A picture tour of my tank (Pic intense)

[Helter Skilter]

I just finished my reef tank, so I figured I'd give a photo tour. I will start at the overflows and travel through my system until it goes back into the tank.

The planning for my tank started about a year ago. After getting tired of constant water changes on my 26 cichlid tanks, I decided I was going to put all my eggs in one basket, and set up a large reef tank instead.

Construction started on 6/30/07. Most of the work was done by my dad and I. A friend of mine ran all the electrical, installing 3 15amp circuits, and running all the conduit.

I am using 1.5" PVC Durso stand pipes inside my overflows. All 4 holes of the AGA 210 are being used as drains. Dursos are pretty standard so I'm skipping the picture for them. All four pipes are run individually under the tank to the left side (if you are behind the tank), and extend out over my refugium.



Three of those pipes drop straight down and go under my deep sand bed. The fourth pipe is T'ed off, with one part dropping below the sand. The other pipe (the one on the far left travels the length of the refugium, exits through the wall, and is hard plumbed into my ejector pump on the other isde of the wall. I installed ball valves to control the direction of flow.

The pipes travel under 600 pounds of aragonite, and come up on the opposite side they enter the tank in. The pipes rise up about 12" and 90 back across a 4' length the of the tank. At this point, each PVC pipe (still 1.5" is drilled on the bottom half with 250 1/2" holes. The idea is to let water flow out the bottom half, while trapping the bubbles in the top section of the pipe.



I chose an Oceanic 135 gallon tank as my refugium. As stated earlier, there is a 600 deep sand bed that is anywhere from 6"- 12" deep and 80 pounds of live rock. I am keeping several types of Macro algae, chaeto, three kinds of Xenia, 4 Mangrove trees, and a huge sea urchin in there. Right now I'm also using it to nurse some LPS and mushrooms back to health. I received them when I bought a closing store out of the rest of their livestock. Light is supplied by a 4' PC, and a 20" fluorescent bulb.

I drilled two 2" holes in the side of my refugium right underneath the spot that the drain enter the fuge (where the egg crate is in the first pic). From there the water drains into a 55g AGA tank that I use as a sump. I'm running an Aqua C EV180 skimmer, driven by a Mag 9.5 that is dialed back just a tad. Before entering my skimmer the water passes through my chiller (1/4 hp Pacific Coast Imports). I'm also running a Phosphate reactor with a carbon reactor daisy chained to it.



As a return, I'm using a Reeflo Baracuda. Awesome pump. I highly recomend them. Capable of moving a lot of water with a lot of head pressure, and doing it more efficiently, and quiter than most pumps it's size. I have to dial it back because I made the mistake of using to small a sump. To keep enough water in the system for the pump (running at max capactiy) not to cavitate before the water returns back to the sump would cause flooding in the case of a power outage.



From the sump the water gets pumped up to a 1" Sea Swirl ocelating(sp?) return, as well as 3 Carlson surge tanks (1 ten gallon, and a 20H split in two) all plumbed with 1.5" returns. Noise from the surges (they aren't as loud as most claim when done right) is reduced further by 1.5" of styrofoam between the walls.

Lighting is provided by 2 400w metal halides, 1 400w HQI metal halide (which is pushing closer to 500w), 2 6' super actincs, and 3 blue LED moon lights. I am currently using Helios 20Ks for my halide bulbs, and getting explosive SPS growth (including the bottom of my tank) and awesome coloration.

Out of frame on the left side, I have my RO/DI attached to the wall. I use a 55 gallon tank with a float valve for collection, and another 55g under it for salt mixing.



At that point the water returns back to the tank... here. The display is an AGA 210 gallon. I have 280 pounds of Kaileni live rock in the display, and 100 pounds of ESV ultra whirte aragonite. It is mostly filled with sps and lps. At last count, I am closing in on a 100 species of coral and about 18 fish. It has only been holding water since August so as it fills in, it will become much nicer to look at.







THANK YOUS
I owe a huge "thank you" to my wife for dealing with our living room torn up for 5 months, my dad for all his help on the build, Dan, John, DJ, Beefy, and Justin for all the help and guidance, Nate for running all the elctrical, Advanced Aquatics, Aquatic Reef, all the OT Hijackers that lurk in the CMAS section (if you guys stumble across this keep quite, I don't want to ruin the suprise when you see it in person), my neighbor Matt who works at Flooring America of Algonquin for hooking me up with the marble, and thank you for looking. I'm very sorry if I left anyone out... it's late, and I'm tired.

P.S. This is my first serious attempt at a reef tank.

[SuperAWE]

Nice looking tank and setup! I really do like the way in-walls look.

[kilmca]

Very nice tank, especially since it's your first reef setup. You did some homework.

How do you like that 30" tall tank? A 210 is 30" tall, right?

[Brewen]

To Reef Central kilmca
Great looking tank Greedo please keep us posted on growth.

[Helter Skilter]

Thank you. It is 29" tall. The tank visually shrunk down quite a bit after going in wall, so I'm glad I used it instead of the 180 I was going to.

It is however difficult to reach down into. I intentionally built the stand taller than most, so you wouldn't get a sore back from bending over to look into the thing. I have to use a bar stool to stand on to get into it, and it is still hard to get to the front of the tank. Add the surge tank hanging from the ceiling behind the center, and it's really hard to get to the center part of the tank. Over all though, I'm very pleased with the set up. The difficulties of getting to some parts of the tank are made up for by the clean presentation, and will not be an issue at all once everything is established.

[5h3rW1N]

Great Sut-up mannn

[5h3rW1N]

love the rocks LOL

[Kannin]

Very nice. Looks like you thought it out well. Love the blueness.

[Helter Skilter]

Thank you. It really doesn't look that blue in person. I'm still trying to figure out the white balance on my camera.

Giving credit where credit is due, my friend DJ did all the tank drilling, and built the surges for me.

Here are a few of my fish...

Leopard Wrasse


Blonde Naso


Peppermint Hogfish

[mcliffy2]

Wow, very nice. I'm planning a corner in-wall as well. I really wanted to do the corner with no brace, but I'm told doing the wall with no support at the corner will be $$$$ as compared to having a post at the corner. Do you have any pics of the building process?

[justinm0424]

It all depends on if the wall is a supporting wall. Walls that aren't supporting are very easy to cut into and make the corner. It just needs a couple extra 2x4's but if it's supporting another floor or something then it needs to be braced and properly supported. Also if it's a supporting wal you might want to consider using a small steel rod for the corner since it wont take up much space at all to use.

[GMFett]

beautiful tank! you guys did a great job!~

[Sullyman]

It was nice to meet you today, your tank is sweet and you're right the marble is a great way to frame it, nice work.

[Helter Skilter]

Sullyman, it was a pleasure meeting you as well.

Thanks to all for the kind words.

I did not take any pictures of the build process. I was trying to keep it under wraps until it was ready to show. I didn't really want to interupt the work we were doing either.

[Sullyman]

What really matters is the end result, now for the corals to grow out, and it'll just get nicer.

[Jeff]

Beautiful! The marble does look great in the pics. I really like the leopard Wrasse.

[Helter Skilter]

Originally posted by mcliffy2
Wow, very nice. I'm planning a corner in-wall as well. I really wanted to do the corner with no brace, but I'm told doing the wall with no support at the corner will be $$$$ as compared to having a post at the corner. Do you have any pics of the building process?

I didn't support the corner of mine. The wall was framed out before going up, and then skrewed into the concrete floor, and ceiling joists. 3.5" Tapcon for the floor. I don't remember if we used 3" screws or a framing nailer to secure it to the joists. I did a pull up on the corner to check the strength. It didn't budge. You're welcome to check it out if you'd like a better idea of how it's built.

[PSam]

Looks sharp! In-walls are great, even more so on a corner

very, very nice.

[mbierzyc]

Looks great. I love the fish.

[BlakDuc]

Looks great Greedo. It has come a long way since "I have a skimmer."

[aiko670]

Looking fine Benny Lava!

[Helter Skilter]

Originally posted by GrandeGixxer
Looks great Greedo. It has come a long way since "I have a skimmer."

That was a fun thread. I had to change the CMAS link to this thread in rememberance.

[reefsahoy]

nice work but i have a concern about your surge tank. It looks like it's suported by metal brackets and the brackets will get rusted eventually and weaken to the point of breaking. keep an eye on those brackets. Just my 2 cents.

[moon jelly]

Congrats! I the leopard wrasse! your corner tank looks awesome. maybe you should turn the couch around so it faces the tank

[mcliffy2]

Originally posted by Greedo
I didn't support the corner of mine. The wall was framed out before going up, and then skrewed into the concrete floor, and ceiling joists. 3.5" Tapcon for the floor. I don't remember if we used 3" screws or a framing nailer to secure it to the joists. I did a pull up on the corner to check the strength. It didn't budge. You're welcome to check it out if you'd like a better idea of how it's built.

I take it since Sullyman saw your tank, you live around Chicago? Would you mind if I came by to check it out some time, since my tank plan is very similar?