My New 400 Gallon [Attention Equipment Junkies!]

[kris4647]

Its been quite a journey. Early last year I started acquiring equipment for what for me would be the most up to date efficient tank I could possibly design arrange. Instead of trying to buy all the equipment at once and get divorce I picked up pieces of equipment here and there.

Tank 84x36x30
My tank was manufactured by Innovative Aquariums in Washington. The tricky part here was I wanted no streams or circ devices showing. Mojoreef helped me out with the early design. I came up with CL return ducts that surround both overflows. In theory they work just like A/C ducts to distribute CL suction and disch evenly. Down side here was they took up a lot of room.

Filtration

Well here is most of the cash...Some were bought on ebay some used someflown straight from Germany...

250 External BK skimmer
2-10m3 Red Dragon Pumps [one on a CL and one on sump water return]
1-Red Dragon 12m3 [main CL]
OM 4way
Deltec PF600 Ca Reactor
Deltec FR616 Fluidized Bed
Deltec KM500s Kalk Stirrer
Ozotech250
Aquatronica

Lights.....
Photon 4x250 8xT5 39w. The uber light straight from Germany.....

Rock
So far 450 of Totoka LR.

Preparations for the tank kinda drug along through 2005. The person who built the 2" tubular steel stand moved overseas so I had to find someone to finish the stand. Then in September Hurrican Rita completely took out all fish in my 215RR.

Its been a long journey. It became apparent early on that a fish room wasn't feasible so all the equipment is under the stand which was challenging to say the least.

I welcome your questions or comments.I will try to explain the plumbing/tank design as we go enjoy.....

First set of pictures is from around a month ago......

The BK working on the Live Rock

Plumbing nightmare, I'm kinda a control freak.I wanted valves on everything

Older Picture with old tank in backround

 

[kris4647]

Overflow Box, Sump return in center CL Dishcarge on sides.

Top Down.

Dont have a good picture of the other end, same concept. Two side boxes for CL suction. One centered in front of sump return box is CL2. Can see a bit of it here

 

[Mr.Furious]

wow definately an equipment junkies wet dream... So when do you plan on throwing some coral in there?

 

[kris4647]

Now updated pictures....

Tank is shown with T5's only. New ballast boxes being built by Icecap to arrive this week.

Cleaned up a bit in stand

Ca Reactor installed [not a great picture]

Other side of stand

Sump/CL2

 

[mako199]

Awsome setup......What type of live rock is that?....Kaleani?

 

[trmiv]

Wow, I wish I had the patience to take that long to acquire equipment, I'd probably have the stuff I want not the stuff I settled for. Very nice setup!!

 

[dogstar74]

Love the LR aquascaping and the towers and how you've hid them. BRAVO!!!

 

[dustin Combs]

Awsome,

Just @ 4-5 thousand under the tank in filtration, reactors, and BK plus the ozone. What controller are your using or going to use with all that?

 

[dustin Combs]

oops I just finished reading your equipment list aquatronica controller.

 

[jun41]

That is one CLEAN setup. I love your valvework.

 

[Crusty Old Shellback]

Looking good. How did you attach the rocks to the overflows? Or did you just stack them around them and hope they don't fall.

I had the same idea for doing my center overflow in my 400.

 

[snowroach]

Very impressive! Keep us updated with more pics when you can!

 

[kris4647]

Thanks for all the kind words.

Corals are about a month off, I want to cycle the rock completely siphon off detritus and add a substrate. Before that happens I'll also probably do a near 100% water change as well. Which will in a word, suck.

The rock was placed by me, by hand in the tank. I used a case of the Deltec epoxy. To be honest I wasnt impressed with it very much. I relocated some rock that was epoxied a month ago and the epoxy was the consistency of gum or clay. Not very hard at all. When I do the big water change I am going to try a German product I've been hearing about.

Also with good life rock like this is, you really can wedge it together. Which is scary but works. Scary because you actually
have to beat it into place and the rocks wedge together. Being coral skeletons it wedges together well. I just cant afford a landslide on the main CL tower. Acrylic doesnt forgive much.

Anyone doing a room divider or three side viewable should really consider turning the overflow to a diamond shape. I really like it.

The discharge ducts are designed around a 1.5" BH. I did this to be able to run a flow and not pressure pump in the application.
Downside to this was size, which really turned out okay considering what I was able to accomplish with the rock.

BTW two tips for anyone planning,plumbing a large tank.

1-Use the Savko BH's. Even the Haywards I have arent that impressive. IMO

2-Never ever ever silicone a BH gasket.

 

[pennyguy23]

Where did you get your rock from?? I really like it.

 

[Julio]

Hey Kris,
Great Kick A.. equipment!!! how is that Kalk reacor working for you ia m conisdering getting oen myself?

 

[kris4647]

The rock is from Fijian area called Totoka. Marine Center I believe carries it online.

Julio

Wish I could help you bro, get back to me this weekend. Really sound design though. I had no luck with the MRC/Stir bar version.

 

[Julio]

Yeah, i heard a lot of people are not loving hte MRC kalk reactor.

 

[Purple Haze]

Once again, looks nice. Time for some frags! Tank tours, tank tours!

 

[pennyguy23]

Is that were you got your rock from?

 

[alien9168]

Nice Job. I really like the lights. That looks like as really thin fixture to me. Very cool.
I also like the overflow with the return areas. Very neat.

-alien