FuzzyZipperbaum
02/02/2008, 10:04 AM
I am going to be starting a large reef tank in the next 60 days. I am in the planning stages at this time. I am going to describe my set up and invite ALL comments in hopes that I can be better educated and am always looking for a better way to do things.
Basic setup: I am going to have either a 96x48x30 or a 108x48x30 tank. I am leaning towards acrylic because of both cost and weight.
The tank will be located on the 2nd floor. I am going to have to research/find a structural engineer for some advice as I would not want to come home and find my tank 1 floor below where it started! I do have the ability to brace from below on the first floor. I have no options for the tank to be on the 1st floor.
I plan on building an aquarium room on the first floor and pumping the water back up to the tank. I may have just motor for a closed loop system in the stand but I plan on building a stand that has functionality like a book shelf or something underneath...(anyone have pics or ideas?)
I am going to be cutting a large hole in between two rooms for the tank. The tank will be positioned approximately 20 inches into each room.
Room A has travertine marble tile, room B has wood. I am going to have to figure out what to do about a stand; wood, iron, leveling etc....
Room A's roof is 30 feet high so I can not use it to support lighting... Room B's is 10 foot... Being in between two rooms I am REALLY struggling how to light it or build a canopy that has access.
The tank will be viewable from all 4 sides... I am trying to create something that you can just get lost in.... for those that have a viewable aquarium from both long sides...do you lose that feeling because you see through the tank to another room?
I would have the ability to tie an air condition vent directly into a hood (if I can figure out how to do one). This would help greatly with heat but I worry about contaminates.
Lighting: Truly my weak point....suggestions taking into account my problem above...
Equipment: Not concentrating on this just yet but it will have large sump, bad a$$ protein skimmer, Calc reactor, frag tank, etc... as automated as possible...
I am logging every picture I can find of a big reef, aquarium room and stand. If anyone has a folder or a place to go for more pictures, please let me know!
any thoughts or input is appreciated...
Basic setup: I am going to have either a 96x48x30 or a 108x48x30 tank. I am leaning towards acrylic because of both cost and weight.
The tank will be located on the 2nd floor. I am going to have to research/find a structural engineer for some advice as I would not want to come home and find my tank 1 floor below where it started! I do have the ability to brace from below on the first floor. I have no options for the tank to be on the 1st floor.
I plan on building an aquarium room on the first floor and pumping the water back up to the tank. I may have just motor for a closed loop system in the stand but I plan on building a stand that has functionality like a book shelf or something underneath...(anyone have pics or ideas?)
I am going to be cutting a large hole in between two rooms for the tank. The tank will be positioned approximately 20 inches into each room.
Room A has travertine marble tile, room B has wood. I am going to have to figure out what to do about a stand; wood, iron, leveling etc....
Room A's roof is 30 feet high so I can not use it to support lighting... Room B's is 10 foot... Being in between two rooms I am REALLY struggling how to light it or build a canopy that has access.
The tank will be viewable from all 4 sides... I am trying to create something that you can just get lost in.... for those that have a viewable aquarium from both long sides...do you lose that feeling because you see through the tank to another room?
I would have the ability to tie an air condition vent directly into a hood (if I can figure out how to do one). This would help greatly with heat but I worry about contaminates.
Lighting: Truly my weak point....suggestions taking into account my problem above...
Equipment: Not concentrating on this just yet but it will have large sump, bad a$$ protein skimmer, Calc reactor, frag tank, etc... as automated as possible...
I am logging every picture I can find of a big reef, aquarium room and stand. If anyone has a folder or a place to go for more pictures, please let me know!
any thoughts or input is appreciated...