Need Advice For 300g Dream Tank Build

[PapaDragon]

I just finished my masters and a reward I promised myself was that I would finally get my 300g DD aquarium. I currently have a 150g, but it is very narrow. In my opinion everything looks two dimensional and I'm just annoyed with it. Also I bought it and the stand used and didn't adequately consider the height of the stand. I'm in a wheelchair and my stand is way too tall for me to comfortably see my corals. I have to have someone take a picture for me to see the corals near the top of my tank and I have to have pictures for things on the sand bed too.

Now here is the question :

Who would you recommend for a tank that is roughly 72x36x28 and deliver it to me? Who would you recommend for a custom stand?

I wish I could say cost is not a consideration, but it is. Here are a few things I'd like to have, but these are more optional goodies:

• starphire glass on front and sides
• ghost overflow

I've been planning this for a long time so I've already started the plans to move everything that normally goes under the stand into my garage. Luckily the wall that the aquarium is against is the garage wall. Having everything in the garage is going to make everything so much easier for me.

Any advice or recommendations are appreciated.

[Coach]

I know it is a little bit of a drive for you, but we have a 300 DD tank at school. I think that the stand is a little low for observing while standing, but is great for sitting. Why don't you come out some time and "try it on for size"? School starts shortly and things will get hectic, but until then my time is flexible. Also, we are wheel chair accessible.

As for which vendor to go with, I will leave that to others; however, the 300 DD is a standard tank, so you shouldn't have to go custom.

Coach

[Coach]

Oh, Congratulations on finishing your masters!

[PapaDragon]

Thank you Coach!

I'm actually driving out to Melbourne tomorrow to talk to a person about a Preowned Marineland 300 Gallon Deep Dimension. My major concern is that it is 4 years old so I'm concerned about the seals and scratches. It is dry right now so I should be able to see any obvious problems, but I can't be sure without filling it with water. Anyone know if it is difficult to reseal a tank?

I would love to get a look at your tank and stand. I'll contact you soon to set something up.

[ccampo]

During the Space Coast Reef Conference over in Melbourne there was always a guy/vendor who build custom stands for tanks, in fact, any woodwork, from cabinets to any custom woodwork and the pictures he was showing were wonderful, I lost his business card but maybe someone know who I am talking about and still have his contact info.
As for who to contact for a tank and deliver it to your house you can talk to http://lookingglass-aquariums.com , they used to be ORCA sponsors so I'm sure if you talk to them they will still give you some discounts.
I bought my 120g tank thru them and they delivered to my house and even offered their help to set it up.

[ccampo]

Ohhh I also forget :
Congratulations on your masters degree.

[PapaDragon]

Ohhh I also forget :
Congratulations on your masters degree.

Thank you!

Do you know if looking glass has a show room? I can't find an address on their site.

[Jim28fl]

Congratulations on your masters.. great work.
Please also feel free to come to see me at my place for some ideas. I have a 300 DD in the garage. I'll pm you my address. Wheel chair friendly and I will give your PLAN a run for its money. I highly suggest fish room type space, and put that tank where you can see it/ work on it. Even if that means 10-15 inches off the floor on a short stand. And only 20 inches deep/ maybe 36 wide 8 feet long ish. The thing I regret the most on the systems here "there are five", is making it hard for me to get in there n tinker with my corals n fish n filters n stuff easily. So far there all second hand tanks but if i did one from scratch, all what i'd like, Equipment goes in a fish room, tank is at a level i can reach n see everything by walking around it, no stairs no ladders no awkward reaches. Thats always where things fall every time of course. I get most frustrated when i can't get to the things i need to effectively. even equipment wise. if you have to move three things to get the skimmer cup out you don't clean it like you should.

I'd also suggest REEFERS DIRECT. They have a great new tank guy working/building for them down there, making good quality starfire stuff, and a stand set up source that are all metal/ aluminum, that is very flexible hight wise n so forth for your concept. If you have a budget, then I could also help with some suggestions there based on what I'm doing here.. i highly highly suggest "LIFEREEF" for the running gear. SUMP SKIMMER AND SO FORTH. I can't think of a better option for filtration n water management. I love mine and would never try n get a sump anywhere else. There just too important and have to work right. If you plan to place it in the garage then he can build it very effectively for you as well for maintenance. JEFF IS GREAT and awesome to talk to!

[PapaDragon]

Congratulations on your masters.. great work.
Please also feel free to come to see me at my place for some ideas. I have a 300 DD in the garage. I'll pm you my address. Wheel chair friendly and I will give your PLAN a run for its money. I highly suggest fish room type space, and put that tank where you can see it/ work on it. Even if that means 10-15 inches off the floor on a short stand. And only 20 inches deep/ maybe 36 wide 8 feet long ish. The thing I regret the most on the systems here "there are five", is making it hard for me to get in there n tinker with my corals n fish n filters n stuff easily. So far there all second hand tanks but if i did one from scratch, all what i'd like, Equipment goes in a fish room, tank is at a level i can reach n see everything by walking around it, no stairs no ladders no awkward reaches. Thats always where things fall every time of course. I get most frustrated when i can't get to the things i need to effectively. even equipment wise. if you have to move three things to get the skimmer cup out you don't clean it like you should.

I'd also suggest REEFERS DIRECT. They have a great new tank guy working/building for them down there, making good quality starfire stuff, and a stand set up source that are all metal/ aluminum, that is very flexible hight wise n so forth for your concept. If you have a budget, then I could also help with some suggestions there based on what I'm doing here.. i highly highly suggest "LIFEREEF" for the running gear. SUMP SKIMMER AND SO FORTH. I can't think of a better option for filtration n water management. I love mine and would never try n get a sump anywhere else. There just too important and have to work right. If you plan to place it in the garage then he can build it very effectively for you as well for maintenance. JEFF IS GREAT and awesome to talk to!

This is exactly why even though I can't make it to many of the meetings I still consider it a privilege to be an ORCA member. You guys are incredible. I can't thank all of you enough for the advice and sharing your knowledge with me.

I would love to see your garage setup! So far I've pretty much been planning the transition by myself when I wasn't working or studying. I'll send you a PM so we can set something up.

I am planning on doing this in a few phases:

First, I've already been purchasing equipment for the move over the past year or so. Most of the equipment on my 150g will go on the new system. I bought an external skimmer, new sump (haven't even used it yet), got kessil 360WE's, I have two of the new mp40's, an apex, and a bunch of other things. My goal is to get things on sale or used whenever I see a deal so I won't get pressured into wasting money on equipment I know I'm going to replace.

Second, I'm going to get the garage setup and working with my 150g. This again will help me figure out what I need before I get the new tank. I'm also hoping that once I do pick the new tank all I'll have to do is disconnect the 150g and slide in the new one. Some things I want to do in the garage is get a 20 amp GFI circuit and some outlets installed and a sink (a sink is optional right now). One of my friends from work is going to help with running the plumbing into the garage from my 150g. My guess is I'll have to run with the 150g for awhile to understand the short comings in my configuration.

Finally, I pick my new tank and stand. Have a party where all my ORCA friends come over and see the results.

[Jim28fl]

I learned a lesson with my first sump set up. Any lines running horizontal really need to be upsised. For example what fits down one bean animal full siphon 1" line dropping 44 inches to the sump at 1/3 full flow could not gravity feed thru three full open one inch lines to a second chamber in the sump. I honestly need like two three inch holes to get water from one sump area/compartment to another second container 2 inches away which was on the other side of a center support under the tank.

I have found this true in other layouts as well. running water around in circles is very costly to flow and head pressure. Keep the lines as short as humanly possible especially on the head side. Soft pipe is the way to go. for quiet and for max flow and adjustability. I like the way hard pipe looks but after my first set up i always use soft pipe now on everything. and always go one side bigger not he pump i end up thinking i need. I have never had a water pump that flowed too much water and i couldn't manage it.

YOU can look me up on YOU TUBE as jim28fl and see several segments on my first 100 gal FW tank system which i set up to some day be a SW system if i wanted. complete with bean animal and coast to coast over flow and auto feed shut down valves. It was fun and I learned alot about drilling and acrylic, building sumps n what works. Now i let lifereef do it honestly.