Basement Remodel... Ohh & a 320+ Gallon - 96x30x26 In-Wall SPS Tank

KniLLifer

KniLLifer

Premium Member
First of all allow me to introduce my self.

My name is Art (KniLLifer) and I have been a part of the reefcentral community since 2005 but have started in this hobby in 2000. Well, 6 tanks later and 6 homes later and 2 states later and 2 countries later, We finally settled down in the great state of Michigan. My family which consists of (3) boys 8, 6, 8 month old, and my wonderful wife of 10 years last Friday decided to finish the basement and build daddy a fish room with a in-wall tank.

As most getting into this kind of project it gets very expensive but at the same time very exciting. I find my self trying to prioritize which purchase to make next. Should I buy the Protein Skimmer or Drywall the ceiling??? LOL. Well I bought the skimmer first, but my wife understands. :debi:

Here are the details of the build so let me run through the dry goods list as I'm very far away from having anything live in the tank.

DISPLAY TANK: 320 Gallon (Michigan Built) 96"x30"x26"
STAND: DYI stand [pics below]
SUMP: 150 Gallon 72"x24"x20
LIGHTING: (4) Reefbreeders 24" Photon LED Series Fixtures
SKIMMER: Super Reef Octopus 5000 External
RETURN PUMP(s): (2) DIABLO DC 10500 Variable Speed Pumps
CAL/ALK/MAG: 2-Part Bubble Magus Dosing Pump - BM-T01 [For Now]
IN TANK CIRCULATION: (2) MP60ES pumps + (1) MP40 [if needed]
CARBON/GFO: (2) Jumbo Reactors for each media
CONTROLLER: Reefkeeper Elite w/Net & Reefkeeper 2 [if needed]
RODI: 5-Stage RODI unit
WATER MAKING SYSTEM: (2) 50 Gallon tanks mixed by a PAN WORLD 50PX
ROCK: 225 LBS Pukani which will be acid washed and cycled & 50 LBS Live
SAND: 200 LBS Tropic Eden Reeflakes Aragonite & 100 LBS Tropic Eden Live Sand
HEAT: Don't know as I haven purchased any may need some help in this department as to how big and how many?
COOLING: Don't think I will need a chiller but time will tell.

OK.... Here we go...

This project started 4 months ago, basement / fish tank room / laundry room...! The pictures below will take you back to February but before the pictures let me tell you this!

I started tiling the fish tank / laundry room last Saturday 6/1/2013 and at 11PM while caring the last box of tile down the stairs I fell. I broke my RH Lumbar L1, L2 & L3 Pedicle clean off and aside from the hemorrhage on the LH side of the spine and the CT scan revealing a cist on my RH Kidney and a medium size Kidney stone... I'm OK but the project has come to a halt for at least 2 months. But, because of this injury I'm able to find time to start this thread.

Tank / Laundy room wall [painters tape outline the tank]


Stand Construction & installation:








 
In the wall insertion:


From the back of the tank (inside the fish tank room)



This stand/tank is not going anywhere (100lb of concrete to secure and level the stand)


Tank move in day ( sooo busy we forgot to take pictures of the whole process) but its in so is the sump (temporarily) until I drill (2) holes in it.







Started trimming out the wall. I went with FRP on the inside of the fish room / laundry room.







This is as far as I got minus the tile I laid last week... more to come!

If you would like to follow along please do. Send your recommendations as we go along. I can not promise I will post every day as I am a busy dad and do work full time.

Thank you for reading this long, crazy post.

~Art~
 
Feel better! Thats a serious fall. Looks like the tank will be sweet. Will the basement window give you natural light on the tank? Will follow along...


Edit: What kind of tank is that?
 
Mark... said:
Feel better! Thats a serious fall. Looks like the tank will be sweet. Will the basement window give you natural light on the tank? Will follow along...


Edit: What kind of tank is that?
Click to expand...

Hi Mark.

The tank is locally built by Great Lakes Aquariums. Front panel is starfire single drain and return. I hope to get 4-5 times the tank volume to the sump / hr (1400 gal/hr). As far the glass block windows, they don't let in much light as I'm surrounded by trees and other homes.
 
Sweet build so far! When you say your tank was Michigan built, do you mean at great lakes aquariums?
 
nevermind that...i just read that it was lol. thats the beauty of skimming through a thread, you miss all the details.
 
When doing something this great I guess saying go break a leg was taken to a whole new level. Get well and great job with the build thus far.
 
Thanks for the nice comments guys!

I'm getting the skimmer and return pumps this week so I will post some pictures of them and the Pukani thats sitting still in boxes.
 
OUCH!!!!! Hope your doing ok after that nasty fall. I'd offer up some of the southern generosity but ya'll are too far away :) Anyhow, the build is looking good and I know the finished product will be awesome, you always had one of the best looking tanks in the area when you guys lived down here. Take care and I look forward to seeing more pics when your back on your feet and able to resume the build. Tell the wife hello from Alabama.

Virginia
 
Do not know how I missed this thread.

Sorry about the fall. Hope it all works out.

Nice build and nice progress. You should have started this build thread back then.

Cut back on the silver bottles, they are mostly water anyway.

How is the recovery coming?
 
I'm following this build for two reasons: first, its looks like its going to be a great tank, second, we share the same name. Get back on you feet soon!

Art
 
acesq said:
I'm following this build for two reasons: first, its looks like its going to be a great tank, second, we share the same name. Get back on you feet soon!

Art
Click to expand...

LOL, not too many Art's running around here!

Guys, I promise this thread will thrive again with info and pictures.
I have a green/yellow light on my back situation but I must have surgery because of a different issues revealed by the CT scan when I hurt my back. FUN FUN FUN!

I should have some new pictures and a review of 225LB of Pukani Rock and some other equipment I have purchased.

Thanks too all for being patient.
 
Just a quick check to see how you are doing after your fall. Hope everything is going ok. Wishing you a speedy and full recovery.
 
Art,

I'm planning a similar build, but with a 240ish (96x24x25). I have a few questions if you don't mind.

1) I haven't figured out my stand, how did you determine if that stand will hold the weight of the tank when full? Did you find other examples of this design or did you do some math? My build was going to be similar, but I'm never sure and tend to overbuild. I'd like to keep it open like yours this time for sump access.

2) How did you get that beast into the basement? How many guys, method (suction cups, movers belt?), any curves in the stairs?

Thanks!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

D
Structural support for 125 gallon aquarium
Replies
7
Views
661
ddang
D
cilyjr
Cilyjr 320 gallon on the central coast
Replies
12
Views
1K
rogerwilco357
rogerwilco357
J
Plumbing 300 gallon acrylic aquarium
Replies
3
Views
2K
wvned
wvned
W
Cycling new Tank
Replies
2
Views
2K
C.Eymann
C.Eymann
griss
pH - Thought I'd Share This
Replies
5
Views
2K
BuckeyeFish
BuckeyeFish
Back
Top