8ft 330G Construction Has Started (Pics)

[dme330i]

Not so great pics, but the tank from Planet Aquariums is looking good. Still have the eurobracing to go.

Looking forward to getting this thing going early next year.

you can tell the difference between starfire front and regular back glass.

Check out the PVC bottom.

Jon

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[jj ocean]

Jon,

Awesome looking tank! What are the dimensions? Any plans to drill the bottom for a closed loop? What kind of overflow? I'm up here in Canton as well ... would to swing by and see the build sometime!

I'm looking to upgrade my current display to a 328g in the near future. 68" long x 36" wide x 31" tall with a pvc bottom. Just need to work on the timing of the house projects ... for some reason the priorities of everyone in the house are not the same.

-John

 

[dme330i]

John,

96 x 32 x 25

Not sure about the closed loop yet, but will be easy to do with the PVC bottom.

Overflow will be Bean Animal style with a long shelf.

That 328 that you're thinking about has great dimensions and yes, would be happy to have you over anytime. I need to get over to your place to see your current setup and clownfish.

I was at Simon's yesterday getting some Tunze's and ideas.

My impatience may become unbearable as I want to get the basement finished before setting up this tank - time to call some basement contractors.

Jon

 

[dawgface]

Can't wait to see this build thread! Hurry up so I can learn from your mistakes... errr... Ideas!

 

[jj ocean]

Nice long tank! Other than the dimensions, we are thinking very similar. I'm looking to do a coast-to-coast/calfo/long shelf ... or whatever else somebody decides to call it with a bean animal siphon drain too. My dimensions are somewhat defined for me unless I want to really tear apart the house, existing slot in between existing built-in book shelves is 68" and door off the hinges downstairs is 31.5".

Talked to Simon as well last night briefly. Sounds like a good excuse to check out the new tavern on Sixes! ... at least until your tank gets here.

 

[dme330i]

Jesse - no doubt mistakes will be made. However, they will not be major mistakes.

John - the new tavern sounds good to me. Catch up with some of the Canton/Woodstock crowd (Mike, David, Simon, Justin, etc.).


BTW - I need some ideas on how to do the return pipe - anyone?

 

[mockery]

dme330i;710252 wrote: Jesse - no doubt mistakes will be made. However, they will not be major mistakes.

John - the new tavern sounds good to me. Catch up with some of the Canton/Woodstock crowd (Mike, David, Simon, Justin, etc.).


BTW - I need some ideas on how to do the return pipe - anyone?

Very cool tank!

Please let me know if you guys get together with Simon, I have not talked to him in a while.

 

[bruce 1]

Looks good. I got photos of mine today also. Jon, I talked to Armando, He is going to fix us a peice to go on the top of the overflow box.

 

[dme330i]

bruce 1;710266 wrote: Looks good. I got photos of mine today also. Jon, I talked to Armando, He is going to fix us a peice to go on the top of the overflow box.

Cool - I forgot to talk to ask him about that.

Your photos look similar?

How are you doing your return?

 

[bruce 1]

I am going to just run the return over the back of the tank. I just posted the pictures of mine. The over flow looks great. He custom made them for us.

 

[dme330i]

In addition to 2 Tunze 6201's @ 5800 GPH and about 2000 gph on the returns, what do you all suggest for additional flow?

Options:

- Add another Tunze
- Closed loop with 3 outlets tipped with penductors/eductors?
- 2 returns tipped with penductors/eductors?
- Vortech variant (not sure about this option considering how much these seem to need servicing and mixed reviews on noise level)
- Combination?
- Other?

 

[dawgface]

I would steer away from closed loops and go with additional pumps. Personally the optional range of flow you get with pumps far out weighs the benifits of a CL. Plus, you don't carry as much of risk of 350g of water cascading around your livingroom.

 

[grouper therapy]

I'm a big fan of closed loops. Powerheads are unsightly to me. Done properly I feel that closed loops are as dependable as say your return or overflow system. The risk of a leak from a bulkhead is no greater than a silicone seam. Once again if done properly with quality products. If you can hide the power heads then maybe.

 

[dawgface]

grouper therapy;710688 wrote: I'm a big fan of closed loops. Powerheads are unsightly to me. Done properly I feel that closed loops are as dependable as say your return or overflow system. The risk of a leak from a bulkhead is no greater than a silicone seam. Once again if done properly with quality products. If you can hide the power heads then maybe.

Grouper makes a good point on quality. If you do go with a CL, make sure you use heavy-duty schedule 80 bulkheads. Don't even consider the regular junk bulkheads usually used.

 

[davidinga]

That's gonna be a monster dude

 

[KrisDeitz]

I now wish I bought a nice small cube from him!

 

[dme330i]

Last weekend put this solid stand together. I also called Planet Aquarium and asked them to build me a custom 110 gallon sump to go underneath - 66 x 24 x 17

I also started to prep the basement.

Luckily, where I'm placing the tank, there's a decent amount of space behind the wall to house:

- external skimmer
- ro water storage
- salt water storage
- CA Reactor
- 2-part
- frag tank

I wanted to make the back of the tank very accessible from this storage room. However, the wall separating the basement living area to this storage room is a weight bearing wall. So, I made a 9ft 2x10 header (see pic) and opened up the wall space for access to the back of the tank. The opening will be one inch smaller than the width of the tank and the tank will be flush against the "wall." The idea is to make it seem like the opening is not there.



Chopping the studs. Father-in-law in the background helping me

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Header in place

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[bruce 1]

One question. Is that the stand for the tank? I have been looking and for mine everything says to use 2x8. It looks like you used 2x4. Will that be OK?

 

[rdnelson]

Looking good Jon. I haven't forgotten about you. This week has been a zoo but I have made a bit of progress.

 

[dme330i]

bruce 1;713611 wrote: One question. Is that the stand for the tank? I have been looking and for mine everything says to use 2x8. It looks like you used 2x4. Will that be OK?

Hard to tell from the pics, but this thing is heavy duty. Not sure why it would suggest 2x8 unless it is talking about a span? Yes, these are 2x4's.

I will also have some facing material that will be weight bearing as well.