Back to the hobby

[danzada]

Hello,
My name is Dan. After couple years break, I want to build a new reef tank.
I'm pretty familiar with how to maintain reef tank, including identifying and handling all kinds of corals.
This was my last tank:

Now, it is going to be the first time that I will build the tank from scratch, including designing the task, the overflow, the pipes etc., and this is where I need your help.

This is my house and you can see what I'm trying to achieve:

This is what I currently have:

The space available is: W: 117 cm, D: 60 cm
Water are available behind the wall that behind the aquarium
I have sewerage on the left side of the aquarium on the floor.

I need you help to design the aquarium, the location of the overflow and its type, how to build the sump, design the pipes and filtration etc.

I hope my goal and the help I need is clear.

Many thanks!
Dan.

 

[Shawn O]

Your drawing looks like your only access is from above and below the tank. If so, you would probably want to use a reef-ready tank with an overflow in each rear corner.

The sewer drain seems to be in an ideal spot. You could gut the cabinet to the right of the cook-top and make it a water processing cabinet with RODI and mixing tank. You should be able to fit a 10-15 gal. container for mixing SW as well as a RODI unit that's plumbed over to the sink. A 40B should fit beneath the tank for a sump and it looks like you have plenty of room above the tank for lighting. It also looks like you'd be able to install a vent fan (to the outside) in the cabinet above the tank, maybe even one below. You could definitely draw in fresh outside air directly to your skimmer.

Aesthetically it might look better if the cabinet doors are the same height as the side of the kitchen cabinets with the tank sitting at the height it would if it were on top of the kitchen cabinets. Maybe use trim across the bottom of the tank that matches the edge of the kitchen counter tops?

Good luck, it sounds like a fun project you have ahead of you. Post pics of you progress along the way. We like pics.

 

[danzada]

Hi,
Many thanks for the detailed answer.
Indeed I will only have access from the front of the aquarium and I need to keep that in mind when designing the system.

I'm trying to understand where is the best to locate the overflow box.
The first option is to put it at the side of the aquarium and the second option is at the middle.
In addition, how to design the plumbing (downstream and upstream)?

What do you think? can you please help me?

Thanks!
Dan.