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#1
10/22/2007, 10:07 PM
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Another Super Fantastic Custom Tank Build Of Epic Proportions!
Well, its not at all epic because its actually a down sizing.
It probably will not even be fantastic. But it is yet another build thread! Long story short, I moved and could not set up my old tank in my new apartment. I had to downgrade from a 180G to something around 120G...But I have 2 large Puffers and an eel that are going to get even bigger! So I now have a custom tank with a decent footprint that I believe will make them happy. They will loose a decent amount of water volume, mostly in the height but will have a better overall set up. So by now your probably wondering why this FOWLR build is in the reef forum. Two reasons, one because this will be heavily planted with macro algae and mushrooms, making it a sort of reef...not really but I like to think it is, and two because more people will give me advice here! I really want this tank to have a lot of life even though it will not have many corals. I LOVE extremely natural looking tanks! I saw one in a LFS years ago that was full of all kinds of algae that most people on here consider nuisance algae but in moderation, it looked incredible. Thats what I am going for. Before I get to pictures, I will explain the tank set up and also that I am a terrible DIY guy who likes to DIY. I am bad at woodworking and I have never plumbed a tank on my own. So go easy. I would love any help and advice though! The tank will either be BB or have a very shallow sand bed, just for looks though. I am leaning towards a tiny bit of sand and I think my eel is too! The skimmer will be external, as well as the return pump. The sump will be a 33G and refugium will be a 10G. Flow will coem from the huge return pump I have and a closed loop powered by a very, very big pump. The tank is drilled for 4 x 2" bulklheads in the bottom. It was drilled in the wrong places for the closed loop but I can work around that. Lighting is all T5. I am looking at adding a ozonizer but am not sure yet because of how I want some extra algae to grow. Anyways, here is a list if what I have to this point: -72"x20"x19"tall Eurobraced -33G sump -10G refugium -$600 or so of plumbing supplies -4 x 80 watt retrofit T5's with individual reflectors (320 watts total) -PM Bullet 2 Skimmer -Aqua Controller JR. -Sequence 1100 series 5800 Pump for closed loop -Mag 24 return (I dont really want to hear about how you dont like mags...) -DIY Canopy -DIY Stand -2 Puffers who are sick of QT -1 Eel who seems to love QT -200 lbs of LR that are tired of being in rubbermaids -A small start to what will hopefully be a big macro algae collection Heres some random pics of where things are at. I have not had time this week to do anything. I will tomorrow I hope. Again, go easy on the woodworking! BTW, only have a camera phone at the moment so quality is not good at all but you get the idea!       
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#2
10/22/2007, 10:08 PM
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#3
10/22/2007, 10:11 PM
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#7
10/22/2007, 10:17 PM
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Hes actually quite a bit bigger than he is in that pic. Hes growing like a weed! Same with the eel. He looks tiny in the pic...Hes getting VERY big.
I also have a porcupine puffer. Between the 2 puffers and eel, thats about all the fish I think this tank can handle. I wanted to add about 3 anthias or chromis but we will see. |
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#9
10/22/2007, 10:34 PM
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Well, thats another problem, yes. But the chromis that I was looking at the other day were huge already. The biggest I have ever seen! He could never catch them and they would not fit in his mouth anyways.
I wanted them so badly but I had to hold off and see how the tank handles the puffers and eel alone first. Make sure adding the chromis or anthias will not cause issues. Hopefully my LR stayed cycled and I can add my bigger puffer to the tank first, followed by the smaller puffer and eel when I think the system can handle it. After a few months, we will see if it can handle a few more smaller fish (just for color really). I have learned from very bad mistakes to add bio load very slowly and be careful. |
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#10
10/22/2007, 11:27 PM
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One thing I have been debating over the past few days is how exactly to plumb the closed loop. In the drawing below, you see where the tank is drilled for the closed loop on the right. Its a horrible spot though I think. I would like to have a manifold with 4-6 outlets across the bottom back wall of the tank but the overflow gets in the way. I dont want to have all the flow from the closed loop coming just from the right though either. I prefer not to go up and over th back because for one, my canopy is not designed for that and two I did not really want plumbing up the back. The return from the sump is now going to have to go up the back anyways though, so maybe I could just do the closed loop back there too. Any thoughts? I think I will get a good bit of flow from the return pump which will come from the left, so maybe having most of the closed loop on the right could work. Anyone?
Open to any ideas! 
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#12
10/22/2007, 11:56 PM
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Quote:
I am going to try to finish the canopy and stand tomorrow, including priming them. It will all be painted in the end. Either black or white. Not sure yet. If the white Primer looks good, we will paint it white, if not, black it is to match a lot of the other furniture. |
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#14
10/23/2007, 11:24 AM
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Yeah well thats the idea there. The living room is all "marine" themed with white starfish, white fake corals, ect. and also those paintings which I actually paint and sell myself. I am going to do a new painting of a school of fish (in the same style) to go length wise above the tank. It will be black with white fish, like the others, so my fiance and I were thinking that a white stand may even work. Maybe with some black details.
Heres a pic of a temporary 90G we had set up for the puffers while we were waiting for the new tank.  You can see the paintings a bit better in this one. |
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#15
10/23/2007, 11:25 AM
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Anyone have any suggestions for the closed loop? If not, I guess I will just go up and over back...I was hoping to avoid that though!
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#16
10/23/2007, 05:53 PM
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Ok, so no interest...Too bad
 I was going to add updated pics but I will stick to my local forum perhaps...
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#17
10/23/2007, 10:46 PM
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Cool looking tank and nice set of equipment!
I think the only reason you are not getting too much interest is just that people are more into Reef then FOWLR, in this forum. I think if you post over this one you'll get much more interest. http://reefcentral.com/forums/forumd...s=&forumid=139 That's a very awkward location for having holes in your tank. Perhaps you can drill some more for intake and output. |
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#18
10/23/2007, 11:07 PM
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Yeah I knew this is more of a FOWLR but I find it USUALLY easier to get help from this forum with tank builds...not in this case though! Oh well, its really not a big deal at all, I just value the experience and advice from here! I follow a lot of tank builds and there is usually so many replies and suggestions
As for the holes, yeah I hate where its drilled but I have to work with it. I am not going to drill anymore I dont think. The closed loop with just come up and over the back and I may use both holes as intakes. |
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#19
10/23/2007, 11:13 PM
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I also have a very similar pump as yours, the Reeflo Hammerhead, and for all my output i went over the top for them. I have 12 3/4'' locline and it doesn't look too bad and the flow is great.
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#20
10/23/2007, 11:21 PM
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How was the head loss going over the back? Is this on your 210? If so, Im sure on my tank (half the size really) it will be way more than enough even over the back.
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#21
10/23/2007, 11:31 PM
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If you set it up then the vertical headloss is very minimal, the amount of distance the water need to travel above the water line in your main tank. Most of the loss will be from piping.
Yeah it is on my 210, it really depends on how you set it up, in some case it may not be as much as you think. Mine also goes through an oceanmotion 4 way so water is only flowing through half of the outlet each time, which makes it seem like more flow. I'm quite happy with the amount movement . HTH.
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#23
10/24/2007, 11:31 AM
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Yes it does. But nothing special, just an easier disconnection for cleaning. Before you actually could not diconnect most of it at all and therfore couldn't clean it.
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