300 gallon mixed reef build thread, and the things I have learned :)

[spersky]

My build is almost complete and it is has been a been extremely enjoyable and at times challenging project, but well worth it

let us begin:

I wanted a huge in wall build of 300 gallons or more with freshwater African Cichlids. I am an experienced in aqaurium hobby , both freshwater and salt water. The aquarium was ordered beginning of Sept from GlassCages.com I got the 300 Gallon Tall 96''x24x31'' with 3/4 commercial glass and Starphire front pane and 2 overflow boxes with 1 1/2" drains and 1" returns in each box.

The tanks weighs about 800 lbs and I had to get a moving company to move it.

I used 3 Joint jacks on cider blocks footers in the basement onto a 2x12 beam to make sure the floor will not sag under the aquarium.

here are some initial pictures from sept

In the the first picture you can see the tear down which was an old bar with cabinets and sink. The sink and drain makes it all perfect for my setup and design. In the second picture you can see the over engineered stand and construction.

 

[spersky]

Next I began sump design. I made the stand so bulk that a traditional large sump would not work because of the 2x6 cross joists under the stand. Keep in mind this is just a simple Cichlid Tank anyway, or so I thought.

In the first Picture, I used 55 gallon water barrels cut in half to make about 35 Gallons on each side. They are joined together via a 3'' PVC pipe. This have been a very robust design and I really like it. I used uni-seals on all barrel bulkheads. I am have a machine and woodworking shop so I can can perfect holes in these barrels and the uni seals so not leak.

In the second picture you can see the plumbing somewhat closer with the overflow on the right bulkhead going to a wall drain. This is a fail safe so the floor does not flood. It has already saved my whole house. I will explain that later as the saga continues.

 

[spersky]

Moving on I installed my Fresh Water Lighting system, and made sure I had the appropriate had the electrical for the aquarium. These lights are are daylight 120 degree Led floodlights. There where really awesome. So far the Freshwater aquarium is coming along nicely. Outdoor leak test is going well. The uniseals work flawlessly, and you can also see that drywall repair is not my forte, but who cares it will all be hidden.

I went to pick up the aquarium, and painted the back and sides and movers installed it on the 1/2 pink foam padding on the stand. The aquarium the shimmed and leveled where needed.

You can see I even have a great rock design for the African Cichlid aqua scape.

 

[spersky]

A trip with the family to the Georgia Aquarium and all of a sudden the build need to be converted to a Saltwater Aquarium. Still not sure about Corals yet though. At least I now know it will be a FOWLR aquarium at the least.

But Saltwater is a such a pain!!! You need to mix Salt and monitor PH and get a skimmer and test the water and the list goes on and on. I have no plan to even facilitate this. There was already a setback because the Iwaki 100 RLT sounds like vacuum cleaner and cannot even come close to working under the aquarium.

See the first picture. It is plumbed and works great, but it has to be moved!!

 

[spersky]

I took about 2-3 days, and I still could not figure out how to convert this project to a saltwater aquarium that I could take care of so I finally told the family no.

Since that was settled, I could start moving forward, but one day later it all came to me, and I got real excited that I found a solution to the water change dilemma and saltwater mixing and the R/O system etc.

1) Here is some basic sump plumbing and on the left you can see the fresh new saltwater input pipe which is mixed and pumped in from the basement.

Picture number 2 shows the Saltwater mixing station and the Iwaki 100 RLT on the right which is the sump return. The saltwater mixing station will also get an Iwkai 100 RLT.

Picture 3 shows the whole station in the basement. It shows 2 QT 29 gallon QT tanks and the mixing station that can mix and pump Saltwater to my Reef and the QT tanks this the turn of a valve. There are two 55 gallon plastic tanks. The one on the left hold the freshly made R/I DI water. The Tank on the left holds the re-circulation for the Saltwater Mixing.

 

[spersky]

With the Saltwater and mixing station figured out, I could really move fast to complete the build.

Picture one shows R/O DI system and the 20 gallon ATO tank. Can make make water in the basement or the ATO tank with the turn of a valve. The waste water from the R/O DI goes to the same sump overflow drain under the tank.

Picture number 2,3 and 4 show the LifeReef 48'' skimmer install and plumbing.

 

[spersky]

Full reef progressing pictures.

Picture 1 shows dry Fiji rock formation set into the aquarium. I used West Systems epoxy and and drilled for orange fiberglass driveway markers from Home Depot.

You can see the lighting still sucks. Need to change that

 

[spersky]

6 Kessil AW360 installed with chains and Walnut cabinet face frame installed. I still have to make the raised Panel Doors

In the second picture you can see the Calcium reactor on the left which is a GEO Reef 500.

I have everything run via and APEX controller. With multiple float switches in the right Sump I have automatic water changes setup with 5 gallons per day output to the wall drain and the iwaki pump sends 5 gallons of new saltwater from the basement mixing station at 5pm every single day.

The middle of the tank stand has the APEX controller and the CO2 tank. Furthermore and Reef Dynamics 500 Bio pellet reactor which I do not want or need and I have removed. It is for sale BTW. You can also see the light glow from the 57 Watt AquaUV sterilizer in the middle compartment.

 

[spersky]

Huge Mistakes I have made and fixed.

1) Bio Pellets are not for me. I do enough water changes anyway.

2) The ATO tubing is just a touch lower than the water level in the 20 gallon ATO tank when the ATO tank is full. This can create a small siphon that might drain the ATO Tank by about one inch. If I left the R/O DI system on for a long time it would continue to top off the ATO which could siphon into the sump. This would add freshwater to the sump. This happened when I went of vacation. The APEX sump high alarm went off and I was able to save the tank because I called my friend and he saved the tank but shutting of the R/O DI system. The overflow to the wall drain also saved my floor and house

3) I did not initially have a QT System. Why should I since I was adding all the fish to the new tank anyway. They can QT in the main DT anyway. Well that was a complete disaster. HUGE HUGE mistake. Marine ICH has killed $500 dollars in fish and cost me huge amount of time. I have now pulled all fish and they are in hospital tank doing well while I run the tank Fallow. The QT system I made is awesome though and I wish I had done that in the beginning. See Photo

4) I did not start with Ferric Oxide to begin with and the fish die off from ICH raised Phosphates to about .5 ppm. I had to add Ferric Oxide now Phos. is at .04 ppm.

Now the corals look great and growing like crazy just no fish for a while expect the one lawnmower blennie that I cannot catch!!!!!!!!

 

[spersky]

This is what I have so far. I would be happy to answer questions or post additional pictures if people need or want to learn more about the build

Regards

 

[ridetheducati]

just no fish for a while expect the one lawnmower blennie that I cannot catch!!!!!!!!

Continue to try to catch the blenny. Otherwise, the system will not have a chance to purge the Ich. System must be fallow for at least six weeks.

 

[spersky]

I will I have the trap set. Just waiting. He might also be sick because he never come out anymore.

 

[SPotter]

Ok few questions.....

1) whats the black stuff growing on the wall behind the tank???

2) are the 4x4 supports for the stand sitting on the base and the holding up the top frame or are they resting on the floor?

3) is there only styro foam between the tank and the stand or is the plywood and foam between the tank and stand???

 

[sarens]

great thread, I'm going from a 120 to a 330 now, just ordering items, very good so see your "lessons" that I will attempt to not repeat (I'm sure I will have enough of my own); I have question about ich now for you, what is you plan for your display tank to be sure when you are done with fish in QT there won't still be ich in your Display Tank?

 

[sarens]

one more also, what is your plan to treat ich, copper?

 

[LadyG]

Great history on your tank. I'll need to remember your painful lessons when I start my 75 gallon tank.

 

[spersky]

Ok few questions.....

1) whats the black stuff growing on the wall behind the tank???

2) are the 4x4 supports for the stand sitting on the base and the holding up the top frame or are they resting on the floor?

3) is there only styro foam between the tank and the stand or is the plywood and foam between the tank and stand???

1) I am not sure, but I cut it all out and re did the wall there.
2) Maybe I have another picture let me check. Does this picture help? The 4x4s got from bottom to top with joists
3) That picture you see has Styrofoam right on top of that. There is no Plywood. I saw no need for plywood.

 

[SPotter]

I've never heard of someone not using plywood between the stand and tank on a large tank like this. Also with the stand you should have two frames equal to the dimensions of the tank. The top frame should rest on the supports and then those supports rest on the bottom frame. The purpose of this is to transfer the load of the weight of the tank and water. I would be concerned about lack of support for the glass in the open areas of you stand. Given glasscages reputation I would strongly recommend you find rocketengineers stand thread in the diy forum and post pictures of your stand and let him know that you have no plywood between the tank and stand just foam. I'm not trying bash or be overly critical here....I've seen a few too many gc tanks crack because of stand issues.

 

[spersky]

one more also, what is your plan to treat ich, copper?

I will leave the DT Fallow for 10 weeks once I catch that Blennie. Also, the fish are in QT tank with Paraguard. That copper test kit is way to hard to read. I will kill the fish with copper.

 

[spersky]

I've never heard of someone not using plywood between the stand and tank on a large tank like this. Also with the stand you should have two frames equal to the dimensions of the tank. The top frame should rest on the supports and then those supports rest on the bottom frame. The purpose of this is to transfer the load of the weight of the tank and water. I would be concerned about lack of support for the glass in the open areas of you stand. Given glasscages reputation I would strongly recommend you find rocketengineers stand thread in the diy forum and post pictures of your stand and let him know that you have no plywood between the tank and stand just foam. I'm not trying bash or be overly critical here....I've seen a few too many gc tanks crack because of stand issues.

If you look at the Center Joist all across the stand you will see that there is a ton of cross beam support. Granted there is not support in the very center of each compartment, but the majority of the bottom is supported. I do not know about their consumer tanks, but their commercial tanks are built better than any aquarium, I have ever seen. I do think that the residential 1/2 inch glass they recommend would have been bad in the long run.

I forgot to add the Tank is braced with 3/4''x4'' wide glass along all the seems at the bottom and of course along the top. The only downfall to that would be going bare bottom tank would look really bad. I also lined the entire bottom with egg crate light diffuser to prevent and rock pressure points damaging the glass.