So, i found this forum researching wood tank construction and i thought i would throw this out there.
Im planning a 96x96x34 plywood tank. This is going to be a inwall build that faces into a theater room. My ideas are to keep this project within strict power consumtion guidlines. I know that might sound rediculious with a tank of this size, but small things add up.
First, my biggest challenge so far with this is how to get enough water movement in the display. I want to stay away from closed loops due to power requirements on the pumps, and noise. I was thinking of building in tunze style wave boxes around the perimeter of the tank, flush with the sides so that they do not project out. I was hoping for 6 total, 2 in the back, and two on each side. Do you think this will provide enough movement? Is it overkill?
I am planning on setting up islands of rock througout the tank. Each island is going to have a dedicated light. I dont want to light the whole tank for two reasons, one obviuosly is power, 2 is cost of replacements on bulbs. Im thinking that i will have 6 major structurs, with 6 400's or 6'250's. they will rotate on during the day so they will not all be on at the same time. probably 3 on one side of the tank for a half a day, then 3 on the otherside of the tank for the late part of the day. I will also have islands with out direct light on them for low light/non photo sythentic species.
Natural Filtration: I am planning on running a 4 inch sugar fine sand bed. Im not interested in the bare bottom look, and i think this looks most natural. I am also planning on about 1000 lbs of live rock. I dont want the tank to look crowded, so i am going to buy rock in 500 lb increments. I will also have a large refugium in line with the return.
Mechanical Filtration: The skimmer is going to be the main part of this filtration system. I am not really planning on running anything else except clarifiers like ozone and UV. I am considering skimmers from ATB and Reefflo. Suggestions welcome. Power consumtion is the main key here. I would rather run multiple needle wheel skimmers then one huge beckett style.
Other equipement: I will be running a neptune controller, and undecided brands/sizes of calcium reactors, kalkwasser reactors, phosban reactors, and litermeter dosing pumps for other additives.
Stocking: This tank is going to have a multitude of things going on, i will have SPS sections under the lights, LPS and softie sections in the lower light areas, and plenty of fish.
Once i get my tank design down, i will start a build thread. But the basics are going to be a firberglass/epoxy mix for the inside, low e glass for the display, and a framed shell for the tank. I am not relying on plywood alone on this one. I will have 2x4 walls on 12 inch centers holding the sides together, 2x10's for the base on 12 inch centers, with insulation everywhere between the tank and the outside skin.
More to come,
thanks for looking! please let me know what you think.
Im planning a 96x96x34 plywood tank. This is going to be a inwall build that faces into a theater room. My ideas are to keep this project within strict power consumtion guidlines. I know that might sound rediculious with a tank of this size, but small things add up.
First, my biggest challenge so far with this is how to get enough water movement in the display. I want to stay away from closed loops due to power requirements on the pumps, and noise. I was thinking of building in tunze style wave boxes around the perimeter of the tank, flush with the sides so that they do not project out. I was hoping for 6 total, 2 in the back, and two on each side. Do you think this will provide enough movement? Is it overkill?
I am planning on setting up islands of rock througout the tank. Each island is going to have a dedicated light. I dont want to light the whole tank for two reasons, one obviuosly is power, 2 is cost of replacements on bulbs. Im thinking that i will have 6 major structurs, with 6 400's or 6'250's. they will rotate on during the day so they will not all be on at the same time. probably 3 on one side of the tank for a half a day, then 3 on the otherside of the tank for the late part of the day. I will also have islands with out direct light on them for low light/non photo sythentic species.
Natural Filtration: I am planning on running a 4 inch sugar fine sand bed. Im not interested in the bare bottom look, and i think this looks most natural. I am also planning on about 1000 lbs of live rock. I dont want the tank to look crowded, so i am going to buy rock in 500 lb increments. I will also have a large refugium in line with the return.
Mechanical Filtration: The skimmer is going to be the main part of this filtration system. I am not really planning on running anything else except clarifiers like ozone and UV. I am considering skimmers from ATB and Reefflo. Suggestions welcome. Power consumtion is the main key here. I would rather run multiple needle wheel skimmers then one huge beckett style.
Other equipement: I will be running a neptune controller, and undecided brands/sizes of calcium reactors, kalkwasser reactors, phosban reactors, and litermeter dosing pumps for other additives.
Stocking: This tank is going to have a multitude of things going on, i will have SPS sections under the lights, LPS and softie sections in the lower light areas, and plenty of fish.
Once i get my tank design down, i will start a build thread. But the basics are going to be a firberglass/epoxy mix for the inside, low e glass for the display, and a framed shell for the tank. I am not relying on plywood alone on this one. I will have 2x4 walls on 12 inch centers holding the sides together, 2x10's for the base on 12 inch centers, with insulation everywhere between the tank and the outside skin.
More to come,
thanks for looking! please let me know what you think.