MarkS
10/18/2003, 01:03 AM
This rendering is a constant work in progress and I'll post updates as things change.
What you are looking at is a 3000 gallon in wall wooden tank based on Mystic's shark tank. The inside dimensions are 8' x 8' x 6', not taking the thinkness of the plywood sides into account.
The construction will be out of 4x4's with 1 1/2" thick walls made out of laminated 3/4" plywood. The 4x4's will be held together with 3/4" lag screws and bolts which will be recessed into the wood and the holes filled with epoxy so that the water cannot get to the screws and corrode them. The seems between the plywood will be filled with epoxy gel. All of the corners will get a think larer of fiberglass.
The glass would be 1 1/2" thick. The viewing window is almost 7' wide x 5' tall in the rendering.
The sandbed would be 12" thick at least.
A metal frame made out of 2" steel tubes welded to 1/4" steel plates will be bolted to the top to stop any bowing. I put enough space between the tubes so that they don't interfere with the lights. The entire assembly will be powder coated to prevent corrosion and can be replaced if necessary.
The lighing will consist of nine 1000 watt MH's. The four corner bulbs and the center bulb are shown as 20,000K Radiums. The other four bulbs are 10,000K. The SpiderLight reflectors are bolted to a tubular steel frame wich will be connected to a garage door track (not pictured). The entire light assembly will be able to lower to the floor behind the sump for access to the aquarium and bulb replacement. I am thinking that some sort of automated wench system would be used to move it into position.
The two overflow boxes are 24" wide x 12" deep x 24" tall. Two 4" diameter external Durso standpipes drain to the sump. These should be able to handle the extremely high flow I have planned. The ball valves at the top of the Durso's are so that I could adjust the air inlet diameter.
The sump as pictured is 718 gallons. The standpipes drain at both ends and the water is pumped from the middle. The sump return is yet to be determined. It will probably consist of two Sequence 4600 pumps or simular. The sump needs to be oversized to handle the planned surge tanks.
At either side of the tank, sitting on 8' tall shelves will be 200 gallons tanks that will be split into 1/2 surge tanks and 1/2 refugiums (not yet pictured). This means that at any time up to 200+ gallons could be surging into the tank, 100+ gallons from each side. That is on top of the return pump flow. The shelves will place the surge tanks at a high enough level to properly function and will function as a place to store equipment.
Now for some questions...
What size of skimmer would I need for this set up. I am thinking about DIYing a 24" diameter x 8' tall venturi based on RK2's designs. Would this tank be too big for a Becket? I want the skimmer to be oversized.
What about chillers? Aquatic Ecosystems has chillers in the 2 - 10 HP range and larger. What would be the minimum size chiller for a system this size?
What should I use for heating? Again, AES has something that might work. A natural gas heat exchanger might do the trick, but is it too much?
What suggestions do you all have regarding the design?
Thanks,
Mark
What you are looking at is a 3000 gallon in wall wooden tank based on Mystic's shark tank. The inside dimensions are 8' x 8' x 6', not taking the thinkness of the plywood sides into account.
The construction will be out of 4x4's with 1 1/2" thick walls made out of laminated 3/4" plywood. The 4x4's will be held together with 3/4" lag screws and bolts which will be recessed into the wood and the holes filled with epoxy so that the water cannot get to the screws and corrode them. The seems between the plywood will be filled with epoxy gel. All of the corners will get a think larer of fiberglass.
The glass would be 1 1/2" thick. The viewing window is almost 7' wide x 5' tall in the rendering.
The sandbed would be 12" thick at least.
A metal frame made out of 2" steel tubes welded to 1/4" steel plates will be bolted to the top to stop any bowing. I put enough space between the tubes so that they don't interfere with the lights. The entire assembly will be powder coated to prevent corrosion and can be replaced if necessary.
The lighing will consist of nine 1000 watt MH's. The four corner bulbs and the center bulb are shown as 20,000K Radiums. The other four bulbs are 10,000K. The SpiderLight reflectors are bolted to a tubular steel frame wich will be connected to a garage door track (not pictured). The entire light assembly will be able to lower to the floor behind the sump for access to the aquarium and bulb replacement. I am thinking that some sort of automated wench system would be used to move it into position.
The two overflow boxes are 24" wide x 12" deep x 24" tall. Two 4" diameter external Durso standpipes drain to the sump. These should be able to handle the extremely high flow I have planned. The ball valves at the top of the Durso's are so that I could adjust the air inlet diameter.
The sump as pictured is 718 gallons. The standpipes drain at both ends and the water is pumped from the middle. The sump return is yet to be determined. It will probably consist of two Sequence 4600 pumps or simular. The sump needs to be oversized to handle the planned surge tanks.
At either side of the tank, sitting on 8' tall shelves will be 200 gallons tanks that will be split into 1/2 surge tanks and 1/2 refugiums (not yet pictured). This means that at any time up to 200+ gallons could be surging into the tank, 100+ gallons from each side. That is on top of the return pump flow. The shelves will place the surge tanks at a high enough level to properly function and will function as a place to store equipment.
Now for some questions...
What size of skimmer would I need for this set up. I am thinking about DIYing a 24" diameter x 8' tall venturi based on RK2's designs. Would this tank be too big for a Becket? I want the skimmer to be oversized.
What about chillers? Aquatic Ecosystems has chillers in the 2 - 10 HP range and larger. What would be the minimum size chiller for a system this size?
What should I use for heating? Again, AES has something that might work. A natural gas heat exchanger might do the trick, but is it too much?
What suggestions do you all have regarding the design?
Thanks,
Mark