big400g
04/10/2008, 09:02 PM
Here is my build thread... I have been on here for a few years, I have a small system that has been slowly trying to kill it's self. So I figured with my lack of time the system volume needed to be large to allow more stability and automation.
I am planning a 92 gal corner bow-front next to a 400 Gal, it should look good 10 feet long in total with a nice transition from the rectangular tank bowing in an arc to the wall. This will be viewable from the front and from behind in the solarium and bar. The total system volume will be in excess of 600 gallons.
I have spent the last few years up till after midnight pouring through many of your posts, trying to gleam knowledge.
At this point I have purchased a
MRC-6 dual cylinder calcium reactor,
OM-8Way with Barracuda pump,
Red Sea Ozone generator and controller,
Octopus skimmer triple recirculation and huge 12ยจ diameter reaction chamber
I built a huge 4 chamber system for carbon, nitrate reducers etc
A custom sump
Neptune Systems AC3
7 stage RO-DI
And a bunch of plumbing
For lighting I am having a custom LED array built to simulate the suns spectrums and luminosity. It will be controlled directly from the AC3 allowing me to utilize the AC3 features of seasonal light changes, moon lighting and hopefully match closer to natures lighting. The use of point source lighting (led's) allow deep penetration to the sand with the use of less power than other conventional methods. I guess time will only tell how well this will work.
For flow I am planning on using a few pumps for circulation through the sump, the barracuda and OM-8 way is for the closed loop. I am also planning on dual surge tanks set at slightly different sizes allowing them to be more erratic and at times dump all of the water at one time.
The main display will be custom built by James at Envision to fill the space that I have.
The stand was custom built with wood and steel beams to transfer the load to the sides and back of the tank, allowing the front of the stand to be fully open with no center support brace.
I am planning to have the closed loop come into the tank from the bottom, with a few of the outlets at the top with revolutions on them.
There will be end overflows hidden in the rockwork, going through filter socks (I may only use them part of the time) into the skimmer chamber of the sump, then most of the water through the refugium chamber and the rest through a coral propagation area, the refugium dumps into the coral prop area, the water then goes through bubble traps and heaters before going back to the tanks.
For topoff I have built a water treatment closet plumbed with a 7 stage RO-DI filter, a holding tank that flows with gravity to the sump through a float valve. The water closet also has a holding tank for salt water, this is also plumbed to the sump. I plumbed a drain to the tank so I hope to be able to open a valve and drain out water from the system, close it and open the other one to let new salt water into the system.
I have a huge UPS that used to keep server racks alive now it will keep my tank on even after the power dies. My calculations show that it can last over a few hours before I will have problems. I live in the burbs and we do not normally have long term power outages.
So here comes a few questions, where should I place the carbon etc to filter the water? Are there any thoughts on the layout of the system or deficiencies that I have overlooked? To complicate this and make the wife happy I am filling the 92 gal with Seahorses and the main display will be mostly SPS and fish. Any advice on keeping the two systems happy together? Ideas to keep one tank temp lower than the other?
I will post pictures as this progresses. I have the stand built, the water treatment started and now I need to wait for the tank to be built and the light to be built before I will be able to work on the rockscaping and filling with water.
Thank you for looking and in advance for your support.
I am planning a 92 gal corner bow-front next to a 400 Gal, it should look good 10 feet long in total with a nice transition from the rectangular tank bowing in an arc to the wall. This will be viewable from the front and from behind in the solarium and bar. The total system volume will be in excess of 600 gallons.
I have spent the last few years up till after midnight pouring through many of your posts, trying to gleam knowledge.
At this point I have purchased a
MRC-6 dual cylinder calcium reactor,
OM-8Way with Barracuda pump,
Red Sea Ozone generator and controller,
Octopus skimmer triple recirculation and huge 12ยจ diameter reaction chamber
I built a huge 4 chamber system for carbon, nitrate reducers etc
A custom sump
Neptune Systems AC3
7 stage RO-DI
And a bunch of plumbing
For lighting I am having a custom LED array built to simulate the suns spectrums and luminosity. It will be controlled directly from the AC3 allowing me to utilize the AC3 features of seasonal light changes, moon lighting and hopefully match closer to natures lighting. The use of point source lighting (led's) allow deep penetration to the sand with the use of less power than other conventional methods. I guess time will only tell how well this will work.
For flow I am planning on using a few pumps for circulation through the sump, the barracuda and OM-8 way is for the closed loop. I am also planning on dual surge tanks set at slightly different sizes allowing them to be more erratic and at times dump all of the water at one time.
The main display will be custom built by James at Envision to fill the space that I have.
The stand was custom built with wood and steel beams to transfer the load to the sides and back of the tank, allowing the front of the stand to be fully open with no center support brace.
I am planning to have the closed loop come into the tank from the bottom, with a few of the outlets at the top with revolutions on them.
There will be end overflows hidden in the rockwork, going through filter socks (I may only use them part of the time) into the skimmer chamber of the sump, then most of the water through the refugium chamber and the rest through a coral propagation area, the refugium dumps into the coral prop area, the water then goes through bubble traps and heaters before going back to the tanks.
For topoff I have built a water treatment closet plumbed with a 7 stage RO-DI filter, a holding tank that flows with gravity to the sump through a float valve. The water closet also has a holding tank for salt water, this is also plumbed to the sump. I plumbed a drain to the tank so I hope to be able to open a valve and drain out water from the system, close it and open the other one to let new salt water into the system.
I have a huge UPS that used to keep server racks alive now it will keep my tank on even after the power dies. My calculations show that it can last over a few hours before I will have problems. I live in the burbs and we do not normally have long term power outages.
So here comes a few questions, where should I place the carbon etc to filter the water? Are there any thoughts on the layout of the system or deficiencies that I have overlooked? To complicate this and make the wife happy I am filling the 92 gal with Seahorses and the main display will be mostly SPS and fish. Any advice on keeping the two systems happy together? Ideas to keep one tank temp lower than the other?
I will post pictures as this progresses. I have the stand built, the water treatment started and now I need to wait for the tank to be built and the light to be built before I will be able to work on the rockscaping and filling with water.
Thank you for looking and in advance for your support.