RDNanoguy's 165 gal Reef Upgrade

[RDNanoGuy]

Thought I would start a thread for my new tank build.

Well the time has come to move again and since I'm moving I may as well get a bigger tank! I'm currently running a 110 gal 72" x 18" x 18" Tank which has been rnning for approximately 12 months. It has been a good tank but it has a few flaws that I would like to remedy since I have to tear it down to move it.

Here is waht it currently looks like:



There are few problems I would like to address in this new build:

1. The Tank is not wide enough to accomodate a deep looking aquascape. No matter how I laid out the reef structure it always looked like towers of rock that the fish swim around like a race track.

2. Flow pattern. Again the flow tends to go around the reef in circles moving the substrate and detrius into the corners. (the wavebox helped alliviate this somewhat.)

3. Complex piping/too many pumps. I went with a bean animal style overflow setup which i now believe is overly complex. Plus this tank is currently running on 4 pumps which add alot of heat into the water: 2 Ehiem 1260 returns, 1 Tunze running the reactor mainfold, and 1 Tunze running the calcium reactor.

4. All the equipment doesn't fit in the stand.

5. Tank is a little loud.

6. Waterchanges are a pain in the a**!

Now to solve these faults I've devised a new plan for this new tank:

1. Tank is wider. The new tank will be 72"L x 24"W x 20"T and will be equipped with an external overflow box with 2 x 1.5" drains for a Herbie setup. Also the tank will eurobraced and will have Starfire glass on 3 sides. Returns will be 2 x 1" through the Eurobrace.

2. Flow will be provided by 4 Tunze 6055's on a 7095 controller and 2 Nano Waveboxes in a push/pull steup.

3. Sump will be moved to the basement of the new house. This will be accomplished with 1.5" Spaflex though the wall down through the studplate.
I will construct a large bench down there for the sump and all the equipment to sit on.

4. Reduce the pumps to 2. 1 pressure rated pump to handle the return duties and 1 to run a manifold to all the various reactors etc.

5. Build a dedicated integrated water change system which will be incorperated into a new sump design. (more on this later)

So after all that the tank has been ordered and will arrive on thursday so I spent the weekend fabbing a new wider stand:

Frame of the stand


Skinning the top and back with 1/2" Plywood


Sealing the wood with Killz Oil based sealer


The stand will be skirted with a Cherry ply and doors to match my dining set.

More to follow!