spyd
Super Active Member
- Joined
- Jan 31, 2011
- Location
- Kitchener, Ontario
Hello everyone!
Since I have ordered my tank and now have got some ideas of the equipment I am running, I have decided to start a build thread.
My tank is about 4 weeks away from being complete. It will be a custom 180G - SPS dominated tank. The tank dimensions are standard 72" x 24" x 24". Glass will be 3 sides starphyre with an 18" external overflow. Tank is euro-braced using one solid piece of glass to give it a nice rimless appearance. Glass is 5/8" thick all around. The overflow is drilled for Bean Animal plumbing installation.
My sump is a custom 3/8" acrylic tank. Dimensions are 42"L x 22"W x 18"H. There will be a total of 7 baffles in the sump. I have attached a rough sketch of my sump design. I am always interested in any opinions people have because there is still time to change my design before it goes into production. Basically, sump is designed for my skimmer, then area for pumps that will be running my biopellet reactor, GFO/carbon reactor, etc. Next there is an area for a RDSB, then finally, the return pump. The sump will be placed in my furnace room and my DT will be on the other side of the wall in my basement rec room to keep noise to a minimum.
My stand is a custom made steel stand w/ marine grade epoxy. I have lined the inside with 3/4" White Melamine for a nice clean look. I will be skinning the outside of the tank in the near future. I was just waiting to see what colour furniture we were putting in our rec room as I sure don't want to be staining the wood in the basement. I am sure it will end up being skinned in Maple with an expresso finish. Doors will have some nice modern stainless steel handles to match the light fixture.
As for equipment, I have got all most everything figured out for the most part. Skimmer will be a new Vertex Alpha Cone 200. Lighting is a 8 x 80w T5HO ATI Sunpower fixture. I will suspend it from the ceiling using self retracting hangers and aircraft cable most likely... Again, opinions welcome! Other equipment includes 4 x Tunze 6100's (older model) with a controller. My return pump is a used external Iwaki 1800GPH pump (Japanese Model). Not sure yet if I will upgrade to the Water Blaster pump yet as I like what I have seen with them. Also, I will be running bio-pellets in my Vertex UF-15. What size pump do you recommend to run this unit properly? I ran it on my 75G for a little while, using an MJ1200, but I doubt that will have enough pressure to move more pellets though. My ATO unit is the Elos Osmo Controller. I will also be running my GFO/Carbon reactor. As for my RO/DI unit, I am looking to upgrade as I can't stand the one I have. It is suppose to produce 150GPD at 60psi and only produces 75GPD with too much waste water, even though it is installed properly... Any recommendations? I would like at least 100GPD output. I will move over my Neptune Jr. Controller from my 75G and also my BRS dosing pumps once my livestock is moved into the new tank.
As for rock and substrate, I have over 100lbs of dry rock and 70lbs of live rock. I will not utilize it all, but a good chunk of it. I will be running a SSB this time around. I have had good luck with my DSB in my current tank, but it takes up too much valuable space.
I will also be including 2 additional Acrylic tanks this system. One for making water changes easier as it will be setup right above my sump. I will drain the sump, then turn a valve, and refill the sump water... No more buckets!!! Woo hoo!!! The other acrylic tank will be used as my frag tank once I get my DT established.
Well, that's it for now. I will take some pictures of my stand and how it is progressing and do my best to keep this thread up-to-date.
Thanks,
Derek
Since I have ordered my tank and now have got some ideas of the equipment I am running, I have decided to start a build thread.
My tank is about 4 weeks away from being complete. It will be a custom 180G - SPS dominated tank. The tank dimensions are standard 72" x 24" x 24". Glass will be 3 sides starphyre with an 18" external overflow. Tank is euro-braced using one solid piece of glass to give it a nice rimless appearance. Glass is 5/8" thick all around. The overflow is drilled for Bean Animal plumbing installation.
My sump is a custom 3/8" acrylic tank. Dimensions are 42"L x 22"W x 18"H. There will be a total of 7 baffles in the sump. I have attached a rough sketch of my sump design. I am always interested in any opinions people have because there is still time to change my design before it goes into production. Basically, sump is designed for my skimmer, then area for pumps that will be running my biopellet reactor, GFO/carbon reactor, etc. Next there is an area for a RDSB, then finally, the return pump. The sump will be placed in my furnace room and my DT will be on the other side of the wall in my basement rec room to keep noise to a minimum.
My stand is a custom made steel stand w/ marine grade epoxy. I have lined the inside with 3/4" White Melamine for a nice clean look. I will be skinning the outside of the tank in the near future. I was just waiting to see what colour furniture we were putting in our rec room as I sure don't want to be staining the wood in the basement. I am sure it will end up being skinned in Maple with an expresso finish. Doors will have some nice modern stainless steel handles to match the light fixture.
As for equipment, I have got all most everything figured out for the most part. Skimmer will be a new Vertex Alpha Cone 200. Lighting is a 8 x 80w T5HO ATI Sunpower fixture. I will suspend it from the ceiling using self retracting hangers and aircraft cable most likely... Again, opinions welcome! Other equipment includes 4 x Tunze 6100's (older model) with a controller. My return pump is a used external Iwaki 1800GPH pump (Japanese Model). Not sure yet if I will upgrade to the Water Blaster pump yet as I like what I have seen with them. Also, I will be running bio-pellets in my Vertex UF-15. What size pump do you recommend to run this unit properly? I ran it on my 75G for a little while, using an MJ1200, but I doubt that will have enough pressure to move more pellets though. My ATO unit is the Elos Osmo Controller. I will also be running my GFO/Carbon reactor. As for my RO/DI unit, I am looking to upgrade as I can't stand the one I have. It is suppose to produce 150GPD at 60psi and only produces 75GPD with too much waste water, even though it is installed properly... Any recommendations? I would like at least 100GPD output. I will move over my Neptune Jr. Controller from my 75G and also my BRS dosing pumps once my livestock is moved into the new tank.
As for rock and substrate, I have over 100lbs of dry rock and 70lbs of live rock. I will not utilize it all, but a good chunk of it. I will be running a SSB this time around. I have had good luck with my DSB in my current tank, but it takes up too much valuable space.
I will also be including 2 additional Acrylic tanks this system. One for making water changes easier as it will be setup right above my sump. I will drain the sump, then turn a valve, and refill the sump water... No more buckets!!! Woo hoo!!! The other acrylic tank will be used as my frag tank once I get my DT established.
Well, that's it for now. I will take some pictures of my stand and how it is progressing and do my best to keep this thread up-to-date.
Thanks,
Derek