This Is What I Got So Far
- Thread starter SENSIREEF
- Start date
very interesting and very difficult setup for a reef, better as a FOWLR. Flow, lighting and cleaning will be difficult. Also, viewing corals from below are not all that attractive. If you want corals, I would go with softies. Large fish swimming back and forth would be awesome.
My first thought was FO and a fake wall of painted corals on the two outer most walls. Perhaps you could ask who designed it and what where their thoughts and intentions?
On another note: Nice Droids........ Program one to get at the coralline algae!
"These are not the Droids you re looking for"..........
On another note: Nice Droids........ Program one to get at the coralline algae!
"These are not the Droids you re looking for"..........
clevername
New member
I dont get it, such a great idea but no pics?
Any details on how you thought of the idea? Any Problems that arose building the tank? What size glass is that? Where did you get your design from? Is this tested elsewhere....
Patiently waiting for the exciting news!
Any details on how you thought of the idea? Any Problems that arose building the tank? What size glass is that? Where did you get your design from? Is this tested elsewhere....
Patiently waiting for the exciting news!
Hello Clevername, what don’t you get? I’m not sure if you read the following info, but this is not my tank, this is a tank that I am in the process of setting up for a client of mine. This aquarium is not glass; this is 1" acrylic which leads me to think you have not read any of the details, only skimmed through to see pictures. The concept and design has been done before, and as to where the idea actually came from that information is still not available but I will ask my client as to why he proposed such an idea. There are no more pictures yet, as this is not a finished project. Ground Breaking day, is coming here shortly in the upcoming weeks, so more pictures will be available soon on behalf of the setup and break in. There are many problems that have arose and will continue to do so, and the biggest one which almost everyone has listed and who has so kindly tuned in, is the fact of cleaning the actual tank and maintain proper flow rates to sustain a reef. Stay tuned more info and pictures to come here in the next few weeks. Thanks for your interest in this thread.
Big400g Thank you for your post, I will keep you updated on the status of this thread and the pictures as they come. Your interest is greatly appreciated.
Big400g Thank you for your post, I will keep you updated on the status of this thread and the pictures as they come. Your interest is greatly appreciated.
Jeremy Blaze
Former Reef Addict
Very cool. Fear the coralline!
I was just thinking, it could be cool if there was a way to arch the rock inside the arch. If you had some faux rock made to span from one of your columns over to the other side, it would add some interest, and may be a good way to hide a spraybar. It would also reduce the amount of light under the arch which could be good or bad.
My idea would be suspending the rock in the middle and not resting on the Acrylic so the fish would be swimming under the rock. The width would be half to 2/3rds of the depth of the arch. Most likely you would want the water to flow from the middle of the arch out to the sides, even better would be using something like a Ocean Motions device to help keep random flow and detritus from settling (depending on budget and everything).
The potential problem I see would be if the arch height is not enough, the large fish may not be able to pass... which could be good or bad again if there are some who do not get along this could provide a interesting barrier.
My idea would be suspending the rock in the middle and not resting on the Acrylic so the fish would be swimming under the rock. The width would be half to 2/3rds of the depth of the arch. Most likely you would want the water to flow from the middle of the arch out to the sides, even better would be using something like a Ocean Motions device to help keep random flow and detritus from settling (depending on budget and everything).
The potential problem I see would be if the arch height is not enough, the large fish may not be able to pass... which could be good or bad again if there are some who do not get along this could provide a interesting barrier.
clevername
New member
Oh i did not get the impression that this is a clients fish tank, that explains the lack of pics/details.
Im interested in how this turns out. Although i imagine on paper this looks like a good setup but in the long run will be a MAJOR pain.
Im interested in how this turns out. Although i imagine on paper this looks like a good setup but in the long run will be a MAJOR pain.
Kentanner11
New member
I actually dont think it will be that bad, I think the cool-ness factor outweighs the "pain"
My idea is similar to big400g's I would somehow use the two holes on either side plumbed up to the top with a bar going across (kinda like an upside U where you could have locline- or a spraybar, and you could fit the rock around this which I think would look very cool. Good Luck! PS where is this tank at?
My idea is similar to big400g's I would somehow use the two holes on either side plumbed up to the top with a bar going across (kinda like an upside U where you could have locline- or a spraybar, and you could fit the rock around this which I think would look very cool. Good Luck! PS where is this tank at?
I agree, no matter what the painstaking maintenance will entail, the value of gratification of having such a reef, will outweigh the hit and miss nightmares of maintenance.
Big 400 and Kentanner11
I also agree, I am going to propose the idea to him of this suspended reef in the center column. That is a great idea, and this is why I am here, look at all the useful info and concepts come from such hobbyist like Big 400. Thank you all once again. I will have more info to come shortly.
Big 400 and Kentanner11
I also agree, I am going to propose the idea to him of this suspended reef in the center column. That is a great idea, and this is why I am here, look at all the useful info and concepts come from such hobbyist like Big 400. Thank you all once again. I will have more info to come shortly.
In looking at the tank it reminds me of the ones they have at the entrances to the Rainforest cafes in our area. All of theres are arches and tall like your clients. In all of thier tanks they utilize the fake coral plugs and walls. They are nice looking with all the problem fish in a reef (angels,big puffers,leopard grouper,triggers and the like) and none of the live stuff (rock,corals). In looking at the tank I cant imagine having only durso's at the top for intakes. I think a lower and a midpoint intake may also have to be employed just due to the fact your columns will half to swirl detritus up to the top level to get surface skimmed out of the tank. Maybe a overflow box on one side of the tank (the end side) where you could employ the entire width of the tank to skim out. 2 hammerheads on closed loops one on each column with a circular water pattern on a ocean motions 8-way so that as your drum turns the next spray level sends the waste further up the column. Even at that we are at 11 times turnover total tank production. Which is low in a reef type tank. If your outputs on the return pump were also put into the columns you could employ your return water to get more fluid dynamics going in the tank.
Even so lighting in the column with adequate levels of light penetrating to the lower levels for reef/coral growth will be a whole other seperate challenge. 2 400 metal halides per column angled at the top for reduced light on column walls for slower algea growth but strong enough for reef/coral growth at lower levels. Maybe even three per column for proper lighting.
Skimmer the size of a (Tornado Skimmer) so as to skim all overflow water coming out of the tank.
A daunting task worthy of new ground breaking ideas and items we dont have to employ in our rectangular boxes. Of which follows a path no one has written this book on yet. My two cents worth take it for what its worth. Wishing you the best in this endevour. You may not have another one like this thats for sure.
Even so lighting in the column with adequate levels of light penetrating to the lower levels for reef/coral growth will be a whole other seperate challenge. 2 400 metal halides per column angled at the top for reduced light on column walls for slower algea growth but strong enough for reef/coral growth at lower levels. Maybe even three per column for proper lighting.
Skimmer the size of a (Tornado Skimmer) so as to skim all overflow water coming out of the tank.
A daunting task worthy of new ground breaking ideas and items we dont have to employ in our rectangular boxes. Of which follows a path no one has written this book on yet. My two cents worth take it for what its worth. Wishing you the best in this endevour. You may not have another one like this thats for sure.
Kentanner11
New member
Before I was reading your post I was exactly thinking of rainforest cafe. Personally I dont like the fake center column look, but to "normal" (non-reefing) customers I am sure it looks really cool.
StunnaShadez
New member
nice looking tank. there was a tank like that being sold here on CL around sacramento this past year. anyways, like everyone said, its going to be hard aquascapin in that. good luck and keep us updated
Are there any updates?
Instead of fighting to get the light to the bottom you could incorporate different coral types dependant on their light requirements. Also placing more filter type feeders at the bottom to catch the detritus instead of trying to get it to the top and out.
I am always scared of an actual drain at the bottom of a tank, I reserve those for a CL. I would not want the call from the client asking why the tank had no water, and that everything is dead... To get around this you could drain out from the lower section run the pipe to the top of the tank then down so you would not lose water below a specific level. This would need a lot of thought to make work, the pipe would drain at the top if the pumps were stopped and hopefully need priming to get going.
Your best bet is to keep it simple, the tank is complex enough.
Instead of fighting to get the light to the bottom you could incorporate different coral types dependant on their light requirements. Also placing more filter type feeders at the bottom to catch the detritus instead of trying to get it to the top and out.
I am always scared of an actual drain at the bottom of a tank, I reserve those for a CL. I would not want the call from the client asking why the tank had no water, and that everything is dead... To get around this you could drain out from the lower section run the pipe to the top of the tank then down so you would not lose water below a specific level. This would need a lot of thought to make work, the pipe would drain at the top if the pumps were stopped and hopefully need priming to get going.
Your best bet is to keep it simple, the tank is complex enough.
