My Aquarium Obsessed Build -System 600 Gallon Total
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masterswimmer
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Beautiful job Neil. Well thought out and executed. Looking forward to seeing it mature.
swimmer
swimmer
Reeftanks6
Active member
Very nice job! Cant wait to see some more fish in there! Going to be a great looking tank.
hawkfishman
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what kind of a warranty comes on a glass tank that size? i've always used acrylic over a 100gal.
subshop
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Even though the back holes are all plumbed together, the inner two are returns from the sump room. The outer two are for a future closed loop. All four are plumbed together so that if i ever need to do work on the sump itself, i can use the pump of the closed loop to circulate water. Also , yes the return flows through the pvc framing under the rockwork. Neil
jonnybravo22
New member
sweet tank Neil!
Neil,
An amazing system.
You had said that the AI system was originally intended for your 300 gallon system. If you had to order a lighting system specifically for this setup would you still go with LEDs? What are your thoughts on an AI system lighting a 74"x48"x32" setup?
An amazing system.
You had said that the AI system was originally intended for your 300 gallon system. If you had to order a lighting system specifically for this setup would you still go with LEDs? What are your thoughts on an AI system lighting a 74"x48"x32" setup?
subshop
New member
SPINNY, Well the 300 really never got to be a system because I bought the tank used and while it was still outside, on my driveway, was damaged during a bad storm we had last year. To answer your question, definitely yes. I would use AI leds on another tank. Regardless of what is said on the subject, IMO, led lighting is the way to go. I've mentioned this before , the ONLY drawback is the spread. I have more on order and am expecting them any day now. For a tank with front to rear dimensions greater than 24", you need a second row of lights. Having said that, and even though I only have corals in the front half of the tank, the growth is amazing. My first Acro, which I purchased about 4 months ago, has gone from having a diameter of a baseball to about the diameter of a softball. And here in NY, where the temp. has been around 90 for the past 5 days, the tanks temp. increased by less than 2 degrees without any additional cooling. The tank has a variety of corals, SPS, LPS, SPONGE, CLAMS, ZOOS ...all doing well.
AND the AI work great out of the box but if you have a Profilux controller you can really do a lot more. Cloud cover, random lightning storms, moon phase etc etc. The lights are mounted on rails so you can even adjust their placement over specific areas of the tank.
Todd and Bret, from Cherry corals, were in Albany doing a frag swap with the local club. On there way back to Michigan they had a opportunity to stop buy to have a look at my tank. Well they were so impressed that they became dealers for the AI leds and now even use them not only back on their tanks but also while on the road.
Sorry for my rambling on but with all the bashing Leds have had, and mostly by people who don't even own them, I FELT THE NEED TO GET ON MY SOAPBOX !!!
Good luck with you endeavors, Neil (subshop)
AND the AI work great out of the box but if you have a Profilux controller you can really do a lot more. Cloud cover, random lightning storms, moon phase etc etc. The lights are mounted on rails so you can even adjust their placement over specific areas of the tank.
Todd and Bret, from Cherry corals, were in Albany doing a frag swap with the local club. On there way back to Michigan they had a opportunity to stop buy to have a look at my tank. Well they were so impressed that they became dealers for the AI leds and now even use them not only back on their tanks but also while on the road.
Sorry for my rambling on but with all the bashing Leds have had, and mostly by people who don't even own them, I FELT THE NEED TO GET ON MY SOAPBOX !!!
Good luck with you endeavors, Neil (subshop)
Thanks for the reply Neil.
That is what kills me about making a lighting purchase. I already own a Profilux system, and would hate to not be able to use its full control on the lighting. That being said though, you feel that two rows would be required for anything over 24" wide. Lets see, 74"x48". 12 modules, about $6k :eek1:, Maybe Obama will give me a tax break for being Green
That is what kills me about making a lighting purchase. I already own a Profilux system, and would hate to not be able to use its full control on the lighting. That being said though, you feel that two rows would be required for anything over 24" wide. Lets see, 74"x48". 12 modules, about $6k :eek1:, Maybe Obama will give me a tax break for being Green
subshop
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I agree the price has been the largest hurdle for Led products to overcome. And with some manufacturers having their own problems with their led products has fueled the debate. But, IMO the long-run cost, taking in to account cost of bulb replacement, ballasts, energy usage along with cooling costs, Leds will be less. My train of thought is that using T5, for example. Two 4' fixtures w/ 8 bulbs each, changing the bulbs at least every 12 months would be over $3000.00 alone over 10 years. Now add to that the cost of the fixtures, ballasts, chiller... are we close to $6k yet !!! And that doesn't take into account rising prices and energy costs. Sure the technology is fairly new and will come down as time goes by. In fact AI's are already cheaper than when I first purchased mine. 
Also I liked the fact that I could simulate many different lighting scenarios with the programming features the AI's have.
To each his own of course. One need to balance their needs with their pockets and what they want the end result to be. Neil
Also I liked the fact that I could simulate many different lighting scenarios with the programming features the AI's have. To each his own of course. One need to balance their needs with their pockets and what they want the end result to be. Neil
subshop
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I know its been a while so I thought to post some recent pics.
The first two pics of chalices were moved to a more shaded area. It seems the leds were a little too strong @ 100% for these guys. You can see in pic 2 the bleaching that had started, but now its starting to come back nicely!
The small acro colony on the left too had bleached out and i thought was gone. I moved it too and turned the lights down to 70 % and it too is starting to color up again.
The first two pics of chalices were moved to a more shaded area. It seems the leds were a little too strong @ 100% for these guys. You can see in pic 2 the bleaching that had started, but now its starting to come back nicely!
The small acro colony on the left too had bleached out and i thought was gone. I moved it too and turned the lights down to 70 % and it too is starting to color up again.
the tank looks awsome. I'm 'gettin ready' to plum my 500gal setup (this is my first tank ever), and I'm very intrigued by your design for the PVC piping hidden in the rock.
can you post a diagram or explain the design theory of how the tubes are laid out? (a 'top down' photo would be awsome, but it may be too late for that since the roc is in already)
thanks for the 'real world' info about the LED lights... I was hoping to find sucess with LEDS, but at approx 5k to buy a light set up for my tank, I have been concerned that I might be buying something that did not work for a reef setup.
(my tank is 87" x 36" x 32"H, Starphire all 4 sides - custom designed into the home during construction. it is a "view thru" sitting between the game room/full Bar and the workout room)... the more I envision finishing the tank, I think the workout room might need to be converted to a 'chill out room'... to sit, relax, and just enjoy the reef...
one more question please... I count 2 rows x 10 LED fixtures in your final photo... do believe 20 lights were neccessary? or di you do this for astetic reasons? (i believe you said you run your LEDS at 70%?)
thank you for the awsome build info! keep adding more pictures of the incredible setup!
can you post a diagram or explain the design theory of how the tubes are laid out? (a 'top down' photo would be awsome, but it may be too late for that since the roc is in already)
thanks for the 'real world' info about the LED lights... I was hoping to find sucess with LEDS, but at approx 5k to buy a light set up for my tank, I have been concerned that I might be buying something that did not work for a reef setup.
(my tank is 87" x 36" x 32"H, Starphire all 4 sides - custom designed into the home during construction. it is a "view thru" sitting between the game room/full Bar and the workout room)... the more I envision finishing the tank, I think the workout room might need to be converted to a 'chill out room'... to sit, relax, and just enjoy the reef...
one more question please... I count 2 rows x 10 LED fixtures in your final photo... do believe 20 lights were neccessary? or di you do this for astetic reasons? (i believe you said you run your LEDS at 70%?)
thank you for the awsome build info! keep adding more pictures of the incredible setup!
the tank looks awsome. I'm 'gettin ready' to plum my 500gal setup (this is my first tank ever), and I'm very intrigued by your design for the PVC piping hidden in the rock.
can you post a diagram or explain the design theory of how the tubes are laid out? (a 'top down' photo would be awsome, but it may be too late for that since the roc is in already)
thanks for the 'real world' info about the LED lights... I was hoping to find sucess with LEDS, but at approx 5k to buy a light set up for my tank, I have been concerned that I might be buying something that did not work for a reef setup.
(my tank is 87" x 36" x 32"H, Starphire all 4 sides - custom designed into the home during construction. it is a "view thru" sitting between the game room/full Bar and the workout room)... the more I envision finishing the tank, I think the workout room might need to be converted to a 'chill out room'... to sit, relax, and just enjoy the reef...
one more question please... I count 2 rows x 10 LED fixtures in your final photo... do believe 20 lights were neccessary? or di you do this for astetic reasons? (i believe you said you run your LEDS at 70%?)
thank you for the awsome build info! keep adding more pictures of the incredible setup!
can you post a diagram or explain the design theory of how the tubes are laid out? (a 'top down' photo would be awsome, but it may be too late for that since the roc is in already)
thanks for the 'real world' info about the LED lights... I was hoping to find sucess with LEDS, but at approx 5k to buy a light set up for my tank, I have been concerned that I might be buying something that did not work for a reef setup.
(my tank is 87" x 36" x 32"H, Starphire all 4 sides - custom designed into the home during construction. it is a "view thru" sitting between the game room/full Bar and the workout room)... the more I envision finishing the tank, I think the workout room might need to be converted to a 'chill out room'... to sit, relax, and just enjoy the reef...
one more question please... I count 2 rows x 10 LED fixtures in your final photo... do believe 20 lights were neccessary? or di you do this for astetic reasons? (i believe you said you run your LEDS at 70%?)
thank you for the awsome build info! keep adding more pictures of the incredible setup!
subshop
New member
Ima2nr, 500 GALLON TANK - FIRST TANK EVER !!! All i can say is real gutsy. LOL
I have had salt tanks, FOWLR, but this is my first reef. For a beginner 500 may be a little overwhelming but "Go Big or Go Home Baby" . I like it! A couple of observations for your benefit. Everything you do for your tank will NOT be cheap. In my experience, a tank this size, will cost between $50-$70 per gallon. And that is not including LR, Fish or Corals. As FYI, if you make a mistake it won't impact your tank much because of volume. But if you have a problem with the tank it will take a lot to correct.
As for the plumbing, the only pics I have as the ones posted here. I wanted the plumbing to serve two purposes. First to provide circulation under the LR. Secondly, as an additional base to set the LR on. All the upright tubes you see in the initial setup photos were eventually removed. With the exception of a few, for supporting tall LR structures, most of the vertical pipes were brought down to the pipe on the bottom glass. I cut additional discs of 4" PVC to act as additional base support for rock. There are 4 return holes in the back panel of the tank. The outer two will serve as a future closed loop. The inner two holes take the return from the sump and splits it between the two halves of the tank. Since both return have valves, I occasionally will shut one valve at a time, thus forcing all the return water through one side of the tank. That usually moves a lot of the extra detrius from under the LR. The closed loop will have one of ReefFlos new pumps on it. At first I was considering not even using these holes at all, but more flow can't hurt! Also the way I have it plumbed, the closed loop pump will work as a back up if I ever need to break down the sump. By closing and opening certain valves, the return pump will circulate water through the internal plumbing under the LR too. Internally, there are 5 Vortechs MP40 and i may add two more.
Now for the leds. There are 10 on the first row and 8 in the back row. At first I had only 6 on the tank (long story), I had SPS that were growing well. But the light spread was not that great. And for a tank that is 36", front to back, well "dark side of the moon" comes to mind. But after adding the additional light I found that I needed to dial the down to 70% because my LPS corals were not happy. In retrospect, adding 8 more Led units might have been more than adequate, but who knows, I might use the extra 4 light on a grow out tank i want to add to the system.( Don't tell my wife LOL )
I'm curious, since your tank will be viewable from both sides, where do you plan on putting your sump?
Best advise I can give you is to take you time and think things out. You may be anxious to get water in your tank but this size tank does not allow for anything easy. Moving things around becomes real challenging so think things through carefully before you actually do them. Best of luck with your reef, Neil
I have had salt tanks, FOWLR, but this is my first reef. For a beginner 500 may be a little overwhelming but "Go Big or Go Home Baby" . I like it! A couple of observations for your benefit. Everything you do for your tank will NOT be cheap. In my experience, a tank this size, will cost between $50-$70 per gallon. And that is not including LR, Fish or Corals. As FYI, if you make a mistake it won't impact your tank much because of volume. But if you have a problem with the tank it will take a lot to correct.
As for the plumbing, the only pics I have as the ones posted here. I wanted the plumbing to serve two purposes. First to provide circulation under the LR. Secondly, as an additional base to set the LR on. All the upright tubes you see in the initial setup photos were eventually removed. With the exception of a few, for supporting tall LR structures, most of the vertical pipes were brought down to the pipe on the bottom glass. I cut additional discs of 4" PVC to act as additional base support for rock. There are 4 return holes in the back panel of the tank. The outer two will serve as a future closed loop. The inner two holes take the return from the sump and splits it between the two halves of the tank. Since both return have valves, I occasionally will shut one valve at a time, thus forcing all the return water through one side of the tank. That usually moves a lot of the extra detrius from under the LR. The closed loop will have one of ReefFlos new pumps on it. At first I was considering not even using these holes at all, but more flow can't hurt! Also the way I have it plumbed, the closed loop pump will work as a back up if I ever need to break down the sump. By closing and opening certain valves, the return pump will circulate water through the internal plumbing under the LR too. Internally, there are 5 Vortechs MP40 and i may add two more.
Now for the leds. There are 10 on the first row and 8 in the back row. At first I had only 6 on the tank (long story), I had SPS that were growing well. But the light spread was not that great. And for a tank that is 36", front to back, well "dark side of the moon" comes to mind. But after adding the additional light I found that I needed to dial the down to 70% because my LPS corals were not happy. In retrospect, adding 8 more Led units might have been more than adequate, but who knows, I might use the extra 4 light on a grow out tank i want to add to the system.( Don't tell my wife LOL )
I'm curious, since your tank will be viewable from both sides, where do you plan on putting your sump?
Best advise I can give you is to take you time and think things out. You may be anxious to get water in your tank but this size tank does not allow for anything easy. Moving things around becomes real challenging so think things through carefully before you actually do them. Best of luck with your reef, Neil
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