Sun Powered Reef
 

Hello Friends.

The dream of every reeffer is to replicate the most natural elements of nature into our homes, the reffers nightmare ...the electrical costs... $$$$$$$$

Natural and Cheap was the goal to me.

I came about e check all the factors:

Temperature

I live in Portugal, a temperate contry, not to hot, not to could.

Sunlight

Portugal as lots of sunlight during all year, matter afect the world grate solar panels industrial power plant unit is in Portugal.

Location

Portugal has two borders, the spanish border, and the atlantic ocean border... lots of natural sea water... bye bye to artificial salt $$$$$

I just have to add this:

http://reffphotos.com.sapo.pt/portugal_mapa.gif

Plus this:

http://reffphotos.com.sapo.pt/moon.jpg

And this:

http://reffphotos.com.sapo.pt/sun.jpg

To this:

http://reffphotos.com.sapo.pt/Imagem0028.jpg

Something was allmost born but a higher problem came to me... The cold of the night and the heat of the day... how to preserve and mantain the water temperature about 25º whith low electrical consumptions... the anwser was very simple, if the tank stays inside the earth the problem whould be solved, minimal temperature lost.

Other problem... if the tank was inside the earth how could i see the live stock?

Simple, whith a descending cover glass, all the bubles would rise and came to the surface:


http://reffphotos.com.sapo.pt/lago%203d.JPG

Plus Sump:

http://reffphotos.com.sapo.pt/lago%203d_1.JPG

All in place:

http://reffphotos.com.sapo.pt/DSC01268.JPG

Sump house and DIY Refrigerator:

http://reffphotos.com.sapo.pt/DSC01266.JPG

Seen from above:

http://reffphotos.com.sapo.pt/DSC01274.JPG

From the ground:

http://reffphotos.com.sapo.pt/DSC01278.JPG

First fase was done, now with a 1,5 month old with a new rock layout.
This photos wore taken today, the sky was cloudy, latter on it was raining:

http://reffphotos.com.sapo.pt/DSC01348.JPG

http://reffphotos.com.sapo.pt/DSC01312.JPG

Allways snifing:

http://reffphotos.com.sapo.pt/DSC01303.JPG

Plumbing:

http://reffphotos.com.sapo.pt/DSC01305.JPG

http://reffphotos.com.sapo.pt/DSC01306.JPG

Isolation:

http://reffphotos.com.sapo.pt/DSC01337.JPG

Sump + Isolation

http://reffphotos.com.sapo.pt/DSC01339.JPG

Inside photos:

http://reffphotos.com.sapo.pt/DSC01295.JPG

http://reffphotos.com.sapo.pt/DSC01314.JPG

http://reffphotos.com.sapo.pt/DSC01315.JPG

http://reffphotos.com.sapo.pt/DSC01318.JPG

http://reffphotos.com.sapo.pt/DSC01320.JPG

http://reffphotos.com.sapo.pt/DSC01321.JPG

http://reffphotos.com.sapo.pt/DSC01322.JPG

http://reffphotos.com.sapo.pt/DSC01326.JPG

http://reffphotos.com.sapo.pt/DSC01328.JPG

http://reffphotos.com.sapo.pt/DSC01334.JPG

Temperature controller + Ph meter:

http://reffphotos.com.sapo.pt/DSC01342.JPG

Temperature controller + ORP Controller:

http://reffphotos.com.sapo.pt/DSC01309.JPG

I still have LOTS of work to do, this are only the first pictures, some things are only temporary, like the electric cables, reactors, etc, etc.

Tomorrow i'll try to take some pictures with sunlight.

Best Regards

Vitor Pestana

I've ran outside marine 'ponds' and always found salinity issues due to rain and evaporation to be a problem. with your glass cover i'd think algae growth would be a real problem. (on the glass, blocking the light)

kc

Hello

If you look close, the tank is completely water profe, inside and outside.

That parte is completely tested, 100%

I don't have any algae, the growth is the same like an ordenary aquarium, nothing that a floating magnet could not clean.

Regards

Vitor Pestana

i did notice the all sealed display, but on my 100g it has a 12" wide center brace of glass that touches the water line, it's very aggravating about algae growth even with daily swiping with a magfloat.

kc

Hi Dragon!

That don't worries me... i have about 300 snails in the tank allways hungry just for the places i can't get, but like i said, algae growth is not a problem.

Regards

Vitor Pestana

Very nice setup. I like when the rock were piled up together, looks more natural then the atoll ring type thin. Thanks for sharing vitor.
Cheers

Very cool!! Does it flood in your area?

Hi!

No, it dosen't flood, my house is in a higher place, and the garden as a descending plane, all the rain water is automatically drain by gravity.

regards

g'day vitor,

Mate that set up is truely breath taking. I like your reasoning for your set up, why pay for anything if you can get it for free :p

I hope you continue your posts, its good to see something different like what you have done.

Have you had any problems with your set up?, Id imagine that heat would be more of a concern than anything else, but might not be.

Well Done.

Chris.

This is great, cant wait to see more. I was thinking of trying an outside just for fun this summer. I was thinking a kidde pool and some soft coral that can grow like weeds then give them to my local group if it works out. GOOD LUCK with this!!!

Hi.

Toke some pics with sunlight today, take a look:

Reef:

http://reffphotos.com.sapo.pt/DSC01357.JPG

Back side:

http://reffphotos.com.sapo.pt/DSC01374.JPG

Clowns:

http://reffphotos.com.sapo.pt/DSC01362.JPG

Fugia:

http://reffphotos.com.sapo.pt/DSC01363.JPG

Growing frag:

http://reffphotos.com.sapo.pt/DSC01365.JPG

Check this 2 movies:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGiHlLbSQNY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdE7pJZXQd0

Regards

Vitor Pestana

Sun Power
 

Vitor,

Great Idea.
Your reef pool looks great.
Can you tell us a little more, about that reef pool ?
Dates ? Measurings ? Pumps ?
The lay-out is great.
Hope to see more pictures soon.


ZRK

Hi Vitor,

Very nice reef, congratulations!

How do you have access to the inside of the tank?

Regards

Hi Zurk666

"reef pool"

I like that name!:D

This idea came to me because of electrical costs... i was fed up with the electrical bills, now accounting all pumps, controllers and reactores, i have about 100Watts of power.

cold

For the water heat i have 300Watts, this only work about 8 hours a day in the winter time.

heat

For the heat of the day i have a DIY chiller with 200Watts that only works 2 hours a day.

These 2 are guide by a temperature controller, with 1ºC diferencial.

Pumps

I have a 2000lt/h and a 3000 lt/h pumps from the sump to the tank, the last pump is use also to feed the skimmer (1000lt/h).

About the layout, is my intention to completely fill all the live rock with sps and lps

Ricardo, doing god?

I access to the tank by taking the cover, is the rectangular box you see, this has a 1500mm x 300mm wide, plenty of room for me to get in and take a bath... just a joke.

http://reffphotos.com.sapo.pt/DSC01373_tampa.JPG

Best Regards

Vitor Pestana

Vitor magnifico my friend !
I can't believe you don't have a thread at RF, very ingenious...BRAVO :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

This is one of the coolest projects I have seen in a while. Very very nice.

We were at the Waikiki Aquarium and they had an outside tank just like yours except it did not have a cover. The water would overflow over all sides. Next time I go there I will ask how they maintain their tank such as salinity. The water was crystal clear. I noticed that you cleaned up the wires. What about making another shed to cover the refrigerator? Great looking setup!

Hi.

I'm working on that part of the chiller cover now... baby steps.

I've seen that tank, it's a very nice ideia, but some issues trouble me, for exemple the feading time, cleaning the algeas from the glass, and the temperatures losses at night.

Regards

Vitor Pestana

WOW! Just fantastic! I can't wait to see you're reef pool develop over time!

That is awesome, Thats not going to be happening here in oregon but I wish. Good job for doing somthing new

Very Cool

Very cool, very cool indeed.