130 X 36 x 36 inbound...any suggestions?
 

Finally did it...ordered a big tank...:spin3::beer::spin2:
I went acrylic, reluctantly, and hope this does not come back to haunt me...have seen what triggers can do to an acrylic tank...
Anyway, ******* is building it...Joe is an awesome guy and a great help...Thanks Joe!

The tank will be a 130 x 36 x 36 (let's say 700 gallons) peninsula with the overflow going coast-to-coast, runs entire width of tank....the refuge will have 3 compartments and will be approx. 350 total gallons- but will have approx. 200 gallons running daily...remaining volume will be used to hold overflow when power is off...
skimmer will be my reef creations mr-6, which is rated for 1250 gallons...will run dual Becketts, 2nd injectors, and 2nd extension tube...
pumps- going with dual Reeflo Snappers
closed-loop with 5 returns, at 2 different heights, and loacted about mid-way and 3/4 distance from overflow...angled upwards towards overflow...returns will be covered by live rock...
lighting- will probably go with ho t5 though I do have a beautiful 6 ft metal halide that I am not not currently running...

Will move most of my trigs and angels to it...

Any thoughts, suggestions, ideas...anything not to do...mistakes learned too late that you can forewarn me about??

Paid for it last week- there is a 6-8 week wait- that gives me 10-12 days to make any changes to the tank itself...

The room it is going in is getting a major overhaul now...
I really want to put a wood floor down...but going to avoid hardwood (maintenance issues)...anyone have a laminate floor under their tanks? If so, how does the floor handle the water?

Many thanks to all...I wish it was as easy to upload pics in here as it is in fb..I don't have a snapper or photobucket account...is that really the easiest way to upload pics in here??
I really appreciate the input...TK

awesome, it's going to be a lot of fun watching this build thread.

Sounds really nice, and I can't wait to see it up and running!
If it is a FOWLR, I would plan on a good way to cover the tank.
I would also put 1 or more superfeeders (auto feeder) on there.

Yes it will be fowlr... the tank will have 3 removable acrylic covers...2 feeding tubes...I really don't ever use auto feeders- hard to put anything in them that will satisfy my larger trigs and angels- except for nls pellets...and not all my kids enjoy them...any thoughts on the stand...powder coat, galvanized? also going to add 5 stage rodi system...any recommendations??

that is a whale of a tank!

how thick is the acrylic? what kind of bracing?

Dang those are some nice measurements for fowlr. So jeaolous.

powder coat it it does much much better i did one with powder coat ten years a go and it looks like the day i brought it home

No real advice as I've never set up a tank that big, but it sounds like you've already got a good plan going.

Buy your rocks now from Marco and you can spend a week or two easy configuring them how you want, then just be able to drop them into the tank when it gets there.

skimmer will run a Blue Line 70HD.....thanks, I thought powder-coat was the way to go...it will be sheathed in oak (I think) when done...just want as much under there as possible... so not doing a wood stand...

I just want as much room as possible under the stand...that is why I am not going with a wood stand...

have always used live rock...have Fijian/Vanuatuan in all 3 of my tanks...never used dry...benefits to dry- other than the uniform sizes and shapes?? I was going to cycle the tank with the live rock... and a friend is going to loan me his Argus (pretty sure) grouper....thing is a beast...close to 24 inches...and could easily swallow a softball...to cycle the tank...

I'd go with marco only because it's way cheaper than buying live rock. Move some live rock in and then a lot of the dry stuff and you're saving a lot of money.

I agree with recty. And you don't have to cycle the tank with a fish. That fish is going to be very difficult to remove when your finished.

Pics?

And just an FYI, I wouldnt cycle a tank with a massive fish. The first time he poops, your non existent biological filter will be over run and ammonia will spike.

You'd be better off cycling either "naturally" by dropping pieces of dead meat like shrimp, or else with some small fish, or one of the bottled bacteria packages.

You should be able to start the "cycle" just by adding uncured live rock to the tank.

I went galvanized on my stand and I am happy with it. It costs a little more than powdercoat but I am fine with it.

Sounds like an awesome tank and your fish should have a blast.

Laminate floor is not the way to go with the possibility of a water misshap, that type flooring is a fiber core backing and will ballon if it gets soaked. We have that floor at work and from just moisture under it it was ruined in 2 years. Have you thought about ceramic or slate flooring?

Thanks, I have slate down now...going to leave that around the tank...wood will be away from it...

The biggest 2 complaints about my big tank is the openings on the top are to small best to get the openings as big as possible so the light does not have to go through plexi lid and easier access

make sure when u start with a new tank that u have the right magnet and the right material for cleaning it as I have to strong of a magnet and pads were not 100% clean I have ended up with plies of scratches inside and out. Now I always take the magnet and pad out of the tank clean it and only keep it in the tank when I clean

good luck hope to follow along

do you have an acrylic tank? if so, how thick is your acrylic and what sized magnet was too big??
really appreciate the tip...I do not want to scratch this tank as I know my triggers are planning on doing so...
how long and wide is your tank and how big are your access ports?

thanks again,
tk

suggestion : take lots of pictures and post em.


everyone wins!

will do- though, as I said above- they need to make it as easy in here as FB to post pics...I don't use phototbucket or snapfish etc. yet...the tank still a min of 2 weeks from fabrication...the room is about 26 x 16....I am leaving the slate floor down...putting in a wood ceiling...upgrading the elec. and rodi system...the domino effect is insane...

I cant wait to see this build!

You asked about laminate underneath the tank. The wear layer of laminate is melamine (plastic) and is very water resistant, but the inner core is still a wood product (essentially fiber board) and water can damage it. Personally I would not recommend laminate under an aquarium. If you want hardwood I would go with that. But take into consideration that water will be spilled and you will get a lot of traffic on this area, and consider appropriate hardwood choices.
I would not put a solid hardwood down as moisture and solid hardwood do not mix well, and you will end up with cupped boards and check marks. There are many nice Engineered Hardwood choices that would hold up very well and are much more resilient to moisture than solid hardwood. Also, many of the new engineered hardwoods are very low maintenance.

~Michael

Michael, thanks for the most concise answer yet! Agree with your recommendation!! Going to keep the slate down...focusing on elec, ceiling, enclosing firplace-it is enormous, and the house rodi system...
Speaking of ro/di- anyone using a solid 5-stager that is relatively maintenance free? If so, what type are you running?
Thanks again!
TK
PS I am in western, CT- if anyone is in my neck of the woods late-May, lemme know!! Especially if you have experience with a "ten a core" tank of this size...going to need some assistance- though my local clubs are always willing...was also able to get some great advice at macna in March!!