5' X 5' Cube - 500 Gallon system
- Thread starter Wade2185
- Start date
szwab
Premium Member
first off... man my typing sucks 
the holes will weaken the area that they are in. since it's acrylic It won't be as bad as glass, but it will still have a large amount of pressure on that area with and inch or 2 or 3 between the holes.
I guess I am just not a fan of placing hole in the bottoms of tanks IMO eventually they cause problems and usually it ends up in needing to completley drain the tank to fix. That's why I threw out the idea of limiting the # of holes.
the holes will weaken the area that they are in. since it's acrylic It won't be as bad as glass, but it will still have a large amount of pressure on that area with and inch or 2 or 3 between the holes.
I guess I am just not a fan of placing hole in the bottoms of tanks IMO eventually they cause problems and usually it ends up in needing to completley drain the tank to fix. That's why I threw out the idea of limiting the # of holes.
alien9168
New member
szwab- Thanks for the clarification man.
BTW, my typing also sucks. I dont know that much about the pros and cons of drilling the bottom of tanks, so I dont want my coment to be offensive. Just a question.
As for the new question... You are probably right about the bulhead area not being supported by the tank.
THe bulheads...especially 4 of them would take up alot of unsuported space. You bring up a good point.
And now that i think about the arguments that you have mad, for fixing bulkeads, lack of support ect... Its probably not best to have holes---many holes---drilled at the tanks bottom.
BTW...Is cora a large reef club?
It seems that there are alot of members here on rc?
-alien
BTW, my typing also sucks. I dont know that much about the pros and cons of drilling the bottom of tanks, so I dont want my coment to be offensive.
Just a question. As for the new question... You are probably right about the bulhead area not being supported by the tank.
THe bulheads...especially 4 of them would take up alot of unsuported space. You bring up a good point.
And now that i think about the arguments that you have mad, for fixing bulkeads, lack of support ect... Its probably not best to have holes---many holes---drilled at the tanks bottom.
BTW...Is cora a large reef club?
It seems that there are alot of members here on rc?
-alien
Wade2185
New member
I made a scale model of the tank this weekend in my basement. I had to make sure I could get it down the stairs, etc. Here are a couple of pics of the model. I used blue tape to outline the rock work and the round island.
Here is a pic when looking from the 72" side
Here is a pic from the 60" side
I am still torn on what to do with the flow. You guys bring up good points about drilling holes for the CL and it effecting the strength of the tank. I know that I will be using three streams (2 - 6080 and 1 - 6060) to start. That will be about 6,000 GPH. I will also be using a dolphin Amp master for the return which will be about another 2,000 to 2,500 GPH. All of this flow will be coming from one 60" side and shooting down the length of the tank. I really want to have water coming from the other side of the tank as well and that is why the island CL on my OM 4 way is so appealing. I think I am down to two choices. 1 - Do a closed loop with the holes spread out more (how much I do not know) and use a Hammerhead pump (5,000 GPH). 2 - Go with a wave box and extension. Can someone please help me decide?
Here is a pic when looking from the 72" side
Here is a pic from the 60" side
I am still torn on what to do with the flow. You guys bring up good points about drilling holes for the CL and it effecting the strength of the tank. I know that I will be using three streams (2 - 6080 and 1 - 6060) to start. That will be about 6,000 GPH. I will also be using a dolphin Amp master for the return which will be about another 2,000 to 2,500 GPH. All of this flow will be coming from one 60" side and shooting down the length of the tank. I really want to have water coming from the other side of the tank as well and that is why the island CL on my OM 4 way is so appealing. I think I am down to two choices. 1 - Do a closed loop with the holes spread out more (how much I do not know) and use a Hammerhead pump (5,000 GPH). 2 - Go with a wave box and extension. Can someone please help me decide?
Wade2185
New member
Maybe I could do the CL like this
I am thinking that I could drill the intake into the bottom of the tank where the bucket sits. Then surround the intake with a 4" square acrylic box. Then I would install egg crate or something on top of the box to keep fish, etc out of the intake. Then I would have the 4 - 1" holes surrounding the intake. You can see where I markd the 4 holes with the blue tape. The total height of the island woulc be maybe 15". I would hide everything with rocks.
I am thinking that I could drill the intake into the bottom of the tank where the bucket sits. Then surround the intake with a 4" square acrylic box. Then I would install egg crate or something on top of the box to keep fish, etc out of the intake. Then I would have the 4 - 1" holes surrounding the intake. You can see where I markd the 4 holes with the blue tape. The total height of the island woulc be maybe 15". I would hide everything with rocks.
have you seen the videos of the waveboxes-- or I guess even better, would be one in person?
It is really almost deciding between two completely different setups. Not in terms of what corals to keep, but in the way the tank is going to look. There is a thread in the Tunze forum of several videos of the wavebox. If you like it go that way, if not you have your answer.
It is really almost deciding between two completely different setups. Not in terms of what corals to keep, but in the way the tank is going to look. There is a thread in the Tunze forum of several videos of the wavebox. If you like it go that way, if not you have your answer.
Wade2185
New member
Here is a photo of my latest idea.
You can see the box in the center of the island. This will be the intake for the island CL. Then you can see the 4 1" outlets surrounding the box. These will be on an OM 4-way with a Sequence Hammerhead pump driving them. I think that all of these holes will be far enough apart. Also, I am going to incorporate a PVC structure to stack the L shaped rock on. I will not have any sand under the L shaped rock work. I am thinking that I will drill 4 more holes so that I can run outlets under the L shaped rock work. These 4 outlets will be fed by a little giant pump that I have. The purpose for these is so that I can blow detritus and other garbage out from under the rock work. This pump will not run 24/7. I think that I will put it on a timer and have it come on just 2 or 3 times per day. I am thinking that I will also install a valve on each of the four stations. That way if I need to I can shut 3 of them off and get more pressure out of just one. This should help me keep things very clean under the rocks.
I think I have made my mind up and this is the way I want to go unless anyone sees a major problem with this design.
You can see the box in the center of the island. This will be the intake for the island CL. Then you can see the 4 1" outlets surrounding the box. These will be on an OM 4-way with a Sequence Hammerhead pump driving them. I think that all of these holes will be far enough apart. Also, I am going to incorporate a PVC structure to stack the L shaped rock on. I will not have any sand under the L shaped rock work. I am thinking that I will drill 4 more holes so that I can run outlets under the L shaped rock work. These 4 outlets will be fed by a little giant pump that I have. The purpose for these is so that I can blow detritus and other garbage out from under the rock work. This pump will not run 24/7. I think that I will put it on a timer and have it come on just 2 or 3 times per day. I am thinking that I will also install a valve on each of the four stations. That way if I need to I can shut 3 of them off and get more pressure out of just one. This should help me keep things very clean under the rocks.
I think I have made my mind up and this is the way I want to go unless anyone sees a major problem with this design.
Untamed12
New member
I like that latest design a lot...because I'm doing something similar.
But, I'm going to try to "grow" the island out of a single coral, eventually creating a large coral head just like one sees in the wild.
This will require a lot of patience, but I'll try to pick a fast growing, yet attractive coral.
But, I'm going to try to "grow" the island out of a single coral, eventually creating a large coral head just like one sees in the wild.
This will require a lot of patience, but I'll try to pick a fast growing, yet attractive coral.
Untamed12
New member
Rather than supply those outlets in the "L" shaped rock section from the bottom of the tank....they could easily be supplied from the back wall of the tank.
This might make them more accessable should you ever need to.
Yes, you absolutely need to have valves on each of the OM4way legs...if only to remove the 4 way for servicing every so often.
This might make them more accessable should you ever need to.
Yes, you absolutely need to have valves on each of the OM4way legs...if only to remove the 4 way for servicing every so often.
Wade2185
New member
Got my tank today
It is not a 5'X5' cube. I went bigger. The final size is 6 1/2 feet long, 5 feet wide and 30" tall. It is all made out of 3/4" acrylic with and external overflow.
Here are some pics. The blue tape in the tank shows how I plan to layout my rock work. The big circle is an island that will be made into my closed loop. I will have 4 returns in the island that will be hooked up to a OM 4-way unit and driven by a Sequence Hammerhead pump.
It is not a 5'X5' cube. I went bigger.
The final size is 6 1/2 feet long, 5 feet wide and 30" tall. It is all made out of 3/4" acrylic with and external overflow.Here are some pics. The blue tape in the tank shows how I plan to layout my rock work. The big circle is an island that will be made into my closed loop. I will have 4 returns in the island that will be hooked up to a OM 4-way unit and driven by a Sequence Hammerhead pump.
SERVO
New member
THis is going to be an absolutely beautiful set up.
Wade, Have you ever thought about setting up a couple of surge set ups? I have a 400 gallon with a CL ran with a Dart, 2 6100's, a wave box and I still have dead spots. Right now the corals are not very big. I am going to have to change something once they grow up big! I purchased a couple of eductors, however the Dart isn't a pressure rated pump so I didn't want to put both of them on. I noticed a huge increase of flow, but it was very centralized and laminar
I wish I lived around you to help you aquascape your tank!
Good Luck
Wade, Have you ever thought about setting up a couple of surge set ups? I have a 400 gallon with a CL ran with a Dart, 2 6100's, a wave box and I still have dead spots. Right now the corals are not very big. I am going to have to change something once they grow up big! I purchased a couple of eductors, however the Dart isn't a pressure rated pump so I didn't want to put both of them on. I noticed a huge increase of flow, but it was very centralized and laminar
I wish I lived around you to help you aquascape your tank!
Good Luck
Wade2185
New member
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7401579#post7401579 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SERVO
THis is going to be an absolutely beautiful set up.
Wade, Have you ever thought about setting up a couple of surge set ups? I have a 400 gallon with a CL ran with a Dart, 2 6100's, a wave box and I still have dead spots. Right now the corals are not very big. I am going to have to change something once they grow up big! I purchased a couple of eductors, however the Dart isn't a pressure rated pump so I didn't want to put both of them on. I noticed a huge increase of flow, but it was very centralized and laminar
I wish I lived around you to help you aquascape your tank!
Good Luck
I have thought about a surge device. I would really like to do 1 or 2 on this in the future. The only problem is I know absolutley nothing about them. I figured I would setup the tank first and then look into the surge. At this point flow is going to be my biggest challenge but I am excited to figure it out.
