Islander’s Old School Reef – 900 Gallon Display

[yifan917]

The Large Tank Forum has always been my favorite forum on RC, and I was always wishing and hoping that one day I could open a thread on this forum to share my reef keeping journey with everyone. After years of planning and dough-saving, I can finally make this project into reality.

This build is going to be a SLOW one. The tank is not going to be positioned until the new home renovation is about 50% done. However, that gives me some extra time to plan and make things right before the installation begins, and I KNOW I will get some great advice here along the way. Thank you all in advance!

System overview:
This will be a SPS mixed reef running by (mainly) Berlin method with a remote DSB + refugium / mangrove tank. I travel all the time so I need to remotely monitor and automate the system as much as possible, therefore Apex systems will be implemented. (I am NOT ready for this…. Not a tech guy at all!!! ) The idea of the mangrove tank is just for fun. I don’t know why but I have a fantasy for keeping a mangrove habitat…! I have never done that before and I am really excited about it. Berlin method + refugium have always been my personal favorite in the past 16 years!

Main Display: 10’ x 4’ x 3’ (H) – 1.6” thick acrylic with bracing.
Sump: 8’ x 3’ x 1.5’ (H) – 0.6” thick acrylic
Mangrove fuge/display: 4’ x 3' x 1.5’ (H) – 1” thick acrylic (I will “trim” my old tank into this dimension)
Frag tank: 2.5’ x 2.5’ x 1.3’ (H) - 1.6” thick acrylic (I made this tank from the scrapped acrylic sheets form the main display bracings! )
Main Returns: Two Abyzz A200s operating at half speed.
Flow: Closed loops with three Abyzz A200s
Calcium reactor: DaStaCo EXT4
Protein skimmer: I want to run two skimmers in this system, I already have a Bubble King deluxe 250 from my old 180G. Need another one!
Main diesplay lighting: 5 x 400W metal halides with T5 retrofits and LED pedants (A360s?) as supplemental lighting. MH ballasts will be Lumatek electronic ballasts. Still deciding on reflectors
Mangrove tank lighting: 2 x Kessil A160 (Fresh Water)
Frag tank lighting: ATI Power module (10 T5s) from my old 180G
Rock: Fiji live rock + Real Reef Rock
Sand: Oolitic sand (also from Real Reef Rock)

So far the tank is being manufactured and some of the equipment has already arrived. Floor plan has also been set. I will post the floor plan of the fish room later.

This is the rendered image shows how the tank looks like in the family room – we can only see the width side of the tank from this perspective though





Main display – still in the factory......


DaStaCo EXT4 calcium reactor with peri pump



I want to thank Spar, Ridgeway Swiss, and chingchai for helping me out with questions and gear suggestions regarding keeping large tanks! They really gave me some great advice.

Thanks for reading! Feedback welcomed!

[yifan917]

I will also post some pictures of my old 180G. I gave away 90% of my corals after I got married and moved out from my parent’s. I gave away another 8% of my corals after my daughter was born 3 years ago and now it’s almost empty…. lol The only inhabitants are some fish and a few SPS frags. The pictures were taken when the tank was fully stocked though. It’s not the prettiest out there but I miss this tank. I guess I will hijack my own thread once just to share with you guys



This is when the tank is fully stocked and starts growing and coloring up





The tank at its peak and went downhill when I got engaged lol





Some colonies – common but pretty

[DrewHaus]

Judging by your old 180, this is going to be a very cool build! Can't wait to see the progress as it is made.

For what it's worth, the Apex system is pretty user friendly and easy to set up. There is also plenty of support on their forums if you get stuck. I'd be happy to help if you have any questions about that aspect of the system as well.

[yifan917]

Thanks for the kind words and thanks for reassuring about Apex...! I think I will be visiting their forums a lot right after I unboxed them lol!

Originally Posted by DrewHaus

Judging by your old 180, this is going to be a very cool build! Can't wait to see the progress as it is made.

For what it's worth, the Apex system is pretty user friendly and easy to set up. There is also plenty of support on their forums if you get stuck. I'd be happy to help if you have any questions about that aspect of the system as well.

[dave.m]

I am curious about your choice to use metal halides. Is it that you are more comfortable with them from your previous experience or have you genuinely investigated the latest LEDs and rejected these in favour of MHs? Thx.

Dave.M

[druzzelle]

your 180g was beautiful... cant wait to see the monster 900!!!

great question Dave... i've asked that quite a few times before where I noticed people stick with MH lighting instead of LED.. never got a clear answer though

[Kjreiner1]

Can't wait to see picures of this tank. I too wish to one day build a large tank. Glad you are finally able to build your dream.

[Bono]

Were are you located?

[shocker444]

How much flow will be going through your sump. I'm in the process of getting a 900 gallon tank made from glass same 10x4x3 and looking at getting three 20'' ghost overflows. don't no if this will be to much.

[yifan917]

Originally Posted by dave.m

I am curious about your choice to use metal halides. Is it that you are more comfortable with them from your previous experience or have you genuinely investigated the latest LEDs and rejected these in favour of MHs? Thx.

Dave.M

Yes, and yes.

Like most of us I was eager to know if LEDs could be a better solution for keeping SPS or not, so my LFS was nice enough to lend me their new LED units to test run on my current under-stocked 180. The result was good, corals seemed happy, especially softies and LPS. However, I just didn't like the look of the shimmer, it looked unnatural to my eyes. It seemed like different color of bulbs don't blend in well. I played with all the settings and just couldn't find the combination that I liked. However, I really liked the dimming effects that LED provides though, so I decided to still keep 4 - 6 Kessil A360s on my new build. The LED lights will be my buffer lighting before the main lighting is on and after the main lighting is off. Also will be the moon lights

Here is a cool example of a reefer using A350 as secondary lighting for his all - T5 SPS tank: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxZsHInV8Rw

your 180g was beautiful... cant wait to see the monster 900!!!

great question Dave... i've asked that quite a few times before where I noticed people stick with MH lighting instead of LED.. never got a clear answer though

Thank you!!! To me, it's just the look and overall feeling. I believe both MH and LEDs could work very well!

[yifan917]

Originally Posted by Bono

Were are you located?

Taiwan and Canada. The new tank will be in Taiwan.

Originally Posted by shocker444

How much flow will be going through your sump. I'm in the process of getting a 900 gallon tank made from glass same 10x4x3 and looking at getting three 20'' ghost overflows. don't no if this will be to much.

That is great! We should exchange as much info as we can!
The return pumps I am using are two Abyzz A200s, which provides 3750 gph (boost mode at 4400 gph) of flow each, but they will run at half spped, so around 2000 gph each. I am installing two 20" Reef Synergy Overflows and each of them can handle 2500 gph. What is your total turnover rate? What pumps are you using?

[Devaji108]

holy cow that 180 was amazing!!

some day I hope to have a tank is this part of RC....some day

[yifan917]

Originally Posted by Devaji108

holy cow that 180 was amazing!!

some day I hope to have a tank is this part of RC....some day

Thanks!
I joined RC in 2003 and had been dreaming of this opportunity for almost 13 years....! Keep the faith, one day it will happen. I believe you won't need 13 years like I did!

[yifan917]

Some updates -



Some of the equipment just arrived - Abyzz A200s and the Controller







Container that's loaded with Real Reef Rock, Ace Roto Mold water tanks, calcium reactor media...etc just arrived as well....!







Some shots of the tank - bracing is done. Next thing is to remove excess glue and polish the entire tank.









Here is the tank that's made of the scrapped material from the bracing on main display. I'll probably make this into a frag tank. Size is 80cm x 80cm x 40cm




Reconstructing the walls of the fish room to make it stronger









Some more rendered images of the tank











That's it for now!



I'll post the 3D drawing of my sump and plumbing design soon.



Thanks for dropping by!

[JaySchulz]

A little off topic but how do you make the amazing renderings? It looks like a legitimate photo.

[EagleI]

Renderings look great, build looks great. Following this one.

[yifan917]

Originally Posted by JaySchulz

A little off topic but how do you make the amazing renderings? It looks like a legitimate photo.

It's actually done by my friend who is an interior designer. I wish I could tell you how she did it!

Originally Posted by EagleI

Renderings look great, build looks great. Following this one.

Thank you for the kind words!

[Map69]

Your 180 looked great. Can't wait to see the new one. Following along!

[kolakao155]

subscribed

[yifan917]

Originally Posted by Map69

Your 180 looked great. Can't wait to see the new one. Following along!

Originally Posted by kolakao155

subscribed

Thanks guys!!!!

[watrboy]

Amazing!

[SS_Sean]

In on this one... gunna be epic!

[yifan917]

Originally Posted by watrboy

Amazing!

Originally Posted by SS_Sean

In on this one... gunna be epic!

Thank you, hope I won't let you down!

[yifan917]

Quick question - does anyone have hands on experience with Giesmann fixtures? I am looking at their 4' Spectra fixture which has 2 MH and 4 T5s. It's pricy, but it looks like a very well built all in one fixture. With this fixture, I don't have to find extra spaces for mounting the ballasts. Electric works are a lot more simplified. I'll need four of them in order to have enough for my tank.

Any idea?

[yifan917]

Slowly making some progress:

Anchors of the fish room walls installed:



Walls, power supply, vent, chiller coils installed:



And the bracing on the tank is also completed - ready for drilling:




I finally know how difficult it is for large tank owners to make decisions...... Every single decision will affect the whole system design tremendously...!