My 300 Gallon Nightmare!!!

[rberrie]

I started this project after having been out of the hobby for over ten years. I am not the do-it-yourself type and so I interviewed and contracted a top, well known Aquarium design and installation firm to put together my dream tank.

Unfortunately for them and me, I like to research and read. I also am a professional and I like very complicated and sophisticated things like timelines, equipment lists, drawings, plans, etc.

Well to make a long story short, they failed in every conceivable way. The education I received from books and Reef Central made me knowledgeable enough to ask the proper questions and know if they were ripping me off or not. They were!

I decided to fire them, after giving them every opportunity possible and hired a great fish guy from the LFS to work on his days off. This project started in June of 2005 and is still going!

Thanks for listening and maybe some of my lessons can help others trying to build their aquarium.

By the Way...The Tank is 3/4" glass with starfire bowfront. The dimensions are 72" x 25d x 30h. There is a single piece 3/4" eurobracing that was laser cut for structural support.

The approx. volume is 200 gallons.

I was planning a mixed tank with SPS, LPS, softies and fish but have since decided to mainly house fish with live rock and some lps and softies.

 

[rberrie]

 

[rberrie]

Tank Delivery Photos

Tank Delivery Photos

 

[rberrie]

OOPS!!

OOPS!!

Well...As was usual with this company, the tank arrived and everyone was excited and ready to plumb the baby when...I inspected the tank and found the entire bowfront starfire glass was littered with airbubbles!! I was in disbelief. See for yourself.

How does one charge thousands of dollars for a custom tank, receive the glass, build the tank deliver the tank and never inspect the tank? I saw the airbubbles practically as soon as they had it in the house!

 

[rberrie]

Back to the drawing board.

Back to the drawing board.

After the debacle with the tank, lack of communication, plans, timeline, equipment list, a leaky RO system, etc., etc. I decided to take my losses and complete the project myself with the aid of a local fish guy. Jason is an extremely bright and capable person who had been helping me with servicing my other two tanks: a 54 and a 90 gallon.

The only problem, was that he was only available two days a week. Well in many ways that was a blessing. It slowed the whole process down and allowed us time to really think out the whole layout and installation.

This system is fairly complex in that there is an auto top off system, an auto water change system, chiller and pumps located outside behind the tank, 8" exhaust fan that had to be installed through the concrete exterior wall, a 50 pound hood door that needs custom made gas springs to lift and lower the door, etc.

We decided to forgo the closed loop system in the tank and incorporate 4 tunze stream 6100 with 7095 controller. I was concerned with additional holes in the wall, servicing the pumps, locating the returns etc. The tunze's can be removed and serviced, they can be easily moved around for best flow and easily controlled.

 

[BJJ]

rberrie, The photos in your last two postings are not showing up..

My tank was a custom job as well. Shortly after I had the tank delivered as I was cleaning the fingerprints off the glass I noticed a large scratch on one of the end panes. After taking a closer look, I noticed numerouse scratches covering most of the end panel. These scratches were on the inside of the tank. judging by the shape of the scratches, it looks like someone was using that piece of glass as a cutting board. One of the reps from my supplier came out and spend a few hours trying to buff them out. Fortunately the scratch pane is on the same side as the overflow and in a area that wont be viewed from.

 

[Julio]

Nice center piece!!

 

[rberrie]

Automatic water changing system

Automatic water changing system

This is a very cool system. The RO/DI sends water into one 65gallon poly tank. There is a float valve that automatically shuts off the RO/DI when filled. The water is then transfered to the 2nd 65 gallon poly tank a couple of days before water changes are to be done simply by turning some valves and switching on an old Quiet One pump I had lying around.

The saltwater tank is filled to the level desired and salt is added. Then by closing a couple of valves and opening a couple of others, the saltwater is mixed and aerated for a day or two prior o the water change.

Finally, when you want to change the water, you simply open the valve to the tank and the new saltwater is sent to the tank through 3/4" pvc plumbed through the wall of my garage, outside and 30 feet to the top of my tank.

This is Anthony Calfo's idea. You chill the water in the holding tank to a couple of degrees cooler than the aquarium temp. and the fresh saltwater sinks to the bottom. The old water goes over the overflows and into the sump where it is drained out of the system by means of a 3/4" stem plumbed outside to a drain. As the tank level overflows with fresh saltwater, the old water overflows into the drain pipe and out of the system.

Last of all, and a really simple but very cool idea we came up with to automate the system even further is to place a manual crank timer on the pump that pumps water to the aquarium. This way, by calibrating the amount of gallons per minute, you can set it and forget it! I can monitor the tank without having to be in two places at once. It also avoids you from burning out your motor from having the pump still on when the holdijng tank is empty.

I certainly can be easily distracted by phone calls, children, etc. when I am in the house and this system is pretty safe and secure. There were other ways of automating the system, but they were very complicated and costly.

 

[rberrie]

Thank you Julio for your compliment. I worked very hard designing this wall unit to make everyone happy. My wife is wonderful but was not enthusiastic about this project. I bribed her with the bar. I don't even drink!

I didn't want the TV to always be the center of the room as it had been with the last wall unit. I find looking at the aquarium to be much more aesthetic, calming and beautiful. Yet I still needed a place to watch football and the occasional shows we like. This was a perfect combination.

BJJ I am working on getting the photos back online. I have an email out to the administrator. Thanks.

 

[mmd]

looks great

 

[rberrie]

Through the Wall to the Aquarium, etc.

Through the Wall to the Aquarium, etc.

Running the RO/DI line to the 54 gallon

Fresh Saltwater line to aquarium

Laying prefabricated concrete pads for the pumps and chiller. I have a Rubbermaid shed on order that will house all the equipment.

Patio stones to clean up a muddy area

2" holes for the 1 1/2" intake for both the Iwaki 70RLT skimmer pump and the Barracuda Circulation pump. The wadded up newspaper is for the return lines from the Barracuda.

 

[rberrie]

Overheating!!!

Overheating!!!

One of the major issues living in South Florida is heat and humidity. The tank will have a 1/2 hp commercial chiller, but that will not cure the heat and humidity that will vent back in the house from the over 1000 watts of light over the tank.

The hood over the tank is pretty air tight. I felt strongly that if at all possible, I wanted all that heat vented outside. No problem right...wrong!!

The exterior wall that the aquarium sits against, is concrete block reinforced with rebar and poured concrete! 4" inch fans would not really move enough air, and they would be loud. There are very few through the wall fans available and most if not all are very loud. Panasonic is the only company that makes a residential type fan that is designed to be quiet. But it required an 8 1/2" hole!!

Believe me the 2" holes were hard enough. We looked for a 8" diamond core drill bit to handle the job. Long story short, they were available for rent at $200-250 a day with the rig but could only cut vertically not horizontally.

A friend of mine came up with the bright idea of scoring the surface with a rotary blade and then chipping away with a sledge hammer and chisel. It worked and only took three hours!

 

[Johnsteph10]

That is a sharp setup from start to finish!

We need the other pics up!

I wonder how well a heat exchanger would work?

 

[rberrie]

John,
Thanks for your post. I have not researched heat exchangers. But I would like to keep my electric bill from bankrupting me. Tell me more.

 

[viggen]

won't the PVC freeze in the winter

Oooo that's right... DAM Florida people.... just sun & the beach

Looking great!!!! It's more fun doing it yourself anyways!!!!

 

[rberrie]

Tank Arrives Thursday!

Tank Arrives Thursday!

The new tank is arriving Thursday, March 2nd! Hopefully it will be in better condition than the last POC!

A few more photos! The sump was custom made from Marc Levinson better known as Melev here on Reef Central. He did an excellent job!

The sump is 48" x 18" x16" with a refugium on one end. There are two vertical chambers for the returns from the tank and the proteins skimmer. they will be filled with live rock rubble to dissipate bubbles. There is also a dual fan bracket that sits on toip of the sump to fit two 4" Icecap fans.

Mechanical filtration will consist of a gaf bag supported by a acrylic holder placed at the narrow end of the tank.

 

[rberrie]

More Pics!

More Pics!

Photo of the canopy door open. Notice the gas spring and the CO2 canister and calcium reactor.

Canopy closed

Canopy removed to rout holes for exhaust fan and to make room for the lighting fixture. The hood is 71 inches wide (1/2" wood on both sides). Most fixtures are 72". Another mistake by my original designer. Anyway, I found a fixture that is 70.5" but we still needed room for the built in fan intakes on the sides. We didn't want to have to build a whole retrofit for the lighting system.

Notice the skimmer in the left vertical cabinet. It's a Reef Concepts 830.

Skimmer upclose. There is a large collection cup somewhere around here.

Another shot of the sump with the filter sock. Its too small I know, I know...

 

[dgasmd]

Some of these ideas seem familiar. Also, it seems you got over the fear of putting a hole in the wall quite fast LOL...................... Looking good. Best of luck to you.

 

[rberrie]

Alberto,
Good to hear from you. Thanks for your input. When's the next meeting? I would like to come. Any additional input would be appreciated.
All the best,
Richard

 

[EnFuego]

wow, i great setup. Its good to hear that things are working out. I love the entertainment center. As soon as I saw pictures of the outside of the house I knew it had to be South Florida. I grew up in Coral Springs, and worked in Boca when I was in High School.

Oh, and I like the bar there also. Thats a pretty nice design.