- Joined
- Oct 10, 2018
- Messages
- 203
- Reaction score
- 239
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 5 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.
I am almost complete with my 600g tank build. I have a closed loop using two Ecotech Vectra L1’s and one for the return. The closed loop also has a 36” spray bar located in the middle of the tank to help keep detritus suspended into the water column. So far this set up is working well.
The current to do list is
-decide on exact major components and size
-decide on the size of the room
-design/scale the room
