New 225/260 Build

Hi Everybody,

Been a long time since I have been able to get on this forum. I have had a 150 cube reef setup for going on 10 years now, however; the last 5 years included moving, starting a new company, and adopting two little girls. As such, the tank and fish are doing ok, but nothing like it used to be.

Current Tank

20200126_143025.jpg



The tank is basically overtaken with majanos. Other than that, I have the obvious leather toadstool, a small cluster of zoas, a birdnest coral, and a bunch of bubble tips. This has basically been the condition of the tank for the last 4 years. Fish include the sailfin, a pair of clownfish, and the blue/green chromis.

I am getting to the point of starting to think about an upgrade. I have this great location in our sitting room that is just screaming for a semi built-in aquarium.

New Location

20200126_142903.jpg

The opening is 73" wide. I will have to build out the white part into the room in order to accommodate a 24" depth. Either I go 30" tall, which would give me a standard 225, or I go 36" tall for a 260. This wall backs up to the garage and sits right on top of the concrete foundation. In the basement, I have an open area to plumb everything straight down to where currently I have (3) 55 gallon cans, my RO machine, floor drain, and faucet. I plan on putting the sump and as much equipment in the basement as possible.

Very important to me is redundancy in the system. Something that I think really gets overlooked in the hobby. So I have designed this custom acrylic sump with coral propagation tank (which can be isolated from the system) as well as a quarantine tank that can be isolated indefinitely as well.

The sump features (4) 7" sock for mechanical biological filtration, a skimmer area with (2) skimmers, heating/dosing/probe area, and two return pumps.

Sump_perspective.jpg

So the first step is trying to find a tank. I would really like to go rimless for a nice clean look in the opening. I don't plan on modifying the arch above the tank, that will stay as is. Not sure how I will accomplish lighting yet.

Anyway, it's a start. Not sure when it will all come together, but trying to make sure I have everything planned well and figured out.

If you have any suggestions or ideas, please shoot them my way.
 
Last edited:
A few:
Depth requires stronger $$ lighting. No price yet but CoralVue is launching Plasma lighting soon. This could be a game changer.
Anything in the basement should be on a bench, saves the knees & back & reduces head pressure for a pump.
 
A few:
Depth requires stronger $$ lighting. No price yet but CoralVue is launching Plasma lighting soon. This could be a game changer.
Anything in the basement should be on a bench, saves the knees & back & reduces head pressure for a pump.

Awesome. Thanks

I will research that lighting option. Had not heard of it yet.

In the basement, I plan on a built table/platform for the sump with auto top-off and water change drums below.

All great advice.
 
Error Error
Epic Fail on my part.
The new light although made by Phillips is an LED not Plasma.
Still it looks interesting enough to take a look at.
 
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