Newbie and the 300 gallon aquarium

spanishearl

spanishearl

New Member
Hi all,
I am a complete n00b that has wanted to get into SW for some time. I did lots of research, and even grabbed a small Hex tank to play around with for a while. I'm no stranger to FW tanks, as I have had several running, and recently broke them down into two small ones (20G each), and put the other 7 away.
Most of my research has been for smaller aquariums as that is all I have been able to house, or figured I could ever afford to buy. The big ones are very expensive...
Yesterday, I got home from work, and my friend contacted me and asked if I would like a "HUGE tank". A friend of his was getting rid of it, and it would be free for me. Just need to pick it up. I figured okay, most my firends think 100g is a "huge tank" (and it is), but I wasn't fully prepared for what I found...
I was getting a 300 gallon tank, stand, and canopy for free... It measures 8'4" x 2'4" x 2'5", and cost it's owner over $6000
I was told that it is a 320 gallon aquarium, but the calculators say just under 300. He was getting rid of it as he was moving into a new home where he had a new tank, and it was bigger. The realtor did not want to list his old house with the aquarium, and he got rid of it.
Now, as I only got the tank, stand, and canopy. No equipment, I need to get a list of what I should have for it. There is sooo much information here, and it's all over the place, and I have no idea where to look. A link to the best spot would be appreciated, but an equipment list would be great as well. I need to research this to figure it all out.... lol

That's the tank, stand and canopy in my garage, while I figure out where it's going so I can reinforce the floor in that area... Took six of us to move this thing across the city
 
S

shrimpy brains

Guest
WOW! That is absolutely amazing! Very fortunate for you!
The first thing you need to think about is what you want to put in the tank.
Do you want a reef?? Fish only with live rock?? Are you interested in more aggressive fish?? Or a nice community??
Next, break out the wallet cause it's still gonna cost alot to set this baby up!!
The nice thing is, if you are patient(which is required in the saltwater hobby) You can take it slow.
Anyway you go, this is gonna be some tank.
First, question: I noticed the 90's coming out the back. Think these are drain/return lines. What is in the tank, overflow boxes, standpipes, etc.??
Your going to need another tank(to make refugium) or you could buy a sump of some sort. There are a lot of good threads on this in the DIY forum of this site. Many people have made refugiums out of rubbermaid containers and such to save money. You will have to buy a large return pump. Mag drive is a very good one that is not too expensive. Not sure but I am thinking you will need one that runs at least 3000gph. Need more info. on existin drain pipes and such.
Next you will need a large protien skimmer.
The other huge expense will be lights. What you need here, depends on what you want to keep. If you are wanting corals, metal halide or high output T5 lighting. Fish only, you can get whatever you want. Of course, you can always get something cheap for now and upgrade later. Keep an eye out locally for used. I'd look for a local reef club. You may be able to get stuff usd and meet some locals to help you out.
You will need some power heads to increase circ. to tank. Koralia makes some nice ones.
Ok, while you are at it, you need a ro/di filter for nice pure water. I recommend you buy salt in 5g buckets. Also, buy a large rubbermaid trash can. You can premix water in this for changes. Buy a heater to match temp to tank, and a pump to mix. I use a medium pond pump. Went to hardware store and bought a length of hose that fits pump, long enough to run to tank. So, it doubles to mix water and run it to tank. When considering where to put your tank, if you can get it somewhere that you can have a maintenence area behind, that is a definite plus!!
You will probably also need a couple of heaters for tank.
Consider putting GFCI outlets or breaker. Also, if you can dedicate a breaker or 2 for this tank. That's a good idea.
I'm going to stop here for now, as I have probably overwhelmed you already, and this would be a great start. Good luck with it. This is an amazing hobby and I'm sure you will love it! Congrats again on the monster tank!!
 
spanishearl

spanishearl

New Member
I think I would like a reef tank, with some good community fish. Something I can watch and feel like I'm scuba diving. There are two overflow boxes, one in each corner, and those pipes out the back I have some pictures to show...
There is also something called "Safety Board" (I think) on the bottom to prevent accidental dropping of rock and the breaking of the tank. :)
I am super patient, and I want to get this up and running, but not at the risk of killing everything... lol



 
markw

markw

Member
Originally Posted by nissan577
http:///forum/post/3128816
really amzing i must say!
ima tag along!
Me too!
I dont mean to seem sinical, but how much research have you done in the world of saltwater? It is very different than saltwater in many ways. It is a very expensive habit, especailly with a tank that huge. If you want a reef, get nothing less than MH lights with that depth.

Cant wait to hear followups!
Mark
 
spanishearl

spanishearl

New Member
Originally Posted by nissan577
http:///forum/post/3128829
sorry mark but thats funny!

I noticed the same thing... lol
@Markw: I did a fair share of research into saltwater a year or so ago, then just as I was getting everything I would need for a 16g Hex, my Corydoras started breeding like they needed to repopulate the planet, and I put everything on hold to rear and sell the offspring.
Now as for a tank this size... well, that's why I'm here looking for answers and I'll be reading a whole lot over the next while. I want to make sure I'm looking in the right direction when it comes to what I'll need so as to not waste my time on something that would be useless to me. :)
 
nissan577

nissan577

Active Member
Originally Posted by Spanishearl
http:///forum/post/3128842
I noticed the same thing... lol
@Markw: I did a fair share of research into saltwater a year or so ago, then just as I was getting everything I would need for a 16g Hex, my Corydoras started breeding like they needed to repopulate the planet, and I put everything on hold to rear and sell the offspring.
Now as for a tank this size... well, that's why I'm here looking for answers and I'll be reading a whole lot over the next while. I want to make sure I'm looking in the right direction when it comes to what I'll need so as to not waste my time on something that would be useless to me. :)
great job Spanish
 
markw

markw

Member
Patience, grasshopper. This is what you will need. Its going to be expensive. Especially with the LR, LS, and lighting. I cant wait to see it go up! ASM skimmers are great if they make one big enough.

Mark
EDIT- ASM G5 or G6 will do it for you!
 
nissan577

nissan577

Active Member

Originally Posted by Markw
http:///forum/post/3128857
Patience, grasshopper. This is what you will need. Its going to be expensive. Especially with the LR, LS, and lighting. I cant wait to see it go up! ASM skimmers are great if they make one big enough.

Mark
EDIT- ASM G5 or G6 will do it for you!

no the Octopus Skimmers are amazing!

but +1 on the light and LR with LS being expensive!
Lights IMO go with 250w 14k pendant with some VHO or t5.
 
casper1875

casper1875

Member
Welcome to SWF.
I'm so excited for you. That's a great find!
First I'ld start with a large bottle of white vinegar and get to scrubbing. While you're doing that think about what you love to see in a saltwater aquarium and go from there.
We all have our own thoughts about what the best protien skimmer is, the best lights, type of sandbed...... it will drive you crazy. Just about the time you make up your mind someone else will come along with another thought and it will sound great too.
You see where I'm going with this. It's your tank and you will be the one taking care of it. You'll be the one freaking out when something goes wrong. You'll be mad at yourself when you do something wrong and you lose a fish.
There is one thing most of us will agree on:
Patience is the true key to success in saltwater.
You're building a complete underwater world, your own tiny slice of the ocean and you should not rush it.
I wish you great success and I look forward to seeing where you go with it.
 
king_neptune

king_neptune

Active Member
Two words.
Foam Wall


And get a pair of 55g tanks to use as sumps. Craigs list is a cheap place to find em(they are worth $20-50). Or you can do a single 90g+ tank. Some people even use horse watering troughs. Up to you, but I think a pair of 55g's would probably be the cheapest method, they can be connected via bulkhead, or plain run separately(although that can get complicated).
I preach the scrubber gospel(look into that for filtration). Make a build thread over on the reef section of the forums and Ill tag along with any help I can give.
 
stanlalee

stanlalee

Active Member
I suggest finding a LOCAL reef club or "real" aqaurium shop to run the project pass people who have dealt with like projects (the guy who had owned the tank would seem like a great start). See what your really getting into before you even start. You have to decide what you are going to do with it and how you want certain things designed before you even worry about a parts list. For example a reef tank of those dimensions would VERY typically run four 400w halides and usually several actinic VHO flourescent tubes. picking the parts is easy but NONE of that is going to help you figure how your going to install them (ceiling/rail hung ect), where best to house the components(ballast) of of sight and out of harm and how your going to deal with humidity and heat exhaustion. I'm guessing the first order or business would be along the lines of designing/deciding the sump layout/location and designing/plumbing up the closed loop circulation operation. these kinds of things come before the equipment list and help decide the list. Where is the fresh water reservoir and water treatment (RO/DI filtration unit) going to be set up in relation to the aquarium so it can be utilized with an auto top off because you'll likely evaporate several gallons a day which makes this size tank just about unliveable without and ATO (auto top off) and in home RO water treatment unit (hell I cant live without these with my 30 gallon). BIG tank = Big project with details we just arent going to think of sitting here behind the keyboard.
 
spanishearl

spanishearl

New Member
Thanks for all the suggestions, and I will certainly be working with a local group, but I want to get the research done before someone tries selling me something I don't need.
The previous owner actually hired someone to build and care for it, so unless I want to hire, I won't get much help there, and I'm a DIY kind of guy :)
I'll start that reef topic, and I LOVE the idea of the foam wall. Thanks for sharing!
 
jelly-shrimp

jelly-shrimp

Member
Originally Posted by Spanishearl
http:///forum/post/3128842
I noticed the same thing... lol
@Markw: I did a fair share of research into saltwater a year or so ago, then just as I was getting everything I would need for a 16g Hex, my Corydoras started breeding like they needed to repopulate the planet, and I put everything on hold to rear and sell the offspring.
Now as for a tank this size... well, that's why I'm here looking for answers and I'll be reading a whole lot over the next while. I want to make sure I'm looking in the right direction when it comes to what I'll need so as to not waste my time on something that would be useless to me. :)
Yeah our corys are friggin race-hourses when it comes to breeding...once every 3-4wks they lay about 80 eggs.... They usually become food for everybody else. We can't do anything about them. I raised 4 of em, they're in my 10gal. Which is converting to SW (yay) and they're migrating to a 45 (yay, starting 2 tanks at once). And I'm definately in. I'll watch you make my dream tank for me every step of the way!
 
spanishearl

spanishearl

New Member
Originally Posted by jelly-shrimp
http:///forum/post/3129458
Also by real, I think he/she means not PetSmart/*****...or else you'll get whoever the clerk of the day is.
I haven't touched a Petsmart for anything other than supplies in a Looooong time.... lol We have a couple fantastic aquarium shops here which are also members of the Aquarium Society here in Calgary that I chat with from time to time, but they still want to sell me their latest product, which is why I prefer to get the advise here, and research it to all heck. :)
 
V

vince-1961

Guest
+1 on everything everyone said, but double plus two on what Stanalee said.
Like you observed, you start by finding a location for the tank. You've already thought about the sheer weight involved (reinforcing structure of building if necessary). For example, is there a location where you can put all the noise-making plumbing systems in one room and watch the tank from another room? Having a work room is great! You can grow phytoplankton, put your QT in it, etc etc, all out of sight...your personal refugium from the world!
Now think about household plumbing. Every week from now on, you are going to be moving a lot of water into that tank from faucet, to RO unit, to pre-mixing container (i.e.- a place to dissolve the salt into the water), and finally to tank. That's a relatively slow process compared to moving water out of your tank, where the water will move at the speed of gravity. From tank to where? A drain leading to your public sewer or the ground? You'll need to design the household plumbing on paper. Design it for simplicity and ease of operation.
Next thing is the plumbing system for the tank itself. This is where I had the most fun. Basically, all you are doing here is moving water in a circle, from DT to sump and back. Along the way, the water must encounter skimmer, chiller, UV light, wavemakers, refugium, etc etc. Then inside the DT, you want to make sure that you got about 6,000 gallons per hour turnover for a reef tank or 3,000 gph for a FOWLR. You get to play with a sump pump, closed loop pumps and powerheads. Yipee! Again, design it all out on paper first. It's easier to build from scratch than to modify an existing system. You are lucky to have gotten a tank with holes already drilled into the back wall. That increases your options exponentially. You are going to becaome VERY familiar with with local Lowe,s or Home Deport or whereever has the best selection of plumbing supplies! (Remember to go outside to the garden pond section. That's where I found some great black flexible tubing for a lot less $ than what was being offered in the plumbing section.)
While thoughts of aquarium plumbing push the sugerplum fairies out of your dreams, you get to work cleaning that monster.
You're going to have so much fun!!!
===========================
PS- I just noticed that there are no braces on the top to hold the sides in once it is filled with water. That would worry me!
PPS - I also noticed that the previous owner reduced the 1" PVC drains down to 3/4" flexible tubing. I'd recommend keeping the larger ID (internal diameter) lines just because you will be moving large volumes of water.
 
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