110galreef's -250gallon Deep Dimension In-Wall Reef Build

[110galreef]

When you post your LED build, I am going to ask a ton of questions. I understand electricity and how it works and flows and have great soldering abilities. Its when you get to all of the capacitors and such is where i go huh. You are doing a great job!

Ask away....I definitly have asked my share of questions! I however, am no expert or even close when it comes to all the diagrams & schematics for elctrical stuff.

I will layout rock work, and create my structures, take pics, and somewhat design the lights to fit the rockwork. I will totally base it off this as things change down the road as well as corals & rockwork. But I no I won't need lots of light at the sides or back, so I can save much wasted light there & focus on the middle of the tank where the corals will be. That is one beauty of LED's & optics. You can focus light or spread light as one sees fit down the road or even easily add some extra LED's later!

 

[110galreef]

Now that I am done deciding a million options for the tank......:hmm5:

My next daunting task is the FLOW! Since I plan a mixed reef w/ SPS i want to have good flow. But not overkill. I will also have a very shallow sandbed. I have kicked around many ideas and have come down to a few. Key factors for me in this design are: ~ 40x's flow...I think is about right....
*Minimal if nothing seen for the CLS. Or easily able to hide/blend in.
**Effecient power consumption.
*** Random flow

So here are what I have deduced to:

Retrun pump ~ 600gph @ head.....pressure rated to use penductors. =~1500gph I will also use and Ocean Motion Squirt 2 way for extra random flow.

PLUS

Option 1: ~$1100
3 vortech MP40W's
~ 7000gph -9900 gph (avg flow -max flow) ~75w avg usage
~35-46x's turnover

Option2: ~ $1350
CLS pump via a Dolphin Amp Master 4750 14' max head & 2 vortech's
~9250-11750gph ~225w avg usage
37-47x's turnover

Option 3: ~$1400
CLS pump via a Hammerhead Gold 23' max head & 2 vortech's
~10,700-13,200 gph ~ 340w avg usage
43-53x's turnover

I like the simplicity of Option 1, Very easy drop in & hide & play. Probably put all on back wall to hide. Just not sure if it will sound quiet enuf and flow properly all on back. Definitly the most energy effecient. Plus if I need more flow I could add another MP40W

Option 2 same flow overall as Option 1 basically, Definity more power usage and plumbing cost & headaches. Could also add an oceans motion 4 way or super squirt and add to the cost....Plus have to drill Holes in the tank. But a bit more flow control as I will more than likely have lock line or the omni flex nozzles for variations.

Option 3 similiar to #2, just more flow out of the CLS. Also Option 3 w/ the hammerhead gold supporting a fairly high head (23'), penductors could be added to increase flow and maybe only require 1 Vortech. Another builder has a 300DD build and runs the hammerhead gold and 2 tunze and has it throttled way back! He even ponders going to a dart! So this says a lot!





Opinions.....

 

[110galreef]

Update:

I got a utility sink and drain plumbed into my fish room. This will make water changes and cleaning & general maintenence go very smooth! Also I have a connection w/ an on/off for my RO/DI unit. Hopefully i get that mounted in the next day or two.

 

[110galreef]

here are the pics of the utility sink & RO/DI connection. This will make cleanups a snap!:spin2:

 

[110galreef]

more updates:

Decided a smaller tank is in order! :mixed:

Just kidding.....

HOLE

 

[Jarret]

more updates:

Decided a smaller tank is in order! :mixed:

Just kidding.....

HOLE

Haha, NOT funny!! get that hole cut!

 

[110galreef]

here is the progress of the hole cut out



1st pic is after I moved the elctrical switch and outlet box on the right and removed the studs in the way of the drywall cutout.


2nd & 3rd are final cutout views....don't mind the mess!:worried:

 

[110galreef]

Take A LOOK...Y'Alll:wavehand:

what is it.....Ohhh Ahhhhh Ooooooohhhhh :beer:

 

[110galreef]

Final Tank Build info:

66L x 36W x 24H...~250g
3/4 Acrylic Body, Eurobraced top. All servicing edges radiused & polished!!
External Toothless overflow! 26L x 4.5W x 6H.
*Back side radiused as well for smooth/quiet overflow transitions

**Not true coast to coast tho. I wanted to be sure to leave room on the ends of the tank for CLS returns if need be. Also a true coast to coast or even say like 55" yet only flowing ~ 600-700gph would be very hard to "overflow" properly. Thus I felt 26" allowed great surface skimming, much better than a typical toothed overflow, and still yet skim/overflow functionally.

Want to put a plug in for Chris at midwestcustomaquariums.com So far he has been very great in helping w/ a few design cue & questions. He has great customer service, takes plenty of time to speak with you and help. Has delt very well, with my Mulitiple design changes, both on the tank & sump! His build quality seems top notch. I will no more details of the build quality when it shows up in a few weeks! Also price & shipping was about the best too!

Till then :bounce2:

 

[crvz]

flow wise, I would probably go with option 1. I'm planning on 4 tunze 6100s (they're older, but work fine), and I suspect I'll have to add something more in the future (or just upgrade these pumps).

 

[110galreef]

Nice build bro, tagging along.

Thanks. Good having ya!

 

[110galreef]

flow wise, I would probably go with option 1. I'm planning on 4 tunze 6100s (they're older, but work fine), and I suspect I'll have to add something more in the future (or just upgrade these pumps).

at the moment I am leaning towards:

Option2: ~ $1350
CLS pump via a Dolphin Amp Master 4750 14' max head (or Dart Gold)& 2 vortech's MP40w's
~9250-11750gph ~225w avg usage
37-47x's turnover

Plus my return pump will be a pressure rated posiedon ps3. Pushing about 600gph at head thru enductors thru an OM squirt. So this will add some additional randomness and like 1500gph as well.
42-51x's turnover.

This should be plenty, of flow, if not I can always add an eductor on the output of a few of the CLS returns. Plus i will have one less thing in the tank! lol. Hopefully I can hide the two vortech's behind rockwork fairly well.

 

[aleonn]

Very nice build! I wish I had all that space!

 

[110galreef]

Very nice build! I wish I had all that space!

Hahaha....I actually wish I had a little less. But I am sure we will fill it up w/ stuff! I really wanted to only go like maybe 18d x 15w with the fish room. That way we'd get some extra living space area in the basement, but the HVAC guy didn't want to move the furnace back anymore, else possible hot or cold spots in the house. So weended up w/ about 30 x 15 area! Oh well should be nice to have the space I bet in the future!

 

[jmait769]

Want to put a plug in for Chris at midwestcustomaquariums.com So far he has been very great in helping w/ a few design cue & questions. He has great customer service, takes plenty of time to speak with you and help. Has delt very well, with my Mulitiple design changes, both on the tank & sump! His build quality seems top notch. I will no more details of the build quality when it shows up in a few weeks! Also price & shipping was about the best too!

Tank construction pics are cool! I see some neat projects in the background in his shop there! With the coast-to-coast and that depth you are going to have some nice real estate for aquascaping!

Jay

 

[110galreef]

Tank construction pics are cool! I see some neat projects in the background in his shop there! With the coast-to-coast and that depth you are going to have some nice real estate for aquascaping!

Jay

Yeah, i know I really like them to. He just sent me the finished tank pics and ump pic. I will upload those tomorrow. I am not sure if I am looking forward to aquascaping as that may be one of the hardest things!:fun2:

The external coast to coast came out looking very good!

 

[aleonn]

Hahaha....I actually wish I had a little less. But I am sure we will fill it up w/ stuff! I really wanted to only go like maybe 18d x 15w with the fish room. That way we'd get some extra living space area in the basement, but the HVAC guy didn't want to move the furnace back anymore, else possible hot or cold spots in the house. So weended up w/ about 30 x 15 area! Oh well should be nice to have the space I bet in the future!

You can always add a frag tank, a few species-specific tanks, etc. Pretty soon you'll have your own aquarium store

 

[scubasteve06]

I'd go with the Dart gold or swapping the vortechs for comparable tunze with the 7095 controller.

 

[110galreef]

You can always add a frag tank, a few species-specific tanks, etc. Pretty soon you'll have your own aquarium store

FRAG tank ...max Promise!:lol:

Seriously....The madness has to end some where. Tank has gotten bigger and bigger from day 1....

 

[110galreef]

I'd go with the Dart gold or swapping the vortechs for comparable tunze with the 7095 controller.

Are you familiar w/ either of these? The thing i like about the Dolphin is the marine grade seal upgrades....plus seem to flow a bit more 4' head and under. Much after that it seems the DART Gold outperforms. But that may lean towards the Dart Gold due to the fact I may put a few enductors on the outputs for increased flow. I know others have done this on the GOLD series of pumps and got definite increases in flow. Even tho not a pressure pump.

For now i am gonna give the vortechs a try. I originally didn't want the cords of the tunze's in the tank. However after some thought, I may not be able to even see them on a 36" deep tank and black background. When the tank gets here I will play w/ the Tunze/vortech option and see what works best.

For now I am going w/ the vortech's.