1100 Gallon 17' OptiClear Glass

[thejuggernaut]

That's a pretty penny, but if you have the mean, I say go for it!

 

[ReefCave]

So while planning the space requirements for this filtration room and to make it easier for the owner and contractors to understand the reasoning for my space requests. I made cardboard cutouts representing the profile of each piece of equipment. I had to fight for every square inch of this room and the contractors thought I was nuts.. Fortunately this was not my first rodeo ! (If I had my druthers the room would be at least 30% larger) Check out the video of the finished room prior to filtration install. It's amazing the amount of planning that went into this room prior to even getting to this point. Notice the details that make all the difference once operational. The recessed floor, epoxy coated floor and walls, floor drains, a/c unit, air exhaust/ intake, strategic drain, power outlet, and sink placement. Every inch was pre planned and mapped out based on past filtration room learning curves. It was all then coordinated with the different trades and overseen to my liking. This room sure seems much smaller now that we are installed, operational, and wrapped up. stay tuned!!

 

[Lowell Lemon]

Great job and what a great result. Well done! Did you build the internal reef structure or have a company provide you with the pieces?

I did a build in the 1990's using 4000 lbs of seeded live rock from Florida. The two display tanks were 192" x 36" x 48" with 2" thick acrylic from Polycast. We had to butt seam the 96" panels end to end to create the 192" finished length since the customer was unwilling to wait the two years for custom cast panels from the manufacturer. Your build is so much nicer with the advent of all the new lighting products, filtration, and decoration (reef building materials) available now days.

 

[ReefCave]

Thank you! Me and my team built the internal structure. Approximately 1000 lbs of XXL Premium Fiji Live rock that was treated in Hyper salinity dips and pressure washed (w/SW) and cured with salt water to remove pest algae and hitch hikers prior to stacking. For me, all I care about with rock is shape and when applicable preserving the beneficial anaerobic bacteria core of the rock..everything else must go. I also want the rock fully cured and free of (NH3 smell) Coraline algae, pods etc rebound rapidly so, for me no concern. Also about 500 lbs of Real Reef Slab, branch and various cherry picked pieces from various shipments were set aside over the past year specifically for this build. It was also core drilled to accommodate and hide the closed loop intakes and outlets, while having the ability to maintain a 90% full water level in the tank if a plumbing failure were to occur in the closed loop with no mechanical equipment to rely on. Each piece of rock was meticulously stacked, and many core drilled, and carved with diamond saws to get exactly the pre desired look. Every piece is tediously fitted together solidly before moving to the next piece. I do not like to depend on cements or epoxies when stacking, ..long term they can fail. (Usually after stocked with SPS and while out of town) Most of the tank is viewable on both sides so depending on a wall of the aquarium to support the rock while achieving height was not an option. We will update the thread in a detailed look at our aqua scape methods we have developed over the past couple decades and implemented on this tank.

This is the rock when it first arrived. Unfortunately this Eel didn't evacuate back to the reef. I always urge ecofreindly alternatives to wild rock such as real reef..but sometimes are not available on larger individual piece scale. [emoji53] This is me stacking the rock onsite in the tank (14hrs) in that tank that day while my team handed me rock I called for and handed it back to be drilled/cut and rinsed. All the while a pump and sprinkler keeping it wet with SW while my feet pruned up. Also pictured is my curing vats at my retail store The Aquarium in sandy Ut.

 

[ReefCave]

Here is the sump and skimmer portion of the filtration being mocked up in our warehouse prior installation.

 

[Lowell Lemon]

I remember the extra long day on the build stacking rock and drilling for extra heavy duty zip ties. That was our only method in the day. Now I have other abilities due to my experience with granite and quartz fabrication in the last 20 years. Nice to see from your filtration pictures that RK2 Systems is still around and kicking. They always made a great product.

Nice to hear you are in Sandy, UT. Over 30 years ago I set up All Pet Complex aquarium systems in Sandy for a company called Reef Lake Systems. Got to snow ski and play golf all in the same week...awesome. Our build in the large aquariums I mentioned was in Boise, ID over 20 plus years ago. Not sure what the status of the display is as the project was turned over to a local maintenance company after the first year of operation. One tank was all Hawaiian endemics and the other was Leopard Sharks, Grey Smooth Hound Sharks, and some rays. Huge learning curve on those projects as you mentioned. lots of detail and coordination with all the contractors, subs, and owner. I will have to stop in and see your store sometime.

 

[ReefCave]

Ha that's awesome!! I used to ride my bike to all pet complex as a kid to buy crickets for all the lizards and frogs I'd catch in a canal by my house. That's funny. Small world

 

[Lowell Lemon]

Ha that's awesome!! I used to ride my bike to all pet complex as a kid to buy crickets for all the lizards and frogs I'd catch in a canal by my house. That's funny. Small world

The world is indeed small. I was just trying to remember the name of the Veterinarian that owned the All Pet Complex Pet and Vet Clinics. Seems like he ended up on a TV show about pets. By the way you did not have to make me feel that old did you? Ha ha. He had me do all the stores in the area and then sent me to his brother-in-law in Denver to deliver a custom aquarium for him. I was away from my young wife (we were both younger) for a month on those projects. Good Times!

 

[jt17]

Amazing build. Thanks for sharing. With this incredible tank, 2 pinball machines, a pool table and a huge flat screen, how does any work ever get done in this office? would love to see more of the filtration room if you have more pics. What lighting did you use?

 

[ReefCave]

Thanks jt17 I will update the thread as time allows. I figured I'd chip away at it somewhat in the order that the tank was assembled as I get the time. Here is a video of the manifold above the tank and the closed loop beneath the tank. Some changes have been done since this video including clear true union check valves and the addition of the Asahi ball valves that would accommodate actuators down the road if my client wanted to upgrade to them. They would be controlled by the ALD on the Apex if it sensed water. Currently, it's not a overly huge concern due to the design of the intake and outlet of the closed loop within the tank. It cannot drain more than about 5-6" worst case scenario.

As of current 6 Radion Pro have been installed. As the tank matures and coral selection is decided and placed, more lights may be added as well as possible other varieties of lights. The internal structure of the canopy is extremely spacious and easy to work in allowing limitless lighting possibilities. It also has its own ventilation system for heat and humidity control

 

[Beaters]

amazing reef is fantastic !! Congratulations !!!

 

[Andres Bonilla Zayas.]

This is the tank i want! Yes!

 

[Andres Bonilla Zayas.]

This is the tank i want! Yes!

 

[hatfielj]

Nuts! Love it. That really allows the tangs to display their true schooling behavior. So nice. It must take a good hour to clean all of that glass though!

And can I please get a job with an office like that? Wow, pinball machines too? Not fair. How do they get anything done?

 

[numsie]

amazing IM IN

 

[DecanoLA]

Amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!! Please more pics and videos!

 

[dragonfish]

following

 

[shred5]

That is way too many tangs for a tank that size.. j/k
Anyway kind of cool to see them act like that, almost like they are in nature.
Any equipment shots or specs..
Very cool.

 

[steelheader.262]

Amazing!!!

 

[Reef_Hobbyist]

Great work !!! Love it