by JacP » Fri 05 May, 2017 10:40 am
Hi Michael,
I was directed to the MASA site, to see your set up and experiences on big marine tanks.
I became glued, and have spent nearly 3 hours reading about your journey from 2010.
As if there was not already enough, when i saw your answer to a question on what you would do differently if you were to set up afresh, you mentioned use Solar Tubes.
That was the final clincher, so i have no just joined up on MASA, to be able to contact you.
I see it has been a few years since your started your journal, but from your enthusiasm, i will assume you are still in the hobby. :-)
We are about to pour the slab on an extension to the house, which will be a big loungings/dining area. Of course the room divider between dining and lounge, is the centre piece aquarium.
I had an 8 ft 500 gal tank for 20 years when i lived in Manila, but that was set up in 1990, and i see so much has changed in the hobby and technology.
The new tank will be 2800 L x 1100W x 850 H. It is free standing, as in all 4 sides viewable. Of course this brings with it all the problems of how to hide plumbing , wires etc.
The deal i made with my wife, is no mess from water, barrels , and no heat/noise.
Bottom line, this led to the decision to have the sump all remote in the basement, 12 meters away and 3 meters down.
For the last 4 weeks we have done all the roughing in for the extension electrical and plumbing, and pour the slab this Saturday.
We also plumbed in the pipes for the tank, so they will come up under the stand, using 50 and 40mm pipes.
We were under pressure to get that done before the concrete. However.... we have a concept design for the water circulation.
One system from tank, over the central OverFlow box (OF) Durso style 3 50mm pipes, down to the basement, where the 2000L x 700 W x 500H Sump will be located. The return via another 50mm pipe through the tank floor in the OF and split above the water level into 4 duck bill nozzles. This is not the big problem, although there is much discussion on which brand of pump to use.
The second system is the Closed Loop CL system. The plan is to have 2 40mm suction holes from the tank, with cover grills of course, joined and piped down to the sump, where the pump will be to return it back up to the tank. This return line, a 50mm pipe, will punch through the floor of the OF also, to above the water level, and be split into a left and right line, 25mm , with an Actuator to control flow. Then each side runs along the Euro brace line along the right and left of the tank, with 4 or 5 individual flexible nozzles.
My concern is, the head pressure and flexibility in water control this will give.
From all I read and saw in your plan and build, is you are as sensitive as I am about the usual exposed pipes, wires and power heads stuck to the viewing panels.
I saw you put your 4 pumps below the tank, and plumbed them through the floor of the tank. This seems so much better than pumping water from the basement. My concern is the noise, as that is the deal with my dear wife ..? You wrote you get a lot of noise from your pumps.
Someone suggested the Abyzz pumps, very expensive, but reliable, can handle the head pressure and SILENT.
Do you have any experience with them, or an alternate pump.?
Until recently I was planning to use 2 350mm Solar Tubes. As I am lucky enough to be building new, I could have them installed when we do the roof. However others advised me not to as they seem the best solution, real sunlight etc, but offer a lack of co0ntrol and consistency of light source. I have bowed to that suggestion, and plan to use a combination of ATI T5 6 x 54W HO units with alternately spaced LEDs - no fixed brand yet.
Question : with your experiences, todays knowledge and the option to be building new, with a basement as a fish room, how would you design it ?????
I know this is a big ask, and I will fully understand if you dont have the time to spend on this, but would appreciate whatever advise you may have.
Thanks
Jacques