New Tank 240 G Wide - Planning suggestions and advice

[swclown]

wow I feel pretty dumb. i've been on car forums since 2002 and have posted thousands of pictures. I haven't in years though so I guess I forgot stuff. I haven't accessed my Fklr page in years and I had some questionable groups attched to the account so I just deleted it and recreated.

ANYWAY on to the move and I have some questions at the end ( :

 

[swclown]

OK first off I feel a little inadequate posting about a large tank when all I see are amazing enormous tanks recently that make mine look like a goldfish bowl. But this one is large to me and is about the biggest tank I can get in my basement without tearing out 60 year old crown molding and stuff.
So I had to rent a truck to pick up the tank at a truck stop. I had 7 friends to help, but at the end of the day it wasn't enough. We managed to get the tank in the house but not down to the basement....

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[swclown]

To hear the dimensions and see pics just didn't do it for me. When I saw the tank in person my jaw dropped. It just looks so much bigger in person. the weight was supposed to be around 400 lbs but there is NO way it was only 400. The front and sides are Starfire so I'm guessing they weigh more?? I'm pretty sure we could have got it to the basement if I wasn't short-sighted and ordered the glass suction cup handles. IF YOU GET A LARGE GLASS AQUARIUM THESE SUCTION CUP THINGIES ARE A MUST IF YOU ARE MOVING WITH JUST A GROUP OF FRIENDS!!!

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[swclown]

When we got back to my house I honestly didn't think we would even get it in the house. We put some muscle into it and managed to get it in my hallway. It's a tight squeeze to get to my basement with one 90 degree turn. This isn't easy with a 8 foot long tank and as heavy as it is. We managed to get the stand down without too much trouble and the stand is about an inch or two longer and wider so I know the tank will fit, but there isn't room for anyone on the sides going down the steps so it was just too heavy to risk someone gettting hurt or the tank getting damaged. Agian, if I had the suction cup things I think we could have managed it but alas,, lesson learned...

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Stand safely down in the basement..

 

[swclown]

Aquarium sitting in my hallway upstairs..

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[swclown]

My little girl standing guard..

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[swclown]

Sump in front of current 155 bowfront with nothing but LR and four sad little fish ) : 46 X 20 X 20 I think

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[swclown]

The moving crew..

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[swclown]

So this is where I am today. A tank upstairs and a stand downstairs. This does give me some time to stain the stand before I move the tank on top of it though. Still on the fence about the stair color but I'm leaning towards a dark wood color. Black is still an option but is slowly losing votes.

So my plan was to hire a moving company to get the aquarium down the stairs but a friend suggested I call a local aaquarium store and see if they do it or is they have a company that they use. Any thoughts???

 

[swclown]

You have to give your Facebook images Public access for us to see them here. An easier method is to post your images on an image service like Photobucket or Flickr and link them to here, but the same issue applies - you must give Public permissions on your images for others to see them.

Dave.M

thanks for your help Dave!!

 

[swclown]

Part Two: Plumbing

Part Two: Plumbing

So after an entire summer of my new tank just sitting in my hallway and two moving companies later my tank finally has made its way down to the basement and on the stand.
Magdrive 18 should be here tomorrow and then I'll order one more sump this week to compliment the 65 gallon sump I already have and connect the two under the stand. A refugium will go behind the stand. Then to fresh water
testing....

Here is where I need advice: The plan is to do a modified herbie system. I have 2 RR corner overflows. Each overflow has a 1" and a 1 and 1/4". I was going to use the smaller of the holes as siphons but have done a 180 now.

The new plan is to use the larger ones as the siphons with the 2 smaller ones as emergency drains. I know your emergency should in theory be the larger of the two, but I'll have two emergencies not one. I also can't see anything clogging a 1 and 1/4 inch drain not to mention two of them!! Does anyone see any challenges / issue with this?

 

[ponokareefer]

I am going with the exact same system as you are and it is due to arrive within a week. Since you are on a budget, have you considered the Jebao pumps? I have picked up 2 for my new system and tested them in my 125 gallon and they push a lot of flow.
Also, if you haven't picked up your lights yet, have you considered the new Kessil 360's? I would have gone this direction except I already had 2 Radion's from my 125, so just added 2 more. I put a couple of 48 inch 2 bulb T5 fixtures for cheap to supplement the LED's and love my lighting now compared to just LED.
My stand on my 125 is black and I am switching to white on my new system. Black looks nice right after I clean it but shows the dirt/salt build up very quickly.
Sorry but I can't help on the overflow question. I went with an external side overflow that will be set up with 3 drains.

 

[swclown]

I am going with the exact same system as you are and it is due to arrive within a week. Since you are on a budget, have you considered the Jebao pumps? I have picked up 2 for my new system and tested them in my 125 gallon and they push a lot of flow.
Also, if you haven't picked up your lights yet, have you considered the new Kessil 360's? I would have gone this direction except I already had 2 Radion's from my 125, so just added 2 more. I put a couple of 48 inch 2 bulb T5 fixtures for cheap to supplement the LED's and love my lighting now compared to just LED.
My stand on my 125 is black and I am switching to white on my new system. Black looks nice right after I clean it but shows the dirt/salt build up very quickly.
Sorry but I can't help on the overflow question. I went with an external side overflow that will be set up with 3 drains.

I am considering the Jebaos. Haven't quite made that decision yet. I have three AI Hydra 52s and will be getting one more to start with. if I think I need more I'm considering Kessils as they don't take up a lot of space.

 

[ponokareefer]

I am considering the Jebaos. Haven't quite made that decision yet. I have three AI Hydra 52s and will be getting one more to start with. if I think I need more I'm considering Kessils as they don't take up a lot of space.

Have you considered mixing T5's in with LED's instead of adding Kessil's if you need more light? I really like the mix and you seem to get the best of both worlds.

 

[swclown]

Have you considered mixing T5's in with LED's instead of adding Kessil's if you need more light? I really like the mix and you seem to get the best of both worlds.

yup. thought about that. I currently am running T5s on my 155 now and might just use those as the 155 will be decommissioned.

Good luck with the new tank!!:dance:

 

[ponokareefer]

Good luck with the new tank!!:dance:

You as well. :beer:

 

[CrookedStick]

Photos!

 

[ca1ore]

Here is where I need advice: The plan is to do a modified herbie system. I have 2 RR corner overflows. Each overflow has a 1" and a 1 and 1/4". I was going to use the smaller of the holes as siphons but have done a 180 now.

I think unless you have done a siphon drain, it's easy to fail to realize how much water a 1" siphon can move. I would stick with the plan to use the lager holes as your backups.

BTW, looks like a glasscages tank? Very nice!

 

[swclown]

This is scenario 1 with two siphons tee'd and then to the gate valve. Both will be 1 inch drains that tee into a 2 inch drain.
1 emergency on the left with 2 inch drain.
1 return through the other 2 inch drain.

The refugium will actually be behind the tank under a stair case. it's just a large ~ 70 gallon Rubbermaid livestock watering container.
The two sumps will be plumbed together for more space, water volume and so that I have a direct vertical run for the emergency.

 

[swclown]

Scenario 2 with two emergencies and return over the back..

I'm always of the mindset that more redundancy the better so I'm inclined to go this direction...