1400gallon system with 1060gallon L-shaped DT

[dirk_brijs]

Hi guys,
I have been bothering all of you guys alot with my 165 learning tank which is still a project in progress.
Though I have decided it is time to move on and start the actual project I wanted all along when I started this hobby.
The idea is to create a complete fishroom where everything will be transparent meaning I dont want to hide anything. When walking inside the room it will be designed as my little (maybe not as little) reef tank factory where every aspect of the reef is visible.
Every angle of the tank (with 2 sides acting like windows to the outside) , sump, fuge, skimmer, plumbing, etc etc... will be visible and can be admired.
This means that the entire built and every little detail should be set up pristine clean and presentable to not spoil the entire view.
Anyway enough about the idea and all about it.
The reason of me starting even the design faze here is that I would like this tank to become a little the pet project of all of you guys.
This tank will be built by all of you with me making the final decisions on how and what exact equipment to use.
Budget would not be a major issue but will have to be kept in mind so the idea would be to buy not the most expensive material but the best possible for the bucks.
The eventual start date of the building faze is for now set in year from now so we have all alot of time to work on the design which might be the most important faze of the entire project I think as good planning makes great results I hope we can all agree with that.
Other reason for the long period is me still working offshore so I am away from home for extended periods of time which I see as a period for me to organize it all even better so when home and starting the next faze things can move forward fairly quick.
Anyway enough talking now and I would like to invite you all to start with the very first release of the initial plan of the DT design.

 

[dirk_brijs]

Ok here some details on the system
MAIN TANK
- L-shaped
- 300cm x 100cm x 100cm 118" x 39" x 39"
- 200cm x 100cm x 100cm 78" x 39" x 39"
- intake of 50x50 to take out the inside corner of the tank. (see drawing)
which would give a volume of 1063 US gallon or 4032Liters if my calculations are right?
SUMP
- 200cm x 60cm x 60cm 78" x 23" x 23"
- volume of 178 USgallon or 673Liters
REFUGIUM
- 200cm x 60cm x 60cm 78" x 23" x 23"
- same volume as sump
more details and tanks will be added as the project move along.

 

[RBGreef]

Huge

Huge

I cant wait to see this completed! I am in the mind set of bigger is better. My 225 is now seeming awfully small.:bigeyes:

 

[dirk_brijs]

First discussion point
WATERFLOW
how the original design stands
in the drawing:
- GREEN are 2 "Tunze 6215 waveboxes"
- YELLOW are 4 "Hydor Koralia 6 pumps(2200gph)" connected to a "Hydor Koralia wavemaker controller 4 system"
- RED are 2 Ecotech Vortech MP40wES pumps
- BLACK will be 1 1/2" PVC coming from 2 separate return pumps coming into the tank from the top with each separate out point split with split ball nozzles.
About the return pumps I am still undecided what pumps to use but I was looking in "BLUE ECO PUMPS" (http://www.aqua-forte.nl/scripts/BlueEcoPumps.html) (sorry dutch website but can be translated with google) These are the updated version of the "RED DEVIL TITANIUM" pump used by Chingchai (who is the sole inspiration for me starting this project and hope he will get very much involved into this project as this will be at his home court in Thailand)
- WHITE are the 4 2" drain holes 2 one each side drilled in the tank. Also this aspect of the tank (overflow) has not been decided on with several other design drawings made using other ideas of dealing with then overflow.

 

[dirk_brijs]

OH yes I forgot to mention that the entire DT will be having a natural lighting setup using 7 14" solatubes.
Living here in Thailand does have his advantages.
anyway a small drawing to have an idea on the structure that will be built for the tank which now is just a piece of land in my garden covered with nothing lol.
Anyway so you guys have a little idea.
notice that the tank featured here has a different overflow sheme as the previous one posted so as mentioned we will come up with a final solution for that as suggestions come in.
The 2 other glass structures featured will be sliding glass doors. the large one to the outside in the garden and the far end smaller one will lead into the house.
the rest will be all wall and roof which have been left out on the drawing

 

[bullitr]

Did you get the Ching Chai syndrome too! Lol
Thailand is now the reef capital of Asia !
Good luck with the build .

 

[dirk_brijs]

Did you get the Ching Chai syndrome too! Lol
Thailand is now the reef capital of Asia !
Good luck with the build .

You can sure say that yes. I am sure allot of our wifes are damming mister Chingchai already hahaha.
Anyway thanks and hope you will get involved in the entire process as your advise will be well appreciated.

 

[RickMartin]

Is this to be a reef? Most solar tube reef tanks require supplemental lighting. Check with some people who have used them and get their input. Not everyone has been happy with their results

 

[dirk_brijs]

Is this to be a reef? Most solar tube reef tanks require supplemental lighting. Check with some people who have used them and get their input. Not everyone has been happy with their results

Solatubes will be supplemented with T5 and LED
Lighting design will be the next faze of the project

 

[Last Version]

Halo dirk,

Nice to see you at here. :wildone:

 

[dirk_brijs]

Halo dirk,

Nice to see you at here. :wildone:

Same here Paul as you can see I will be bothering you allot more in the coming year with this one 555

 

[dirk_brijs]

ok first question what type of overflow?
first one the so called ultra quiet set up with emergency stand pipe.
second one just 2" holes drilled in the tank and let the return pump handle the flow.
or any other ideas?

 

[dirk_brijs]

Is this to be a reef? Most solar tube reef tanks require supplemental lighting. Check with some people who have used them and get their input. Not everyone has been happy with their results

In the original design 7 Solatubes will be supported by 24 VHOT5 bulbs 24W 14000K
and 4 72" blue ecolamps LED's KR99M blue
More of the design to follow later.

 

[dirk_brijs]

people?
Would like to get as many advice as possible guys so I can keep on my drawings.
Again reason for me to start posting here in this stage is for me to avoid making any mistakes due to not having thought of something or just because of something on the market I dont even know about.
I dont like the idea of me to start posting when I started building as most new tank threads do here and then most of us jump on them saying they should have used this pump or they should have done this like that? That would be too late for me guys. I believe with a 1400gallon system mistakes tend to get very very expensive just ask Mr Wilson and Nineball who had to re design certain aspects of their tank due to new ideas and or problems encountered.
So me involving you in my design stage is not me being a prank just me trying to be ready for the actual built so all of you can enjoy and feel like it has been all of you guys project with my money lol :bounce1::bounce1::bounce1:

 

[dirk_brijs]

so please guys keep the advice and ideas coming for the first stage of the design water flow and overflow.
Thanks again for all your support.
Dirk and Noi

 

[dahenley]

you say your using MP40's, which means this tank will be 3/4 right?
i am also going to ask, is it Acrylic or glass?

(i didnt see where you mentioned some of these things?)

 

[bbart12]

I would do the surface skimming one every time.

I'd also look into the vortech mp 60

 

[khaosinc]

I'm assuming at 39" tall, you are going to need more than 1" acrylic... I know from experience I have a heck of a time keeping the Korilla magnums on the tank 1" is about their limit, and mine still get pulled off my the sailfin on a regular basis.

I would also second a coast to coast style overflow. Would allow for easier access, and if you had a central drain point that was quite large, it would still be asthetically pleasing.

 

[dirk_brijs]

you say your using MP40's, which means this tank will be 3/4 right?
i am also going to ask, is it Acrylic or glass?

(i didnt see where you mentioned some of these things?)

The tank will be glass.

 

[dirk_brijs]

I'm assuming at 39" tall, you are going to need more than 1" acrylic... I know from experience I have a heck of a time keeping the Korilla magnums on the tank 1" is about their limit, and mine still get pulled off my the sailfin on a regular basis.

I would also second a coast to coast style overflow. Would allow for easier access, and if you had a central drain point that was quite large, it would still be asthetically pleasing.

The tank will be made with 20mm thick glass. (3/4" thick)
will be braced by several cross brasses and also braced inside a concrete stand as the tank will be sitting in a concrete stand. Also on the top as the tank will be built in outside walls one side of the tank will be braced by concrete rims.
Hope this makes sense?? as if I read it myself I get confused now??