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Hail Scuba Dave - the king of big tanks!
- Thread starter Moe_K
- Start date
Scuba_Dave
Non-member
It figures, I'm starting the new tank before I finish the 125g. I will be documenting it with pictures & a thread with discussion/input.
This tank will be planned out & will not be installed until next year. I have to build the garage/addition 1st to put the tank in. I need some steel beams....
The existing 125g will no longer be a reef after the new tank is installed. It will revert to a FOwLR tank, maybe some softies, whatever will grow under NO, maybe T-8's. Clam Man had an awesome FO 125g setup. Plus I'll need the lights for the 650g. I'd love to take the 125g down & setup the 180g as FO, if I can only get the wife to go on vacation for a week
But it looks like I will sell the AGA 180g RR (brand new) w/used stand to help pay for the 650g
Once you measure the internal size of the tank it comes out to approx ~650 gallons, not subtracting the overflows (which will have water in them anyways)
Over the winter I will be creating plans for plumbing & picking up equipment I will need. Should be interesting.....now I just need to find a pair of diamond earings for the wife......
This tank will be planned out & will not be installed until next year. I have to build the garage/addition 1st to put the tank in. I need some steel beams....
The existing 125g will no longer be a reef after the new tank is installed. It will revert to a FOwLR tank, maybe some softies, whatever will grow under NO, maybe T-8's. Clam Man had an awesome FO 125g setup. Plus I'll need the lights for the 650g. I'd love to take the 125g down & setup the 180g as FO, if I can only get the wife to go on vacation for a week
But it looks like I will sell the AGA 180g RR (brand new) w/used stand to help pay for the 650g
Once you measure the internal size of the tank it comes out to approx ~650 gallons, not subtracting the overflows (which will have water in them anyways)
Over the winter I will be creating plans for plumbing & picking up equipment I will need. Should be interesting.....now I just need to find a pair of diamond earings for the wife......
TheUltimateNoob
TheUltimateNoob
650 gallons!!! damn dave. that's just ridiculous.
btw, how much are you gonna sell the 180 for?
btw, how much are you gonna sell the 180 for?
Scuba_Dave
Non-member
Good thing I'm working at a hospital now...the wife said I need to have my head examined. I think Greg's ig oing to be 360g-460g range? Maybe he'll need to upgrade 
I'm going to want to watch his setup, & see Joe Fitz's, plus any other big tanks out there....
I'm going to want to watch his setup, & see Joe Fitz's, plus any other big tanks out there....
Deafasa
Non-member
I have seen Joe Fitz's tank. I think there are public aquariums with smaller tanks. Okay, maybe it is not that big.
My only complaint about it, (please don't take this the wrong way Joe because I thought the tank itself and the inhabitants were awesome) and this is a personal esthtics thing, is that it it takes up most of his apartment. In a properly sized location that tank would look even more amazing.
With these large tanks being planned, don't forget about the moisture\humidity that will be given off by the large ponds you are building. (I am a bit jealous that you can afford to implement something that big.)
Hmm 650 gallons. I'm betting your wishing you picked up that Chiller that Matt had at Inland before he closed.
Jeff
My only complaint about it, (please don't take this the wrong way Joe because I thought the tank itself and the inhabitants were awesome) and this is a personal esthtics thing, is that it it takes up most of his apartment. In a properly sized location that tank would look even more amazing.
With these large tanks being planned, don't forget about the moisture\humidity that will be given off by the large ponds you are building. (I am a bit jealous that you can afford to implement something that big.)
Hmm 650 gallons. I'm betting your wishing you picked up that Chiller that Matt had at Inland before he closed.
Jeff
Paula
I'm still around . ..
Hey Dave,
Your wife is right.
a 650 gallon tank is not only a huge (and expensive) tank to set up, but is an enormous task to take care of. A 10 percent water change is 65 gallons! Are you going to go with an industrial sized RO/DI unit to be able to keep up with the top off? Just the salt alone will want you to buy stock in IO. I am not trying to be rude or offensive, but just playing devil's advocate. Ask Joe Fitz how much rock he had to buy to fill his ... . let alone the light fixtures, the plumbing, the pumps, the huge skimmer, etc.
When I was setting up my new tank, I really would have liked to go bigger, but I knew that realistically I just couldn't take care of anything bigger than a 180 and have it be satisfying and fun.
Good luck with the planning. . . . and take your time. Plan it carefully - then have someone else go over the blueprints - (I hired Brendan to go over mine to make sure that I hadn't forgotten anything). Don't buy anything until you have it all on paper.
Wow, I will definately be watching this thread. Amazing.
Paula
Your wife is right.
a 650 gallon tank is not only a huge (and expensive) tank to set up, but is an enormous task to take care of. A 10 percent water change is 65 gallons! Are you going to go with an industrial sized RO/DI unit to be able to keep up with the top off? Just the salt alone will want you to buy stock in IO. I am not trying to be rude or offensive, but just playing devil's advocate. Ask Joe Fitz how much rock he had to buy to fill his ... . let alone the light fixtures, the plumbing, the pumps, the huge skimmer, etc.
When I was setting up my new tank, I really would have liked to go bigger, but I knew that realistically I just couldn't take care of anything bigger than a 180 and have it be satisfying and fun.
Good luck with the planning. . . . and take your time. Plan it carefully - then have someone else go over the blueprints - (I hired Brendan to go over mine to make sure that I hadn't forgotten anything). Don't buy anything until you have it all on paper.
Wow, I will definately be watching this thread. Amazing.
Paula
TheUltimateNoob
TheUltimateNoob
he got it from the F/S thread in the equipment forum advertising a 500g. but it seems as though it is actually 750g!
jango
Non-member
i dont think dave minds keeping busyPaula said:Hey Dave,
Your wife is right.
a 650 gallon tank is not only a huge (and expensive) tank to set up, but is an enormous task to take care of. A 10 percent water change is 65 gallons! Are you going to go with an industrial sized RO/DI unit to be able to keep up with the top off? Just the salt alone will want you to buy stock in IO. I am not trying to be rude or offensive, but just playing devil's advocate. Ask Joe Fitz how much rock he had to buy to fill his ... . let alone the light fixtures, the plumbing, the pumps, the huge skimmer, etc.
Paula
TheUltimateNoob
TheUltimateNoob
got a spare 180 you don't want? hehe.
Scuba_Dave
Non-member
Actually there is a red BMW convertible right around the corner we are considering buying. But we sorta agreed not to buy a nice car until we have a garage to park it.
hmmm....but I agreed the 180g would be the last tank too....
Sorry Scott, it wouldn't fit in your Apt
I've thought long & hard about buying a big tank, ever since I started a reef in Jan 2003. This was no impulse buy, the tank I was planning on was going to be 8' x 3' front to back by 28" high = 419 gallons. An extra 200g is a drop in the bucket...
The cost of the tank alone would have exceeded $3k
This tank is going in a 900' room 25' x 36' with a cathedral ceiling at one end, a pool table at the other end (blocked from the tank). A 5'x8' tank will look somewhat small...
I've kept careful cost of what I spend on my tanks, $50 a gallon is not a high figure to use. Please don't do the math!!!!
I already have a skimmer that will handle up to 1100g. I have (4) DE 250w pendants, (2) 250 HQI moguls, (2) 175w moguls, & 2 VHO setups. In addition there will be (2-4) 14" suntubes going down to this tank
I have (2) sumps - 150g & 129g, I have (2) pumps - each puts out 5,000gph
Plus another pump that is rated at 1200gph, (2) Tunze - each over 1600gph, CA controller, Medusa controller, (2) 300w heaters + lots of 200w, 150w assorted heaters, close to (over) 300 lbs of rock, 100gpd RO/DI, and 8 buckets of salt in the basement
A seperate breaker panel will be installed for this setup, complete with an automatic generator backup
The 125g will be converted to a FOwLR (no MH's - maybe T-8's that I have & grow shrooms, toadstools & other softies...I may even replace the 125g with the 180g...if the wife goes on vacation for a week...
Our cars are paid for, jetski is paid for (paid cash), motorcycle is paid for (paid cash), Boat is paid for, I'm doing most of the construction on the house & saving lots of $$, I don't smoke (anything), hardly drink, no bad habits (well I grab the wife's @$$ in public but hey). This is my entertainment & recreation.
I have a rule (usually)...I don't finance toys..I put $$ in the bank, when I have enough, I buy what I've been saving for
Am I crazy...??? Yeah, a little...but I think the cost of running a tank & filling one this size is over-rated to some degree.
650 * 1.5 = 975 lbs of rock, right?? Why?? Rock is filtration, if you don't have the waste (lots of fish or other), you don't need the rock, JMO
As I find rock I like, I'll fill the tank, I'm going to be in no hurry. I figure this is a 1 year planning project, 1 year setup, tuning, adjusting, & cycle. And 1 year (at least) to fill the tank & get it the way I want it.
I know guys with Harley's that cost over $25,000, a friend owned a Mazzaratti, others with expensive cars. I'm selling my land in Bourne, that will more then pay for this setup & maintenance for the next 15 years
Oh, and if my wife asks...it's a 300g tank......
***PS*** the 180g will not go up for sale (if ever) until the purchase of the 650 is complete & I decide if I am swapping the 180g for the 125g
Thanx for the interest...I only offered it to 1 person, who I felt more then deserved it
hmmm....but I agreed the 180g would be the last tank too....
Sorry Scott, it wouldn't fit in your Apt
I've thought long & hard about buying a big tank, ever since I started a reef in Jan 2003. This was no impulse buy, the tank I was planning on was going to be 8' x 3' front to back by 28" high = 419 gallons. An extra 200g is a drop in the bucket...
The cost of the tank alone would have exceeded $3k
This tank is going in a 900' room 25' x 36' with a cathedral ceiling at one end, a pool table at the other end (blocked from the tank). A 5'x8' tank will look somewhat small...
I've kept careful cost of what I spend on my tanks, $50 a gallon is not a high figure to use. Please don't do the math!!!!
I already have a skimmer that will handle up to 1100g. I have (4) DE 250w pendants, (2) 250 HQI moguls, (2) 175w moguls, & 2 VHO setups. In addition there will be (2-4) 14" suntubes going down to this tank
I have (2) sumps - 150g & 129g, I have (2) pumps - each puts out 5,000gph
Plus another pump that is rated at 1200gph, (2) Tunze - each over 1600gph, CA controller, Medusa controller, (2) 300w heaters + lots of 200w, 150w assorted heaters, close to (over) 300 lbs of rock, 100gpd RO/DI, and 8 buckets of salt in the basement
A seperate breaker panel will be installed for this setup, complete with an automatic generator backup
The 125g will be converted to a FOwLR (no MH's - maybe T-8's that I have & grow shrooms, toadstools & other softies...I may even replace the 125g with the 180g...if the wife goes on vacation for a week...
Our cars are paid for, jetski is paid for (paid cash), motorcycle is paid for (paid cash), Boat is paid for, I'm doing most of the construction on the house & saving lots of $$, I don't smoke (anything), hardly drink, no bad habits (well I grab the wife's @$$ in public but hey). This is my entertainment & recreation.
I have a rule (usually)...I don't finance toys..I put $$ in the bank, when I have enough, I buy what I've been saving for
Am I crazy...??? Yeah, a little...but I think the cost of running a tank & filling one this size is over-rated to some degree.
650 * 1.5 = 975 lbs of rock, right?? Why?? Rock is filtration, if you don't have the waste (lots of fish or other), you don't need the rock, JMO
As I find rock I like, I'll fill the tank, I'm going to be in no hurry. I figure this is a 1 year planning project, 1 year setup, tuning, adjusting, & cycle. And 1 year (at least) to fill the tank & get it the way I want it.
I know guys with Harley's that cost over $25,000, a friend owned a Mazzaratti, others with expensive cars. I'm selling my land in Bourne, that will more then pay for this setup & maintenance for the next 15 years
Oh, and if my wife asks...it's a 300g tank......
***PS*** the 180g will not go up for sale (if ever) until the purchase of the 650 is complete & I decide if I am swapping the 180g for the 125g
Thanx for the interest...I only offered it to 1 person, who I felt more then deserved it
Last edited:
ScottM
Non-member
hey,
heres the scariest thing of a large tank.
take another photo of your CURRENT electric bill. frame it. it may bring tears of joy in the future
then times it by 3.5.
then times that by 12 months.
bet that adds another 100g onto your $50 a gallon math.
my electric bill could buy a new 180g tank every 3 months.
heres the scariest thing of a large tank.
take another photo of your CURRENT electric bill. frame it. it may bring tears of joy in the future
then times it by 3.5.
then times that by 12 months.
bet that adds another 100g onto your $50 a gallon math.
my electric bill could buy a new 180g tank every 3 months.
Mine is planned for 460 gallons. It's the last tank I plan to do. I plan to consolidate the critters from my 65 and 110 gallon tanks, and in many ways it will be easier to operate one large tank (well designed) than two smaller tanks that have numerous errors (poorly designed sumps, not drilled, no space for equipment, cooling and heating problems, etc.). The overall change in electricity usage for me will not be much, partly because I plan to use the more efficient double ended bulbs, and a chiller using the cold earth in my yard below the frost line). I also have most of the parts already picked up over the years from folks getting out of the hobby, or damaged equipment that I rebuilt (ETS 800 Gemini), or built myself (all calcium reactors).
The big cost for me is the addition, which will (theoretically) add value to my home, and the cost of the tank itself.
I'm good at rationalizing aren't I!!
The big cost for me is the addition, which will (theoretically) add value to my home, and the cost of the tank itself.
I'm good at rationalizing aren't I!!
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