Tempest's New Tank Plan

[Tempestas]

Hey everyone

First off, I'm entirely too sure if this is the correct forum for this this. If the mods know, please feel free to move it to the correct spot. Apologies in advance.

 

So I've finally decided to build a new tank after keeping my reef bowl going for the last 4 and bit years. Somehow I've gotten the reef bug again and want to go bigger and better.

 

I've always admired minimalist SPS tanks so that it what I want to achieve with this tank. The main inspiration was Debora Dlugopolska's tank over at R2R. I want to emulate a lot of aspects of it, including the simple reefscape, and the fact that it only has sps (mainly acro's).

 

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/420l-debora-dlugopolska.228703/

 

Unfortunately, without my own place as yet, I've decided to spec the tank to fit into my office at work. It is mean to go on the console between my desk and my examination bed. Given that the office if fully open plan, the big consideration is that the tank is going to be visible on 4 sides. Sadly my office is very limited as to where else I can place the tank, mainly due to electricity supply. And I've always wanted to have a peninsular style tank, so that is what I've decided on.

 

This is the console that the tank will sit on.

 

 

My initial dimensions for the tank were modeled after similar sized tanks from IM and UN Systems. I'm looking in the region of 120 litres (about 20 to 25 gallons). The initial dimensions of the display were going to be 35 cm wide, 75cm long, and 40cm high. I was doing some pricing around and it would seem like having a tank custom built would be far cheaper than buying a pre-built one. However the console is 45 cm wide, and I'm wondering if I should make it that wide so that it sits flush with the edge of the top? Weight may become an issue so I'm considering dropping the height to 35cm to give it that shallow reef look.

 

Secondly, regarding plumbing, this will have to be an all-in-one. There is no way I can plumb into that console for a sump. My buddy has a high powered laser cutter at home, and I was thinking of building an all-in-one drop in kit. The other advantage is that I can also custom design this, but I would have to do the assembly myself.

 

I'm going to jump a bit before coming back to the aio because I feel people want these simple details out of the way.

 

I intend on going bare bottom, and using a few pieces of caribsea shelf rock resting on a piece of white acrylic. I intend on seeding and cycling them in a separate bucket with some small chunks of live rock from my current reefbowl (when I saw small I mean frag plugs) and some Aquaforest Life Bio Fil. I'm also planning to add some extra aragonite rocks and maxpect nanotech balls which will be added to the aio. I know the biofilter is going to take a while to get going, so I'm really only intending to add some nice corals around Black Friday.

 

For lighting I want to go with a single ReeFi Uno 2.0. I toyed around with using AI Blades, Primes, an Orphec Atlantic and even the knockoff Radion A8 from AliExpress. But nothing appears to come close to the power of the ReeFi. And I like the aspect of actually being able to get hold of the owner to ask him specifics. The program may look bare bones, but I really feel it has a huge amount to offer. I'm considering that I may want to buy a second light later down the line (due to spread) so I'm still considering what mounting option I would want to use. I also want to use the 60 deg reflectors as I don't intend on burning my patient's retinas when the sit down to talk to me.

 

Circulation is where it gets tricky. I've decided to go with Jebao gyres x 2 and a dc Jebao return pump. I know myself, and I know I will get frustrated needing to go to 2 different programs to stop both sets of pumps for a feed, so I want both to work from a single program. From what I understand at R2R, there are quite a few people that have had success with Jebao.

 

I'm planning to have both gyres mounted vertically upward to keep the display as clean as possible. In the worst case I'll move then to normal gyre positions just under the waterline on opposites sides. Under ideal circumstances, I would want to use a fully compatible system like AI (orbits and axis) or Red Sea, but I really don't have that type of money right now. Also something just doesn't sit right with me and using AI and Ecotech products since BRS bought them over. However, I do want to make sure that I have the space to upgrade to one of these systems when and if I ever get the money to do so (like if I win the lotto)

 

Now for the AIO.

 

For the first compartment, I just want to have an area where I can place a filter pad. Filter socks may become too stinky I think. Also, with the acros in the tank, I don't think I want to overfilter. However, I'm still toying around with the idea of making the compartment able to fit the new NanoMat from Red Sea. They haven't released it, but the size looks really good.

Other than that, I'm thinking simple media baskets for live rock and nanotech balls.

 

In the first overflow, I'm intending to place the heater - a 150W Aquael Ultra Heater

 

In the second compartment, I want to have even more biological filtration. And then above this I want to have and algae turf scrubber. I would love to buy a commercially available unit, but the price is waaay to high to import them into South Africa. So I'm thinking of building one myself. It's going to be powered with a Zetlight E200S refugium light, but I'm going to design it to be able to add a second light down the line if needed. I will probably pump the water using a cheap Sobo or Buyo pump that will be running 24/7, with the outlet going into the same compartment. (pics to follow when I actually have time to learn Fusion 360) I'm not horrendously concerned of light leakage, as the unit will mainly be running when I'm not in the office.

 

I will not be using a protein skimmer.

 

The last compartment will house a potential bubble trap, and the DC pump I spoke of earlier.

 

With regards to evaporation, I'm hoping to use a separate piece of low iron glass to seal the unit to minimize evaporation. (not acrylic, as Dan form ReeFi pointed out that it can block a substantial amount of UV light) I also want to minimize the risk of hand sanitizer accidentally entering the system.

 

For supplementation, I'm going to try only using All-for-Reef. Initially it will be manual, but the next step would be to use a Reef Factory doser to do it automatically. Should I hit the upper end of this, I'll likely using Kalkwasser with a second doser (crossing fingers it doesn't get to this stage).

 

As for electricity backup, our office has a large diesel generator that typically kicks in within about 2 mins of a power outage. Should it fail, I'm intending to connect the DC return pump and an air pump with an air stone to a small battery backup (like and Ecoflow River equivalent)

 

Lastly, the actual corals. I'm hoping to start with islands simple tried and tested stuff like my milka sylopora, the teal blue stylo, and a hammer, and maybe a monti digi. Ideally, I'm hoping to remove that rock once I can actually start growing 'easy' acros like green slimers, or anything else cheap I can get my hands on. And then finally after the acros are established, I'm crossing fingers I can add a maxima clam to the very front of the tank right at the bottom.

 

Now here's some questions I help answering.

 

1. Should I bother trying to build a simple ATO like the one included in the next Red Sea 2g XL, to empty in the last compartment.

 

2. Light mounting suggestions, given that the algae scrubber is going to be quite tall and sitting in the middle of the AIO compartment

 

3. And thoughts to make the top of the AIO like nice and slick. I'm leaning to have it all contained under an acrylic box (similar to how the Red Sea's look, but all the way around) Again this raises questions of light mounting.

 

4. How thick should I make the AIO compartment. Given that I can change the tanks dimensions, should I also change the display area as well?

 

5. Any major design considerations I'm missing, or any comments in general.

 

Thanks so much for reading this essay, and TIA for helping out.

 

 

P.S. I've also toyed with the idea of having the front of the AIO be white, in an attempt to reflect more light, but then I don't know if I want to make the entire box white, and then it becomes and aesthetic debate as to what will look better. The walls of my office are all white, and I don't know if it will disrupt the whole black and white theme we have running through the practice. ( I know for a fact that our architect would want it to be black)

[Tempestas]

Bump. Does no-one have any opinions?

[natalia_la_loca]

sounds really nice, i love the idea of a tank that’s visible (and accessible) from all sides.

 

I have a solid acrylic lid over my Evo to control evaporation. It works great and eliminates the need for an ATO. If you have a solid lid with an SPS-dominated tank, you may want to keep an eye on your pH due to reduced gas exchange.

 

 

[Tempestas]

Thanks. If I had the plumping option, I would have gone for an overflow in the dead centre of the tank so it would have 4 viewing angles.

 

Do you reckon that adding an airstone in the back would help compensate for that? I could also easily acquire medical grade soda lime to create a CO2 scrubber.

[natalia_la_loca]

I don’t have personal experience of using an airstone to boost pH (my tank is mostly LPS and softies, so I don’t pay as much attention to parameters as I would if I had SPS), but i’ve heard of people doing that. Same with CO2 scrubber.

[mcarroll]

Lower pH is better than high pH.   It's better not to chase a pH number.   Just some thoughts.

[Staticmoves]

Some thoughts….

1. Success rate of bare bottom with AIO without the extra sump capacity for lots of bio media, ( maybe worth some more research since eventual Acro dominate is goal, stability wise.)

2. Lights. Is ceiling mounting over the tank an option? Hang from wire kit.

3. May want to incorporate HOB or side skimmer to tune nutrients if AIO bare bottom for Acro. ( worth a chat with someone with experience in a AIO bare bottom Acro dominate system.) depending on expected fish load.

4. Love all the for thought going into this project, looking forward to following. May be a good time to start a journal thread to track the progress.

cheers…….😎