187g Modern BB

[skey44]

I am planning to start up a new system and do a complete build thread. But for now I'm just gonna throw this out there and see what you guys think.




External dimensions are 60x30x20 I'm just gonna make it easy and call it a 155g, the sump will probably be an ADHI Berlin 60.

I am planning on using the same guy that makes our custom sumps and tanks to make this one- ADHI in Colorado (he is a true craftsman). He uses cell cast Colorado produced acrylic. The back, bottom, and overflow box of the tank will be black. All of the holes will be for 1" Hayward sch 80 bulkheads. The sides, back, front and euro brace will be 3/4" acrylic, the overflow box will be 3/8", and the bottom will be 1" or I'll go with whatever suggestions he has (he gives a lifetime warranty on tanks if you go with his build suggestions!)

The tank will follow bb principles, be 75/25 SPS/LPS and house my currently successfully overstocked 75 plus a little bit more.

equipment:

The keyhole slots will be for cord control of 4 (if needed i'll probably start with two) Tunze 6101 on a multi controller
The d.o.cs will be removed via an H&S 200-1260
The sump will also house my GEO 618 ca reactor and a new GEO media rxr filled with gfo and gac.
A Reeflo Marlin pump with a manifold will feed the reactors and the main tank
ATI will provide lighting with a 10x54w Powermodule
All plumbing including bulkheads will be sch 80 for strength, aesthetics, and function.
Top off will be accomplished with my Tunze Osmolator and a custom reservoir built into the sump
Overflow standpipes will be Hofer Gurgle Buster.
With a little help I plan on constructing the stand with a modern clean look then coating it in a dark espresso finish and coating the interior with the white waterproof epoxy/pvc paint.

I am also going to take the opportunity to do some work on the house to update the look a bit. While the tank is out of the house I will be installing new floors in the aquarium room and kitchen, removing painted over wallpaper, repainting the walls and cabinets, adding wood blinds to the windows , and my landlord is going to install a new roof.

Wish me luck and I will take all of the advice I can get. The few things I'm 99% set on are T5 lighting, BB, and no closed loop bc i don't like the look of most of them or the potential headaches involved.

Cheers,

[aquawolf]

Looks like you have an awesome plan for a great tank Scott. Best of luck with it and all of the home remodel work.

[joker577]

That sounds awesome, seems like your definately gonna need to host a meeting sometime soon when you get it

[skey44]

thanks guys,

I already got the quote it hurt a bit but i think i'm gonna go for it. I am gonna redesign a little tonight after talking with Earl about the design.

bring on the constructive criticism!

[Fat Tony]

Looks great scott! keep us updated as this build matures

[tdwyatt]

Originally Posted by skey44

Wish me luck and I will take all of the advice I can get.

Use Sunscreen... ...lots of sunscreen.




I want a copy of the software you used to draw the tank diagram!

[Fat Tony]

tom you can get it from Google for FREE... it's called Sketch Up I think...

[Fat Tony]

better yet.. here's the link:
http://sketchup.google.com/

[skey44]

yeah sketchup is free and fun and sounds a lot like ketchup.
it is very easy -this sketchup model is actually my first attempt- i do have some 3d modeling experience but not too much just a college course with like one section on form-z i don't know if that even exists anymore

It is the sunscreen time of the year isn't it... hopefully the 10 bulb ati and the shallow depth will encourage some desirable sunscreen out of the corals! lps will have to go in the shadows I'm sure

on another note i am ordering all the hayward sch. 80 bulkheads as I type this to send to the builder to try and get him to cut internal(wetside) indentions for the hex nut around the hole for the bulkhead like AGE does. here is a link to a pic of the age style. http://www.kingfishaquarium.com/agecustomaquariums.htm

and here is a link to the hayward sch. 80 bulkhead- http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/Plumbi..._32/index.html
they also have all the cepek ball valves I plan on using on that site also

here is the skimmer I plan on using. I am going to talk to Bryan the US wholesaler of these and see what he thinks about my sizing, I would consider going a size down, but it is the same diameter as my current euro reef. the 200-1260 on the other hand is a beast from what i've heard and can see by the specs!!!
http://www.oceansflooraquatics.com/i...products_id=97
and I need a strong skimmer for the fishaholic in me! I also like skimmer nog (my girlfriend does not) so the more the merrier.

I've started thinking about the stand and it is very tempting to pay someone to build it for me since my ideas are usually pretty good, but my execution and craftsmanship can be lagging. I am thinking ultra clean and modern- with no aesthetic moulding around the bottom of the tank to show off the sexy acrylic. I would also like some sort of lazy susan pull out for my ATO system... wouldn't that be nice?

[mcliffy2]

Looks like you are planning on doing this build right. Or maybe I like it because its kinda similar to my build (http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=112259)

kidding aside, looks like it will be an awesome setup.

[skey44]

mcliffy- I've seen your build it looks great!... I am just taking some of the ideas I like from different people and putting them together!

For you sps barebottomers- what is the feeling about filter socks. I know my current sump fills with detritus every few months. Is it better to catch it before it settles in socks as long as you change them every few days, or should I just let it settle in the sump and vacuum it weekly instead of the display? I hope the returns and Tunze can keep it from settling in the display.

I am also thinking about making the stand larger than my display so I can get up there and kneel to clean or walk around to get to the back - I clean the back of my aquarium I really don't like the look of Coralline. It will also help to work on the overflow for plumbing and installation, and then I can plumb the overflow straight down to the sump through the top of the stand.

[mcliffy2]

skey44 - have you committed on the skimmer? H&S are great skimmers no doubt, but they havent redesigned in a few years. If I was doing internal I'd probably go with an ATB, have you looked into them? The medium size would rock out on your tank, its about the same price as the H&S and has a similar footprint (10x16) so I'm guessing it would fit:
http://www.atbskimmers.com/product.php?id=56

[skey44]

I have not committed to anything. I have seen the skimmers that are floating around and looked pretty hard into it. My final decision is going to be between BK supermarine 200, ATB medium, and H&S200 1260. They are all more than capable of handling this system and it will be a hard final decision. I am just leaning towards H&S because of Bryan and Fins Reef, the fact that they have been around for a while, and I have seen some of the best quality nog from these skimmers on threads ( I really buy into their air to water ratio, and neck sizing being correct compared to some other skimmer brands... they don't need a turbulence reducer- aka bubble plate or funnel).
That being said I will have a hard time deciding where my $1K + go when its all said and done.

I like your skimmer choice. I work with one of those everyday and it is a beast. It would just be a little too noisy and spill possible to go under my stand, not to mention be a waste of machine on this system-overkill.

On another note I talked with the builder on the phone today and he said the price will be the same at 24" tall so I think I will go that route (he would just throw away 4" to get a 20" tall tank) and sadly he thinks my hayward sch 80 bulkheads were a waste of money... he has his bulkheads custom made (proprietary to his liking) and said they test as strong or stronger than anything else on the market... and here I go thinking I'm gonna send him these and see what he thinks about em and if he can use them- think I underestimated him. I guess I have some bulkheads for sale in the near future I'm still gonna do the cepek valves though.

Now I just have to redesign to 24" add the extra bulkhead hole and work out a few kinks on the sketchup and send him a couple jpegs to get the official quote and then start saving and working on the house!

Now we're up to 187gallons and a 60 gallon sump... what fish can we add to the fray in the stocking plans.

I would really like to add an Acanthurus tang (which one???) and a whole school of bartlett's anthias to the stocking plans. I guess I should let you guys know what I have so far and see what you think.

As of now and until I get my new tank (I'm way overstocked) I have the following fish

Regal Angel (red sea) (6") 8 months
Copperband Butterfly(5") 3 weeks
Scopas Tang (3")1.5 yrs
(2) Nude Clown Pair 2 months
Christmas Wrasse (H. biocellatus) 3 months
Four Line Wrasse 3 months
(3) Trio Barlett's Anthias 3 months
Royal Gramma 5 years

All shoehorned into my 75 I am a fishaholic and I admit it

I also have a bevy of sps frags ranging in size of 1-6" and a few select lps that are all growing well thriving and mostly the colors they are supposed to be.
I would take a pic... but the tank is a mess
so I'll just post an old one back when I had three fish and a lot smaller corals!



I'll take a new one before I take the tank down, just not tonight.

[mcliffy2]

The current tank looks very nice. very promising of things to come. you definitely have an eye for a nice open aquascape.

Any way you go with the skimmer you cant go wrong...altho with you your fish addiction I'd bump up to the BK SM 250 (at that price 150 more is negligible). Also, with the extra volume, maybe think about bumping up to the H&S with 2 eheims instead of one if you that route? Maybe a bit overkill, but if you want to stock heavy an extra few hundred out of the thousands you will spend on this build to know you can have as many fish as you want and never worry seems worth it (I went through this between the reeflo 200 and 250, and finally decided just to go all out on the skimmer).

As for fish, this past weekend I became enamoured with chromis...never had been before, but a local guy has about 20 blue and blue-green chromis in his 220, and the way they school, and make the acros "home" ducking in and out between the branches, is just really really cool.

[skey44]

definitely a fan of chromis. they just add a dancing splash of movement and color to the tank and keep it interesting. My bartlett's are very much the same as the male is quite dominant and keeps the females dancing in and out of the coral branches and nodules as there is not a whole lot of rockwork in my tank for them to hide in. Another interesting thing about anthias and Chromis is that since I have added them to the tank all the fish are always out... I always wondered how huge displays got all these stunning fish not to hide and I think the answer is schooling fish. There will be a school of around a dozen fish of some variety in the tank I'll just have to wait and see.

The store I work for got in these Chromis this week and I think I am in love! http://www.golden-ina.com/gallery/10615.jpg