Cuz's 605g system
 

So with the new tank coming in a little over a weeks time I thought I'd start my new build thread!! ;D

I've spent a ton of time trying to come up with the smoothest way for everything to happen but really would like to bounce my ideas off everyone just incase we can come up with something better!!
The new tanks is going to be:
-96"Lx40"Dx30"H just barely over 470G
-Starfire front
-one 3ft external overflow with 4-2' holes
-eurobraced
-2 - 1" holes drilled 1ft from corners of euro bracing for returns
-3/4' glass all around

I'll be re-using my current 135g sump, so once you add everything together the entire system will sit at 605G 8-)..

couple changes off hand that i want to make on the new system:

-easier water changes
-more efficient lighting
-seperate frag tank (I want the sump strictly for filtration and such)
-switch salt brands
-and a dedicated fish room

1st and probibly toughest problem... getting the damn thing into the house and up onto the stand!!!
The only way it will fit through the doorway is with the front starphire facing down!! booo!! My plan so far is to tip it face down onto a piece of foam (similar to what goes under a tank) then the foam on top of a piece of plywood cut to size. I was thinking if i had 2x4's on end boardering the tank screwed to the plywood/foam it would hold the tank in place on it for the ride down the stairs??
sound do-able?

the tank needs to go through the door and straight down the stairs, from there its only a couple feet to the right and that where it'll sit. I was thinking if I nailed a few pre cut 2x4's to the stairs they would help everything slide down the stairs with minimal lifting by everyone. I remember the last 4 steps of the last time we moved the 300 and they were probibly the roughest part, hopefully the 2x4's eliminate this.

thoughts on my master plan??? lol

So far in regards to changing salt brands I've been slowley changing it out over the last month. I just didn't see the value in a $100 pail of salt, maybe I'll notice something and go back but for now I kind of like the $40/pail for IO.
I've been changing 5g a day for the past 3 weeks and the last week has been 10g/day. I've seen no difference yet other than really clean water from all the changes!!
I've had to dial back my dosing due to the daily water changes and IO mixing at a higher Alk but every thing seems fine. If i figure everything right by the time I move tanks I'll have added around 450g of new IO mixed water to my current tank and I should be fine filling the new one with just IO salt.
I'm wondering if I should slowly phase my doser out temporarily just to ensure the water from both tanks is as similar as possible for the move??
I'd rather **** off 2-3 pieces from lack of dosing vs chancing ****ing everything off due to different water!!

I got a little ambition this afternoon and headed to Home depot for the lumber for the new stand.
I pieced everything together for a rough fit so it can all be taken apart in order to fit into the house.

http://i670.photobucket.com/albums/v...k/stand002.jpg



I'm leaving the ledge on the backside (might have to brace it to support my ass!!) Hopefully i can use it to help reach stuff if needed. I plan on drilling a few holes in the middle of it for return and drain plumbing from the overflow once I know where everything lines up..the plywood against the wall will be on the bottom of the stand.

http://i670.photobucket.com/albums/v...k/stand003.jpg


And here's my afternoons work diss-assembled ready to be moved...

http://i670.photobucket.com/albums/v...k/stand014.jpg

WOW 470G ... Can't wait to see what kind of fish you are going to put in there. I only have a chance to see untamed's 500G tank in his Burnaby house one time, and loved it !

dude!......didnt you just upgrade like a year ago?:razz:.......I heard the gossip about this tank around the water trough......sound like a beast.....should be some cool new digs for that whateveryoucallit tang!:mrgreen:

Sounds cool!

What ideas do you have on water changes? I'm looking to set up a way to make them really easy as well.

A 40 or 50G mixing tank would work fine for me. It also needs to be remote in another room. Im thinking a ball valve on my closed loop manifold through a meter to a drain. Then a transfer pump from the mixing tank back to the DT. RODI feeds the mixing tank and the sump float.

I'll keep an eye on this thread.

Lol ya the 300 is almost a year and a half old now!
Funny thing is it wasn't my idea!! The Mrs. wanted to buy a new house and baited me with a new tank!! I'm sure you can relate!! hahaha:biggrin:

something very similar, I'd like 2-100g drums, One for Ro/Di the other for mixing under it. (gravity fed as needed) then pumed from the mixed barrel to the sump as needed.
Ideally I'd like larger just in case but realistically don't think it'll happed. Having 100g mixed ready to go isn't even a 20% WC!!

I can indeed relate.....hook, line and sinker:mrgreen:......that's one to hold to man.....I like her kind of negotiating!

got the tank delivered today!!!

http://i670.photobucket.com/albums/v...nk/tank040.jpg

http://i670.photobucket.com/albums/v...nk/tank039.jpg

http://i670.photobucket.com/albums/v...nk/tank038.jpg

http://i670.photobucket.com/albums/v...nk/tank037.jpg

Wow, this is going to be one to watch

Damn, cant wait to see what you do with this one.

You could park a small car in there :)!

What are the plans for overflow system? I just did a Bean Animal style and it works great.

That is one sexy tank. And it's only going to get sexier. Can't wait!

Beautiful looking tank.

I would recommend some support down the center of the stand to support the tank. Last thing you want is the bottom of the tank bowing and then cracking. Perhaps some 8' 2x6 going left to right, one at 10", 20" and 30" from front pane. Then under those you would have 2 x 6 running from front to back where you have the existing legs. That is how I built my stands and they are going strong after 8 years. Albeit the tanks they support only have 15" of water depth and they are 4' x 8'.

Cheers,
Tim

Oooh ... shiny!!

If I understand correctly, without re-reading, I do believe the Grizz built the stand for this tank, so it should be good to go. After all, he is a working welder and has built many aquarium stands.
But you didn't know that, did you Tim :mrgreen:
( just say you didn't know that )

Oops, wrong build :rolleyes:
There are 2 new big builds happening right now
My foul

With that said, maybe Grizz or sphelps will chime in as this IS a pretty heavy tank.
I like the idea of the doubled 2xs for legs, but as for the rest of your stand, I'm staying out of this one.

There are way more pieces to this stand than pictured!! I had already started taking it apart when I thought to grab a pic.

in the trailer, after we placed it on my mis-measured canoe face down on the starphire!!! :o

http://i670.photobucket.com/albums/v...newtank010.jpg

http://i670.photobucket.com/albums/v...newtank009.jpg

http://i670.photobucket.com/albums/v...newtank017.jpg

through the door way off the trailer with a couple of rollers and a pile of pushers!!

http://i670.photobucket.com/albums/v...newtank012.jpg

http://i670.photobucket.com/albums/v...newtank025.jpg

http://i670.photobucket.com/albums/v...newtank026.jpg

down the stairs...lol

http://i670.photobucket.com/albums/v...newtank019.jpg

http://i670.photobucket.com/albums/v...newtank029.jpg

http://i670.photobucket.com/albums/v...newtank030.jpg

http://i670.photobucket.com/albums/v...newtank032.jpg

http://i670.photobucket.com/albums/v...wtank033-1.jpg

http://i670.photobucket.com/albums/v...newtank039.jpg

lol, it was at this time we realized i was out of beer..

http://i670.photobucket.com/albums/v...newtank036.jpg

http://i670.photobucket.com/albums/v...newtank043.jpg

time to hoist it up onto the 46" tall stand!!

http://i670.photobucket.com/albums/v...newtank044.jpg

http://i670.photobucket.com/albums/v...newtank045.jpg

http://i670.photobucket.com/albums/v...newtank046.jpg

http://i670.photobucket.com/albums/v...newtank047.jpg

http://i670.photobucket.com/albums/v...newtank048.jpg

http://i670.photobucket.com/albums/v...wtank049-1.jpg

http://i670.photobucket.com/albums/v...wtank050-1.jpg

wow, that looks like it was quite the undertaking.....10 guys for 470g....if I follow that formula I should need 5 or 6 guys for my tank:mrgreen:.....that thing is a beast dude...

Wow, that thing's big

I'm not sure I envy you too much the task you have ahead of you to plumb that overflow!!

My 65g has about the same amount of space in behind it and getting back there to clean the strainers means pulling out the ladder and suspending myself over top the whole kit-n-kaboodle!

The wall behind is almost gone now, my plan is to bring the wall out to the front of the tank.

http://i670.photobucket.com/albums/v...newtank071.jpg

http://i670.photobucket.com/albums/v...newtank059.jpg

Borrwed a sump from Red Coral!!

http://i670.photobucket.com/albums/v...newtank065.jpg

http://i670.photobucket.com/albums/v...newtank081.jpg

since then its been leak tested, salted and sitting at a chilly 59 degrees!!

Very nice. If you bring the wall to the front won't you lose a lot of viewing capability from the side?

Glad you said borrowed That thing isn't worthy of frag on your tank
Funny how you and I mark wood ...
Outer end, Inner end, Very Outer End, Very Very Outer End :razz:

Keep the pics comin', it's gonna be great :lol:

the stressful part's all done I love that feeling! that's a sweet looking tank.

Ya sorry, I guess I should have worded that better. The wall behind the tank is opened up. Basically the side of the tank will be brought out but with the viewable glass framed in so you can still see in from that side.
(if my rambling makes sense? lol)

The smaller sump was real tricky to fine tune the water levels, especially trying to get the overflow at the right height. Either way tho I'd be in a pickle without one so I appreciate it for sure!!

funny, I think this was the easy part, the stress for me comes from having to transfer into this tank in the next two days!!!!