Pete & Sue's 3500L Reef (New aquascape)

[blags]

Introduction:
Welcome everyone to a new chapter in our lives. For those who don’t know me, my name is Pete and my partners name is Sue. I have been on these forums here for over 5 years and keeping fish for about 7 or so years now. Unfortunately we had a major accident mid November 2008 with the house catching fire and as a result loosing 95% of our possessions and a vast majority of our tanks.
But like anything in this hobby, it has a way of enticing you back in, and the fantastic people that I have met here have certainly ensured that we couldn't give up.
A big thanks to Sue for being as passionate about this hobby as I am and for suggesting that I should get the tank of my dreams and the equipment I would have liked to get but couldn’t justify in the past.
A majority of the power supply will hopefully be supplied by solar power cells installed on the house roof during the renovation process.

Well enough of me going on and let the fun begin.

System Objectives: To have a healthy and happy reef tank that is as relaxing as possible.


System Type: Mixed reef with majority SPS and frag system as well.

Display System:

Strike up Date: Hopefully July 2009.

Display Tank: 10’6”L x 4’W x 28”H (3200mm long x 1220mm wide x 710mm high) built by Dennison Seeto (rainmun on the forums) from Mary-Anne’s Aquariums located in Browns Plains Qld.

Display Lighting: At this stage 4 x 250W Lumen Bright reflectors with 12000k Reeflux globes on ACLS ballasts down the middle and 4 4x80W T5 ATI Powermodules. Two each along either side.

Stand: 10’6”L x 4’W x 41”H (3200mm long x 1220mm wide x 1040mm high) made from 50mm square tube by a work mate who has his own business Brassall Engineering.

Hood: No hood planned at this stage, but lights will be on a movable light track for ease of intank maintenance.

Sump: At this stage will be 6’L x 3’6”W x 2’H (1830mm long x 1067mm wide x 610mm high).

Refugium: Will be in Sump approximately 3’ x 1’6” (920mm x 460mm).

Refugium Lighting: 4x54W T5 unit yet to be determined.


Support systems:

System Water: Natural salt water.

Display Water circulation: 8 x VorTech MP40W to begin with.

Return Pump: Red Dragon 10,000Lt/hr teed off for chiller.

Skimmer: Bubble King Deluxe 400 Internal with self cleaning head.

Evaporation Top Up: Auto topup via Profilux


Chemical Support:

Calcium Addition: Turbo Dual Stage Calcium Reactor.

Alkilinity Addition: Turbo Dual Stage Calcium Reactor.

Other Chemical Maintenance: N/A at present.

Current Water Chemistry: N/A at present.
Nitrates:
Phosphates:
Alkalinity:
Calcium:
Salinity / Specific Gravity:
Magnesuim:


Images:
Hopefully soon

[Alf D]

This is going to be sensational.

[Sin]

Wow this is going to be one awesome setup.

[StripestheEel]

Nice Pete. We will both have to jump into our beasts to clean them.

Hope you have your snorkel ready!

[GunmetlFairmont]

This has the making of something special!!

[tmd77]

good to see you finally got this up here pete.

going to be amazing when its done!

[Reefing Life]

Can't wait to see this thing Pete.

[funkngroovy]

Well done in moving to solar power to run as much of the tank as possible.



I think this kind of thinking is lacking all too often when new tanks are being planned.

[AuS MaDDoG]

I have been waiting on this for sometime Pete & Sue!! cannot wait to see it rise from the now cleaned up ashes, it will be something awesome.
How are you going with the AutoCAD drawings Pete ?
Very much looking forward to the progress keep it coming!!


Tony.

[blags]

Thanks everyone!!! Hope it lives up to everyone's expectations
Have a few pics as the house stands today and will regularly update with info and pics as things happen.
Tony that autocad is harder than i thought..... Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cheers
Pete

[blackers10]

Pete try this site .. it is a handy tutorial type website for autocad
http://we-r-here.com/cad/tutorials/index.htm
cant wait to see what you can pull off given you get FIRST dibs on coral hehe

[blags]

Pete try this site .. it is a handy tutorial type website for autocad
http://we-r-here.com/cad/tutorials/index.htm
cant wait to see what you can pull off given you get FIRST dibs on coral hehe

Thanks will give it a go
As for the corals me have first dibs never!!!

Cheers
Pete

[mgrav]

Holy crap.Your going all out alright! Aquascaping is going to be great fun! I'll be keeping a very close eye on this one.

Any ideas what your going to make the stand out of Pete?

[StripestheEel]

Paper mache.

It's all the rage in the US right now.

Any special fishies going in this one Pete?

[Turbo]

This is going to be awesome Pete.

[blags]

:o Holy crap.Your going all out alright! Aquascaping is going to be great fun! I'll be keeping a very close eye on this one.

Any ideas what your going to make the stand out of Pete?

Hi Michael,

Stand will be made from 50mm gal box tube then powdercoated.

[blags]

Paper mache.

It's all the rage in the US right now.

Any special fishies going in this one Pete?

Haven't really planned on fish yet. There are a few that Tone is looking after that i need to get back from him and probably some nice rare ones if i can get hold of them.
I hear that a Sohol tang might be coming my way so maybe they could donate to it me

The fish that i already have are

Blue Face Angel
Potters Angel
Golden Angel
Flame Angel
Purple Tang
Scopas Tang
Blue Tang
Ember Blenny
Foxface
Pixie Hawkfish

Thats all i can think of for the moment.
Will probably get the following when available as well.
Achillies Tang
Black Tang

Cheers
Pete

[StripestheEel]

I would be after an Achillies too, as I will have the QT tank to ensure it is fighting fit before it enters a display as well. Would never buy one unless it was quarantined for at least 6-8 weeks.

I haven't seen Black Tangs around for a very long time!!

[Adam007]

As with anything you do Pete, im sure this build will be fantastic and am looking forward to it !!!

[brettm74]

Tony that autocad is harder than i thought..... Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You rang?

[blags]

Tony that autocad is harder than i thought..... Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You rang?

Bugger i forgot about that Brett
I made some headway yesterday so if I get stuck will definately let you know.

Cheers
Pete

[blags]

Well I finally got there with the drawing and have the top down view of the tank with dimensions and some of the equipment.

Will try to do a 3D version as well but i think it might take me a while.



Hopefully will be ordering some of the equipment this week through Michael from Reefing Life

Cheers
Pete

[kurt]

is there some kind of forum rivalry who has the biggest tank.

Can't wait to follow you're journey

[StripestheEel]

Don't move to Queensland then, your expected to have a big tank!!

[blags]

Just had news that the builder is in replacing the bearers and joists after the fire so we are progressing slowly.
Will get some pics up tonight

[blags]

Time for the first pic to be put up and it will be the location of where the new tank will be. Still the same room as before just in another position and out from the wall as you will see. I have had all my tanks like this for the last 5-6 years.
This allows me to have it as a room divider and also provide better viewing of the tank and all of the inhabitants.

The new tank position and also you can see how far the fire damage came down the wall.

.

This is what the room used to look like looking from the front door area back



And this is now



As you can see there wasn't much hope for alot of the stuff in here. All going well the sliding door in the back will be double the size which will allow for great viewing of the tank from the outside.
Here are some more of the proposed tank.

From the front door



And a bit closer up of markings on the floor.



In this pic you can see the joists that i will be using for the track lighting and at the end the wall will be removed for the new fish room. Also within the joists we are going to have heat extraction ducting from the lights, power supply for them and a few other things.



This pic shows the outside of where the new fish room will be. It was a garden bed that measures 3m x 1.5m so that will be enclosed and become part of the house.



Below is a pic of the room with the wall removed near the stairs to open up the room alot more.



And finally boofhead me standing where the tank will be to give you some perspective of the size if the tank.



I am getting so excited about this project and my mind is spinning with all the possibilities that it can hold. Lucky for me the builder is a good mate and a mad reefer like the rest of us. So between us both and you guys here on the forum, hopefully we don't miss anything. please feel free to comment on anything as i am all ears

Cheers
Pete

[Alf D]

Looking good Pete, can't wait to see it all come together.
Will you be adding a sink in the room?

[Rusty1]

Awesome Pete. I know you have been talking about this and explaining where it was all going but as they say, a picture paints 1000 words.

This will trully be an awesome build.

I, for 1, am glad to see the passion has returned big time

[ryanrid]

this is going to be sweet! good luck!

[blags]

Looking good Pete, can't wait to see it all come together.
Will you be adding a sink in the room?

Yep there will be and a drain in the floor for those dreaded spills as well.
The whole room will be tiled as well.

Awesome Pete. I know you have been talking about this and explaining where it was all going but as they say, a picture paints 1000 words.

This will trully be an awesome build.

I, for 1, am glad to see the passion has returned big time

Thanks Rusty I am glad it has returned as well and also think Sue is glad as i was driving her nuts with nothing to do

this is going to be sweet! good luck!

Thanks.

Cheers
Pete