700 gallon tank, or how i spent my daughters inheritance

[Reefski's]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14712951#post14712951 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ddinox64
Wow! 15 gallons a day evaporation? Are you running a dehumidifier in your house?

Couple hundred every couple of weeks? Is that really needed? I would think your filtration system and set up should be able to go longer than that. But what do I know? Your tank evaporates the equivlent of half of my tank everyday.

You might want to invest in some type of water treatment to recirculate yours to get it to a reusable state again. Mybe not fresh but reusable. Might pay for itself in the long run.

Started reading the whole thread til about page 10, then started skipping pages and pages and... Did you install some type of a door to access the skylight box/tube /shaft around midway to wipe it down? Because that thing is essentually coming down three floors including the attic space if there is one on the second floor right?

I haven't seen the light bar I read about, but instead of it being placed right over the tank, could it be mounted up in the skylight shroud/tube/box/shaft to make it unnoticable? Make it look like it's always natural light shining in.

You'd be a great and fun neighbor because there would always be something to do besides the usual "Hey, can you help me remove this or lift that senario".

Let me know when tours are available and tickets prices. I'll bring doggy treats.

Thanks for the entertainment. Beats CSI Miami, New York, Navy, L.A., Las Vegas, Kentucky, Rhode Island and all the other garbage on TV.

no dehumidifier. did you see the garage part of the system? i live three miles from the beach and right now it is overcast and rather humid outside.

the garage is painted with a paint made for high humidity places.

the skylight opens and air can flow from the garage up around the tank and out the skylight. it is closed right now but as the weather gets warmer i will open it soon.

as far as water changes go. the whole system is about 1700 gallons or more so 200 gallons is not that much.

what kind of water treatment are you talking about? i don't think there is any saltwater treatment to make it like new again.

i use DI only for top off. no waste water.

i have not needed to clean the shaft yet. but i do have a foam covered piece of 3/4" plywood that i place on top of the tank to work in the tank. i could stand on it to clean the shaft it that becomes needed.

the shaft is long but not even two floors. the living room is a few steps up from the rest of the house and the ceiling where the skylight is at the top of the high ceiling in the room.

it is accessible on top from the deck.
there are pix back somewhere of all of the inside and outside of the shaft.

mounting lighting up high in the shaft would be a waste.

no charge for tours except maybe that dog treat. he likes steak. JK, well not really but any treat will do. come by anytime. it is fun to show people who can appreciate it. yesterday a had a couple of friends bring their out of town folks by to see the house. maybe we are neighbors, where in CA are you?

i could use some help tomorrow working on the tank.

"oh, pretty, is it saltwater?" and then on to the kitchen.
the Gorgonian is adjusting to the surge flow and is mostly open now.

Carl

 

[ddinox64]

Would have been great to help you tomorrow, but we're jumping on a plane for Ireland at 10am for almost two weeks. Still using 08 vacation time.

Sounds like you're a split level instead of a standard two story then. Lots of those in that area. Beats climbing all those stairs huh?

My wife is actually in Redondo picking up out of towners from families house now. Thanks for the invitation. If and when I get there you can count me in on helping do something. That would be worth a Personal or vacation day. If I can't anything but sweep out the garage it'll be worth the admittance to see your not so humble abode.

We're in Long Beach on the Seal Beach border. Across from the power plants and next to Boeing. I'm sure you know where.

Looking good Carl.

 

[melev]

I really like that second shot, Carl. :thumbsup:

 

[Beaun]

So how do you get the water from the place to your house? Do you have a large container in your truck/SUV? I get my NSW by filling 5 gallon buckets and water cooler type containers in the back of my mercury wagon, granted the tank is much smaller than yours. Just interested in the method you use for when I upgrade my system.

 

[Reefski's]

i talk about it a few pages back.

ford f550 and containers = 1400 gallons of water into storage tank underground in front yard.

 

[Beaun]

I guess an F550 would do the trick.

 

[Reefski's]

yes it does.

however, now that i have proof of concept i have decided to get a divorce, sell the house and break down the tank.

the economy sucks, no work and a tank is not a green hobby.

i can sell it all and move somewhere else and not have to work anymore.

Carl

 

[erics3000]

HAHHAHAH April fools day...you almost had me there.. hehehehehehehh

 

[Reefski's]

Good call Eric!

the economy sucks, no work and a tank is not a green hobby.

i can sell it all and move somewhere else and not have to work anymore.

the above part wasn't a joke.

i have thought about it. what would you do?

i could just move to a smaller house here and retire, still have a tank even.

 

[techreef]

it's a sucker move, because you know that once X amount of time passes, whatever tank you would have in the new smaller house wouldn't be enough, and you'd just spend more money upgrading it, or enlarging it, or testing a new technology/approach to reefkeeping. This hobby is the black hole of disposable income black holes!

 

[Reefski's]

smaller house, no koi pond. no mortgage!

i would even have money left to build on to the new house a BIGGER tank with a greenhouse or maybe two.

the show one and the working one for all equipment, sumps, surge, ATS, etc.

Carl

 

[erics3000]

Since you asked what I would do,,

Humm

Florida's real estate has dropped I think3 rd in the country but it still hasn't hit bottom yet.

Maybe you can find a decent property to pickup and sit on..When the market goes up ...if you want you can sell your house. Than like you said a little smaller house easier to maintain but a triple size tank hahahahaha You did just drop some coin on your house though.love the solar system. I am no financial adviser I need to start seeing one myself to plan better since I have a little one now.God forbid if they know someone owns a reef tank they will probaly not see you..

Anyway blah blah blah...Let see some more cool pics..and when you get a sec pics of the big bad boy f550...

 

[obiwanthegoby]

The surge was awesome, I wanted to do something similar In my new set upp but didnt know how to accomplish it.... Now I have an idea, we will see if it comes to fruition in the future.

 

[Reefski's]

the surge was really noisy at peak flow going down the overflow pipes.

Melev is here now and in 5 minutes of seeing the tank and hearing it devised a silencer (no acrylic involved) out of a piece of tubing into the overflow pipe under the water level.

NOW IT IS TOTALLY SILENT. NO MORE SLURPING SOUND. now the surge is perfect. THE MAN IS A GENIUS.

THANK YOU MARC.

 

[yukonblizzard]

Can you tell me more how Marc silenced the surge? I have a surge too and I am having noise problems as well.

Also which type of surge are you using now the Carlson Surge Device or the Borneman method? Sorry for not knowing the real names, I cant think of them right now.

 

[Reefski's]

i'll post some pictures monday or tuesday. basically just put a piece of tubing in and out of the pipe so one end is in the air and one is in the water a few inches under the water level.

Carl

 

[melev]

It was a very simple fix. Two pieces of 3/8" ID tubing maybe 10" long, two zip ties, and a chopstick. Simple!

Hey Carl, are you wondering why I'm updating your thread right now? Because your two enormous dogs are on my bed! :lol:

 

[lilmonster]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14763200#post14763200 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by melev
Hey Carl, are you wondering why I'm updating your thread right now? Because your two enormous dogs are on my bed! :lol:

:lolspin: :lolspin: :lolspin:

 

[yukonblizzard]

Thank you, I'll see if I can do it.

 

[yukonblizzard]

Thank you, I'll see if I can do it.