1500 Gallon 100% DIY reef Build

[skanderson]

i have to agree that this is as fun a thread as the khaos one a few years back. hopefully this ends better.

 

[FishM8]

Does she have a sister? (hint, hint)

Dave.M

No sisters!

 

[btucker7587]

Holy hell that is awesome.

 

[Fish lover]

First time i see like this system !! Awesome

 

[scubadan206]

The greenhouse filter room has been floating around in my head for a few months as well.
Good to know I am not alone in this. I may hit you up for ideas in the future.
Let's keep the good stuff coming. Pics, video, more great stuff!

Daniel. :artist:

 

[bbaz123456]

Few women would allow such an incursion into their home.

Dave.M

very few women would allow that many deer mounts and a Caribou mount in their living room. I know my wife made me take my deer mounts to the office.

Maybe I just wear the pants in my house:hammer:

 

[bbaz123456]

i have to agree that this is as fun a thread as the khaos one a few years back. hopefully this ends better.

I went back and looked up the Khaos thread. I'm pretty sure that he could have been my long lost brother. Unfortunately the pics were gone but it was still a great thread that literally brought tears to my eyes at the end. I think I will have to get some "mermaid pics" and dedicate them in his memory.

 

[sandyland]

SO COOL!!!!!
Can you explain in detail how you are controlling the pex pipe heating loops. I have been kicking this idea around in my head and would love to have the input of someone with experience running one.
Your set up is legendary, thanks for sharing.

 

[bbaz123456]

A few fish and tank shots from all the way around. The rocks are pretty
bare now after I had a huge crash late last winter. I lost over 90% of corals when the temperature dropped down to 48 degrees after my temperature controller malfunctioned. At least all the fish survived. (One of the negatives of having a greenhouse connected to your fish tank) I do have back up heat and an alarm now.

My camera skills suck and I probably should have cleaned the acrylic up a bit before taking pics.

Anybody wanna come scrape some coralline? I gave up on the back 3 sides

You can still see the TV from the couch after you get bored with the fish. That tiny TV is actually 50"

 

[bbaz123456]

SO COOL!!!!!
Can you explain in detail how you are controlling the pex pipe heating loops. I have been kicking this idea around in my head and would love to have the input of someone with experience running one.
Your set up is legendary, thanks for sharing.

Thanks!
I am using a ranco temperature controller that controls a circulator pump that runs from the top of the hot water tank and returns to the bottom. You need a tee a few inches above the tank on the hot side and one on the bottom by the drain. Or you could put another tee on the cold side.

 

[bbaz123456]

The greenhouse filter room has been floating around in my head for a few months as well.
Good to know I am not alone in this. I may hit you up for ideas in the future.
Let's keep the good stuff coming. Pics, video, more great stuff!

Daniel. :artist:

I'd be more than happy to help with what I can...including trying to talk you out of it. It has it's advantages and plenty of disadvantages.
If you need the extra space and would like to keep some of the humidity out of the house then the greenhouse is great.
Economically, not so much. The little bit of electricity I save on lighting is far outweighed by the heating and cooling costs.

 

[silentstorm]

That's an awesome build.. really loved the idea..something which I've been dreaming about...after I came across few smaller coffee table aquariums. Nice to see someone actually bring it to life...

Keep up the great work...

 

[bbaz123456]

That's an awesome build.. really loved the idea..something which I've been dreaming about...after I came across few smaller coffee table aquariums. Nice to see someone actually bring it to life...

Keep up the great work...

Thanks. Ya it started off as a coffee and kept on growing. And Don't even think about setting your coffee on my tank unless you want some broken fingers! Or missing fingers...anything that comes within 6 inches of the water surface is guaranteed to get a nip from the grouper or sweetlips, including fingers.

 

[clekchau]

this is amazing and really impressive

most of the big tanks on here have some kind of help, custom built tank etc but you not only set up a tank yourself, you built it from the ground up yourself and did it your way.

bravo! :wave:

 

[SammyL]

Ok, I am curious what state do you live in that you can have a greenhouse as your filtration room?

 

[CoralFiend]

I think the difference between you and KhaosInc is that you built your tank inside of your house. Khaos might have built it outside and then cut a hole in the exterior wall with a chain saw to bring it inside.

 

[bbaz123456]

Ok, I am curious what state do you live in that you can have a greenhouse as your filtration room?

The sunless state aka Ohio, hence the all the supplemental lighting and 4 different layers of polycarbonate and plastic sheeting. About the only advantage at this point is less humidity in the house.

I love your goldflake. He's been on the "wish list" for a long time.

 

[muttley000]

Awesome build, what part of Ohio are you from?

I think the difference between you and KhaosInc is that you built your tank inside of your house. Khaos might have built it outside and then cut a hole in the exterior wall with a chain saw to bring it inside.

Lol, true, I started coming to RC every day when Khaos had his thread going to see what crazy thing he would be up to next!

 

[marvelousone]

Man that thing is awesome. My wife would kill me if I try that.

 

[bbaz123456]

A few feeding video updates.
I apologize for the awful cell phone quality video


http://vid1266.photobucket.com/albums/jj537/Bbaz123456/20150310_213757.mp4
http://vid1266.photobucket.com/albums/jj537/Bbaz123456/20150310_213219.mp4