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mr.wilson
08-10-2011, 12:11 AM
The subject of this aquarium keeps coming up in discussions here on Canreef so I thought I shoul dpost some pics and details to keep it local. There is an epically long build thread for this tank on RC but it's too big to find what you are looking for, so I hope this makes things easier.

The project started a year ago and water went in October 2010. We started adding corals in January 2011, and progress has been steady. The owner's name is Peter, and his user name is Nineball, named after his other hobby. I'm just the guy who put everything together, but if you have any questions I would be happy to fill you in.

Here is some of the info in point form to keep this less wordy and more "pictury".

- 1350 gallon L-shaped acrylic tank made by ATM. Not happy with the seam finishes or material used for the top.
- 250 gallon sump with live rock and 4 x 200µ filter bags.
- 50 gallon (undersized) refugium with Chaetomorpha and 4" of sand.
- 1000w titanium heater controlled by Profilux and Aqua medic controller. Undersized but only used for maintaining stability.
- 1 HP Aquanetics chiller, not plugged in, but plumbed.
- 2 x 40w Aqua UV sterilizer.
- 4 x Abyzz 420w DC pumps on closed loop with 16 x 1" eductor.
- 1 x Abyzz 420w DC pump as sump return. All 5 DC pumps are on one controller with wave sequences every 60-240 seconds with 10 second surge from 50% to 85%, varying with each pump. The total electrical draw is 500w with all 5 pumps running. There is no heat at the pump, or vibration or noise. The controller monitors and controls water level and heat shut off, electrical consumption monitoring, feeding mode, night mode via photo sensor and it moves water :) The pumps are pressure rated and perform well pushing water through eductors, mechanical filter, UV and chiller. The cool wet end of the pump means that there is no calcification in the volute, stator, rotor, or titanium shaft. The pumps have a soft on & off and are 8 pole. Top RPM is 3300.
- The internal plumbing is covered with BASF Emaco S88ci marine cement and shaped to look like live rock.
- The flow is engineered to be circular flowing across the bottom of each end toward the middle "bend" in the tank where it is directed up at a 45˚ angle where it meets the sump return lines, the sent back across the surface of the tank.
- There are three sump return effluent ports and we have covered them in corals to make them eventually disappear.
- The undersized refugium has been compensated for with two 48"w x 60"h acrylic mangrove planters. The planters hold 20 mangrove trees routed in 3" of Miracle Mud and are illuminated by two 290w plasma lights by Straylight. There are 8 fine mist spray nozzles that are fed RO/DI water via a solenoid & dedicated pressure tank. The mangroves are misted automatically 6 times per day for one minute.
- The filtration room houses 3 x 150 gallon MARS holding tank systems that we use for QT and fragging (eventually).
- We also have a 130 gallon QT tank for bigger fish.
- There are two 220 gallon reservoirs, one for freshwater and one for premixed saltwater. We do a 100 gallon water change every week via pumps and a high volume float valve.
- The RO/DI system uses large sediment & dual carbon filters as well as a large DI cartridge. There is also a water softener and carbon filter for the whole house. The RO/DI has a wash-out system that monitors the TDS coming out of the RO & DI digitally and controls a solenoid to wash it when TDS creeps above 8, post RO. The water exiting the RO is usually 0 or 1, and always 0 exiting the DI. We have a RO/DI tap attached to the sink with a pressure tank for rinsing food and testing equipment etc.
- An HRV system keeps the air dry and fresh and helps reduce Co2 which would lower PH.
- The tank has two 17kw natural gas generators that are automatically tested every week.
- The house has 400 amp service and his utility bills look like mortgage payments:)
- There is an exhaust fan and duct that removes hot and humid air from above the display tank.
- The protein skimmer is an RK2 25PE with the venturi pump upgraded to a Blueline 70HD pressure pump and the feed pump upgraded to a variable speed DC pump. We added an Hayward actuator valve to automate the internal neck wash-down. The collection cup itself has a wash-down on a solenoid that uses tap water to keep the cup clean and drained. Both wash-down features are scheduled 8 times per day.
- A GHL Profilux controller controls most features. We have an expansion box, probe holder, MSM delivery, D.O. probe, ATO via optic sensor, and all of the other bells and whistles. We use a dedicated laptop to run it.
- Co2 is delivered to the Schuran Jetstream 11 via 20lb polished aluminum tank, and we have a spare.
- Ozone is provided by Clearwater CD10/AD ozonizer with 1.2gr/hr output, controlled by Profilux ORP. The unit has a built in heated desiccant regenerator.
- ATO is direct from RO/DI with no holding tank. Two optic sensors monitor water level, a solenoid (from autotopoff.com) controls water flow, and a secondary mechanical float switch from Kent acts as a last failsafe, well second last if you count the overflow drain in the sump :)
- The display tank is illuminated by 19 Orphek PR 156 and two 6' Aqua-Medic 4 x 250w HQI (2 x Aqualine Buschke 12,500k + 2 x Phoenix 14,000K) + 4 x 39w T5 ATI actinic. The two MHL fixtires are soon to be replaced by 6 more Orphek LEDs @ 120w each.
- The tank is grounded with two titanium probes and we have GFCI on everything.
- There are three large media reactors containing GFO, carbon & NP pellets.
- The floor and most of the walls are marble so it acts as a heat sink and it feels like you are working in a luxury hotel lobby and not a fishroom :)
- The MARS sytems have numerous upgrades including, sump, UV, pumps, plumbing, eductors with valves, LED lighting from Orphek, Deltek protein skimmer, Profilux control, calcium reactor, media reactor with GFO & carbon and 200µ filter bags.

http://i998.photobucket.com/albums/af109/reefandrainforest/cee906c8.jpg

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mr.wilson
08-10-2011, 12:16 AM
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mr.wilson
08-10-2011, 12:19 AM
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mr.wilson
08-10-2011, 12:23 AM
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mr.wilson
08-10-2011, 12:30 AM
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Aquattro
08-10-2011, 12:36 AM
Just wow....

Flash
08-10-2011, 12:40 AM
HOLY S**T...... there are no other words

wait... I want to see the rest of the house!!!!

WOW:jaw:

don.ald
08-10-2011, 12:42 AM
like the mangrove system---want to copy that!

fishytime
08-10-2011, 12:45 AM
Just wow....


ditto!......

beefORchicken
08-10-2011, 12:48 AM
i've seen nineball's thread on rc. definitely a rad set-up. thanks for sharing!

msjboy
08-10-2011, 12:48 AM
wow... how much for the system? and livestock?

Don't forget, animal planet/discovery channel reality series called "Tanked" starts on Aug 19th... they have builds like this I suppose.

mr.wilson
08-10-2011, 01:14 AM
Here are some older pics showing details and development...

This is the back-siphon stop cheque valve.

http://i998.photobucket.com/albums/af109/reefandrainforest/IMG_7293.jpg

This is what the mangroves looked like originally. We were tight for space and gained a lot of real estate. Once they grow in, it will be a green wall.

http://i998.photobucket.com/albums/af109/reefandrainforest/IMG_7529.jpg

Here's the size difference between the original pump and the new DC pump.

http://i998.photobucket.com/albums/af109/reefandrainforest/IMG_7538.jpg

This is what it looks like under the tank. I was trapped under there for a week sniffing fumes and crawling on my knees.

http://i998.photobucket.com/albums/af109/reefandrainforest/IMG_4747-1.jpg

Here is the tank with eggcrate on the bottom to make sure the rock doesn't collapse (rock was bonded together with Epo Putty). The internal plumbing was covered with marine concrete so they blend in with the live rock.

http://i998.photobucket.com/albums/af109/reefandrainforest/IMG_4775.jpg

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These pipes were particularly conspicuous so I have been attaching soft corals that will hopefully hide them one day.

http://i998.photobucket.com/albums/af109/reefandrainforest/IMG_4905.jpg

dsaundry
08-10-2011, 01:56 AM
So is that a nano system......:lol::mrgreen:...Wow!

Jason McK
08-10-2011, 02:22 AM
I've been following on RC and have to say this is one of the greatest tanks ever. The planning and execution is beyond superb.

All I have to say is I'm in TO quite often how much is admission

J

Lance
08-10-2011, 02:31 AM
Thanks for the pics Mr. Wilson. I too, have been following this build on RC. Amazing, to say the least. One question: Are the DC pumps everything I've heard them to be?

badAZZlars
08-10-2011, 02:33 AM
I've been following this one on RC as well. I'm glad you decided to bring it to the local forum.

Amazing setup.

mark
08-10-2011, 02:33 AM
been following along on RC as well. What really got my attention to the scale of this build was the picture of the crane.

http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x8/legendarywoods/crane.jpg
(http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x8/legendarywoods/crane.jpg)

mr.wilson
08-10-2011, 02:34 AM
I've been following on RC and have to say this is one of the greatest tanks ever. The planning and execution is beyond superb.

All I have to say is I'm in TO quite often how much is admission

J

If you give us plenty of notice, guests are always welcome. Maybe we can do a Canreef group showing/party in september after MACNA. Let me know what the level of interest is.

mr.wilson
08-10-2011, 02:38 AM
Thanks for the pics Mr. Wilson. I too, have been following this build on RC. Amazing, to say the least. One question: Are the DC pumps everything I've heard them to be?

Yes, they are great. Everything is ideal, except for the price ($2000 + $800 for the controller). I took one apart after 6 months of use and it was as clean as new.

mr.wilson
08-10-2011, 02:39 AM
I've been following this one on RC as well. I'm glad you decided to bring it to the local forum.

Amazing setup.

Good to be home. The aquarium is in Oakville Ontario for those that don't already know.

tinman
08-10-2011, 03:04 AM
i too have been following this on rc but haven't got the chance to follow up till now all i can say is wow i'm sure i could scuba dive in that!! what a treat to see something on that scale thanks for showing us!!!

globaldesigns
08-10-2011, 03:33 AM
OH MY FFFFFNNNNNNN GOD! I bow to you!

Oh sooooo beautiful, WOW!!!

FishyFishy!
08-10-2011, 03:45 AM
Absolutely stunning.. Thats the tank I see in my dreams!!!!!

MarkoD
08-10-2011, 04:20 AM
nucking futs.... how much does it cost to insure his house with that much water contained in the basement

wayner
08-10-2011, 04:33 AM
Followed on RC also, all I can say is, that's one hell of a build, and thank god for HRV units

mseepman
08-10-2011, 04:35 AM
Hey Mr. Wilson...hoping you and Peter are both going to MACNA this year so I can chat with you in person. Chatted with Peter a few times on RC and he really has an amazing attitude towards input on this tank.

Madreefer
08-10-2011, 04:36 AM
I too started to follow this thread on RC but it was too long and hard to find pics. Good to see the update and please keep posting. My favourite tank. What role do you have? Did you help in the build or do you maintain this tank?

MEDHBSI
08-10-2011, 04:37 AM
what is that red coral with the white feeders?

lorenz0
08-10-2011, 04:49 AM
I was wondering when this tank would make the canadian forum appearance. The rc thread is insane and the tank is just stunning. I've been following it for a while.

love it

dc4
08-10-2011, 06:32 AM
:jaw:

Kevotron
08-10-2011, 06:33 AM
I would not imagine if the owner purchased a new house and needs this thing moved !

ensquire
08-10-2011, 07:09 AM
White Lightning Sponge if I'm not mistaken

what is that red coral with the white feeders?

Bblinks
08-10-2011, 08:14 AM
Mr Wilson, thanks so much for sharing such a stunning build with us. This tank really show cased Peter's vision and your ingenuity. What a man's dream may become when he is surrounded by knowledgeable people such as yourself. It has captured what every one of us reef addicts has ever imagined. I for one has followed the rc thread for many many months. It has been a wild and amazing journey. I have learned so much from this build. I can't even begin to tell you how much I, we as reefers appreciate what you and Peter has taken us on. It's simply magical.

The best part about this build is it's made in Canada. I am very proud! :redface:

Thanks again to you and Peter.

rburns24
08-10-2011, 09:46 AM
The photos of the tank under the all LED setup look absolutely stunning compared to the MH/T5 photos. These new photos haven't been posted on RC yet, right?

rburns24
08-10-2011, 09:53 AM
"The best part about this build is it's made in Canada. I am very proud! :redface:

Thanks again to you and Peter."

1+

DAVE
08-10-2011, 12:02 PM
I think the best part of this tank build is how involved the actual home owner (Peter) was with the entire design, setup and installation. It is clear that money is not a factor for this guy, and instead of just paying someone to build this 'dream system' he himself got involved in every aspect.

Well done to the entire team!

mr.wilson
08-10-2011, 01:18 PM
nucking futs.... how much does it cost to insure his house with that much water contained in the basement

I was there when the insurance underwriter was inspecting the house. She didn't have any major concerns about the tank. They asked for a "water mitigation device" which is basically an auto shut-off solenoid for the water main entering the house. It's connected to the 3 water bugs (water sensors) in the fish room and under the tank. I don't know if they are located in other parts of the house as well or if it was even related to the tank or just a new thing they push for high end homes. I set the water alarm off three times so far, it only takes a few drops of water. The fish room is waterproof up to 6" and there is a floor drain. Everything has a fail safe and there is always someone there to keep an eye on things.

mr.wilson
08-10-2011, 01:20 PM
I think the best part of this tank build is how involved the actual home owner (Peter) was with the entire design, setup and installation. It is clear that money is not a factor for this guy, and instead of just paying someone to build this 'dream system' he himself got involved in every aspect.

Well done to the entire team!

Yes, Peter has learned a lot in the last two years researching and managing the project. He claims he's retired, but I think he spends more time on his reef hobby than he did in the software business :)

mr.wilson
08-10-2011, 01:21 PM
"The best part about this build is it's made in Canada. I am very proud! :redface:

Thanks again to you and Peter."

1+

Absolutely! Made in Canada Eh!

mr.wilson
08-10-2011, 01:23 PM
The photos of the tank under the all LED setup look absolutely stunning compared to the MH/T5 photos. These new photos haven't been posted on RC yet, right?

I'll comb through my old pics and try to show some before and after shots. We tried all kinds of lights on the tank. When I started on the project, Peter had already purchased $14,000.00 worth of 150w HCI MHL & T5 lighting. WE tried them out, but ended up scrapping them, as he wanted no compromises.

mr.wilson
08-10-2011, 01:26 PM
Mr Wilson, thanks so much for sharing such a stunning build with us. This tank really show cased Peter's vision and your ingenuity. What a man's dream may become when he is surrounded by knowledgeable people such as yourself. It has captured what every one of us reef addicts has ever imagined. I for one has followed the rc thread for many many months. It has been a wild and amazing journey. I have learned so much from this build. I can't even begin to tell you how much I, we as reefers appreciate what you and Peter has taken us on. It's simply magical.

The best part about this build is it's made in Canada. I am very proud! :redface:

Thanks again to you and Peter.

Peter used Chingchai's build as a model for his thread and the build itself. Chingchai documented it very well with amazing drawings and the thread always kept a professional tone, no trolls, and he answered every question and greeting. Nursing the build thread along is as much work as the tank itself, but it's great to share the experience and have the creative input of a large group... even if they aren't all Canadians :)

mr.wilson
08-10-2011, 01:27 PM
Hey Mr. Wilson...hoping you and Peter are both going to MACNA this year so I can chat with you in person. Chatted with Peter a few times on RC and he really has an amazing attitude towards input on this tank.

Peter & I will be at MACNA. I can probably be tracked down from the reefs.com booth as it will be my base.

mr.wilson
08-10-2011, 01:31 PM
I too started to follow this thread on RC but it was too long and hard to find pics. Good to see the update and please keep posting. My favourite tank. What role do you have? Did you help in the build or do you maintain this tank?

I found the thread when it was about 20 pages in and Peter had been working on the tank for about 9 months. The original project manager was in over his head and Peter needed some additional help completing the project.

Long story short, we scrapped just about everything he had, save the tank, stand, UV sterilizers and the live rock.

I started in July of last year and it has been a great ride. I currently maintain the tank and spend about three days a week on site, often more just shooting the **** with Peter.

ReefOcean
08-10-2011, 01:35 PM
HOLY S**T...... there are no other words

wait... I want to see the rest of the house!!!!

WOW:jaw:

I sort of recall a Bentley in his garage ;)

mr.wilson
08-10-2011, 01:36 PM
what is that red coral with the white feeders?

It's a spider sponge from Australia. It is non-photosynthetic and we have had three of them for about three months now and they appear to be doing well. It's a sponge with a symbiotic/commensal colonial polyp growing on it. We don't target feed due to the shear size of the tank, but we feed 0-150 micron powdered coral foods via an Eheim feeder located in the sump, just above the return intake. The pump delivers food four times a day and we are planning on expanding this system to include frozen foods as well. They are considered to be very difficult to keep, but large tanks harbour a lot of zooplankton that comes out at night.

mr.wilson
08-10-2011, 01:37 PM
I would not imagine if the owner purchased a new house and needs this thing moved !

Peter assures me that they are taking him out of that house in a wooden box, so it's til death do they part :)

mr.wilson
08-10-2011, 01:41 PM
I sort of recall a Bentley in his garage ;)

He has two, each of them as expensive as the whole tank build. His next door neighbour has a 300 gallon reef tank from Big Al's and a bigger car collection, nice neighbourhood :) I park my Impala out front to keep it real :)

ReefOcean
08-10-2011, 01:46 PM
LOL yeah. His skimmer probably costs as much as my car. If I had the money, my setup Would be just as ridiculous, maybe even more. I have my eyes on a cylinder that goes all the way up to the second floor.....

I am still young, one day hehe

DAVE
08-10-2011, 03:36 PM
Mr. Wilson,

Where did you purchase the water storage tanks? Looking for a few myself.

Thanks,
Dave

Triggz
08-10-2011, 05:15 PM
WOW is right!! I have always enjoyed looking through your setups on the "other Canadian board". Incredible work!

Thanks for sharing.

KPG007
08-10-2011, 05:41 PM
Wow, this build is one of my favorites on RC. The detail, not only to design and construction, but also to documenting has been outstanding!

A couple of questions - What problems have you run into now that the system is up and running? How do you control pest algae and fish disease in the main tank? What problems have you noticed with the fish community? What's the maintainance like on this system (you mentioned you're there 3 days a week - any others helping out)?

Kelly

Phanman
08-10-2011, 06:44 PM
Been following this on RC since the beginning of the project. Thx for posting here for others to drool over too!

KevinK
08-10-2011, 07:00 PM
Mr Wilson,

what substrate is there in the main tank, and how thick,

it seems very course and as far as my understanding goes' thy always say course material will trap a lot of debris.-- what's the background on this ?

I also se there is a DSB in the refugium what's the grade there

thanks

fishoholic
08-10-2011, 08:03 PM
Good to be home. The aquarium is in Oakville Ontario for those that don't already know.

Cool, I was born Oakville :mrgreen:

I have to say that is an amazing set up, if I ever had the money I'd definately want something just like that :thumb: Thank-you for sharing :biggrin:

lastlight
08-10-2011, 08:06 PM
I remember thinking when he first started this build that it seemed crazy to have no budget restraints and still limit yourself to 3 feet across. You guys have done an amazing job though it looks fantastic!

I recall reading that Peter was sourcing premium stuff and not really starting with frags so it's hard to tell how growth has been. Have you seen a lot of growth under the Orpheks?

Bblinks
08-10-2011, 08:29 PM
He has two, each of them as expensive as the whole tank build. His next door neighbour has a 300 gallon reef tank from Big Al's and a bigger car collection, nice neighbourhood :) I park my Impala out front to keep it real :)


LMAO:mrgreen:

abcha0s
08-10-2011, 08:49 PM
Thank you for creating this thread. I've followed the thread on RC, but as you suggest - it is very large. I'm especially looking forward to your commentary of the ReefTech lighting system.

You mentioned on RC that you were planning a book. Is this still in the works?

I'll be traveling to Toronto in October. I can PM you the dates. If there is any chance of chatting with you and Peter, it would be the highlight of my trip.

- Brad

Delphinus
08-10-2011, 11:00 PM
I love the look of this tank. It's a good thing it's a private tank, if this tank were somewhere publicly accessible in my own city for example, I'd no longer feel the need to have a tank of my own. :)

Very enviable setup..

fishytime
08-10-2011, 11:31 PM
I skimmed through this whole thread again and I didnt see it anywhere.....what are the dimensions on this bad boy?

I noticed in the picture of beneath the tank that it looks like there was a small concrete "footing" for the cross braces on the stand? .....looks like its starting to crumble if thats what Im seeing???

mr.wilson
08-11-2011, 03:48 AM
LOL yeah. His skimmer probably costs as much as my car. If I had the money, my setup Would be just as ridiculous, maybe even more. I have my eyes on a cylinder that goes all the way up to the second floor.....

I am still young, one day hehe

That skimmer was triple the value of my car :)

mr.wilson
08-11-2011, 03:50 AM
Mr. Wilson,

Where did you purchase the water storage tanks? Looking for a few myself.

Thanks,
Dave

They came with the place. Shipping cost is a problem with large storage tanks, so you are limited to local sources. I find farm supply businesses to be the most reasonable. Try TSC if they have it out your way.

mr.wilson
08-11-2011, 04:00 AM
Wow, this build is one of my favorites on RC. The detail, not only to design and construction, but also to documenting has been outstanding!

A couple of questions - What problems have you run into now that the system is up and running? How do you control pest algae and fish disease in the main tank? What problems have you noticed with the fish community? What's the maintainance like on this system (you mentioned you're there 3 days a week - any others helping out)?

Kelly

We had bad algae plagues for the first three months, just about everything. A variety of snails and royal conchs did the trick. I also used Kent Tech M magnesium.

We haven't had any fish disease issues to speak of, other than a few one-offs. We lost all of our elegant corals to a common bacterial infection/plague. We will wait awhile before trying any more.

No climate control problems or leaks. We have had some flatworms in the mangrove wall, but killed them off with flat worm exit (Levamisole). We also had a montipora with nudibranchs, and a zoanthid with zoanthid snails, but physical removal was enough.

Cleaning the acrylic isn't my favourite job, but someone has to do it. Rinsing the filter bags and water test rank closely behind. I'm really good at looking at the tank though, and I have no problem talking about what I'm going to do next :)

mr.wilson
08-11-2011, 04:06 AM
Mr Wilson,

what substrate is there in the main tank, and how thick,

it seems very course and as far as my understanding goes' thy always say course material will trap a lot of debris.-- what's the background on this ?

I also se there is a DSB in the refugium what's the grade there

thanks

We started off with a mixed grade and scraped the small stuff we had initially. The fine stuff gets swept up into the cleaning magnets too easily. The surge in flow moves some sand around, so we add course (grape size) aragonite where the sand tends to shift.

I like course substrate because it turns pink with coraline algae and provides good tunneling for gobies and jawfish. It also provides better homes for zooplankton. Fine sand simply cannot support large colonies of copepods and amphipods.

We used regular fine sand in the refugium because it was more for bacteria and we needed to use it somewhere. I like the look of mixed sand with shells. The regular stuff is too homogenous and looks like cat litter :)

mr.wilson
08-11-2011, 04:13 AM
I remember thinking when he first started this build that it seemed crazy to have no budget restraints and still limit yourself to 3 feet across. You guys have done an amazing job though it looks fantastic!

I recall reading that Peter was sourcing premium stuff and not really starting with frags so it's hard to tell how growth has been. Have you seen a lot of growth under the Orpheks?

Actually, frags are premium, we have been buying maricultured pieces from tangerine to grapefruit size. They come in washed out and we do what we can to colour them up.

Don't even bring up the 3' across thing :) It drives us all crazy that it isn't 4-5'. That ship had sailed before I came on the scene, and Chingchai had warner him too... well, next tank :)

Growth has been really good, especially in the past month. A colour improvement was the main difference we saw. I will dig through my pics and try to find some before and after with dates, but give me some time. The staghorns are the fastest growing, with montipora & millipora not far behind.

mr.wilson
08-11-2011, 04:15 AM
Cool, I was born Oakville :mrgreen:

I have to say that is an amazing set up, if I ever had the money I'd definately want something just like that :thumb: Thank-you for sharing :biggrin:

You never know, the tank may still be there when it's your turn to retire and move back to Oakville :)

mr.wilson
08-11-2011, 04:18 AM
Thank you for creating this thread. I've followed the thread on RC, but as you suggest - it is very large. I'm especially looking forward to your commentary of the ReefTech lighting system.

You mentioned on RC that you were planning a book. Is this still in the works?

I'll be traveling to Toronto in October. I can PM you the dates. If there is any chance of chatting with you and Peter, it would be the highlight of my trip.

- Brad

By all means, we enjoy sharing the tank with friends. No time for books now, but I'm writing at least :)

mr.wilson
08-11-2011, 04:21 AM
I skimmed through this whole thread again and I didnt see it anywhere.....what are the dimensions on this bad boy?

I noticed in the picture of beneath the tank that it looks like there was a small concrete "footing" for the cross braces on the stand? .....looks like its starting to crumble if thats what Im seeing???

Try skimming the RC thread :) It's 16' long on the long side, and 8' long on the "short" side x 36" wide x 30" high. If it was a public display, I would have gone 36" high for impact, but the aquascaping and coral placing would suffer.

No crumbling, the cement was just packed by hand and not formed. The tank wasn't properly leveled, so it is off in all corners. As a result, the overflow at th elong end does most of the draining (70%). I intend to raise the lower overflow teeth with a strip of acrylic... some day. The teeth are too big as well. I think ATM designed it like their usual fish only tanks.

mr.wilson
08-11-2011, 04:22 AM
I love the look of this tank. It's a good thing it's a private tank, if this tank were somewhere publicly accessible in my own city for example, I'd no longer feel the need to have a tank of my own. :)

Very enviable setup..

Yes, I certainly don't need my own tank now.

Reefie
08-11-2011, 08:45 AM
I am in utter AWE!!! Words cannot even begin to describe the beauty of this tank and the build! This tank is a reefer's dream come true! One day...............one day..............Excuse me I have to go buy some Lottery Tix now. Mr. Wilson thank you for sharing this and inspiring us reef-addicts.

HaZRaTTy
08-11-2011, 08:08 PM
The Mangrove filtration is KILLER!

Jaw Dropping !

soups
08-11-2011, 09:08 PM
Hi Shawn, are you working on other big tanks?



Paul

fishoholic
08-11-2011, 09:52 PM
You never know, the tank may still be there when it's your turn to retire and move back to Oakville :)

At the rate I'm going I'll never be able to afford to retire :lol: Although that would be the dream :mrgreen:

lastlight
08-11-2011, 10:08 PM
At the rate I'm going I'll never be able to afford to retire :lol: Although that would be the dream :mrgreen:

I plan to sell my wrasse. I'll find a way!

Lance
08-11-2011, 10:27 PM
I plan to sell my wrasse. I'll find a way!



If you were to package your Exquisite wrasse in some Elegant wrappings you could probably get a good buck for it at Christmas. Or go the poor man's route: a Flasher; with a few Ornate piercings will surely attract a Fairy. :mrgreen:

Frenchie2
08-11-2011, 11:17 PM
O.M.G.!!!!

lastlight
08-12-2011, 12:47 AM
There has to be an award or something for that haha! Also I'm sorry Shawn for the wrasse jacked thread.

Have you guys taken video of the tank?

mr.wilson
08-12-2011, 02:13 AM
I plan to sell my wrasse. I'll find a way!

Selling your wrasse wont be enough :)

Parker
08-13-2011, 03:20 AM
Absolutely stunning, you've done an amazing job!

Boomboy
08-13-2011, 05:04 AM
:crazyeye::crazyeye::crazyeye::crazyeye::crazyeye:

:jaw::jaw::jaw::jaw::jaw::jaw:


very well done sir :tea:

fishoholic
08-13-2011, 03:21 PM
If you were to package your Exquisite wrasse in some Elegant wrappings you could probably get a good buck for it at Christmas. Or go the poor man's route: a Flasher; with a few Ornate piercings will surely attract a Fairy. :mrgreen:

Impressive :thumb:

Selling your wrasse wont be enough :)

:lol:

nineball
08-13-2011, 08:55 PM
Taking the time to do this for our benefit. To be quoted in Coral magazine is both an honour and an achievement.


http://www.coralmagazine-us.com/content/we-know-mhl-works-led-can-work-better

Well done Shawn.

Peter

mseepman
08-13-2011, 09:10 PM
Welcome to Canreef Peter.

nineball
08-13-2011, 09:12 PM
Welcome to Canreef Peter.

Thank you Mark.

Peter

DAVE
08-13-2011, 10:11 PM
Congrats to both of you!

A very good read. Thanks for sharing

Lance
08-13-2011, 10:47 PM
Welcome to Canreef Peter. Looking forward to see that beautiful tank of yours mature and really fill in.

nineball
08-14-2011, 12:12 AM
Congrats to both of you!

A very good read. Thanks for sharing

Welcome to Canreef Peter. Looking forward to see that beautiful tank of yours mature and really fill in.

Thank you both.....Shawn really deserves the credit. He has been an incredible mentor.

Peter

whatcaneyedo
08-14-2011, 03:14 AM
Every few months I'd skim through the build thread on RC but there was just too much written there to fully follow along. Thank you so much for this summary!

pterfloth
08-14-2011, 04:28 AM
Like many others here, I've followed your build on RC from day one. What Canadian reefer could resist?

Mr Willson, you've taught us so much, thank you.

Peter, your commitment to the hobby is incredible. Thank you for fulfilling our dreams.

Very glad to have you here with us on Canreef!

sweet ride
08-15-2011, 05:15 AM
very nice indeed! can't wait to see those corals grow in about a year or two.... you guys definitely have a piece of the ocean!

MarkoD
08-15-2011, 01:12 PM
any idea of the total price to set this tank up?

abcha0s
08-15-2011, 01:32 PM
any idea of the total price to set this tank up?

A big cost when setting up a tank like this is the money spent on "learning". There is also a staff to consider. The total cost of all the in-use hardware is probably around 1/4 - 1/3 of the total project cost.

Gripenfelter
08-15-2011, 03:53 PM
Looks amazing. One day... Come on Lotto Max!

mr.wilson
08-16-2011, 01:30 AM
A big cost when setting up a tank like this is the money spent on "learning". There is also a staff to consider. The total cost of all the in-use hardware is probably around 1/4 - 1/3 of the total project cost.

You said it!

Milad
08-16-2011, 01:34 AM
Where did you get those thin "tanks" for the mangroves?

mr.wilson
08-16-2011, 01:40 AM
Where did you get those thin "tanks" for the mangroves?

Custom order from Midwest Custom Aquarium http://www.midwestcustomaquariums.com/

Delphinus
03-15-2015, 01:24 AM
Well, this sucks to hear ... https://orphek.com/1300-gallon-tank-suffered-a-catastrophic-failure/

Aquattro
03-15-2015, 01:36 AM
Well, this sucks to hear ... https://orphek.com/1300-gallon-tank-suffered-a-catastrophic-failure/

You're late to the party :)

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=112820&highlight=1350