1800 Gallon Reef .... Houston, Tx

[AQUA DAVE]

1800 Gallon Reef System 1100 Gallon Aquarium

I have had the pleasure of helping a dream tank come to life and would like to share with other extreme reefers the process of this build.

Over the last year there has been slow progress but now we are at the point where I can share some of the cool details...

The aquarium is 12.5 ft long and 6ft wide(middle) 4ft wide(end panels) 3ft High Double Bowfront (Acrylic) Reef Aquarium.

The equipment list is as follows:

Neptune Aqua Controller Apex

3 XXL Sunlight Supply 1000 Watt Magnum XXXL 6" Air-Cooled Reflector

4 Ecotech Marine MP60WES Pumps

My Reef Creations IS-2460-W Protein Skimmer

My Reef Creations 6ft L - 3ft W - 3ft H HDPE Sump w/ 6 7in. Filter Socks

Ozotech OZ4PC10-V/SW Ozonizer

Ozotech IQ40 Dryer

My Reef Creations Custom Ozone Reactor

2 My Reef Creations Fluidized Media Chamber 822

2 Reeflo Goby Gold Pumps

1 Reeflo Hammerhead Pump

Aqua Care 4 Calcium Reactor w/ Magnesium Tube

Aqua Care Nitrate Reactor (Rated for 1000 Gallons)

Tradewinds 2 Horsepower chiller w/ external compressor



Substrate and rock:

8 Tropic Eden Aragasnow Sugar Size Sand 30lb

8 Tropic Eden Reeflakes Aragonite 30lb

8 Tropic Eden Grand Select Aragonite 30 lb


1000lb Walt Smith Premium Pukani Live Rock

I will be posting pictures and video ASAP and look forward to good conversations to come!

 

[Patricklong]

This must be seen in person........


LOL!!

 

[DNA]

1000lb of live rock means it's going to be very minimalistic tank to start with.
This will be fun to watch and most of the time pictures say more than many words.

 

[AQUA DAVE]

1000 pounds of the Pukani Live rock is about double the amount of rock you would get out of 1000 pounds of regular fiji live rock because it is so porous.



We are going to try to make it a more natural live rock stack.

 

[SPotter]

cant wait to see the pictures and video of this!!!!!

 

[Meanmike]

Sounds sick!

With those dimensions I would think its more than 1100 gallons.

 

[AQUA DAVE]

The acrylic is 1.5 inches thick so it takes a little water volume away.

 

[AQUA DAVE]

Anyone recommend a good video and picture sharing site my photo bucket keeps crashing windows.

 

[AQUA DAVE]

Here are some shots of when we completed the initial plumbing for the drain, return, and electrical cables.

This is the main tanks location before slab

here it is after the slab

Filter room before and after slab

Look for the Gray Schedule 80 plumbing and it will help you locate the 9 - 10 filter room.

There are two 2" Drains running to the main aquarium and one 1.5" return as well as one electrical pipe and one information cable pipe for USB to connect Apex to expandable modules

 

[AQUA DAVE]

Walt Smith and I hand picking the live rock... I had to get a picture of this...

Kris Wray and I are good friends and I met Walt and Deb through him. Most of the cherry pic corals will be supplied by Kris and Oculus Aquatics..

Here is the live rock in a 500 Gallon Rubbermaid

 

[AQUA DAVE]

Needless to say the Rubbermaid looked like a giant cappuccino the next day! I have a Hammerhead running this curing process.

 

[AQUA DAVE]

The giant box in the middle is the aquarium in place and crated for the rest of the construction process.

close up

 

[AQUA DAVE]

Meeting with the Cabinetry Designer and going over functionality options. Jim Ferris Cabinets in Houston is very good and has done aquarium cabinetry many times. I would recommend him to anyone for any cabinetry needs in our area.

 

[AQUA DAVE]

There will be a Sub panel located under the aquarium to power all lighting, closed loop, and circulation pumps. This is after un-crating the aquarium and adjusting it to the plumbing.

 

[AQUA DAVE]

more to come later tonight

 

[Bad LS1]

Wow this is going to be awesome! So close to home too. I'd love to see this in person some day.

 

[Patricklong]

Those arches are awesome!

 

[mrbee2828]

wow

 

[boxers18]

Subscribed!!!

 

[dave.m]

My lips are chapped already!

Dave.M