Swedish fish - behind the scenes rebuilding a public aquarium

[Gregg @ ADP]

I hope so, but there's a long way to go ;Nailbiting

The old reef looks amazing. Good job.

What are your plans for water flow throughout the tank in the new big reef?

 

[Sallstrom]

The old reef looks amazing. Good job.

What are your plans for water flow throughout the tank in the new big reef?

Thank you!

The flow will be a challenge. Most of the large reef tanks I've seen at other public aquariums have had quite low flow. So this is something we would like to do differently , we want almost the same turbulence as a small reef tank with wavemakers.
There are a few large stream pumps on the market now. But we need to follow the Swedish law on Public Procurement, so I can't say which on we will use yet.

Another important thing for us is to hide all the pumps and pipes and everything else that's not supposed to be a part of a live coral reef. So the reef structure needs to be smart, creating areas for pumps which can't be seen from the two windows.

All the structures inside the tanks, the flow, lights, sand, etc are things we haven't decided yet. We are still debating on many of these things
In this stage we are in now, from now until January, the walls, big windows, the three large tanks, the sumps, saltwater mix, RO tank, filters and skimmer sizes etc will be decided.

 

[Sallstrom]

About lights in the new Aquarium, and the temporary, we will go over more and more to LED. The last two years we've done a couple of scientific experiments(and some not so scientific) with LEDs, together in a project with the company Heliospectra. They are located in Gothenburg and produce LEDs for greenhouses and to research.
We haven't discovered anything ground breaking I think, but we had gotten a better understanding for what type of spectrum we would like in a reef tank LED.

One idea is to order a costume LED, so this fall we will try out what type of colours we think looks good together in a reef tank.
So I switched the regular lamp to a research LED over this small tank. And I just had to take a picture. This describes pretty much how it might look behind the scenes Looks are not important behind the scenes, just functions.

 

[Sallstrom]

And this one is for @Scrubber_steve
I promised to take a picture of the refugium/sump of the 3000L reef. Yesterday I removed the board covering this window. I must say it wasn't as much sponges as I would have thought. But a lot of worms This area hasn't been cleaned for four years. There are baskets with macroalgae at the surface and air bubbles for circulation.

 

[Scrubber_steve]

Hi Sallstrom, thanks for the photo.
I was thinking, as you are still planning the new exhibition this link may be of some value to you. https://www.burgerszoo.com/about-burgers-zoo/coralhusbandryorg/

Scroll down the page for some useful links.

 

[Sallstrom]

Hi Sallstrom, thanks for the photo.
I was thinking, as you are still planning the new exhibition this link may be of some value to you. https://www.burgerszoo.com/about-burgers-zoo/coralhusbandryorg/

Scroll down the page for some useful links.

Yes, we have that book. It's a great book! I'm surpriced that it hasn't been more acknowledged among hobby aquarists as well. A lot of good reading in that book. I really like the chapters on the specific aquariums.

 

[Scrubber_steve]

Chapter 26 on the GBR exhibit & the change of method from the oceanic water period to the estuarine water period was very interesting

 

[kipju44]

I have followed the “old” thread, so i have to follow this one! Keep up the good work!! When its finished i will come for a visite.

 

[Sallstrom]

I have followed the “old” thread, so i have to follow this one! Keep up the good work!! When its finished i will come for a visite.

I appreciate the support! Thanks!

 

[dimidragos]

Fantastic project. I just let you know that if you need help in January when i will be free from my job i really want to come to help you. I'm carpenter and handy guy, if it's something to build or something i can do please let me know. I have a varebil and all necessary tools also. I wish you good luck and i folow you!!! Lyka till

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

WOW, what a project. Hope all goods well.

 

[NY_Caveman]

Really loving this. The thread is off to a great start. What an experience for all of us to share in the design and manufacture of a public aquarium. Thanks @Sallstrom and everyone contributing.

 

[NY_Caveman]

https://www.burgerszoo.com/about-burgers-zoo/coralhusbandryorg/

Great link @Scrubber_steve !

 

[Gregg @ ADP]

Thank you!

The flow will be a challenge. Most of the large reef tanks I've seen at other public aquariums have had quite low flow. So this is something we would like to do differently , we want almost the same turbulence as a small reef tank with wavemakers.
There are a few large stream pumps on the market now. But we need to follow the Swedish law on Public Procurement, so I can't say which on we will use yet.

Another important thing for us is to hide all the pumps and pipes and everything else that's not supposed to be a part of a live coral reef. So the reef structure needs to be smart, creating areas for pumps which can't be seen from the two windows.

All the structures inside the tanks, the flow, lights, sand, etc are things we haven't decided yet. We are still debating on many of these things
In this stage we are in now, from now until January, the walls, big windows, the three large tanks, the sumps, saltwater mix, RO tank, filters and skimmer sizes etc will be decided.

Yep, that’s always the trick.

Easy to hide pump outputs within the reef...the problem is then that the flow is starting within the reef and flowing out into the water column, where we want it coming from the water column onto the reef. Getting flow from the water column onto the reef is easy enough to do...if you’re OK seeing outputs. More difficult if you don’t want to see anything.

There are some ways to hide them, but they involve shielding small portions of the front viewing panel (corners and 12-15cm @ the top w/outs angling down).

Something else that works on big tanks for getting alternating flow: the use of actuators/motorized ball valves on recirculating pumps. Pump out is T’d with a built-in ball valve, and an actuator is attached to ball valve. This is connected to a controller which rotates the ball valve at various intervals. Flow switches from one side to the other without putting any strain on the pump. It can’t run continuously, but it can alternate several times in a minute. 5 or 6 big pumps with 10-12 outputs switching back and forth numerous times/min can give you some fairly chaotic flow w/o breaking the bank.

 

[Sallstrom]

Yep, that’s always the trick.

Easy to hide pump outputs within the reef...the problem is then that the flow is starting within the reef and flowing out into the water column, where we want it coming from the water column onto the reef. Getting flow from the water column onto the reef is easy enough to do...if you’re OK seeing outputs. More difficult if you don’t want to see anything.

There are some ways to hide them, but they involve shielding small portions of the front viewing panel (corners and 12-15cm @ the top w/outs angling down).

Something else that works on big tanks for getting alternating flow: the use of actuators/motorized ball valves on recirculating pumps. Pump out is T’d with a built-in ball valve, and an actuator is attached to ball valve. This is connected to a controller which rotates the ball valve at various intervals. Flow switches from one side to the other without putting any strain on the pump. It can’t run continuously, but it can alternate several times in a minute. 5 or 6 big pumps with 10-12 outputs switching back and forth numerous times/min can give you some fairly chaotic flow w/o breaking the bank.

Good points!

I think this is something that is discussed too rarely. I really hate seeing ugly stream pump in a otherwise beautiful reef tank. But sure, everyone doesn't have the same taste

Our vision is for the visitors to feel that they are in a underwater station when they go down the stairs to the Aquarium exhibition. And that they look out into the sea, not into an aquarium.
I know this will be impossible to achieve to a 100%, but that's something we will keep in mind when we design the tanks

For the two largest tanks, 60 000L and 400 000L, there will be areas next to the windows that can't be seen from the outside. But the largest one will have two windows, making it a bit harder to find hidden spots for pumps. I will try to draw a sketch of the big reef tank and post here. I appreciate all input I can get.

For the smaller tanks, I think most of them will be in-wall tanks. So as you wrote, by covering the outer parts of the front window you create non-visible space for pumps there.

I tried another way in this existing tank where most of the tank is visible from the front window. There are three Jebao stream pumps behind the rocks, facing the surface. Gives a wave that spreads throughout the tank, not high flow but enough for this tank.

 

[Stigigemla]

I would definitly use a Carlson surge device. If You tune it in with the lenght resonance of the tank you can easily create a wave of an inch or so. That would garantee some flow in the lower areas in the tank.
And if you have a tank of Reef Flat please use sunlight imitation - 10 000K. The bluer light is in greater deep.
I guess you have seen the Giesemann 1000w leds?

 

[Sallstrom]

I would definitly use a Carlson surge device. If You tune it in with the lenght resonance of the tank you can easily create a wave of an inch or so. That would garantee some flow in the lower areas in the tank.
And if you have a tank of Reef Flat please use sunlight imitation - 10 000K. The bluer light is in greater deep.
I guess you have seen the Giesemann 1000w leds?

Hej Stig!

For the large tank I think Carlson surge devices will be impossible due to the volume. We can't room that large water containers anywhere above the water surface. And smaller ones won't give much effect. So I believe we will need stream pumps. If we can afford them..

For the kelp Forrest tank it might be something like a Carlson surge or those types of containers that turns and spill out the water when it gets to a certain level. Old school wave maker But we've also planned for stream pumps. The kelp tank will be a very high flow tank.

A agree on not having too much blue LEDs. I think we will end up somewhere around 10000K, but that's just a guess.
No, haven't seen those. I've will look them up, thank!

 

[blackizzz]

Will be fun to follow this! And I'll be sure to come for a visit once it's all finished.
I have to admit that I didn't see the old museum, you guys are set up on the wrong side of the country

 

[Stigigemla]

Tunze recommend their wavebox 6214 for tanks to 1400 litres. The volume thats swinging in that box is max about 2 litres.
With proper tune in you can make it with a device of 0,2% of the tank volume. Without the tuning You will need 20 times more.

 

[Sallstrom]

Will be fun to follow this! And I'll be sure to come for a visit once it's all finished.
I have to admit that I didn't see the old museum, you guys are set up on the wrong side of the country

You mean the side with brackish water is better?!

We might do a coral symposium this winter. We are welcome to visit then!