Karim's 1500gal dream reef

[karimwassef]

I am still struggling with my tank height budget though... Here's the 2" extension



End to end it's 12".

I think I need 3" from the top of the tank to the weir lip. 1/2" to 1" for normal flow and 3" for the surge (a controlled surge) and 3" for the air chamber and 9" for the shaved down extension pipe when fully extended, and the overflow sides = 6"... that's 21" and I only have 18".

I could steal it from the bottom channels.. or I could increase the tank height by 3"... or I could find a way to incorporate the extension pipes into the air chambers so the pipes so they share space.

[jccaclimber]

I don't see why they shouldn't share space, they won't displace all that much air. That said, I'm still for the plywood "bottom" being a couple inch deep chamber. That would get you your 3".

[karimwassef]

Originally Posted by jccaclimber

I don't see why they shouldn't share space, they won't displace all that much air. That said, I'm still for the plywood "bottom" being a couple inch deep chamber. That would get you your 3".

couple inch deep chamber? hmmm you don't appreciate the dark zone enough...

It would need to handle the circulating flow from the two top channels. with 2/3 the area, it's already going to be experiencing 50% more fluid flow to keep the loop balanced.

[jccaclimber]

Originally Posted by karimwassef

couple inch deep chamber? hmmm you don't appreciate the dark zone enough...

It would need to handle the circulating flow from the two top channels. with 2/3 the area, it's already going to be experiencing 50% more fluid flow to keep the loop balanced.

< snip >

I'm saying to make the entire tank taller, so your glass height is the same, but the floor is recessed giving you more interior space.

[karimwassef]

oh! You mean to change the flat floor with an indent to a shallow box base for the tank?

Interesting option... more complex... but it would give a few more inches to the top area.

The compromise (other than complexity) is that the floor of the dark zone would be difficult to see and that's where I expect the coolest things to be.

[karimwassef]

Ok. Combining the extension into the bubble chamber makes everything fit nicely.

I can even go 8" deep on the air chamber now. 8" x 8" x 48" displaces enough water to generate 114 lbs of lift! Now I need to make sure the wire can handle that strain without slicing through the PVC piping I'm running it through.

Now, it's 2" head + 5" overflow + 8" chamber + 3" extension = 18".

The only penalty is that I can't removed the extensions for regular maintenance. That means I need to build two overflows and keep one in backup. In case of an issue, I'll need to shut the drains (and loop) down and then remove the full assembly (legs, chamber and overflow) for replacement. It's a small unit so shouldn't be too expensive.

I will need to add a union coupler at the bottom.... darn it... now I need two inches again!!

Since all this is submerged, I was going to use uniseals in the false floor anyway (less drag).

I'll have to cut the extender back but I think I can make it work.

[karimwassef]

Oh... and the idea of a pasture for my fish to graze in... a water bridge?? I can lead my fish to algae in the solar scrubber then back to the reef and gate them out.

Ok. That's too fancy even for me... but just thinking out loud.

[Darthv247]

haha. the tangs woukd never come back to the barn

[karimwassef]

the scrubber is just a big open tub... no rocks to hide in... I can just chase them back up the bridge... like a predator.

[jccaclimber]

That might bring out the tang police.

[karimwassef]

Let them try and catch me. I have nets!

[jccaclimber]

Originally Posted by karimwassef

oh! You mean to change the flat floor with an indent to a shallow box base for the tank?

Interesting option... more complex... but it would give a few more inches to the top area.

The compromise (other than complexity) is that the floor of the dark zone would be difficult to see and that's where I expect the coolest things to be.

Yes. I also suggested this a bit back when you started talking about going from a 36" tank to a 30" tank. The first couple inches are sand anyways. You'll still have plenty of viewing so that you can see in to the dark space.

[Darthv247]

think he mentioned the starfire glass he wants maxes out at 30''. so another glass would have to be used.

[karimwassef]

Technically, I could have the glass cut at 36" but the pressure at 36" would be excessive without heavy bracing. Having a 6" plywood vertical lip all around should make it comparable to a 30" deep tank.

The hidden section (dark zone) is really a special part of this design. I want to be able to see the bottom clearly from all four sides. It won't have any sand (including the drop off). I expect to create a rock floor in the dropoff to mount coral directly to it with a branching structure connecting it to the higher level reef zone.

The dark zone will be a high flow, no substrate floor that will hopefully develop its own ecosystem of sponges and tunicates.

It's not a cryptic zone... its something else... I want to see it all even if nothing ever lives there.

[Hefner413]

Man! The way you speak of it... I want to come check it out and you don't even have it yet!

[karimwassef]

Thanks.

When it's time to put it together, I'll invite everyone who can come help... if you're in the area, you're welcome to come-a-tank-raisin'

[CButkos]

Hey, wasn't sure where to put this, but I just wanted to say that I really enjoyed your presentation earlier this month. I appreciate the scientific method you employ in testing and controversial as they may be, I think you have some great ideas.

Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk

[karimwassef]

Thanks! It was a pleasure to come visit with you all. There's actually a Long Island Reef thread on reefcentral:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=2629247

Let me know if you try something I mentioned and how it worked out for you.

[karimwassef]

ok. Here is the current view







and uses 114 pieces of glass ranging from 144" x 30" x 3/4" (largest) to spacer blocks at 1/2" x 1" x 1/2" (smallest).

[jccaclimber]

Do you really want to double layer the euro brace vs. giving it more width? I never liked the look of multiple pieces of glass siliconed together like that.

[karimwassef]

It's already 3/4" so I can't find a source for thicker glass without getting into industrial vendors.

The double layer creates a cross-brace at the corners where they overlap limiting the dependence on a butt joint for strength.

[Darthv247]

you could just add triangles or cross braces at the corners. dunno how much strength the euro brace will ads without a few cross tank braces. looks good though!

unless full euro bracing helps with bowing?

[karimwassef]

My current tank is 27" deep and eurobraced this way. It's only 96 x 32 but no perceptible bow.

This tank really has three braces.

The bottom @ 30" deep has the plywood inserts and plywood edge to form a 1.5" inside, 2" lip channel for to glass to fit into. It also has a double stack of 3" eurobrace 3/4".

The middle @ 18" deep has the false floor 1/2" that connects 3 sides with a double stack cross brace overlapping structure. The dead tend doesn't benefit from this directly but that's only a 24" x 96" x 30" deep section (like my curent tank)

The top has the double 3/4" eurobrace 3" double stack.

The open region is 11' x 8' but really only 18" deep. Since the water level will actually be 2" down & the floor glass takes up an inch, it's only 15" deep. That puts the bow at 8" down from the waterline. With 3/4" glass, I don't think 8" is going good to how much,even at an 11' span?

The front 96" is the only risky side I think. It's an 8' span and 30" deep. But braced top and bottom with double stacks and plywood

[karimwassef]

Also I think part of the beauty of this tank is the open top without metal bracing or cross elements.

The intent is to replicate the view of a reef from above. That's also why it's so shallow and so low: the deep end is only 24" over the ground, and the top of the tank is only ~54" off the ground. There are no hanging lights (almost) either. It's an open ceiling to the greenhouse to at 10'. At a 4'4" waterline... anyone can look over it to see the beauty over the expanse.

I even designed the LED fixtures to be a 1"x1" square rods without fans and liquid cooled to avoid obstructing the view (and sunlight).

Also- salt creep and fogged up cross braces are ugly imo and I know I can't clean them enough to be happy. At least the greenhouse glass I can coat with a hydrophobic coating and install spray bars to keep it clean....

[karimwassef]

Another thread got me thinking...

The total tank is 30" deep.. here's the stack:

2" for the groove in the wood.
11" for the lower channels
1" for the false floor
12"-15" to the waterline. Out of this, 3" is sand, so that means the water depth is effectively 9"-12".
1" headroom above the max waterline for head - this is under the 1.5" of Eurobrace thickness, not counted in the glass height.

That seemed fine until there was a discussion of the minimum depth for fish to be comfortable.

At the lowest level, and with the thickest sand layer, there would be 9" of water depth available. The fish can always scurry to the deep zone, but that could be stressful.

So.. I'm wondering if I don't need to change this distribution and give more depth to the top layer.

Thoughts? Is 9"-12" too little? What's reasonable? 12"-15"?

Should I just raise the glass height or eat into the bottom channels?