A Golden Reef Tank
- Thread starter halmus
- Start date
halmus
New member
Starting in January of this year, I started the acrylic work. I had some tanks already on hand. The sumps, I wanted to build custom. So, I used some old tanks I had acquired over the years, or in some cases, built from scratch.
This is the main sump. It's big but nothing fancy. I did build an elevated section so that the filter socks will be suspended above the water line. I've always elevated my filter socks on past builds and it seems to work out better for me.
This is the main sump. It's big but nothing fancy. I did build an elevated section so that the filter socks will be suspended above the water line. I've always elevated my filter socks on past builds and it seems to work out better for me.
halmus
New member
Most of the sumps I'm building are skinned with 1/4" white acrylic. In my mind, it helps a little with strength of the joints. That's in my mind, I'm sure someone could tell me otherwise.
More than strength, it covers up the fact that I don't do a good job of containing drips and runs from the solvent and I'm not good about buffing out the clear to a high quality finish. Plus, the white just looks good to me.
More than strength, it covers up the fact that I don't do a good job of containing drips and runs from the solvent and I'm not good about buffing out the clear to a high quality finish. Plus, the white just looks good to me.
halmus
New member
It is an awesome addition to the room! The wife even likes it because she can wash our stinky dog towels in that machine.
halmus
New member
Panning the room at that point:
The door going out into the living area and the mixing station on the left.
Where the refugium will sit.
The refugium shelf (left) and the frag tank area perpendicular to the right.
The walkway between the frag tanks (Left) and the coral/fish QT (Right)
The door going out into the living area and the mixing station on the left.
Where the refugium will sit.
The refugium shelf (left) and the frag tank area perpendicular to the right.
The walkway between the frag tanks (Left) and the coral/fish QT (Right)
halmus
New member
Looking into the filtration room from the living area:
A different angle looking at the shelf where the fuge will sit:
The fish/coral QT section isolated on the far wall next to the fridge for refreshments (fish and human).
A little closer look a the frag rack. Those tanks are 4' x 2'. One is 12" deep the other is 9" deep. The frag rack will be a stand-alone system. I'm also going to plumb it into the main system so that everything can run as one if I want or run independently if needed.
A different angle looking at the shelf where the fuge will sit:
The fish/coral QT section isolated on the far wall next to the fridge for refreshments (fish and human).
A little closer look a the frag rack. Those tanks are 4' x 2'. One is 12" deep the other is 9" deep. The frag rack will be a stand-alone system. I'm also going to plumb it into the main system so that everything can run as one if I want or run independently if needed.
dave.m
Active member
Wow! Just Wow! Excellent woodwork! Also kudos on the huge fishroom.
One word on the steel shelving units. I have some small experience with them and you really need to stay on top of humidity with them - especially saltwater humidity - as they are very susceptible to corrosion from it. Keep the room dehumidified at all times and you should be okay.
Dave.M
One word on the steel shelving units. I have some small experience with them and you really need to stay on top of humidity with them - especially saltwater humidity - as they are very susceptible to corrosion from it. Keep the room dehumidified at all times and you should be okay.
Dave.M
halmus
New member
Thanks Dave. Good tip on the humidity. I have a ceiling vent fan in the room that I will probably hook up to a humidistat. Even so, long term, I will probably introduce an air exchanger.
I installed FRP on the walls where they are guaranteed to get wet. I painted the room with multiple coats of gloss. I definitely don't want to worry about long term humidity problems damaging the house.
Obviously, the steel is still susceptible. So, I'll have to adjust as I go.
halmus
New member
For QT, I have multiple tanks I saved from a store going out of business years ago. The tanks with blue backs will be fish QT. There's a 30" x 24" x 12" deep tank I made from 1" thick acrylic that will be the coral QT. I also saved that acrylic from a different source.
I am setting this up so that the tanks can be run alone with HOB filters. They will also all be plumbed together.
The sump is actually two separate sumps. One for Coral QT and one for fish QT. I just built it as a single unit because it saved a little time.
I am setting this up so that the tanks can be run alone with HOB filters. They will also all be plumbed together.
The sump is actually two separate sumps. One for Coral QT and one for fish QT. I just built it as a single unit because it saved a little time.
halmus
New member
This is a reservoir for filtered fresh water top off. It will go on a top shelf above the fuge. It holds 50 gallons. I like having a limited amount of fresh water gravity feed to tanks for top off rather than 150 gallons being controlled entirely by electronics. I've never had a mechanical float valve fail but I've had electronic floats fail.
halmus
New member
That's where I'm at today.
I guess I was able to sum up 1.5-2 years of hard work in one afternoon sitting sick on my couch. I'm sorry I wasn't posting this on RC all along. I've been working 70-80 hour weeks between work-work and home-work and was only posting this up locally.
But, again, I appreciate everyone's builds over the years and wanted to share this with the community.
I've been really inspired by builds like Ching Chai's, Peter, Dan.... Too many to list.
So, this is where I hit the breaks and come back to the slow reality of trying to make my dream happen. I'll post up pics as I go.
Let me know if you have questions or suggestions. Thanks for following!
I guess I was able to sum up 1.5-2 years of hard work in one afternoon sitting sick on my couch. I'm sorry I wasn't posting this on RC all along. I've been working 70-80 hour weeks between work-work and home-work and was only posting this up locally.
But, again, I appreciate everyone's builds over the years and wanted to share this with the community.
I've been really inspired by builds like Ching Chai's, Peter, Dan.... Too many to list.
So, this is where I hit the breaks and come back to the slow reality of trying to make my dream happen. I'll post up pics as I go.
Let me know if you have questions or suggestions. Thanks for following!
halmus
New member
One last thing I forgot to include, why call this thread the Golden Reef tank?
I'm calling the thread "A Golden Reef Tank" for a couple reasons. One is because of how I tried to design the tank to fit in the room.
The proportions for the tank's viewable area roughly match what mathematicians call the Golden Ratio.
Excerpt from the Wiki article on the Golden Ratio:
"In mathematics, two quantities are in the golden ratio if their ratio is the same as the ratio of their sum to the larger of the two quantities. The figure on below illustrates the geometric relationship. Expressed algebraically, for quantities a and b with a > b > 0,
where the Greek letter phi ( or ) represents the golden ratio. Its value is:
where the Greek letter phi represents the golden ratio. Its value is:
"
So, the Golden Ratio is seen by some as the ideal proportion to base dimensions on. Why not try to build a tank that matches that?
The display area of this tank will be 48" x 48" (footprint) x 36" tall. The bottom 2" of the tank will be covered by the counter that will be installed around the perimeter which also covers up the 2" metal bracing that the manufacturer is installing. The top 2" of the tank will be covered by the hood which also has bracing. You won't see the water line or much of the sand bed from the display. That leaves 32" of vertical viewing pleasure. 32" x 48" roughly matches the Golden Ratio. It's a little too deep to be perfect, however the builder told me it would be cheaper to order a 36" deep tank than a 30-34" deep tank. So, who can refuse that?
I'm calling the thread "A Golden Reef Tank" for a couple reasons. One is because of how I tried to design the tank to fit in the room.
The proportions for the tank's viewable area roughly match what mathematicians call the Golden Ratio.
Excerpt from the Wiki article on the Golden Ratio:
"In mathematics, two quantities are in the golden ratio if their ratio is the same as the ratio of their sum to the larger of the two quantities. The figure on below illustrates the geometric relationship. Expressed algebraically, for quantities a and b with a > b > 0,
where the Greek letter phi ( or ) represents the golden ratio. Its value is:
where the Greek letter phi represents the golden ratio. Its value is:
"
So, the Golden Ratio is seen by some as the ideal proportion to base dimensions on. Why not try to build a tank that matches that?
The display area of this tank will be 48" x 48" (footprint) x 36" tall. The bottom 2" of the tank will be covered by the counter that will be installed around the perimeter which also covers up the 2" metal bracing that the manufacturer is installing. The top 2" of the tank will be covered by the hood which also has bracing. You won't see the water line or much of the sand bed from the display. That leaves 32" of vertical viewing pleasure. 32" x 48" roughly matches the Golden Ratio. It's a little too deep to be perfect, however the builder told me it would be cheaper to order a 36" deep tank than a 30-34" deep tank. So, who can refuse that?
CafeReef
New member
following on this one...beautiful basement and build.
Question, when you were framing you had a gap under all of the walls. I am assuming this is for water damage reasons? Any chance you can tell me what you did to support the floating walls so they wouldnt sway? I find it fascinating and would really consider doing the same in my basement.
Question, when you were framing you had a gap under all of the walls. I am assuming this is for water damage reasons? Any chance you can tell me what you did to support the floating walls so they wouldnt sway? I find it fascinating and would really consider doing the same in my basement.
halmus
New member
Great question and great eyes! That's actually a building code "suggestion" here in Colorado. At least this part of Colorado. I don't think it's a code requirement, but highly suggested due to the nature of our soil. The framing/drywall/electrical was all done by the contractor. I did all of the work since then to make their work acceptable. I even re-framed some of their work when they weren't looking because it was ridiculous poor craftsmanship.
The floating walls allow for soil expansion raising the slab floor.
They nail a bottom plate to the slab. Then, build a wall and secure it to the ceiling. Then, they run a long spike down from the "upper" bottom plate on the floating wall into the "lower" bottom plate secured to the floor. Theoretically, that takes the sway out of the wall but allows it to move vertically if the floor heaves.
In practice, I don't like it. It's not that secure. But, it's better that than have my house lift off the foundation if the floor heaves. I've seen toilets levitating inches off of the ground because the slab sunk and the toilet drain stayed stationary. So, it does happen here.
To keep walls isolated from moisture in the filtration room, I tried to make a giant drip pan out of the filtration room floor. All of the water should be contained in that room and drain over to the floor drain.
In normal construction elsewhere, I've always used treated lumber for the bottom plate knowing it's going to come in contact with moisture one way or another. You could always go heavy with the silicone to seal that plate to the floor (along with construction adhesive) and deal with spills that way.
