For those of you that don't know me, my wife and I have been members of ARC for the past several years however have been inactive on the boards for a year or so.
Background: Our adventure started 3-4 years ago with a 55 in an apartment. From there we bought our house, transfered the 55 and had it up about a year. Last year We set up a 92 corner and loved the set up. In June we got married and and while we were on our honeymoon in Sept-Oct. our "top off crew" spilled some makeup water on the floor and left it. In typical penny pinching fashion the top layer of our subfloor happened to be particle board. :bash2: We came home to a 2'x2'x4" high mound infront of the 92 corner. While we were discussing options for reflooring we lost 2 clowns and were forced to put our tang and Mag. Foxface in QT. Perfect time to dismantle the 92, transfer rock, inverts and coral to a 55 in the basement and tear out the brilliant particle board subfloor.
So, like so many before us faced with these circumstances we have decided we want to go bigger. We are planning to have a custom 48"x48"x30" cube custom built with a center overflow inspired by the column tank at Creation in Woodstock. I will also be setting up a remote sump. The fish room is the only room at the purgatory altitude in our split level house. It kind of functions as a foyer and a landing between upstairs and the basement, so the sump will be 1/2 level below the tank and about 9 feet away linearly. I might also add that the living room has a 5x5 opening to look out into the fish room, so the idea of the center over flow is to place the tank in the center of the room and allow us to view the tank from a half level above it.
I will start with what I had in mind, please feel free to share any input you may have on any of these items.
Tank placement: Center of the room. I want the top of the tank around the 6' mark. I know this is high, and I know it will make any maintenance a PITA, but I am ok with this for the sake of not having to bend over, plus it gives us good viewing from the dining room and living room.
Plumbing: 2 x 1.5" drains, a 1" return, and a 1" waterchange tube. Can I combine these 2 drains for running to the sump room, or should I leave them separate all the way to the sump?
Circulation: I would like to do a closed loop on this tank as I do not want any wires on the outside of the tank. The final volume will be 299 gal. I know opinions vary here, but what should my turnover rate be of the CL system? 30x? Based on this what is a good pump to use for this purpose? I want it to be a quiet pump if it will be under the tank. I would love to run the CL to the sump room, however that is just more 90's, and runs of PVC. Is running a CL pump remotely even viable? I would also plan on using 1" SCWD devices to alternate current in the tank. How would you plumb the input and return for the CL? Do I put the intake inside or outside of the overflow? How many and what size returns should I use?
Lighting: Another tricky one. Currently have a ceiling fan above where the tank will go, and would rather not change that set up. I do not want wire on the outside of the tank either and of coarse this will be in the center of the room. My idea would be to run power up through the center of the tank using a buikhead and PVC to make a passage through the center of the tank for an umbrella like structure to support light fixtures and run my power through. Of coarse this structure would be anchored to the floor. I want to run and LED setup, but would most likely do a DIY setup using Steves Leds, or simular. I am planning on a Reef Angel controller, so what ever I build would need to be able to interface. Honestly that build is a whole thread in and of itself, but I would still like input. Before anyone says Radion, as much as I would love to drop $4k in lights, it is not going to happen. :yes:
Return pump: Any suggestions? I am looking at about 9' linear and 11' vertical with some angles involved so lets call it 13'-15' head pressure.
Sump: I am open to suggestions, however I was thinking of a 150 Gal stock tank with an in sump skimmer. Any reactors, dosing, etc would come off of this on smaller pumps.
That is about all I can think of at the moment. I am sure there are many many things I have not yet thought of so please bring to my attention anything that I may have missed! :fish:
Background: Our adventure started 3-4 years ago with a 55 in an apartment. From there we bought our house, transfered the 55 and had it up about a year. Last year We set up a 92 corner and loved the set up. In June we got married and and while we were on our honeymoon in Sept-Oct. our "top off crew" spilled some makeup water on the floor and left it. In typical penny pinching fashion the top layer of our subfloor happened to be particle board. :bash2: We came home to a 2'x2'x4" high mound infront of the 92 corner. While we were discussing options for reflooring we lost 2 clowns and were forced to put our tang and Mag. Foxface in QT. Perfect time to dismantle the 92, transfer rock, inverts and coral to a 55 in the basement and tear out the brilliant particle board subfloor.
So, like so many before us faced with these circumstances we have decided we want to go bigger. We are planning to have a custom 48"x48"x30" cube custom built with a center overflow inspired by the column tank at Creation in Woodstock. I will also be setting up a remote sump. The fish room is the only room at the purgatory altitude in our split level house. It kind of functions as a foyer and a landing between upstairs and the basement, so the sump will be 1/2 level below the tank and about 9 feet away linearly. I might also add that the living room has a 5x5 opening to look out into the fish room, so the idea of the center over flow is to place the tank in the center of the room and allow us to view the tank from a half level above it.
I will start with what I had in mind, please feel free to share any input you may have on any of these items.
Tank placement: Center of the room. I want the top of the tank around the 6' mark. I know this is high, and I know it will make any maintenance a PITA, but I am ok with this for the sake of not having to bend over, plus it gives us good viewing from the dining room and living room.
Plumbing: 2 x 1.5" drains, a 1" return, and a 1" waterchange tube. Can I combine these 2 drains for running to the sump room, or should I leave them separate all the way to the sump?
Circulation: I would like to do a closed loop on this tank as I do not want any wires on the outside of the tank. The final volume will be 299 gal. I know opinions vary here, but what should my turnover rate be of the CL system? 30x? Based on this what is a good pump to use for this purpose? I want it to be a quiet pump if it will be under the tank. I would love to run the CL to the sump room, however that is just more 90's, and runs of PVC. Is running a CL pump remotely even viable? I would also plan on using 1" SCWD devices to alternate current in the tank. How would you plumb the input and return for the CL? Do I put the intake inside or outside of the overflow? How many and what size returns should I use?
Lighting: Another tricky one. Currently have a ceiling fan above where the tank will go, and would rather not change that set up. I do not want wire on the outside of the tank either and of coarse this will be in the center of the room. My idea would be to run power up through the center of the tank using a buikhead and PVC to make a passage through the center of the tank for an umbrella like structure to support light fixtures and run my power through. Of coarse this structure would be anchored to the floor. I want to run and LED setup, but would most likely do a DIY setup using Steves Leds, or simular. I am planning on a Reef Angel controller, so what ever I build would need to be able to interface. Honestly that build is a whole thread in and of itself, but I would still like input. Before anyone says Radion, as much as I would love to drop $4k in lights, it is not going to happen. :yes:
Return pump: Any suggestions? I am looking at about 9' linear and 11' vertical with some angles involved so lets call it 13'-15' head pressure.
Sump: I am open to suggestions, however I was thinking of a 150 Gal stock tank with an in sump skimmer. Any reactors, dosing, etc would come off of this on smaller pumps.
That is about all I can think of at the moment. I am sure there are many many things I have not yet thought of so please bring to my attention anything that I may have missed! :fish:
