Zibba's Reefs

[jporter17]

Very NICE! Can't believe all that work for less than 500 gallons. I bet you've already got a list compiled of 300+ coral purchases. Can't wait to see this thing in person.
I predict a new thread next year about this being removed for a 1200 gallon upgrade. JP

 

[zibba]

He saw you standing there trying too hard to figure out how many wrasses would fit to remember primer.

There were more than a few times that "because I got high" was sung while gluing PVC in enclosed areas. Pretty sure Frick was doing it on purpose... :)

Man, Eric, you really have a knack for finding some amazing lightly used tanks, don't you? :) Can't even imagine being able to get inside a tank to clean it, that is too cool. Honestly can't wait to see what you do with this one after watching your last two tanks fill in and mature. Oh the possibilities... :)

I've gotten very fortunate, that's for sure!

I think aquascaping is going to take me awhile. I have a lot of rock to work with but I also need to remember that I have a lot of rock with existing, encrusted corals on them that aren't going to fit perfectly with every layout. I also need to keep the back and front open so I can utilize the hide-behind boxes for gyre flow.

wow this is going to be awesome! congrats!

Thanks man! While I'm waiting for things to come back together, I'll be drooling over your corals/pictures! :)


Just received a text...the window is fixed! Just like before...but this time low-e! Yeah!!

 

[rocknut]

A man with a plan, that's for sure. To get the tank switched out, AND get your window replaced...

 

[tinctorus]

Man that's awesome, I hope one day to be able to do something like this

 

[zibba]

Very NICE! Can't believe all that work for less than 500 gallons. I bet you've already got a list compiled of 300+ coral purchases. Can't wait to see this thing in person.
I predict a new thread next year about this being removed for a 1200 gallon upgrade. JP

We were talking about just extending our house out over the pool and converting it into a reef tank -- 18,000 gallons or so? Maybe then I'd rival the tank you're planning to remove your roof for and maybe, just maybe, I'd be able to get you to drive out to N. Phoenix for a visit.

 

[zibba]

A man with a plan, that's for sure. To get the tank switched out, AND get your window replaced...

Well one thing led to another...so maybe I didn't have such a great plan to begin with. haha. It's in the house, no one got hurt and we no longer have an aged single-pane window. Win-win-win.

Man that's awesome, I hope one day to be able to do something like this

Thank you, we feel very lucky and are tremendously grateful to Chris and all of our friends who came out to help make this possible.

 

[markh792]

Did the tank ever have water in it?

 

[zibba]

Did the tank ever have water in it?

It did, for a short period of time. 6-months or so? Not exactly sure, it was nearly flawless.

 

[fishroomlady]

congratulations on the successful move! This will be a beautiful tank - I'll be following for sure

 

[Saulsa]

Great tank build! I kind of liked looking at my livestock from the top in bins when I upgraded lol.

 

[Lilmatty5dimes]

awesome upgrade. looks great. can't wait to see what you do with this one after your others were such stunning reefs. CONGRATS

 

[Siasl]

How did you end up plumbing the overflow?

 

[zibba]

congratulations on the successful move! This will be a beautiful tank - I'll be following for sure

Thank you for the compliment and for following along!

Great tank build! I kind of liked looking at my livestock from the top in bins when I upgraded lol.

Thanks! Yes, it was really fun to watch them in the pool, even though it wasn't lit the fish were very active.

awesome upgrade. looks great. can't wait to see what you do with this one after your others were such stunning reefs. CONGRATS

Thanks Matty! Appreciate your compliment on the other tanks. Hoping to have similar success with this build.

How did you end up plumbing the overflow?

Herbie-style: 1.5" is used as the main siphon with a 17" riser inside the overflow box and a 1.5" gatevalve to raise the water level to the bottom of the overflow teeth. One of the 1" drains is used as the emergency drain and is cut just above the water level -- I think we measured 28". Two 1" returns are on ball valves and attach to penductors (the ones with the swirling nozzles). The last 1" drain and two .5" drains are used as pass-throughs for cords and are cut to 29.5" I believe. It's dead-silent this way and there's plenty of flow.

We also plumbed in the smaller 50-gallon aquarium on the other side of the wall that's in our bedroom. The overflow from that tank feeds the refugium.

A single Waveline DC12000 feeds the return to the AGE and the 50g, the UV sterilizer (via gate valve) and a quick water change line (via ball valve). The DC12000 is internal in the last chamber of the sump and the three bulkheads that were for external pumps have been capped off -- they can be utilized later by simply removing the internal caps.

I'll do my best to get some pictures of it up so it all makes sense.

I added a 50g top off reservoir last night. It's an old aquarium that I had laying around -- I'd like to put a 36x24x20 acrylic tank in its place when the budget allows.

Very happy with how it's turned out so far.

 

[evolved]

Do I need to take a picture of all that for you? You may have lost most everyone in that description. :tongue:

 

[zibba]

Do I need to take a picture of all that for you? You may have lost most everyone in that description. :tongue:

That's 100% true. I think the only people who will be able to decipher that are you, Frick and Siasl. Opps..

I'll take pictures and give a better description in the future. Hold me to it.

 

[evolved]

Do it soon while everything is still clean and pretty. :)

 

[SPotter]

wow....awesome build zibba!!!!

 

[prsnlty]

This looks awesome! Can't wait to see it full ;)

 

[zibba]

Do it soon while everything is still clean and pretty. :)

Good point!

wow....awesome build zibba!!!!

Thanks! We both have big projects on our hands!

This looks awesome! Can't wait to see it full ;)

It's filled with water but still a little cloudy from the move. Clearing up though and I'm hoping to get a picture up that's decent. Aesthetically, it's not much to look at. I'm enjoying watching the fish explore their new home though.

One thing I didn't take into consideration and I figured it would be worth posting in the off chance someone else thinks to do it similar is this:
I transferred about 75g of saltwater from the smaller tank with the livestock to the kiddie pool which had about 150g of new saltwater. Then, we added all 230-ish gallons to the big tank and filled it up with new saltwater that was made up. Basically two huge water changes. When doing so I didn't consider that I don't keep my parameters at the same level that Red Sea Coral Pro mixes to (12 dkh, 475 ca). I keep my alk around 7.75-8.25 dkh and calcium around 425. So I'm expecting a little brown out and maybe some other adverse reaction to the parameter change. I'm planning to let the levels come down naturally and will bring the doser online when appropriate.

 

[arnel0387]

Did you have to reinforce the floor??