2400 gallons in da house (literally)

[VividAquariums]

very well done Dave, really like the video

just a few comments

adding more volume will not increase your bioload capacity, it will just take longer to pollute and require a great deal more export when it does, requiring more skimming power and/or other types of mechanical/biological/chemical waste removal

I guess it depends how you look at it. My customer was the one who wanted to add the extra two 600 gal containers to the system. I originally thought it was over-kill, but he convinced me that it wouldn't hurt. I must say that after seeing the system running for 10 months I completely agree with him.

If you have 100 fish in a 1000 gallon system producing waste that waste will be more concentrated than if it was diluted in a 2000 gallon system. The amount of waste would be the same, but the levels of nitrate would be lower in the larger system. Of course this does not take protein skimmers and other mechanical filtration into account. Could this system run well without the extra 1200 gal capacity? - absolutely. Will the extra capacity hurt in any way? - I can't see how. Will the added capacity help protect the display from sudden changes in water chemistry if some piece of equipment should fail? - Absolutely!! If a chiller goes out, a skimmer breaks down, a reactor clogs, a dosing pump fails, etc a system with larger water volume will fare better every time.

All equipment on this system was sized to easily handle the total system capacity of 2400 gallons.

large online storage containers tend to be nutrient sinks with gravity pulling the waste to the bottom of the tanks and ultimately add to the bioload instead of reducing it

This can be true depending on the system design and maintenance routine. The water is pumped into the containers from the sump where it is pre-filtered with filter socks. It passes through 240 watts of UV sterilizers before going through the two 600 gal containers. There is a small amount of detritus that still collects at the bottom of the containers. Water changes are done by agitating the water in one of the 600 gallon bins and then pumping out 400 of the 600 gallons. This removes most of the detritus that has collected in the bins and prevents it from building up too much.

instead of volume, adding more waste export mechanisms such as skimmers, carbon, macroalgae and the like will allow a higher bioload in the display

All of these methods are in place and running in addition to the extra 1200 gallons of capacity.

One thing I love about this hobby is that there are many ways to the same end result - a beautiful and successful reef aquarium. By trying out new methods and new designs and then sharing what we learn we will all continue to get better at this hobby.

Dave Burr
Vivid Aquariums

 

[Essense]

Wow, love that setup. The DT is of course incredible, but i'm more blown away by the thought and design of the filtration system that occupies the owners garage. The lighting, the room to work, all that stuff too. Things like the biopellet reactors moving right into the skimmer intakes and the redunancy and all the other smart considerations of this build. I think about all the planning I put into my 50G and i'm floored at what must have gone into this.

If I ever get there financially to move on a 500G+ tank, i'm positive i'd have Dave come out to set me up.

 

[freetareef]

awesome job....cant wait to be through with college....

 

[sfsuphysics]

Will the extra capacity hurt in any way? - I can't see how. Will the added capacity help protect the display from sudden changes in water chemistry if some piece of equipment should fail? - Absolutely!! If a chiller goes out, a skimmer breaks down, a reactor clogs, a dosing pump fails, etc a system with larger water volume will fare better every time.

All equipment on this system was sized to easily handle the total system capacity of 2400 gallons.

I realize there are different ways to do things, and please don't take this as a negative critique. But the extra capacity could potentially hurt in that if something does go wrong it takes more of an effort to fix things. For instance, while I will agree the extra volume basically adds more volume to pollute so any one particular fish pooping will be less of an issue, it also means that any water changes that you do need to be that much more to have the same effect. If it does over heat, that's twice as much power that's required to bring the temp down, and being as that extra volume is in containers there's no where for evaporation of the extra volume which ends up being what slows overheating, so 1200 gallons in barrels wouldn't be as effective as an open 1200 gallon sump or megafrag tank or something (not that there'd be room for that mind you ) for cooling purposes in the case of a large sump, or something.

Also as you mentioned everything is for 2400 gallons, and while at these sizes "money is no object" often becomes closer to truth, equipment for a 1200 system is much less than equipment needed for a 2400g system, not to mention the additional electrical load... but again at these sizes you sort of expect your neighborhood to dim whenever your lights come on

One thing I love about this hobby is that there are many ways to the same end result - a beautiful and successful reef aquarium. By trying out new methods and new designs and then sharing what we learn we will all continue to get better at this hobby.

Agree completely, and while I personally don't think this design is "better", it is a different take, and we don't make progress without trying anything new . I just happen to be at the mind set that more volume being better for stability does have limitations.

 

[polywise]

Dave,
Are the two large tanks run preassurized as water goes back to the main system? if so, how well do the man hole access covers work? Did you need to modify them to hold system preassure?, also are there any plans on insulating the large tanks?

 

[VividAquariums]

The two large tanks are not pressurized - one runs slightly higher than the other. Water is pumped through the UV's into the first container. It overflows from the first container into the second container and then overflows from the second container back into the sump. There are no plans to insulate the tanks at this time.

Dave

 

[sfsuphysics]

Looks like the whole garage was insulated, granted I don't know if that's normal for SoCal, but out here my garage doors are not insulated

 

[VividAquariums]

The entire is insulated and has its own AC unit as well.

 

[125G Reefer]

:beer:

 

[craigvh]

Any updates on this build. The video was amazing.

 

[SoCal LowBaller]

you can get the door insulated or do it yourself. my brother got a new door with insulation in it.

Looks like the whole garage was insulated, granted I don't know if that's normal for SoCal, but out here my garage doors are not insulated