DIY Concrete Aquarium 5,000 gallon - Anderson Family Reef

[Sisterlimonpot]

If we're talking about drum filters for saltwater, the 1st concern that comes to mind is how do you manage the waste water? Are you using saltwater or rodi to flush the filter? And 2nd is salinity creep going to be a concern by adding/removing either rodi or saltwater during the flushing process? And if so, how are they solving for that?

I mean, I have a few more concerns but these are the perplexing ones.

 

[dca22anderson]

If we're talking about drum filters for saltwater, the 1st concern that comes to mind is how do you manage the waste water? Are you using saltwater or rodi to flush the filter? And 2nd is salinity creep going to be a concern by adding/removing either rodi or saltwater during the flushing process? And if so, how are they solving for that?

I mean, I have a few more concerns but these are the perplexing ones.

I agree there are some things that would have to be worked out before I would be ready to deploy a drum filter!

 

[dca22anderson]

Router jig works for recessing the sock rim…

Busted the shaft on the bit after 1.75 LOL! I’ll get a few new bits tomorrow!!

Works great though!!

 

[CoralB]

Ready for the thick slab/bottom of the tank this week!

When is your lease up lol !!

 

[dca22anderson]

When is your lease up lol !!

LOL, 6 years when our youngest graduates! Then it’s time for one more…

 

[CoralB]

LOL, 6 years when our youngest graduates! Then it’s time for one more…

Nice job !! , it looks great !!

 

[dca22anderson]

Nice job !! , it looks great !!

Thanks for checking it out!

 

[dca22anderson]

Ok takes forever but worth it… glad I’m done with that part

 

[dca22anderson]

Getting closer!

 

[GBRsouth]

Nice progress on the multiple launch rocket system!

 

[ladders]

I just spent the last 3 days reading this whole thing. WOW!! I’m shocked and now I have hope for my future dream tank. I would love to see it in real life. My local aquarium just added a reef exhibit that pales in comparison to this beauty! What are the corals that you are looking for now? How do you deal with coral aggression or over growing if you’ve gotten there yet? When are you gonna add that angelfish?
Big fan, Ladd

 

[dca22anderson]

I just spent the last 3 days reading this whole thing. WOW!! I’m shocked and now I have hope for my future dream tank. I would love to see it in real life. My local aquarium just added a reef exhibit that pales in comparison to this beauty! What are the corals that you are looking for now? How do you deal with coral aggression or over growing if you’ve gotten there yet? When are you gonna add that angelfish?
Big fan, Ladd

Thanks for checking it out!

Right now I’m really focused on getting the sump swapped over to a long term solution and getting the filtration sized up to the tank/task!

I had some coral aggression as things started to grow into each other so I moved every other LPS to the floor of the tank from off the top of the reef stack… lost some SPS lately so I’ll move those back up into those spots on my next dive.

I have a Queen and an Emperator brewing up in the 500 sump… been tempted a few times to toss them in… maybe someday! LOL

 

[dca22anderson]

Got some new holes drilled for overflows for when the socks fill up

Mounted the sock tray in the box… figured I’ll run with socks when I want to really polish up the water

Bubble trap will be a great full time new add

Also if I want to do floss or drum later on I can always build something new…

 

[dca22anderson]

Glued in ready to roll..

Those are 3” overflow drains

Getting closer!

 

[dca22anderson]

Night time blue lights, fish getting bigger…

 

[Anemone_Fanatic]

Night time blue lights, fish getting bigger…

Those tangs are some big ol' hippos. Loving this build, it's turned out so well.

 

[dca22anderson]

Those tangs are some big ol' hippos. Loving this build, it's turned out so well.

Thanks for your kind words and for checking it out!!

 

[ss88]

@dca22anderson, as the aquarium has been running for sometime, how has the acrylic preformed in a reef tank, any scratches? I see the elevated design keeping away from substrate surely helped. Do you have urchins, are they interfering with the acrylic?

 

[McPuff]

A couple of pelagic triggers would be pretty epic in there. Any plans for something like an outrigger or crosshatch... or even a niger?

 

[dca22anderson]

@dca22anderson, as the aquarium has been running for sometime, how has the acrylic preformed in a reef tank, any scratches? I see the elevated design keeping away from substrate surely helped. Do you have urchins, are they interfering with the acrylic?

Acrylic is working out great… there is one scratch/smudge on the side viewing panel from either the large tangs scalpel or the weight belt from an early dive. Can’t really see it till algae builds up in it. Easily can be buffed out at some point.

I have a handful of urchins and they have been great with the acrylic but move and bull doze corals off the rockwork to the bottom. I don’t see them on the acrylic very often, they stick to the reef and walls.

The acrylic still looks very new after a careful clean with the magnet. I have a routine I do with the inside magnet, two sleeves and the outside magnet, felt, novis 1 that works out pretty good!!

I watched a guy build a big tank in the Philippines for giant predator fish and his 3 pane laminated front glass viewing panel just broke (around the 27 second mark):
I’m happy with my acrylic viewing panel choice.

Great question!