Rusty1's In Wall Tank adventure!

[Rusty1]

Introduction:
So after 8 years I have made it to the big boys forum!

2400 x 800 x 700 in Wall Tank with the main focus on fish with SPS corals. This will be my 5th Reef in 9 years which all started with a 3 x 18 x 18 that grew to a 4 x 2 x 2 pretty quicky. Next came the 6 x 2 x2 then I discovered the beauty of wider tanks with a 5ft x 800 x 550. This tank only came after my first attempt at an 8 x 3 x 2 cracked when I filled it. Then after 4 years I finally upgraded to this tank and have put it in wall.

System Objectives: A Fish dominated SPS tank. Yes I would like pretty colored corals but no I do not want to put that much effort in or have no fish. I will keep those corals that can handle some nutrient such as Dalles and go from there. I would also like an Anemone in this tank

System Type: Fish with SPS corals.

Display System:
1500 litre

Strike up Date:
02/11/14

Display Tank: Display tank specifications.
2440mm x 800mm x 70mm Starphire front in wall display with corner weir.
Display Lighting: Lighting specifications.
2 x 250w MH
2 x 400w MH
8 x 39w T5 supplementation.

Stand: Stand specifications.
Timber stand

Hood: Hood specifications.
In wall.

Sump: Sump specs if applicable.
1500 x 600 x 450 3 Chamber Sump

Refugium: Refugium Specifications if applicable.

Refugium Lighting: Lighting specifications.
24w Power Compact
Support systems:
Profilux 3

System Water:
Natural salt water

Display Water circulation:
2 x Tunze 6205 and 2 Vortech MP40W all controlled by the Profilux

Return Pump:
Laguna 11000LPH

Skimmer:
ATB Medium Deluxe. Was an external that I converted to Internal.

Evaporation Top Up:
ATO controlled by Profilux


Chemical Support:
Calcium Reactor made by Turbo (RIP) and a secondary chamber by Reef Octopus


Current Water Chemistry:
Nitrates: 2.5
Phosphates:.10
Alkalinity: 150
Calcium: 400
Salinity / Specific Gravity: 1.026
Magnesuim: 1250


Images:

[chromus]

Great to see you joined the big boys Rusty, we need your arch nemesis Robthepom to get a man sized tank now.

If you want any pointers just PM.

Mine is 1100 off the ground, in hindsight 1000 or 1050 would have been fractionally better. Looks great as a room feature, but due to the viewing angles of the corals, some don't get full colour compared to a more top down angle.

Make sure you box in around the bottom of the tank and have a floor drain, otherwise you'll end up doing this if the unthinkable ever happens.

[saltymike]

Nice Rusty will be keeping an eye on this bud.

Any 'special' fish in mind?

Mike.

[NVRENUF]

Welcome.
I also aimed at 1100 off the ground. Though i then went and added 20mm of feet to the stand,
love the height. going from previous tank being 800 high.. makes a huge difference having the main focus of tank
at eye height.

T

[bubbleboy]

I'm with the boys on this one Rusty, 1100
Good choice on going 800 deep
look foward to the build!

[Rod the Reefer]

Nice Rusty.

Looking forward to it.

Rod.

[wayne2.0]

800 plus rim after 1100 from the ground = a long way up. I had 1000 on a old tank I liked it.

[Rusty1]

Great to see you joined the big boys Rusty, we need your arch nemesis Robthepom to get a man sized tank now.

If you want any pointers just PM.

Mine is 1100 off the ground, in hindsight 1000 or 1050 would have been fractionally better. Looks great as a room feature, but due to the viewing angles of the corals, some don't get full colour compared to a more top down angle.

Make sure you box in around the bottom of the tank and have a floor drain, otherwise you'll end up doing this if the unthinkable ever happens.

Yeah I started thinking 100 butI think when looking at tanks from memory you are looking directly at them, and not down, thus seeing more of the undersides of the corals (specially those near the top as they will be 1800 off the ground.

Robs a big soft Pommy, he will never go this big!!!

Nice Rusty will be keeping an eye on this bud.

Any 'special' fish in mind?

Mike.

Well my stocklist for the current tank is a little heavy so not too many more. Maybe just add a Queen Angel and the wife really likes the Achilles Tang

Welcome.
I also aimed at 1100 off the ground. Though i then went and added 20mm of feet to the stand,
love the height. going from previous tank being 800 high.. makes a huge difference having the main focus of tank
at eye height.

T

Cheers. It is a hard choice . I do worry 1000mm will be slightly low. But I will mainly view it from the comfort of my recliner so a little lower will be good. Just worried it will look a little silly in the wall. Like a picture hung too low.

I'm with the boys on this one Rusty, 1100
Good choice on going 800 deep
look foward to the build!

Thank you.

Nice Rusty.

Looking forward to it.

Rod.

Cheers Rod.

800 plus rim after 1100 from the ground = a long way up. I had 1000 on a old tank I liked it.

I will be adding a 400mm shelf at the base out the back of it to stand on so hopefully I can get my slightly oversized stomach around it!

[robthepom]

So after 8 years I have made it to the big boys forum!

2400 x 800 x 700 in Wall Tank with the main focus on fish with SPS corals.

My first question to those with in wall tanks.

Height off the ground. How high did you go and are you happy with that viewing height?

So that will be about 600mm off the ground for you

Looking forward to seeing the blue face in new home

Give me a hoy if you need hand, got plenty of white Xenia and brown zoa when your ready for them

[Rusty1]

So after 8 years I have made it to the big boys forum!

2400 x 800 x 700 in Wall Tank with the main focus on fish with SPS corals.

My first question to those with in wall tanks.

Height off the ground. How high did you go and are you happy with that viewing height?

So that will be about 600mm off the ground for you

Looking forward to seeing the blue face in new home

Give me a hoy if you need hand, got plenty of white Xenia and brown zoa when your ready for them

Very quick with the come backs!

I will sing out but think it is under control!

[Rusty1]

Space Cleared. 2nd sump in waiting in.

[NVRENUF]

is the tnak going into that opening ? and access to the tank via the door in the back there ?

[Jaguar]

So after 8 years I have made it to the big boys forum!

2400 x 800 x 700 in Wall Tank with the main focus on fish with SPS corals.

8yrs is young! I've waited 10yrs to join, and should be joining might soon. Can't wait to see how this progresses!

[Rusty1]

is the tnak going into that opening ? and access to the tank via the door in the back there ?

Correct. Tank is going into that opening. It is 244cm. Perfect!

Access will be via a door in the back left corner as we will be moving the laundry into the back right corner of the fish room (currently backs onto that back left corner)

Outside door is a bonus but I dont want to walk outside every time. Not at least till Ideck out there.

So after 8 years I have made it to the big boys forum!

2400 x 800 x 700 in Wall Tank with the main focus on fish with SPS corals.

8yrs is young! I've waited 10yrs to join, and should be joining might soon. Can't wait to see how this progresses!

Good things come to those who wait

[Rusty1]

Todays Efforts:
5Ft Sump Stand made.


Temporary light frame up so 5Ft has light



Fish Room ready for renovations:


Door area Clear


New Laundry corner clear.

[pebbles]

Congratulations Rusty, I'm sure it will be awesome!




Angie

[Rusty1]

Congratulations Rusty, I'm sure it will be awesome!




Angie

Thanks Angie.


Today some progress was made!

New Laundry



Old Laundry/New doorway

[Amphibian]

wow , looking at the construction work reminds me of my build.
i know what your going thru ,

it will take shape in no time .

good luck with it all

[Rusty1]

wow , looking at the construction work reminds me of my build.
i know what your going thru ,

it will take shape in no time .

good luck with it all

Thanks. It is nearly done though now.













The real fun stuff starts this weekend!

Tank Time!

[Rusty1]

Well it has been a big last few days. Laundry is completed 99% just a few finishing touches I will do this week



Made the frame to lift the 900 stand up to 1m high. Tested it for level and was pretty good, so not too much packing required.






Today we picked up the tank and stand, modded the stand, added the frame and a board and secured it to the wall. All in all it went to plan thanks to Dennison (#1 tank mover) and Matt (#1 Helper)



Have decided to run an external sump as opposed to under the tank as I need storage for all my fish stuff. This will make working on the sump so much easier too.

[Rusty1]

So here is the progress so far:

Tank cleaning and preparation





Had to lower the sump height to make the plumbing work








Light frame made and ready



Live stock transferred

[chromus]

Looking good Rus

[Rusty1]

And this is where I was last weekend.

Stock moved, Electrics moved. CR set up, ATO set up, Cooling set up.

Massive list of still to do's though






Iphone's seem to take very blue pics for some strange reason.

No losses. Fish are loving the extra room.

[Rusty1]

Yesterday I had new fans up and my ATB skimmer on and firing.





Any 1 have any idea why photobucket is doing the image links like this now? Is it a setting I have changed?

Code: Select all

[URL=http://s1286.photobucket.com/user/Russell_Hornby/media/RUSSELL-PC/Pictures/8Ft%20Journey/IMG_0600_zpsea6573fa.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1286.photobucket.com/albums/a620/Russell_Hornby/RUSSELL-PC/Pictures/8Ft%20Journey/IMG_0600_zpsea6573fa.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[chromus]

just use the "direct" link and out [img].[/img] tags

[Rusty1]

just use the "direct" link and out [img].[/img] tags

I used to be able to just copy the img tags and it was perfect.

Something changed and I am sure i have done something wrong...lol

Any 1 that is interested I have more regular updates here

[Mr Miagi]

Looking good Rusty! You obviously more keen on the MH than T5 or LED. Have you tried the latter?

[chromus]

just use the "direct" link and out [img].[/img] tags

I used to be able to just copy the img tags and it was perfect.

Something changed and I am sure i have done something wrong...lol

Any 1 that is interested I have more regular updates here

They changed it to suit a different type of forum software. It's on my investigate list to see if we can improve the compatibility.

[Rusty1]

Looking good Rusty! You obviously more keen on the MH than T5 or LED. Have you tried the latter?

Thank you sir!

Yes I am and probably always will be a MH fan.

LED are great and I have wanted to play with them but I see too many go back from them to T5 as they arnt the full tilt. Plus the cost of lighting a tank such as this with mainstream LED will send you broke, so I invested in solar panels instead. Last bill was $-91
Another side to MH which I love is heating costs are greatly reduced during late Autumn/Winter/early spring so as much as we hear about the cooling costs no 1 considers the heating costs. I run a 1000w heater and 1000w chiller. The hour meter on both is amazingly different with the heater on much more than the chiller. That would also be helped by my desire these days to be cool myself so our A/C is on A LOT! I see many advantages to MH lighting and, for me, it is still the best light there is on a DT.

If I could live with the flatness of T5 then I would definatley do that as I know they are simply the best for coral growth but I will use them in this build eventually along with the MH for the shimmer.

That would be great Phil. Its a PITA now.

[robthepom]

Well done Russ, looks great

Its good to actually see the fish, instead of just getting a flash when the food comes out

Whats next on the fish list, wont be long before your overstocked again, hey