715 Gallon Reef Tank Build (1300 gallon system)

[saltwatershark]

More pics are coming soon! The aquarium arrived in my home town (St Louis) coincidentally while my wife and I attended the "Reef-a-Palooza" in Orlando. I have to tell you, this event was so much fun. Not only are there all kinds of cool gadgets and corals literally everywhere, but industry icons like Jullian Sprung (I'm reading his text book currently), Mike Palletta (look him up on you tube), and Tony Vargas (acro-expert) were there and genuinely helpful and approachable. In the pics below I'm the one wearing the blue t-shirt, which Geo's Reef owner gave me a few months ago after building my reactors. This event was really helpful for me to finalize some lingering plans, particularly about lighting. The main contenders were Orphek (Atlantik or DIFs), Ecoxotic (Cannon Flood) or Ecotech (Radion Pro). I made my mind up and I will reveal my decision as soon as the deal is finalized.

Also, the guys from Apex showed me how to use the new "Fusion" connection and gave me a few tips. One thing they said is to hold off on adding a camera (to watch the filter or watch fish eat)-- they have something in store but we're tight lipped.

I've attached some pice below of the big even. Next post I'll get back on track with my aquarium build.

I've had to do a few things in my basement sump room, primarily getting ready to build the stand and reinforce the floor joists. I built two large work benches, added a drill press, router table, clamping station, and commercial dust collector. I'll post pics, but wanted to fill you in on what I've been doing. Basically I'm getting my work room ready for the big construction event that will be happening soon!

I hope you enjoy the pics below

 

[saltwatershark]

This is a little off track but greener a few more pics of this weekend's "Reef a Palooza" in Orlando:



Going to this event makes me want to go to MACNA which is being held in the beautiful city of Denver over Labor Day. So long as my wife will continue to support my venture into the hobby (she's been incredibly supportive) we'll go to Denver for MACNA.

Wanted to share a couple more installation developments, which I'll detail with pics when I get back to STL:

- installed a 1.5 horsepower Tradewinds chiller and it keeps my temperature in a steady pattern of 77 +/- 1 degree.

- next week I'll upgrade the ozone system with an automatic dual desiccant bed drier with new alita vaccum pump (pulls air through drier then pumps the dry air into the ozone generator and then to the reactor).

- I haven't yet addressed the over-skimming issue by creating a "skimmate locker" although I have an extra apex float valve and break out box for this purpose. I'd appreciate any design tips.

- I was finally able to get my hands on a speed wave DC pump and have since upgraded the mag 9 (which use to pump water to my reactors) with the speed wave. It provides greater max gph, is adjustable so I can slow down the volume, and it's quite a bit more energy efficient.

Happy reeding everyone!

 

[SS_Sean]

Looking forward to the tank pics!

 

[maxxII]

I realize you've already made your decision with regard to lighting, but I'd like to suggest you stick with either Radion's or AI's. The main reason I suggest that is because they are US companies and you are going to get a faster response/customer service for any issues that may crop up. I've had Radion's for 2 years or so now, and could not be happier.

Mine are Gen 1's and replaced dual 250 HQI powered Phoenix 14k SE bulbs over my 120 reef. Setting them at 80% intensity level at the 12K setting, (all led's are on at the same intensity level, which is set at 80% over all), My Ritteri anemone's did not move or migrate looking for more light. I did have an issue with one Radion, (I have 3 total, with one being used on another tank) and contacted Eco-Tech regarding the issue, (protective shut down due to cooling fan dying), they sent me 3 brand new Gen 1's, and then sent me shipping label's for the defective Radion, and the two perfectly functioning Radions.

All of these Radion's were over 1 year old at the time.
I've used a DIY built LED light that works quite well and is clean professional looking, and I've also used a Kessil A350W for lighting....

I really prefer the Radions for appearance, and function....and definitely for Eco-Tech's customer service.

Whatever you get, look closely at the customer service aspect.

 

[control]

that skimmer is a BEAST!!!!

 

[saltwatershark]

Maxxll, Thank you for your advice and also for sharing your experience with the Radions. While I don't own Radions, I am a big fan of their manufacturer, EcoTech Marine. My DT will have 5 MP60s connected via ReefLink into Apex Fusion. So far my experience with EcoTech has been excellent, but admittedly no problems have occurred warranting a product replacement. That said, your comment about knowing who you're dealing with from a customer service perspective (ie, after the sale has occurred) is insightful.

Control, thank you for joining this thread. The protein simmer is a beast and by that I mean physically it is quite large but more importantly it's capacity to export nutrients and other dissolved organics is quite astounding--with this system you litter my can dump filthy water containing table scraps and this skimmer will strip the water clean. Coupling this skimmer with ozone and UV yields nearly perfect clarity.

Keep in mind that near perfect clarity (which is further attained via use of a high capacity carbon) results in higher efficiency lighting (ie, PAR readings). Photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) designates the spectral range (wave band) of solar radiation from 400 to 700 nanometers that photosynthetic organisms use, such as the zooxanthelle that live symbiotically within many coral tissues. This is a blessing and a curse if you're not careful because you don't want to fry your corals with ultra high PAR light but you do want to achieve 200-600 PAR depending on coral genus and location within the tank.

Which leads me to my next point-- the Radions that Maxxll mentions are PAR machines, and the spectral output is variable ESI that you can dial in your preferred color temperature and intensity setting. I like that a whole lot. It's better to have several units running on "medium" then to have one or two running " full throttle"-- think of a car with high horsepower and one with lower horsepower-- both can go 100 miles per hour but one redlines while there while the other comfortably hums along.

For my tank I need mega power because if the tanks depth, so I selected the ecoxotic cannon floods with multi chip (0 degree optics, and dimable drivers that allow for control via Apex fusion. These things can really light up the tank with shimmering 425nm and 100k spectral outputs with PAR levels exceeding 2000 if run fill speed (which they will be throttled down quite a bit). I'll post pics with detailed write up in the next month or so.

So, the tank arrived in one mass I've 1470 pound piece, which now sits safely in my garage until the upstairs is ready. I built a commercial grade dolly that is 12' long with 16 casters each capable of withstanding a 450 pound load (each). I built the dolly so that if will fit in the door and also bolted the casters with spacing sufficient to ensure that it could roll off a u-haul truck ramp.

The transportation and offloading of the tank was incredibly stressful, and nearly amputated my wife's finger when she pushed the caster while it was taking load. The caster shifted and her finger quickly was cut against the caster axel brace, but after a few stitches she's doing just fine. Although my engineering and methodical planning proved true, the fact remains that one or two people trying to move a 1470 pound load is quite aggressive and borderline stupid. But I suppose you live and learn! Here's a couple pics and I will be sure to post more soon:

 

[saltwatershark]

 

[canyousee]

Dang right on the knuckle that had to hurt! At least you married a trooper mine would have told me if you can afford the tank you can hire real movers. LOL thanks for sharing

 

[muttley000]

Dang right on the knuckle that had to hurt! At least you married a trooper mine would have told me if you can afford the tank you can hire real movers. LOL thanks for sharing

I was thinking the same thing!

 

[Loserland]

I'm right here in the STL too. Would love to see your tank some time. I love my 460 from glass cages.

 

[ReefingWerewolf]

Totally over the top build, I will definitely be following, good luck!!!

 

[content12001]

How is the new skimmer working?

 

[mage28]

Looking goood and big structure you got. We have saying in finland. Everything is big in america.

 

[SS_Sean]

Looking goood and big structure you got. We have saying in finland. Everything is big in america.

Including our women! Oh, wait....:wave:

 

[rppvt]

Pinkie!

Pinkie!

Dude, you owe your wife BIG time. She took a bullet for the team on that install. Lucky man. Buy her something great, or take her somewhere special. And keep up the good work.

 

[Newbie Aquarist]

Including our women! Oh, wait....:wave:

Man you are so wrong.

 

[saltwatershark]

Guys, my wife is quite a trooper we had to get her stitches in her hand -- the force was so strong that it bent her wedding and engagement ring yet for some reason she still with me ... thank God!

Loserland, I would love to invite you out sometime to check out the big build. I'm still a ways away before I install the display tank but I am making progress.

content12001 the skimmer is extremely powerful and I must admit, I still have not figured it out entirely. The thing about the skimmer is this: it moves so much Hermas through the chamber that it actually Kemrow remove too much water. For this reason I have to install a collection bucket with a float valve that will disable the skimmer if it skims out too much water. I have the float valve and the breakout box by Apex for this purpose, but I have not yet installed it. This fact notwithstanding, it removes virtually every impurity from the water.

Because I am extremely OCDC and I simply cannot wait for the display tank to go in, I purchased a maroon clown fish for the refugium. I will also add a rose bubble tip an enemy to the tank along with a cleanup crew and a handful of blue green chromis. From there I am testing the automated feeding system to make sure that it works correctly. Right now it still isn't up and running yet because I have to do the programming on the apex. So for now I am hand feeding the clown fish with a handful of hikari foods, which the clown fish has readily accepted.

For now the only remaining thing I have to do is obtain the lighting system for above the tank. I also have to build the stand and canopy. I have a contractor coming over this Friday to help me work on the joist. We are sistering all of the joist to reinforce the floor.

I have been spending a lot of time lately completing my workshop area which is in the sump room. Importantly, I am installing a dust collection system which will enable me to cut wood for the stand, miter it all while maintaining a dust free environment. The dust collection system removes particles down to 3 micron, which is smaller than the thickness of a human hair.

I also hooked up the dosing pump, and it seems to work great. I have not started dosing calcium alkalinity or magnesium yet because I still have not added any corals, in my pH is hovering right above 8.01. I will begin dosing in small amounts very soon.

A few other things that I am considering are as follows: 1) maintaining a backup chiller system, 2) obtaining a backup water pump for the skimmer with a special impeller that will chop up air for the skimmer. I have already obtained battery backup systems for the 5 MP60s that will be on the tank, as well as a power inverter that will run select other items in the case of a power outage.

 

[frankabagnale]

Send me a PM if you would like me to quote you some dust bags or dust cartridges. I work for the largest filter distributor in the US and have a warehouse in Kansas City. I work with a lot of dust collection applications.

 

[Masedaddy]

Wow!! This is an amazing build!! I love large reef tanks but this will be one to behold! Saltwatershark, you must have a truly amazing wife. mine is usually less than thrilled with anything reef related as it interferes with her shoe collection. I am currently doing a 180 gallon build (It pales in comparison to your build) and if my wife had to get stitches from helping me, I'm sure I would never get help again. :headwalls:

I really like how you are taking your time and planning everything to the max. I would assume with something this big you kinda have too... This is like a reefing dream come true! :inlove:

Truly Awesome build!! I can't wait to see more and may the Reefing Gods smile upon you!! :spin1:

 

[saltwatershark]

Masedafddy, thank you for the kind words. Yes, my wife is pretty amazing and here's how I figured out how to win her support:

Everyone is passionate about something in addition to their day-to-day obligations such as their spouse their family etc. For me it happens to be my reef aquarium and DIY projects. For my wife it happens to be cuisine/culinary and fitness/exercise. So here's the deal I struck: she gets personal training, diet counseling, nutritional support in the form of every single nutraceutical that GNC and muscle tech sells, and I in return get filtration equipment, invertebrates and a plethora of fish. She's in great shape physically and mentally and I'm on cloud nine because my wife is happy and looks great, and I got a killer fish set up so I'm happy as can be. For every weeks worth of personal training that she does, I had a new fish or a new piece of filtration equipment to my system. She doesn't bother me about getting new fish or the filtration equipment, and I in return don't bother her forgetting personal training sessions. It's a win-win for both.

Since I am so impatient and cannot wait, I added a rose bubble tip annenome, who eats a whole lot of brine shrimp and is growing remarkably, a handful of chromis, and a few boxing shrimp. These fish and invertebrates were added to the filter as opposed to the aquarium because to date the display tank remains in the garage as it is not yet set up. Everybody seems to be getting along just fine, except for the boxing shrimp, which apparently are quite aggressive to one another. In fact one of the boxing shrimp was promptly killed by the other boxing shrimp within 24 hours of being dropped into the filter. Keep in mind the filter itself is a 240 gallon aquarium, so there is ample room for them to swim and hide in the live rock.

On another front, the dust collection system is almost complete. Frankabagnale, I will be reaching out to you via p.m. to discuss the filtration. Thank you for reaching out.

The area where the sump is located, which I call the fish room, is actually a full-service workshop. Accordingly, I have to have ample air filtration to ensure that any dust such as sawdust or other types of dust are completely removed from the air so that they do not enter any of the filtration system. To accomplish this, I have now added two different types of air filtration in the fish room: the first is a traditional dust collection system with 3 (or 5) micron filter cartridge that removes virtually everything from the air when using power tools, such as a miter saw. The second air filter is an electrostatic air filter that simply sucks air through two levels of filtration and then continues to recirculate air throughout the room. I've attached pictures of both air filters-- one is freestanding and the other I hung from the floor joist in my fish room. You will notice that the workroom is an entire mess, and the reason for this is that I am in the process of painting, hanging 6 inch air ducting for the other air filter, applying a diamond plate wall application, and an over all redesign of the entire room. I intend to have this project completed this weekend, and I will post pictures of the completed room when it is ready. But, for those of you who want to see some pictures now please see the attached.