DIY Concrete Aquarium 5,000 gallon - Anderson Family Reef

[GBRsouth]

Never ask for permission, only ask for forgiveness

You come and ask MY wife's forgiveness then! I dare you!;Blackeye

 

[dca22anderson]

That’s insane! How old is he?

He’s a few years old for sure, he’s thick but needs some fattening up

 

[dca22anderson]

You come and ask MY wife's forgiveness then! I dare you!;Blackeye

Hehehe… you know best!! I’ve pressed my luck as far as I could!! I may have used it all up!!

 

[GBRsouth]

Hehehe… you know best!! I’ve pressed my luck as far as I could!! I may have used it all up!!

Yes, I ask my wife's permission I always get it! (She's wonderful that way.) But if I ask forgiveness I'll get it in another way!

 

[GBRsouth]

He’s a few years old for sure, he’s thick but need some fattening up

Even in your system, you'll have to allow for his water displacement!

 

[dca22anderson]

Even in your system, you'll have to allow for his water displacement!

For sure!! I’ll add a few inches for him!!

 

[Sleepingtiger]

Never ask for permission, only ask for forgiveness

This only works first few times. After that, you get served

 

[o2manyfish]

If you are looking for an ' appropriate' RO system look into those made for Hydroponics or Grow Systems. I have a 4k gpd unit that I picked up for a steal used and spent just a few hundred on new filters and a membrane.

But you don't want to do your own DI. By me we have a company that 'rents' tanks of DI resin. It a 60" Tall fiberglass tank of DI Resin. They come out and swap tanks as soon as I call them. They swap tanks around 3x a year for me and I make about 50g a day on average year round plus water changes and leaks. The annual cost is less than half of the cost of buying and dealing with Resin and it's zero effort on my part. I built a TDS monitor alarm that monitors TDS in, TDS after membrane and TDS after Resin Bed. I'm at about 16 months on mine and am ready to swap pre-filters. And will swap out membranes around tax time.

 

[dca22anderson]

If you are looking for an ' appropriate' RO system look into those made for Hydroponics or Grow Systems. I have a 4k gpd unit that I picked up for a steal used and spent just a few hundred on new filters and a membrane.

But you don't want to do your own DI. By me we have a company that 'rents' tanks of DI resin. It a 60" Tall fiberglass tank of DI Resin. They come out and swap tanks as soon as I call them. They swap tanks around 3x a year for me and I make about 50g a day on average year round plus water changes and leaks. The annual cost is less than half of the cost of buying and dealing with Resin and it's zero effort on my part. I built a TDS monitor alarm that monitors TDS in, TDS after membrane and TDS after Resin Bed. I'm at about 16 months on mine and am ready to swap pre-filters. And will swap out membranes around tax time.

Thanks Dave Great Idea!!

Love what you are doing out there in the so cal SUN!!

 

[dca22anderson]

First 2000lbs of rock in the tank stacked before the front panel goes in.

Got some amazing large pieces two of which are 2’ x 2’ and a few just under that.

My favorite are the shelf pieces and some of those are giant!!

 

[dca22anderson]

Rock is still looking good this morning! View through the 2" side window!

Quick shot of some of the bin corals

 

[Sltloser]

Heck yeah! It's great to see rock starting to fill this thing. Those shipments from Marcos are always fun, we did a few of them at the store I used to work at. Each rock is like its own Christmas present .

 

[dca22anderson]

Heck yeah! It's great to see rock starting to fill this thing. Those shipments from Marcos are always fun, we did a few of them at the store I used to work at. Each rock is like its own Christmas present .

I agree, never thought I would be so excited about... rock...

I can envision where all these are going to go!! Love the different sizes, shapes and potential!!

This is going to be the fun part!!

 

[Sltloser]

I agree, never thought I would be so excited about... rock...

I can envision where all these are going to go!! Love the different sizes, shapes and potential!!

This is going to be the fun part!!

Haha I'm glad I wasn't the only one who felt that way when unpacking Marcos rocks

It'll be an absolute blast to create! I'd offer to help if I didn't live in Denver. What is your vision for the rockwork? A massive wall? something more 3D? Will it sit on the sandbed at the base, or will you build up a base out of different material with the viewing window sitting so high? It might be cool to start the structure a foot off the sand to allow for good water flow? Might look cool too with fish swimming in and out of a bottom "ledge".

 

[dca22anderson]

Haha I'm glad I wasn't the only one who felt that way when unpacking Marcos rocks

It'll be an absolute blast to create! I'd offer to help if I didn't live in Denver. What is your vision for the rockwork? A massive wall? something more 3D? Will it sit on the sandbed at the base, or will you build up a base out of different material with the viewing window sitting so high? It might be cool to start the structure a foot off the sand to allow for good water flow? Might look cool too with fish swimming in and out of a bottom "ledge".

That's awesome! Thanks! This is the fun part!

Thinking of doing a bit of a thick negative space rock stack with the rock work swinging by the bottom third of the windows so when you are standing there you will see top down on the close SPS then have the stack gradually rise back up to the overflow.

Maybe an arch from between the two viewing panels meeting the horseshoe swoop of rock going by the panels. Will leave space to walk and clean the viewing panels and for corals to grow out into the open area. I do like starting the rock off the ground if possible so detritus will not accumulate under that point of contact with the ground.

Want to use those aquablocks (pond product) for the inside of the rock work where it needs to be thicker (towards the bottom) and they would be perfect to set under the arch feet to create flow down low.

Still a lot to dial in there but that's my thinking so far!

Thanks for your input!

 

[dca22anderson]

Top down then side view initial sketches for rock work. Yellow squares are those AquaBlox in two different sizes…

 

[jandlms]

That's awesome! Thanks! This is the fun part!

Thinking of doing a bit of a thick negative space rock stack with the rock work swinging by the bottom third of the windows so when you are standing there you will see top down on the close SPS then have the stack gradually rise back up to the overflow.

Maybe an arch from between the two viewing panels meeting the horseshoe swoop of rock going by the panels. Will leave space to walk and clean the viewing panels and for corals to grow out into the open area. I do like starting the rock off the ground if possible so detritus will not accumulate under that point of contact with the ground.

Want to use those aquablocks (pond product) for the inside of the rock work where it needs to be thicker (towards the bottom) and they would be perfect to set under the arch feet to create flow down low.

Still a lot to dial in there but that's my thinking so far!

Thanks for your input!

Love the concept of looking down thru the window ata bed of mixed SPS. Have you, however considered how much your lights are going to diminish thru what? Four or five feet of water? Maybe do a par reading in a swimming pool or water tank to see if your light will penetrate? I’d hate to see you go through all the trouble of setting this up and have the SPS dwindle or die because of insufficient light.

 

[dca22anderson]

Love the concept of looking down thru the window ata bed of mixed SPS. Have you, however considered how much your lights are going to diminish thru what? Four or five feet of water? Maybe do a par reading in a swimming pool or water tank to see if your light will penetrate? I’d hate to see you go through all the trouble of setting this up and have the SPS dwindle or die because of insufficient light.

I have been approaching this with the assumption that I can get enough light down to the lowest spot of the top of the reef stack for the SPS. You make a good point because I won't really know where I will land with PAR when all is said and done until I am there with all the specifics of the new build... My last tank was 4' deep and I was able to grow SPS at the 4' depth, not great but ok at that spot, so the top of the stack is targeted to be at no deeper than 4' where I will place the SPS. (LPS and softies on the lower spots on the reef) I am thinking of and planning for additional lighting in certain areas as needed once I get going... good recommendation!!

I am leaning towards the Orphek Amazona's - with 30 degree cups (and lining them with ReefBrite XHO's - that I have already):

Chip 1 - 14K
Chip 2 - 460m blue
Chip 3 - XP blue
Chip 4 - 6k

Anyone have any experience with these?

 

[dca22anderson]

Overflow being built at Aquarium Engineering by Bill Wann. 8’ long! Should work well!

 

[dca22anderson]

Top down on the 500 holding bin with the new big Vlamingii