165 Gallon Build

[zenom]

Just ordered the aquarium i have always wanted. A 165 gallon.

72x24x22 tank, with starphire glass on the front. Herbie style overflows.

60x18x18 refugium, and auto top off reservoir.

Nice custom stand custom made for the tank.


At this point I am going with a shallow sand bed. The sump has mechanical and biological filtration as well as a third chamber for a refugium and then the return area. I am putting this next to a wall coming down the steps, so I have space under the steps to put the RO/DI unit so I can top off easier and have a place to store extra items as needed. Right now this is about all I know.

What do you guys use to plan some of this stuff out for the bigger setups before they arrive?

I know I need to do a GFCI outlet on that wall. I am going to take some of the stuff from my 90 gallon and use it on the 165 for a short period to get it up and going.

What advice can you give someone who is starting their first larger setup?

- Andy

 

[zenom]

Pictures of where the tank will go.

Stairwell closet behind where the tank is going to go. Giving me some room to mount and hide some things, but not all as the sump/refugium will still be under the tank. But hoping to use this for ATO & AWC.

 

[dave.m]

You will need to devise a way to vent humidity from the tank and under the tank out of the house. You may as well include under the stairs into the dehumidification plan, as well.

Dave.M

 

[zenom]

You will need to devise a way to vent humidity from the tank and under the tank out of the house. You may as well include under the stairs into the dehumidification plan, as well.

Dave.M

Is this mostly during the summer months? During the winter I need a humidifier as the humidity is low in the basement, where the tank resides. Do you think a simple dehumidifier would work? I have a drain in that closet under the steps, I could dehumidify and just dump in to the drain possibly?

 

[dave.m]

I can't say. You will have to work that out as a matter of experience with your particular house and tank location. They're all different.

Others have tremendous humidity problems in winter around their tanks because the air is so dry. They often end up with mold problems. Some dehumidifiers can't take the load or can't take the salt in the air. Each situation is different.

For myself, I prefer to see the humidity vented from the house completely but that might prove to be impossible for your situation. Definitely some head-scratching required. Best to monitor the situation and treat accordingly.

Dave.M

 

[Psxerholic]

Regarding the humidity, you will have to consider at least 1g to 3g per day evaporation depending on the lighting, pumps in the sump and all other heat sources as well, ambient temp and tank temp.

If you do not have an AC in your house and humidity is a concern, depending where you live I would consider an enclosed canopy with ducting or sealed/ gap-tight and use a chiller.

I use evaporation cooling in my systems but don't have to worry about 2g per day due to an AC system indahouse.

 

[zenom]

I have AC, but not a whole house humidifier. Right now in the winter I don't think humidity will be an issue as I normally have to run a console humidifier, if the fish tank helps with that, then it might not be an issue.

Summertime, I would "hope" that for a large house 1-3 gallons I can draw out of the air somehow, but I will have to see.

Thanks for pointing this out, definitely would not have given it a second thought otherwise.

 

[Psxerholic]

I have AC, but not a whole house humidifier. Right now in the winter I don't think humidity will be an issue as I normally have to run a console humidifier, if the fish tank helps with that, then it might not be an issue.

Summertime, I would "hope" that for a large house 1-3 gallons I can draw out of the air somehow, but I will have to see.

Thanks for pointing this out, definitely would not have given it a second thought otherwise.

In this Case try to avoid fan cooling anywhere an use a chiller.
That will reduce the evap. Just see how the system works later and find a solution for ATO water. I feed Kalkwasser back so dosing is taking care of on a high stocked reef. You might want to look for dosing pumps and an overflow container for the excessive water. Many ideas in the DIY forums.

 

[zenom]

I currently have an ATO system and plan on tapping it into the 165 for sure. The tank is going right next to an area under the steps that has water and drainage. I was planning on moving my RO/DI unit there for top off. I am working on the Kalkwasser currently as well for for the 90 gallon to see how it all works. I will definitely look into the dosing pumps etc. Trying to figure out all the dosing stuff with Kalkwasser on my 90 gallon before I buy too many more sps/lps for the 165

 

[Psxerholic]

I currently have an ATO system and plan on tapping it into the 165 for sure. The tank is going right next to an area under the steps that has water and drainage. I was planning on moving my RO/DI unit there for top off. I am working on the Kalkwasser currently as well for for the 90 gallon to see how it all works. I will definitely look into the dosing pumps etc. Trying to figure out all the dosing stuff with Kalkwasser on my 90 gallon before I buy too many more sps/lps for the 165

I do Kalkwasser via reactor, and support the KW by dosing pumps in which I use the brightwell reefcode A and B and soon MG as well. A and B are powder in large bags so I mix my stock solutions. 10ml every 3 hours each in addition to the Kalkwasser since the ca and Alk demand is too high for KW only. So now it is more stable this way. This is for a 200 g system on a 110 display tank.

Dosing pumps are individual units that are easy to replace for about 90$ per pump.

 

[Psxerholic]

Just ordered the aquarium i have always wanted. A 165 gallon.

72x24x22 tank, with starphire glass on the front. Herbie style overflows.

60x18x18 refugium, and auto top off reservoir.

Nice custom stand custom made for the tank.


At this point I am going with a shallow sand bed. The sump has mechanical and biological filtration as well as a third chamber for a refugium and then the return area. I am putting this next to a wall coming down the steps, so I have space under the steps to put the RO/DI unit so I can top off easier and have a place to store extra items as needed. Right now this is about all I know.

What do you guys use to plan some of this stuff out for the bigger setups before they arrive?

I know I need to do a GFCI outlet on that wall. I am going to take some of the stuff from my 90 gallon and use it on the 165 for a short period to get it up and going.

What advice can you give someone who is starting their first larger setup?

- Andy

Oh by the way, since you start your tank with the stuff like I do (since I do not know what you want to take over!?) please get rid of all the old sand except a remote DSB that you might have in your current setup.
I do prepare until my built is done a DSB in my refugium and additionally Bio pellets (Vortex-german stuff)!

 

[zenom]

Tank and stand are coming along. Both should be ready for delivery sometime the week after next.

Already purchasing different pieces for the upgrade including a RapidLED light, better test kits and all the rock has been ordered from marco rocks. Hoping to start building some aquaecapes this weekend or early next week. Then the rocks will probably be soaked for t he remainder of the time until the tank comes in and is setup.

 

[zenom]

Oh by the way, since you start your tank with the stuff like I do (since I do not know what you want to take over!?) please get rid of all the old sand except a remote DSB that you might have in your current setup.
I do prepare until my built is done a DSB in my refugium and additionally Bio pellets (Vortex-german stuff)!

I am not moving over any rock or sand (except maybe some for the refugium from the 90 gallon). The rock and sand is going to be all brand new to hopefully not move nasty algaes and such. Pretty much just the fish and corals will be coming over when its ready.

 

[zenom]

Got 100lbs of Marco Rock in today.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bXyETwerhI

 

[zenom]

Tank is due for delivery this week sometime, hopefully the latest next weekend. I have buckets of Salinity coming in, picked up 4 bags of Tropic Eden Reef Flakes and other items needed to get the tank up and running.


The g/f and I decided to work on some of the rock, below are the pics for the aquascaping. It's not laid out within the lines right now as we were still using some mortar. Messy work for sure. Will post more pictures when its cleaned up and laid out how we want it in the tank. There are a bunch of pieces that will branch out from the rock as well, so these are just the main structure pieces.

 

[zenom]

Tank being delivered tomorrow. Wall is painted. More goodies showed up via ups, ordered more lights from rapid led to have a complete set.

 

[jt48]

looks good. Ill be over to take that wine off your hands since you will need the room.

 

[zenom]

Lol we have so much wine. I think around 40 bottles right now. We had 150 at one point.

 

[zenom]

I haven't done much as far as pictures on this thread, but figured I would post some now. The tank is now lit with 3 RapidLED 60 degree Onyx fixtures, has 2 X Mp40WES pumps. The fish room / water station is being plumbed for better usage and the tank is cycling. Here are some pics.

Stand being delivered.

Sump

Tank with Stand

Dry Rock

Dry Rock w/ 3 bags of Reef Flakes

Filling...slowest part..

Cycling with heaters in Dt, until my apex & other 800W heater is moved into place.

 

[zenom]

Plumbing, a little more secure now than in this pic.

Herbie drain setup, picture is missing the last down pieces into the sump, which I did not glue so I can take them in and out. Silence......

Fish room is now cleaned out and the RO/DI is in there along with some 30 gallon rubber maids. Not much else to show in there yet