Timbo's 220G Dream Reef Tank Build

Timbo3416

New member
I have been an aquarist for most of my life and a reef keeper for a couple of years now. I had a FOWLR marine tank for many years before going
to a 55G tank and adding corals. I have been lurking on the site watching other builds and referring to it to answer questions and posting a little all waiting until I found a good deal on an aquarium

It is a glass aquarium with an acrylic bottom tapped with 4 lines all with ball valves. The dimensions of the tank are: 72" L x 24" D x 30" H.

After making sure I still had a passion for the hobby and the increased maintenance involved in a reef tank I made the plunge and picked up a nearly new 220 G tank with a custom stand. I am getting it tomorrow and I am very excited.

I have a ProFlex Model 3 Sump I am using as a refugium. I have 3 different kinds of macroalgae (Cheto, Red and Ulva) ,on top of about 14 lbs. of
Walt Smith Fiji Mud with several kinds of pods, brittle stars, stomatella etc in it.

The equipment I plan on taking from my current tank and using on the new tank:

Aqueon ProFlex Model 3 Sump as Refugium (as configured above).
Little Giant 3-MDQX-SC Pump
Artica Titanium 1/10 HP Chiller
Reef Octopus 4" NWB-110 Protein Skimmer
2 x 250 W and 1 x 150 Watt Heaters
2 x 250 W double-ended Metal Halide fixtures w/ electronic ballast
4 x 48" T5 actinic fluorescent bulbs
CaribSea fine oolite sand (currently in 55 gallon)
80 lbs. of live rock currently in 55G

I plan on adding at least 1 more metal halide light fixture to the tank as I don't think 2 will be enough. I may well move to LEDs in the future but
the budget currently doesn't allow to convert to all LED with the intensity I'd need to get through 30" of water. Or would I be better off adding 1 intense LED instead of the 3rd metal halide fixture? What LED would be best for Coral growth and lighting a tank of this size and depth? Perhaps
I can get one and gradually add them to phase out the halides.

I may well add 2 additional 48" T5's and stagger them across the hood.

I make my own water, which is filtered through a Rainsoft RO (I got free when I worked for them out of college) and a BRS single canister DI using the
BRS color changing resin. I have 4 TDS out of the RO unit and zero out of the DI. I use Red Sea Coral Pro salt. I likely will buy DI water from River City for the initial fill as my RO membrane is only 26 GPD and I don't want to wait 9 days for the tank to fill. I was going to get a couple brute cans and mount them on a caster base (I might buy 2 and return 1 from Home Depot and just keep 1 as I don't think I'll reuire 2 long term, I just want to cut down on teh round trips to/from River City) or does another place have cheaper 0 TDS water than River City's 5 gallons for $1?

In addition to this I have a separate tank about 40 gallons that I plan to use as a second sump filled with live rock with an in sump pump.

I was also planning on adding about 100-150 lbs. more live rock (a mix of Tonga and Fiji) from BRS (I have live rock so I figured that would seed the BRS dry rock).

What else will I need? What tools are going to be a big help with a tank this size - the 55G was the biggest tank I have ever had - I had a 44G
corner tank previous to this one.

Is it OK to reuse the sand from the old tank or am I just importing old problems? I thought I might rinse it with clean saltwater while I am
transferring it to remove everything I can although I have a number of feather worms I would like to keep in the sand so I am not sure I can rinse it. I
will obviously need a lot more sand - where is the best place to buy sand in bulk? Should I just buy bags from BRS? Or do any of the local places provide a discount in bulk? How much total sand will I need for an aquarium this large? I am really excited and want to avoid as many pitfalls as possible so any advice is more than appreciated.

The image is the tank as currently configured in its old home for freshwater.

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Sounds like you have a good handle so far..

I have a Reef Octopus ddnw-250 Dual 10" recirculating protein skimmer for 180, but I sized it for larger, for my next project.

The problem with moving and like that is the detritus that has build up in it. I would think about rinsing it even though you are unsure about it. There should be some LFS stores around you. I had to go to like 3 stores and get most of their stock when I set my 180 up. Do you want 2"-- 3" -- 4" sand bed?

Very good so far though. Lets keep this moving forward. What else do you plan to put in it?
 
So I just got the tank home. Everything made it in one piece. The tank was a lot heavier than I thought and I thought it was going to be heavy.

I can't wait to get it plumbed, filled and stocked.

photo1_zps72d5ce75.jpeg
 
Sounds like you have a good handle so far..

I have a Reef Octopus ddnw-250 Dual 10" recirculating protein skimmer for 180, but I sized it for larger, for my next project.

The problem with moving and like that is the detritus that has build up in it. I would think about rinsing it even though you are unsure about it. There should be some LFS stores around you. I had to go to like 3 stores and get most of their stock when I set my 180 up. Do you want 2"-- 3" -- 4" sand bed?

Very good so far though. Lets keep this moving forward. What else do you plan to put in it?

Since there are no overflow boxes I plan on building rock around the overflow and return pipes using smaller pieces to build a solid wall surrounding them.

Once its up and running I'll have the following fish and corals from my current 55G reef tank:

6 - Blue / Green Reef Chromis
1 - Yellow Tang
1 - Blue Spotted Watchmen Goby
1 - Jawfish
1 - Blue Velvet Damsel
2 - Ocellaris Clownfish
1 - 6 Line Wrasse

Lavendar Mushroom
Assorted small SPS corals

I want to add a Powder Blue Tang, 2-3 Yellow Tangs, and perhaps a Blue Caribbean Tang all at once to cut down on aggression towards each other, perhaps a small blue spotted sting ray and some other fish, I am open to suggestions there.
 
Very nice.

I am looking forward to the updates and pictures of your progress.

I am using led's for the past year+ and I have very nice growth. Plus I have no heat problems.
 
Very nice.

I am looking forward to the updates and pictures of your progress.

I am using led's for the past year+ and I have very nice growth. Plus I have no heat problems.

Which LEDs are you using? Do you have pictures? What was the total cost of the LED upgrade?
 
So I used a sand calculator to determine how much sand I'd need for a 3" bed in the 72x30 aquarium and it said 374.28 pounds? Is that right? That is a lot of sand! I'm wondering if I really need that much or if the calculator I picked is wrong?

Here is the calculator I picked: http://www.aqua-calc.com/calculate/gravel-rectangular-solid

If that is how much I need that is how much I need - it just seems like a lot! I'm stepping from 55 gallons to 220 so I know that is a big difference in square inches to cover so perhaps it is correct - I just want to verify before I spend $646 on sand.
 
http://www.reefrocks.net/

take a look at that site. they have good sand at a great price... i have 180lbs in my 220g and it covers the entire bottom about an inch and quarter..plenty of sand. especially if your gunna have fuge with sand or mud...
 
Per that chart that looks correct.

I have a 180 and I am at about 3-4 inches across it.
 
OK I've had company all weekend but before they arrived I got the tank side plumbed.

tankpl2_zpsb5b8891e.jpeg


tankpl4_zps4686fe3e.jpeg


I am going to plumb the rest of it and fill it tomorrow. The sand is coming tomorrow (thanks Amazon Prime) too so I'll have more progress to report tomorrow.

I'm on the hunt for a bigger sump tank so if anyone hears that Petco or Petsmart has a $1 a gallon sale please let me know.
 
Since you appear to be doing without an overflow what precautions are you taking to prevent snails and others from getting up into the intakes?

Dave.M
 
Since you appear to be doing without an overflow what precautions are you taking to prevent snails and others from getting up into the intakes?

Dave.M

I was thinking of gluing a piece of plastic screen over the ends of the 2 drains. I think that'll do it. Any other suggestions?
 
If you just hold the screen on with cable ties it will be easier to remove if you need to clean the pipes out from time to time with a foxtail brush.

Dave.M
 
your keeping that slimline background on the tank?

I know they are a massive pain to take off, it really depends on how much silicone was used.. but find out who made it and around when it was purchased, and contact them to make sure its actually reefsafe around the time it was purchased! I wouldn't take someone's word for it
 
your keeping that slimline background on the tank?

I know they are a massive pain to take off, it really depends on how much silicone was used.. but find out who made it and around when it was purchased, and contact them to make sure its actually reefsafe around the time it was purchased! I wouldn't take someone's word for it

I had intended to - the tank and background are only about 6 months old so I assumed they'd be reef safe but I will try and look into it. I didn't see any makers information on the background but I'll look again.

Thanks for the suggestion :beer: - I would be pretty disappointed if I found out it wasn't reef safe once the tank was filled.
 
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