Tips for keeping a HUGE reef tank...

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

Ok. What have you guys found to be really important advice for those planning to keep a reef that's 400+ gallons? Share you tips!

 

[sixty_reefer]

Keeping an eye on this thread, looking to get on to the monster builds soon

 

[BackToTheReef]

Keeping an eye on this thread, looking to get on to the monster builds soon

Ditto!

 

[Epic Aquaculture]

Make a budget, and then double or triple it...

 

[MBinNY]

Buy the best equipment you can. Buying the right equipment once rather than having to replace is going to save you significantly more money than buying better quality upfront. Build a large enough qt set up and use it don’t deviate cause when your dealing with big tanks getting fish out can be a nightmare.

 

[Tonysi]

A dehumidifier is a good thing to have

 

[Jonify]

Sir, I believe you're looking for the saltwater pool thread.

 

[AlexG]

I can give a few ideas to think about when keeping a monster aquarium. I have started work on an article about my last system which I plan to go into some of these topics in detail.

• Patience - Take your time
• Planning
• Design a simple system think - KISS
• Good Access to the aquarium & equipment
• Humidity control
• Budgeting operating costs
• Redundancy
• Emergency Planning
• Structural considerations - How do I support the weight of a monster aquarium

 

[User1]

Ok. What have you guys found to be really important advice for those planning to keep a reef that's 400+ gallons? Share you tips!

210 is my largest but I can share one thing that caught me off guard. I've owned a 100 gallon years ago but then downsized. 29 gallon bio cubes and later 40 breeder. Here is what caught me off guard on the larger 210 gallon system (for me anyway):

1. Salt mix - I was used to smaller water changes so when I went to make my first batch of water for the cycle I was short. I bought what I was used to and it wasn't enough. So depending on what your current tank size is, how you store water, etc remember a larger system requires more. More salt to start off with. More salt for water changes. More and more so this little piece caught me off guard.

2. Water - as with above I was used to smaller water changes. Larger tank means my percentage increase. Again, caught off guard with the process of removing and adding water back. Doesn't sound like a big deal but it sort of was for me logistically anyway.

Everything else I sort of figured out before hand and had it covered. Water and salt mix though - silly things I should have caught.

 

[TX_Punisher]

Electrical:

better to have dedicated circuits just for the aquarium and its equipment.

if I go 400 on the next build, or even 300, I’ll Be pulling 2-4 20 amp service just for the tank. Even with my 200 now, it should have been done It’s nice not to have to worry about plugging in a high amp device (vacuum or electric pressure washer for example) on the same circuit as your tank.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Buy the best equipment you cannot afford. This is an investment , so Invest in it !!
Due to volume, a doser is a must
Have Brute cans- youre going to need it.
Stock up on salt- Again, you will need it.
Plan lighting well as you will need effective coverage from lights.
Utilize ball valve. . . they are much needed
Assure tank is Level. Impossible to move once filled.
Have aquarium tongs !! Youre going to need them !

Tongs

 

[Dolphins18]

Buy the best equipment you cannot afford. This is an investment , so Invest in it !!
Due to volume, a doser is a must
Have Brute cans- youre going to need it.
Stock up on salt- Again, you will need it.
Plan lighting well as you will need effective coverage from lights.
Utilize ball valve. . . they are much needed
Assure tank is Level. Impossible to move once filled.
Have aquarium tongs !! Youre going to need them !

Tongs

I would like to pick your brain sometime. (I am starting my first huge tank early next year and am getting pretty deep into the planning stages)

 

[Steve Fast]

I built a 520 about 2.5 years ago. . Will have to think about this some, though here is a start...

multiple circuits. I added a subpanel. also have a generac.

add AC to the sump room for humidity and temperature control. I live in PA, and it runs all winter.... make sure the condensation runs indoors

design everything so if it has to be replaced, it is easy to do... and keep spares of everything that is essential

and make the dimensions such that you care reach anywhere inside it

design for easy maintenance. less frequent and shorter duration are best. otherwise it will become onerous. for example I use 5 gallon buckets to hold dosing elements. that way refills are less frequent.

wait for sales to order replenishable supplies.

of course a solid RO/DI system

temperature controllers (see https://www.jehmco.com/html/temperature_controller.html)

research all the possibilities for sumps, etc. there is more than just Rubbermaid Brute. For example: https://www.plastic-mart.com/

investigate what is used by commercial fish farms etc. For example: https://pentairaes.com/

Think through the plumbing and build in redundancy. use only cepex.

Also decide if you want to do water changes... as the tank gets bigger they get more expensive. There are many ways to eliminate water changes. I haven't changed water since it was set up. I use vodka and dextrose.

more as soon as they come to mind....

 

[BackToTheReef]

I built a 520 about 2.5 years ago. . Will have to think about this some, though here is a start...

multiple circuits. I added a subpanel.

add AC to the sump room for humidity and temperature control. I live in PA, and it runs all winter.... make sure the condensation runs indoors

Mini split with a head in the sump room?

 

[Steve Fast]

Mini split with a head in the sump room?

yes. Mitsubishi. 2X what they said i should have

 

[Steve Fast]

I built a 520 about 2.5 years ago. . Will have to think about this some, though here is a start...

multiple circuits. I added a subpanel. also have a generac.

add AC to the sump room for humidity and temperature control. I live in PA, and it runs all winter.... make sure the condensation runs indoors

design everything so if it has to be replaced, it is easy to do... and keep spares of everything that is essential

and make the dimensions such that you care reach anywhere inside it

design for easy maintenance. less frequent and shorter duration are best. otherwise it will become onerous. for example I use 5 gallon buckets to hold dosing elements. that way refills are less frequent.

wait for sales to order replenishable supplies.

of course a solid RO/DI system

temperature controllers (see https://www.jehmco.com/html/temperature_controller.html)

research all the possibilities for sumps, etc. there is more than just Rubbermaid Brute. For example: https://www.plastic-mart.com/

investigate what is used by commercial fish farms etc. For example: https://pentairaes.com/

Think through the plumbing and build in redundancy. use only cepex.

Also decide if you want to do water changes... as the tank gets bigger they get more expensive. There are many ways to eliminate water changes. I haven't changed water since it was set up. I use vodka and dextrose.

more as soon as they come to mind....

If I were doing it again, I would follow the advice from @Lasse

The construction of the optimal nitrification filter

In many threads – the nitrification process is discussed. This thread will try to handle how to construct the optimal nitrification filter for an aquarium. I´m aware that all does not have possibility to do an exactly copy of this, but the principles are general principles. It is important that...

www.reef2reef.com

Also put together a 20+ page document of the design, plans, equipment (with options) and how the system was to be moved in, set-up, and moving contents of previous tanks to it....

Also did not put anything under the tank, except the dosing pumps, dosing buckets, heater controller, and pump controllers. The less under the tank, the better. Best in a separate space where you can work on everything standing up.

There are some videos out there where others go through their set-up and maintenance rooms. One featured on BRS comes to mind... Also check out the Long Island Aquarium for ideas... or get a behind the scenes tour of any public land locked aquarium.

 

[Steve Fast]

just saw this come up on Coral Magazine... ~700 gallon system

 

[New Jersey REEF]

I would start with solid plan.
- back up power
- back up cooling system / heat system (if needed)
- back up for back up
- I would also put all power heads on separate battery back up. (Some bigger power heads don’t come on automatically after power fails, pantarei hydrowizad as example)
- have multiple dosing / calrx / kalkwasser reactors, when one fails or rans out it would be less of an impact on your system
-go BIG on fish room

When I built my tank, I plan for next ten years. Pretty much every single equipment peace you get will need to be replaced.
Consider that.
Stock up on salt/ RODi media filters/ GFo/ Carbon whatever filtration you planning to use.

Get lots of gifts for your wife/ girlfriend and send them loving post cards, you may not see them much any more.

 

[Devaji]

Also decide if you want to do water changes... as the tank gets bigger they get more expensive. There are many ways to eliminate water changes. I haven't changed water since it was set up. I use vodka and dextrose.

more as soon as they come to mind....

I have been debating this very topic. I hope to set up a monster FOWLR large angels tangs and butterflies. tank will be either 10' 340 with 100 to 150 gallon sump or 400-1000 gal plywood tank.

my hope was with a large skimmer ( 6 ' life reef) large ATS, UV, and a couple reactors GFO carbon or what ever works. I could get a way with little water change.

thoughts?

 

[Phycodurus]

planted one of these in the back yard in preparation for my eventual (hopefully!) 1,000G tank dream build.