A ~19,000 Gallon Aquarium

[digitalchrisg]

How long has the water been in there? This was about a two weeks right?

 

[j-dizzle]

coming along great nahham! glad to see the progress!

 

[nahham]

The green stuff looks like a form of bryopsis which is common around docks and inlets where nutrients are abundant. My guess is the source water is probably loaded with phosphates and possibly nitrate due to run off. Have you run any tests on the raw water coming in? If you are planning to run an exchange system, this may present a particular challenge given the volumes involved.

The phosphate was 0.08 and nitrate was 0.6 last time I checked (which was quite a while back: 4th of May). It fresh seawater in there though. I'm embarrassed to say I don't know what you mean with the 'exchange system'.. :hmm2:

hey nahham,

You are one crazy dude for sure :fun5: but nevertheless brave enough to take advantage of the "natural" resources from your backyard :lol2:!

Can't wait to see the Final progression!!

Paul

Thanks (I think) . We are getting there in small steps..

How long has the water been in there? This was about a two weeks right?

Nope around 4 days now. It is a fresh batch of seawater

coming along great nahham! glad to see the progress!

Thanks. Maybe in 2 - 3 months there will be something to write about .

 

[Acolin]

Thirty pages of observations

# 1 The amount of water circulation is less important than keeping detritus from accumulating in stagnant corners; be sure that you can adjust the water return so that you can aim the return or pumps at dead spots after the tank is up and running; this is quite hard to plan for before construction without some fancy computer modeling. Wow!

# 3 Water changes about 30% of the total system water volume are the most effective at reducing toxins without disturbing the inhabitants (FAMA magazine study). Wow!

#4 Use enough submersible water pumps to clear out dead spots. Wow!

#5 Flow rate through refugium should be slow, flow rate on coral reef should be 10 to 20 times the water volume per hour! Wow!

#7 Mangroves in the refugium is a great idea. Wow!

It is wonderful to see all the valuable input (thank you Mr. Wilson)! For someone for whom English is a second language, you sure have mastered the colloquialisms.

You need shade and air conditioned room (with refrigerated beverages) for viewers. Also excellent stereo system for soothing music. Be sure to always soak (bath) completely, without soaps or detergents, in freshwater before swimming in aquarium. Never enter the aquarium from the bay water.

The Monaco Aquarium is nearby, why not hop over there to check out their open-loop (seawater fed) system? Need lots more pictures. Why not set up a live web cam once the project is complete? Isn’t there a local aquarium builder or maintenance service that can consult with you on this project?

I am concerned that the building is going faster than the planning. Everything about this project is so impressive. Be prepared to have the large fish “hiding” in the shade under the viewing platform. Get the plants in the refugium going, before the algae starts to grow. (oops, I see it already has.) The more large macro plants you have growing, the less you will be bothered with pesky micro algae.

If there is a local aquarium with an open water feed, you will want to be on good terms with them. If there is an algae bloom in the bay, you want advance notice so you can close your system. Be prepared to have some problems with the seawater intake, as shifting sands can clog and close intake pipes. (A saltwater well doesn’t have this problem. It has other problems, like sulfur build-up.) It may take months, possibly years, for the system to actually stabilize! Even with large water changes, the amazing Atlanta (Georgia) Aquarium took almost two years before its chemical levels settled down.

Need a curator? Can I marry your sister? How much is admission to your new attraction? Can we rent a camping trailer to stay at your new recreation park? Is the tour boat yours? Is this part of the tour attraction?

 

[mr.wilson]

All good points Acolin. Especially with regard to adding beneficial organisms like macroalgae and pribiotics like plankton and "good" bacteria.

 

[Sosee]

You will need a really big chiller. lol

awesome!

 

[Socal2323]

Mdf1666

 

[nahham]

I went scuba diving today. I got my first addition to the tank.

The glass is a bit dirty still and I just cleaned it yesterday. It seems the water is colder than the outside.

Here is how the water looks. It is actually clearer than shown but as I said the glass seems to get dirty fast.

I am worried about he 'skunk' gathering on the top of the water. Can/Should I start water circulation now? I don't think it will get any cleaner than this..

 

[Elliott]

I'd install an inline UV filter on the inlet line, should clear it up nicely

 

[mr.wilson]

Absolutely, fire up those pumps. Try to direct them upward a bit so you don't disturb the sand and you move low oxygen water from the bottom to the air/water interface at the surface for oxygenation.

What are the rod-like things in the sand? or were you going to ask me the same question

 

[Beaun]

I would use ozone rather than UV, better for such a large system.

 

[mr.wilson]

I would use ozone rather than UV, better for such a large system.

I agree, ozone is cheaper and easy to regulate with a controller. UV is better for treating incoming seawater though.

 

[P.Kelly]

Very interesting to read. Enjoyed spending a good but of my day reading through the salient points.

 

[needyreefer]

Can't wait for you to add more!

Btw. . . do you guys see what looks like a man with a pumpkin on his head in the last photo? Haha I think I'm losing my mind

 

[palmer373]

DUDE I SEE THAT TOO! creepy, looks good nahham, im still folowing along!

 

[bleedfire]

needy reefer its funny how I was about to say that.
that is really, beside it a clock?

 

[nahham]

Thirty pages of observations

# 1 The amount of water circulation is less important than keeping detritus from accumulating in stagnant corners; be sure that you can adjust the water return so that you can aim the return or pumps at dead spots after the tank is up and running; this is quite hard to plan for before construction without some fancy computer modeling. Wow!

# 3 Water changes about 30% of the total system water volume are the most effective at reducing toxins without disturbing the inhabitants (FAMA magazine study). Wow!

#4 Use enough submersible water pumps to clear out dead spots. Wow!

#5 Flow rate through refugium should be slow, flow rate on coral reef should be 10 to 20 times the water volume per hour! Wow!

#7 Mangroves in the refugium is a great idea. Wow!

It is wonderful to see all the valuable input (thank you Mr. Wilson)! For someone for whom English is a second language, you sure have mastered the colloquialisms.

You need shade and air conditioned room (with refrigerated beverages) for viewers. Also excellent stereo system for soothing music. Be sure to always soak (bath) completely, without soaps or detergents, in freshwater before swimming in aquarium. Never enter the aquarium from the bay water.

The Monaco Aquarium is nearby, why not hop over there to check out their open-loop (seawater fed) system? Need lots more pictures. Why not set up a live web cam once the project is complete? Isn't there a local aquarium builder or maintenance service that can consult with you on this project?

I am concerned that the building is going faster than the planning. Everything about this project is so impressive. Be prepared to have the large fish "œhiding" in the shade under the viewing platform. Get the plants in the refugium going, before the algae starts to grow. (oops, I see it already has.) The more large macro plants you have growing, the less you will be bothered with pesky micro algae.

If there is a local aquarium with an open water feed, you will want to be on good terms with them. If there is an algae bloom in the bay, you want advance notice so you can close your system. Be prepared to have some problems with the seawater intake, as shifting sands can clog and close intake pipes. (A saltwater well doesn't have this problem. It has other problems, like sulfur build-up.) It may take months, possibly years, for the system to actually stabilize! Even with large water changes, the amazing Atlanta (Georgia) Aquarium took almost two years before its chemical levels settled down.

Need a curator? Can I marry your sister? How much is admission to your new attraction? Can we rent a camping trailer to stay at your new recreation park? Is the tour boat yours? Is this part of the tour attraction?

Thanks for summarizing everything, all of the points are valid and important. The Monaco Aquarium is "relatively" close by. I am too busy at the moment to go though . I do have contact with some of local aquariums but need more contacts though.

There are many things I need but nothing I want to pay for . My sister is already married and there are no admission fee, just come by: come one come all. I don't think they rent trailers here, maybe a camel? or a Mercedes-Benz?

The tour boat is actually a traditional dhow made with wood and fiber-glass. We own it and I usually go out in it for diving and other recreational stuff.

I/We are planning a party for the local reefers when the tank is "officially" open for business.

 

[femunu]

HOLY CRAP.....THIS IS AWESOME.

Running a Closed loop 24/7 or pulling from the Ocean 24/7 would be the same use of energy. Why not have 1 pump setup for both. A closed loop pump circulating the water from the tank itself, but then T off the intake to the pump and run it to the Ocean water. Add some valves and you could close it off if you needed too, and continue to circulate the tank water?

I think it would be better if you have two pumps running on timers. 1 from the sea and one from the sump. doing so you will can give some rest to the pumps accordingly. in between you can have one way valve.

 

[nahham]

I think it would be better if you have two pumps running on timers. 1 from the sea and one from the sump. doing so you will can give some rest to the pumps accordingly. in between you can have one way valve.

I actually have 2 pumps right now. They both have pipes coming from the sea and from the fish farm. I haven't finished the fish farm part yet. However, I've been alternating between them since I installed them. When the controller gets here (it is already shipped) I will have both pumps and the props on alternating timing.

Actually I cannot run both pumps at the same time; the refugium's flow is slower than that and the first chamber starts overflowing everywhere .

I see you are from the Maldives :wavehand:. I loved visiting the country. Planning another trip. I've taken so many pictures while there but there is one I like most: I said to my wife "even their lizards look nice :lmao:. I had it as a background for years after coming back.

 

[SEA-SALTED]

Hey, do ya think maybe expedia.com might have a package deal? ie: airfare, waterfront hotel, camel rental, and tickets to this outstanding build? (lizards not included)