New 560 Gallon reef tank --need help!!

[bobsingh1]

Hi Guys,
I had started on this forum in 2000 and had a 30 gallon reef tank then. Needless to say, after couple of moves, I had to rid my tank but I am getting a custom home built in Dallas area. I am going to have a 560 gallon tank in there which will be visible from two opposite sides. I had started by going to a local Dallas store for a quote and some of you guessed it right. A whopping price tag of $20000.
Did my own research (God bless Google) and got the price of tank and filteration system down to $6000. It measures 120X30X36. It includes appropriate sized sump, bio balls and skimmer.
I had started with a $10000 budget so this works good for me. I have still got to figure in lighting and live rock in there and then eventually fish and corals. That is not the problem. The problem is that my builder has asked me exactly at what stage I want to put in the tank during construction cycle.
Another problem that I am wrestling with is how do I install a chiller. All the filteration will be sitting under the tank inside the wall along with the chiler.The exhausts from the chiller requires ventilation but are there any chillers in the market that have exhausts (like the ones we see in portable air conditioners) that can be connected to the main exhaust that my builder will put in.
Or can anyone point me to a site where there are articles to help me with the above questions.
Thanks a bunch!!!
Bobby :help:

 

[leboeuf]

I don't know how much help I could be, but I live in Frisco and would love to see the setup. I have spend countless hours at LFS and have found some really good places to get steals. I also installed my 250g in the wall in my new home also, DIY.... I have a few corals I need to get rid of, fighting with each other. Let me know if I can be of any assistance.

 

[aw2]

For such a large tank, why install a chiller at all? Unless you are planning on keeping hard to keep, cold water fish then I wouldnt worry about it.
The way I look at it...if you have the income to build, install and maintain a 560gal tank, then I'm assuming you're not too worried about keeping your home cool, in the summer time. The room temp, from the air conditioning, should keep your water temp in check.
Also...if you're having this house built, then I STRONGLY urge you to look at building a "fish room" either in the basement (if you have one) or change some plans around so you have a small room adjacent to the end of your tank. You'll be glad you did, in the long run, especially for such a large tank. It'll give you more room to keep equipment, supplies, etc.

 

[leboeuf]

For those not aware of where TX is..... its way down south. Definetly invest in a chiller and a big one! My tank previously ran at 86-88 degrees in the summer till I invested in a chiller. Nothing flourished, just survived....
Also, a majority of homes in TX don't have basements.... we live on rock and ever expanding clay. A dedicated fish room would be wise, something planned for my next house.

 

[toughguy80]

Originally Posted by AW2
Also...if you're having this house built, then I STRONGLY urge you to look at building a "fish room" either in the basement (if you have one) or change some plans around so you have a small room adjacent to the end of your tank. You'll be glad you did, in the long run, especially for such a large tank. It'll give you more room to keep equipment, supplies, etc.
BINGO!

 

[bobsingh1]

Thanks guys for all the suggestions.
LeBouef, I would love to see how you have yours setup inside the wall. Is the filteration directly under it? Where have you kept the chiller? I am in Rockwall.
I have two options. I am attaching a rough sketch of the plan. The plan that I talked about in the prior posting was the tank in the game room also visible from formal living. There is huge storage space under the stairs that I can dedicate to keeping tank supplies etc. The other option is to have the tank on the porch visible only in family room. With this I don't have to worry about chiller exhausts and vapors from other equipment. This space can be sealed to make it just like a room but the drawback is I will eat into porch space (wife not happy!!) and block natural light from large windows that are to be installed by default if ther is no tank. Also it is visible only from one side unlike in the game room where are I planning to put different set of corals on each side to give it a uniqe look on each side.
Let me know what you guys think. Meanwhile I am still open to any articles that anyone have found or can find to help me with this kind of setup.
Thanks again
Bobby

 

[ross]

Between the game room and formal living room, or between the family room and game room looks like your best bet...

 

[danedodger]

Between the game room and formal living room, or between the family room and game room looks like your best bet...
I agree with that. Yep, you'll have to plan on enough space somewhere for all the equipment you'll likely have but nope, putting in basements in Texas would be a real piece of work!!!! :scared: I would think having a cabinet to the left, right, or on bottom would work but I'd think it'd have to be an awful big cabinet! Maybe you could plan a space next to it like a large walk-in closet kind of deal for housing the equipment and then it wouldn't cut into your house plans as much as a whole other room?

 

[bobsingh1]

Another question I wanted to ask was that is it possible to plumb the overflow all the way to the porch and have all the filteration and cooling/heating done over there. Can the overflow work that way?

 

[leboeuf]

My tank is between my office (converted bedroom) and the livingroom. I used the existing closet in the office as the tank space. Luckly, I have two hall closets on either side of the office closet. So I sacrificed the main entry closet and put the chiller in the floor in there. Cut vents into the closet door so it can breath. Because it dumps into such a large volume of space the heat is not noticable. I used to have it sitting on the floor in my office, but inthe summer the room would easly exceed 85 degress. It sucked. All the filtration is under the main tank. I built the stand so the tank is 42 in off the ground giving ample space below for all the plumbing, sump, supplies. Everything is inclosed..... and viewable from both sides.

 

[leboeuf]

Dark wood view is the office side, rear of tank. Unusal viewing, not corals, but I see all the cool stuff like shrimp, starfish, bristles, and makes it easy to clean, all detritus collects back there.
Livingroom side looks like the tank is in a picture frame.... easy maintanence now, montly water changes and feed twice a week.

 

[fishy7]

LeBouef,
Sorry Bobsingh1 do not mean to hijack your post, good luck with your monster. Please post some pics, I'm sure we all are interested in seeing.
I just finished setting up my 215, what kind of corals are you looking to move?

Very nice tank by the way. I live on the Plano/Frisco border.

 

[tom b.]

I hope you have better luck than I have had. You may have read my previous post of about 10 day ago regarding my new 500+ gallon Acrylic Reef tank breaking loose its front and spilling 500 gallons of Saltwater, live rock, coral and fish inside my home. I placed the tank where there was a large window between the Dining Room and the glass enclosed porch. The tank has been replaced and is now in full operation but I worry every day that it may break loose again. You can't believe the mess I had.
I have a chiller and it works well but it generates a lot of heat and is very loud. If you can isolate it so you don't hear it I would suggest that you do so. I live in South West Florida so we have temperature problems like you do in Texas.
Is you new tank acrylic or glass?? I hope you purchased it from a company that builds lots of large tanks. I did not and have paid for it. I now have over $25,000.00 in my system including the coral and fish. If I had to do it over I wouldn't!!
Good luck,
TOM B.

 

[bobsingh1]

Tom; that is a scary scenario. I am going to have some insurance on this thing just to make sure. I am getting my tank from Tenecor. They have good reputation in the market. Do you mind telling me who built your tank (the one that broke) Do you know how yours craked open. Was it from the edges?
The house that I am planning is just on the papers yet, so this is the right time to do all the research and get the best possible solution in place. Like I mentioned in my last post, I am also open to some plumbing from the place of the tank to the porch where all the filteration will be. That is where I plan to put the chiller.
Thanks
Bobby

 

[ktsdad]

Originally Posted by AW2
For such a large tank, why install a chiller at all? Unless you are planning on keeping hard to keep, cold water fish then I wouldnt worry about it.
The way I look at it...if you have the income to build, install and maintain a 560gal tank, then I'm assuming you're not too worried about keeping your home cool, in the summer time. The room temp, from the air conditioning, should keep your water temp in check.
I just set up a 250 gallon in my living room. We keep our house at 68 in the winter and 75 in the summer. The 4 Little Giant-4 pumps create enough heat to get the water temp up to 82,
I can't imagine what would happen when the 4x250watt MH turn on without the chiller!
Yes the chiller needs to be somewhere else besides under your stand! Imagine all that heat going up and back into the tank you are cooling!
Just my .02$
Good luck with the project!

 

[puffer32]

I will be moving to the dallas/fw area in afew months, glad to see I will have fellow reefers in the area. Would love to see some of these set ups in persons some time

. Good luck Bob!

 

[bobsingh1]

No problem puffer!!

 

[leboeuf]

Fishy I have hydnophora, xenia, shrooms, GSP's to get rid of. I have to send a care package to San Diego for a buddy, but anything left I am willing to trade. Got anything of interest? I also have been working on my acro collection (fragging) for the past year and have some great specimens to show for it. I am interested in anything I don't already have and won't kill all my other stuff like GSP and hydno ....I take IOU's from reputible people

 

[tom b.]

Originally Posted by Bobsingh1
Tom; that is a scary scenario. I am going to have some insurance on this thing just to make sure. I am getting my tank from Tenecor. They have good reputation in the market. Do you mind telling me who built your tank (the one that broke) Do you know how yours craked open. Was it from the edges?
The house that I am planning is just on the papers yet, so this is the right time to do all the research and get the best possible solution in place. Like I mentioned in my last post, I am also open to some plumbing from the place of the tank to the porch where all the filteration will be. That is where I plan to put the chiller.
Thanks
Bobby
The Tank was built by a company in Fort Myers. I didn't realize that they were not experienced tank builders. They mostly build small tanks 100 to 150 gallons. I had contracted with a company fron Naples, Fl (where I live) The whole project has been a nightmare. The Naples firm has tried very hard to make things right but again he hasn't had the experience of selling larger tanks.
I think what happened to my tank is that the back panel was not cut as square as it should have been. Also it looked as though there was not enough cement on the bottom edge that meets the back of the tank. When the tank broke it lifted from the bottom middle upwards to the top. My tank was 72"wide X 51" Deep X 52" High. It broke about 12" from each side. When it broke my wife was in the Kitchen and she screamed and I thought she fell and broke a leg. I rushed into the area and could not believe what I was seeing. 500+ gallons of saltwater rushing out with great force to carry the front of the tank, 700 lbs of live rock, coral, fish etc. into the outer room.
I don't know anything about the Company you are considering buying your tank from but cheap may be exactly that..."Cheap" The cost of my tank was $7,500.00. I would have gladly paid twice that not to have gone through what I have with this one.
My new tank so far seems OK. It is bulging in the middle about 5/8" which I understand to be normal. But I have to tell you I worry about constantly. I will admit it is beautiful. I framed it from the Dining Room sise with a Gold & Black custom made picture frame and it really looks good.
Be extra careful when you have your cabinet or stand made. Be sure to have at least 2" of foam installed under the tank and make sure it is perfectly level. Use extra bracing with vertical 2" X 4" and lots of horzental bracing. Over build!!!
Is your tank made of Glass or Acrylic. What thickness of glass or Acrylic are you using?
Good luck,
Tom B.

 

[acrylic51]

Originally Posted by Bobsingh1
Tom; that is a scary scenario. I am going to have some insurance on this thing just to make sure. I am getting my tank from Tenecor. They have good reputation in the market. Do you mind telling me who built your tank (the one that broke) Do you know how yours craked open. Was it from the edges?
The house that I am planning is just on the papers yet, so this is the right time to do all the research and get the best possible solution in place. Like I mentioned in my last post, I am also open to some plumbing from the place of the tank to the porch where all the filteration will be. That is where I plan to put the chiller.
Thanks
Bobby
Where are you going to insure your tank with??? If you can will be really expensive and most homeowner policies don't cover livestock and such...Might look into an Inland/Marine policy though