Setting up a 240g Peninsula (3 Sided Viewing)..Ready for input!

[Fizz71]

Well we finally moved into our new home and although I always wanted an inwall tank it looks like the new house isn't going to work out for that so I'm settling for a peninsula instead!

I already own the 240g Acrylic tank (8x2x2) and the stand--it's been sitting in a shed for over a year now! I just broke down my 105g reef (what was left of it after the heat killed most of it off) and the live stuff is sitting in the 100g sump in my basement and at a friend's LFS.

We're about to go on our honeymoon in 2 weeks and I'll be ready to start drilling and building after that. I figured it was time to take my current plans to the masses for input. I already talked to some locals in our club thread and changed my original design so here is what I have now...

I have it in a PDF with some cool drawings...I'm a computer geek, what else can I say:
http://www.fragswapper.com/misc/240gtank.pdf

..it's WAY too large to upload here and I'll keep updating it as I go.

So take a look and tell me what you think....is my strategy headed in the right direction?

Thanks.

--Fizz

 

[Chappy]

I like your PDF. I am glad you are doing this right now. I am trying to decide on either an in wall tank or penninsula right now also. I will be building a house next year and am in the planning stages.

Nothing wrong with a purple couch, lol.

 

[BinaryReef]

Only 2 lights?

 

[Fizz71]

Binary...If I can afford more MH and I get the itch to do so I can easily add it later, but as it stands now I'm just going to put 1 of the lights I already own over each of the two higher structures. The VHO should do a decent job of lighting the rest for fish and some leathers if not I'll buy a PC or something. I have the MHs spaced so that I can add 1 or 2 and there will be room for them in the hood as it is or with only minimal shifting. I know the correct number is 4 (1 per 2ft) but I don't feel the need to heavily light it all.

As much as I love SPS corals I really like all the other life as well...fish, shrimp, brittle stars, crabs, etc. After having reef tanks up for almost 10 years total I've really got a sense of what I like and don't like as well as a understanding of what other people appreciate when they see a reef tank..especially my S.O. I want to keep an open configuration so I can have a lot of fish; I really don't feel the need to have a wall packed solid with SPS but I do have the advantage of 2 sided viewing so I'll actually get more out of what I have.

The 100g sump in the basement can hold a good 200lb of live rock if I need to in order to keep the water up to snuff with a larger bio load...but I shouldn't need all of it.

I'll also save money on bulbs, hopefully won't need a chiller, and can keep a whole section of leathers and know it's a long walk to the acros.


Chappy..This will technically be the 5th setup I've done and I've learned that planning is key. I also have the advantage of knowing what worked for me personally and what didn't when it comes to designing the hood and plumbing and such. My last setup was very successful until the lack of central air in my house caused a severe overheat..the second tank I've had to suffer from it. This time I'm reducing lights, increasing volume and my new house has central air so hopefully I've got temp licked...we'll see... I also will be setting up an easy way to do water changes in the basement to make that process less painful so I'll hopefully do it more often!!!

But planning IMO is just as important as money and can help you save some of it. I've already reconfigured my closed loop once based on others suggestions (in a club forum) that will save me 5amps of power and give me greater control of flow...so I'm hoping others take the time to flip through the pretty pictures and give me input.

 

[Headless_donkey]

Why does the couch back up to the tank?

 

[Mantis]

Good luck with your project, sounds very similar to mine.
Don't they say a picture is worth a 1000 words?

 

[Fizz71]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10838245#post10838245 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Headless_donkey
Why does the couch back up to the tank?

Technically that's the "back" of the tank. All the cabinet doors are on the other side. In fact all the diagrams are from the other side as well with the wall on the left in the diagrams being the RIGHT of the photo. There wasn't enough room to get a good shot but here's one from the steps:

The only time I'll need to get to that side of the tank would be to add corals I can't get to from the "front" and glass cleaning which will be done with a magnet from the couch side or a scraper from the other side..another reason for the open design.

We have hardwood floors and the couch is a sectional so I only have to move one little chaise lounge portion if I need to.

The living room is setup with a good vew of the tv, tank and fireplace from the long end (in front of the window).

 

[Fizz71]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10838494#post10838494 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Mantis
Good luck with your project, sounds very similar to mine.
Don't they say a picture is worth a 1000 words?

Very similar..very nice too! I though about doing a lighting cabinet like that but I had done one before and it shed too much ambient light and where my couch is I'm afraid I'll look up and go blind.

 

[BinaryReef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10838030#post10838030 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Fizz71
Binary...If I can afford more MH and I get the itch to do so I can easily add it later, but as it stands now I'm just going to put 1 of the lights I already own over each of the two higher structures. The VHO should do a decent job of lighting the rest for fish and some leathers if not I'll buy a PC or something. I have the MHs spaced so that I can add 1 or 2 and there will be room for them in the hood as it is or with only minimal shifting. I know the correct number is 4 (1 per 2ft) but I don't feel the need to heavily light it all.

As much as I love SPS corals I really like all the other life as well...fish, shrimp, brittle stars, crabs, etc. After having reef tanks up for almost 10 years total I've really got a sense of what I like and don't like as well as a understanding of what other people appreciate when they see a reef tank..especially my S.O. I want to keep an open configuration so I can have a lot of fish; I really don't feel the need to have a wall packed solid with SPS but I do have the advantage of 2 sided viewing so I'll actually get more out of what I have.

The 100g sump in the basement can hold a good 200lb of live rock if I need to in order to keep the water up to snuff with a larger bio load...but I shouldn't need all of it.

I'll also save money on bulbs, hopefully won't need a chiller, and can keep a whole section of leathers and know it's a long walk to the acros.

Definitely hear you there...I am in the process of setting up a 240 as well that is why I asked. cant wait to see how it turns out!

 

[Fizz71]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10841238#post10841238 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by BinaryReef
Definitely hear you there...I am in the process of setting up a 240 as well that is why I asked. cant wait to see how it turns out!

My biggest concern is the lack of overlapping lighting and whether or not that will be an issue down the side of the structures. If I use spider type reflectors I don't know if that will help or hurt as oppsed to a flat reflective sheet. I was hoping somebody else that's done it one way or the other would catch that and speak up.