trying to use sketch up. It's harder than you'd think. This by no means is a true to scale other than the tank size.


Let me know what you think! Remember, I'm designing the house. I'm not breaking ground for months.


The current to do list is
-decide on exact major components and size
-decide on the size of the room
-design/scale the room

 

[BetURWrasse]

this is sweeeeeeet!!!! following

 

[Servo]

I have to decide if I want to use wood and paint it, or use HDPE for the catwalk base, but here is what the front of the tank will look like with the frame of the cat walk in the front wall.

I am getting ready to acid wash the rock and use lanthanum chloride to remove any residual phosphates.

 

[Lonny]

Use HDPE and never ever have to replace it again! wood is nice but plastic is forever grip tape is easy to replace. That's gonna be so much fun hanging out on top of your tank! While your at it build a mini bar up there to and vwala, paradise!

 

[olaggie01]

I would think HDPE would be lighter as well. How big will the piece be? 10'?

 

[Servo]

I would use two 5 foot sections in the back. The section for the front walk board will be six foot long. Starboard on my Walkboard. Lonny, I built a minibar, I'd have to use more HDPE for that too.

 

[revhtree]

Beautiful!

 

[ws6kid]

Love the concealed catwalk! Looking awesome.

 

[benpoole28]

Very nice.

 

[20LogR]

Glad to see this thread getting traction again. Have you considered Fibergrate for the catwalks?

 

[fragit]

Any updates on this epic build?

 

[FrankAbagnale]

Update!

 

[Justin D]

For those reading along, I'm considering a surge system instead of a closed loop system. I'm considering a cone tank as a possible storage tank option for a surge system with this tank. I have a hammerhead gold on my 350 gallon I would never buy another hammerhead six months the seal was leaking all over

I think this would give me the best possible options for emptying the entire volume. I would elevate it above the tank and hook it up to an actuated ball valve for the surge. THe Ball valve would be set on a timer based upon how long the return would take to fill up the tank. I plan on using 2 sequence Hammerheads for the return, with a tee off to the Surge. I'll plumb it so I can shunt flow away from the surge system incase there are significant micro bubbles. I'll be able to shut this off with company. I'm still debating the pros and cons, but this would prevent me from using a closed loop. I hated my last one so much.


Feedback?

 

[Justin D]

What size are the drains and how many?

 

[Servo]

Yes, I've been VERY busy getting this set up. I plumbed a bean animal overflow with 3 two inch drains. I am currently trying to get the aquascape tight so I can get some water in this.

I've had to overcome MANY hurdles to get this going. I put a ton of joint compound on the discharge pipe from the surge tank. At the time, the pipe was dry fitted and screwed into the bulk head, well somehow it ended up getting locked up in there. The workers had even come in and patched the hole in the ceiling and painting it. I had to cut another hole in the ceiling while my buddy Jose used a recip saw to cut the bulkhead out. That sucked placing a Sch 80 bulkhead and the fittings to the pipe. Now I can sleep better.

Once that was done, I realized that the actuator BV that I bought lacked the coupling to turn the valve. $100 later (I wish I had a 3D printer)....... Then the actuator needed to be wired. I needed to buy a relay switch to make this happen. Without my friend Pete, I'd be dead in the water. He helped me pick out the right parts and then wired it for me.





As you can see here in the front center of my sump, I have two Abyzz A100 pumps, I decided to upgrade the pump in the foreground to a A200. I am waiting on the adaptors and will need to re plumb this. This pump will feed my penductors, the surge tank in the ceiling and the frag tank that is yet to be installed.


As for now, I'm buried in chucks of calcium carbonate

 

[Servo]

Getting there

 

[Ohiostreetz]

Now this is a tank. Will be following along