700G NOW! Should i add 1K Gallons more????

[screenguy]

i currently have a 560 display with a 200+ gallon sump. "700ish total"
i came across a free 1000 gallon water container and was wondering everybodies imput on care,pro's and cons between 700 and 1700 gallons of water.
display would stay the same, i would just plumb the contanier inline for more water mass and stabilty. Please all you huge reefers let me know your opinion.
thanks,
nick

 

[StripestheEel]

More water volume = Stability

If you can plumb it in effectively, go for it I say.

 

[TiTAN]

If I had the Space and could plumb it in fairly easily I would do it...

 

[torchgirl]

+1 to above comments. I would definitely add that 1000 gallons if you can. You would have one stable tank!

 

[Bax]

Absolutely!

Per gallon, maintenance would change much, Ca and element demands are based on invert loading, waste removal on over all bioloading. As long as you can manage the temp of the extra vessel, do it!

 

[screenguy]

awsome i think i will do it! i will probly do a little more thinking and such,but,If anybody else has any imput please..........

 

[sarmo]

in the last year i added two 150 gallon tubs to my system. one is a fuge and the other is a larger sump. i like the additional stability but i have to add a lot more CaCl2 and buffer to maintain levels.
i also recently treated for red flatworms, almost doubled the amount of FW exit i needed... not to mention the change water volume is much greater. for a major problem, it's hard to do a 25 or 40% water change!!!
the last and maybe biggest surprise is the tempature. part of the reason i made the change was to find a cheaper way to cool my tank. one of the tubs is partially buried in the dirt of my crawl space. in the summer it was great---- no chiller and only one fan this winter it meant three 500W heaters ......

more stable, yes. more expensive too!!! would i do it again, yea. would i double my display volume, i don't think so. it's just a lot more expensive.

good luck and let us know what you decide.

 

[waldomas]

My concern would be the extra electricity needed to maintain temperature. You'll need a few more heaters!
I've considered adding more volume to my system that way, but I already see the electric bill dramatically increase during the winter. I know this dosen't sound unreasonable but I turn my heat completely off and heat with a pellet stove only!
Only thing I could figure is the heaters!?!
It could help to cool the display in the summer if you have heat problems!

 

[screenguy]

Well no heater issue in florida Except maybe one day a year, maybe! Does anybody have something similiar, set up already? Like sump holding more water than display.

 

[slief]

I wouldnt do it!!!





































Just kidding! Heck yea! More water is a good thing.. At least until you have a problem.

 

[Reefer08]

I wouldn't do it. You will increase the cost of running the tank significantly.

 

[bullitr]

i think you should not do it!
you will spend more money to make the water pristine ,it means you need a skimmer rated for 2000 gallons means more electricity ,more pumps to circulate the water , more salt needed, more supplements(calcium iodine) and if you have problem( ick ,copper leaks or any contaminants ) its going to be difficult to replace the water!

 

[SMOOTHIE]

Man what a top off! Put your reactor in it and I think you will have a beautiful thing.
Pics?

 

[polywise]

My only concern would be how to introduce such a large volume of new water to you system without affecting your current setup. Temp is one thing, but other parameters are another.

 

[waldomas]

My only concern would be how to introduce such a large volume of new water to you system without affecting your current setup. Temp is one thing, but other parameters are another.

Plumb it in line with ball valves and introduce it very very slowly...perhaps over a one week span / 150 gallons per day.

You shouldn't need any more additives as was mentioned earlier, not even more or larger water changes. Only added expense I see (asside from heaters) is the salt for the initial setup.

If you put some thought into the plumbing, you could set it up for easy water changes from the added volume container, and your display critters wouldn't even know it happened!

Since the heaters are a non-issue, I say...


GO FOR IT !!

 

[heaton]

I say go for it. Once you have stability water changes should not be an issue.

 

[HOB]

i came across a free 1000 gallon water container

If it's a used container, do you know what the container was used for previously - if there were any other types of liquids in there?