Building Big Bertha: 800G

fish rooms are rarely big enough. :D building a new home with a large system in mind can really benefit you in the long run. Like installing floor drains, dealing with RO/DI waste water, having a nice solid pad for the tank and sumps to sit on, elevated ceiling so lighting is more flexible, etc....
 
Amazing project thusfar! I can't wait to see how it all comes together.

I agree with Jonathan; fish rooms are NEVER big enough. When I first built the fish room for my 140 gallon display tank (tank upstairs, fish room in basement) my wife commented that the room seemed so large.

Now, a year and a couple months later it is pretty much standing room only. :)

Tyler
 
mine is 15' x 15' and it's still much too small. There's so much I want to do in there but do not have the space.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9054053#post9054053 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jnarowe
mine is 15' x 15' and it's still much too small. There's so much I want to do in there but do not have the space.
Click to expand...

Mine is around 9' x 8' and it's WAY too small. The rest of the basement is unfinished and I have a feeling that when I put the permanent door on the fish room it's going to have to open into the hallway and not into the fish room because I need that extra space for my water change buckets. :lol:

Tyler
 
I have been following this build and think it is one of the better looking large tank systems. Any updated pics? I'm setting up a larger system myself and need some inspirational eye candy!
 
Hello Ben,

I have read your thread from top to bottom now and I must say that I am green with envy. Great job, I have been reading these large tank threads for quite a while now, stealing ideas and taking notes ect. On a whole seperate subject, I can help but notice that you have 2 aussies. I too have a blue merle right at 8 months old. Amazing dogs. I am completely hooked on the breed probably more so than I am on Saltwater. Do you have any advice or links for a first time aussie owner. I think I have read every book out there already BUT. Experiance beats reserch any day!! Also rescuing another one in a couple of weeks (poor girl is going thru heartworm treatment)!! Keep it coming buddy.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9312646#post9312646 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Jounior
Hello Ben,

I have read your thread from top to bottom now and I must say that I am green with envy. Great job, I have been reading these large tank threads for quite a while now, stealing ideas and taking notes ect. On a whole seperate subject, I can help but notice that you have 2 aussies. I too have a blue merle right at 8 months old. Amazing dogs. I am completely hooked on the breed probably more so than I am on Saltwater. Do you have any advice or links for a first time aussie owner. I think I have read every book out there already BUT. Experiance beats reserch any day!! Also rescuing another one in a couple of weeks (poor girl is going thru heartworm treatment)!! Keep it coming buddy.
Click to expand...

Thanks for all the comments (and for "reviving" the thread!). The tank has been totally neglected the last month or so while I've been doing other things. Well, not totally: the inspections for the electrical work just finished on Friday, and I'm about to order the sump. Once the latter comes in, it should be a matter of finding the time to plumb and the tank should be "running." There is still more work to do in terms of obtaining a properly-sized refugium and propagation tank, but the main tank can start cycling before those are put in place.

Unfortunately, my schedule for work has me on the road again for another two weeks, so I don't foresee any significant news until late March! Rest assured, this thread will be the first to know, however. :)

As for the Aussie-advice: I'm probably the wrong person to ask! We have two, from two different breedlines, and they are completely different. Our older one is very shy with people he hasn't met, but probably in the upper decile of intelligence as they come -- and they are all pretty smart, as you know. He watches TV, recognizes himself, strategizes about when to best try to steal food off the table, etc. The younger one is a total spazz; we got him right as we began a major medical trauma in our household, so he did not get the proper care and training that he should have when young. The end result is that he is much harder to manage in a social setting (with other dogs or people). He is a great dog, but we'll never be able to hike with him off-leash or leave him to run free all day outside or anything. My recommendation would be to get the socialization and training right at the beginning!

Ben
 
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Hey folks,

Here's the updated sump plan:

normal_SumpPlan%7E0.png


Red panel on top left is the intake support -- multiple holes for multiple drains here, plumbed into bulkheads just like return lines on tanks. Water flows into left compartment, travels through the baffles, and then settles in the primary, right compartment. Total volume is a bit under 120 gallons.

Multiple return holes for multiple return pumps -- including a couple extra for future expansion!

Ben
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9390880#post9390880 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jnarowe
Ben, you are not going to use filter socks on the drain lines?
Click to expand...

For day to day operations, I hope not to have to. The problem with filter socks, as I suspect you know very well, is that they have to be changed really frequently. I am hoping to minimize the amount of regularly-scheduled maintenance on the tank, and every little bit counts.

That said, I do intend to have them available for occasional use, like when I add sand or do other things that will cause large amounts of mess in the water.

The socks will fit onto the ends of the drain lines, which will be submerged below the water line to provide back-pressure for the overflow boxes.

Think I'm missing something there? I am going to regret that plan? Let me know,

Ben
 
Ben,

I do want you to seriously consider this before pulling the trigger on this sump.

I don't like socks either. They are a PITA no doubt at all, but if you do not catch detritus BEFORE it settles in your sump, you will be heading for trouble.

What I would do is build a perforated shelf under the drain lines and use Aquatic-Eco washable filter material. Make sure the drain lines are at least a couple inches above the mat.

I use this stuff and it is really top-notch and actually washable. I am really impressed with it and I realize it is more expensive than what you generally see in an LFS, but it is totally worth it. I use the 2" coarse. I had some in my multi-media reactor for 2 months as a pre-filter and when I washed it, it looked nearly brand new.
 
Jonathan,
I still don't understand what you don't like about the filter socks. I just came home with 10 of them for my tank. Other than regular maintenance issues, what do you dislike
 
Well, it's the maintanance of course! In my system with two running on my returns I get about 2 -3 days and then I have to swap them out. And I don't like doing laundry.

Moreso though my system has changed to the point that the area I have devoted to mechanical filtration is much less accessable. I end up with a bucket full of them and then have to wash them multiple times.

For smaller systems they are OK, but when you get up above 400 - 500g they just become a real pain. If I was running a 125g with two socks, it would probably be a better way to go.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9391930#post9391930 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jnarowe
I do want you to seriously consider this before pulling the trigger on this sump.
Click to expand...

Hmm... okay, humor me: what's the difference between detritus settling in a filter pad and settling in the bottom of my sump? I must be missing something?

Ben
 
uh, well you remove it and wash it out rather than letting it build up in the sump. If you let it build up, then you end up with a nitrate factory. You won't see any problem in the short-term, but after a while it will cause problems. That, IMO, is the biggest hurdle when dealing with a sump. Keeping it clean is a major issue, especially when there is equipment in it.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9395722#post9395722 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jnarowe
uh, well you remove it and wash it out rather than letting it build up in the sump. If you let it build up, then you end up with a nitrate factory. You won't see any problem in the short-term, but after a while it will cause problems. That, IMO, is the biggest hurdle when dealing with a sump. Keeping it clean is a major issue, especially when there is equipment in it.
Click to expand...

I see. So in your case, it's easier than cleaning out the sump proper? That makes sense. In my case, because of the size and design of the sump, I believe it will be easier just to vac the bottom of the large section on the right. I don't know that for sure since I haven't had to do it yet, but the left section will be quite full with drain pipes, whereas the right section will be pretty wide open.

Do you think I'm going to end up with tons of gunk on the left side that's going to be hard to get out? If so, I can see the benefit of a tray with room for a filter there to catch stuff. In this sump's design, would you see any drawbacks to putting the perforated plastic tray in between the second and third divider, right where the water will overflow into what is the first chunk of the main compartment? Then I could have a 2-inch by 38-inch strip in that one section only...

Ben
 
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