fish room and reef pond build

Monster reefer · Feb 9, 2016

I have been working on a fish room build. (Picture heavy)
The current aquarium set up is a "U shape with 4x 55 gallons on the left. 9x20 gallon longs in the center and 2x 55 gallons that sit above my 100 gallon sump on the right side.

Well I started cycling the aquariums about 2 months ago and last week we had some drywall repairs done to the house and the workers blew a braker that the aquarium pump and heaters are currently running on. So when the pump stoped working the reruns on the aquarium started to back syphen into the sump, by my emergency water flow control that feeds into the sump.
I fixed the plumbing issue that I had and removed my braker panel from my shed along with the power outlets that I had wired. But I need to wire the braker panel up but I am no way an electrion. Lol
In the next couple of days I will hopefully be able to get the power going and won't have this happen again.

While I was driving around today I came across a guy today that had some ponds in his yard that he was not useing, long story short Thursday I'm going to be getting a three part pond and pond pump. I'm thinking about removing 4 of my 55 gallons to place the pond. I'm not sure how many gallons the ponds will fully hold. I think it will be cool to hold sharks and rays in them.

If any of you guys are an electrion that might have any pointers or tips on supplying power to the outlets.

Current aquarium setup list:
6x55 gallons
9x 20 gallons
100 gallon sump
3hp chiller
2X300 watt hear
Apex gold system
100 gallon holding tank
100 G/PD RODI system
4x kessil A160 for growing plants.
3X 48" 20k led strip lights for over the 20 gallon longs
72" 3X 250watt MH fixture (thinking about going over the pond build or the 2 55 gallon that I have over my sump)

I will be posting updated pictures of the build here along with the reef pond.

Current pictures

Cover is off of the aquarium braker panel

Monster reefer · Feb 10, 2016

Here some more pictures
Sand that I will be putting into the tanks along with the aquarium pump.

revhtree · Feb 10, 2016

Awesome!

dh350twin · Feb 10, 2016

Following along

OGFrenchHorn · Feb 10, 2016

Following!

Monster reefer · Feb 11, 2016

I went to get the ponds today!

TD13 · Feb 11, 2016

You're going to use those preformed pond liners as 'tanks' outside?

FarmerTy · Feb 11, 2016

You're going to have to brace those ponds. Those were meant to be supported by the ground when installed in a standard pond application.

Monster reefer · Feb 11, 2016

Yes in my garage

Bunnee911 · Feb 11, 2016

I had one on top of the ground supported by bricks. Mowing near it was a hassle when it was inground.

Monster reefer · Feb 11, 2016

I'm going to be building a wood frame to support the ponds, that way I can access the pipping below the tanks along with have some extra storage.

dh350twin · Feb 11, 2016

Monster reefer said:
I'm going to be building a wood frame to support the ponds, that way I can access the pipping below the tanks along with have some extra storage.

If I may ask what made you decide to build a reef in these ponds?

Monster reefer · Feb 11, 2016

Well that's a great question, I did some wiring work for a guy at his barber shop and he gave me the ponds for doing the work. I think I got the better deal. But I can't put a pond in my front yard as much as I would love to have a cool koi pond HOA won't alow it.

so I was like well I can. Remove 4x55 gallon tanks and place the ponds in where they were. The ponds would work out great to hold sharks and rays. With them having rounded corners, I know the hight might be a problem for larger sharks but for small ones I think it will work out great and with some larger fish that I don't want to put into 20 gallon long tanks.

As for my 9x 20 gallon long tanks they are going to be used to hold fish such as clowns, gobys, damsels, Cardinals. So that hopefully I can start to breed them for some of the local fish stores. The 2x 55 gallon tanks will be used to hold corals.

My sump will consist of a trickle filter made from a plastic 3 drawer self. Drawer 1 will have filter floss to catch the left over food and waste products, along with carbon filters. Drawer 2 will contain plastic dish scrubbers ( you know the colorful ones) they will act as bio balls. Drawer 3 is removed. ( might make a deep sand refugium)
In the sump outside of the refugium it will also be holding a lot or live rock to alow for copepods and amphipods to grow.

I have a 30 gallon half circle tank that will be placed at the end of my work table that I'm thinking about putting sea horses in because it's a tall tank and I can use canister filter for them since they need slow moving water.

FarmerTy · Feb 11, 2016

Have you thought about the inability to monitor fish health in those tubs? I'm only mentioning because I've had to treat my whole fish population in a tub before and it's almost impossible to tell their health visually when only looking at the tops of them.

Monster reefer · Feb 11, 2016

I have a 70gallon sea clear 2 system that I can use as a large fish hospital tank if I need it, but I'm hopeing that I'll won't

dh350twin · Feb 12, 2016

Monster reefer said:
Well that's a great question, I did some wiring work for a guy at his barber shop and he gave me the ponds for doing the work. I think I got the better deal. But I can't put a pond in my front yard as much as I would love to have a cool koi pond HOA won't alow it. so I was like well I can. Remove 4x55 gallon tanks and place the ponds in where they were. The ponds would work out great to hold sharks and rays. With them having rounded corners, I know the hight might be a problem for larger sharks but for small ones I think it will work out great and with some larger fish that I don't want to put into 20 gallon long tanks.

As for my 9x 20 gallon long tanks they are going to be used to hold fish such as clowns, gobys, damsels, Cardinals. So that hopefully I can start to breed them for some of the local fish stores. The 2x 55 gallon tanks will be used to hold corals.

My sump will consist of a trickle filter made from a plastic 3 drawer self. Drawer 1 will have filter floss to catch the left over food and waste products, along with carbon filters. Drawer 2 will contain plastic dish scrubbers ( you know the colorful ones) they will act as bio balls. Drawer 3 is removed. ( might make a deep sand refugium)
In the sump outside of the refugium it will also be holding a lot or live rock to alow for copepods and amphipods to grow.

I have a 30 gallon half circle tank that will be placed at the end of my work table that I'm thinking about putting sea horses in because it's a tall tank and I can use canister filter for them since they need slow moving water.

You sir are a true enthusiast! Lol. That is just awesome. Goodluck

FarmerTy · Feb 12, 2016

Monster reefer said:
I have a 70gallon sea clear 2 system that I can use as a large fish hospital tank if I need it, but I'm hopeing that I'll won't

I meant just for observing the fishes health, the tubs would make it highly difficult. For treatment, I'd use a much smaller tank than a 70-gallon. Your price of medication would be astronomical otherwise.

Monster reefer · Feb 12, 2016

This is true, I have tanks from 5- 70 gallons besides my 180 display tank.
I guess it just depends on how big the fish are.
I'll be posting updated pictures tonight of the build as well

cu455 · Feb 12, 2016

Monster reefer said:
Well that's a great question, I did some wiring work for a guy at his barber shop and he gave me the ponds for doing the work. I think I got the better deal. But I can't put a pond in my front yard as much as I would love to have a cool koi pond HOA won't alow it. so I was like well I can. Remove 4x55 gallon tanks and place the ponds in where they were. The ponds would work out great to hold sharks and rays. With them having rounded corners, I know the hight might be a problem for larger sharks but for small ones I think it will work out great and with some larger fish that I don't want to put into 20 gallon long tanks.

As for my 9x 20 gallon long tanks they are going to be used to hold fish such as clowns, gobys, damsels, Cardinals. So that hopefully I can start to breed them for some of the local fish stores. The 2x 55 gallon tanks will be used to hold corals.

My sump will consist of a trickle filter made from a plastic 3 drawer self. Drawer 1 will have filter floss to catch the left over food and waste products, along with carbon filters. Drawer 2 will contain plastic dish scrubbers ( you know the colorful ones) they will act as bio balls. Drawer 3 is removed. ( might make a deep sand refugium)
In the sump outside of the refugium it will also be holding a lot or live rock to alow for copepods and amphipods to grow.

I have a 30 gallon half circle tank that will be placed at the end of my work table that I'm thinking about putting sea horses in because it's a tall tank and I can use canister filter for them since they need slow moving water.

From your name and your draw filter with pot scubbers I am assuming you are on Monster Fish Keepers. Pot scrubbers are awesome in a wet/dry and submerged in a fuge. My pot scubbers hold a lot more life in it then my rock does.

The pond is a cool idea and I will be following along, so don't disappoint. What are the dimensions of the pond?

Click on the picture. It is a video.