1000 gallon tank for a beginner!
- Thread starter SlowAndStupid
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Fred A.
Community Member
The type and brightness of your lighting will depend on whether you house fish only or corals. Corals require very bright, often expensive lighting (based on how deep the light needs to penetrate the tank to reach the corals) and need to be on for many hours every day. Fish only tanks don't require anything like that investment and you decide how many hours a day to run them.
There has to be a thermostat somewhere to monitor the temperature. Or perhaps there used to be. A Chiller guy can figure it out. What I would do is, once you have everything setup run the aquarium for a week with no fish. If the saltwater temp is 79-81 you probably don't need the Chiller. Make sure you monitor the water temp with the lights on too. But if the temp is 85+ you better get the Chiller issue resolved before you start adding fish. Also remember that if the room temperature in the summer is warmer than when you get the aq. up and running those extra degrees will end up in the water temp too.Here are pictures of the never-used-by-me chiller. It's heavy duty but I don't even see a way to control it by temp. Just on or off...
Mikeltee
Valuable Member
This sounds like a good plan. I visited a local with 1000g total system. He had a gravity strategy too. The return went to the main display, overflowed into a tub with chaeto, and that overflowed into the sump. He has an auto water change system that will replace 10%/week and what was taken out of the main system went to a Coral QT. He also doesnt use heaters. It is a genius build and here it is:I have pulled everything out. I had some mold at the bottom of the drywall in the corner from some water mishaps previously. I demo'd the corner and replaced that. The next steps will be stripping the paint from the concrete and covering with 2 part epoxy on the floor along with placement of frp on the walls for future waterproofing.
I agree with the old filtration needing to go. A 75 gallon tank will fit longways on the ground. I am planning on that with a 30 gallon tank above it in the corner on a 80/20 stand emptying down into the 75 for more space as well.
I'd first figure out what skimmer you are going to use because you are going to need a giant one. If you get an internal one, make sure it will fit in the sump. I think you will have more options for an external but it's going to chew up a lot of space in an already cramped closet. A cool idea would be to mount an external over the sump. I'd personally float a couple SURF8x in the sump over running a fuge above it. Start with one and see how she does. You would still have plenty of room for your returns, reactors and a couple 7" filter socks. I wouldn't bother with baffles:
I'd suggest a Calcium Reactor over dosing in such a large system as well. I'm not sure of anyone running AllForReef in a monster tank. Doug, the guy in the video, runs B-Ionic and buys it by the 5gal bucket.
Mikeltee
Valuable Member
You can add a relay to this and control it with an Apex controller.Here are pictures of the never-used-by-me chiller. It's heavy duty but I don't even see a way to control it by temp. Just on or off...
SlowAndStupid
Community Member
Yes, all DIY. I used rustoleum epoxyshield professional followed by their clear coat. The epoxy was very easy to apply. The prep was the harder part though it was more tedious than actually difficult.
Yes, that is the plan though it will be a little tricky with such limited space. I'm planning to use a sump placed on the ground in the space my previous 55 gallon water barrel used to sit for water changes in my freshwater build. I'll now have to build a stand over top of the sump to place the barrel. I have a design idea in my head but will have to plan it out further as that part gets closer to reality.
Very cool tank but that rock inside the tank would be my biggest concern. Concern that its not gonna stay that color and could cause issues with parameters. I would have loved to see pics when it was a freswater.
SlowAndStupid
Community Member
The rock has not particularly changed over the past 6 years it's been running. It's also not removable so I can't really do anything about it.
How is it so clean? Looks like there is no water in it. Wild.
SlowAndStupid
Community Member
That was when it was new. The rocks grew some algae on them over the years as would the glass. It is a pain in the butt to clean requiring me to climb in and scrub it down. I'm going to be purchasing a magnetized scrubber for it this time around to try and minimize having to do that.
What are the exact dimensions of the space you have for a sump? I know you did a 75 gallon would fit in the space but curious how much room you have. You might be able to find a creative way to use the height to your advantage for more water volume? Or be able to fit a large trough in that space?
That makes sense, both are good dimensions for that.
The only stock tank at that width I was able to find is also 6ft long. Not sure if that's a total no go but thought I'd post it for you!
It'll be tougher to create baffles and such but might be an easier find?
The only stock tank at that width I was able to find is also 6ft long. Not sure if that's a total no go but thought I'd post it for you!
It'll be tougher to create baffles and such but might be an easier find?
Bummer, I hope you're able to find a 120 gallon to use! They're really nice sumps to work with, I built one for a clients 300 gallon back when I was in the industry and they loved it!
I'm excited to see your progress as you move forward. Have you thought of adding a layer of livestock over the stone? It might eat into the tank space too much but if you can mosaic smaller pieces it could look really.
I'm excited to see your progress as you move forward. Have you thought of adding a layer of livestock over the stone? It might eat into the tank space too much but if you can mosaic smaller pieces it could look really.
Sleeping Giant
Proud Canadian Reefer
that's an awesome sized tank. can't wait to see it running with salt
SlowAndStupid
Community Member
Well a busy work schedule and some weekend trips lost me some prime working time but I was able to replace and repaint the walls and woodwork within the fish room. I went with an acrylic exterior paint to help combat moisture.
I have replaced my old vent fan with a more powerful vent with automatic moisture sensing to help control moisture in the room. With that complete I have run two more 20-amp circuits into the room up high along the ceiling. These also run across the wall by the tank which will allow for plugging in the lights on 2 different circuits.
Next I would like some opinions on the bracing of the tank. For the past 6 years it has sat supported on what seems to me a very sparse stand. It sits supported on all outside edges and these two middle supports only. It has done fine with this minimal bracing but with everything pulled out I could crawl under there and add further bracing with additional 2x4s. It would not be easy and certainly not as ideal as having an over-constructed stand prior to placing this monstrosity on it. Would it be worth doing this? Or will try to add further support not offer much given the weight already sitting on the supports?
Next project to be done after this is FRP to a portion of the room where my sump and gear will sit.
I have replaced my old vent fan with a more powerful vent with automatic moisture sensing to help control moisture in the room. With that complete I have run two more 20-amp circuits into the room up high along the ceiling. These also run across the wall by the tank which will allow for plugging in the lights on 2 different circuits.
Next I would like some opinions on the bracing of the tank. For the past 6 years it has sat supported on what seems to me a very sparse stand. It sits supported on all outside edges and these two middle supports only. It has done fine with this minimal bracing but with everything pulled out I could crawl under there and add further bracing with additional 2x4s. It would not be easy and certainly not as ideal as having an over-constructed stand prior to placing this monstrosity on it. Would it be worth doing this? Or will try to add further support not offer much given the weight already sitting on the supports?
Next project to be done after this is FRP to a portion of the room where my sump and gear will sit.
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