Got questions on a coming 1000g total system:

[FuzzyZipperbaum]

If you have any feedback on any of the questions below it would be appreciated. I will start the build here soon but am wrapping up some final decisions.

1. Anyone have any good drawings, 3d renderings, sketch ups, etc of your fish room layout OR your filtrations you would like to share...

2. How many 3" mangrove plants would I need in the system to actually make a difference? Where can I find this info?

3. I know the closed loop/powerhead debate still rages on. I HATE the look of the PHs in a tank but obviously love their functionality. However, my thoughts are that very very few tanks are ever compromised by a bulk head failure. I asked every fish store owners in my area and none have ever experienced one. I know it is possible and there are examples out there but am I flawed in my thinking that percentages of a closed loop failure are less than 1%? Right now I am strongly leaning towards using a closed loop with 2 PHs in the back out of sight.

4. If you have good experiences with an acrylic tank builder who can ship could you please PM me...I have requested quotes from 3 online suppliers with zero responses to date...guess business is booming??? (Doubt it).

5. If you have a great fish room can you post some pics or recommend your thread....

6. My weakest area by far is controllers...if anyone has any good links or advice in this area I would love to read it....

7. My fish room will be on the floor below the aquarium...what type of future proofing would you do...i.e I will run 2 extra 1.5" PVC pipes from the upstairs to downstairs....Going to run 2 cat 6's....what type of wires do controllers use? Any other ideas?

THANK YOU FOR ANY HELP!!!

 

[pgr11]

I sent you a pm. Hope it helps. Cant wait to see this thing come together

 

[sfsuphysics]

1. No drawings, but big enough to do what you need "behind the scenes" but small enough such that it keeps heat well enough so you don't break the bank heating 1000g of water to nearly 80°

3. My biggest issue with CL designs is by in far power head pumps that are used are terribly inefficient at moving water when compared to the "wide flow" type pumps out there (Vortech, Tunze, etc). How large is the display tank itself? Very often large tanks don't have that overly intrusive power head look because the tank is just so large. You could also go in the direction of Vortech pumps too as they have a rather low tank profile (but its something you pay for up front... and continuously as you replace parts for them ).

6. Figure out what you want to have automated first, then start looking at controllers. IMO most people get way too much muscle for what they really are looking for.

7. Dedicated electrical to be sure, figure how much you need, and maybe add 1 or 2 more 20 amp circuits on top of it, either way something about not getting your circuits close to capacity and spreading them out seems like a better idea in my mind. How are you heating it? Lots of little heaters or some beefy 1000W jobbers? You'll eat up circuit space in a hurry either way. As for the Cat6? Cat5e could work just as well, more likely than not any controller you have with simply have an ethernet port, you do not need to run high capacity cabling, they really send very little data over the network.

Also don't neglect ventilation for that much water volume.