440 Gallon Custom Drop-Off Reef Tank

[RedStangGA]

Gotta tag along for this one!

[jt48]

Originally Posted by RedStangGA

Gotta tag along for this one!

Me tooo!!!!

[Reefers4Life]

Me 3!!!

[PistolShrmp]

I'm in!

[rwb500]

just wanted to say thanks for sharing and expanding on an awesome idea. never seen a tank with varying depth before.

[Bello]

Wow!! You're a Sketchup demon!!

I kinda agree with not having the tall pillar on the dropoff section. Think it'll look better with just a short bommie on one side, and open area on the other. As far as just the actual drop off cliff goes, looks great with the layering. But seriously, its gonna be awesome

I wish I could help with skimmer choices, but I don't feel I know enough to recommend one. I pretty much went overboard and then some with mine, choosing a BK SM 300 on a 250g, but I hope I'll never have to buy a skimmer for the next 10 years

Still, if i had to choose, I'd do the Reef Octopus, simply because their pumps are great value, and you're already going to be spending so much on the rest.

Does your wife know how much it costs?

[fjr_wertheimber]

Thanks, guys. I'll definitely take the aquascaping suggestions under advisement. To answer your question, Bello, yup, Wendy knows how much it will all be, and she's even cleared me to go with an ATB or Alpha cone if I want to. :-) So, what's everyone's suggestions for the best sub- $1300 skimmer?

[Sooner7]

Love this design……

I think the drop gives you so many options plus in my opinion is as close to a natural reef as you can get with a aquarium…..

I wanted to do the same thing at my house but didn’t have the room or funds to make it work so ended up with a 300 gallon in wall set up in the garage viewable in the kitchen/ kitchen nook …. Garage is just a catch all anyways,….

[Bello]

Originally Posted by fjr_wertheimber

Wendy knows how much it will all be, and she's even cleared me to go with an ATB or Alpha cone if I want to. :-) So, what's everyone's suggestions for the best sub- $1300 skimmer?

You're a lucky man ....... really lucky

It seems that your heart's on the Alpha Kone 300. I can definitely vouch for the Red Dragon 1500 pumps on those, very nice, with crazy foam...

Should be a good choice IMO.

[jsims08]

gotta follow this too, awesome looking tank in the first pic, love to see what you come up with!

[fjr_wertheimber]

Thanks, CyclistMT, I think you may be (partially) right. I'm definitely losing one of the pillars on the lower level but keeping one (I want at least one pillar at the bottom to serve as a remind of our dive trip at Steve's Bommie on the Great Barrier Reef), and I'm toying with shrinking the pillars on the top level to just small, short rocks (kinda mini-mini-bommies, if you will... LOL).

[dknydiep]

Agreed on the pillar in the front. maybe 2 small islands down there instead.

Great work so far! Keep us updated with photos. Subscribed.

[Mr.Mustang]

Going to tag along too. I always wanted a 300DD but you got me thinking. I just love the idea of a step down.

[fjr_wertheimber]

Yeah, same here, Mr. Mustang. I'd actually planned originally on getting a 300DD, but then I saw the drop-off tank, and went, "Wow! I want THAT!!"

[alanbates12]

tagging along

[fjr_wertheimber]

So a bit more info: The rock structure will be live rock with a PVC substructure, covered in pond foam and formed Polygem Zoopoxy #307 LITE and custom latex press molds to give the appearance of actual live rock. I'm going to have the pieces cut on a CNC waterjet to ensure accuracy of ±.003" and perfectly leveled cuts on each axis.

[CyclistMT]

Originally Posted by fjr_wertheimber

Thanks, CyclistMT, I think you may be (partially) right. I'm definitely losing one of the pillars on the lower level but keeping one (I want at least one pillar at the bottom to serve as a remind of our dive trip at Steve's Bommie on the Great Barrier Reef), and I'm toying with shrinking the pillars on the top level to just small, short rocks (kinda mini-mini-bommies, if you will... LOL).

I totally understand and besides, it's your tank, not mine and it should definitely be a reflection of it's owner. The beauty of a 3 sided viewable tank is that if your view is obstucted from one side, you can move around to the other and see what's there. It's like a garden path where you can't see around the corner, but if you keep walking you'll discover something new.

[skimace7]

gotta tag along!

[Vince huy]

very nice job,love your design

[lotusstar]

This is awesome! I saw your post on ARC and here. Looks like an amazing design idea. I am not far away up 35 so if you ever need another set of hands I would be more than happy to help out just to see this set up. Keep up the good work on detailing the design.

[fjr_wertheimber]

Hey, thanks for the offer of help, lotusstar. I'm actually up in Temple quite often (at the VA clinic up there) and I'll definitely take you up on the offer once I've got everything in place. I think it's gonna be pretty incredible.

[pgaudreau]

looks great, the bigger size is the way to go

[reefdna]

Great idea! looking forward to the build

[fjr_wertheimber]

Okay, so just a few updates. I put together a mockup of the new tank will go into, so we can figure out furniture, etc. Also, Wendy wanted a nano tank for some h. barbouri seahorses, so I mocked up a tank for her from the scrap cut to make the L-shaped pieces for the main tank. It will definitely be the stoutest nano EVER, as it's 24"l x 16"h x 12"w, made out of 3/4" low-iron glass. LOL It'll have a sump underneath with a WAY oversized skimmer for the tank size, to accommodate the nastiness that seahorse tanks create.

You'll pardon me if the models aren't exact, but I just wanted to make sure I was giving myself enough room for the Alpha 300 Kone skimmer, for the two HY5000 returns, and also to check the placement of the four Vortech pumps (2x MP40wES, 2x MP60wES). The two 40 gallon tanks up front are going to be quarantine tanks, the water jugs are for top-off water (and will be pulled from with an auto-topoff turning on/off an Aqualifter pump. The large portion of the sump towards the front will be a refugium/frag area. Oh, and I added 2" tabs with holes for attaching the wood facing on the stand.

Anyone see anything I'm missing, something I could improve or you think I should change?

[lotusstar]

Excellent mockup of the room and tank. Looks like you will have plenty of room under the tank. One question though. Is it a 2 side viewable? For some reason I was assuming it was a peninsula 3 side viewable. Either way you are really doing your homework. Should be excellent.