RobW's New 274.3 Gallon Build

RobW · Dec 13, 2020

It's time! Starting the design phase of my new tank build. 274.3 gallon display with a roughly 100 gallon sump/refugium. Filtration will be by Bashea: custom sump 60" long x 24" wide x 16" tall. Bashea 8-30 twited skimmer, Bashea 8-30 bio-reactor, Bashsea media reactors. Aquarium controllers and accessories will all be GHL. All lighting will also be GHL with a combination of 3-4 Mitras 7206, 2 deep actinic 62" lightbars, and 4 22" simu-sticks for moon lighting and other effects. This will not be a fast process as the design will very complicated and costly. I have a limited space to work with so the entire system will have to fit in the custom wall unit that I am building. I am building the actual tank myself as well. I will post some pictures of the design soon. Any input or suggestions to the design will be greatly appreciated along the way. Sort of a reboot to what I had started over a year ago but had to scrap unfortunately due to certain circumstances. Look forward to seeing this one through this time! stay tuned.

RobW · Dec 13, 2020

So for the display tank... 66" x 32" x 30" as I mentioned. The tank bottom will consist of two sheets of 1/2" thick glass with a sheet of 1/4" black pvc laminated between the two. All of the sides of the tank will be 3/4" glass with the front viewing panel being starphire glass. 1/2" thick x 3" wide euro bracing around the top for extra strength as the tank will be on the taller side. The back and sides of the glass with be painted with a deep blue color instead of the traditional black background. (Had it on a previous tank and it made it look like the water went off into the depths of the ocean.) All the seams will be black silicone instead of clear. I think it looks better in my opinion.

RobW · Dec 14, 2020

So I started to layout the glass and lighting arrangement. Excuse the quality of the photos as I just snapped a picture of my laptop screen. Here you can see the shape of the tank and how I was thinking about laying out the lights. There will be 4 GHL Mitra LX7's, 2 62" Deep actinic light bars, and 4 22" Simu-sticks.

RobW · Dec 19, 2020

Working on some drawings now for the tank base cabinet. I'll pop some pictures up in a few.

RobW · Dec 19, 2020

Here are a few shots of the start of the base cabinet.

RobW · Dec 19, 2020

Decking for the tank

RobW · Dec 19, 2020

Getting more done. Drew the internal box of the overflow and a few holes for returns and closed loops for uv sterilizers.

Surfpulse · Dec 19, 2020

RobW said:
Getting more done. Drew the internal box of the overflow and a few holes for returns and closed loops for uv sterilizers.

Looks really good, cant wait to see it finished. Someone has an eye for detail

RobW · Dec 19, 2020

Surfpulse said:
Looks really good, cant wait to see it finished. Someone has an eye for detail

Thank you. Im working on the sump now. Bit of work.

thewildroz · Dec 19, 2020

This looks awesome. What program are you using to draw the plans?

count krunk · Dec 19, 2020

Are you planning a coast to coast overflow?

RobW · Dec 19, 2020

thewildroz said:
This looks awesome. What program are you using to draw the plans?

sketchup 2021

RobW · Dec 19, 2020

count krunk said:
Are you planning a coast to coast overflow?

no room along the back. plumbing has to go on the left end of the tank. Just a LoPro 2400 GPH.

RobW · Dec 19, 2020

Sump is almost done. I have a few more things to do to it.

RobW · Dec 20, 2020

A few more.

BZOFIQ · Dec 22, 2020

I like your enginerding approach. Want to see more.

I have a 267 on order - gonna call it Two-Seventy ... but 274-point-3 is certainly unique.

RobW · Dec 22, 2020

BZOFIQ said:
I like your enginerding approach. Want to see more.

I have a 267 on order - gonna call it Two-Seventy ... but 274-point-3 is certainly unique.

Been busy the last few days. Was probably gonna work on it some more tonight a bit. I'm actually making the tank myself as well. A friend of mine has a glass shop. He's gonna gut and polish all the panels for me and drill everything. I'm gonna assemble it all.

NowGlazeIT · Oct 4, 2021

How goes the setup!?

cleon1990 · Jun 2, 2022

RobW said:
Been busy the last few days. Was probably gonna work on it some more tonight a bit. I'm actually making the tank myself as well. A friend of mine has a glass shop. He's gonna gut and polish all the panels for me and drill everything. I'm gonna assemble it all.

Is the tank up and running? If so did you have trouble setting up the bio reactor 8-30