500 Gallon SPS tank

[MechanicalEngineer]

Pfffftttt!  Even I could hang drywall.   










Hehe...jk.

[JoeAyers]

What happened to those two construction dudes pictured a few pages back?  The ones that built the stand?  Can't they hang drywall? 

Oh yeah, we can hang it. But for what we pay Jose it isn't worth our time. (plus I suck at finishing )

[Baggerhog]

true that and if you ever want me to host you would want me to pay Jose. With Joes and my schedule it would never get done.

[Baggerhog]

I will update the setup somewhat.

Filtration will consist of 1 hundred gallon rubbermaid to serve as a fuge, 1 hundred gallon rubbermaid to serve as a sump and a criptic fuge, 1 180 gallon 6'x2'x25" tank to serve as fuge/frag tank. The 180 has baffles in it that will allow me to have chaeto in one compartment and frags in the main section. I will be running a geo needlewheel skimmer one of the first that he ever built that has been modified. It is 12" diameter by 36" tall with a 6"x12" riser neck. It is powered by a large baldor needlewheel pump. This pump is the same diminsions as a barracuda. I am having a venturi custom made for that will be exactly like the reeflo venturi.

Flow will consist of 2 reeflo snapper pumps that will be plumped from the sump/criptic rubbermaid. These two snappers will return to the 500 gallon display and each one will be flowing through two 1" sea swirls. I have 4 tunze 6100s on a controller with 2 tunze waveboxes.

Lighting consists of 3 large luminarcs powered by 3 bluewave 250 HQI ballasts that will be running 10k XM bulbs. I will also be running 4 x 48" T5 lights with Ice Cap reflectors. This entire system will be on a light mover that Joes dad built for me. The lighting for the fuge/frag tank will consist of a 250 hqi bluewave ballast on a light mover or T5s i am not sure which i will go with as I have both.

I have a large exhaust fan that will be controlled by a Humidistat system. It moves 200 cfm. I may also run a dehumidifier in the winter months if needed.

I have 2 water holding systems. One is a 55 gallon barrel and the other is a large 200 gallon holding tank. I am not sure how I will configure this just yet. I may just have 200 gallons of salt water mixed up at all times.

I currently have 2 Lighthouse controllers that help maintain my lighting and ph probes. I would like to upgrade to a neptune system so I can operate my Tunzes and waveboxes as well.

I have a gas powered generator for power outages but I need to be home to start it up. I may invest in a natural gas back up generator that automatically kicks on in the event of power outages unless I can find enough marine batteries to operate a batery backup for just my return pumps.

I plan on having a shallow sand bed with limited rock. I like the look of an open tank. I want to have plenty of room for my fish to swim around. I plan on having like 3 or 4 islands of rock that will maintain my corals. I also want plenty of grow out room so I can have large corals.

As far as fish gow I currently have 1 blue hippo tang, 1 villimigni Tang, 1 Blue Atlantic Tang, 1 Coral Beauty, 1 Yellow watchman goby, 1 Mandarin, 1 True Perc, 1 blue green Chromis, 1 purple psuedochromis, 1 Lamarick Angel, and 1 Black Onyx Clown. I also have 1 Coral Banded shrimp, 1 Skunk Cleaner, and 12 or so pepermint shrimp. I have tons of snails mostly astrea.

I want to add 2 Blue Jaw triggers and several yellow tangs. I would also like to add a true Naso Blonde tang as well.

I have a couple of Clams and may add a few more.

I will do a 50 gallon water change 2 x's a month.

I will be running a calcium reactor and a dosing 2 part through a dosing pump.

If anybody can think of anything I have missed please let me know. I am still open for suggestions.

[Amstar]

I think you should scrap the whole project and donate it to me. 

Sounds awesome.. cant wait to see it up and running.

[quicksilver]

yah scrap it but i will give you some $$$ for the hole thing. how does a $100 bucks sound l you know i am just kidding.

[JoeAyers]

yah scrap it but i will give you some $$$ for the hole thing. how does a $100 bucks sound l you know i am just kidding.

There's $100 worth of scrap metal in the screws in the stand.

[quicksilver]

Still better than giving it away for free 

[Baggerhog]

Yea maybe I should scrap the idea. If I do I can make one hell of a pass through kitchen slash bar area in the basement. I will think about it. If I do is there anybody interested in the whole deal?

[reefman]

Price?

[quicksilver]

hes not selling it were just pretending we could own something for so little. 

[Baggerhog]

Everything has a price but nobody would pay what I would take. I have my heart in this project. I just finished hanging the last bit of insulation in my sump room. Thanks again to Joe and his family for coming over and helping.

[Baggerhog]

Well once again I want to say thank you to Joe for all the help in moving my current 92 gallon and my 150 gallon reefs down to my basement. My plans have changed somewhat. I moved everything into 3 40 gallon tubs. I also have 2 100 gallon tubs that will serve as a sump for one and a crytic fuge for the second one. When I set up the 500 which will be soon as the grywaller will be done soon I will use 1 40 gallon as a frag system, 1 40 gallon as a RDSB, and 1 40 gallon as a chaeto fuge. I will use a light mover and have my frag and chaeto fuge tanks covered with 3 T5s on a light mover. My wonderful wife took some pictures today and I will be posting them soon. Thanks againJoe I cant wait till you want to go bigger so I can repay the debt and help you.

[Baggerhog]

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u183/Baggerhog/IMG_0005.jpg

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u183/Baggerhog/IMG_0006.jpg

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u183/Baggerhog/IMG_0009.jpg

[Baggerhog]

Well here is a little teaser. Joe came over today and he and I level the tank, and set it for its last time. (hopefully) We also mounted the barn door rails to mount my light rack from. I have decided to move in a different direction. I was going to use a light mover but have decided not to. I currently have two and will probably sell them both. I think I will be adding an additional 4 x 48" T5s. Currently I will be running 4 x 48" True Actinic T5s and 3 x 250 watt HQI MHs with 10k XM bulbs. The reflectors for the Mhs are the large Luminarcs. On a seperate note the entire Fish room is now painted gloss white including the ceiling. I will be taking some pictures tonight to give you some ideas of what it looks like. I am also going to skip the chaeto tank for now and just do a RDSB and a frag tank along with a criptic tank and a large sump. I believe I will have about 600 to 700 pounds of live rock in the critic and the sump.

[Baggerhog]

Well this project is moving slower than expected. I am trying not to go into debt in the process. I have finished painting the entire basement and I have hung my light rack. I will be working on trimming out the viewing areas on both sides of the tank. The tank is set and I have decided to run 3 sea swirls as my returns and for my 6 one inch drains I will be running those into a 4 inch pipe that will drain into the main sump. So here are some new pics. Feedback is always appreciated.

[UDJustin]

why isnt it done yet I need a spot to put my baby whale shark

[Baggerhog]

Its getting close, I bought the drain plumbing and the casing for trimming out the viewing sides today. Another $225 at the Ho. And no whale sharks allowed I dont think my skimmer can handle the bioload.

[quicksilver]

I demand more pictures!!!

[apelaston]

They only poo if u feed em. . . . .

[Midwest Express]

Its getting close, I bought the drain plumbing and the casing for trimming out the viewing sides today. Another $225 at the Ho. And no whale sharks allowed I dont think my skimmer can handle the bioload.

That's because you have a tiny skimmer.  I think it is time you look at getting a bigger skimmer!

[Baggerhog]

     So true, I may upgrade in a few years. I have thought about a 16 inch diameter by 60 inches tall with a removable bubble diffuser of course it would be a GEO custom. No time soon, I cant afford it.

[aquavista99]

Looking really nice, Andy!

[apelaston]

Crap! i am 62 inches tall!

[Baggerhog]

Some new pics