620 gallons total=360 Gallon Aquarium w/125 gallon sump & 125 gallon pre-formed pond.

[Unicorntang11]

620 gallons total=360 Gallon Aquarium w/125 gallon sump & 125 gallon pre-formed pond.

Hey guys,

I will be doing an in wall build with my new tank. We just purchased a new home and have moved in. I am upgrading from my 125 gallon tank now to a 360 gallon tank. The dimensions will be 8ft long, 2ft tall, and 3ft wide. The old tank will become the new sump. When we moved I broke down the old tank and did not want to set it up. I purchased a pre-formed 135 gallon pond to hold the fish until the new tank comes in a few weeks (Nov 10th ish)

Attached are some pictures of the fish in their temp. home.

 

[Unicorntang11]

THe pond I plan to plumb into the final system. It will be a mangrove area. It will have sand and a low flow. Will use MH lighting to grow algae and mangrove palnts for nutrient export.

CURRENT STOCK LIST:

Australian Epaulette Shark
Orange Tail Emperor Angel
Blueline Angel
Blueface Angel
Aptasia Eating File Fish
Bluejaw Trigger (male)
Foxface
Bluespot Unicorn Tang
Vlamingi Tang
Naso Tang
Orange Shoulder Tang
Yellow Tang

 

[Unicorntang11]

Update

Update

Hey guys,

Just wanted to give a quick update. The tank will be shipping from FL on November 10th. Should be to me by the 14th or 15th. Can't wait

 

[GvineReefer]

Sounds like a pretty cool setup, I really like when people make an area to grow mangroves. Once received, what is your estimate on time frame to have it up and running? Keep us updated!

 

[OahuReef]

That pond is pretty cool. One could put a display stand around it and use it as a display. Tidepool style.

 

[Unicorntang11]

I am expecting to have it completed within 2-3 weeks of receiving the tank. I just found out today the tank is a little behind and that it won't be shipping until Friday the 18th. I have only weekends to work on it. I'd like to have it done by the first of the year. There will be no cycling because all of the liverock is already seeded or cycled. Thanks for the replies!

 

[Unicorntang11]

Thanks. I liked the idea too. Just makes it easier then setting the old tank up and then breaking it down again once the new tank came.

 

[Unicorntang11]

Ok guys I know it's been awhile but I am finally updating. The tank came in the week of Thanksgiving. In the between time I had a heater failure in the pond and lost all of my livestock except the shark and my eel because I did not have my UV sterilizer hooked up. In all of my years doing this and having temperature swings and other stress factors I never had a problem because of the UV being hooked up.

I have since built my stand, ran the plumbing between the tank and the sump. I had to run plumbing through my basement walls. Here are some pictures

 

[Unicorntang11]

Tank & Stand

Tank & Stand

Here are pictures of the tank and the stand I built

 

[Unicorntang11]

More Pics

More Pics

Pictures of the Tank on the stand, with plumbing, and then my filtration. THe UV is an Emperor Aquatics UV Sterilizer. This is the new UV I just received. This is a 320Watt Commercial Unit. The UV is oversized but that is never a bad thing. It is sized to handle 4,000GPH for the 180,000 microwatts (kill rate needed for Ich). It has a bypass installed because the pump will be 5,100 GPH. I have not yet plumbed the pond in.

Questions? Comments?

 

[geaux xman]

thats unfortunate about the fish.

how thick is the acyrlic? who built the tank if you dont mind?

 

[Jay-sun]

Sorry about the fish loss! That's not cool.

On the other hand this is a cool build. Love the idea of using the pond.

Tank looks sweet.

Looking forward to the progress on this build.

Jason

 

[Unicorntang11]

The acrylic is 3/4". I don't know who built it but the tank was purchased through Fishtanksdirect.com. They are located in Florida. Great place to go for supplies and tanks too. Their manufacturer does really nice work and you are not going to pay an arm and a leg. John there is great.

 

[jdpiii3]

This is going to be a cool build, keep up the great work.

 

[Unicorntang11]

Update

Update

Ordered Liverock last night. I have a mix of 430lbs of Fiji and Fiji Branch coming in. Should be here next Wed or Thursday. I just need to finish plumbing the internal piping inside the overflows and put the pump back together. I will be putting in the Liverock Xmas weekend. It will be in addition to the 140-200lbs I have already had for over 4 years.

 

[Unicorntang11]

Update

Update

Hey everyone. SOrry it has been so long since I last updated. It's been super busy at work and between all of the holidays I just haven't had time to get all my pics updated. So everything is up and running now. THe liverock came in on 12-23-11. Had 430lbs of new and about 150-200 of old rock. I didn't even get to use much of the old because the new rock that came in was incredible with great size and shapes.

Once I got the water in the tank and salt mixed (after aquascaping) it took about 1.5 weeks to cycle. I used "Cycle" and Nite-Out II. With big water changes and constant protein skimming. After the 1.5 weeks I had 0ppm ammonia and 0ppm nitrite. Nitrate was about 40-50ppm and after water change down to 10ppm.

I tested the water with a few yellow tail damsels which look extremly small in a 360gallon tank. They survived a week so I added my epaulette shark and my snowflake eel and all is well.

I am currently in the process of building the frame of the wall to incorporate the stand and starting to drywall. Updated pics to follow

 

[Unicorntang11]

Here are all updated pics

 

[GvineReefer]

Interesting durso style drain with a simple 90 degree fitting. How does this system work for you? Is it loud?

 

[Unicorntang11]

It is semi loud with gurgling. It's not done properly yet. THere should be a hole drilled in the middle of the elbow where it starts turn down vertically. Once this is done you run ridig airline tubes down the the bottom of the bulkheads at the bottom of the tank. They run dead silent then. I'll post pics when its done

 

[Unicorntang11]

Update

Update

Ok so the drywalling is now done. All that is left to do is spackle and sand. I just need to figure out if I am going to put the fake stone paneling up to give it a really unique look or if I am going to Paint and put 4-5" Trim around the tank to make it look really good. Updated pics of the wal to follow.