Xrod 280 gallon living room peninsula

[Xrod]

Hi RC members. Finally, after 8 months of getting to work this beautiful nano
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2256121
I have decided to build a bigger tank because to be honest, Corals and fish, as you may see in the photos of the post on the second page, do not fit anymore in that nano, so i am basically building a bigger home for them corals, and mostly my sailfin tang!

Since my wife was the one that originally got me into this addictive hobby, now she can't stop me from getting this bigger tank! :lmao:

So i hopefully want to make this a very picture intensive thread so lets start shall we.?

After months of research and with the respective authorization from the local authorities (aka wife), i decided to go with a peninsula tank and practically leave no space for socializing in the living room hallways .

I just loved the idea of being able to see my fish and corals, from when i am eating and then from where i will be resting in the living room, and so the first draft was born. (please note although the tank is not the final aspect, all proportions are very close to reality)

So basically i built the biggest tank that I could in that area of the peninsula space. It is a 96" long, 25" width and 28" height.
The long is the most i could negotiate without converting it into another wall!
The height was the standard for me to still be able to clean it properly assuming i have a SSB at the bottom.

And the width is the total column structure that my house has in that part. I would have loved for it to be a bit wider, but it looks really awful if the tank is wider than the column. Believe me we made some tests.

Here is the space were the tank will be sitting in:

Sorry for the big photos. ill try a bit smaller next time.

Ok so here is what i am going with on this tank:

Glass tank
Shallow Sand Bed
Mixed reef tank
12,500 WaterBlaster pump
4 Ecotech Radion. Still odnt know how ill be hanging them
2 Vortech mp40w
Apex lite with WXM module
Octopus 5000SSS Skimmer rated for 500 gallons
carbon reactor
GFO reactor
Sump under tank is 75"x15"x15"

Now the interesting thing is that i actually got a LFS to fill the tank with naturall seawater that they have been getting great results with. A bit more expensive, but no need to lots of the additives we are all used to feed. No phyto, no zoo, no coral vitamines or minerals. No cyclying! So that is why i am not going yet with any other reactor or media.

OK so that is the first part. Ill share some more ideas and photos tomorrow.

Any ideas or thoughts are very welcome!

 

[FF337]

you could mount the lights from a single 2" galvanized pipe spray painted to the color of your choice suspended from the ceiling with chains similar to your light above your table.

You can run the cables depending on length trough the pipe as well.

Use a drill with a step bit and grommets in the holes for wire protection.

Find some 2" metal caps to complete one end.

Just a thought.

 

[FF337]

Or something similar to this fellas.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showpost.php?p=21600047&postcount=2

 

[Xrod]

ok so this is the structure my brother made. he is an architect. He thinks this will look nice made of wood with supports and covered in the same material as the cabinetry of the main tank. Practically the 4 radions just fall on top and they fit in place with small supports. This module will let it to be hanged only from to points, which is what i am looking for. A nice clean installation.

Any thoughts?

 

[FF337]

That would be night. If you could figure how to recess them in there that would be sweet too. Maybe something to mechanically raise and lower the entire fixture for maintenance.

 

[Xrod]

Eyyyy So i got the stand today from a local carpenter. I decided to go on wood because ive heard many stories of the metal just corrosing after some years. It only needs one small area of a missed painted or treated spot for it to start to rust. Is this true? Why do i see so few stands made of wood?

So anyway, LFS and me decided to go with a treated pine wood. Columns are like 10 cm x 10 cm so it is really sturdy design. So it does weigh alot. Had to be placed by 4 people lifting from the side and one underneath lifting it with his back!

Here is a photo of the support

This pic cannot be missing. I just had to put in a photo of my beautiful wife posing on top of the stand. She was the one who got me into this addictive hobby in the first place! So yes thank you my darling. You have just excluded yourself from some nice gifts in the future

Notice where my light switches are now? Big problemo. Will have to move them this week.

 

[vair]

Moving the switches should not be to bad and you can drop power down into the sump area and maybe above for the lights at the same time.
Great wife shot!

 

[Xrod]

Moving the switches should not be to bad and you can drop power down into the sump area and maybe above for the lights at the same time.
Great wife shot!

Thanks! Thats exactly what ill do! Move them to the side wall and be sure to get some electricity to the sump below the stand!

 

[Rensmif]

I am assuming the stand is not complete, reason being I would be concerned about its stability with no lateral support, I suppose with whatever siding you plan to use that would give some, (maybe enough). I would, if it were mine want some additional bracing. Good luck and I look forward to following your build.

And yes that is a lovely wife pic also, thanks for sharing that.............I guess

 

[Xrod]

I am assuming the stand is not complete, reason being I would be concerned about its stability with no lateral support, I suppose with whatever siding you plan to use that would give some, (maybe enough). I would, if it were mine want some additional bracing. Good luck and I look forward to following your build.

And yes that is a lovely wife pic also, thanks for sharing that.............I guess

You know what Rensmif. You did get me thinking. The wooden stand does weigh A LOT and is very sturdy. It does have support in the upper part and two wooden pieces on the lower part at the ends as you can see. But now that you mention it...Maybe it should have at least one in the middle. Do you really think it could like split open?

And yes it is a nice pic I have to include her as part of the project.

 

[Xrod]

In the meanwhile

In the meanwhile

In the meanwhile i got some goodies from UPS

RODI 90 GPD w flush valve kit
2 eheim Jager 250W TruTemp
Some gloves :lmao:
Probe holder.

Still more to come...

 

[RayL]

Is the sump going under the tank or in the basement?

 

[Xrod]

Is the sump going under the tank or in the basement?

Ray. You know that was exactly going to be my next topic. This house does NOT have a basement. so originally it was planned to go underneath the tank. But as i have been thinking and reading, reading and thinking, i am leaning more towards doing and outside sump.... That of course means removing my floor. Going through underground with overflow line and another for retyurn and making the sump outside.

It is more time, investment and everything, but there are various reasons i am considering this:

1. Undertank area is small. I can do a bigger sump outside.
2. The floor is not wood but like laminate wood. When water is left for a day it just pops . (originally i was going to do a CUT around the sump but there is still probability that water gets out as always)
3. Maintenance would be easier outside and water spills also would not be a problem outside.
4. I prevent bad odors since it is in the dining room.
5. I can do more things outside because of the side including have my water reservoirs, growing mangrove, outside pump or reactors, etc.

The only problem I have is breaking the floor, but that can be fixed.
There is always some chances of outside contamination
Connecting my wxm apex module to the mp60s which i ordered because it is like 20 feet away. I know there are extension cables.but anyway....

Like i said i have been reading and i know some members here have done it with success. Most reefers do it in the basement but where i live, it is not accustomed to build basements in the houses.

I really really would love to hear what other members have to say about an outside sump.

Here is the best photo I could take so you can get the idea of what i mean and give me some advice.

The other thing i dont know which i have to make some tests before I remove the floor is that i know water is always leveled horizontally and it will flow to the sump by gravity as long as the sump is below the tank, but will this work with an OVERFLOW where the water is not always filled? Or will i need 2 pumps? One each way.?

 

[Squidward5]

Beautiful stand, it blends in well with the background. I also don't think you need a nice looking tank to put on it, you have your wife.

 

[RayL]

I am not very knowledgable about those things, the one thing I know forsure is that you don't want a pump feeding your sump and a pump feeding your tank, that would mean you need the pumps to be exactly the same rate which will never happen.
Where I live nobody could have outdoor sumps as I am from Canada, so I can't answer those questions for you. I am sure someone will help you out soon

 

[worm5406]

Why not make a cabinet to the left of the tank in that bumpout?

That way you can put stuff on top of it as needed.

 

[Xrod]

Why not make a cabinet to the left of the tank in that bumpout?

That way you can put stuff on top of it as needed.

I did think of that, but wife said "Enough with the invasion of my dining and living room!" So i am in between UNdertank or outside sump :sad2:

 

[Mark...]

Any thoughts on running the plumbing up and over the ceiling and the down the outside wall to the sump. Easier to deal with sheet rock that dealing with the floor, dirt etc...but you will need to pump it over.

Looks like you could go up the wall on the right to get to the ceiling.

 

[Xrod]

Any thoughts on running the plumbing up and over the ceiling and the down the outside wall to the sump. Easier to deal with sheet rock that dealing with the floor, dirt etc...but you will need to pump it over.

Looks like you could go up the wall on the right to get to the ceiling.

Yes ithink that could be an option. Just wondering someone mentioned about if it is not a normal overflow. It is almost imposible two place two pump, one for the "overflow" and one for the return pumps.

anyone know if that is true. Makes sense tat if one purse a bit more that the other one eventually someplace will overflow

 

[worm5406]

Yes it is true.

Without some safeguards a single snail/obstruction could cause you to be either empty or overflow a tank.