ok so with the final decisions in place it is time i start planning for my new "dream" build. i really didn't expect for things to happen as quickly as they did but with all that being said i bought a new house today and am in the process of finalizing everything up. anyways the new house has a lot of work that needs to be done to it before i can move into it and while i am doing all of this work i plan to add accessories to the house that will incorporate the future build . so my questions to all of y'all is what is some things that you would consider must haves?? what are somethings that you all found that made life easier when it came to tank maintenance etc... also what are some things that you did that you wish you could change? what are your favorite tank dimensions? what is some equipment that you just cant live without? the new tank will more than likely be a peninsula style tank with dimensions around 72 or 84x30x27 or at least that is what i am leaning towards. i am hoping to start work on the house about the middle/end of march.
dream build must have?
- Thread starter tbrennan
- Start date
Congrats on buying a house!
I second this!! Ask @ptreef about the build..I'm certain he could give you some insight
@myaquariumpro has an amazing 1000g setup. And @anit77 is building out his house for his tank right now. They probably have some pointers.
Is the tank going on slab or joist supports in the house? Proper structural integrity for the current and any future dream build would be the first thing, the second would be making sure you have an easily accessible fishroom for the dream build. Mark Callahan - Mr. Saltwatertank- builds out lots of fish rooms and dream systems for people- his videos have some pointers. Must haves after structure of house, water supply with sink dedicated for the fishroom and room for RoDI system. Overkill on the electrical in prep for any future additional things. A dedicated freezer/frig for the system near or preferably in the fish room. External sump in fishroom. Pipes in walls hidden from tank to fishroom. A drain in the floor of fishroom if possible. Elevating the sump and anything else you have to work on in the fishroom on stands. The older you get, the more your back will thank you for that feature. Mounting boards for controllers, equipment, etc to make it easy to access and neat. Frag tank in fishroom. And a stool or chair in fishroom.
must haves for me:
- Peninsula tank
- Low aquascape (to allow for long term coral growth)
- Large sandbed (not too many rocks)
- Lots of arches, overhangs, and a couple spires
- Separated rockwork islands
- Designated island for an anemone
- Stand height at 40-44” as I dislike bending over to look at my tank. (Note: most people seem to prefer lower tanks as it’s easier to clean without a step stool. For me, I don’t mind the step stool, my tank is to maximize enjoyment, not minimize nuisance.)
- Tank height 30” for perspective
- Wide tank 36-48” for depth of view
- Long tank 84”+ for fish that need lots of swimming room
- Tank Stand would have a 8-12” lip/counterspace that encircles the tank. This would be designed to support weight, and able to be stood on. Possibly made from Timber.
- Tall doors on canopy for easy access
- Lights mounted at least 12” above water
- Small/subtle overflow
- T5s and LEDs
- Double-up on Skimmers, Return pumps
- Triple up on heaters, overflows
- Sump would use filter floss in place of filter socks
- 10-25% volume refugium, separated into 2-3 sections to isolate macro algae’s and any misbehaving critters
- I could go on all day, but I’ll stop here.
I agree on the peninsula, great choice. I also agree with everything stated above.
I'd say the number one must have is a dedicated fish/sump room with enough room to move around easily. After that a solid plan for water movement, not in the display lol. From the tap to RODI, to storage/mixing, to the system, to drain. Once I know where the display is going to go these are the very next things I plan out. You want you water movement plan to be something that is as easy as you can possibly make it.
I bought just a new house last fall and am fortunate enough to have a very large basement, I'm in the process of finishing it now. I've ordered a 500 gallon peninsula (96x48x29) and hope to have it delivered by the end of May. The fish room is going to be immense too.
I'd say the number one must have is a dedicated fish/sump room with enough room to move around easily. After that a solid plan for water movement, not in the display lol. From the tap to RODI, to storage/mixing, to the system, to drain. Once I know where the display is going to go these are the very next things I plan out. You want you water movement plan to be something that is as easy as you can possibly make it.
I bought just a new house last fall and am fortunate enough to have a very large basement, I'm in the process of finishing it now. I've ordered a 500 gallon peninsula (96x48x29) and hope to have it delivered by the end of May. The fish room is going to be immense too.
Thanks for all of the input so far guys! This build is prob 6-8 months out but I figured while I am remodeling the house I might as well go ahead and plan for the future and start to incorporate things into the house to make it easier on myself for when I do start the build. I am super excited to even start planning this out. My goal for 2020 was to buy a house before the end of the year but being in the business of remodeling flip houses for an investor deals come up all of the time and this one was just to sweet to pass up on. Glad I pulled the trigger when I did and I’m excited for the rest of 2020 now!!!
Thanks zap! Much appreciated brother!
Tank is going on joists. House is a ranch style house with a crawl space. I have to replace some subfloor so I figured while I was doing that I could support the two spots where would I want the tank.
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