187g BB Modern Display

[skey44]

This is my first foray into the Large Reef Tank forum zone of Reef Central. I have done lots of reading and research here as it seems this is one of the best areas on the web to view and learn about magnificent large reef displays.

I currently have a 75 gallon aquarium that is overstocked and the fish need some more room to swim and graze.

I am also out of space for corals and would like to have a few more spots for sps to be placed and then have room for them to grow and fill in the negative space of the aquarium.

Wanting a school of fish and branching sps for them to hide and school in I have decided on a wider tank.
With that in mind I have decided on a 60x30x24 display. I would like to have a modern aquarium that is a good size for the number of fish and corals I would like to keep. The top will be open, the lighting will be a hanging t5 fixture, the filtration methodology will be Bare Bottom (very high flow, live rock, heavy bio load,and heavy skimming)
I am probably going to have the stand built locally with my exact specs, look, and color. I may decide to build it myself, but i am not exactly a craftsman. I am also doing some renovations to the area where my tank is going, so I will have to move the current 75 gallon aquarium elsewhere while I update the aquarium room.

The sketchup design of the aquarium:

the keyhole slots will be for either (4)x Tunze 6101 on multicontroller or two 6101 and a wavebox

An ATB medium with needlewheel Airstar Pump will efficiently remove the d.o.c s.
The sump will house my geo 618 ca rxr and also one of the new geo media rxrs with gfo and gac.
A reeflo Marlin pump will feed the rxrs via a manifold and serve as the return to the display.
ATI will provide the lighting with their 10x54w powermodule fixture.
All plumbing including bulkheads will be sch 80 for strength, aesthetics, and function.
Top off will be accomplished with my Tunze Osmolator and a custom reservoir built into the sump
Overflow standpipes will be Hofer Gurgle Buster.
With a little help I plan on constructing the stand with a modern clean look then coating it in a dark espresso finish and coating the interior with the white waterproof epoxy/pvc paint.
ADHI out of Colorado will be helping with design of the aquarium and the sump and then building them too of course. I am thinking he will use 3/4" all around. The bottom and back of the aquarium will be black acrylic. ADHI uses Colorado made acrylic and it is the nicest quality acrylic I have seen.

Wish me luck and I will take all of the advice I can get. The few things I'm 99% set on are T5 lighting, BB, and no closed loop bc i don't like the look of most of them or the potential headaches involved.

The tank sketchup will be sent to the ADHI on Monday to get a finalized quote and design crit.

Cheers,

Scott

 

[skey44]

this is at least how I envision the stand looking.

 

[skey44]

actually think it is better without the pulls, I am going to get a skilled local carpenter that I know of to look at this and help me out.

 

[amehel0]

nic style on stande. i like ur 75

 

[Jan Helge]

Gonna be good

Stand is gonna be nice.

 

[mcliffy2]

deja vu...welcome to the large tank forum.

 

[mcliffy2]

oh one thing I forgot to mention with your ADHI sump...I'd ask them to use baffles rather than a sponge to remove bubbles. I have an ADHI 30 sump on my current tank, and the sponge design as a bubble trap just didnt work well. I ended up installing DIY baffles and yanking the sponge.

 

[skey44]

i have already considered that... I don't like the sponge it just collects detritus! and that aint good for BB from what I hear.

 

[skey44]

thanks everyone by the way. I would love to hear any constructive criticism.
I think I am going to get a quote on the stand from a local cabinet maker that I have worked with before, and have faith could do an excellent job on it I just would have to know how much.

 

[skey44]

you guys think this is gonna be a good BB sump design?

 

[skey44]

I tried to copy concrete reefer's atb sposored sump bc I liked the look of it with all the black on the bracing and I am going with cone power too... hope he doesn't mind!

 

[Ed Reef]

I like your overall design skey44.... love them modern design. Good to see how reefers are paying more attention to details to the overall presentation and not just what's in the tank...

 

[skey44]

Thanks Ed, your tank is looking amazing too I'm a long way from getting wet yet!

there is a lot of time to consider things when you are saving money and only buy one piece at a time , but I have learned through my first few tanks what I like and I would really like to do this one exactly the way I want to looks and function from the inside out.

do you guys think that two 6101 and a wavebox would be better for flow or just four 6101? I think I'll like the balanced look of the 4 6101 better.

 

[Ed Reef]

I was originally planning on going with 4 x 6101 for my tank but after discussing with Roger of Tunze, he suggest 1 x wavebox and 2 x 6101 (which i later decided to change to 6201)

What sort of corals are you planning??

 

[kdblove_99]

You current tank is very nice love the Regal

 

[mcliffy2]

The general layout of the sump looks good. Are you getting the sump custom made? If so, I'd get it made wider to make the most of the space under your tank. I got a 48Lx27Wx18H (100 gal) for under my 60x36 footprint and it fits perfect. I know you want some extra room since everything is going in your stand, so maybe 36Lx27Wx16H. This might give you a room to make a section for a fuge too.

 

[skey44]

Ed- I was thinking detritus suspension and removal would be much better with a combo of the two so this is probably the direction I should go.

Thanks kdblove the regal is my pride and joy

Mcliffy- I have thought about widening the sump, but am afraid this will necessitate extra cost in acrylic pieces and thickness. I don't really feel like I need that much more room- the one in the sketchup diagram is 50 gallons which should be more than capable of handling the extra tank volume above the returns in the case of a power failure. As far as the fuge goes- I have had them and don't really like them as eventually you have to get down there and clean it... I don't have one on my current tank and like the results (I removed one... and that wasn't fun). I actually think I have more pods in my sump now than I ever did with the fuge! I am running a manifold off my main pump so I may utilize the extra space under neath with a frag tank in the future. I am also going to have a large ato reservoir under there. I will consider the dimensions further, but I really am just looking for skimmer chamber and settling chamber out of the sump. Another extra space use width wise is the pump that I am going to plumb off the back of the sump to go straight up into the display.

 

[skey44]

do you guys think a dart/snapper gold will run my planned manifold... or do I have to go with the wahoo and pressure rated reeflo side I'd just love to save the wattage

 

[skey44]

still asking the question above and on top of that i have another one.
if installing a chiller in cabinet what is the best chiller for this size tank? I was thinking teco 1/5 hp... the reason for a possible chiller is a possible change in light plans... i was looking at giesemann halide fixtures bc they are so darn sexy and i think it would look good over the tank and provide great light. I like the spectra.

 

[skey44]

A friend came by to take some pics last night and this is a big reason for the tank upgrade-

And the tank has begun

I ordered the H&S 200-1260 for this tank and it should be here soon- thanks to Brian @ Fins Reef and Craig at OceansFloorAquatics.

The tank and sump is also being ordered through Craig at OceansfloorAquatics who works with Joe @ ADHI in CO

Going with the Dart Gold for a return- if my calculations are correct it will run my manifold @ 97 watts instead of 278 for the wahoo!!!

I'll update with photos as Joe @ ADHI updates me, I am really getting excited as I see things starting to come together, but there is a long road ahead too.