firetire
New Member
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2018
- Messages
- 16
- Reaction score
- 21
- What state or country do you live in
- Colorado
Hello everybody! I’m a long-time lurker here at R2R, and I am finally getting back into the hobby after 6 years. When I was in college, I had a Biocube 14. Then soon after, when I cracked the back ;Facepalm, I upgraded to a 65G that I found on craigslist. Neither of those tanks were ever spectacular, mainly due to lack of funds and time. When I graduated college, I sold the system and moved back home for my new job.
Now, I am at a great place to set up a new reef system (meaning I finally convinced my wife to let me get a tank). Since we have a 2-year-old, and another kid on the way, my wife and I decided not to have a tank in the main part of the house until they are old enough to be safe around the tank. That said, our house has a fully finished basement that we never use. By never, I mean the only time I go down there is to clean the cat box and do laundry. In the basement, there is a decent sized bedroom with an adjoining bathroom.
I know what you’re thinking. Sounds like a perfect place for a reef setup, with a water mixing station in the bathroom! Or at least that’s what I was thinking. So, I strategically asked my wife if I could use this room for my own little piece of underwater heaven, right after I told her that I wanted to take her on a little vacation anywhere she wanted to go. It worked! We’re going on a “babymoon” to Florida in a month, and I am allowed to use the basement bedroom and bathroom for whatever I want.
Then I faced the hard decision of choosing what sort of tank I wanted to start. I’ve always loved the look of a tall tank. They remind me more of a reef wall. So, I was thinking I would do a 150 tall mixed reef. My wife suggested a column tank. She really thinks that would look good. So, then I was thinking a tall cube 24x24x30 tank. I also love the look of a zoa garden. Hmm. That would look cool as a shallow and long tank. I also love the idea of a display refugium with a mangrove or 2.
Well, I’m terrible at deciding, so I am going to go with all 4. And a frag tank just because.
So, I am going to start with a tall cube SPS tank. Specifically, the Deep Blue Tower 74 Rimless. It is going to have a 40 breeder sump, and a 40 breeder display refugium with a mangrove. Yay $1 per gallon sale. I am going to plumb everything to the same sump with the plan to add the 150, the zoa garden, and the frag tank at a later date. Probably one at a time starting at least 6 months after the baby is born. Just so I don’t go insane taking care of a new baby and all those tanks.
You’re probably thinking I should just get one big tank. That’s boring. And I currently cannot get one into the basement. Maybe in a few years when I “need” to install a bigger window to “get more light in” I can bring a massive display tank into the basement before I install the window. Or maybe when I am remodeling the kitchen, I could cut a hole in the floor to lower a tank down. We’ll see.
So, being an engineer, I have drawn the whole setup in Solidworks. Here’s a render of it.
Oh yeah, and I’m going to be building my own DIY controller system. All the way from PCB layout up. I’m pretty excited for this part of the build too.
I hope you all enjoy this build as much as I will. Please feel free to chime in with any suggestions or criticisms. Being as inexperienced as I am, I am sure I am already doing something wrong, and I know I will have a lot of questions as the build goes on. I will try to post some pictures of the equipment I have already gotten tonight.
Now, I am at a great place to set up a new reef system (meaning I finally convinced my wife to let me get a tank). Since we have a 2-year-old, and another kid on the way, my wife and I decided not to have a tank in the main part of the house until they are old enough to be safe around the tank. That said, our house has a fully finished basement that we never use. By never, I mean the only time I go down there is to clean the cat box and do laundry. In the basement, there is a decent sized bedroom with an adjoining bathroom.
I know what you’re thinking. Sounds like a perfect place for a reef setup, with a water mixing station in the bathroom! Or at least that’s what I was thinking. So, I strategically asked my wife if I could use this room for my own little piece of underwater heaven, right after I told her that I wanted to take her on a little vacation anywhere she wanted to go. It worked! We’re going on a “babymoon” to Florida in a month, and I am allowed to use the basement bedroom and bathroom for whatever I want.
Then I faced the hard decision of choosing what sort of tank I wanted to start. I’ve always loved the look of a tall tank. They remind me more of a reef wall. So, I was thinking I would do a 150 tall mixed reef. My wife suggested a column tank. She really thinks that would look good. So, then I was thinking a tall cube 24x24x30 tank. I also love the look of a zoa garden. Hmm. That would look cool as a shallow and long tank. I also love the idea of a display refugium with a mangrove or 2.
Well, I’m terrible at deciding, so I am going to go with all 4. And a frag tank just because.
So, I am going to start with a tall cube SPS tank. Specifically, the Deep Blue Tower 74 Rimless. It is going to have a 40 breeder sump, and a 40 breeder display refugium with a mangrove. Yay $1 per gallon sale. I am going to plumb everything to the same sump with the plan to add the 150, the zoa garden, and the frag tank at a later date. Probably one at a time starting at least 6 months after the baby is born. Just so I don’t go insane taking care of a new baby and all those tanks.
You’re probably thinking I should just get one big tank. That’s boring. And I currently cannot get one into the basement. Maybe in a few years when I “need” to install a bigger window to “get more light in” I can bring a massive display tank into the basement before I install the window. Or maybe when I am remodeling the kitchen, I could cut a hole in the floor to lower a tank down. We’ll see.
So, being an engineer, I have drawn the whole setup in Solidworks. Here’s a render of it.
Oh yeah, and I’m going to be building my own DIY controller system. All the way from PCB layout up. I’m pretty excited for this part of the build too.
I hope you all enjoy this build as much as I will. Please feel free to chime in with any suggestions or criticisms. Being as inexperienced as I am, I am sure I am already doing something wrong, and I know I will have a lot of questions as the build goes on. I will try to post some pictures of the equipment I have already gotten tonight.
That render is amazing.
