Tank Journal Archive

Peter_1988_

Member
Dec 1, 2013
35
13
Bacchus Marsh
Initial Planning Of Tank
Having had a 4' freshwater tank for the last few years I have decided my next tank will be an 8' reef tank. I want it to look as natural as possible and full of life (shrimp, crabs and other clean up crew) as well as fish and corals. We are building a new house next year ( The build start date is planned for March 2015) and I will be putting the 8' reef tank in the family room once the house has been built.
I have never had a saltwater tank before, only freshwater so I know it will be a huge challenge going straight to an 8' reef tank but I plan on taking it slow and have already started to do a lot of research. I want to get it right the first time and have a tank I will be happy with for a long time instead of keeping on upgrading bit by bit to a larger tank which is why I decided on the 8' by 2.5' by 2.5' size.
At the moment we are still designing the house and so I am trying to plan the tank around the house so it is easier in the long run. I plan on having a water point and dedicated electrical power point built into the wall where the tank will be going. I also plan on having a drain built in to make it much easier to do water changes. I want these all in the wall so they can easily be covered up by plaster if I ever get rid of the tank (not that I ever plan to). The builder has said the water point and power point are ok in the wall but the drain cannot be put into the wall, it has to be put into the floor. I imagine these three items will be much easier to install while the house is still being built rather than doing it after the house has been built. Has anyone else ever had a drain installed into a wall? or know if it can be done? If not I guess It will have to be put in the floor.
The other thing at this stage I am trying to figure out is what kind of overflow system to use. I plan on putting the tank right up against the wall so it can be viewed from the front and from the two sides so would probably prefer to have the overflow along the back of the tank where it cannot be seen too easily. I like the idea of the bean animal system however I am not sure if this will work if the tank is up against a wall. I want to be able to access all parts of the tank easily in case I need to.
I plan on having the sump built underneath the tank inside the cabinet and having a refugium built into the sump. I also plan on having an RODI unit under the tank so I can set up an auto top off system for evaporated water. I also plan on having a canopy over the tank but want it high enough that I can still access the tank easily from the canopy opening and want it accessibly from the front and two sides.
If anyone has any ideas or suggestions about this build please let me know. I am still only in the early planning stages but hope to have everything sorted in the next 6 months so it is all ready to start by next year. The main thing I want to get right now is the placement and how it will work with the overflow box.
 

Wrangy

Member
May 7, 2013
2,923
1,567
Research
A couple of things I would add just as my thoughts are:
Try and get the tank on it's own fuse. Having a fuse specifically for the tank makes things easier and you have a dedicated protection for it and it'll also tell you exactly when something is wrong electrically with the tank and also with power bills with a tank of that size I would also consider getting some solar panels to offset the cost of running such a large tank too. It might be a bit of a cost hurt to start with but in the long run it will help immensely to keep costs lowered! :)

Drain in the floor is fine and easier but harder to access if need be but having it in the floor will be fine :) The overflow, if you don't want the tank to protrude from the wall you should look at an internal overflow, either in the centre of the tank or in the corner, with some black acrylic on them they're nearly invisible. However if you don't want to take up tank space externals are really good too, mine uses an internal and I do enjoy the look of it but I'm not phased either way about it.

Considering you're not starting to build till March next year, it would be a good idea to setup yourself a little nano marine tank so you can get a feel of what having a tank is like and so you can make yourself a few mistakes without the cost of a big tank behind them :) Even if it's just a small 34L or a larger 90L nano, it's good experience and really introduces you to the world of reefing and it'll also give you a taste of what you like in terms of coral :) Just a though but with a year or so before you move it would be a good little project to whet your appetite and give you some experience which will be invaluable in such a big tank! :)

Other than that you look like you have a decent plan from my point of view but I only have a 2ft cube so I don't have much experience with big tanks haha. Take my advice or leave it :) Just some thoughts on what you're doing and from a different perspective :)

Who are you looking at getting to build your tank?? And where about's in Melb are you located?
 

daveH

Team Leader
Nov 24, 2011
2,958
1,475
Brisbane Northside
Have you thought of having the tank go through the wall with a maintenance room behind it.
There are some brilliant examples of this around and if the house hasn't been built yet you may be able to incorporate it into the build.
That would keep all the 'behind the scene activity' behind the scene and keeps the messy stuff hidden away.
@Wrangy makes a very good point to set up something smaller for a trial run. There's a lot of bugs we've all had to sort out at the start.
 

leodb89

Member
Mar 6, 2012
3,751
876
Sydney
Having had a 4' freshwater tank for the last few years I have decided my next tank will be an 8' reef tank. I want it to look as natural as possible and full of life (shrimp, crabs and other clean up crew) as well as fish and corals. We are building a new house next year ( The build start date is planned for March 2015) and I will be putting the 8' reef tank in the family room once the house has been built.
I have never had a saltwater tank before, only freshwater so I know it will be a huge challenge going straight to an 8' reef tank but I plan on taking it slow and have already started to do a lot of research. I want to get it right the first time and have a tank I will be happy with for a long time instead of keeping on upgrading bit by bit to a larger tank which is why I decided on the 8' by 2.5' by 2.5' size.
At the moment we are still designing the house and so I am trying to plan the tank around the house so it is easier in the long run. I plan on having a water point and dedicated electrical power point built into the wall where the tank will be going. I also plan on having a drain built in to make it much easier to do water changes. I want these all in the wall so they can easily be covered up by plaster if I ever get rid of the tank (not that I ever plan to). The builder has said the water point and power point are ok in the wall but the drain cannot be put into the wall, it has to be put into the floor. I imagine these three items will be much easier to install while the house is still being built rather than doing it after the house has been built. Has anyone else ever had a drain installed into a wall? or know if it can be done? If not I guess It will have to be put in the floor.
The other thing at this stage I am trying to figure out is what kind of overflow system to use. I plan on putting the tank right up against the wall so it can be viewed from the front and from the two sides so would probably prefer to have the overflow along the back of the tank where it cannot be seen too easily. I like the idea of the bean animal system however I am not sure if this will work if the tank is up against a wall. I want to be able to access all parts of the tank easily in case I need to.
I plan on having the sump built underneath the tank inside the cabinet and having a refugium built into the sump. I also plan on having an RODI unit under the tank so I can set up an auto top off system for evaporated water. I also plan on having a canopy over the tank but want it high enough that I can still access the tank easily from the canopy opening and want it accessibly from the front and two sides.
If anyone has any ideas or suggestions about this build please let me know. I am still only in the early planning stages but hope to have everything sorted in the next 6 months so it is all ready to start by next year. The main thing I want to get right now is the placement and how it will work with the overflow box.

:welcome
 

Peter_1988_

Member
Dec 1, 2013
35
13
Bacchus Marsh
A couple of things I would add just as my thoughts are:
Try and get the tank on it's own fuse. Having a fuse specifically for the tank makes things easier and you have a dedicated protection for it and it'll also tell you exactly when something is wrong electrically with the tank and also with power bills with a tank of that size I would also consider getting some solar panels to offset the cost of running such a large tank too. It might be a bit of a cost hurt to start with but in the long run it will help immensely to keep costs lowered! :)

Drain in the floor is fine and easier but harder to access if need be but having it in the floor will be fine :) The overflow, if you don't want the tank to protrude from the wall you should look at an internal overflow, either in the centre of the tank or in the corner, with some black acrylic on them they're nearly invisible. However if you don't want to take up tank space externals are really good too, mine uses an internal and I do enjoy the look of it but I'm not phased either way about it.

Considering you're not starting to build till March next year, it would be a good idea to setup yourself a little nano marine tank so you can get a feel of what having a tank is like and so you can make yourself a few mistakes without the cost of a big tank behind them :) Even if it's just a small 34L or a larger 90L nano, it's good experience and really introduces you to the world of reefing and it'll also give you a taste of what you like in terms of coral :) Just a though but with a year or so before you move it would be a good little project to whet your appetite and give you some experience which will be invaluable in such a big tank! :)

Other than that you look like you have a decent plan from my point of view but I only have a 2ft cube so I don't have much experience with big tanks haha. Take my advice or leave it :) Just some thoughts on what you're doing and from a different perspective :)

Who are you looking at getting to build your tank?? And where about's in Melb are you located?
Thanks for your input Wrangy. I am from Bacchus Marsh so not really Melbourne but a 45 minute drive away. Have not decided yet on who will build the tank as it is a while away but have spoken to Dave at Deer Park Aquarium and will definitely consider getting him to build it as he really seems to know what he is talking about and has some good ideas. When you say get the tank on its own fuse do you mean its own separate power point that is not linked to the power in the rest of the house? I will look into the internal overflows. As for setting up a small reef, I would love to but not sure if I can as I do not really have the room at the moment unless I get rid of my 4' freshwater tank and I am not going to kill off all my freshwater fish to start a new reef tank. If my circumstances change and I am able to do it then setting up a small reef first would definitely be a good idea.
 

Peter_1988_

Member
Dec 1, 2013
35
13
Bacchus Marsh
Have you thought of having the tank go through the wall with a maintenance room behind it.
There are some brilliant examples of this around and if the house hasn't been built yet you may be able to incorporate it into the build.
That would keep all the 'behind the scene activity' behind the scene and keeps the messy stuff hidden away.
@Wrangy makes a very good point to set up something smaller for a trial run. There's a lot of bugs we've all had to sort out at the start.
I have considered it but with the way the house is set up I don't think it could work. It would probably make more sense to keep everything under the tank.
 

Wrangy

Member
May 7, 2013
2,923
1,567
Research
Thanks for your input Wrangy. I am from Bacchus Marsh so not really Melbourne but a 45 minute drive away. Have not decided yet on who will build the tank as it is a while away but have spoken to Dave at Deer Park Aquarium and will definitely consider getting him to build it as he really seems to know what he is talking about and has some good ideas. When you say get the tank on its own fuse do you mean its own separate power point that is not linked to the power in the rest of the house? I will look into the internal overflows. As for setting up a small reef, I would love to but not sure if I can as I do not really have the room at the moment unless I get rid of my 4' freshwater tank and I am not going to kill off all my freshwater fish to start a new reef tank. If my circumstances change and I am able to do it then setting up a small reef first would definitely be a good idea.
No problems :) Also have a look at Starfire Aquatics, he does some awesome tanks as well :) @Sam Parker had his tank build by Billy.
You can always set up a small nano on the kitchen bench or a dining room table or any ledge/table big enough with a power-point nearby :) They can be quite surprising :)

In terms of the fuse, it's not a different power supply but a different section of the power supplied to your house. I'll try to explain how it works lol, you'll have to excuse any bad terminology as I'm not a qualified electrician but aware of things electrical, I have simplified a lot too:
The power comes off the grid and to your house. Once it reaches the house it goes through the power box and therefore the fuse box and the individual fuses. Each fuse represents a different circuit that receives power, for instance my house has the lights on two separate fuses, the oven has it's own and there are several for the different powers throughout the house (there are more but it's irrelevant). Each power point has it's own fuse and they are all divided across several, meaning that they are protected by their specific fuse. For example all kitchen and dining room power points could be one fuse, another could be bathroom and wet rooms and another could be misc power points like bedrooms or they could be divided by area. What it means is that is something in the kitchen causes an electrical short only the fuse the kitchen power points are on will blow and turn off and therefore be affected allowing the rest of the house to continue to function (unless the entire house trips but that's a different story again).
Hopefully by this point I still make sense :p and you understand what I'm getting at with the different sections of power.
What it means to put your tank on it's own fuse is that it adds an extra layer of electrical protection due to the highly electrical nature of keeping a reef tank and especially of this size. As if one of the others shorts or trips the tank will still be on and it'll also mean you'll know exactly when there is an electrical issue specifically with the tank as only that fuse will trip. It also means the tank is on it's own 'stream' of power with is another added bonus! Have a chat with the builder and electrician about it and see what they think but I definitely think it's a worthy addition that could make a lot of difference and when I do similar to what you're doing it I will have the tank power supplies, power points and any other electrics on their own fuse and also be installing massive arse solar panels to ensure extra electrical protections and also a cheaper reef to run and do my bit for green energy :)

If any of that doesn't make sense or you want further explanations ask away and I'll do my best to answer :)
 

Sam Parker

Moderator
May 6, 2013
4,802
2,397
Geelong
Sounds like fun!
this is the virtual 8' x 2.5 x 2.5 tank in the virtual factory.
What should we do with it?

View attachment 41441
To quote Gone in 60 Seconds, "Supurb, what else do you have at the warehouse???" :D



OK, saw this last night, but wasn't really in a position to put much into a reply - so left it for this morning.
First thing, I'm in Geelong, not far away and have done a few of the things your interested in doing - so check out my build journal or if your free, come check out the tank in person. Always happy to show what I did well and what I stuffed up :)

Dedicated powerpoint is a good idea, especially if your building a new house - but even if your not, my sparky hooked it up with its own fuse for like $150 and in about an hour. Good peace of mind.

Freshwater point for RODI system is very simple, especially if your building a new house. Just have them install a mini stop on the wall where your tank will sit. Very easy to hook up to a solenoid to automate your RODI from there:
adiscount.com.au_thumbs_624_0_1_http___discount.com.au_wp_contd07b95c04c9907cc77b83452677e4f08.jpg


OK, so that is power and fresh water. Next up is your drain line. I have a drain point go through my wall an into my laundry basin piping. Personally, I would think that would be better as it stops any accidental syphon. You have to literally pump the water out of the sump, not just let it drain. For me, that is easier to control. Think of it just like another washing machine drain?

Another point to consider (not sure if your going to use NSW or ASW?) is how to get "New" saltwater to your tank. Ideally, you want this plumbed in through the walls as well. I have 2 IBC's in my back shed which can be filled from my water guy from a connection at the front of the house. From there, they are connected to a pump which allows me to press a button to fill my sump. Forget buckets, forget running hoses through your house and forget lugging about heavy containers.

Dave at Deer Park designed my tank and setup and Billy at Starfire built the display tank. I highly recommend them both. To be honest though, spend plenty of time going through tank journals, visiting as many members tanks as possible and steal as many good ideas as you can :)

Good luck!
Sam
 

Peter_1988_

Member
Dec 1, 2013
35
13
Bacchus Marsh
No problems :) Also have a look at Starfire Aquatics, he does some awesome tanks as well :) @Sam Parker had his tank build by Billy.
You can always set up a small nano on the kitchen bench or a dining room table or any ledge/table big enough with a power-point nearby :) They can be quite surprising :)

In terms of the fuse, it's not a different power supply but a different section of the power supplied to your house. I'll try to explain how it works lol, you'll have to excuse any bad terminology as I'm not a qualified electrician but aware of things electrical, I have simplified a lot too:
The power comes off the grid and to your house. Once it reaches the house it goes through the power box and therefore the fuse box and the individual fuses. Each fuse represents a different circuit that receives power, for instance my house has the lights on two separate fuses, the oven has it's own and there are several for the different powers throughout the house (there are more but it's irrelevant). Each power point has it's own fuse and they are all divided across several, meaning that they are protected by their specific fuse. For example all kitchen and dining room power points could be one fuse, another could be bathroom and wet rooms and another could be misc power points like bedrooms or they could be divided by area. What it means is that is something in the kitchen causes an electrical short only the fuse the kitchen power points are on will blow and turn off and therefore be affected allowing the rest of the house to continue to function (unless the entire house trips but that's a different story again).
Hopefully by this point I still make sense :p and you understand what I'm getting at with the different sections of power.
What it means to put your tank on it's own fuse is that it adds an extra layer of electrical protection due to the highly electrical nature of keeping a reef tank and especially of this size. As if one of the others shorts or trips the tank will still be on and it'll also mean you'll know exactly when there is an electrical issue specifically with the tank as only that fuse will trip. It also means the tank is on it's own 'stream' of power with is another added bonus! Have a chat with the builder and electrician about it and see what they think but I definitely think it's a worthy addition that could make a lot of difference and when I do similar to what you're doing it I will have the tank power supplies, power points and any other electrics on their own fuse and also be installing massive arse solar panels to ensure extra electrical protections and also a cheaper reef to run and do my bit for green energy :)

If any of that doesn't make sense or you want further explanations ask away and I'll do my best to answer :)
That makes sense. Thanks.
 

holly

Member
Jul 10, 2013
1,806
832
Melbourne
:welcome
Definitely consider keeping something smaller. Don't expect everything to work out but anticipate some bumps in the road otherwise it can be really crushing when things aren't perfect. The tank sounds amazing and I'll be tagging along!:poidh
 

Peter_1988_

Member
Dec 1, 2013
35
13
Bacchus Marsh
To quote Gone in 60 Seconds, "Supurb, what else do you have at the warehouse???" :D



OK, saw this last night, but wasn't really in a position to put much into a reply - so left it for this morning.
First thing, I'm in Geelong, not far away and have done a few of the things your interested in doing - so check out my build journal or if your free, come check out the tank in person. Always happy to show what I did well and what I stuffed up :)

Dedicated powerpoint is a good idea, especially if your building a new house - but even if your not, my sparky hooked it up with its own fuse for like $150 and in about an hour. Good peace of mind.

Freshwater point for RODI system is very simple, especially if your building a new house. Just have them install a mini stop on the wall where your tank will sit. Very easy to hook up to a solenoid to automate your RODI from there:
View attachment 41455

OK, so that is power and fresh water. Next up is your drain line. I have a drain point go through my wall an into my laundry basin piping. Personally, I would think that would be better as it stops any accidental syphon. You have to literally pump the water out of the sump, not just let it drain. For me, that is easier to control. Think of it just like another washing machine drain?

Another point to consider (not sure if your going to use NSW or ASW?) is how to get "New" saltwater to your tank. Ideally, you want this plumbed in through the walls as well. I have 2 IBC's in my back shed which can be filled from my water guy from a connection at the front of the house. From there, they are connected to a pump which allows me to press a button to fill my sump. Forget buckets, forget running hoses through your house and forget lugging about heavy containers.

Dave at Deer Park designed my tank and setup and Billy at Starfire built the display tank. I highly recommend them both. To be honest though, spend plenty of time going through tank journals, visiting as many members tanks as possible and steal as many good ideas as you can :)

Good luck!
Sam
Thanks Sam,

I have seen your blog but might have to go back and read over it again. I am planning on using NSW and like the idea of plumbing through the wall to fill the tank with new saltwater. Before reading your comment I was probably going to connect hoses from the containers outside to the tank inside but had not really thought about it much. Was it easy enough to plumb through the walls? Would you recommend doing this after the tank has been set up or planning it now?
I will have to think more about the drain whether I want it under the tank or not. It just seems to make sense as the laundry is not that close to the tank. Maybe I could even have the plumbing go outside into a drain out there? I am still a bit confused as to the best way to set it up. The main reason I started this blog now was just to see what I need to do now while we can still make changes to the house. I think as long as I know where the tank will go and have the water point and dedicated power point in the wall behind the tank that should be ok and everything else I can figure out later?
 

Sam Parker

Moderator
May 6, 2013
4,802
2,397
Geelong
I would certainly recommend adding it in before putting the tank in place, will give you much more room to work with (as long as you know precisely where the tank will go ;)

Especially if your building the house now - will be heaps easier (I had to re-plaster a section of the wall in the laundry that we cut out to drill through the noggins to give enough room for the two pipes to pass through (clean NSW and fresh water).

Completely up to you, but personally, I don't think I would ever do another tank without a fresh water, clean NSW and a drain line plumbed to the tank. Don't underestimate a fresh line to the tank, completely automating your RODI is a thing of beauty!

Sam
 

Peter_1988_

Member
Dec 1, 2013
35
13
Bacchus Marsh
Untitled.png
I would certainly recommend adding it in before putting the tank in place, will give you much more room to work with (as long as you know precisely where the tank will go ;)

Especially if your building the house now - will be heaps easier (I had to re-plaster a section of the wall in the laundry that we cut out to drill through the noggins to give enough room for the two pipes to pass through (clean NSW and fresh water).

Completely up to you, but personally, I don't think I would ever do another tank without a fresh water, clean NSW and a drain line plumbed to the tank. Don't underestimate a fresh line to the tank, completely automating your RODI is a thing of beauty!

Sam
I have attached a photo with the house plan to show what I would like to do at the moment so you get a better idea of where things are. Do you think it would be ok to keep the IBC's with NSW outside? or would they have to be kept in a shed or covered up? Also, Do these need to be circulated constantly or is it ok for the water to sit still until you need it? Any better ideas please let me know
 

Sam Parker

Moderator
May 6, 2013
4,802
2,397
Geelong
Plan looks good. One thing to consider - you couldn't make the tank the wall between family and games room? Double the value that way!

As for the IBC's, no problem outside, but yes - either get black ones or cover them with builders plastic (just to keep the light out). I do circulate mine through a filter sock for ten-fifteen minutes just to be sure, plus I like to isolate one every now and then and give it a brush out and then air. Not sure if needed or even a good idea, but seems to work ok.

Sam
 

Peter_1988_

Member
Dec 1, 2013
35
13
Bacchus Marsh
Building the tank into the wall could look pretty cool if I can figure out how to make it work but it seems much harder to plan? I would still like to be able to access the tank from the sides if possible. Not sure if that can be done with the tank built into the wall. The other issue is that we were planning on having a TV in the games room on the same wall. Not sure if we could have the TV above the tank? Could I still have the dedicated power point and water point in the wall or is the tank going to be in the way? I assume there would be pipes or cables in the wall behind the tank? Maybe I would have to have them on one side of the tank as opposed to under the stand in the middle of the tank.