700 gallon tank, or how i spent my daughters inheritance

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so far the skimmer is not very productive. maybe i haven't got it tuned yet. i don't know. i am still tinkering with it. i will take some video of the tank and skimmer one of these days.

the skimmer was producing many more bubbles a few days ago. i wonder if the intakes for the air has gotten clogged with some of the sand. i know it is being blown into the tank and the water is only today starting to clear. the two new pumps have added a lot more flow to the sumps and the tank.

i think will take apart the injectors tomorrow along with setting up the Ca reactor i hoped to get online over the weekend.

i finally got the sumps online last friday. one of my return pumps was a Reeflo Hammerhead that had only been running on the sump closed loop for a couple of days. after we sent the water from the sumps to the display tank it started leaking at the shaft.

Reeflo was fabulous though. they just took the serial number and from that determined it was still within the 3 years warranty and a new one is on the way. i will then return the failed one.

i should have done my homeowork better. the other return pump was to be a Dart. it did not have enough umph to overcome the 12 feet of head pressure. zero flow to the tank. worked fabulous on the closed loop in the garage. i may use it for the frag tanks.

so the second return is now another Hammerhead.

in summary.

four Hammerheads. two on OM 4 ways right under tank. and two as returns from the sumps.

Actually 5 as one is on the skimmer as well.

i wanted the redundancy of multiple return pumps in case one failed. i will have the electrician back soon to put each one on a separate circuit in case one circuit fails. i can run a heater or some other equipment along side.
 
Awesome build! Thank you so much for sharing. You were right when you said that the liverock was very live. Indeed I've never seen LR with so many sponges like that. They should work great when you get them into that cryptic zone that I thought I saw (behind the black mat and acrylic).

The crab that you pictured a few pages back didn't look like a good one. I don't know if you posted for an ID in any of the other threads, but I would post in either the SPS forum or general topics, because a lot of people have experience IDing and judging crabs like that. As for me, after having so many bad experiences, I'll never ever have any crab in my tanks again. Even hermits become nuisances, and don't get me started on mythax crabs.

Anyway, beautiful and inspiring build, and I look forward to seeing the progression your tank(s) go through!

Thanks again for sharing!
 
Anthony Calfo thinks that the Matala mat will form a good base for sponges and other cryptic zone inhabitants to grow in within the sump.

i think Ron Shimek said any of the crabs with black claws can be trouble.

it could almost only be the crab that cut off part of one of the green brittle stars legs. it was about 1/2 of the leg and it is growing back now. that is interesting seeing this tiny leg growing out of the stump.

this one sure looks fierce.

i could probably use two part epoxy to trap him in the crevice he lives in.

Carl
 
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Wow, I've seen many tanks, but this one looks far more beautiful. Overall project is huge, sun light, big tank, enormous sump system, etc.

Good luck with it, I can't wait to see pics. of this tank setup after 2 or 3 months once all the toys are attached and the tank has established well for some time.
 
what do you mean overlooked? my tank is far from TOTM. in a couple of years with some maturity it will be looking good.

the photography is fun. i especially like the sponge pix for some reason.

right now i am just trying to finish gettting all the equipment set up.

it was a big step getting the sumps online with the display tank. there was a couple of days of turbid water until the sand settled. there is still some sand getting sucked into the display i have to turkey baster off of the corals, esp the monti caps.

the water is much clearer than when the skimmer from the closet sump was putting bubbles in the tank continually. the light penetration has increased too with no micobubbles clouding the water.

today we are working on setting the frag tanks on the sumps and finally setting up the Ca reactor. still have Kalk reactor, top off, and other stuff to set up.


Carl
 
i was kidding about TOTM. it's a great thread and i'm thankful you shared the info. i'd nominate you for next month, if i could. i can't wait to see what's coming up for you. please keep with the pics and i'll keep following.
 
thank you.

i know you were kidding. at least i hope so. let's wait a couple more years until it's grown in and we see how the sunlight shaft performs over the winter.

the sump has only been online a week.

it's fun to take pictures. it helps me to track what i have done. i can just look back at the thread to see when i added the sand or whatever.

i like to share my progress and ideas.

right now i am awaiting new bulkheads so i can finish the frag tanks over the sumps. we installed them a couple days ago and both of them were cracked and leaking.

my wife said no tank in the driveway. i was toying with the idea of putting one of my present tanks in the driveway just outside the garage where it would get sun all day. it would make a great refugium, but alas it is not to be.

i have some other crazy ideas. stay tuned.

i just need more time and money. my wife says i don't have any more of either.


Carl
 
WOW

WOW

seen Carls tanks in person and i was amazed, it was worth the entrance fee EERRR $20 frag LOL. However BEWARE of the Big A$$ dog!

Picture229.jpg
 
thanks Ben.

i am not too worried about anyone breaking in, that is for sure. he is a sweetheart though.
brysonmouth.jpg


see how calm he is.
DSC06943.jpg

i need to sell a lot more frags to help defray the cost of my obsession.

the wife says i have to get moving on breaking down the other tanks, even with the solar panels the electric bill is killing us. too many pumps. i will be turning off a pump to the pond. hopefully i can save a couple of kW per hour soon.

still working on the garage setup. more pix soon.

Can anyone guess what this is? it is not quite done yet. i hope it fits.
DSC08369.jpg


DSC08370.jpg
 
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<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13431914#post13431914 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by s ruppa
trigger cage. so you can go into your tank for maintanence with out fear of attack.
Click to expand...

I am with s ruppa
 
My guess....Somesort of framework for the cryptic zone in one of the fuges? I'm envisioning LOTS of Matala and flow coming from the bottom through some of the PVC ?
 
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