Setting up a monster tank!

[icliao]

I am setting up a new tank with dimension L3.3m X W1.3m X H1.0m, after helping 2 other friends setup a similar size tank. I plan to combine all tanks so I actual have same electricity cost and less labor to maintain a big tank then 3 separate small tanks.

The cost is actually not bad to setup such tank here.
The aquarium cost about:
19mm glass tank: $2800
Aquarium stand: $550
2m long Filter: $180
Water: NSW
There will be some construction but I will be using most of the same equipments from the previous setup.

I plan to use the following equipments (already available):
Main pump: Sequence Hammer Head (5000GPH)
Skimmer: Double Beckett skimmer, Tunze A200-1260X2
Wave maker: Tunze 6100 X 4, Seio 6200 X 4
Chiller 1 HP
Calcium reactor: 2 X 15kg dbl chamber
Lighting: 4 X 250W + 4 X 400W 10,000K MH

I am more concern about the main pump at the current stage.
Do you think a Hammer Head will be sufficient?

[Chaotic Reefer4u]

sounds awesome icliao, good luck with your endeavor and please keep us posted with updates and piks...

[FibberMcGee]

Always fun to tag long and watch these big tanks take off, tagging along. Good luck.

[steveweast]

Your tank is a little bigger than mine.....and I would not be concerned with your 5000gph return pump since it only needs to be big enough to run enough water through the sump to run skimmers, chillers, reactors, etc......everything else though, is under-sized. I'm assuming since you posted this in the sps forum, that you're going sps reef. In that case, you're under-lit. My tank uses (14) 400watt halides......my chiller needs to be 2hp (and I'm in a cold climate)......my circulation is supplied through (4) 6000 gph closed loop pumps plus (4) Tunze 6100's plus (2) 4000 gph return pumps. The Ca reactor seems OK...but the skimmer seems small....unless you're having no fish. My skimmer uses (4) eheim 1260's.....and I wish it were bigger to match my fish load.

[BLKTANG]

How big is that??

600g-700g??

[steveweast]

900 gals +/- by my calculation.....basically....10 ft X 4ft X 3ft

[icliao]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9723137#post9723137 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by steveweast
Your tank is a little bigger than mine.....and I would not be concerned with your 5000gph return pump since it only needs to be big enough to run enough water through the sump to run skimmers, chillers, reactors, etc......everything else though, is under-sized. I'm assuming since you posted this in the sps forum, that you're going sps reef. In that case, you're under-lit. My tank uses (14) 400watt halides......my chiller needs to be 2hp (and I'm in a cold climate)......my circulation is supplied through (4) 6000 gph closed loop pumps plus (4) Tunze 6100's plus (2) 4000 gph return pumps. The Ca reactor seems OK...but the skimmer seems small....unless you're having no fish. My skimmer uses (4) eheim 1260's.....and I wish it were bigger to match my fish load.

Hi there, I am glad the main pump is ok. I am more concern about the main pump since I have to decide the overflow box size and pipe size. Everything else could be easily upgraded if necessary. I am going to use 10X metal halide instead of 8 and this tank will not be intended for full SPS. I will put only SPS under the brightly lited spots.

[Craig Lambert]

The price of the tank and stand are unbelievably low. Is the stand cheap to construct due to your access of local hardwoods? (I bought a couple of beautiful wood carvings in indonesia made from Kalamantan Mohagony, and the price of the entire piece was way less than the wood alone would cost anywhere else). How is it that the tank costs $2800?

[icliao]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9723844#post9723844 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Craig Lambert
The price of the tank and stand are unbelievably low. Is the stand cheap to construct due to your access of local hardwoods? (I bought a couple of beautiful wood carvings in indonesia made from Kalamantan Mohagony, and the price of the entire piece was way less than the wood alone would cost anywhere else). How is it that the tank costs $2800?

Well, the labor cost is pretty low in here. That could be the reason why the tank cost so cheap here. I am using South Africa glass for this tank. The local tank can cost even less. a 3m x 1.2m x 1m local glass tank only cost about $1700 including transportation, assembly and glue. As for the stand, one of the aquarist that is close to me owns a furniture workshop and is cutting me a good deal :D

[Serioussnaps]

I cant wait to see this. Are you moving all your corals out of your other tanks, or are you keeping them in those and starting all new?

[icliao]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9733782#post9733782 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Serioussnaps
I cant wait to see this. Are you moving all your corals out of your other tanks, or are you keeping them in those and starting all new?

Ideally I would like to keep just 1 tank so I can avoid excessive maintainance time. In anycase, I have to wait for the new tank to stablize before taking any action. I plan to combine the 150GL and the 100GL into the big tank first. When the corals including SPS are doing well, I will start moving some corals from the 500GL. I am still wondering what to do with all the tanks left behind :confused: It won't be easy to get rid of them.

[cmc0814]

Yeah, it's almost 1200 gallons actually

[toothman]

I have a hammerhead on my tank and 2 darts and 2 tunze 6200's.
The hammerhead I choke back a bit since it really makes too much noise with the water falling 3 inches over the overflow box. I would also recommend going with at least 4 6200 tunze, seios are really small and a lesser quality product. I would think 6 tunze 6200 would be best. Contact the tunze rep. he can elaborate better also consider some Ocean Motion brand closed loop.

[icliao]

Finaly everything is decided.
I already ordered the tank and stand and the construction of filter room is ongoing.
The size of the tank is reduced to 3.05m x 1.3m x 1m for safty concern after discussing with the architec.

The basic layout of the tank will be as following.
The filter room with be at the balcony with a concrete stand. All reactors will be place on top of the filter stand.

The tank stand will be low around 65cm height.

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/26732MonsterSumpV3.jpg

[icliao]

My 1000GL tank stand has finally arrived. The filter and electricity installation is ready. There will be 10 metal halides bulbs on it. I am only waiting for the glass tank to arrive next week!

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/26732StandSmall.jpg

[drummereef]

Whoa, this is going to be awesome. Congrats!

[gasman059]

Sick setup buddy! wrong forum but sick anyways.;)

[Vanquish]

Looking forward to more pics!! This is gonna be exciting!! :)

[porthios]

is there a thread about your 500 gal sps crash? it'd be interesting to see what happened, what you learned from it, and how the event will influence this build..

if not, perhaps a brief synopsis?

[mbierzyc]

That stand was only $550?? Wow.

[icliao]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10131013#post10131013 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mbierzyc
That stand was only $550?? Wow.

It is actually ended up around $650 with the lamp canopy and additional reinforcement.
The guy who made it is a close aquarist friend.
I helped him setup from scratch and he became quite sucessful.
I don't he make much of any profit out of this order.
It took 8 people just to move the tank stand upstairs.

[icliao]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10129389#post10129389 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by porthios
is there a thread about your 500 gal sps crash? it'd be interesting to see what happened, what you learned from it, and how the event will influence this build..

if not, perhaps a brief synopsis?

Actually I knew this old 500GL will eventually give me electricity related problem. The setup was in a location not designed for high power consumption. I just don't know when and how. The tank is using huge voltage just from average house hold plugs. I had to use 3 extension cords to draw electricity from 2 rooms. This new setup was build to replace the tank. Unfortunately my 500GL couldn't wait until it is up and running.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1127522

[danfrith]

Man, can't wait to see what you can do with this knew tank. Sorry about your other tank too, it was one of the nicest sps tanks I had ever seen. Good luck with the knew baby.

[icliao]

The glass tank is finally completed, I will try filling it will water after 2 weeks.

http://inlinethumb62.webshots.com/4477/2228801920101486214S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2228801920101486214iYyPsb)

[tgfrench]

Nice looking setup. It looks like a first class install.

I hope you were able to get that fellow out of that tank after spreading all that silicone. That stuff is powerfull in a small confined area.

[nwrogers]

WOW! This is awesome!! I love the pictures, looks great so far :thumbsup:

[makoJ]

WOW tagging along

[Reefghoul]

I wish I could have a tank like that...Sweet looking tank!!!!!

[CalvinC4S]

Cool idea using the drawers in the center of the stand. That will work great for all the maintenance clutter.

$500 for THAT stand!! It would cost us $3,000 here for somthing of that quality.

Very nice!