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DuffyGeos 300g DT & 8 TANK FISH ROOM


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It has been a long time coming, but I need to get this build off the ground. I have spent way too much time buying half of WAMAS's used equipment over the last 5 months and a 1/4 of all frags that have gone on sale. Part of my journey was to meet as many people as I could, and to see some really amazing systems. Since seeing so many systems I have decide to change my original plan and do what I really want to do. Being a Landscape Architect I always tell my clients to "do it right the first time, and do it when you are really ready to invest in it".....well I am going to take my own advice, and that time is now.

 

I have spent many nights reading threads from our club and Reef Central: D2Mimi, ChingChai, Drummereef, monkiboy, steveoutlaw (my cousin), davelin315, cetenophore, YHSublime, DCReefer1967, ridetheducati, dave w, & of course copps.

 

So obviously I have caught the disease as have many of you. I will try and post a pic at some time of my first tank. A saltwater 20g or 30g in 1979-1984. Yes it had a cutting edge under gravel filter, and I managed to keep some nems. and a few fish for a couple years. I think the financial limit of 2-3 fish (you can only mow so many lawns in the 8th grade) probably saved the whole system, along with weekly water changes.

 

My next system wasn't till 2004-2006. I joined WAMAS and we had MACNA here down in Crystal City. That was a 29g that survived a move, but not a dive trip to the Dominican Republic where my brother-in-law was put in charge of the tank for more then a week.

 

My existing system was started in Dec 2012 and is an IM 16g Nano. It was a Birthday / Christmas present to one of my son's.....so I blame him.

 

The new system being built right now is my wife's fault....she wanted an 3/4" Annularis Angel that she thought was pretty. (sorry, just got pinged on my phone, something new was posted on WAMAS's  WTB/WTS/FREE forum!) OK I am back.  After making sure she was emotional attached to the fish I explained to her that it might grow....well maybe a little,,OK it is going to be massive and we we need to take out another mortgage to fund the fish room to keep this little guys happy and health.

 

 

So the odyssey beginnings.....

Edited by DuffyGeos
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(edited)

One reason for the delay is that I ordered a Nikon D5200 camera and kit that showed up as a Canon something, something, something... that fit in my pocket. All I saw was red as I realized I would be waiting another week to get my new camera.

 

I did take pics with another camera at the very beginning, which is OK but not the same quality. So I will need to figure out how to post pics from my new camera and not my phone.

 

I am looking for input from the WAMAS community so I don't screw up too much. Going from 16g to a total system in the range of 700g is a little daunting, but I think I have done enough research to start getting my feet wet....as long as it is not the whole basement.

 

So here is my criteria for the system and the fish room:

 

1- Aestheitcs are everything: I may save some money up front with items that can be upgraded later, but I will not skimp on something that can not be replaced easily.

 

2- The basement can not flood: Really, it can't. I have thought long and hard on this one and basically will be building a waterproof fish room. My goal is that I can run a open hose on the floor and it will fill up the room to a point where it will go down the new floor drain that I just cut in through the 5" concrete floor (there will be a whole entry on that).

 

3- Form will follow function:  Yes this is an old architectural saying (a little different wording), but it really does matter to me. I have already mentally moved items around just so the space will work better (at least that was the thought process) Please correct me if you think I am about to make a major reefing mistake.

Edited by DuffyGeos
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Continuation of the criteria:

 

4- The tank maintenance must be simply, or automated: I don't plan on spending 2 hours a day doing maintenance (unless I want to :tongue:). Water changes must be with a turn of a valve or two, monitoring systems must be able to be checked from my phone, and automated if possible.

 

5- QT & Hospital tank systems for fish and corals: I am willing to take my time and do things right. I would like to get these systems set up so nothing gets into my DT or frag tank.  I want to make sure the fish and coral are all taken care of before introduced into those systems.

 

6-Systems are set up right: This includes electrical, venting, and plumbing. I would rather have a little overkill then skimp on something and pay for it later.

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Tagging along. Seems like you're still typing up, so I'll wait to comment until you're done!

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SYSTEM:

 

-DT will be built into a wall with it sticking out 8"-12'+/- into the room. It will be viewed from the gym and the fish room at the same time and needs to look good from both directions.

 

- 96" X 30" X 24" Acrylic DT with exterior overflows on both ends 14"-17" wide+/-  (Artfully Acrylic - Adam)

 

- 6 (30g) QT, Hospital, refugium, and what ever else tanks on their own sytems

 

- 65" x  29" x  20" sump......yes it is a monster.

 

- 2 frag tanks that will cover a 70" x 24/30"+/- area. one for QT, and one for grow out.

 

- Water changing system: 2 100g-200g tanks for RO/DI & saltwater

 

- Utility sink, counters, storage, refrigerator, chiller, venting system with humidity control, lighting, and separate electrical panel.

 

- all the goodies to run these systems

 

 

I think that is it....at the moment.

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Tagging along. My planned system is not as big as yours but the criteria for the system is same.

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I like that you have done your research, been diligent, and looked at other tanks. Even just seeing how other systems are setup is a great start. One of my dreams is to have an 8' shallow SPS dominated tank, so I'm already jelly of your dimensions.

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I like that you have done your research, been diligent, and looked at other tanks. Even just seeing how other systems are setup is a great start. One of my dreams is to have an 8' shallow SPS dominated tank, so I'm already jelly of your dimensions.

^^^^^^^^^^ THIS.

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Tagging along. Seems like you're still typing up, so I'll wait to comment until you're done!

Yea took a while, then I changed screens and forgot to save, so I had to redo one page and try to remember what I had said.

 

Sounds like a good plan.....

Thanks!

 

Tagging along. My planned system is not as big as yours but the criteria for the system is same.

Does not matter, You have one beautiful system now, and I like your ideas for the one you want to do next to it. Now go swimming so you can get that SCUBA cert.!

 

tagging along... i like that its shallower at 24 inches and have a lot of volume in length

I love your cube! Seeing systems like yours made me want the wider open swimming area, I just think they look better. IMO

 

Can't wait to see her up and running.

Thanks Niki! I need to touch base with my tile guys, I still owe you a tile estimate. What did you ever decide on with Steve's old tank? I think I saw you had changed directions.

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I like that you have done your research, been diligent, and looked at other tanks. Even just seeing how other systems are setup is a great start. One of my dreams is to have an 8' shallow SPS dominated tank, so I'm already jelly of your dimensions.

Thanks Issac! I love your system. My son still can't stop talking about your GSP swaying in the water! 

 

i will keep an eye on this one, I am also planning out a 300 gallon system as we finish our basement.

Let me know if you want to stop by and see the different phased from the start.

 

^^^^^^^^^^ THIS.

Thanks!

 

Sounds awesome. 

 

How big in the fish room? 

I will go over the whole set up later, but in general:

 

- 8' x 16' main room.

 

- 6' x 3' entrance hallway

 

- 15' x 3' closet area that starts as a walk in, then extends under the stairs where the last 5' is a dog leg left.

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Bang!!!!! I am here for you Bro. Tagging along.  :laugh:  :clap:  :laugh:

You and Steveoutlaw are the head of my advisory board!......That is what I need!

 

I need a official board of advisors that have done multiply tanks, and have been doing this for a while. Any applicants?

 

 The pay is nothing! You will get free beverages when doing onsite reviews....I know... a DREAM JOB!

 

Take pics of what you have collected. That would be a great start.

I have taken about 150 pics already. Some with my phone, some with a smaller Nikon, and I just shot about 50 with my (I mean my companies) new Nikon D5200. I just have to figure out how to get them from the camera on to this forum.

 

Anyone with some quick advice?

 

Maybe there is something under the photo section on WAMAS, I just have not had a chance to look.

 

I am also computer challenged. It is my wife's fault (see how I can blame everyone else for my misgivings) she has a Masters in Computer Science from John's Hopkins so she always gets frustrated watching me try and figure out how to do something on the computer that she just takes over. 

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(edited)

Ok, I am totally stumped on how to get pics posted to my thread. Above is not what I want to do, I would like to have nice full size pics where I can write a description.

 

Does anyone have an Idiot's guide to how to post pic on WAMAS since I obviously need it.

 

I tried to post one and it came back as too large, it only showed about 1/6 of the actual picture.

 

Thanks

Edited by DuffyGeos
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I stickied a post a while back but it was for an older version of the forum software. It still contains the basic information, though. Either set up a WAMAS a gallery or a Photobucket account and then link to the image using an a IMG tag.

 

Sent from my LG G-Pad 8.3 Google Play Edition

 

 

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I took Latin in high school, but this is all Greek to me. It is time for an IPA, that is as close as I am going to get to an IMG tag.

 

No photos tonight, I have taken 216 that I can whittle down to about 30-50 good ones, but I will need a little more step by step. Time to ask my kids.

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