Fishmanmike's 210gal build!

[fishmanmike01]

Figured id start a build thread for this tank so I can share my fun. I feel this is one of the most enjoyable parts of this hobby. As stated in a previous thread we ( the wife and I) have decided to set up the 210 gal. Plans have changed a tad since I don't feel this tank will last more than a couple years before I finally get my cube. That being said I have decided not to go in-wall with this one, it will be on a stand, and that's where I'll start. The stand itself is in good condition, yet kinda plain ( I've seen worse) so ill be giving it a bit of a face lift. Here are a couple shots of it now;

 

 

And one of it in progress.

[badxgillen]

You gonna keep it all black? Is this going to be a full blown reef or a nice Fowler?

[fishmanmike01]

Yes. It will stay black. Well.... a shade of it anyway. I will paint it to match the doors In our home ( most of them anyway, still a work in progress). Should tie in nicely. I'm going to attempt to go full reef.

[kriz2fer]

looks nice! excited to see more stand pics

[Blue Z Reef]

Sweet, what are the dims of the tank? Mine is 7', but see 6' too a lot more often.

[fishmanmike01]

Sweet' date=' what are the dims of the tank? Mine is 7', but see 6' too a lot more often.[/quote']

 

It's a 6' 6 x 2 x 29".

[TheClark]

Welcome back, you told me you were coming back that day I bought the lobos and hammers, that didn't take long.

 

Nice clean update to the stand, the trim and corners is a nice touch. Going to have a big garage system too like the last place?

 

 

[fishmanmike01]

Welcome back, you told me you were coming back that day I bought the lobos and hammers, that didn't

take long.

 

Nice clean update to the stand, the trim and corners is a nice touch. Going to have a big garage system too like the last place?

 

 

Well, it has been a year already. How is that lobo doing these days,? It was one of my favorite pieces. This one wont be a garage build as I think it will be temporary of sorts. But mark my words, another one will be made! Oh yes...it will be made.

I was able to do a bit more work to the stand last evening. I will get some pics and post em up later tonight.

[Smann]

Looks good, glad to see you back setting up a tank!

[fishmanmike01]

Stand update. Coming along nicely.

 

 

[NoobtoSalt]

Very nice! I've always wanted to build a stand but didn't have the patience for it. Great work

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[TheClark]

Lobo is doing great, love the bright orange on it. Wow, what a stand upgrade!!

[fishmanmike01]

Thanks guys. It will get nice paneled doors in future, but not really sweating that just yet. I plan on cutting access doors into the ends as well. The left side will house a recessed operations panel behind a piece of smoked acrylic panel if things go to plan.

[fishmanmike01]

Lobo is doing great' date=' love the bright orange on it. Wow, what a stand upgrade!![/quote']

 

Sorry man, I just can't believe you without any pics. Lol. Maybe I can twist your arm for a lobe once I'm up and running.

[Emerald525]

Wow, nice woodworking! You woodworking people do not get enough credit for your craft. I'm always amazed at how simple little embellishments like you did can completely change something. Your stand looks so classy now!

[fishmanmike01]

The new American dj switchboard arrived today! Time to start work on the "control" side if the stand.

 

 

[fishmanmike01]

Wow' date=' nice woodworking! You woodworking people do not get enough credit for your craft. I'm always amazed at how simple little embellishments like you did can completely change something. Your stand looks so classy now![/quote']

 

Thanks! It's much more appealing at this point. I can't wait to get the tank on it.

[fishmanmike01]

I will be using rock from my old system (dry for a year now), rock from another system ( dry for a month now), and possibly use some of the rock from the system I just purchased. ( not sure if its dry?)

 

Anyhoo. I will be doing the aquascaping whilst the tank is dry to allow all the time I need to get it just how I want it, then cycle directly in the tank.

 

Any thoughts on pressure washing the rocks first? Should I be doing anything else?

[Ninjabeaver]

Nice work...Maybe build me a hood sometime when I get my new tank up

[fishmanmike01]

How much flow is too much flow? Or is there such a thing. I'm in the process of building my 75 gal sump. The drive pumps I have on hand are

 

Iwaki md55 rtl

Iwaki md75 rtl

Iwaki md 100 rtl

 

Which one woul you use ?

[pledosophy]

IMO you want to shoot for about 3-5x the tank volume through your sump per hour. 

 

For in tank flow, as long as the fish can swim and the corals open IMO I tend to be on the high side. 30x or so is pretty average. I left that long ago though. Depends on what you are keeping in there. 

[fishmanmike01]

Wouldn't more turnover in the sump be more efficient, as well as add more turnover in the tank at the same time? The way I see it the more water I put through my socks, the better it is. Correct? I just don't want to have so much flow that nothing is happy.

[pledosophy]

I used to think that way too, but then I hD a conversation with Anthony Calfo and later with Leng Sy who both steered me towards less, in the 3-5x range.

 

If you are just running socks in your sump then you are right. The more water through the better. There will be a point of diminishing return, not sure where you'd hit that. You could max out your drains ability though and be fine.

 

If you are running a refugium, a protein skimmer or even a heater to some extent a lower I turnover is better. Your protein skimmer needs contact time with the organics to pull them out. If the water moves to quickly it will be less efficient. I don't really understand why/how but when I followed the advice my skimmer did start working better. I guess simply put more contact time = better skimming.

 

Sy took that same approach with the algae and mud in his refugiums. That contact time would allow them to do the filtering, and less contact time would decrease their efficiency.

 

If your looking for ways to improve water polishing maybe add some filters in your sump baffles? Travis made a little insert for his outta egg crate and that blue filter media (sorry the name escapes me... Poly something).

 

I like high flow in my tank, but low flow through the sump.

 

Hope That Helps

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[fishmanmike01]

Great points. I'm still building my sump (75gal AGA) and I am going to run socks. However I am thinking I might do a sump that's not exactly "traditional".

I'm teetering with the idea of no baffles at all to make water changes super easy. I thinking I'm going to do a remote refugium that is actually a 10 gal placed inside the 75 with a small pump to feed it that will again drain into the socks. That way I can inhibit any macro or what have you from entering the display.

It's an idea I'm tossing around.

[pledosophy]

I'd think about no baffles quite a lot before going that route.

 

The baffles pre pump are a safety device of sorts so that in the event of a clogged drain or something of that nature your return pump only pumps a few gallons of water into the tank for it to overflow, not an entire 75g. A few gallons you clean up with a towel. 75g you remove your flooring, subflooring, likely your drywall, and then deal with cleaning your crawlspace for moisture as well... assuming oyur on the first floor... I would do something to avoid this problem, with the least of that being to raise the pump intake to a higher level.

 

If you do the 10g refugium idea and have it drain back to the socks your going to stop the pods from getting into the display. You could do a more traditional refugium and get extra water polishing if you put a sponge inbetween your baffles and your return pump. Just an idea.