My 500Ltr build

[Nando84]

Welcome to my 500Ltr build.

For an avid fish keeper (tropical freshwater) this is a little daunting. I have kept fish for over 20 years now and by no means am I inexperienced, when it comes to freshwater. I have kept many size tanks with ease, 4ft, 6ft and even an 8ft tank however this is my first plunge into the world of marine.

I may be criticised for going too big too soon but I’ve come to understand that the bigger the volume of water (or any environment for that matter) the easier it is to keep levels and properties in harmony.

I am currently in the process of designing my set up but I relish any advice that I might receive and I look forward to making a few new friends.

 

[Pat24601]

Welcome to my 500Ltr build.

For an avid fish keeper (tropical freshwater) this is a little daunting. I have kept fish for over 20 years now and by no means am I inexperienced, when it comes to freshwater. I have kept many size tanks with ease, 4ft, 6ft and even an 8ft tank however this is my first plunge into the world of marine.

I may be criticised for going too big too soon but I’ve come to understand that the bigger the volume of water (or any environment for that matter) the easier it is to keep levels and properties in harmony.

I am currently in the process of designing my set up but I relish any advice that I might receive and I look forward to making a few new friends.

Welcome!

I think there is nothing at all wrong with getting the size you want to start! Otherwise, you are kinda asking for problems later

Just let us know what questions you have.

 

[SPR]

Welcome to Reef Sanctuary!

I personally think bigger tanks are easier to look after as long as you keep on top of everything with maintenance etc.

The water parameters tend not to swing so much as in small tanks so it’s a little more forgiving.

Also if you get what you want in the first place, you won’t want to upgrade later. Well you will actually, but common sense ‘may’ stop you!

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

to RS ! Look forward to seeing your new tank, we love pics !

 

[DaveK]

There are some downsides to going with a large tank. As long as your aware of them, you should be OK.

With SW it's real easy to make a mistake and wipe out the whole tank. If you have a large tank it's a much larger clean up project, and a lot more expensive.

It's also real easy to make incorrect equipment selections or have problems with what you build. Once the tank is running they are a lot harder to correct. I suggest you post your plans before you buy anything major or start construction of major pieces. Often experienced people can show you ways that are better and cost a lot less.

I think the hardest thing to over come when you go from FW to SW systems, or for that matter from SW to FW systems, is that the mindset changes a bit. You tend to use different methods to get from point A to point B. Here is one example. In A SW reef system you generally want to keep nitrates and phosphates as low as possible, so you don't get algae problems. In a FW planted tank you need to add nitrates and phosphates so your plants grow, so you don't get algae problems. Similar things exist in lighting, filtration, disease treatments and many other aspects.

 

[Uncle99]

500 litres, wholly cow, that's a big one!
The fact that your not a newbie will certainly be an asset to your build.
With that many years you know the game.
Welcome to Reef Sanctuary...some real experienced people here...some already chimed in above....I have learned so much from them.
Keep us posted....and best of luck....have fun....

 

[Pat24601]

There are some downsides to going with a large tank. As long as your aware of them, you should be OK.

With SW it's real easy to make a mistake and wipe out the whole tank. If you have a large tank it's a much larger clean up project, and a lot more expensive.

It's also real easy to make incorrect equipment selections or have problems with what you build. Once the tank is running they are a lot harder to correct. I suggest you post your plans before you buy anything major or start construction of major pieces. Often experienced people can show you ways that are better and cost a lot less.

I think the hardest thing to over come when you go from FW to SW systems, or for that matter from SW to FW systems, is that the mindset changes a bit. You tend to use different methods to get from point A to point B. Here is one example. In A SW reef system you generally want to keep nitrates and phosphates as low as possible, so you don't get algae problems. In a FW planted tank you need to add nitrates and phosphates so your plants grow, so you don't get algae problems. Similar things exist in lighting, filtration, disease treatments and many other aspects.

A gentleman I was talking to at my LFS has a tank crash of some kind and was doing a 90 gallon water change on his 180. That’s a lot of 5 gallon jugs!

 

[DaveK]

...
The fact that your not a newbie will certainly be an asset to your build.
With that many years you know the game.
...

I got to disagree with you here. Even with many years of FW experience, once you start SW, it's a completely different experience. There are just so many little "got ya's" in SW that can cause you problems, and these problems can be expensive to correct. I'm not trying to scare anyone off, just warn people that FW experience does not equal SW experience. It is also true that SW experience does not equal FW experience, although FW is a lot more forgiving of mistakes.

 

[DaveK]

A gentleman I was talking to at my LFS has a tank crash of some kind and was doing a 90 gallon water change on his 180. That’s a lot of 5 gallon jugs!

If your doing something like that, you really should have a couple of 50 gal rubbermaid trashcans, seasoned and ready to mix your own SW in. If your still lugging jugs at that point, you need to get some additional equipment now.

If I have to make that big an emergency water change, and I didn't have the water on hand, nor time to make it via my RP/DI unit, I'd use tap water, and Prime to take care of the chlorine. Them mix the salt and wait a couple of hours and use.

 

[Pat24601]

If your doing something like that, you really should have a couple of 50 gal rubbermaid trashcans, seasoned and ready to mix your own SW in. If your still lugging jugs at that point, you need to get some additional equipment now.

If I have to make that big an emergency water change, and I didn't have the water on hand, nor time to make it via my RP/DI unit, I'd use tap water, and Prime to take care of the chlorine. Them mix the salt and wait a couple of hours and use.

Yeah, I didn’t talk to him enough to understand what was going on. Maybe there was more to this story where it makes more sense, but he was definitely buying a lot of 5 gallon jugs of saltwater from them. 14 if my math is correct.

 

[Uncle99]

Your right DaveK, SW is the pinnacle of the aquarium hobby. It's certainly OK to disagree, I love varied opinions on subjects, there are many things to be learned. In this case I see someone of maturity and past experience of 20 years is great to have in your back pocket. My reference to the game is a reference to the need for research, trial, error, and then hopefully success, this indicative of maintaining any bio-sphere.

Cheers

 

[DaveK]

... SW is the pinnacle of the aquarium hobby. ...

Don't ever say anything like that to fancy goldfish keepers, koi keepers, discus keepers and similar groups. (grin).

 

[Nando84]

Welcome!

I think there is nothing at all wrong with getting the size you want to start! Otherwise, you are kinda asking for problems later

Just let us know what questions you have.

Pat24601, cheers mate, more than likely be getting a few of those questions from me, I do like to understand whatever I do so I like to research as much as I can but we are all learning something new everyday and as an ex teacher (job site safety) I know how important peers are and reciprocal knowledge is the best.

 

[Nando84]

Welcome to Reef Sanctuary!

I personally think bigger tanks are easier to look after as long as you keep on top of everything with maintenance etc.

The water parameters tend not to swing so much as in small tanks so it’s a little more forgiving.

Also if you get what you want in the first place, you won’t want to upgrade later. Well you will actually, but common sense ‘may’ stop you!

SPR, thank you. I managed to smile more as the tanks got bigger knowing this but as I got more involved, dosing became imperative and it’s so much cheaper with a small tank... but less to look at. I lost ‘common sense’ a looong time ago.

 

[Nando84]

to RS ! Look forward to seeing your new tank, we love pics !

Nanoreefing, thanks for the welcome bud but pics are a little while away. I have some legal costs that need to be addressed so this is just documenting the design and initial process for now.

(I just finished two threads of jjmoneymans builds and recognised your screen name, glad to meet you.)

 

[Nando84]

There are some downsides to going with a large tank. As long as your aware of them, you should be OK.

With SW it's real easy to make a mistake and wipe out the whole tank. If you have a large tank it's a much larger clean up project, and a lot more expensive.

It's also real easy to make incorrect equipment selections or have problems with what you build. Once the tank is running they are a lot harder to correct. I suggest you post your plans before you buy anything major or start construction of major pieces. Often experienced people can show you ways that are better and cost a lot less.

I think the hardest thing to over come when you go from FW to SW systems, or for that matter from SW to FW systems, is that the mindset changes a bit. You tend to use different methods to get from point A to point B. Here is one example. In A SW reef system you generally want to keep nitrates and phosphates as low as possible, so you don't get algae problems. In a FW planted tank you need to add nitrates and phosphates so your plants grow, so you don't get algae problems. Similar things exist in lighting, filtration, disease treatments and many other aspects.

Dave, thank you for the advice. I have been researching the transition for about six months now and most of what I have learned about a SW set up accounts for about 20% of (basic) knowledge needed to set up, support, maintain and implement emergency strategies for either SW or FW. A world of difference in some aspects but for the most of it, I’m seeing why it is called a lifestyle rather than a hobby but thank you for the concern, I’ll be calling on you

 

[Nando84]

500 litres, wholly cow, that's a big one!
The fact that your not a newbie will certainly be an asset to your build.
With that many years you know the game.
Welcome to Reef Sanctuary...some real experienced people here...some already chimed in above....I have learned so much from them.
Keep us posted....and best of luck....have fun....

Uncle99, thanks for the welcome mate, I hope someone was that nice to you when you kicked off here yeah it will be a doozy, my 8’ holds ~750.. that’s a lot to mop is she goes I have read a shit tonne of threads in the last few months and can see a wealth of knowledge and the best thing is the diversity in problems faced within a community yet most are solved by very similar methods. Thanks again for the moral support bud.

 

[Nando84]

Don't ever say anything like that to fancy goldfish keepers, koi keepers, discus keepers and similar groups. (grin).

My grandad kept Prize winning Koi in a giant pond for a back yard lol he’d be mortified if he were still around

 

[Nando84]

Tank 6’ x 2’ x 2’ - 1800mm x 600mm x 600mm

I will be euro bracing it with 80mm strips all the way around.

It will be constructed out of 10mm toughened glass (I was going to opt for standard 12mm but I’m trying to reduce weight and the 10mm toughened is only 20% heavier than the difference between 10 and 12 standard)

N.b. I have crunched the numbers and the 10mm is up for the challenge and I have an 8’x2’x20”that is 10mm standard and it hasn’t left me with wet floors.


The tank will sit at the front of the stand 20mm from the vertical face of the front and sides of the stand.



The inner will consist of a box measuring 600mm long x 200mm high x 100mm deep.


The outer collection box will be on the other side of 2 x 50mm bulkheads feeding it from the DT. It will be a custom glass outer box with the full siphon, durso and Emergency standpipes (the bean animal system)


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Stand will be 4mm wall thickness 40mm Sq Tube

(All measurements in brackets are scaled 10:1 for design purposes)
I’m drawing the stand up today so I’ll upload it once it’s finished.


H = 4 @ 900x40x40
4 @ 760x40x40
4 @ 60x40x40

D = 4 @ 720x40x40
30 @ 720x40x20

L = 4 @ 1760x40x40

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Height (floor to the top)

• From floor to bottom shelf

60mm (6mm)

• Bottom shelf

40 mm (4mm)

• Marine ply for bottom shelf

20mm (2mm)

• Space in between top of bottom shelf and bottom of top shelf

760mm (76mm)

• top shelf

40 mm (4mm)

• HW plank for tank

20 mm (2mm)

• Tank

600mm (60mm)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Depth (front viewing face to back)

• Front legs to back legs (outside)

800mm (80mm)

• Marine board for lower shelf

800mm (80mm) and cut out the corners to suit the stand

• Front legs to back legs (inside)

720mm (72mm)

• HW plank for tank

800mm (80mm)

• Tank

600mm (60mm)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Length (left to right)

• Marine board for lower shelf

1840mm (184mm)

• HW Base

1840mm (184mm)

• Stand

1840mm (184mm)

• Tank

1800mm (180mm)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Top and bottom shelfs

I = rail
o= space


94 94 94 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 94 94

I o I o I o I o I o I o I o I o I o I o I o I o I o I o I o I o I


5 spaces @94mm = 470mm

+11 spaces @90mm = 990mm

+15 braces @20mm = 300

=1760mm


Needless to say I won’t be seeing this tank fall..
I had a 4’ tank go down for a nap about 6 years ago.. 200L of water everywhere across a unit floor.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Equipment intended for use.


Lights - 72” I want 2-3 150W and 4 or 5 39W T5’s

White up the back and blue up the front.

I’ll be trading that in for full LED set up once I win the lottery but that will fill my want stockings for now.


Main return in sump- Aqua medic 5.1 5000LPH
so smack bang on the 10x TV

2x twin pump wave makers each @ 3-6000lph

SRO 2000int protein skimmer

SRO 5000 calc reactor

JBJ arctica 1/10 hp chiller

and a 200L ATO

I have yet to start designing the sump but it’s on the list. I have all the measurements and footprints but I’m doing this right the first time.


Any hints or tips welcome

Thanks again for the warm welcome everyone.

 

[Uncle99]

Send us some pics along your journey.
If ya need some opinions or info, their are good people on this site.
They helped me with my last rebuild and it worked out way better than the last 4...cheers from the opposite site of the globe...