270 Gallon Advance Acrylics Build (1 Viewer)

[krjackso]

Hey Everyone,

I figured it was time for me to start a build thread here and document the process of my new tank build. I have been keeping reef tanks for 8+ years and have always come to forums for inspiration and creative ideas. With that said, I will be probing the community for commentary and creative thinking and assistance on my newest endeavor, a 270 gallon acrylic tank from Advance Acrylics (72 x 34 x 25). This will be my first experience with an acrylic tank, but decided the clarity, longevity, and aesthetics of rounded corners to be worth giving it a shot. And yes, I am aware that acrylic scratches easy, so if you don't mind, please keep the negativity to a minimum and maybe turn it to accident mitigation and constructive help. The impetus for this tank is really 3 fold. First, everyone wants a bigger tank than what they have. Secondly, my current setup is a little crammed up against the wall and access to cleaning and organization has been a nightmare. And finally, with my fair share of minor "water on the floor" accidents, the lady friend was sick of the soaked carpet, so we are tiling the fish room. Everyone knows the rule, tank comes down, larger one must go up. I was warned not to put a tank on carpet, but proceeded thinking I won't spill any water, yeah right!

I still will not have the dedicated fish equipment room I have always wanted, but will leave some self those extra couple of inches to get behind the tank this time and also the new stand should provide some more room. The stand will be fabricated out of steel (still looking for a builder) and I would love the skin to mirror my old stand, cause I loved it so much. John at Advance Acrylics will also be making me a 135 gallon custom sump. Equipment list is as follows...

Lighting- 2 x AI Sol Blues and 2 x 250w Aquatic Reflection LED modules
Skimmer- Alpha Vertex 200
Filtration- NextReef SMR1 EcoBak Reactor, BRS Carbon Reactor
Returns- 2 x Eheim 1262
Flow- 2 x MP40es and a MP60es if I can hear one in person first
Supplementation- for now 3 BRS dosing pumps, but want an GEO 624

Now for a few quick shots of my current setup, a 185 gallon starphire beauty (60x24x30) that will be replaced when my new tank arrives in early to mid August. I too am a picture junky and will do my best to keep them coming. Thanks for looking and wish me luck...

my first reef. a 55 gallon...

my new home and the fish room was born. This is the entry way to my home, so it is literally the first thing you see when you walk in. I love that...

the 185...

I am starting to think I might need to invest in a decent camera to properly document this whole thing. Oh well, thanks for looking. More to come.

 

[flexrac]

your camera is fine, just put more light in the room and you will have great picks, and by the time your system is ready for sps, xmas should be here and you can treat yourself or get treated to a nikon d5100, handles hd video and pics.

are you having the stand built?

 

[krjackso]

yea I have heard great things bout those Nikons. And yea I am still looking for someone to fabricate a steel stand for me. Getting to crunch time. After that I am gonna be looking for someone to help build a top notch beautiful skin for it.

 

[Copingsaw]

Good luck, will be following. Your current stand looks fantastic. Can't see enough of the tank itself to comment on that.

 

[krjackso]

here a couple shots of my current setup...

 

[flexrac]

very nice! so your just going to do a transfer? that part will suck, is the new tank going in a diff location from the current?

 

[krjackso]

Ah you see my trouble now. The new tank will be going where the existing one stands. To add to the trouble, the floors are being redone Thursday! So old tank comes down, reset in the kitchen to hold everything til the new tank gets here and gets cycled. Then the final transfer. It's gonna be a fun 2-3 months! Ha!

 

[flexrac]

how about getting a large rubbermaid and setting everything up in there, then do the transfer, this way you have one less transfer to do and you will have the room to work. just keep up with water changes and you should be able to still skim.

 

[krjackso]

Since the floors are being redone, eveything has to come out of the room, but yes rubbermaid bins, frag tanks, RO tanks, buckets, and towels will abound. All goes in those temporarily, tank gets moved and reset for the 2-3 month wait. (just 15 feet away in another room)

 

[krjackso]

so the last 48 hours have been pretty hectic. Tank came down Wednesday night. Started at 5pm and was done pulling the last rock and fish around 3am. Everything went into the adjacent kitchen. I had 2 x 29 gallons and a 45 gallon for fish and coral. 2 x 20 gallon containers for liverock. 2 x 44 gallon brutes for fresh water makeup and about 6 5 gallon buckets. Long night. Pic of the not so happy girlfriend to what I did to our kitchen.

The next morning the flooring guy showed up and we moved the tank into the kitchen. Spent the last 36 hours trying to put it all back together sans the majority of the liverock. After a few hours of scraping coraline. Man I hate this stuff. I am going to try and re-dedicate myself to staying on top of it, especially with the new tank being acrylic and all.

and here boys and girls is why you should never put an aquarium on carpet!!!

and finally the floor is tiled...very happy with it.

Now onto the planning of the next one...

 

[flexrac]

that was fast work. looks great!

 

[tmgrash]

Wow what a pain. I got the nikon d5000 this year and love it.

 

[krjackso]

thanks Felix

and yes, it was a PAIN!

but on to the future. let some of the new toys start coming in...

300+ lbs of Topic Eden Reef Flakes

Couple AI Sol Super Blues to add to the mix

and an Avast Marine Swabbie Self Cleaning Skimmer Lid (gotta love the American flag)

 

[GAW]

Did the carpet smell at all? Look like its going to be a nice build!

Also did you get the Tropic Eden local?

 

[krjackso]

Did the carpet smell at all? Look like its going to be a nice build!

Honestly, no it really didn't. Suppose it was competing with the smell of 200+ gallons of saltwater and rock. Glad it's gone though. And thanks, I am trying to plan out as much as possible in every aspect before I proceed.

 

[flexrac]

300lbs, hmm 4inch sandbed correct?
that would be 6 inches in my tank.
do you mind me asking your cost on the flakes?

 

[krjackso]

well according to RC's sand bed calculator, around 2.4 inch sand bed.

and yea I got the sand from Premium Aquatics. As far as I know that's the only place that carries it. $30 per 30lb bag.

 

[flexrac]

yeah i went there after i asked. dennis has 40pound bags of aragonite sand for a few more bucks, i think i will get that.

 

[krjackso]

need some thoughts and ideas here. I am trying to determine the return plumbing scheme. I will have 2x Eheim 1262's for returns. I suppose I have 3 options. Looking for feedback from those that have used these and or can offer insights.

1) drill the external box for 2x 1" bulkheads (in addition to the 3 x 1.5" for drains) and run the 1" return lines up through the box and use locline to come over a cutout in the teeth to the tank
*this is probably the cleanest and first option, but my real concern is the added pressure on the external overflow box that will have QUITE a bit of weight from the other three drains with valves and all, although supported. I understand that of the whole tank, the box is probably the weakest point.

2) I could just simply run the lines over the back of the tank and eurobracing,
* but this would be fairly sloppy and not very sturdy IMO

3) I could have holes drilled in the eurobracing running across the back and run the lines down through there
* would take up a good bit of real estate along the back and may cause trouble for canopy placement and cleaning
example

what to do?

 

[flexrac]

Can your drains and sump handle the flow?
Why not just one return pump? I am not a fan of dual return pumps, i think they are a recipe for failure and flooding. But in case the drains could handle it.
I see nothing wrong with returning through the overflow.
If you are worried about the stress from the pipes, you bolt them to the stand to reduce the stress/weight.
Nice looking tank.