Sunroom Reef

[jesseb]

Mike and chuck have been on me to put some pictures up, so here's the first teaser. After a year - stop laughing Mike heres a teaser shot. I'll post over the next few days more photos. I really have to thank Mike for his feedback and guidance, as well as ideas I've gotten here...

A few details: 96l x 32w x 30h glass - starfire-equivalent front glass (all glass 3/4") - eurobracing
External overflow wier
150 gal acrylic sump - ecosystem with protein skimmer (not installed yet)
Aquaseas 3600 return to tank
Closed loop - aquaseas 4700, electric ball valve, eductors on output pipes
around 475lbs rock - no substrate
No lights yet on tank (it'll be a reef)... I'll be adding 10K metal halides
Fireplug 1000W heater

The tank is sitting in a sunroom - stand is cinderblocks and 4" steel I-beams with Owens Corning Faux fieldstone on the outside
Sump sits underneath and behind the tank - on a wheeled stand - so I can pull it out to service. I'll post more description with other photos

jesse

 

[bradreef]

that is a monster.

 

[MtnDewMan]

Jesse

Thanks for getting a picture up of your tank. After seeing some of the photos you showed me last weekend, I wanted to see one put up here It looks great. Can't wait to see it grow. When do you get lights????

 

[mojoreef]

LOL Jessie you take patcience to a whole new level!!!! This is going to be an awesome reef, thanks for sharing some pics will us.


MIke

 

[karsco]

Wow, that is really nice. Someday I plan to do the same thing when I build our next house. What kind of lights do you plan on using?

 

[esmith]

WOW:shock:...that is going to be one hell of a reef!

Are you planning on using natural sunlight at any point during the day?

-Eliyah

 

[jesseb]

WOW:shock:...that is going to be one hell of a reef!

Are you planning on using natural sunlight at any point during the day?

-Eliyah

Thanks to everyone. I'm pretty excited (if not tired).

I'm guessing from around March to November I'll get varying amounts of natural sunlight - of course that being a relative term here in Seattle area .

Since around March 1st, the amount of sunlight the tank is receiving directly has been increasing - right now, it's probably getting a total of 1 1/2 - 2 hours direct sunlight - I suspect by summer time that'll be more like 5 or so hours. I'd like to leverage that - the clams and corals that will be in the tank I'm sure will appreciate it. I'm suspecting the summer will drive a new set of challenges around heating and cooling - so there may be a need to manage the direct sunlight come then. I'm already planning on adding a chiller - so I'm not worried about overheating.

I'm already seeing more algae growth in the tank from the limited sunlight its receiving, so I'm pretty certain I'll need to be thinking about grazers and algae control.

It's already lots of fun to just sit and stare - if you notice in the photo, there are a few small greenish specks on the left side of the tank. These are part of a school of 8 Green Chromis and one Anthias in the tank - so I have something to stare at and to feed the caulerpa.

 

[jesseb]

LOL Jessie you take patcience to a whole new level!!!! This is going to be an awesome reef, thanks for sharing some pics will us.


MIke

Patience my a$$. Something no one has ever accused me of. Theres just soo many hours in the day - and I'm guessing I may have "redesigned" a few things a few times (plumbing was only 9 or so versions). That and perhaps I underestimated a little bit the scope of doing everything pretty much myself

 

[jesseb]

Jesse

Thanks for getting a picture up of your tank. After seeing some of the photos you showed me last weekend, I wanted to see one put up here It looks great. Can't wait to see it grow. When do you get lights????

Soon on the lights. They actually need to replace a few of the wooden sunroom beams (a few leaks and some rotting wood), so I'm not anxious to hang things and then remove them. They should be installing the new beams in the next week or so, shortly after that I'll put up the lights. Then of course, coral and clams....

 

[Maxx]

Jessie,
That looks AWESOME!!!! This is going to be a smokin cool reef!!! I love the aquascaping! I also really like the rock facade on the stand.
Nick

 

[wrightme43]

Really cool. Looks like its going to be awesome. Im sure the sun will very good effects on coral growth.

 

[gobyit]

Very excellent!!! I am up for adoption-LOL