Coral Tank from Canada (1350gal Display Tank)

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For all the decent, patient and loyal members of this community here is a brief update on todays activities. As noted in the last update a number of significant changes are taking place which has most of the fish room emptied into piles of clutter everywhere. The plumbing is being completely overhauled from top to bottom. None of the previous architecture is being retained either inside or outside the tank so Mr. Wilson is having a field day getting the best possible flow given the layout. I believe he is preparing updated schematics for the thread and I will be taking pictures as soon as there is enough to make sense.

The new expanded fish room has just been completed (one hour ago) and can now hold 4inches of water with integrity. We will be initializing the mars bars next week. We are looking at the equipment on the sled which at the moment is looking pretty lumpy as it is loosely piled for the moment. Again we are going to prepare schematics to document the flow through the filtration path for review and comment from this group.

The Bros Grimm took the new coarse sand and spent a good portion of the day washing it to get the nasty bits removed. They also made up enough salt water to keep the new sand ready to add to the display tank when needed. I did take some pics and will post them soon.

There was a lot of activity here today and I probably missed some in this update so I will let Mr. Wilson fill in the blanks when he has a chance.

Peter
 
Wow I left this great adventure last time on page 26 and finally tonight/today (read from 26 til now in one setting) I have read and caught up......I am glad to see that your still taking all the advice with a very open mind. Team 9 ball for the WIN!!!!!!!!!!
 
Things are coming along well with the new plumbing scheme. I'll have a new schematic as time allows this weekend. Thanks for the tip on the pumps mo & ksed. Hype and advanced marketing are North American standards, but I didn't realize that in Germany it is an art form. We've been hearing about so many companies in Germany & The Netherlands marketing DC brushless pumps, but had a heck of a time finding a vendor who was actually producing them. We never heard back from Klaus at Royal Exclucive, but the other manufacturers are hoping for early 2011. As the official "relief pitcher" for this project, I can't have you guys wait that long to see water in this tank :)

The closed loop will have 4 Abyzz 420 Eco pumps capable of producing over 6,000 GPH each. They come with an ACS controller that can handle up to 8 pumps so we have room for expansion :) The controller will give us some surge, pulse, and wave features. You get the effect of 24,000 GPH without having to cycle the pumps at full power all the time. We just need to get that body of water moving.

We are considering Vortex 3500 Mocean wave makers for the sump return, but we are hoping for a more customized solution. The L shaped tank raises a few issues with flow dynamics. We have a fifth Abyzz 6,000 GPH pump fir sump return but we want to expoit the flow to it's fullest potential.

The tank's internal plumbing has been assembled, and unassembled so I could take them hone to "make invisible". Peter doesn't mind seeing plumbing in the tank, but with all the pipes and parts needed to dispatch 25,000 GPH, it will make the Brothers Grimm's aquascaping job difficult. Jamie put together a nice drawing of what he has in mind for the layout. My family of PVC octopus will detract from the view if I can't blend it in somehow. My homework for this weekend is to cover the pipes with aragocrete (aragonite-based cement).

The original drain to sump consisted of a 1.5" strainer at the bottom of each of the two overflow boxes. We are raising the water level to just below the teeth with a Durso standpipe to minimize splashing and subsequent noise. To further reduce noise and increase drain capacity we are reclaiming another 1.5" siphon drain (formerly used for return flow) for each overflow.

It looks like we can fit the chiller under the refugium to buy back some more room for the pumps etc. The ozonizer came in and will go up on the wall this week. The Epo putty is holding us back on getting the rock in the tank, the sump is still out being repaired, and our pumps haven't been shipped yet. We are still steadily moving forward, trying to anticipate and avert
any future problems or delays.
 
Moser said:
Agree with all of those comments, but I would expect that Peter could source a touch screen tablet laptop to use exclusively with the Profilux and stick to the PC software, which makes the Profilux very easy to set up and use. There was also talk of a Profiview 3 touch screen remote screen at some stage.....

Mo
Click to expand...

One thing Peter doesn't have a shortage of is screens. I'm not even sure what colour his walls are with all the screens. He has a 30"? Touchscreen right across from the tank and we are getting the WLAN/LAN feature for the Profilux 3 controller.
 
dave.m said:
Mr.Wilson, more information on the Remote Deep Sand Bed in the Overflow, please:

1). Are the stand pipes/drains full of holes, or are they solid, like with a Durso-style drain?

2). How far should the sand be kept away from the opening of the mouth of the drain pipes?

3). Do you have any recommendations for sand type and grain size for deep sand beds like this?

Thx muchly,

Dave.M
Click to expand...

The water drains from the overflow box from the top of the Durso standpipe and lower siphon lines, all above the sand. It's a passive flow in and around the sand bed to maintain an anaerobic environment. Unfirtunately, the overflows are black so we can't monitor our aquatic "ant farm".

The water cresting over the teeth of the overow only drops an inch so the sand won't get stirred up much. The sand will be about 4" below to be safe.

We are using "regular" aragonite sand for the DSB in the overflows. I think it would become anoxic (free of oxygen) if you used sugar-fine sand. We will be using perforated pipes in the sand to provide passive water exchange, access for testing dissolved oxygen etc., and possibly adding a carbon source.

With the rebirth of carbon dosing, some of the original art/science has been lost. These days vodka or vitamin C is added randomly to the system for a "shotgun" dose. If you are feeding denitrifying bacteria in a DSB, then you need to put the food in the "mouth", or feeding tube in our case. Vitamin c (ascorbic acid) is highly photodegradeable and hydophobic (repelled by water) so if the lighting doesn't remove it, the protein skimmer will. Dropping the tablets down the feeder tube in the DSB should alleviate this problem and greatly reduce dosing quantities and frequency.
 
canyousee said:
Hello all, I feel like I'm cheating because I am still on page 105 after reading for days but I just feel the need to say a few things and ask a elementary question. For every one who has been pushing Peter for water in the tank/fish in the tank etc. all i can say is thank God non of you had to endure what my wife and daughter went through it took me 3 years before I placed any sps in my tank. I started with softies and after I knew I could keep them happy I added some fish then lps more time then sps my poor wife waited nearly 7 months to get her fish (she doesn't get corals, not really an aquarium without fish).

I have been reading forums here and at Marine
Depot for years (learn more by keeping my mouth shut and ears open) and I am amazed at how warm, kind and helpful everyone is to complete strangers, from all over the world. All I can say is Hello my name is Mike and I'm proud to me a reefer.

Now my stupid question almost every forum on tank builds a frag tank is part of the build and it is usually plumed into the same system has the Dt,so I do not understand the reason for the frag tank,why not put the frag back in the
Dt and let it grow where its going to end up any way?
Thanks Peter for letting me share in one hell of an epic journey.
Click to expand...

the idea is to keep the display tank in optimum condition & health. Cutting mother corals and healing cuttings lowers water quality and creates an environment where harmful bacteria can proliferate.

Coral cuttings should go in an isolated frag tank where antibiotics, oxidizers, and major water changes can be managed. Peter is going to measure his need for fragging space before commiting to a frag tank design, size, and location.
 
Peter. I can't wait to see the updated pictures.
You are so lucky to have the best people to work with your tank.
P.S. I am saving my money to see your tank in person.
All the best.
 
Shawn

Your thoughts on the corrosion inhibitor which is used in the Basf 88 ci cement? Could that leach or have a toxic effect?

Thanks

Kevin
 
ksed said:
Shawn

Your thoughts on the corrosion inhibitor which is used in the Basf 88 ci cement? Could that leach or have a toxic effect?

Thanks

Kevin
Click to expand...

I believe they are referring to sulphide and chloride corrosion, and not iron corrosion which would likely contain zinc. This is achieved with silica fume, which is perfectly safe. It would be more cost effective to buy silica fume, micro silica or white metakaolin at 15% to Portland and an appropriate amount of aggregate.

This group of addmixes allow the cement to cure from the inside out with a much smaller, waterproof pore matrix. It will yield stronger, faster setting, more sculptable, stable PH cement that is resistant to sulphide & chloride attack (corrosion).

At $45.00 per bag, the Emaco 88ci is only cost effective for small projects.
 
mr.wilson said:
I believe they are referring to sulphide and chloride corrosion, and not iron corrosion which would likely contain zinc. This is achieved with silica fume, which is perfectly safe. It would be more cost effective to buy silica fume, micro silica or white metakaolin at 15% to Portland and an appropriate amount of aggregate.

This group of addmixes allow the cement to cure from the inside out with a much smaller, waterproof pore matrix. It will yield stronger, faster setting, more sculptable, stable PH cement that is resistant to sulphide & chloride attack (corrosion).

At $45.00 per bag, the Emaco 88ci is only cost effective for small projects.
Click to expand...


I did not understand the question........

I definitely did not understand the answer.........

Therefore I think we should buy a bag before they run out! ! !


Peter
 
mr.wilson said:
I believe they are referring to sulphide and chloride corrosion, and not iron corrosion which would likely contain zinc. This is achieved with silica fume, which is perfectly safe. It would be more cost effective to buy silica fume, micro silica or white metakaolin at 15% to Portland and an appropriate amount of aggregate.

This group of addmixes allow the cement to cure from the inside out with a much smaller, waterproof pore matrix. It will yield stronger, faster setting, more sculptable, stable PH cement that is resistant to sulphide & chloride attack (corrosion).

At $45.00 per bag, the Emaco 88ci is only cost effective for small projects.
Click to expand...

I thought this was a deal but guess not
http://www.marcorocks.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=105&HS=1

Is that a 25kg bag for the emaco 88ci
 
ksed said:
I thought this was a deal but guess not
http://www.marcorocks.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=105&HS=1

Is that a 25kg bag for the emaco 88ci
Click to expand...

The Emaco 400 (formerly Thorite) is better for bonding rocks as it sets quicker. I will confirm this over the weekend when I crack open the 88ci. Although the 88ci is not advertised as fast setting, the work time is only 45 minutes so we will see. People have had good success with 400/Thorite despite it's lack of sulphite & chloride protection. It probably takes a few years to degrade if ever.

Liquid epoxy works really well but only on dry rocks and with support rods. You can use diamond glass hole saws to drill out rocks for a PVC skeleton. I use a 1/4" PVC sheet on the bottom and drill & thread 1/2" male adapters (mpt x slip) into it. A few 45 elbows and tees and you can achieve stability (function) and a natural organic shape (form). When you get all the rock in place over the PVC skeleton, pack the exposed pipe with Emaco 400.
 
nineball said:
I did not understand the question........

I definitely did not understand the answer.........

Therefore I think we should buy a bag before they run out! ! !


Peter
Click to expand...


Peter,
I had to :lolspin: at that comment....I will be using the Thorite and fiberglass rod to bond my rocks but they have been dry and and in storage for a few years. Love the information that you guys are discussing!!!!

Will hopefully catch up with you and your crew at MACNA.
 
mr.wilson said:
Things are coming along well with the new plumbing scheme. I'll have a new schematic as time allows this weekend. Thanks for the tip on the pumps mo & ksed. Hype and advanced marketing are North American standards, but I didn't realize that in Germany it is an art form. We've been hearing about so many companies in Germany & The Netherlands marketing DC brushless pumps, but had a heck of a time finding a vendor who was actually producing them. We never heard back from Klaus at Royal Exclucive, but the other manufacturers are hoping for early 2011. As the official "relief pitcher" for this project, I can't have you guys wait that long to see water in this tank :)

The closed loop will have 4 Abyzz 420 Eco pumps capable of producing over 6,000 GPH each. They come with an ACS controller that can handle up to 8 pumps so we have room for expansion :) The controller will give us some surge, pulse, and wave features. You get the effect of 24,000 GPH without having to cycle the pumps at full power all the time. We just need to get that body of water moving.

We are considering Vortex 3500 Mocean wave makers for the sump return, but we are hoping for a more customized solution. The L shaped tank raises a few issues with flow dynamics. We have a fifth Abyzz 6,000 GPH pump fir sump return but we want to expoit the flow to it's fullest potential.

The tank's internal plumbing has been assembled, and unassembled so I could take them hone to "make invisible". Peter doesn't mind seeing plumbing in the tank, but with all the pipes and parts needed to dispatch 25,000 GPH, it will make the Brothers Grimm's aquascaping job difficult. Jamie put together a nice drawing of what he has in mind for the layout. My family of PVC octopus will detract from the view if I can't blend it in somehow. My homework for this weekend is to cover the pipes with aragocrete (aragonite-based cement).

The original drain to sump consisted of a 1.5" strainer at the bottom of each of the two overflow boxes. We are raising the water level to just below the teeth with a Durso standpipe to minimize splashing and subsequent noise. To further reduce noise and increase drain capacity we are reclaiming another 1.5" siphon drain (formerly used for return flow) for each overflow.

It looks like we can fit the chiller under the refugium to buy back some more room for the pumps etc. The ozonizer came in and will go up on the wall this week. The Epo putty is holding us back on getting the rock in the tank, the sump is still out being repaired, and our pumps haven't been shipped yet. We are still steadily moving forward, trying to anticipate and avert
any future problems or delays.
Click to expand...

Is this the Abyzz pump? This one is rated at 60 gph

http://www.gopronow.biz/images/pump-charts/standard.jpg
 
ebonline said:
Peter,
I had to :lolspin: at that comment....I will be using the Thorite and fiberglass rod to bond my rocks but they have been dry and and in storage for a few years. Love the information that you guys are discussing!!!!

Will hopefully catch up with you and your crew at MACNA.
Click to expand...

Thank you Eric, it was an honest assessment of my depth perception on the subject. :wildone:

If I have enough time to plan something, I am hoping to somehow set up an opportunity for any contributors to this thread to get together and celebrate this journey in the flesh. I'll try and make the announcement here shortly before the conference if I am successful.

Peter
 
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