Juan's Monster FOWLR- 750Gallon DT - 1,000+ System
- Thread starter jpsika08
- Start date
Looking forward to following along. This should be awesome!
reefer gladness
Well-Known Member
Welcome back Juan!
Looking forward to another awesome build.
Looking forward to another awesome build.
Looking forward to another great build!
jpsika08
Well-Known Member
Background and System status.
Let's start with some pictures and the project as it is, though, for some background to where this all started, please check my first thread, a little long to read but hope it's worthwhile. http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/reef-chronicles/63691-red-sea-monster-2000l-wall-system.html
Prior to closing the system, I had many tanks around the fishroom, all interconnected, the overall water volume was above 1,000 gallons. After some personal problems I had to shut down the system and basically close the door. All fish were given to my LFS so they could sell them; sadly they quite didn't took care of them and all the fish died withing less than a week, they told me this after all of them died, I was really really upset about it.
Even as the system was shutdown and water drained, the fishroom was closed during a long period, when I came back to see the state of all, rust had taken lots of damage around, not only on the equipment but all the metal in sight the room, it was a huge mess, it was a horrible scenery to look at.
To give you a perspective of how thing were after an year of abandonment, disaster comes close to what is was WARNING: IF YOU HAVE HEART DISEASE OR FAINT EASILY, SKIP NEXT PICTURES
You can imagine how I was when I first came into the room and saw all of this. So, I decided to take action and began upgrading and correcting all around.
Let's start with some pictures and the project as it is, though, for some background to where this all started, please check my first thread, a little long to read but hope it's worthwhile. http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/reef-chronicles/63691-red-sea-monster-2000l-wall-system.html
Prior to closing the system, I had many tanks around the fishroom, all interconnected, the overall water volume was above 1,000 gallons. After some personal problems I had to shut down the system and basically close the door. All fish were given to my LFS so they could sell them; sadly they quite didn't took care of them and all the fish died withing less than a week, they told me this after all of them died, I was really really upset about it.
Even as the system was shutdown and water drained, the fishroom was closed during a long period, when I came back to see the state of all, rust had taken lots of damage around, not only on the equipment but all the metal in sight the room, it was a huge mess, it was a horrible scenery to look at.
To give you a perspective of how thing were after an year of abandonment, disaster comes close to what is was WARNING: IF YOU HAVE HEART DISEASE OR FAINT EASILY, SKIP NEXT PICTURES
You can imagine how I was when I first came into the room and saw all of this. So, I decided to take action and began upgrading and correcting all around.
jpsika08
Well-Known Member
System restore and upgrade.
After watching all of the disaster my fishroom and equipment was in, I decided to take action. I was only pretending to fix the place a little and paint everything to make the 400 DT a FOWLR tank, but a friend of mine came to visit (Reefer friend) and told, "If I had this space available at my house, I would go bigger", .... I don't know why I listened to him.
So, in order to do this I still needed to correct the fishroom, and basically upgrade it.
Here is what I did,
1. I opened a hole on the ceiling/roof so I can have continuous air exchange from outside / inside. Haven't still made the final roof that goes above the hole so pictures of the end work in a few days.
2. Removed the door and window as I'm going to install PVC made ones, they are still not installed, hopefully tomorrow they will end this job:
3. Also, re-painted the whole room and covered walls with Plasterwall (<- Correct name?):
4. I removed the side Metal/Wood tables from the DT and installed concrete ones instead, no more rust and much better support:
5. Installed a new draining system outside the fishroom's door, when it rained, water accumulated here and water flooded the fishroom, with this mod, problem solved:
6. As the new tank is much wider, I had to open wider holes to the front of the fishroom:
Old tank still was in place when they opened the walls, so you can see an actual comparison on the old vs. new width:
After watching all of the disaster my fishroom and equipment was in, I decided to take action. I was only pretending to fix the place a little and paint everything to make the 400 DT a FOWLR tank, but a friend of mine came to visit (Reefer friend) and told, "If I had this space available at my house, I would go bigger", .... I don't know why I listened to him.
So, in order to do this I still needed to correct the fishroom, and basically upgrade it.
Here is what I did,
1. I opened a hole on the ceiling/roof so I can have continuous air exchange from outside / inside. Haven't still made the final roof that goes above the hole so pictures of the end work in a few days.
2. Removed the door and window as I'm going to install PVC made ones, they are still not installed, hopefully tomorrow they will end this job:
3. Also, re-painted the whole room and covered walls with Plasterwall (<- Correct name?):
4. I removed the side Metal/Wood tables from the DT and installed concrete ones instead, no more rust and much better support:
5. Installed a new draining system outside the fishroom's door, when it rained, water accumulated here and water flooded the fishroom, with this mod, problem solved:
6. As the new tank is much wider, I had to open wider holes to the front of the fishroom:
Old tank still was in place when they opened the walls, so you can see an actual comparison on the old vs. new width:
jpsika08
Well-Known Member
Quick specs about the new Display Tank
All Glass made, with internal C2C Overflow box (The 400 DT External Overflow had a problem weight related and the DT had a huge Leak).
I will be using BeanAnimal's siphon system too.
Length: 130"
Depth: 48"
Height: 28"
I'm happy to present to you my new DT... the virtual one at least LOL:
For this tank, I made a coast 2 coast internal overflow, now I don't have to worry that the external overflow breaks as it's in the tank:
Apart from the Eurobrace around the whole tank and mide rear glass supports, with the LFR we installed aluminum braces all around the top, much more resistant this way:
And for comparison purposes so you can estimate the size of this thing, here is a comparison with my past systems:
RSM250 - 200 Gallons - 400 Galllon - 750 Gallon in that order:
All Glass made, with internal C2C Overflow box (The 400 DT External Overflow had a problem weight related and the DT had a huge Leak).
I will be using BeanAnimal's siphon system too.
Length: 130"
Depth: 48"
Height: 28"
I'm happy to present to you my new DT... the virtual one at least LOL:
For this tank, I made a coast 2 coast internal overflow, now I don't have to worry that the external overflow breaks as it's in the tank:
Apart from the Eurobrace around the whole tank and mide rear glass supports, with the LFR we installed aluminum braces all around the top, much more resistant this way:
And for comparison purposes so you can estimate the size of this thing, here is a comparison with my past systems:
RSM250 - 200 Gallons - 400 Galllon - 750 Gallon in that order:
jpsika08
Well-Known Member
As tank is not only big but REALLY heavy (Floor glass was needed 8 people to carry it), I decided to make the tank inside the fishroom (No more trucks for me as last tank LOL):
Here is a picture of the Glass already on the LFR truck for delivery:
Also, as the tank has more depth, I constructed a new support so it could carry the load on the rear side, this thing has 4" x 4" and made out of wood:
Covered with plaster wall front of the tank also:
And the production of the new tank began:
A quick size comparison, old vs. new:
Here is a picture of the Glass already on the LFR truck for delivery:
Also, as the tank has more depth, I constructed a new support so it could carry the load on the rear side, this thing has 4" x 4" and made out of wood:
Covered with plaster wall front of the tank also:
And the production of the new tank began:
A quick size comparison, old vs. new:
jpsika08
Well-Known Member
Holes for the rear overflow were drilled prior to install all glasses: (Each of these are 1.5" Diameter Bulkheads from HAYWARD:
And Finally, tank's in and mostly finished up, only the aluminum bracer is pending (Hopefully today is installed) and front wall painted (Sherwin Williams Sandbar color), here is the end pictures from the pergola:
Still need to put the black acrylic over the overflow glass so nobody sees the rear section.
Sorry for the crappy end pictures, I will take new ones with my DSLR and not the phone.
And Finally, tank's in and mostly finished up, only the aluminum bracer is pending (Hopefully today is installed) and front wall painted (Sherwin Williams Sandbar color), here is the end pictures from the pergola:
Still need to put the black acrylic over the overflow glass so nobody sees the rear section.
Sorry for the crappy end pictures, I will take new ones with my DSLR and not the phone.
jpsika08
Well-Known Member
I did some cleaning around and here is how the fishroom and tank looks like for the moment.
Crappy pics, again with phone and during night hours.
The aluminum eurobrace painted with tard for salt protection:
Flood? what is this word, Flood? LOL:
[video=youtube;5-Lmh6mVpX4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-Lmh6mVpX4&feature=share&list=UU-hAGwyrupgfmII8_7QLtlg[/video]
Crappy pics, again with phone and during night hours.
The aluminum eurobrace painted with tard for salt protection:
Flood? what is this word, Flood? LOL:
[video=youtube;5-Lmh6mVpX4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-Lmh6mVpX4&feature=share&list=UU-hAGwyrupgfmII8_7QLtlg[/video]
jpsika08
Well-Known Member
Thank you everyone for following along
Al, that was hilarious, I need to have that during friends visit to the tank
jpsika08
Well-Known Member
This tank will be FOWLR, no more corals for me, they are too demanding in every way.
So, as it is going to be Fish only tank, I pretend to have, as title states, monster fish in it, some of them are,
1. Shark
2. Lionfish, Volitan and Fuzzy
3. Triggers
4. Groupers
5. Possibly Ray(s)
6. Eels
7. Anglers
So, as it is going to be Fish only tank, I pretend to have, as title states, monster fish in it, some of them are,
1. Shark
2. Lionfish, Volitan and Fuzzy
3. Triggers
4. Groupers
5. Possibly Ray(s)
6. Eels
7. Anglers
jpsika08
Well-Known Member
BTW, My former 400 DT rocks were full of Aiptasia. The little crits where all around and a real nuisance.
As I wanted to avoid any of these coming back to the new tank, I left all my rock (Around 300 Pounds or a little more) in a huge container filled with fresh water and at least 5% of bleach for a week.
Not only came out without macro algae or whatever was sitting on them, but they look quite white LOL.
After the week in bleach, I took them out and lay them on the sidewalk for 24 hours with sun, so all of the bleach would vaporize.
Now I'm scrubbing each with water and putting them back in a container filled with only fresh water.
I will check PH levels and see if there is not residue of the bleach left before filling the tank with salt water.
As I wanted to avoid any of these coming back to the new tank, I left all my rock (Around 300 Pounds or a little more) in a huge container filled with fresh water and at least 5% of bleach for a week.
Not only came out without macro algae or whatever was sitting on them, but they look quite white LOL.
After the week in bleach, I took them out and lay them on the sidewalk for 24 hours with sun, so all of the bleach would vaporize.
Now I'm scrubbing each with water and putting them back in a container filled with only fresh water.
I will check PH levels and see if there is not residue of the bleach left before filling the tank with salt water.
