New 300 gal tank setup

[surgeonfish]

I have been asked to show pics of my recent setup.

It all started two years ago when we decided to do some home renos. I thought it would be great to build a new SW tank into our main staircase (my wife thought I was joking!).

I wanted the tank to have the same curve as our staircase. I looked into a custom acrylic tank from someplace in Vancouver. They quoted me $30 000 to build the tank (sump included - you would hope to God). My wife was even less impressed now!

I decided to go with a 7/8" starphire glass tank from AI. They contracted it out to a place in Calgary which took a "year" to make as they kept breaking the glass trying to bend it. Well it finally arrived July 05. It took my contractor 4 months to finally get it built it into the staircase.

Finally, the tank has been up and running since late Dec 05. I am glad to say my wife even enjoys it and doesn't mind my spending $$ on corals/fish.

The tank is sort of triangular with dims 45"x54"x55"(inward bowed side along staircase)x48"high.

Enjoy

http://www.geocities.com/surgeonfish.geo/fishtank/dsc_3372.jpg
Tank arrived July 05

http://www.geocities.com/surgeonfish.geo/fishtank/dsc_4183.jpg
Building stand and reinforcing floor in basement

http://www.geocities.com/surgeonfish.geo/fishtank/dsc_4701.jpg
Tank in place

http://www.geocities.com/surgeonfish.geo/fishtank/dsc_4718.jpg
Tank in place

http://www.geocities.com/surgeonfish.geo/fishtank/dsc_7633.jpg
Completed tank

http://www.geocities.com/surgeonfish.geo/fishtank/dsc_7634.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/surgeonfish.geo/fishtank/dsc_7637.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/surgeonfish.geo/fishtank/dsc_7644.jpg

Tanks,
Shane

[Skimmer Juice]

The pictures appear invisible.

[JOSH]

that looks really good, great job on the finishing work

[Finaddict]

HOLY WOWsers :mrgreen:

[robzilla]

very impressive :)

[Ruth]

I can't see the pictures - just red "X"'s and after your description I would love to be able to actually see what it looks like.

[Delphinus]

Sorry, this GeoCities site is currently unavailable.
The GeoCities web site you were trying to view has temporarily exceeded its data transfer limit. Please try again later.
blah blah blah

bummer.

If you're interested, if you don't have your own wedspace that you can use (i.e Shaw Telus) you can upload the pics to Canreef's photoboard repository.. Just a thought.. :)

[Skimmerking]

ya i cant see them either try photo bucket.

[Ruth]

VERY VERY COOL! I love the way it fits right into your staircase.

[Delphinus]

Guess the bandwidth blockade has been lifted as I see the pics now too.

Incredible idea! And very well implemented. That's awesome.

[Skimmerking]

ruth can you send me the link its not coming up for me

[Skimmer Juice]

I still can't see them.

[Delphinus]

Here maybe just try the links? I don't know why but the pictures just started showing up for me.

http://www.geocities.com/surgeonfish.geo/fishtank/dsc_3372.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/surgeonfish.geo/fishtank/dsc_4183.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/surgeonfish.geo/fishtank/dsc_4701.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/surgeonfish.geo/fishtank/dsc_4718.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/surgeonfish.geo/fishtank/dsc_7633.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/surgeonfish.geo/fishtank/dsc_7634.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/surgeonfish.geo/fishtank/dsc_7637.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/surgeonfish.geo/fishtank/dsc_7644.jpg

[Ruth]

Mike - there was not a link - just like magic they showed up for me in the thread - I thought someone fixed it cause it sure wasn't me. I am still struggling with turning on my computer.

[Skimmerking]

nope says the site is unavailable

[Delphinus]

Maybe try again in an hour? Maybe geocities has some weird rolling blackout thing to deal with bandwidth consumption? Weird.

[surgeonfish]

Thanks asmodeus for the recommendation to use Photobucket.
First time I tried putting pictures on the web.
Hopefully these will work.

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k301/Surgeonfish/1.jpg
Tank arrived July 05

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k301/Surgeonfish/2.jpg
Building stand and reinforcing floor in basement

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k301/Surgeonfish/3.jpg
Tank in place

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k301/Surgeonfish/4.jpg

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k301/Surgeonfish/5.jpg
Completed tank

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k301/Surgeonfish/6.jpg

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k301/Surgeonfish/7.jpg

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k301/Surgeonfish/8.jpg

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k301/Surgeonfish/9.jpg

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k301/Surgeonfish/10.jpg

Tanks again,
Shane

[Skimmerking]

amazing tank man well constructed..

[Ruth]

With a tank that deep what do you use to access the bottom of the tank? Long grabbers of some kind? or a snorkel and mask?LOL I have almost gone swimming in my 230g a couple of times and it is only 31" deep.

[Skimmerking]

but Ruth we know your crazy to do that...:mrgreen:

[Skimmer Juice]

Holly s**t that tank is sweet. It is super deep like ruth said how to acces the bottom? I need to put my hands in my tank every day.

[niloc16]

that is an awesome tank. what is the depth of the tank. although it took a year to get IMO it was well worth it. excellent job.

[surgeonfish]

Getting to the bottom of the tank has been a real challange. A few times I wanted to put on my SCUBA gear. I bought tongs from J&L and I was still having problems. I found even longer ones from Big Al's when they were still in Calgary. It is not easy setting in Coral or LR as I have to use the tongs and it can take several attempts before I get it exactly where I want it. I don't know if anyone else has a better tool or system?
Shane

[Chaloupa]

WOW! Gives me some ideas for our curved stair case .... I think it may be a "bit" out of my price range though!!!! Absolutely stunning! :biggrin:

[Midknight]

Totally amazing!!!:biggrin:
It must be nice to have someone so small that could just swim in the tank to help daddy out.:lol:
But what are you going to do when she grows up?

[AJ_77]

Getting to the bottom of the tank has been a real challange. ... I don't know if anyone else has a better tool or system?
Shane

do you golf? do you have a ball retriever with a little bucket on the end? :biggrin: - there has to be a tool not intended for reefkeeping that would work.

Or else, a volunteer? I don't recommend child labour, and certainly not your own daughter, but maybe somebody about Albert's size with a face mask on, that you could hang from the ankles for a short dip? :wink:

[Snappy]

Wow, that is a gorgeous(sp?) tank, very cool with the curved glass.
What are you using for lighting with that kind of depth? 1000w? 1500w?

[Jason McK]

WOW very nice.

How is maintenance on that puppy?

J

[Joe Reefer]

Simply outstanding! I love it!

[surgeonfish]

At present I am using a 10 000K 400W MH and 2x65W compacts. The tank is 48" deep. I don't have a lot of corals yet, but my single Acropora sp. (which is down low) seems to be doing O.K. although I haven't seen any growth since I got it in June. I was thinking of getting a second 400W MH. Would anyone recomment something different like a 1000W? Should I be seeing some growth in the Acropora by now?
Thanks

P.S. I don't golf AJ 77, but I just won a Taylor r7 425 driver as a door prize. They say it is the cadalac of drivers? Can always use it to hold up my tomato plants!

[christyf5]

Wow that is one awesome tank!! Ingenious design :cool:

[cav~firez22]

I see them.. DAMNN That is a sweeeet set up.
Roughly what is the cost of the final set up??

[Manny]

That is a really cool tank. I was wondering what your fish list is.

[michika]

That is a beautiful tank, and your daughter is really cute too!

How do you clean your glass? Mag float? By hand?

[Willito]

At present I am using a 10 000K 400W MH and 2x65W compacts. The tank is 48" deep. I don't have a lot of corals yet, but my single Acropora sp. (which is down low) seems to be doing O.K. although I haven't seen any growth since I got it in June. I was thinking of getting a second 400W MH. Would anyone recomment something different like a 1000W? Should I be seeing some growth in the Acropora by now?
Thanks


Nice design! Chicks dig deep tanks too!:mrgreen:

With the little amount of corals that you do have, you probably won't need more lights yet. If you plan on keeping more acros throughout the tank, you will need more light. I have a similar configuration, half hexagon-shaped on top of the stairweel. It's a pain to work on when you have to use stools and hang from the railings...but it's worth it.

You might want to stay away from 1000watters. They are very expensive to maintain anyway you look at it. When I was setting up my lights, I had a hard time coming up with the right configuration to achieve the eveness. I used 150,250, and 400w, but settled on 3x250 in the end. Using 1000w in such a confine space will produce alot of other problems. What might work is if you set your rocks in a way that it rises midway up the tank, use 2 or 3 400w, and set your corals on top. That should give good results. Can't wait to see more corals in there.:smile:

[more1020]

Awesome!

[Beverly]

Finally got to see your pics! Totally stunning tank :cool: Cool that your wife likes it too :biggrin: