achilles1
New member
The guy at the LFS said that I need a minimum of 300 gallons to keep a clownfish? Is that true?:rollface:
Before I start this thread I would like to thank the Reef Central the large tanks forum and all of the contributors as I have gathered a wealth of priceless knowledge over the years.
After years of drooling over all of the beautiful tanks here on RC, I am finally moving into a 300 gallon tank. If only I had a larger space!
The display is 96"x30"x25" with a low iron front, 2-2" drains (to sump), 1-1 1/2" drain (to sink drain), and 2-1 1/2" returns.
I have been laying down the foundation for this tank for several years. I have gathered and built various types of equipment which will mostly be located in the garage and laundry room which share walls with the tank, added an additional 20A breaker, and did a ton of other things to make this transition from my smaller tanks as simple as possible. Believe it or not, it was a fight between two of my tangs that forced me over the edge to finally start this project.
First is a diagram of the plumbing and the idea behind it. Flexibility is very important to me so I wanted the plumbing as simple and flexible as possible. The sump is 100 gallons 72"x18"x17". I have not added the partitions into the sump yet as I want to do water testing first to get my exact drain down volumes so that I can maximize my refugium area.
The idea behind the valves is that I can direct water any direction that I choose. I plan to use my refuguim for quarantine and the valves allow me to bypass the refugium as needed..
I am using the 2" drains to feed my skimmer (via a wye) as well as for primary circulation in the refugium. The drains are oversized to keep flow velocity (noise) to a minimum, and avoid clogs. In the event of a clog either drain can handle the full of the return pump. One of the stand pipes in the overflows is shorter in order to bias maximum flow to the skimmer which required just over 600gph.
There is a second 1 1/2" drain in one of the overflows which will be attached to the drain of a utility sink in room behind the tank. It also serves as a refill via a 1" tap during water changes.
The stand which is not finished is made of 2x8 horizontal and cross members and 2x6 vertical members. The top is 3/4"ply and the bottom and sides are 1/2"ply. The entire stand is sealed with expoxy and the bottom is water tight and in a flood condition will expell water via a 1" bulkhead out through the wall into the garage and out into the yard. That same 1" pipe also serves as a fresh air intake for the skimmer and possibly for the dursos when I get around to plumbing the top.
Ok, I'm tired of typing so feel free to ask any question or make suggestions for improvement. Then I will type more.
Before I start this thread I would like to thank the Reef Central the large tanks forum and all of the contributors as I have gathered a wealth of priceless knowledge over the years.
After years of drooling over all of the beautiful tanks here on RC, I am finally moving into a 300 gallon tank. If only I had a larger space!
The display is 96"x30"x25" with a low iron front, 2-2" drains (to sump), 1-1 1/2" drain (to sink drain), and 2-1 1/2" returns. I have been laying down the foundation for this tank for several years. I have gathered and built various types of equipment which will mostly be located in the garage and laundry room which share walls with the tank, added an additional 20A breaker, and did a ton of other things to make this transition from my smaller tanks as simple as possible. Believe it or not, it was a fight between two of my tangs that forced me over the edge to finally start this project.
First is a diagram of the plumbing and the idea behind it. Flexibility is very important to me so I wanted the plumbing as simple and flexible as possible. The sump is 100 gallons 72"x18"x17". I have not added the partitions into the sump yet as I want to do water testing first to get my exact drain down volumes so that I can maximize my refugium area.
The idea behind the valves is that I can direct water any direction that I choose. I plan to use my refuguim for quarantine and the valves allow me to bypass the refugium as needed..
I am using the 2" drains to feed my skimmer (via a wye) as well as for primary circulation in the refugium. The drains are oversized to keep flow velocity (noise) to a minimum, and avoid clogs. In the event of a clog either drain can handle the full of the return pump. One of the stand pipes in the overflows is shorter in order to bias maximum flow to the skimmer which required just over 600gph.
There is a second 1 1/2" drain in one of the overflows which will be attached to the drain of a utility sink in room behind the tank. It also serves as a refill via a 1" tap during water changes.
The stand which is not finished is made of 2x8 horizontal and cross members and 2x6 vertical members. The top is 3/4"ply and the bottom and sides are 1/2"ply. The entire stand is sealed with expoxy and the bottom is water tight and in a flood condition will expell water via a 1" bulkhead out through the wall into the garage and out into the yard. That same 1" pipe also serves as a fresh air intake for the skimmer and possibly for the dursos when I get around to plumbing the top.
Ok, I'm tired of typing so feel free to ask any question or make suggestions for improvement. Then I will type more.
I didn't want to name the thread "another 300 gallon setup" or "upgrade". I am actually upgrading and consolidating from my 125 and smaller tanks. I do hate to make my little clown suffer in such crammed quarters, but I ran out of wall!!
