400 Gallon Pond

[JustPoprocks]

This is the start of my 400ish total volume indoor pond build. Housing small rays, small cat shark and a tang or two.

 

[JustPoprocks]

Room has its first coat of mildew resistant paint. One more coat and we’ll move to the set and drilling of the pond

 

[Devaji]

cool! keep us posted I wanna see hows this coming together.

 

[F i s h y]

This will be neat. Keep it updated. Can you elaborate on your plan and setup? Maybe someone can offer additional advice or ideas to make it even better... happy reefing!

 

[JustPoprocks]

Kinda a 6 day set-up. Plan to go from livingroom to livestock in 6 days.

Today my girlfriend finished all the painting and cleaning of the room (she’s awesome! ).

Tomorrow will be drilling of the pond for overflows. I’ve never drilled a tank let alone a pond so well see how it goes

My Goal since I started reefing has been to own a shark and nearly a decade Later I’ve come across a great opportunity and happen to have barely enough room to make is happen.
Sadly my favorite LFS is shutting down and he just happened to have my dream pond. Sadly I don’t have enough room in my house for that exact 700 gallon one. So I decided to down size a bit temporarily until I move to a larger house in the next few years. The 300 gallon stock pond will be connected to a 150 gallon pond sump. Total water volume should be around 375 gallons.

Livestock:
1x 20-24” Bamboo Cat Shark
3x 10” mated round rays (2 happen to be pregnant)
Few damsels that inhabit the sump (Owner turn ins to the LFS...Sargent Major Damsel shouldn’t be in the trade imo..)
My 6-7inch Orange Shoulder (who’s been waiting on his new tank which will be canceled now)
1x urchin (sump)
Few stars (sump)
And I’ll add a few turbos and such (sump)

Sump:
Return will be into a 5 gallon bucket filled with floss.
Another 5 gallon bucket will be turned into a macro tumbler with a grow light cut into the top, small pump pushing water in.
Bunch of rock, not sure the amount which I have.
Will pretty the sump up as it will be part of the whole room.

A single Kessil will be lighting the pond and mangrove and maybe some zoa and leather I have overgrowing.

may have skipped a thing or too so just ask!

Edit: Will be taking most liverock, sand and water to keep the pond cycled along with a few water changes the next three weeks

 

[JustPoprocks]

I’ve been FOWLR and a few softs up until this year. Actual reef is to stressful corals have even worse personalities than fish. So I’m excited to go back.

 

[Devaji]

do you have a plan for humidity? that is a far amount of water with evap i would hate for you to get mold in the house.
do you own the place? if so maybe a "fart" fan install with an auto humidity control.
IDK something to think about.

 

[JustPoprocks]

Humidity is a little concerning but the area I’m in runs pretty high humidity anyway. Another reason why I did do the water proof and mildew resistant paint.
I’m debating a dehumidifier but will probably go with one in the near future and just have it empty right into my yard via window.

 

[JustPoprocks]

A quick picture from the finished painted room

 

[Henn]

Hello fellow Ponder, There are a few things that my 700 gallon Marine pond has helped develop. Please allow me to pitch some DIY over the shelf Filter Stuff. It will make the dream run like a finely tuned machine. Use HDPE Shade Cloth ( 85 % Knitted Shade Cloth ) It has tiny Anaerobic Zones between the Twisted Fiber. There are 750 gallons of Marine here and 400 gallons of Fresh. The Marine Ponds are Soft Coral safe ( hi phos ). Ricordea, mushrooms, and Gorgonia all live here. There are Breeding setups for Pencil Urchins and Brittle Stars. Everything is in Tank.
PS>> I like your choise in tanks. It is the same Rubber Maid Tank that we are currently bringing up to speed ( see picture ).
PPS>> All the Tanks here, big or small, inside or outside, use the same system. There is no Maintenance except Water Parameters. About 160 square feet of Shade Cloth wrapped around a Pond Pump is all the Filtering in the Main Pond. The Protein Cannon is made from Home Store Parts and an aquarium pump. The Bio Buckets are taken out when a Pump Stops. Do Not Clean the cloth, just wrap a new Pump.
PPPS>> This can work without dought. See the Different Tank Build or the Seahorse Tank Build. You will just be building a Big One. Your Shark can't be much different than my old pet Norwood. The Turtle and Shrimp Pond has used the system for 7 years ( minus the Protein Cannon ). If you use this system, I will nominate you for membership in the Micro Marine Park Club. You will be on the very Leaning Edge of Technology. It will also save you 7 years of research and give you a System that cannot be bought for any amount of coin.

Did I Mention that the Cloth Rolls Season in 7 days ( see total 7 day Cycled tank Different Tank Build ) and do not need any Live Rock ( see Seahorse tank Build ). The Flow Rate in the Cloth is very much more efficient than Passive Rock Flow. In 10 gallons it can take Nitrate 145 ppm down to 5 ppm in 24 hours.

 

[JustPoprocks]

Hello fellow Ponder, There are a few things that my 700 gallon Marine pond has helped develop. Please allow me to pitch some DIY over the shelf Filter Stuff. It will make the dream run like a finely tuned machine. Use HDPE Shade Cloth ( 85 % Knitted Shade Cloth ) It has tiny Anaerobic Zones between the Twisted Fiber. There are 750 gallons of Marine here and 400 gallons of Fresh. The Marine Ponds are Soft Coral safe ( hi phos ). Ricordea, mushrooms, and Gorgonia all live here. There are Breeding setups for Pencil Urchins and Brittle Stars. Everything is in Tank.
PS>> I like your choise in tanks. It is the same Rubber Maid Tank that we are currently bringing up to speed ( see picture ).
PPS>> All the Tanks here, big or small, inside or outside, use the same system. There is no Maintenance except Water Parameters. About 160 square feet of Shade Cloth wrapped around a Pond Pump is all the Filtering in the Main Pond. The Protein Cannon is made from Home Store Parts and an aquarium pump. The Bio Buckets are taken out when a Pump Stops. Do Not Clean the cloth, just wrap a new Pump.
PPPS>> This can work without dought. See the Different Tank Build or the Seahorse Tank Build. You will just be building a Big One. Your Shark can't be much different than my old pet Norwood. The Turtle and Shrimp Pond has used the system for 7 years ( minus the Protein Cannon ). If you use this system, I will nominate you for membership in the Micro Marine Park Club. You will be on the very Leaning Edge of Technology. It will also save you 7 years of research and give you a System that cannot be bought for any amount of coin.

Did I Mention that the Cloth Rolls Season in 7 days ( see total 7 day Cycled tank Different Tank Build ) and do not need any Live Rock ( see Seahorse tank Build ). The Flow Rate in the Cloth is very much more efficient than Passive Rock Flow. In 10 gallons it can take Nitrate 145 ppm down to 5 ppm in 24 hours.

You have so much go on lol,
Few questions,
The filter cloth you use, could it be used in more direct flirtation. Directly under the intake? Or would it be way to much flow for that bacteria?

I have used a wet/dry with bio balls on my main tank for the last 7-8 years, when you say biobuckets is it along the same lines?

The Sump Is going to also be a “display” pond since its in the same room and I’m not wanting to build an enclosure. Only having 75-80 gallons of water I was planning a small macro roller, live rock, protein skimmer and what is now that cloth you mentioned. I’m trying to dress it up as much as possible to if you have suggestions there lol

 

[Henn]

Hi Pop, Your questions are right on for this type of system. Here are some fine points from my 3 marine systems. ( Magic Fabric must be , HDPE Twisted Ribbon Knitted Shade Cloth 85 % from any Home Supply Store. It does not Unravel because it is Knitted, about 4 USD per yard, use 1/2 square foot per gallon minimum ). For a Shark, use at least 1 square foot per gallon. activate with Fast Cycle Tank Bacteria, add at least 6 Molly Fish ( buy at Fresh water Store, Throw in Marine tank ) they will survive the entire Cycle Process ( 7 days ) and supply everything needed. They become Live Bearing Feeders.
Avoid Live Rock, it is all fake concrete anyway and has no activity. There are pieces of fake Rock that were sold to me 7 years ago. Noting has ever attached. There is no Glue in anything shown here. Only Crushed Coral is real Dry Coral and much of it is clay contaminated. Cleaning Crushed Coral is a real challenge. It harbors Bristle Worms and numerous Hydra. It is not needed at all. The Fish will stand out better with Basic Black. It can be added at will anyway.
.. Current is very important. The Fish need to have a balanced current. If it goes one way the fish will grow crooked. The pictures below are based on one pump per Bio Bucket. It gets the water after it passes through the Cloth Turbin and the pump output is piped out a hole in the bucket. Put two pumps in your Bio Bucket that exit on opposite sides. Place it on the Bottom at the back, center of the Tank. It uses the same amount of Shade Cloth but allows for three different Current patterns. Both ON, equals a Current flowing from back to front on both sides. The Current returns up the center headed back. One ON, sets a circular Tank Current. Switching Pumps will reverse the Circular Tank current.
Use only Long Cord Pond Pumps that pump about 360 gph and are about 20 USD. They are only handling clean water and last several years. The Bio Fabric is still active as long as it is in the tank. The Pumps make it very fast acting.
>>> The Bio Fabric also is a very effective Mechanical Filter. The clarity of the Coral Tank is the proof. It has a large enough Grid Size that it can be cleaned by small critters.
>>> Bio Balls, what a mess. The Bio Balls that are familiar are all plastic material and only handle Aerobic Breakdown ( Ammonia ans Nitrite ). There is no Depth as in real Live Rock ( 50 thousands deep ). Even Foam Cores for Fresh Water Aquariums are not able to handle or Host Anaerobic ( Nitrate ) Breakdown. The Foam Cell walls are still Plastic no matter the small size or large area.
>>> The Protein Scimmer can be the one you have. The protein Cannons here are about 20 USD to make and work fine. We don't do anything that is high maintenance.
>>>> The picture with the title, Natural Water Plankton... has a hidden treasure that was not seen for weeks in the photo. There is an escaped Seahorse ( from the Corral as a baby ) hanging out to the right of a gorgonia base almost exactly in the Photo Center. The Seahorse had found another escapee and set up housekeeping. ( think, Were's Waldo, or Mr Ed )
>>> Refugiums >> Each Pond here has a Refugium done the same way. The Refugium is made by hanging Tulle Fabric ( expanded nylon mesh for Petty Coats and Ballet Tu Tu's ) into the water to form a safe mesh basket. The 300 gallon Rubber Maid has a Refugium Mesh Bag that is 6 feet by 2 feet by 18 inches depth average. That is about 18 cubic feet or 148 gallons. The Mesh can be placed at the back. The Mesh has lasted years in the ponds. It becomes Live and Hosts lots of Micro Life. It might also be a safe place to put Feeders in a Shark Tank.
>>> The Present Form Picture, shows a Floating Corral for Seahorses.

 

[JustPoprocks]

After a super busy week we moved almost everything yesterday.
Transporting 300 gallons of water 20 miles isn’t the easiest but we managed to do it pretty well.
Had a few small hiccups, biggest being the mid measurement of the sump. Can see in the first picture how tight the fit is.
Went out today and bought a smaller one which should work. But until then we are running a basic system, an airstone and a good amount of flow.
A large water change is in the works for tomorrow, along with setting up the skimmer and moving the two damsel, starfish and urchin to the sump.
The 2 pregnant stingrays didn’t abort and all 3 ate today. The cat shark has been as active and has mostly hidden being the bucket of liverock.
Overall things didn’t go as planned but no major problems at all.

 

[whitelightning77]

Following. Looking to start something similar on my screened in lanai. I was going to go with a Rubbermaid trough like yours as well but I think I'm going to build it myself with 2x4 framing and pond liner similar to "the king of diy". I feel it will give me a little more flexibility and the option of building it in section.

I'm planning on it being more of a local south Florida biotope system. Fish and inverts i can collect while snorkeling and diving in the local waters.

 

[Henn]

Hi Pops, Looks awesome. Hope you are not on the second floor with all that water.

>>?? What's with moving 300 gallons? Once the Filters start, it won't take more than 15 gallons of Skim a week to be stable. There are some good 5 stage RO Units for less than 120 USD with a backup Membrane. The salt has all the needed stuff. The RO Unit does over 20,00 gallons on a Filter Set.
>> Nice Refugium/Sump ( 180 gallon ? ). Please let me suggest lighting for large Refugiums. The Grow Light Series made by PARFACT Lights was the best. They make a 100 watt and a 200 watt. Get the 100 watt Unit. It has great color and is a true color Grow Light. After trying T5, Halide and LED, the PARFACT 100 watt was best. The 200 watt is too much intensity. At 36 inches the 100 watt would be perfect for the Refugium. The lights run cool and the plants in my grow house love them as much as the macro Algae. We use T5 as well as some Curlies in the GH for Terrestrials. The Macro Algae seems to get all it needs from the LED's alone.
>>> Another reason for getting the 100 watt Units is the 300 gallon main tank. One 200 watt overhead does not work well ( parallax, intensity drop off, shadows >> Been There ). Two 100 watt Units over the Main Tank Halves will give great Color and Intensity ( the LED's last 50,000 hours instead of 1200 for T5 ).
>>> You had indicated that the Shade Cloth Fabric Filter was going to be used. If that is the case then please consider two possible Tank Setups that are not used in small Aquariums.
1. No Crushed Coral at all in the Refugium and only spare Crushed Coral/Coral Sand in the main tank. The Fabric Filters are many times more efficient than Live Rock and a clear bottom is a blessing to clean. There is no dirty sand to clean or a place for Bristle Worms or Hydra.
2. Use Hot Water Heater Drain Pans ( plastic ) on the bottom to contain any Live Rock displays or Crushed Coral Beds.
>>>> Wow, only 4 suggestions this time :>) I will keep following.

 

[JustPoprocks]

Hi Pops, Looks awesome. Hope you are not on the second floor with all that water.

>>?? What's with moving 300 gallons? Once the Filters start, it won't take more than 15 gallons of Skim a week to be stable. There are some good 5 stage RO Units for less than 120 USD with a backup Membrane. The salt has all the needed stuff. The RO Unit does over 20,00 gallons on a Filter Set.
>> Nice Refugium/Sump ( 180 gallon ? ). Please let me suggest lighting for large Refugiums. The Grow Light Series made by PARFACT Lights was the best. They make a 100 watt and a 200 watt. Get the 100 watt Unit. It has great color and is a true color Grow Light. After trying T5, Halide and LED, the PARFACT 100 watt was best. The 200 watt is too much intensity. At 36 inches the 100 watt would be perfect for the Refugium. The lights run cool and the plants in my grow house love them as much as the macro Algae. We use T5 as well as some Curlies in the GH for Terrestrials. The Macro Algae seems to get all it needs from the LED's alone.
>>> Another reason for getting the 100 watt Units is the 300 gallon main tank. One 200 watt overhead does not work well ( parallax, intensity drop off, shadows >> Been There ). Two 100 watt Units over the Main Tank Halves will give great Color and Intensity ( the LED's last 50,000 hours instead of 1200 for T5 ).
>>> You had indicated that the Shade Cloth Fabric Filter was going to be used. If that is the case then please consider two possible Tank Setups that are not used in small Aquariums.
1. No Crushed Coral at all in the Refugium and only spare Crushed Coral/Coral Sand in the main tank. The Fabric Filters are many times more efficient than Live Rock and a clear bottom is a blessing to clean. There is no dirty sand to clean or a place for Bristle Worms or Hydra.
2. Use Hot Water Heater Drain Pans ( plastic ) on the bottom to contain any Live Rock displays or Crushed Coral Beds.
>>>> Wow, only 4 suggestions this time :>) I will keep following.

Definitely not on the second floor first floor on a slab. Lol
Moving the 300 gallons was to keep the stress down to a minimum. Two of the rays are pregnant so I wanted to keep stability. The sump is 150. Was planning on the 180 but I didn’t measure correctly and had to go smaller.

The sump being part of the room is going to be a display as well. There are two damsel that came with the sump as well as an urchin & starfish I would feel bad having to rehome. So I’m gonna use the extra rock to create a small aquascape on one side.

Because of my lack of space I’m going to use a 5 gallon bucket or possibly a 10 gallon brute to create a connected refugium. I would cut a hole out of the top to add the light. Think that light would be overkill?

 

[JustPoprocks]

About 2 weeks after the start of the build,
Sump is finally up and going, and now we move to the lighting and façade. Part of the facade will be an external refugium, still debating on how complex I want to get with this part, most likely will go for a manifold off of the return to add some cool equipment like the refugium.

 

[JustPoprocks]

Everyone is doing well two weeks later, both rays are still pregnant, just waiting it should be early this month! Bamboo shark (Bruce) is still only active at night, but he’s a fatty so I’m not to worried. Added two tangs and tusk, to give a little movement to the pond. Water change and maintenance tomorrow. Ordering a clean-up crew, A few turbos and a two tiger conchs. Have a buddy who said these guys should have thick enough shells to be good.

 

[Kalinina]

That is so awesome!! It looks great!

How are you moving water from the main tank to the sump?

 

[lefkonj]

That is awesome would love to set something up like that.