The Dream Tank 400 Gallon Display - IN THE WORKS - Input appreciated!!!!
- Thread starter obiwanthegoby
- Start date
obiwanthegoby
Hair Algae cultivator
Yea the tank was barely out, it was mainly due to inconsistencies in the plywood. I don't know a great way to remove the shims,... other than breaking them off or hitting them with a saw zaw...They will eventually be covered by a sandstone or limestone rock wall. I'm all for the cleanest approach though if you have a different way?
Picked up 600 gallons of salt mix, 240 lbs of carribsea special grade, and 2 used Tunze 6101's and the controller.
Picked up 600 gallons of salt mix, 240 lbs of carribsea special grade, and 2 used Tunze 6101's and the controller.
melev
Well-known member
Take a wood chisel, hold it flush against the tank on the shim, and strike down once or twice with a hammer to score it. Bend the shim up to snap it off. Using that same piece, hold it against the shim under the tank, and tap it under the tank an 1/8" to get it out of sight.
Be careful not to mar the tank as you do this of course.
Be careful not to mar the tank as you do this of course.
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14192185#post14192185 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by obiwanthegoby
Back side of the tank, all inlets are ball valved to control flow.
I may change the center to a T'ed outlet with two 45's on each end.
Again I apologize for picture quality, I use the phone when in a hurry. Better pics to follow this week when it has sand and permanent plumbing.
I'd respectfully toss out that you consider adding unions to your plumbing in a few choice places before you glue it all down.
Especially thinking back to your comment about potentially repurposing some of those returns for a CL - buy a couple of extra, toss them in a closet for later.
My first tank I used 2 or 3 different manufacture's Unions. (none compatible) I quickly got in the habit of standardizing all my unions from the same manufacturer. Amazing how handy it is when you decide to change something 9 months later, to just grab the appropriate union half out of the spares stock, and re-plumb quickly and easily.
And those flanges are really shallow, even on your 90's, not just on the 3-way Y as was already pointed out It's even more important when using spa-flex. Which can really be a bear, even in normal depth flanges.
new2sw776784
New member
That way works. However you can also take a utility knife and score the edge 2 or 3 times and get the same effect.
Mark my way isn't better or worse just wanted to put another option out there in case he doesn't own a chisel. Just don't want you to take my opinion the wrong way. Also it takes away the risk of hitting the tank with a hammer.
obiwanthegoby
Hair Algae cultivator
All comments taken into consideration its a good thing my pump has not came in...or my unions for the pump. Does anyone have any recommendations for the skimmer? Keep in mind over the next couple months a 120gal will be added for macro algae/fuge (eventually a couple of seaa horse) two 40 gallons for propagation, as well as a 110 gal sump and 110gal fuge. I was looking at the reeflo250, but its only capable of 800 gal, given the ~230gal of fuge TANK (not taking into account the DSB) volume, would it be feasible? Anyone with experiance with it on a large system?
obiwanthegoby
Hair Algae cultivator
All comments taken into consideration its a good thing my pump has not came in...or my unions for the pump. Does anyone have any recommendations for the skimmer? Keep in mind over the next couple months a 120gal will be added for macro algae/fuge (eventually a couple of seaa horse) two 40 gallons for propagation, as well as a 110 gal sump and 110gal fuge. I was looking at the reeflo250, but its only capable of 800 gal, given the ~230gal of fuge TANK (not taking into account the DSB) volume, would it be feasible? Anyone with experiance with it on a large system?
obiwanthegoby
Hair Algae cultivator
looking at ordering my skimmer in the next week, and I've been checking more into the larger skimmers, I have had bad experiances with the spray injections getting clogged and such plus they are too heavily dependent on surface tension. So I've narrowed it down to the reeflo 250 and the octopus FDNW 400, unless someone gives me reason to consider something else in that price range. I like the volume of the Octopus its much larger but the multiple pumps can be a good and bad asset. The 250 isnt as large in diameter but it has RAVE reviews and a 5yr warranty on the pump. I guess Ill make a choice in the next few days, until then Ill be weighing things out.
Tank is holding water with a .5 - 1 inch standing wave in it, I think things are good. Going to drain it and change the filters out on the RO/DI, and get sand and salt in it this week. Hopefully get the rest of my plumbing parts in next week and pick up my pump then too. (its at the store) get the sump plumbed in, and start quarantining rock a few pieces at a time. I'm thinking of using 3/8 and 1/2 acrylic rod to support the rock struture, Id like to do two large pillars on each end and a expanse of caves and over hangs in the center and leave the rest of the tank open, I really like the bonsai aquascaping and the open area of the tank. Out with the rock wall and its counterparts! Don't want to use big pieces of PVC unless I have to,... the clear acrylic should work well hiding itself just not sure about its tendency to deflect when loaded... Gonna order a few pieces from McMaster and see how it reacts when inserted into the rock underwater. If not ill be using PVC and Zip Ties i guess.
Tank is holding water with a .5 - 1 inch standing wave in it, I think things are good. Going to drain it and change the filters out on the RO/DI, and get sand and salt in it this week. Hopefully get the rest of my plumbing parts in next week and pick up my pump then too. (its at the store) get the sump plumbed in, and start quarantining rock a few pieces at a time. I'm thinking of using 3/8 and 1/2 acrylic rod to support the rock struture, Id like to do two large pillars on each end and a expanse of caves and over hangs in the center and leave the rest of the tank open, I really like the bonsai aquascaping and the open area of the tank. Out with the rock wall and its counterparts! Don't want to use big pieces of PVC unless I have to,... the clear acrylic should work well hiding itself just not sure about its tendency to deflect when loaded... Gonna order a few pieces from McMaster and see how it reacts when inserted into the rock underwater. If not ill be using PVC and Zip Ties i guess.
obiwanthegoby
Hair Algae cultivator
looking at ordering my skimmer in the next week, and I've been checking more into the larger skimmers, I have had bad experiances with the spray injections getting clogged and such plus they are too heavily dependent on surface tension. So I've narrowed it down to the reeflo 250 and the octopus FDNW 400, unless someone gives me reason to consider something else in that price range. I like the volume of the Octopus its much larger but the multiple pumps can be a good and bad asset. The 250 isnt as large in diameter but it has RAVE reviews and a 5yr warranty on the pump. I guess Ill make a choice in the next few days, until then Ill be weighing things out.
Tank is holding water with a .5 - 1 inch standing wave in it, I think things are good. Going to drain it and change the filters out on the RO/DI, and get sand and salt in it this week. Hopefully get the rest of my plumbing parts in next week and pick up my pump then too. (its at the store) get the sump plumbed in, and start quarantining rock a few pieces at a time. I'm thinking of using 3/8 and 1/2 acrylic rod to support the rock struture, Id like to do two large pillars on each end and a expanse of caves and over hangs in the center and leave the rest of the tank open, I really like the bonsai aquascaping and the open area of the tank. Out with the rock wall and its counterparts! Don't want to use big pieces of PVC unless I have to,... the clear acrylic should work well hiding itself just not sure about its tendency to deflect when loaded... Gonna order a few pieces from McMaster and see how it reacts when inserted into the rock underwater. If not ill be using PVC and Zip Ties i guess.
Tank is holding water with a .5 - 1 inch standing wave in it, I think things are good. Going to drain it and change the filters out on the RO/DI, and get sand and salt in it this week. Hopefully get the rest of my plumbing parts in next week and pick up my pump then too. (its at the store) get the sump plumbed in, and start quarantining rock a few pieces at a time. I'm thinking of using 3/8 and 1/2 acrylic rod to support the rock struture, Id like to do two large pillars on each end and a expanse of caves and over hangs in the center and leave the rest of the tank open, I really like the bonsai aquascaping and the open area of the tank. Out with the rock wall and its counterparts! Don't want to use big pieces of PVC unless I have to,... the clear acrylic should work well hiding itself just not sure about its tendency to deflect when loaded... Gonna order a few pieces from McMaster and see how it reacts when inserted into the rock underwater. If not ill be using PVC and Zip Ties i guess.
obiwanthegoby
Hair Algae cultivator
looking at ordering my skimmer in the next week, and I've been checking more into the larger skimmers, I have had bad experiances with the spray injections getting clogged and such plus they are too heavily dependent on surface tension. So I've narrowed it down to the reeflo 250 and the octopus FDNW 400, unless someone gives me reason to consider something else in that price range. I like the volume of the Octopus its much larger but the multiple pumps can be a good and bad asset. The 250 isnt as large in diameter but it has RAVE reviews and a 5yr warranty on the pump. I guess Ill make a choice in the next few days, until then Ill be weighing things out.
Tank is holding water with a .5 - 1 inch standing wave in it, I think things are good. Going to drain it and change the filters out on the RO/DI, and get sand and salt in it this week. Hopefully get the rest of my plumbing parts in next week and pick up my pump then too. (its at the store) get the sump plumbed in, and start quarantining rock a few pieces at a time. I'm thinking of using 3/8 and 1/2 acrylic rod to support the rock struture, Id like to do two large pillars on each end and a expanse of caves and over hangs in the center and leave the rest of the tank open, I really like the bonsai aquascaping and the open area of the tank. Out with the rock wall and its counterparts! Don't want to use big pieces of PVC unless I have to,... the clear acrylic should work well hiding itself just not sure about its tendency to deflect when loaded... Gonna order a few pieces from McMaster and see how it reacts when inserted into the rock underwater. If not ill be using PVC and Zip Ties i guess.
Tank is holding water with a .5 - 1 inch standing wave in it, I think things are good. Going to drain it and change the filters out on the RO/DI, and get sand and salt in it this week. Hopefully get the rest of my plumbing parts in next week and pick up my pump then too. (its at the store) get the sump plumbed in, and start quarantining rock a few pieces at a time. I'm thinking of using 3/8 and 1/2 acrylic rod to support the rock struture, Id like to do two large pillars on each end and a expanse of caves and over hangs in the center and leave the rest of the tank open, I really like the bonsai aquascaping and the open area of the tank. Out with the rock wall and its counterparts! Don't want to use big pieces of PVC unless I have to,... the clear acrylic should work well hiding itself just not sure about its tendency to deflect when loaded... Gonna order a few pieces from McMaster and see how it reacts when inserted into the rock underwater. If not ill be using PVC and Zip Ties i guess.
melev
Well-known member
I believe Paul Whitby has the Reeflo 250 on his system, so you might send him a message. His username is pwhitby on RC.
The acrylic rod should be fine, I've seen it used often. You may need to use some putty to secure it. Paul has done this as well, so ask him about that at the same time.
The acrylic rod should be fine, I've seen it used often. You may need to use some putty to secure it. Paul has done this as well, so ask him about that at the same time.
obiwanthegoby
Hair Algae cultivator
Talked with Paul, I think I have decided to go with the Reeflo 250 w/ the Pro - Kit from Reefspecialty. Should take care of things nicely. Now I will have to get the drywall up in the room that the tank faces so I can minimize the dust exposure to the tank when I start filling it with RO/DI. Got a hold of some plastic that I am going to block the whole section of the basement with the tank in it off. That way the sawdust, drywall dust ect. is kept out of the tank room for sure. So it may delay things a few days, but hopefully this weekend I'll be able to start filing with RO/DI. Thanks guys for the input, big projects like this, no matter how much you plan, (A year for this) you still get kinks. I originally planned for an EV1000... and shelved the idea after multiple issues with maintenance on the EV120 I used to use on my 120gallon. Not that the aren't great skimmers, I just fail to notice a lack of skimmate until it's went on too long, busy life. (Multiple times I found a small snail or something lodged in my injectors, found some last night in my curing vat... lol) The also require large power sucking pumps! 
obiwanthegoby
Hair Algae cultivator
We've had a pretty bad ice storm here locally some people without power for going on 5 days, some are estimated to be without it for several more days. Temperatures in the 20's the entire time. Luckily this time I still have power. (we had an outage back in august that I lost power and luckily lost nothing in my 120,... no generator. I will be installing an automatic switch over soon to cover my.... for the big system.)
I have done 3 - 20 gallon water changes on the rock tank, I ve had a lot of die off, some pieces have lost a lot of their color. I went ahead and bout some egg crate last night and made a rack in the tub. Have the bigger pieces at the bottom supporting the rack and most of the smaller pieces and the "delicate" pieces on top. Will try to siphon the muck off the bottom of the tank during the next water change. One of the 3 that I preformed was because the tank decided to do it itself... lol. I moved the rock around and the powerheads to change the flow up, I returned to the basement to find the pump that feeds the EV120 spurting water into the air. I lost 20 - 30 gallons. Instead of my normal water from the 120 into the rock tank, and newly mixed into the 120... I had to dump the 20 or so gallons I had on hand into the rock tank.
Due to all the craziness and the FULL house of people I have (my house has become a shelter for friends and family who are without power lol
) I haven't ordered my skimmer or anything else. I will be going with the Reeflo 250, and doing the Reef Specialty up grade whether it be directly through them or from getting the skimmer from the LFS and ordering the needle wheel and cup from reefspecialty. I also will be going with the Lumen Bright Large Pendants with 400W coralvue dimmable ballast and 12K Reeflux bulbs. These will be supplemented with 8 - 36" T-5 bulbs in both day light and actintic spectrums. (4 daylight or mixed with 4 actintic)
I have also worked up a stocking list that I will be trimming up over the next few months. I gathered a list of all the things I'd like to keep and have been researching all the nuiances associated with each trying to optimize the living space for EVERYONE while allowing me to keep the majority of what I have an eye for. The list is as follows.... anyone have any comments... Leave them I need help trimming....
I have done 3 - 20 gallon water changes on the rock tank, I ve had a lot of die off, some pieces have lost a lot of their color. I went ahead and bout some egg crate last night and made a rack in the tub. Have the bigger pieces at the bottom supporting the rack and most of the smaller pieces and the "delicate" pieces on top. Will try to siphon the muck off the bottom of the tank during the next water change. One of the 3 that I preformed was because the tank decided to do it itself... lol. I moved the rock around and the powerheads to change the flow up, I returned to the basement to find the pump that feeds the EV120 spurting water into the air. I lost 20 - 30 gallons. Instead of my normal water from the 120 into the rock tank, and newly mixed into the 120... I had to dump the 20 or so gallons I had on hand into the rock tank.
Due to all the craziness and the FULL house of people I have (my house has become a shelter for friends and family who are without power lol
) I haven't ordered my skimmer or anything else. I will be going with the Reeflo 250, and doing the Reef Specialty up grade whether it be directly through them or from getting the skimmer from the LFS and ordering the needle wheel and cup from reefspecialty. I also will be going with the Lumen Bright Large Pendants with 400W coralvue dimmable ballast and 12K Reeflux bulbs. These will be supplemented with 8 - 36" T-5 bulbs in both day light and actintic spectrums. (4 daylight or mixed with 4 actintic)I have also worked up a stocking list that I will be trimming up over the next few months. I gathered a list of all the things I'd like to keep and have been researching all the nuiances associated with each trying to optimize the living space for EVERYONE while allowing me to keep the majority of what I have an eye for. The list is as follows.... anyone have any comments... Leave them I need help trimming....
obiwanthegoby
Hair Algae cultivator
SPS Display - 400 Gallons - ~300 - 380 lbs live rock
Niger Trigger*
Flame Angel~**
Blue Hippo Tang
Naso Tang*
Yellow Tang~
Purple Tang~
Powder Blue Tang*
Blue Lined Rabbit Fish*
Big Long Nosed Butterfly*
or
Copper Band Butterfly*
Lyretail Anthias ( 1 M & 4 F)
Schooling Bannerfish (3)
Bicolor Blenny
Orangespot lawnmower Blenny
Sixline wrasse~
Melanurus Wrasse
Potters Leopard Wrasse
Leopard Wrasse
Filamented Wrasse (1 M 2F)
Carpenters Flasher Wrasse (1M 2 F)
Austrailian Linneatus Wrasse
Longfin Fairy Wrasse (1 M 1F)
Scrott's Fairy Wrasse
Solar Fairy Wrasse
Yellow Assesor
Blue Assesor
Black Cap Basslet~
Royal Gramma
Pink and Blue Prawn Goby~
Yasha Hase Goby
Flaming Prawn Goby
Neon Goby (3 - 4)
Gecko Goby
Randall's Goby
Rainfords Goby
Red Head goby (2)
Twinspot Goby
Engineer goby (3)
Bangaii Cardinal (2 - 3)
Purple Firefish
Bar goby
scissortail goby
Green Mandarin
Feathered Dragonette
Dragon Moth
125 Macro Algae Tank - ~100- 150 Lbs live rock - 6 inch sandbed
Dragonface Pipe Fish (2)
Kuda Seahorse (2)
Pearly Jawfish (2 - 3)
Blue spot Jawfish
115 gallon grouwout system (divided into 36X36X12 Anemone side and 24 X 36 X 12 Coral grow out side)
Anenome Side
2 true percula clowns
1 - 2 BTA
Flame Angel~**
Growout side
Longnosed Hawk fish~
Bicolor Dottyback~
~ I have this fish on hand in my 120 now
* Could be excluded due to issues with tankmates
**Flame Angel may be the culprit of zoanthid disappearances and I have not decided where he will be located.
Again I know I have listed a lot of fairy wrasse and flasher wrasse and will have to trim it down which is why I am researching and looking for other opinions on behavoir and longevity to pick the ones best suited for the tank. Even thought of having fewer species with bigger harems.
Inverts will be clams, cleaner and pistol shrimps as well as a few reef safe starfish (Fromia sp., Brittle, maybe a linkia)
The ill also be a 110 gallon fuge hooked into this tank with a 6inch sandbed and chaeto.
Obi
Niger Trigger*
Flame Angel~**
Blue Hippo Tang
Naso Tang*
Yellow Tang~
Purple Tang~
Powder Blue Tang*
Blue Lined Rabbit Fish*
Big Long Nosed Butterfly*
or
Copper Band Butterfly*
Lyretail Anthias ( 1 M & 4 F)
Schooling Bannerfish (3)
Bicolor Blenny
Orangespot lawnmower Blenny
Sixline wrasse~
Melanurus Wrasse
Potters Leopard Wrasse
Leopard Wrasse
Filamented Wrasse (1 M 2F)
Carpenters Flasher Wrasse (1M 2 F)
Austrailian Linneatus Wrasse
Longfin Fairy Wrasse (1 M 1F)
Scrott's Fairy Wrasse
Solar Fairy Wrasse
Yellow Assesor
Blue Assesor
Black Cap Basslet~
Royal Gramma
Pink and Blue Prawn Goby~
Yasha Hase Goby
Flaming Prawn Goby
Neon Goby (3 - 4)
Gecko Goby
Randall's Goby
Rainfords Goby
Red Head goby (2)
Twinspot Goby
Engineer goby (3)
Bangaii Cardinal (2 - 3)
Purple Firefish
Bar goby
scissortail goby
Green Mandarin
Feathered Dragonette
Dragon Moth
125 Macro Algae Tank - ~100- 150 Lbs live rock - 6 inch sandbed
Dragonface Pipe Fish (2)
Kuda Seahorse (2)
Pearly Jawfish (2 - 3)
Blue spot Jawfish
115 gallon grouwout system (divided into 36X36X12 Anemone side and 24 X 36 X 12 Coral grow out side)
Anenome Side
2 true percula clowns
1 - 2 BTA
Flame Angel~**
Growout side
Longnosed Hawk fish~
Bicolor Dottyback~
~ I have this fish on hand in my 120 now
* Could be excluded due to issues with tankmates
**Flame Angel may be the culprit of zoanthid disappearances and I have not decided where he will be located.
Again I know I have listed a lot of fairy wrasse and flasher wrasse and will have to trim it down which is why I am researching and looking for other opinions on behavoir and longevity to pick the ones best suited for the tank. Even thought of having fewer species with bigger harems.
Inverts will be clams, cleaner and pistol shrimps as well as a few reef safe starfish (Fromia sp., Brittle, maybe a linkia)
The ill also be a 110 gallon fuge hooked into this tank with a 6inch sandbed and chaeto.
Obi
obiwanthegoby
Hair Algae cultivator
after noticing that a lot of my rock was starting to die, I decided to take a second go around at scrubbing and picking. I took every piece of rock out of the curing vat, I emptied out approx. 35 gallons of watewr after stiring it heavily to get the silt and muck off the bottom. I then added 15 gal from the current 120 gal, and 20 gal of fresh salt water. I then placed some of the nasty water ina 40 gallon tub and began to scrub, pick, pry and scrape every piece of rock. After about 2 hours of it, a few cuts scrapes and bruises, i can say I was starting to get tired of it and I began to not nit pick as much. All and all I got quite a bit of crap out. Curing rock is now where near as easy as I expected it to be and I will not undertake it so lightly next time. I have to clean up my tubs tommorow to sart mixing up the next water change...now its time for bed.
obiwanthegoby
Hair Algae cultivator
after noticing that a lot of my rock was starting to die, I decided to take a second go around at scrubbing and picking. I took every piece of rock out of the curing vat, I emptied out approx. 35 gallons of watewr after stiring it heavily to get the silt and muck off the bottom. I then added 15 gal from the current 120 gal, and 20 gal of fresh salt water. I then placed some of the nasty water ina 40 gallon tub and began to scrub, pick, pry and scrape every piece of rock. After about 2 hours of it, a few cuts scrapes and bruises, i can say I was starting to get tired of it and I began to not nit pick as much. All and all I got quite a bit of crap out. Curing rock is now where near as easy as I expected it to be and I will not undertake it so lightly next time. I have to clean up my tubs tommorow to sart mixing up the next water change...now its time for bed.
obiwanthegoby
Hair Algae cultivator
here are some pictures of the rock tank as of yesterday...
After doing the 40 gallon water change and the rediculous ammount of scrubbing I did the nitrates are 30 and nitrite is about .5 - .75... I have another batch of water going through the RO as we speak, I may decide to go ahead and fill the other 110 gallon tub and mix up 100 gallons of saltwater and just move the rock to all new water. I know some people say this will shock it? Only thing I am thinking is about all the muck and silt and nasty stuff at the bottom of the curing Vat now. Any ideas thoughts??? I want to get the rock away from as much as the decaying stuff as possible now... I believe I got a good portion of it off last night... here... is what came off....
A lot of silt but there is a lot of dead sponges and coral that I tore off last night mixed in there. This is the first time I've cured my own rock,...... its a bit discouraging... a lot mroe to it than expected.
After doing the 40 gallon water change and the rediculous ammount of scrubbing I did the nitrates are 30 and nitrite is about .5 - .75... I have another batch of water going through the RO as we speak, I may decide to go ahead and fill the other 110 gallon tub and mix up 100 gallons of saltwater and just move the rock to all new water. I know some people say this will shock it? Only thing I am thinking is about all the muck and silt and nasty stuff at the bottom of the curing Vat now. Any ideas thoughts??? I want to get the rock away from as much as the decaying stuff as possible now... I believe I got a good portion of it off last night... here... is what came off....
A lot of silt but there is a lot of dead sponges and coral that I tore off last night mixed in there. This is the first time I've cured my own rock,...... its a bit discouraging... a lot mroe to it than expected.
