Setting up 4 tanks at home. 600 gallons. Computer Automated.

michaelchunn

michaelchunn

New Member
I'm setting up 4 tanks at home and need advise on the steps I should take in accomplishing this feat.
The tanks are being moved from a local business. One 300 gallon tank and three 90 gallon tanks.
The tanks have live rock and some fish.
I want to setup a central area in my garage for the water filtering, skimming, etc.
I want this system to be as automated as possible. I have the ability to write software that will read sensors and control valves.
I'm missing the knowledge of what all I should be monitoring and how to effect the things I'm monitoring.
For example to maintain the proper PH I would like to read the PH value and then adjust this up or down if necessary. Same goes for other things I need to control. Nitrite, Nitrate, Calcium??
The first thing I need to do is take down the tanks. Until I have the setup at home finished what do I need to do with the live rock? I can put the fish in a 90 gallon tank I currently have at home.
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
Take out all the fish and put them in your 90g.
Buy a few rubbermaid bins and pumps. Mix saltwater in the bins and put all of the live rock in it. If you have some sort of light that you can put over the rock for a little while, that would be great.
There's already an Aqua Controler III by Neptune Systems that is already out, that will monitor pH, ORP, temp, calcium, phosphate, alkalinity. It will also control all of your lighting needs as well. It also send an e-mail and calls your phone incase something is wrong with your tank. You can hook it up to a computer and get steady readouts from it on a daily basis. It's pretty cool.
As for an automatic dosing system for calcium and alkalinity, get a Calcium Reactor. For phosphate control, get a phosphate reactor. For topping off your aquariums on your central sump, you need some sort of double float valve setup.
For water changes, get a couple of 55 gallon barrels and put bulkhead drains on them. If you really want to get technical with constant water changes, you can look into a Dailyses Unit. (sp?) All you have to do is mix up an extremely salty mix, and your unit will do continuous water changes on your system.
For autofeeding your corals, you can look into a thread by SantaMonica which uses a wine cooler and some medical supplies to dose 1ml of phyto/roti blends every so often.
If all of your tanks are drilled, it's easier, if they aren't - then you have to use external overflow boxes. How far away are the tanks going to be from the sump in your garage? I suggest buying a horse trough from a "Farm and Feed" store. The trough should be about 200 gallons, and run half full. I suggest looking into possibly a small jacuzzi pump. It has the power and head pressure to run all four systems on one sump. I also suggest that when you hook up all of your equipment and what not that you have at least 3 (maybe even 4) 20 amp circuit breakers.
For a protein skimmer for this beast of a system, try Spazz's Volcano skimmers. Though, the last time that I talked to him, he said that he stopped making them. If he doesn't make them anymore, then try to get the absolute largest skimmer that you can afford.
For additional filtration on this system, you are most likely going to need a large refugium in your garage as well, something like a 100g long. Put some cheapo $7 clip on lights from wal-mart and grow caulerpa or chaetomorpha alga in it.
For even more additional filtration, you may want to look into a turf algae scrubber for that large sump of yours to drain into. SantaMonica has a great thread on that. Though, turf algae scrubbers need once a week maintenance.
If you can, put a drain hole in your garage for leaks and spills. Also, try to put a water line into your garage if you don't already. This is for your RO/DI unit to run. RO/DI water is essential (for the most part) for long term healthy aquariums. (You can plumb your RO Unit directly to a float valve on your sump, float valve onto your water change buckets etc.
Nothing though - NOTHING is fully automated in aquaria. You will need to replace your filter media, carbon, check to make sure your pumps are clean and working properly. You will need to change your light bulbs occasionally, and you will need to most likely clean your live rock off with a turkey baster every now and then.
If you are interested, I have a concept that I am working on for my new house, when I get my large tank. Diagrams and what-not. E-mail: SnakeBlitz33@gmail.com
 
michaelchunn

michaelchunn

New Member
Thanks for the help. Anyone know where I can get an Aqua Controller? I have checked ***********.com and other places and they are out of stock.
 
U

usirchchris

Guest
Google it and I am sure it will pop up amongst those that carry it. Welcome
...sounds like you are going to have your hands full. Take pictures
.
 
E

eric b 125

Guest
welcome to the boards! yeah, it definatley sounds like you're going to be busy for a while. keep us updated, this sounds like a really cool project.
 
wildjosh

wildjosh

Member
You have to make a photo journal of this build, I have to see how you do it. I have thought about making an automated system before so I am very interested.
 
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