My 1000 Ga built-in tank

[Anonymous]

Don't worry if it takes a little bit longer to work the bugs out, like they say nothing in this hobby that's good comes quickly.

But yeah looks great so far!

 

[Len]

Was there a specific purpose for adding lr in your overflow box (which, btw, is bigger than most people's tanks)?

 

[Anonymous]

Was there a specific purpose for adding lr in your overflow box (which, btw, is bigger than most people's tanks)?

As I dont want to crowd out the tank with more than a ton of LR, I have had to find other places to get it into the system. I have found it very effective in that high flow environment. Its a particularly porous type of rock and the water soaks through it pretty well.

 

[Anonymous]

I wonder if it won't act like bioballs in that it traps detritus and what not.

 

[Anonymous]

I wonder if it won't act like bioballs in that it traps detritus and what not.

That's been my experience Maybe his flow will be great enough so it won't?

 

[Anonymous]

I wonder if it won't act like bioballs in that it traps detritus and what not.

Its not clear from the pics, but if you look at the top of the overflow box there is a horizontal piece of eggcrate forming a shelf. There is a filter floss mat that gets put on there and takes out any solid particles, in theory, only dissolved organic complounds shoould make it thru into the tricklebox and the sump. (I replace the floss every 3-4 days)

The pics show the shelf without the floss, its in there now.

 

[MMaddox]

Take it from one who owns an aquarium design and installation company: next time, use acrylic. Cheaper, stronger, clearer, and barely any custom contract work is needed! Why did you decide to use glass, may I ask? Great plumbing, though - I'm not sure why closed loop and other plumbing fell out of style for the large, ugly, and potentially-dangerous-to-aquarium-inhabitants koralias and the like?

 

[Anonymous]

Eh, acrylic definitely has it's advantages, however easily scratched is hardly an advantage.

Not to mention at 1000g you're going have custom work done any way you.

IMO, closed loops fell out of style because they're such huge energy hogs while really not moving much water at all, sure they can have a place, but in the grand scheme of things some of us rather have the ugly pumps that push a ton of water and use very little electricity.

 

[Anonymous]

Take it from one who owns an aquarium design and installation company: next time, use acrylic. Cheaper, stronger, clearer, and barely any custom contract work is needed! Why did you decide to use glass, may I ask? Great plumbing, though - I'm not sure why closed loop and other plumbing fell out of style for the large, ugly, and potentially-dangerous-to-aquarium-inhabitants koralias and the like?

Acrylic is near impossible to get out here in the colonies, especially for something as purpose specific as this. It would have added tremendously to the cost, and its too flexible (AFAIK) for the span of this, given that it appears to be a concrete sided tank, but in reality is a free standing glass one.

Also, I am used to glass, and have built big tanks in glass before. Probably a bit of the fear of the unknown as well....

I am really unhappy with the flow I am getting. Its probably enough for a LPS tank, with regular powerhead blasting of the rockwork, but when the second system is plumbed in, I dont think it will be enough......

I wonder if it isn't the two inline one-way valves I built in, or the fact that there are a lot of outlets. Either way, it looks like its powerheads to stay. at least a few half way down the water column.... It may also be the sheer volume that I am pumping into- without life its hard to see just how much actual flow there is in reality. I'd love to go closed loop, but this is an experiment as I have no resources (other than here) to draw on as the norm here is powerheads.

Any circulation specialists? At this point I need some assistance.....

PS I just got the invoice for the LR, there are 930 Kgs- around 2050 lbs, in the new system alone, along with the 600 kgs (around 1320 lbs that is coming next week when I break down my existing tank and move it. I wonder if a 22000 liter an hour pool pump will be sufficient to circulate this all? (5500 GA/ hr)

Any thoughts?

 

[Anonymous]

SFSU, I hope I answered your comments in my post above, thanks everyone, and you, for your input and encouragement......

 

[Anonymous]

PS I hope to have the lighting hood completed by tomorrow, and installed by the time y'all wake up, just some wiring and a coat of corrosion proof paint on the aluminium. Photos to follow when I am done.....

And the existing (neglected ) tank gets broken down next week and stored off site until its place is finished....

 

[Anonymous]

Take it from one who owns an aquarium design and installation company: next time, use acrylic. Cheaper, stronger, clearer, and barely any custom contract work is needed! Why did you decide to use glass, may I ask? Great plumbing, though - I'm not sure why closed loop and other plumbing fell out of style for the large, ugly, and potentially-dangerous-to-aquarium-inhabitants koralias and the like?

Acrylic is near impossible to get out here in the colonies, especially for something as purpose specific as this. It would have added tremendously to the cost, and its too flexible (AFAIK) for the span of this, given that it appears to be a concrete sided tank, but in reality is a free standing glass one.

Also, I am used to glass, and have built big tanks in glass before. Probably a bit of the fear of the unknown as well....

I am really unhappy with the flow I am getting. Its probably enough for a LPS tank, with regular powerhead blasting of the rockwork, but when the second system is plumbed in, I dont think it will be enough......

I wonder if it isn't the two inline one-way valves I built in, or the fact that there are a lot of outlets. Either way, it looks like its powerheads to stay. at least a few half way down the water column.... It may also be the sheer volume that I am pumping into- without life its hard to see just how much actual flow there is in reality. I'd love to go closed loop, but this is an experiment as I have no resources (other than here) to draw on as the norm here is powerheads.

Any circulation specialists? At this point I need some assistance.....

PS I just got the invoice for the LR, there are 930 Kgs- around 2050 lbs, in the new system alone, along with the 600 kgs (around 1320 lbs that is coming next week when I break down my existing tank and move it. I wonder if a 22000 liter an hour pool pump will be sufficient to circulate this all? (5500 GA/ hr)

Any thoughts?

Can you condense you pump and plumbing specs so I can look it over? You can send it to me or start another thread so it does not get lost in the large amout of information here. Pictures of the plumbing system would be helpful also. Don't worry about converting to US units I can work with SI.

to start I would ditch the check valves. They are massive loss creators. Anti back syphon holes just below the water line on you outlets will do the same thing.

If you want to add more flow with no power heads you can do an over the back closed loop. I can give more info if you are interested. You would need another pump and some plumbing part, nothing you did not already have to get for the tank.

 

[MMaddox]

Ah, didn't realize your location. In the states it's always cheaper to build big tanks from acrylic, and if done correctly, they do not bow. I had a client that wanted a 5'w by 10'h aquarium from glass, and the reality was they saved $10,000 in construction and shipping by choosing acrylic.

 

[Sea Turtle]

That's an incredible tank. I've been following the build but this is my first post.

Looking at the returns against the front glass its not clear how much room was left between the return and the glass. Is there enough room to get a mag float through there? It appears from the photos that these returns are visible from the front glass and if so you will want an easy way to clean the algae from between the returns and the glass.

I can't wait to see the completed reef.

Burt

That would be one hell of a mag float. 8O

 

[Sea Turtle]

Tank has really come a long way. Looks GREAT!!! At first I was having a hard time figuring out where it was going to go exactly, but that worked out nicely. Props. Now tell me where you live exactly so I can come snorkle in you tank. :lol:

 

[sdbarton42]

Tank has really come a long way. Looks GREAT!!! At first I was having a hard time figuring out where it was going to go exactly, but that worked out nicely. Props. Now tell me where you live exactly so I can come snorkle in you tank. :lol:

lol!!!!! diddo....it appears to be a good place to learn how to scuba your tank looks really awesome. i've always said that when i get married and have my own place i want a built-in tank

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks Guys!

Yesterday was light box day. Now there is light, 12 80w T5s and 3 250w 14000K metal halides. Some pics of the light box before it was hung, and of the tank under lighting. When I have posted those, there are some surprises to be posted too! :wink:

 

[Anonymous]

(Helps to attach the pics....)

 

[Anonymous]

Finally, there is now some life in the tank! Dropped in 5 small clowns, a wrasse and a blenny today to kick things off.... also, yesterday, I reworked the rockwork a bit.

 

[Anonymous]

Tank has really come a long way. Looks GREAT!!! At first I was having a hard time figuring out where it was going to go exactly, but that worked out nicely. Props. Now tell me where you live exactly so I can come snorkle in you tank. :lol:

Just for you, here is a pic of an extremely large friend of mine swimming in the tank yesterday to put more rock in to finish off the rockwork.... Not quite a mermaid, but when I find a cutie that wants to pose for pics in the tank, I'll post them, until then, this is the best I can do.... :wink: