Triple-S Fish Ranch - 1700gal 164” x 48” x 56” SPS peninsula build

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YIKES Paul, hopefully it's within tolerances!
 
i'm looking at your frag tank and i know one "S" stands for slow, but how long do you think it's going to take to fill this monster? :lol:
 
. . .Btw, I'm curious why acrylic cross braces? I don't have an engineering background but I would have assumed stainless steel.

I requested acrylic to avoid having visible shadows cast by the cross braces. At the point the tank was being engineered, I was assuming that the lights would have to be mounted very close to the water in order to attain sufficient PAR in a 54" water column. With lights close to the water, the shadowing caused by 12" wide cross braces could be significant. In hindsight, I was probably overthinking things, especially given that I was able to mount the lights 32" above the water.


I hope you will keep us updated on this as I am considering an FRP tank. Would you still have had an issue if you had cut smaller openings across the top instead of one large, long opening with cross braces?

Dave.M

Hi Dave, good question. I don't know for certain, but it seems likely. Rather than smaller openings, though, I'd probably have gone with the default configuration of a full FRP top frame. My understanding with the FRP top frame is that it would integral, implemented as cutouts from a solid sheet rather than using separate cross braces attached with bolts. I suspect that this configuration would be much stronger.

I'll admit I'm slightly freaked out by the presence of any visible deflection in these early days of a tank intended to last 30 years. If I'd understood that there would be deflection with the acrylic cross braces I probably would have gone with a stainless steel top frame and taken the risk of shadowing.

i'm looking at your frag tank and i know one "S" stands for slow, but how long do you think it's going to take to fill this monster? :lol:

I assume you mean fill with corals? My best guess is 2 to 3 years. I am planning to stock almost entirely with frags and to allow a lot of growing room, so even when it is 'done' it will probably be another 3 to 5 years before the tank starts to truly look full.
 
Hey Paul do you have various helpers in this process or did you hire the work out? Or are you hardcore and doing it mostly on your own? You have made monumental strides in this build but the scope of work is truly amazing!
 
I'll admit I'm slightly freaked out by the presence of any visible deflection in these early days of a tank intended to last 30 years. If I'd understood that there would be deflection with the acrylic cross braces I probably would have gone with a stainless steel top frame and taken the risk of shadowing.

Why can't a top frame be made and installed now? Might have to remove or lower water level, but so what!
 
Realize I forgot to mention in the last post that Waterdog did sign off on the bowing being within tolerance and expected. My next worry was, am I the first/only customer to request acrylic cross braces: i.e., did I just muck up their proven design and massively compromise the tank by moving to bolted-on cross braces? I think the jury is still out on the latter question, but at least I'm not the first customer to do this. They referenced another customer who has built multiple tanks with acrylic cross braces and reports similar deflection. Still waiting to hear how old the oldest of this customer's tanks is.

Hey Paul do you have various helpers in this process or did you hire the work out? Or are you hardcore and doing it mostly on your own? You have made monumental strides in this build but the scope of work is truly amazing!

Hi Dmorty217, I've had a lot of help. I've done almost all of the tank setups and plumbing, wiring, and equipment install for the tanks. Timfish helped with the aquascape and assorted custom acrylic work, and trade professionals did all of the millwork, in-wall electrical and plumbing, flooring, drywall, etc.

Why can't a top frame be made and installed now? Might have to remove or lower water level, but so what!

Hi albano, fair question. It could be done now, just cost prohibitive. It would entail tearing out and rebuilding all of the cabinetry and millwork around the aquarium. And then, of course, I'd have to redo all of the plumbing and wiring work I put into the canopy. Can't bring myself to tackle all of this unless necessary.
 
Paul,

Good to hear it's within tolerance. Perhaps to give you some piece of mind you could run a taught very thin gauge wire, almost like a fuse wire, attached to both sides of the tank or on the cross brace itself where the slightest pull on the wire would snap it and set off an alarm alerting you that the cross brace needs attention fast. Obviously you would wire this like a float switch hooked to a controller.

Just a thought. Although maybe my idea is over thinking the situation as well.
 
Glad to hear it's considered normal, that is a very tall tank and complete lack of deflection would be difficult to achieve I'd guess.

I really enjoy the updates on the rest of the system as well BTW.
 
I literally read through the whole thread in a couple of hr at work.

Just.
Friggin.
WOWOW...

Love it....and fingers crossed for some more good luck on the bracing!
 
wow haven't got to catch up on reading this in a long time. but glad all is going well and always amazed at the progress. Hope I don't sound stupid when I ask this but curiosity has gotten the best of me. On you QT for your fish why did you decided to run hang on the back filters for each tank instead of running a sump for all of them just seems like extra maintenance having to keep changing filter media for each tank. Im sure there is a very good answer for this question due to my lack of knowledge about this.
 
Wow. 2 years in the making, should be amazing once you get it stocked.

Do you think your quarantine tanks are suffering from a lack of filtration? I noticed the HOB filters... The only HOB I've ever seen that I thought was any good was aquaclear, and it doesn't look like that is what you have... in fact, with how heavy you stocked those 75 gallon originally i'd probably run 2x 110 aquaclears on each tank. I prefer canister filters, but the aquaclears are much easier for adding/removing filter media. Another thing to consider is run a HOB skimmer. although that is purely optional in a fish only environment... but might help in pulling out some nasty stuff.
 
Do you think your quarantine tanks are suffering from a lack of filtration? I noticed the HOB filters...

I run all our personal quarantines with HOB filters.

I used to run HOB skimmers as well, but they might effect the effectiveness of some medications.

Basically: Tank (20 - 40 gallon), HOB filter with MarinaPure spheres and seeded filter pad, heater, 2 powerheads pointed at the water surface, 1 or 2 air pumps/stones and lots of PVC. Had lots of success since I've used this method. Highest bioloads were 2 4" Crosshatches in a 40g for 7 weeks and a super male Lineatus and 5 Lyretail Anthias in a 40g for 9 weeks.
 
right.. but he had 10 yellow tangs in a 75 gallon..... Which he certainly could do, with enough filtration... HOB filters generally wont get you there for that many fish... the exception being a couple of large aquaclear. IMO.


I could be obsessed with over filtration though... I'm running 2 fluval 305's on my 55 gallon freshwater tank ;) (They were originally on my 75 gallon).. I usually take the manufacturers recommended Gallons and double it.
 
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