260 gallon (96x24x26) reef and fish room upgrade

That's nice! congrats on the tank. Please share your process. I am new to this, but very excited!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
As I mentioned, I had to re-think the plan after giving up the fish room. Here is my final plan. I think it worked out well. I ended up moving a door and a small bump-out that allowed me to put a reading bench to the right. It gives me 3 full panes of view (had 2 before) and that seat will be a nice place to watch the tank. The 4 black dots above the tank are the kessils. The window above the seat is actually a creative way I saw online to hide the HVAC return. I am planning on a slim hood to house the T-5 bulbs and considering a motorized lift for the hood to make it manageable.


With the loss of the fish room, I have been really trying to incorporate everything I had planned around a frag tank, quarantine tank, sump/fuge, skimmer, etc.. I think this sump design answers most of my needs. I made it to support a fuge, a skimmer section large enough to fit a recirculating skimmer and some media reactors, a return pump section that will fit 2 Vectra L1's if I need to add flow, and a separate frag tank that flows over to the return. And I want it to look nice.. :lol:


Finally, I got the tanks plumbed and wet this week. It's taking forever to make RO but I'm using the 55g as a mix tank to speed it along.


I am also working with the engineering company on the 80/20 stand and the right profile (currently considering the 40 series) and proper placement of diagonal braces. I'll do a separate post on that when I have all the info to share. Weight-wise we are targeting 4000 lbs.
 
I like the concept. Just a couple of ideas to consider...

* Do you really want to use socks? Maintaining them is a chore I don't look forward of doing in my next system design. I like the approach of Jeff at lifereef system. His sumps are sockless, he just use sponges to tramp large debris and micro particles will be exported via skimmer and refugium.

* I also don't like the idea of placing the refugium in a high flow area. I believe refugiums are more efficient exporting nutrients if there's enough contact time. I like being able to slow down the flow in the refugium. If you like this idea maybe you should place the refugium on the right side before the frag tank. Feed the refugium from a T off the return pump, using a ball valve or gate valve to control flow. Flow will be slow going thru your frag tank but that can be easily solve by adding a powerhead.
 
jdantunes said:
* Do you really want to use socks? Maintaining them is a chore I don't look forward of doing in my next system design. I like the approach of Jeff at lifereef system. His sumps are sockless, he just use sponges to tramp large debris and micro particles will be exported via skimmer and refugium.
Click to expand...

I actually don't mind socks but to be honest, I only use them 10% of the time, mostly to catch detritus when I am doing maintenance and when I just want a bit more clarity when company comes over. I run them for 2-3 days at most. The rest of the time its fair game for the corals and the skimmer. So I don't think I get the same level of frustration, I run a tub clean on the washer, turn them inside out, clean them on a bright whites cycle with bleach and an extra rinse. They air dry for a few days because I forget they are outside :) Then I fold them up for use over the next few months. I have about 20 socks so I can go a while.

jdantunes said:
* I also don't like the idea of placing the refugium in a high flow area. I believe refugiums are more efficient exporting nutrients if there's enough contact time. I like being able to slow down the flow in the refugium. If you like this idea maybe you should place the refugium on the right side before the frag tank. Feed the refugium from a T off the return pump, using a ball valve or gate valve to control flow. Flow will be slow going thru your frag tank but that can be easily solve by adding a powerhead.
Click to expand...

I think that's a great idea, it makes a lot of sense. My current tank is a lower flow sump and its positioned in the front like this one, but in this new tank there will be a lot more flow. Should be an easy change, thanks!
 
Not sure if this helps. But this is what I was shooting for in custom side. Went another route as my new tank can with a 60x30x18 sump and refuge. Mike did an amazing job drawing it. I only contributed idea of what I wanted to achieve slow flow fuge. I also had planned a 29 gallon qt. Like you I had plans for laundry room / fish room. Happy wife happy life.



This is what I have now:


Feel free to stop by and check it out. Might be of help in design.
 
Who manufactured this sump?

It is a nice design if you want to use the width of the stand and will work great if you have a peninsula style tank, where you can open both sides of the stand. But for a front side display tank I prefer having a longer sump and have everything face front. IMO having compartments in the back that you can't easily reach, makes maintenance feel like work.
 
jdantunes said:
Who manufactured this sump?
Click to expand...

My question as well. I am currently looking local vs something like synergy reef which is $$$$ I prefer not to spend if I can get similar quality local.

Z, I will txt you and try and swing by. Good chance to check out your build in person too! :)
 
Sump Designs

Sump Designs

jdatunes, Stand opens from sides and front in my case. Also the rear part of sump is going to be very low maintenance as it will have a sections of dsb channels and super low flow and cheto. I will ask the guy I got full setup from. If I remember correctly I think he ordered it custom. I think it is a tsunami brand. They make great stuff. He was planning on running 5000 GPH and asked for 4 7 inch socks.

As for the original build I designed with Mike for a local builder in Newport Richey:




First pass the design was going to include a separate tank that was higher 30lx18wx24h that would over flow via 2 bulks heads into the deep sand bed area that can be controlled and removed for either QT or Frag.
 
Tsunami? Really? Huh, I have not seen a sump that looks like that from them. Learn something new everyday. I kind of discounted them but might have to reconsider. That's more like my trigger systems sump which I love.
 
I will double check when I get home. Guy I purchased it from mentioned he worked with his supplier to get it custom made. He just texted me that this is not a standard model. Sump cost as much as the tank. He was going to keep the sump but I was happy he sold me both.
 
TheAquatect said:
Tsunami? Really? Huh, I have not seen a sump that looks like that from them. Learn something new everyday. I kind of discounted them but might have to reconsider. That's more like my trigger systems sump which I love.
Click to expand...

I got a Trigger and it's ok. I just wished the refugium was in the front and return chamber in the back, similar to My Reef Creations design.
 
I would suggest you not use the deep sand bed portion of the sump for a deep sand bed. If the power goes out for more than a few hours the whole bed will go toxic and you'll have to replace all the sand. Better to have a deep sand bed filter separate from your system so that you can cut it out completely if necessary.

Dave.M
 
^^^ This has not been my experience. I have tanks that are over 20 years old and have old school setups from DSB to Jaubert (sp?) style plenums. We have sent plenums through termite tenting with Vicane gas, which works by sucking all the oxygen out of the air. We had absolutely no issues re-starting a tank that was over 15 years old at the time. Everything was removed but the sandbed and the fish/rock/coral were simply replaced after tenting. We didn't even experience any significant cycling afterwards.
 
My new sump has 4 divider in fuge area. I plan to refresh each section per year. To avoid the 5 year die off. I have always loved dsb. Both sumps I was working with accounted for the ability to split it. So if I wanted to stop it from circulating to main system I can.
 
Dave M - FWIW, did you have DSB or plenum. I wonder if the anoxic/anaerobic areas played a factor in our different experiences. Also, livestock was removed during tenting.
 
TS: I am talking dedicated DSB, ~8" deep, no plenum*. Power outage was at least 8-10 hours. What a stinking mess. H2SO4 out the wazoo. There was no way I was reconnecting that to the DT. I tried running fresh saltwater over the top for a while but to no avail. I even tried manually rinsing the sand out but it did no good. I had to dump it all and start with all new sand.

Dave.M

*I'm a big fan of the plenum concept but have never had the opportunity to try it.
 
I really like your build idea. I'm just about to redo our basement and saw your post. And like your fish room idea. I don't have that much space but just enough. What changed your mind about the fish room.. if you don't mind. Pm if needed

Thanks
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

cilyjr
Cilyjr 320 gallon on the central coast
Replies
12
Views
445
rogerwilco357
rogerwilco357
U
New build
Replies
3
Views
244
griss
griss
ClownBubbaJoe
Skimmer, TALL skimmer vs short under cabinet type ?
Replies
13
Views
289
BeanAnimal
B
adova
300g DIY Acrylic Tank Recommendations
Replies
5
Views
103
griss
griss
griss
15 Gallon Fuge Build
2 3
Replies
56
Views
1K
Reefing102
Reefing102
Back
Top