Rêverie Reef - Video thread

[Blackice615]

Option 3

 

[Ardeus]

I think I agree.

It has a couple of advantages: the anemones are as far as possible from the pump and overflow and the fish will prefer to have their main area near the most protected area of the tank: the overflow.

 

[Ardeus]

With some luck, the tank will arrive this week. I have a friend coming over to help and he's a very creative aquascaper, maybe he will come up with something different.

It's not easy because these 4 structures need to be separated from each other.

Bigger ones in the back, smaller ones in front.

 

[Lowell Lemon]

I am worried by you sump design. The pump chamber seems very small and may suffer pump cavitation due to water starvation. You need enough sump volume to allow for evaporation and drain down from the display tank during a power failure. With the rather high walls on both side sides of the pump chamber you substantial reduce the sump capacity. Not seeing dimensions on your drawing but given the tank dimensions you need at least 8 gallons of space in case of a power failure. That does not include possible water in the lines depending on how far you are pumping to the display tank. Knowing how a sump works is very important to understand before the final design.

 

[Ardeus]

At this point I wish I had planned a slightly bigger sump.

I calculated the water volume entering the sump when the pump stops:

- 5 liters from the pipes
- 5 liters from the overflow
- 15 liters from the tank

There's enough room for that volume in the sump.

The sump is 100x40x40 and the top part of the skimmer and pump compartments can easily accomodate that, there's aproximately 39 liters above the water level in those areas.

I hadn't thought about pump cavitation. Thanks for the warning.

The pump manual says that the water level in the pump compartment should be at least 6 inches (15cms) to prevent the pump from sucking air.

I don't know how much will the water level drop in the pump compartment when the pump starts. Now I'm worried about that.

Regarding evaporation, I am using a dosing pump to dose Kalk and in my current tank I can adjust the Kalk saturation to keep both the salinity, calcium and alkalinity stable.

 

[NY_Caveman]

I think I like the anemones spread apart in #2. I also think the fish will get more highlighted with that coral structure front and center. The Magnifica is a bit less featured in this arrangement though, but maybe not with the separation from the BTAs.

Is this tank going in a different spot? If the same, I like the Magnifica toward the window then.

 

[Ardeus]

The thing that bothers me the most in layout #2 is the huge amount of free space behind the coral structure.

The magnifica is already quite big and still growing so although she's on a small rock, I need to account for lots of space around her. The BTA's also expand a lot.

I am starting to get angry that these 3 layouts is all I could come up with. It's so much easier with other people's tanks

 

[NY_Caveman]

I am starting to get angry that these 3 layouts is all I could come up with. It's so much easier with other people's tanks

That is hilarious. It easy easier. You also have to consider your room when it is your own. You are an artist and you will know when you find it.

I see your point now about the space is #2. I had not considered that and agree with your point.

 

[NY_Caveman]

To me, the Xenia rock is the one that makes the rest difficult in my head. Maybe I subconsciously just think 3 structures seems more natural.

 

[Ardeus]

Right now the xenias are part of the BTA structure, but I must take them out because they are winning the fight and kicking the BTA's out.

There are too many things in this tank that need isolation and that creates a lot of constraints.

I can always place the xenias very near other structure, they don't require a lot of space around to contain them. They can even go behing the corals in option #2.

I was thinking of combining them with GSP and even a lone BTA.

 

[pecan2phat]

Love your tank build and your.... tank builder!

 

[Ardeus]

The guy really sees his builds as an art.

I can recommend him to anyone who wants a custom, innovative and meticulously built tank.

These systems are his babies, so you also have to accomodate his ideas.

That being said, my life expectancy dropped 5 years since I ordered this tank. You can't expect to have the project on time. Not even remotely close. You also can't expect the original budget to stay the same.

I can recommend this guy to anyone with a good flexible budget, open to new ideas and that can wait a looooong time.

I can also recommend him to all my enemies.

 

[Ardeus]

Taking layout #2 and expanding it mainly with the corals that I have.

BTA's on the left, magnifica on the right, corals in the middle.

The middle structure would be based on this cave with ramifications to make it occupy the back and make it more interesting.

 

[Ardeus]

 

[Ardeus]

I don't think I will ever receive the tank...


Today he found a fee tiny bubbles in the glue of the brace. Apparently it happened because the glass of the brace is laminated.

I asked him is it compromises the safety of the tank.

- "No, but it doesn't look good".

I told him that the bubbles don't bother me, that I don't like perfect things... I will be surprised if he doesn't take that brace off and glue it again.

 

[Ardeus]

Ok, we found a compromise: a red stripe along the brace.

Edit: I changed my mind. The red on top is too noticeable.

 

[Blackice615]

Not certain of the quality of the video but it's barely noticeable

 

[Blackice615]

I kind of like the idea of red trim

 

[Ardeus]

I liked the red trim for a few minutes. Then I began noticing that it helps to visually mark the limit of the top of the tank. At a certain point, less is more.

The glass is extra clear and the glue is invisible precisely to help to visually reduce the limits of the tank. The same with the tank being an inch inside the cabinet, the goal is to hide the sand line.

I would have preferred the tank to have no brace at all, but that would mean a much thicker glass.

I think I managed to persuade him to leave the bubbles where they are.

 

[Ardeus]

No... just no...