380 Starfire SPS in a closet

[Avast Marine]

I worked over the weekend on the big ol calcium reactor and finished it today after work. It should hold about 30# of media, I'm hoping this will be large enough 8" x 20" chamber with a Panworld 40px recirc pump. I put it in front of my 54 for size reference:

I was actually thinking about running this on my 54 so I could sell the one I currently have on there. Does anyone see anything wrong with running a obscenely oversized calcium reactor on a small tank? I use a controller and only feed a little bit so it seems like it would be OK, just wondering if anyone has ever done it?

 

[Avast Marine]

Here is the current sketch I have from Miracles, there is 2ea 1.5" sched80 bulkheads and 2ea 1" sced80 bulkheads in each overflow, the black dots around the euro represents the utility holes that will be drilled in it for cords, pipes etc.

 

[erics3000]

Wow your 54 is sweet. This is some addiction. I cant wait to see your progress. Keep the pics coming..

 

[Avast Marine]

Thanks erics, I hope to progress quickly. I want to start cutting the wall in the next week or so.

 

[yoboyjdizz]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10315677#post10315677 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dandy7200
I worked over the weekend on the big ol calcium reactor and finished it today after work. It should hold about 30# of media, I'm hoping this will be large enough 8" x 20" chamber with a Panworld 40px recirc pump. I put it in front of my 54 for size reference:

I was actually thinking about running this on my 54 so I could sell the one I currently have on there. Does anyone see anything wrong with running a obscenely oversized calcium reactor on a small tank? I use a controller and only feed a little bit so it seems like it would be OK, just wondering if anyone has ever done it?

Not sure if im reading it right.. but did you build it yourself?

 

[Avast Marine]

yup

 

[chrisjet]

does your cowfish mess with your corals or other fish ?

 

[Avast Marine]

chrisjet, he gives all new fish the stink eye. He did pick up my lawnmower blenny by the "scruff of the neck" and carry him around for a little bit.

A lot of people ask me questions about this fish, here is what liveaquaria has to say:

The Cowfish Longhorn inhabit the reefs of the Indo-Pacific, usually in the less turbid waters. The body is yellow and covered with white dots, and is occasionally referred to as the Yellow Boxfish; however, the Longhorn is not to be confused with Ostracion cubicus, commonly called the Yellow or Polka Dot Boxfish. In the wild, it is not uncommon to see a 20" specimen, while in the aquarium the Cowfish Longhorn tends to be dramatically smaller - 16" or less.

When possible, the Cowfish Longhorn should be the first fish introduced in the tank. It is intolerant of other Longhorns, so keep it in a large tank, with some live rock for algae scraping. Use caution if placing the Cowfish Longhorn in a reef tank as it may nibble on tubeworms. When housed correctly, the Cowfish Longhorn is long-lived.

Similar to other boxfish, the Cowfish Longhorn's skin is poisonous and, when threatened, it will release a toxin lethal to other tank members, including other Longhorns.

Since they are omnivores, the Cowfish Longhorn should be offered a variety of meaty and vegetable foods. They are slow eaters, and should not be housed with aggressive eaters.

I have followed all of the rules and have been successful to this point. My entire stocking plan has been geared around this specimen. This is not a fish to randomly purchase without doing volumes of homework.

 

[yoboyjdizz]

do you accept paypal? haha

 

[Avast Marine]

Wow, Craftmaid is expensive!!! Here is what we came up with:

 

[woodwrangler]

Too many doors, imo, I would use 6 doors.
What is craftmaid quoting?

By the way, the image is your 54 gallon stretched to fit

 

[Avast Marine]

Kudos woodwrangler! About $2700 for solid maple panels and crown moulding etc.. I like 6 panels too. Right now they said to use 27" wide cabinets, I wonder if they make 36" with 2 doors?

 

[Avast Marine]

BTW, the stand is steel and 10 legs total spaced at 27" intervals so this was the reasoning behind 27" cabinets.....

 

[Avast Marine]

This is how I envision the lighting:

Since I wont have room for the L3's to go up or come out they will slide back and forth on a center rail. The T-5 and VHO will go up and down and the wires for those will straddle the L3's as they slide back and forth. The L3's will be adjustable up and down just not enough for maintenance.

 

[Avast Marine]

Yeah DEMO!!! I'll post pics in a bit....

I am thinking about the floor structurally. I have allotted 5000# for tank and water, rock etc. Over 22.5 sq. feet this comes out to 222# live load. My floor joist are 2x10 16" OC. The current span is 16' which is pretty much the maximum at 40# live load. I need just shy of 6x that amount I cannot seem to find span calculators that want to give me 200+ PSF calculations, anyone want to give a hand or link or just laugh with me......

 

[marlin_dory]

hey dandy7200 thnx for the help with the pond i have a q?
is this tank going to be on the 1st or 2nd floor

 

[Avast Marine]

1st floor, wood framing.

 

[Avast Marine]

OK, divider wall inbetween the two closets is fully removed and part of the floor is removed to expose the joist:

Here you can see my 75 across the room

Where I will be spending the next two days digging

It's a little wet down there...... First I will dig a hole and put a sump pump in the corner. Then digging should be a little less muddy. I decided to go with 4ea 3' long trench footers running perpendicular to the floor joist at roughly 27" centers. I will then lay cinder block to level up to the 2x10's and laminate the current joist with 3/4"ply and another 2x10 and fill the center of those with a couple 4x10 beams.....yeah that should hold it

 

[KurtsReef]

Dan, will this be viewed from two rooms? Or is where the closet doors are now going to be the back and the tank viewed where your 75 is?

 

[Avast Marine]

Kurtsreef, tank will be visible from one side so the front pane will be where the closet doors are now. The back wall of the closet is an exterior wall.