I have been into the hobby for over 15 years but have recently moved house and had to take apart and bin my old marine setup (5ft x 2ft deep x 29 high) but now after the remod of my new house, i have managed to get my head above water (excuse the pun) financially so i'm about to start a new project and have pressed the button on my dream reef tank. Question is how high do I go? Tank in question will be a Seabray one built on site, will be 97 x 39 deep x 47 high (water level 45) Tank volume will be 3000litres. Am i asking for trouble with the height? Due to my job, time is a scare commodity and as a result i will be outsourcing the maintenance............ Any one have a tank that high? Is it manageable?
Dan's new reef tank - 97x39x47
- Thread starter Dandaleh
- Start date
Chihuahua6
Premium Member
I will predict right now that the overwhelming response will be to go to less than 29". Even if you're paying someone else to maintain it you will still need to get in there for some reason or another and I imagine it will cost more for a professional to maintain a tank that is difficult to work on.
SaltwaterAdict
New member
When height comes into play you have to be practical. It's not going to look as nice because you'll never want to keep putting on that scuba gear. lol You'll literally have to dive into something like that. I thought about it before just like everyone probably has and when you think about maintenance you change your mind. :blown: If your handy with tongs then maybe you can give it a whirl. I'm not a tong kind of guy...
Whatever tank you decide on I bet it's going to be really nice because you like to think big!! :thumbsup:
+1 Chihuahua6 with going less than 29".
Whatever tank you decide on I bet it's going to be really nice because you like to think big!! :thumbsup:
+1 Chihuahua6 with going less than 29".
dzfish17
New member
I bought a tall tank (46 in) because I wanted to get the biggest tank possible that would fit in my allotted space. I couldnt go longer than 96 in. or 36 in wide so I went taller too.
Tall tanks look great but if I had to do it again I probably wouldnt go as tall. My tank is empty right now and I have to climb inside just to work on the CL. Im going FOWLR which shouldnt be as difficult to maintain.
Dave
Tall tanks look great but if I had to do it again I probably wouldnt go as tall. My tank is empty right now and I have to climb inside just to work on the CL. Im going FOWLR which shouldnt be as difficult to maintain.
Dave
Thanks for the advice, i have spoken with the maintenance guys and they say its fine and have good experience with such aquaria, I'm hoping to see David Saxbys setup as his tank is that deep and has excellent coral placement at the low level. For the closed loop system i was looking at the RED DEVIL II TITANIUM range but they now have a new range out called the Blue ECO range, they have an external controller too that can be linked up to a computer like Profilux. Any one have experience of this new pump?
Blue Eco Pumps specs
Blue Eco Pumps specs
Model Max GPH / M3 Inlet Outlet Watts Max Head
Blue ECO Devil 240 watt
4850 / 22 63mm 63mm 10 - 240 9 m
Blue ECO Devil 320 watt
4850 / 22 63mm 63mm 10 - 320 11 m
Blue ECO Devil 500 watt
7000 / 32 63mm 63mm 10 - 500 11 m
Blue ECO Devil 900 watt
7700 / 35 63mm 63mm 10 - 900 13 m
Blue ECO Devil 1500 watt
9240 / 42 63mm 63mm 10 - 1500 16 m
Blue Eco Pumps specs
Model Max GPH / M3 Inlet Outlet Watts Max Head
Blue ECO Devil 240 watt
4850 / 22 63mm 63mm 10 - 240 9 m
Blue ECO Devil 320 watt
4850 / 22 63mm 63mm 10 - 320 11 m
Blue ECO Devil 500 watt
7000 / 32 63mm 63mm 10 - 500 11 m
Blue ECO Devil 900 watt
7700 / 35 63mm 63mm 10 - 900 13 m
Blue ECO Devil 1500 watt
9240 / 42 63mm 63mm 10 - 1500 16 m
Attachments
Project build starts in two weeks! At last! Builders will be onsite first to build the support in the conservatory where the tank will be as well as build housig on the adjacent exterior wall which will contain sump, CL pumps and skimmer + the two DC 4000 chillers. All the salt prep, RO containment, chemical reactors etc will be in the converted garage 15 meters away and plumbed into the system. I will get more detailed equipment specs (forever changing and increasing) uploaded soon once confirmed and some photos of the areas in question. Have uploaded some models of the tanks CL system which im sure will change.
PHP:
Attachments
Moser
Active member
do you mean the eco 420 pump? looks interesting however cant seem to locate a uk vendor
Final specification
Final specification
OK, final spec is done pretty much and the build starts this week, firstly contractors coming to prep area for steels and build the housing for the sumps which will sit on the outside of the conservatory wall and the wall adjacent to it. I have included some CAD diagrams.
AQUARIUM
2.5m L x 110m H x 1m D - built in 19mm glass with optiwhite front panel
LIGHTING
Special order Giesemann Spectra 2.4m, 4x 400w HQI, 8 x 54w T5
CONTROL
Giesemann G-Tron lighting computer
GHL Profilux 3 EX x 2 (1 is for the filtration room)
FILTRATION
500kg Live Rock
Deltec SC4058 Skimmer
Deltec NFP1020P Nitrate reactor
Deltec PF1001 Calcium Reactor
Deltec FR1016 x 2 (1 filled with Rowaphos and the other with Carbon)
TMC P6 & P2 UV sterilizers
Sander Ozonizer
DC 4000 chillers x 2
There will be two sumps and 1 large refugium (see diagram)
FLOW
2 x Abyzz 200 pumps for CL system
4 x Reeflo hammerheads, 1 x Ocean runner 6500, 3 x Rio3100 for return pump and pumping water to filtration room etc
Filtration room will contain all fluidized reactors, RO prep and storage, UV and Salt mix and storage tanks so automised water changes can be done. Thats the plan anyway! Refugium will be under main aquarium, same length so hoping to be able to do a few useful things with it not just algae, any ideas please feel free, def interested in maximising it as much as possible and I welcome as many comments as possible on the design, that would be greatly appreciated.
Final specification
OK, final spec is done pretty much and the build starts this week, firstly contractors coming to prep area for steels and build the housing for the sumps which will sit on the outside of the conservatory wall and the wall adjacent to it. I have included some CAD diagrams.
AQUARIUM
2.5m L x 110m H x 1m D - built in 19mm glass with optiwhite front panel
LIGHTING
Special order Giesemann Spectra 2.4m, 4x 400w HQI, 8 x 54w T5
CONTROL
Giesemann G-Tron lighting computer
GHL Profilux 3 EX x 2 (1 is for the filtration room)
FILTRATION
500kg Live Rock
Deltec SC4058 Skimmer
Deltec NFP1020P Nitrate reactor
Deltec PF1001 Calcium Reactor
Deltec FR1016 x 2 (1 filled with Rowaphos and the other with Carbon)
TMC P6 & P2 UV sterilizers
Sander Ozonizer
DC 4000 chillers x 2
There will be two sumps and 1 large refugium (see diagram)
FLOW
2 x Abyzz 200 pumps for CL system
4 x Reeflo hammerheads, 1 x Ocean runner 6500, 3 x Rio3100 for return pump and pumping water to filtration room etc
Filtration room will contain all fluidized reactors, RO prep and storage, UV and Salt mix and storage tanks so automised water changes can be done. Thats the plan anyway! Refugium will be under main aquarium, same length so hoping to be able to do a few useful things with it not just algae, any ideas please feel free, def interested in maximising it as much as possible and I welcome as many comments as possible on the design, that would be greatly appreciated.
Moser
Active member
Dan,
Sorry I didn't catch up with your last post, but it seems you found the Abyzz pumps!!....
I have 4 of the 420 model and haven't seen anything better on the market!.
What's the Giesemann light computer?... I haven't seen it.
Your plans look great. I can see the Saxby influence!...
It seems like you are going 4ft high instead of 4ft front to back??...
Are you doing a thread on the UK board as well,
Mo
Sorry I didn't catch up with your last post, but it seems you found the Abyzz pumps!!....
I have 4 of the 420 model and haven't seen anything better on the market!.
What's the Giesemann light computer?... I haven't seen it.
Your plans look great. I can see the Saxby influence!...
It seems like you are going 4ft high instead of 4ft front to back??...
Are you doing a thread on the UK board as well,
Mo
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OK, have a question to all of you who say 29" or less - how many times after the tank is set up do you actually need to touch the bottom of the tank with your hands? I love tall tanks, have a couple 36" tall ones and have no issues at all with the tank, use tongs when necessary, and never can figure why people bash tall tanks - use a mag cleaner so no need to have hands in the tank for that...
I just don't see the big deal, they look way better IMO than these short stubby tanks.
Mark
(sorry to interject this into your tank build - I love the dimensions...mine is the same size only 36 x 48 not 48 x 36
)
I just don't see the big deal, they look way better IMO than these short stubby tanks.
Mark
(sorry to interject this into your tank build - I love the dimensions...mine is the same size only 36 x 48 not 48 x 36
)Blitzburggirl
Member
LOL I was going to do a late to the party post... but I'm glad it was brought upagain. I have a standard 180, and I swear, I put my hand in the thing more nights than I don't. But, then again, mine is a reef, and I have fish. Something is always moved, knocked over etc. Even if time is a commodity and you plan on having someone else maintain it, how often will they visit? My purple tang has been known to knock over entire colonies, encrusted on the rock!!! I don't think they'll visit often enough for your likeing, especially if you've maintained your own tank in the past.
Mag cleaners are more effort than a short bit of attention with a kent blade. I agree with you Mark, I'm not on the "shallow" bandwagon... And one of my fav tanks ever was super deep... But, in practicality, with limited time, I'd advise against that depth.
Mag cleaners are more effort than a short bit of attention with a kent blade. I agree with you Mark, I'm not on the "shallow" bandwagon... And one of my fav tanks ever was super deep... But, in practicality, with limited time, I'd advise against that depth.
