Norstar's 350 gal Tank Build

[Norstar]

Well, after waiting for 40 years, I finally got my dream tank. OK, maybe not the 50,000 gal. like I really wanted (you know, flooding the basement and cutting a trap door in the floor - :biggrin:), but it's a beauty.

Everyone thinks I'm crazy for putting it in the garage, but I like it there. I can putz around, make a mess on the concrete floor, spill some water, have a beer. It's also my workshop, hence the tools and telephone equipment, so I do spend a lot of time in there.

I set-up my 85 gal. RO/DI tanks a little while ago, as well as my 85 gal. mixing tank. It saves on the limited floor space in the garage to have it up so high.

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=148&pictureid=1330




In case you're wondering, the industrial racking can handle 12,000lbs per shelf. Too much support is always enough! :lol:

I just installed a 8000 btu air conditioner to control the heat in the summer time. The room is approx. 250 sq. feet and it seems to be doing the job so far. It saved me a lot of money compared to buying 3 chillers for all the tanks in the room.

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=148&pictureid=1329

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=148&pictureid=1331

It may not look big, but the tank weighs 900lbs!!! It's 90" X 30" X 30". The sump is 72" X 24" X 20". Getting the sump in was the easy part. Carrying a 900lbs tank with 8 of your best friends in the world (!!!) was the hard part. But we got it in.

Before I go any further, a BIG thank you to Wendell, Jim, Dave, and Joey at OCEAN AQUATICS for helping with the aquarium install. Wendell made it all happen, and had lots of patience for all my questions and occasional freak outs!


http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=148&pictureid=1328


Dave Tiemstra from West Coast Aquarium Services is coming in next week to plumb the tank. The sump and skimmer should be in next week. After that, I will have to take a (financial!!) break for the summer.

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=148&pictureid=1332



More to come soon!



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[christyf5]

Holey awesomeness! Congrats!!! Sadly the first 3 pics don't show up so we can't see the full stupendousness that is your new tank. Let me know if you need help with the photos :biggrin:

[Norstar]

Thanks!!

I have tried to repost the picures - can you see them now?

[Leah]

Oh yeah we can see them, umm holy thats alot of tanks can't wait to see the bigg one up and running. Amazing my family would disown me.

[Norstar]

Ahhh, a hobby that keeps Dad happy is a wonderful thing!! :lol:

[ferret]

Woo! I'm deeply impressed and love the idea to accomodate all the sw tanks and equipments in the garage. I do hope my wife can give her consent so that my dream can come true

[fishytime]

Holy frijoles :surprise: Dat ones gonna be a beast! How many gallons do you already have going there and how many total will it be after the big-un is done? Is the present system all plumbed together? Will they be plumbed together with the big system? Big tank gonna be a reef?

[JDigital]

Holy frijoles :surprise: Dat ones gonna be a beast! How many gallons do you already have going there and how many total will it be after the big-un is done? Is the present system all plumbed together? Will they be plumbed together with the big system? Big tank gonna be a reef?

Any more questions? LOL :lol:


System looks like its gonna be great.. but I got the same questions as fishytime!

[Norstar]

Hey Fishytime! The 4 tanks in the back are all plumbed together. The top two tanks are a 50 g and 65 g. There is a (i think) 40 gal refugium, and the sump. The front tank is a 65 with a ??g sump.

Not sure what I am going to do with the 350g. It will probably start as a fowlr, and then a reef as I won't be able to resist the temptation. I have always wanted to have larger fish (but not too large), and now I have the opportunity.

Btw, we split the garage in two 8 years ago. The front half is for the kids (bikes, freezer, junk....). The back half is my workshop/aquarium room. I wonder if I can list my fish as employees??!

[christyf5]

Btw, we split the garage in two 8 years ago. The front half is for the kids (bikes, freezer, junk....). The back half is my workshop/aquarium room. I wonder if I can list my fish as employees??!

LOL, another garage where cars don't live. I love it! :razz:

I can see the pics now, that is a monster :biggrin: And your other tanks, they deserve some more photos too!

I'm intrigued by the racking, where does one get that type of stuff?

[Norstar]

I picked up the racking from Arpac down the street from Ocean Aquatics. It cost about $900.00, but for me was well worth the money. I run my business out of my garage, so part of it is a tax write-off :biggrin:

If anyone wants to order that type of racking, email me for some advice prior to doing so.

[Norstar]

We did a bit of plumbing today - slow day at work :lol:. Thank goodness the boss understands. Oh wait, I'm the boss! :biggrin:

Dave from West Coast Aquariums did a great job. Everything was really tight for the space we had available . Everything seems to fit in well or maybe Dave just made it look easy. What is really great is that you can't really see the plumbing unless you crouch down to look at it.

Here are a few pictures of what we (Dave!) did today.

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=148&pictureid=1339

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=148&pictureid=1340

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=148&pictureid=1341

I'll be putting in the skimmer in a day or so. Still have a bit of plumbing to do.

[Norstar]

Just put my Euro Reef RC500 skimmer in. I'll be filling the tank tomorrow to test for leaks.

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=148&pictureid=1353



http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=148&pictureid=1352

This is one nasty skimmer!






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[fishytime]

"I love my euro-reef"

[christyf5]

"I love my euro-reef"

DITTO!! :mrgreen:

[Norstar]

It's my 3rd one! :biggrin:

[Norstar]

Hey Cool! My 100th post!!!! :biggrin:

[deep6er]

Just put my Euro Reef RC500 skimmer in. I'll be filling the tank tomorrow to test for leaks.

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=148&pictureid=1353



http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=148&pictureid=1352

This is one nasty skimmer!






.

Looking good.!!!!!

[Norstar]

Well, I had some bad news today. I will try and get throught this as best I can. Please bear with me.

Oddly enough, it was delivered by Mother Nature herself. Yep, in fact, personally. :cry: She regretfully had to tell me that I was 50 years old today!! Holy cow!!!! 50! I can still remember being 10!!! What happened in between?!?!? I still feel like having milk run out out of my nose and thinking its cool.

Funny how things can creep up on you. Oddly enough, some days, I still feel like in 10 years old (my wife confirms this) :biggrin:

Anyway, I'd better get going. I have to look up some clinics regarding Botox treatments and a good salon regarding my gray hair. Some kids are playing on my lawn and I have to go yell at them (that's what I think I'm supposed to do anyway). And oh ya, I better get my "Depends". Apparently, old foggies like me need those for some weird reason (maybe its because I need to go to the bathroom 2-3 times a night - lol).

Well, here's to my heart bypass and retirement in 20 years! :smile:

[christyf5]

Happy Birthday Camille!:new-bday:

Now get some water in that thing!!! :razz:

[Norstar]

It's running now! A couple of minor leaks with the plumbing to deal with - nothing critical.

I am so thrilled with it. I've waited a long time for it. I can't tell you how excited I am!!!!!!

[banditpowdercoat]

We need PICS :D

[deep6er]

Camille. any updates for us?

[Norstar]

No updates for now. Summer mode has kicked in, the wife and kids are in Osoyoos, and work got busy again.

As soon as some more money rolls in, my next purchase will be 10 bags of sand (for a 2" depth) and 150 lbs of live rock. Looks like I'll be having to work a bit of overtime! :lol:

[Skimmerking]

Well, I had some bad news today. I will try and get throught this as best I can. Please bear with me.

Oddly enough, it was delivered by Mother Nature herself. Yep, in fact, personally. :cry: She regretfully had to tell me that I was 50 years old today!! Holy cow!!!! 50! I can still remember being 10!!! What happened in between?!?!? I still feel like having milk run out out of my nose and thinking its cool.

Funny how things can creep up on you. Oddly enough, some days, I still feel like in 10 years old (my wife confirms this) :biggrin:

Anyway, I'd better get going. I have to look up some clinics regarding Botox treatments and a good salon regarding my gray hair. Some kids are playing on my lawn and I have to go yell at them (that's what I think I'm supposed to do anyway). And oh ya, I better get my "Depends". Apparently, old foggies like me need those for some weird reason (maybe its because I need to go to the bathroom 2-3 times a night - lol).

Well, here's to my heart bypass and retirement in 20 years! :smile:

stop your whining you old fart and get some more pictures up on canreef.:lol:

[Norstar]

OK, who's the smarty pants that wanted to see more pictures!!!! :cry:

I think you guys jinxed me :lol:

Got a bit of a surprise today. One of the top Euro braces started cracking. AHHHH - run for the hills - she's gonna blow!!!

Actually, the tank manufacturer told me to drain the tank, and that they would come to my home next week to fix it. In fact, they will re-inforce it with a center brace as well. Now that's service!! :biggrin:

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=148&pictureid=1359



http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=148&pictureid=1358

Sorry about the pic quality. I took them with my Blackberry. Our camera is in Osoyoos with the wife and kids.

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[StirCrazy]

Actually, the tank manufacturer told me to drain the tank, and that they would come to my home next week to fix it. In fact, they will re-inforce it with a center brace as well. Now that's service!! :biggrin:

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I would ask them to re-enforce it with better euro bracing.. thats what you paid for isn't it??? seams like adding a cros brace defeats the purpose of having euro bracing.

Steve

[Norstar]

I am going to go with whatever they recommend. If I can get away without it all the better. However, safety is my first concern

[StirCrazy]

I am going to go with whatever they recommend. If I can get away without it all the better. However, safety is my first concern

true, I was just getting at some times euro bracing makes a tank way more expensive, if they put a center brace in it you now don't have a euro braced tank and if you bought that in the first place you probably could have saved 2 or 3 hundred..

but yes safe is the way to go.

Steve