Coral Tank from Canada (1350gal Display Tank)

[nineball]

Thank You

Thank You

I have been looking for a quiet activity window to pause for a moment to say thank you to you all. I very much appreciate the experience of believing that a whole bunch of you are hovering outside the window with a sincere willingness to join in and help in any way you can. I know there are times when some of you have taken the time to give advice and it may appear its falling on deaf ears.......let me assure you it is not and your efforts to reach out are appreciated.

Many of you have been very supportive emotionally and as you all know on this forum there are times when that kind of support is tremendously helpful.

If I had to divide up this journey I would say we are probably, almost at the one quarter mark. I do not plan to rush this through any phase. The goal is to get it right and if it gets done fast thats great but not as important as getting it done right.

I must admit that I have felt the sting of an earlier comment in the thread that was bang on but extremely difficult to deal with at the time. Both Chingchai's journey and mine have been in pursuit of a higher standard both in the build as much as the finished product. The obvious difference in process has been that Chingchai's was far more detailed, documented and meticulously planned than this one. As has been noted we are crafting on the fly. It is NOT the way I normally function in any other domain.

There seems to be a behaviour in this hobby that all too often is prevalent by both customers and solution or service providers that we plan on the fly with the excuse that since every build is different that we have to see how things fit before we can plan. This is wrong and truthfully it just reeks of laziness.

Chingchai did it right. If I do provide any value to the group that has been loyal to this build it will be to go back in the thread at some point and extract the plan that should have been there in the first place. In other words, anyone who has been following this build from the beginning with the intent of learning anything for their own build would be better off if they note my personal critique that they should be using the Chingchai methodology and not this one. No excuses and no qualification.

I am, hopefully, stating the obvious to the majority of you old enough to read without pictures. This build is going to get really interesting now and have enough twists and turns to keep Steven King up past midnight. I need all of you to find the time occasionally to check in and rate my performance. It is extremely helpful and I believe the best way to raise the bar on the results we would all like to see.

After we solve the basic tank architecture, the next chapter will be bringing life to the tank starting with the live rock and the underlying aqua sculpture for the beginning of the four great masters. I have chosen the four styles and all that is required is some help on choosing the best aquarists to represent those styles.......but I get ahead of myself, again.

I am determined also to respect each and everyone of you by acknowledging your posts as I have in the past. If any time passes and I have missed anyone please let me know. I know how grateful I felt when Chingchai acknowledged my questions or comments and I would like to maintain that very important aspect of the culture in this place.

Finally I have to have some good news for our community in the very near future so keep your subscriptions up to date folks, this is going to be a heck of a ride. Sincerely, thank you all for hanging in......


Now I have some posts to answer.......

Peter

 

[nineball]

Once you get it filled you can start planning the next one. This may give you some inspiration http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co....erm=The_tank_that_Jack_built&utm_content=html

I realize you love FOWLR environments Mr. Wilson and to your credit you have contributed in one way or another to some of the world's best examples.......I think this journey will round out your education when it comes to real reefing environments. Coral Mr. Wilson, coral is the future!!!

Peter

 

[nineball]

Using a new biowheel each time would be costly but cheaper than losing fish

I would use a copper remover like cuprisorb with carbon to remove the residual copper. It's a good practice to remove old copper from the QT so you are starting fresh each time. It makes dosing safer. It's the calcareous (calcium-based) materials that absorb copper that you need to watch out for. This is less of any issue with ionic or chelated copper. If you're really paranoid about copper, soak it in RO/DI water and test for copper.

You could dose the QT with ammonia when you anticipate the addition of new fish, but who are we kidding these are impulse buys. Depending on the style of bio-filter, you could incorporate your filter floss or sponge from the display's mechanical filter into the filter. HOT filters are good for this.

You can also do a water change and add fresh display water to the QT so it has some beneficial bacteria. The nitrifying bacteria grow on detritus in the substrate so you don't need to prefilter the old water before adding it to the QT.

In commercial QT they often employ air-driven sponge filters. These sponges can be stored in the filter of the display tank and moved to the QT filter as needed. It's all about conditioning the bacteria. Nitrifying bacteria reproduce faster when the temperature swings (lag) so they won't be harmed going to the cooler QT water. What ever you do, don't rinse the filter media or disturb it as the delicate biofilms can be lost.

One a slightly different track Mr. Wilson, when my fresh tap water test is complete and I am ready to empty my display tank before bringing my RO/DI salt water back in. What if any measures do I have to take to prevent copper contamination in the system from the fresh tap water residue? How much of an issue is it?

Peter

 

[nineball]

I just don't even know what to say, simply amazing! I will be following for sure!

WOW

Morethemerrier, thank you from the group and welcome to the community.

Peter

 

[Reefski's]

you will only decrease the flow into the tank by using a smaller pipe. it may go farther into the tank but less flow. think Tunze vs. Maxijet.

when i first did the plumbing in my tank i used a Sequence Dart pump that was supposed to pump 3000 gph. it had to pump about 10 feet from my garage into the tank. the pump could not overcome the head pressure. i switched to a Hammerhead and all is well.

well all was well until this morning when my wife called to say EMERGENCY, EMERGENCY!!! the tank is 1/3 empty. the CL pump just under the tank had broken a seal and was leaking water, about 300 gallons total. fortunately i had 300 gallons heated and ready to go for a water change.

nothing quite so scary as finding that there is 300 gallons of water on the floor.

i shut off the valves at either side of the pump and stopped the leak. unfortunately a power strip under the tank got soaked but fortunately the GFI tripped on that strip. that shut off the return pump and stopped the sumps from emptying any more.

the water level had dropped below the level of the Tunzes and so there was no flow in the tank. my wife saw all this when she came back from the hour dog walk. i was fine when i left a couple hours before. so in maybe two hours 300 gallons drained from the system.

periodically turn all those valves so they will stay from of stuff living on them and preventing them from closing when you need them.


Carl

 

[Ball]

Peter,

I have been following your build and will continue to in the future. Its an amazing project and I feel many people can/will learn a lot from it when its all said and done. Great job so far!

 

[nineball]

Peter, I have started a small thread on the Toledo reef club site. For what ever reason hardly anyone uses the R/C site. Once I get a few pictures together I will make a duplicate but stream lined post on the large tank forum here.

I am down to needing just a few goodies. I am going with Ozone per Mr. Wilson and Ching.

Another glass company came into my class this morning to bid on taking the tank through the window. I left with the crews heads all together debating that option. I am so lucky to have a group so willing to go over the top in helping a smelly, wet sleaved teacher out LOL

Briney Dave, thanks very much for keeping us in the loop. I would also join the ozone group as I believe there is a great deal of support for it with large tanks. Thankfully my skimmer is designed to act as a vehicle for its use.

Peter

 

[nineball]

you will only decrease the flow into the tank by using a smaller pipe. it may go farther into the tank but less flow. think Tunze vs. Maxijet.

when i first did the plumbing in my tank i used a Sequence Dart pump that was supposed to pump 3000 gph. it had to pump about 10 feet from my garage into the tank. the pump could not overcome the head pressure. i switched to a Hammerhead and all is well.

well all was well until this morning when my wife called to say EMERGENCY, EMERGENCY!!! the tank is 1/3 empty. the CL pump just under the tank had broken a seal and was leaking water, about 300 gallons total. fortunately i had 300 gallons heated and ready to go for a water change.

nothing quite so scary as finding that there is 300 gallons of water on the floor.

i shut off the valves at either side of the pump and stopped the leak. unfortunately a power strip under the tank got soaked but fortunately the GFI tripped on that strip. that shut off the return pump and stopped the sumps from emptying any more.

the water level had dropped below the level of the Tunzes and so there was no flow in the tank. my wife saw all this when she came back from the hour dog walk. i was fine when i left a couple hours before. so in maybe two hours 300 gallons drained from the system.

periodically turn all those valves so they will stay from of stuff living on them and preventing them from closing when you need them.


Carl

Carl the scary part of your 'incident' for me was that probably for the first time, I actually could visualize all of that. Unbelievable set of coincidences. I think I am going to pin this post on the fish room door (known around here as The Abyss) for not only my benefit but that of my four helpers..........So I trust the Brothers Grimm and Associates have noted Carl's recent real world event and can explain to me why that will never happen here?????

Thanks Carl, I hope there was not too much collateral damage?


As far as the pipe structure is concerned we are bringing in a world expert to review, and recommend a definitive solution for the plumbing and flow.

Peter

 

[nineball]

Thanks for all the updated pictures. Everything is looking really good.

Thank you klipprand, I think we have taken the system apart and put it back together again three times since your post. I think I could probably keep taking pictures just to see if anyone can spot what's changed since the last batch.

Peter

 

[Kipps]

Peter,

In response to your "thank you" - you are obviously a gentleman and a scholar besides being succesful.

Thank you from me to you for sharing this project with us - we have all learn't an incredible amount about how to do things properly - you have ispired some of the best brains in this community (Mr Wilson and others) to adopt this project as their all for our mutual enjoyment.

Well done!!! I can't wait to see this through to completion...

 

[nineball]

Mr W, what's the diference between a dip and a bath???

Cant wait for the wet part of this amzing thread
Thanks Peter!!!

Thank you Artur, I think we all want to get wet about now!!!!!!

Peter

 

[nineball]

Have you decided on the rockwork yet? You do have drawing on it?

elijaher, I have decided on the basic layout. I haven't drawn any pictures yet but I have discussed it in some detail with my helpers who are very anxious to get started.

Peter

 

[nineball]

I dont know how long it took me to read each page but i was put my thoughts into one word WOW

If you managed to go through this whole thread Scholar, then this group owes you a WOW back. Thanks and welcome to our community.


Peter

 

[nineball]

Yeah, I told you the same thing I tell my daughter on Christmas eve. Peter you can't unwrap your present until Santa puts the rock down the chimney

You're lucky the tank isn't deeper. The 3-4' deep tanks require a ladder to climb up and another ladder in the tank to climb in. Your guys will still be hanging off the side of the tank like monkeys. Make sure they take their studded belts off, as a matter of fact I would have them in speedos and tuques so they don't scratch it. That's how jacques cousteau & Steve Zissou do it

If you're filling with cold water it may sweat a bit and trick you that it's leaking. You can use a sheet of paper under a suspected leak area. If even one drip falls on the paper in the middle of the night, it will leave a water mark. Here's another area where the flashlight comes in handy.

For the record, I always have at least one leak as it comes together. As the tank settles, bulkheads can shift or loosen, and some pump manufacturers don't get the taper thread on the ports just right so it's a slight mismatch to PVC adapters. I used to make "flawless" aesthetic joints in PVC that looked like machine welds. That was until I expanded the definition of "flawless" to include a lack of leaks. Now I goop it on like crazy and let it drip into every crevice. It loops rookie, but it holds water like a pro. Plumbing tricks of the trade will be a whole chapter in the book You just can't find that info anywhere.

Actually Mr. Wilson, we only had one leak in the open system. It was one of those......Nope I didn't do this one, I thought you did this one.

Peter

 

[Haksar]

Good going Peter.
Don't worry with your Team you will overcome every obstacle.

 

[nineball]

Just one word.... WOW

This is amazing, rebuilding your whole basement for "just" a new tank, I guess this is a dream to many off us.

And those sizes, they are incredible. I've got a 180 gall tank and here in the netherlands that's one of the bigger tanks for so fare I now, the most tanks overhere are around 150 gall's or smaller.

I've just read the whole "diary" and it's really amazing....

Miky Mike Thank you very much. It's great to have a representative of the Netherlands with us. There is some great knowledge and experience in the Netherlands.

Peter

 

[nineball]

Mr Wilson your dissertation on acclimation is second to none. Well done from me and the community. Thank you for taking the time on this subject. We really have to figure out a good indexing system for your book.

Peter

 

[nineball]

check for a blockage i have had to much pvc glue on the inside of the coupling to the point where it created a sheet over the whole inside of the pipe and once it dried it was solid as a rock actually had to cut the bad connection out and put a new one in it's place.
Terry

Thanks Terry, I think we are going to be replacing most of the pumps so I will keep this one in mind.

Peter

 

[nineball]

Maybe all the reducing to get down to your lock line is just to much head pressure. Big pumps don't always like head pressure. Just a thought.

Not a bad thought either........we are going to be reviewing this issue among others on Monday.

Give me MORE!!! I feel like a drug addict. I have checked 5 times today for an update, that sounds like a crazy man to me! Just a little more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The insane thing is that I am checking five times a day as well and it still hasn't struck me that I should already know how this thing turns out because I live here!!!!!!!!!

Peter

 

[nineball]

THANk tHE lORD some form of water in the tank... its been a looong wait

Yes Marchingbanddjs, it has been a long wait and I thank you for your patience and perseverance to see this thing through.

Peter