800Gallon Tall Plywood Tank

[marinelife]

Critters:
Hippo Tang (donated to me by a friend in 2005)
Hippo Tang (purchased 1995)
Yellow Belly Hippo Tang (added March 2008)
3 Green Chromis (1/2001)
1 Green Chromis (May/2007)
5 Green Chromis (added Feb/2008)
Regal Angel (added March/2008)
Orange Shoulder Tang (April/27/2007)
6-line Wrasse (1/2006)
Red Sea Emperor Angel (June/14/2007)
Sailfin Tang (May/2007)
Yellow Tailed Angel (April/19/2008)
Flame Fin Tomini Tang (May/2007)
Coral Beauty (May/2007)
Male and female Orange Anthias (Lyretail) (added Feb/2008)
1 female Blue Eye Lyretail Anthia (April/19/2008)
1 female Blue Eye Lyretail Anthia (April/21/2008)
1 Female Unknown Lyretail Anthia (April/2008)
several Serpent Stars
few Hermit Crabs
few snails
Variety of mushrooms
Acroporas
Montiporas
Turbinaria
Montipora foliosa
Fire Coral
Tear Drop Maxima (5/2006)
Derasa Clam
other SPS Corals

 

[marinelife]

Here is the sump: 24.5L x 22w x21H

I will be adding some baffles to the sump in the next few days and then sealing it with the Blue Epoxy paint. I have a 1.25" bulkhead for the return pump to connect to.
Next will be the cabinet that goes over the sump.

 

[plack]

I don't know what flow rate you plan on for the overflow. Many people go with a Minimum of 3 times the entire tank volume ( Others go as high as 10 Times) per hour so thats a Minimum of 2400 GPH Pump Return and that would need

Using the following input parameters
Gallons per Hour = 2400

Drain and Overflow sizes are calculated as
Recommended minimum drain pipe diameter = 2.02 inches
Recommended minimum linear overflow size = 36 inches

http://www.reefcentral.com/calc/drain.php
http://www.reefcentral.com/calc/sump.php

That "seems" like an small sump for an 800 gallon tank !

How far down will the acro's be I am curious of the light intensity at deeper depth's? ( I have never seen a tank so tall!)

Are you building your own skimmer for this monster ?

Love the pictures !



Paul

 

[marinelife]

Yeah it is small by most standards, The sump needed to be 25 gallons for if the power would go out. The sumps messures 50 gallons.

The acropora will be down as low as 36-40" which is about the same as I have in my tank right now. The rest of the way down will be low light corals.

Zero skimmers will be on this tank. I do not run them. The sump should be big enough to hold one if I needed one but at this time I will run the tank like all my others without one!

 

[Splo]

What are you gonna use for light, 1000 watt halides?

 

[marinelife]

I need to add that the sump flow rate will only be around 1200gph.

I ma not using 1000w bulbs. At this time I am using 4 400s

 

[mark peacock]

interesting keep it going

 

[aquariumdebacle]

Recommending the skimmer. ALL marine tanks should have a skimmer. It is truly the BEST export mechanism! All other filters move stuff around until you clean them. A skimmer removes it from the water column.

 

[marinelife]

Thanks for the recommendation, but still no, been doing this for 13 years without one. As you can see by this tank build I like to live on the wild side and do things different than the norm.

 

[luke33]

Very interesting thoughts. Looks like an extremely small sump and wild thoughts on no skimmer and that large of tank, so i'll be interested to see the outcome. Cool build.

 

[marinelife]

Sump has been painted and the tank is also finish being painted. 72 hours for full cure.
I hope to install the panel this weekend if I can figure out how to do it.

 

[Scooterman]

Recommending the skimmer. ALL marine tanks should have a skimmer. It is truly the BEST export mechanism! All other filters move stuff around until you clean them. A skimmer removes it from the water column.

I disagree, the best method of export would be actual removal first, then skimming

 

[plack]

"the best method of export would be actual removal first"


Excellent--Just how do YOU do that specifically?

 

[Scooterman]

Siphon hose while changing water for one!

 

[steven11]

Great thread!

I would love to see a picture of your current tank if you have one.

 

[plack]

I have just offically been scared by lighting/thunder--just now--Get this!

In the other room I had my hand in the tank and got a quick schock I thought it was from an extension chord and actuallyfelt / saw imagined seeing electricity between my sholder socket and the water on the top of the tank then in just a few milliseconds/almolst at the same time Lightning and Immediately loud rumbeling thunder.

And I usually like storms!

Damn am I glad everything is on ground fault circuits!!!!

Sorry just wanted to share--calm down :-O

This is washington we rarely get thunder storms

 

[marinelife]

Great thread!

I would love to see a picture of your current tank if you have one.

www.marinelifeweb.com for my 375

 

[Scooterman]

Can't wait to see what you do with the front pane! Please document this part!

 

[marinelife]

Installed the panel today,

More can be found at the bottom of this page:
http://www.saltgeek.com/pages/800buildpictures.htm

 

[matts125]

that looks heavy!!
cant wait to see this thing full of water!!!

Matt