New Tank(s) Plans

[nickg]

Well I've been saying it for a year now, "gonna get a big one". Now the plans are in the works. It's going to be a long slow process. Measured a wall in the living room, and 72" tank w/stand should fit perfect. However a beautiful fw planted tank of years sits there. Hopefully I can move it with sucess. Here is the start of the plans.
Aquire a drilled 180gal with stand and canopy. Dry fit the MH in the hood, leaving room for the 4 4' VHO's currently on the 55g. Install the sump/refugium, thinking maby a 40 long with divider. Plumb it with a undetermined "BIG" pump teed off to a spray bar across the bottom back and a wavemaker in the middle top. Fill it up with sand, hopefully locate a great deal on LR and aquascape over a couple of months, not really running the MH. Prolly need floor jacks befor the water is added. I'd like to cut a hole in the floor and run a pipe to the basement where I would set up a RO on a timer to fill a bin and a whirpool pump (maby) on a float switch to top-off automactically. It will have to rely on the fuge for export untill it's time to transfer the 55g, I'll be using that skimmer, anyone see a problem with this? I don't plan to add fish untill it's transfered. After its plumbed and established I'll retro-fit the VHO's, put most of the sand from the 55g in arange the rock from the 55g and move the coral and hook up the skimmer, bam done. Then the fun part, livestock! I hope to have this complete by April 2003, please let me know of any problems you see, or stuff I missed ect. I know it's gonna take alot of help from you all. Oh ya, While all this is happening, I plan on setting up a 10g nano to keep a pistol shrimp/randalls gobie pair, just for fun

[Doug1]

Sounds good Nick, is this going to be a free standing or in the wall setup?

[nickg]

Free standing. Which bothers me a little because the room is carpeted. I may rip out the carpet where the tank will sit.

[cath]

Good for you, Nick! We're looking forward to watching the progress!

Sigh...maybe one day...

[beach bum]

very ambitious Nick, best of luck on the project. The only thing I can think to add is maybe more circulation. If you get a glass tank won't it have a center brace? Maybe a wavemaker on each side would work if that's the case.

[nickg]

BB, I wasn't sure how to deal with the center brace. If I did use 2 wavemakers, I think I would need a second pump. Seems to much for 1 pump to feed 3 seperate out-puts. Not sure on this one. Maby a huge pump will work.
Now that I got this on paper, my impatience is already building Hoping to have tank and plumbing in place by Sep. Then start saving for the lights. Sigh, it's gonna take a while. First move, find a deal on a tank/stand/canopy.

[Brooke]

Couple of thoughts-

We have a 40g long for a sump on our 135 and it is really pretty small. A 55g wouldn't fit in the stand..but if you have a basement below you could put the sump down there. (thinking that you could use your existing tank for a sump) I'd also plan on a closed loop for additional water movement.

What kind of wavemaker were you going to use?


Otherwise..sounds like a great plan. a 180 is a great size!

[nickg]

Brooke, I thought about using the basement for the sump area. However my basement is un-finished and very old. It doesn't leak, but it gets very moldy in the spring, musty. I don't think it would be wise to keep anything not completely closed down there. My fw holding bin will be sealed to prevent contamination and evaporation. As far as wavemaker, I have zero experience with this, so any suggestions would be apprieciated. Also, on the 40g long, not sure on stand dimensions, but I want to save room for a possible Ca reactor, in the later stages of the tank. I wish to keep mostly sps, lps, and clams.

[cichlidite]

Nickg,
Great timing. I'm doing something very similar on a similar timeline, to begin next month. Please keep us (me?) posted of your progress.

Question regarding your basement. I too plan to plumb some sort of top-off/extra capacity system in the basement. My basement isn't really a basement, it's more of an over-glorified crawl space, but you can stand up in it and it is clean and can only be accessed from inside the house. It does not leak, but the temp does fluxuate with the weather, usually in the 60s. I'm curious, and maybe we can do this offline via email or PM, but I'm curious how you plan to plumb into your basement. Since it will never be seen by anyone but me (the wife won't even go down there), I figured it could be a crude set-up, as long as it was heated, secure, and protected from dust, etc. Insulated PVC? I'm looking at 6-7 feet down, so will need a hefty pump. Not sure how to establish this whole things. Anyway, I love details, if you have the inclination.

Thanks,
Mike

[mapster]

Now that I got this on paper, my impatience is already building

I know how you feel. I cant wait to buy my first house and set up my dream system. Working out the planning in my head and on paper has got me so excited and cant hardly wait! Keep us up to date on you progress, lots of pics, Im very interested in following someone else from start to finish.

[nickg]

cichlidite, I would be more than happy to share my plans for the automation. The plan as it is now in my head... I figure this system will need about 20+ gals of FW a week. I will hook up the RO unit to the cold water line in the basement and put it on a timer valuve. I'm pretty sure you can get this at the local HD or similar store. If I'm wrong on this, I'll simply turn it on once a week and fill the bin. I will use a Rubbermaid trash can 30+ gal capacity with lid on. I'll cut 2 holes in the lid, one for the RO input and one for the fill line. Seal with silicone. I'm looking at 10 feet or more so the pump will have to be determined. Thinking a whirpool pump, but more research will have to be done. This pump (whatever it may be) will be hooked to a float switch in the sump. So a hole the size of the PVC plus cord will have to be cut in the floor benieth the tank. I'm not worried about temp. the float switches are pretty touchy so not much water will enter the sump at any one time, and thats where the water is heated and processed as well. Don't care at all what it looks like in the basement, all we do down there is through junk we don't want upstairs. As long as I can keep any contaniments out of the bin, I feel fairly safe. I also like fresh cold water, I think the water from the water heater seems "spoiled", same as cooking, always start with cold water. I would love to hear your thoughts on this. My wife is going crazy knowing whats about to happen She understands I have to do this, and I promised to go VERY slow and not break the bank all in one shot.

[Minnreefer]

I would try to think if you could make a small "clean" room in your basement to put a sump and most everything else into. I also wanted to remind you to keep your eyes open in the want adds section. Locally 1 person is trying to sell a fully equipted 180, tank, stand and hood for I think $1000, Everything sounds good.

Jon

[nickg]

Jon, longshot here, are they including lights? If so (which I doubt) It could be worth a road trip. Thanx for any info.

[cichlidite]

Nickg,
Sounds like a good plan.

It gets down right cold in Lansing, MI...I've been there, I know. You plan to heat your basement container too, right? Or keep it very cold and add it to the sump as needed and let the sump heater take care of it?

I've never seen these float valves...similar to a toilet float plunger valve I guess huh....when it reaches a certain height in the trash can, the RO pump turns off?

Then you have another float switch/valve on your sump in your house to active when it gets low? This will pump/suck water UP from the basement?

Will you aeriate(? air-e-ate?) the water in the basement, too?

Any additives in this water?

Looking forward to pics, Nick!!!

Cheers,
Mike

[Minnreefer]

Here is the e-mail, yes it does include some lights.

We are relocating to California and have two 180 gallon tanks for sale.

180 Reef Tank includes:
* Black All Glass 180 Gallon Tank with drilled overflows
* Black Stand
* Black Metal Halide Lighting System (3-175 watt 10,000K metal halides and 2-40 watt actinics) Seperate ballasts to run actinics and halides independently. Bulbs are approx 3 months old and I will throw in a spare bulb.
* 40 gallon long sump drilled for overflows and return pump (very quiet)
* Berlin protein skimmer with magdrive12 pump
* 3-Acura 1000 heaters
* Little Giant 4MDQX-SC main return pump
* 6 aquaclear powerheads
* sandpoint wave timer
* two power control boxes mounted in stand
* all plumbing supplies
This is a complete set-up ready to go - just add livestock.


180 Fish Only Tank includes:
* Black All Glass 180 Gallon Tank with drilled overflows
* Black Stand
* 2-Double Canopy Lighting Systems with 4-30 watt bulbs.
* Tidepool 2 biowheel sump (unusual but have had great success with it)
* Berlin hangon protein skimmer with magdrive12 pump
* 1-Acura 1000 heater
* Little Giant 4MDQX-SC main return pump
* one power strip mounted in stand
* all plumbing supplies
This also is a complete set-up ready to go - just add livestock.


55 gallon plexiglass tank (used as fresh water but also drilled for salt)
* Black background tank
* Black stand
* Filstar canister filter

I am asking $1,000 for the 180 reef tank and $250 for the 55 gallon plexiglass tank. These tanks are empty and ready to be picked up now. The 180 fish only tank will have my livestock in it until shortly before we move in September so I am looking for a September sale for that tank.

I know that most of you are probably not ready for that next tank yet but may know of someone who is. If the buyer tells me that anyone of you referred them to me I will gladly give you a fifty ($50.00) dollar finders fee.

Thanks for all of your help and it has been a pleasure knowing alot of you from Something Fishy!

Sincerely,