Matt's 5000ltr Display

[d3hree]

hey!

just found your thread... just amazing!!

can´t wait to see the displaytank up and running!!

Cheers from Austria
Flo

Hi Flo
Thanks for stopping by and for the compliments...after two years of planning and over a year in the build so far I cant wait either!

Build is still rockin'! Will you be using your Ozone reactor with your skimmer?

Hi Kovy
The build has grown a little stale of late, work has been really really busy and I havent had time for sleep let alone any fun aquatics stuff.

I havent got an ozone reactor?..I had intended to just inject the deltec skimmer. Each of the skimmers pumps can take 50mg. I have a 200mg (I think) ozone generator that will be controlled by an mv probe in the tank's weir.
If I can fit in a reactor I may well install one as the deltec requires 8mm silcone tube and the ozone generator has a 6mm output, maybe setting up an ozone reactor would be a simpler task than trying to source the fittings for my current plan.

Avast have some nice ones that should be in the UK shortly.

Thanks again Kovy, I appreciate your continued support.

 

[TheFishTeen]

Hi Kovy
The build has grown a little stale of late, work has been really really busy and I havent had time for sleep let alone any fun aquatics stuff.

I havent got an ozone reactor?..I had intended to just inject the deltec skimmer. Each of the skimmers pumps can take 50mg. I have a 200mg (I think) ozone generator that will be controlled by an mv probe in the tank's weir.
If I can fit in a reactor I may well install one as the deltec requires 8mm silcone tube and the ozone generator has a 6mm output, maybe setting up an ozone reactor would be a simpler task than trying to source the fittings for my current plan.

Avast have some nice ones that should be in the UK shortly.

Thanks again Kovy, I appreciate your continued support.

Oops, I meant Ozone Generator. But you bring a good point about using a reactor. The Avast Mutiny reactor looks good but a little small for your system isn't it?

 

[d3hree]

Yes the Avast Mutiny III is only for 2200ltrs but has a maximum injection of 500mg and flow rate of 2650lph. I may have this completely wrong but I assume that injecting over 4 times my original intention with half the flow rate of my skimmer will be a similar effect to injecting 100mg into a 6000lph skimmer.
I might see how the skimmer injection performs initially. If i can sustain a 400-450 mv range with the skimmer and 50mg per pump then I will be happy. If not I can get a reactor.
It will mean another piece of equipment I need to find room for! I saw Elliot's frozen food feeder set up he posted on Peter's thread so I am currently trying to figure out if I can find room for a freezer!

 

[TheFishTeen]

I saw Elliot's frozen food feeder set up he posted on Peter's thread so I am currently trying to figure out if I can find room for a freezer!

Good luck with that! You could always use a small beverage fridge...

 

[TheFishTeen]

Getting impatient here! Updates?

 

[Hamish46]

The suspence is killing me! updates? photos? water? anything! id love a full tank shot just to get an idea of the size of this monster!

 

[d3hree]

Getting impatient here! Updates?

Sorry kovy, I have been soo busy with work since xmas that i havent touched the tank. I hope to get through the current workload within a month or so and am very keen to carry on with the build.

The suspence is killing me! updates? photos? water? anything! id love a full tank shot just to get an idea of the size of this monster!

Hi Hamish. I have just looked through all of the pics I have so far and i dont have a FTS, i need a wider lense for the camera to fit it all in when I have my back to the wall opposite the tank.

Here are a couple of pics that go some way to show the size of the tank.

This was taken sat at one end before i cut out the hole for the glass. A bit coffin like but peacefull.

Stood at one end

HTH

 

[JasonBJones]

Just finished reading through this thread, simply astounding. The quality of the planning and the build are exceptional, and the drawings are simply amazing. Very much looking forward to following the progress.

 

[Metal Man 1221]

Just worked my way through the thread as well.

I think the thing that sticks out most is your willingness to show and explain the details of your build. I'll be jumping on board to see the rest of this.

Great work so far btw!

 

[TheFishTeen]

Sorry kovy, I have been soo busy with work since xmas that i havent touched the tank. I hope to get through the current workload within a month or so and am very keen to carry on with the build.

Thanks for posting the pics, glad to see you haven't abandoned us just yet. :thumbsup:

Are plans still the same in terms of lighting? Metal Halide mounted on movable arms?

 

[d3hree]

Thanks for posting the pics, glad to see you haven't abandoned us just yet. :thumbsup:

Are plans still the same in terms of lighting? Metal Halide mounted on movable arms?

I abandoned the moveable arms. I though that I was over complicating a simple idea.
Instead the 4 mh will be mounted on rails to slide front to back. They will also be mounted to coated brackets to allow for 360 rotation plus swivel. I hope to have the lights slide towards the front but then angled away from the glass pointing towards the back of the tank.

There are also 8 x 54w t5 tubes mounted on Deltec/geisman razor units for blue and purple tubes.

 

[TheFishTeen]

Cool - thanks for the little update. In terms of fiberglass, how are you going to be waterproofing your tank? Ive seen multiple methods and I'm curious which way you have picked. Knowing your tank is attached to the wall, you can't just pour it on.

 

[d3hree]

Cool - thanks for the little update. In terms of fiberglass, how are you going to be waterproofing your tank? Ive seen multiple methods and I'm curious which way you have picked. Knowing your tank is attached to the wall, you can't just pour it on.

The usual method is to pour mixed epoxy into the tank, let that start to cure and turn the tank and pour in another side...and so on.

Like you say I cant do that with the tank fixed to the walls on 3 sides.

So I have chosen to use fibreglass aswell as epoxy. Further more I have chosen to get some experts in to do it for me!

The final finish will have 3 layers of fibreglass with resin with a fourth and final black coating. The result is 3mm thick, extremely strong and water tight.

They expert guys, GRP lining services, sent me a sample some time ago.

The pics aren't that great for showing the thickness of the fibreglass finish. The sample was sent on foam board and even though the foam is soft it is very difficult to bend it even slightly with the fibreglass attached.

GRP lining services do a lot of top end koi ponds in the UK, heres one of their promo videos.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9-PvCUD2go

 

[Hamish46]

Thanks for the FTS, it's great to see just how big this tank is. I think most people wouldn't be able to muster the motivation or commitment to a project of this quality. I'm glad someone did though haha. I can't wait to see it wet!

 

[prop-frags]

Getting really interesting, now Matt! Hope to see some water in there in time for the Queen's diamond jubilee. Good call on the sliding light mounts - simple, yet functional.

 

[d3hree]

Just finished reading through this thread, simply astounding. The quality of the planning and the build are exceptional, and the drawings are simply amazing. Very much looking forward to following the progress.

Thanks Jason. I hope to have more progress for you to follow soon.

Just worked my way through the thread as well.

I think the thing that sticks out most is your willingness to show and explain the details of your build. I'll be jumping on board to see the rest of this.

Great work so far btw!

Thanks Metal Man. One of the things I love about RC is the in depth tank threads, it would have been rude not to follow suit!

Thanks for the FTS, it's great to see just how big this tank is. I think most people wouldn't be able to muster the motivation or commitment to a project of this quality. I'm glad someone did though haha. I can't wait to see it wet!

Hi Hamish, the tank is big but i am very motivated and commited to seeing it through!

Getting really interesting, now Matt! Hope to see some water in there in time for the Queen's diamond jubilee. Good call on the sliding light mounts - simple, yet functional.

Hi Mike...whens the jubilee?? regardless of how long it takes me to complete, if I can get it looking half as nice as your slice of the ocean I will be happy!

 

[zoney]

Hi Mike...whens the jubilee?? regardless of how long it takes me to complete, if I can get it looking half as nice as your slice of the ocean I will be happy!

Its ok Matt youve only got till June (this year that is) to get it finished and wet .But im sure the queen will have another one some time :lmao:
:rollface:

 

[Soccernut5824]

update?

 

[d3hree]

I took a couple of days off last weekend for the easter bank holiday. I did take some pics but the main work was a little boring!
I installed the 80 amp main switch from the house electric meter that feeds the consumer unit in the garage. I made the connections in the consumer unit and connected most of the plug sockets. I have wired up a total of 94 plug sockets running on 5 seperate 32amp rings from 2 RCDs. Under the tank has fused spur switches so I can control a lot of the equipment in the fishroom from next to the tank...it took forever but when all is said and done the photos would just be of plug sockets and cables.

At times this has been more of a construction project than a tank build! However having all the electrics done ( nearly) is a massive step.

 

[Moort82]

Hi Matt, just managed to catch up with this again. Nice to see you progressing albeit slowly.

Serious question though, are you actually gonna have enough free time to just sit back and enjoy the tank? I'm guessing that maintanence won't be to big an issue with all the planning thats gone into the build but it would be a shame if you didn't actually get the chance to get as much out of the tank as you deserve.