new tank

[Mike HArrington]

we move into our new house next weekend and I am finishing the basement and putting in a large reef tank. this is what I am thinking:

I am seting up a larger tank (60*48*24 but may increase the length to 72*48*24) and will be doing 2 400DE 2 250 DE and 4 48 inch VHO's to illuminate it . I am going to keep the tank very open as well. Just doing two rock Islands diaged with a channel in the center. SHould be nice.

For the rock Islands I plan on using Milk Crate with cut outs for caves and attaching the rock to it. this will increase flow through and minimize the amount of rock needed to creat the aquascape. I may do two peninsulas coming off each Island (two total) and at different heights to give a unique look though the channel whick will be lit by two 03 actinics to creat shadows and depth.

the tank will be constructed from 3/4 acrlic material.

 

[big t]

Sounds awesome Mike! What kind of reef is this going to be? Are you constructing the tank yourself? How are you planning on going about the circulation?

 

[bradreef]

going to be great. pics pics pics

 

[Mike HArrington]

Having it built. I will be using my MO four way for the return lines and using tunze 6200's on a 7095 controller

 

[mojoreef]

Oh thats a sweat size Mike. you can really do some great aquascaping with that. Make sure the pics keep flowing.


Mike

 

[Mike HArrington]

One thing I want to know though is about the lighting. I have the opportunity to get two new sun replicators DE pendnts and 2 new style 400 Coralvue ballast with 2 nib 400 de 20K for 310.00. the baLLAST ARE 2 MONTHS OLD/

is coral vue a decent company with a reliable product?

 

[mojoreef]

Mike I am the wrong guy for that question, I dont like DE setups. I believe coralvue had some hang ups prior and I am not sure if they had got them ironed out yet or not.


Mike

 

[Mike HArrington]

I know they redesigned the ballast and all I just am unsure. What is it about DE set ups that you dislike?

 

[Mike HArrington]

here is a drawing of the tank although this is an original proposal for a 60/40/24 it will be eight inches deeper.

the over flow is 12*6 with two 1.5 inch drains and 2 1 inch returns. I have until the 14th of march to make changes

 

[Mike HArrington]

this will be an SPS reef. I want to keep it very open so it will be viewable from 3 sides. Iam going to do two rock Islands supported with milk crates to increase flow though and decrease the amount of rock needed. There will be a four sided cave in each (at varrying heights though) to give the fish shelter and hiding spots

 

[mojoreef]

Mike I used to run them over my tank, I find that they have to narrow of a light focus, that and the e glass shield always gets covered in salt creep and doesnt clean off completely. That and I had the glass break once and it cooked a bunch of corals.


MIke

 

[Mike HArrington]

SO I finalized the tank and the final dimensions are 60*42*24. I opted to reduce the Width a bit to help with maintaining it. It will be here in about three weeks!!

 

[mojoreef]

WoooHooo pictures!!!!!!!!



Mike

 

[Mike HArrington]

Dont worry!!! there will be pics.

Right now I am getting soem ideas for the canopy. thinking of even possible using white window shutters (wooden) on three sides for easy access!

 

[bc_slc]

good size tank and good plan on the circulation plan.

 

[Mike HArrington]

Update:

I had to go with a different company IPI acrylics (they are local in MI) and the tank is 72*36*24.

I will upload some pics of it tonight. It is empty still because we are planning the basement and will begin construction second week of July.

The draft is for a two side viewable in wall design with the maintenance room behind the tank. The tank will be on a 40 inch stand so that is is more easily viewed.

To date I took Mojo's advice after much research and personal experience with the DE bulb types and have 4 250 watt 20K hamiltons on Pulse Start PFO ballast for this tank and 4 48 inch VHO Bulbs on an IC 660

Ca reactor is Schuran 1
Tunze Wave Box
3 6080's
2 6100's
Skimmer H&S A200 External with dual Eheims recircs to be Gravity Fed

The Tanks has 2 1.5 inch downs and 2 1.0 inch returns

I may drill into the bracing and use the returns to feed a seperate refugium and then just divert the returned water to the four corners of the tank.

Going to be BB on this one as well.

I am thinking about making some of my own rock so I can control the shapes better and also using the foam that the germans use to create a place for corals to be attached. Does anyone know the name of teh foam that they are using for this?

 

[mojoreef]

No idea on the foam my friend, the tank and equipement sounds great, cant wait to see what it looks like


Mike

 

[jlehigh]

I'm stoked for you Mike, Many hrs of joy and frustration heading your way

As much as I hate deferring to other sites here is a reefcentral thread with allot of info and products for creating foam backdrops ect ect:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=447292

 

[Mike HArrington]

Please forgive the uneven linesas it has been about 14 years since my last art class

The concept is really to be viewed fron to back and then the length via two sides. The door by the tank will lead to the maintenance room where all the equipment will be.

I plan on using recessed lights as well as eyeball lights to illunminate the area. I am going to try to find soft colored bulbs (blue prefered) to make teh area relaxing.

Still not sold on the great stuff foam that is available at HD and may hold out for the stuff to be imported by captive oceans from Royal exclusive.

 

[Mike HArrington]

after a long night of researching the threads on R/C I am ixnaying the foam thing. It seem that UV breaks it down as does water. Not a chance I want to take.

The altenative is pre-cast rockwork fascia that fits nback wall and on the overflow. This is what I will likely do. I have pics being sent to me so I will know better after I see them.