New 800g Starting up

[tlandrum]

I am building a new office, and putting in a 800g tank... eventually wants to do coral/reef tank. I would like some advice on start up... anything you got would be great! I have not run a salt tank in over 10 years, so I know a lot of things have changed! I won't be in the building for a year, and won't bring a full reef tank on line for ever more time (I don't think my wife has a clue how much it is going to cost just for the hardware! )
Here is what I have so far:


Overview:

• Large tank
• Two large sump tanks with deep sand beds
• One small overflow tank
• LED lighting system
• Two return pumps (one for the tank, one for the surge tanks)
• Surge tanks
• Heat exchange ventilator
• Inline water Chiller
• Large Protein skimmer
• Kalkwasser and/or Calcium reactor

Tank:
all glass from customaquariums.com
Planning on getting a 48"x48"x72" tank (800g), and another 200-300g of refugium, sand, and overflow water.

Refugiums
A couple of rubber made watering trough tanks. I will likely get a couple of 5gal buckets of deep sand (in bucks for easy trade out in a few years)

Lights
MakersLED... I figures I will need about 3 72" mounts (may have to cut down a bit), with 20 lenses, about 425 LED with a mix of colors, and a little over 1000W of LED power.

Chiller
Looking at TECO or Arctica!??!?! I really have no clue here.

Control
This is kinda a big deal to me (computer nerd in a former life). I would really like to find something that would remotely control and monitor the whole thing... Overall I alike the MakerLED stuff, but I want it to send info back and forth to my cell... alarms, monitors, and changes. But I can't find a system that does this well, and talks to everything.

Heat Exchanger
Planning on a VHR 70R heat recovery vent. Just to get the salt air out, and not have it too hot or cold in the tank room (chiller should take care of most of the tank)

Surge tanks
A Couple of them, something like
http://angel-strike.com/aquarium/CirculationSystem.html

Protein skimmer
Clearly a Large protein skimmer, but trying to decide if it is any cheaper to build vs buy one!??!

Pump
Dolphin? ReeFlo? Wow, I really have no idea on a big pump like these!

Ca
Kalkwasser and/or Calcium reactor?!!? Again back to the build or buy question

RO Water
Crazy hard water here, so will go through these like crazy!

Filtration
Several ways I am looking at this... but mostly the protein skimmer, and Refugiums for natural control of the rocks and a couple of buckets of deep sand bed. I'm sure I will have some filter fiber filters, or maybe some poly or something else for emergencies, but I think that is about it.

Power Heads
Because you just can't have too much water movement in a 800g tank! Tunze? Maxi-Jet?

Thanks all... and suggestions are very welcome!! (esp the controller, The rest I won't make too big a mistake...at least I can just buy a new power head if I don't get a good one)

[Blue Tang Clan]

how long are your arms?

[d-man]

Talk to bill at aquarium engineering. He owns the 20k g aquarium and makes equipment. He can set up a custom everything for you. It's not cheap but will lasts you a lifetime

[McPuff]

For water movement I'd consider Panta Rhei ECM pumps. You would only need 1 or 2 of them. Expensive, but a ton of flow.

[Dmorty217]

Originally Posted by McPuff

For water movement I'd consider Panta Rhei ECM pumps. You would only need 1 or 2 of them. Expensive, but a ton of flow.

Their customer service is really lacking, like really bad. I would choose Tunze masterstream instead. To the OP, I would avoid a deep sand bed. Too many tanks crash because of them and I would avoid them.

[d-man]

The tank isn't long enough for those powerheads. Do a few tunze 6305's or a couple mp60's and call it a day.

Personally when I build my next 800-1000g plywood in the next 6months hopefully I'm doing 2 closed loop systems on it and maybe a couple jebao cp-55s on each side. I'm done with seeing bulky powerheads in my big tanks. Also easier to clean 1 or 2 CL pumps then 5-8 powerheads

[tlandrum]

Originally Posted by d-man

The tank isn't long enough for those powerheads. Do a few tunze 6305's or a couple mp60's and call it a day.

Personally when I build my next 800-1000g plywood in the next 6months hopefully I'm doing 2 closed loop systems on it and maybe a couple jebao cp-55s on each side. I'm done with seeing bulky powerheads in my big tanks. Also easier to clean 1 or 2 CL pumps then 5-8 powerheads

I have been debating about what do to with some of the holes in my tank... there will be plenty, and I like the closed loop idea, and the jerboa cp-55's are perfect. Think that a couple of the cp-55's will enough flow around the tank?

[tlandrum]

Originally Posted by Blue Tang Clan

how long are your arms?

What? You don't have SCUBA gear for your tank?

I basically am building the tank fill a hole the designers are making in the building... maybe I should have done it the other way around. But at least my business is making really long tongs.

[GQsmooth]

You should add a couple more feet to the length of the aquarium

[tlandrum]

Originally Posted by GQsmooth

You should add a couple more feet to the length of the aquarium

Originally I did... it was going to be 1000 to 1200g tank... but the architect and my wife shot that one down. This tank largely is built to fit this space, and then the space around it is made to accommodate the tank.
Besides if I make it any longer it will take away from the kids area, have to reroute the AC, and will get a great deal of natural light. So it is what it is.

[Lytehouse]

Nice to see an Okie back in the large tank group.
Looking forward to your build.

[Dmorty217]

Originally Posted by d-man

The tank isn't long enough for those powerheads. Do a few tunze 6305's or a couple mp60's and call it a day.

Personally when I build my next 800-1000g plywood in the next 6months hopefully I'm doing 2 closed loop systems on it and maybe a couple jebao cp-55s on each side. I'm done with seeing bulky powerheads in my big tanks. Also easier to clean 1 or 2 CL pumps then 5-8 powerheads

Missed the part about the tank being 48" long

[sde1500]

Originally Posted by tlandrum

Besides if I make it any longer it will take away from the kids area,

And?

[tlandrum]

Originally Posted by Dmorty217

Missed the part about the tank being 48" long

48", 84" wide. ... she is 48x48x84. I am really going to have to work in all 3 detentions to get it looking good!

[tlandrum]

Dementions... all 3 dementions... how is the world can you edit or delete a comment?!!?!?

[tlandrum]

Originally Posted by Lytehouse

Nice to see an Okie back in the large tank group.
Looking forward to your build.

Well it is going to be a while, but feel free to come on down... I'll put you to work!

[d-man]

Wait is it 84" front to back, side to side or top to bottom
Dimensions go from L(length, side to side)xW(width, front to back) x H(height,top to bottom)

[lionfish300]

It should be L X W x H 84" X 48" X 48" If any other way would be really weird

[tlandrum]

Originally Posted by d-man

Wait is it 84" front to back, side to side or top to bottom
Dimensions go from L(length, side to side)xW(width, front to back) x H(height,top to bottom)

You and lionfish300 got it right... 84x48x48... sorry

[GQsmooth]

...

[GQsmooth]

Ahh, makes sense now...You had it wrong in your original post. Good luck with the build.

[tlandrum]

Originally Posted by GQsmooth

Ahh, makes sense now...You had it wrong in your original post. Good luck with the build.

I had it all wrong... is there any way to change a post one you hit submit?

[Dmorty217]

Originally Posted by tlandrum

I had it all wrong... is there any way to change a post one you hit submit?

Yes for a few hours after the post. The "edit" button will be by the "quote" button. Not sure how long you can edit for but it isn't indefinitely

[Fishhead61]

I've started a 630 gal build. I'll be watching this thread.

[tlandrum]

Originally Posted by Fishhead61

I've started a 630 gal build. I'll be watching this thread.

I won't even be in the new office for a year.... so I hope you aren't looking for anything quick or soon!