FoD's Future 225 Gallon Build

Here is my plan for my upgrade that will begin in the next few months. I will be getting a custom 225 Gallon Acrylic Tank from Tenecor. It will be blacked out on the sides and back, and will be encased in a 8’ tall and just under 10’ wide cabinet. I have been tinkering with Google Sketchup, and have 3D renderings of my build. It brought me back to my years with CAD software. This program is great, less complicated than CAD, and best of all, it’s free. I don’t have any of the equipment or the tank yet, as I will be moving soon (possibly in 2 weeks, or could be as long as a few months), and am waiting until then. But, enjoy the pictures, and get ready for a fun build to come.

The DT: 225 Gallon – 72” L x 30” W x 24” Tall
The Sump: 75 Gallon – 48” L x 18” W x 21” Tall





I will be trying something new, using a 1” drain line toward the bottom left, I will plumb a line to the front of the cabinet, with a gate valve, for easy draining for water changes. I will be using a 29 Gallon tank below as a water change holding tank with newly mixed water. It will pump to the top left hole. And viola, no more syphon/tube into bucket routine. The four other holes with be return lines from a ReeFlo Super Dart Gold pump. The overflow, from Glass-Holes.com, is the Dart box, with twin 2” lines. They will feed into the sump, passing through 2 Filter Socks, and a section full of Live Rock Rubble, then into the Skimmer/Reactor section, and finally back to the DT. I will be running Bio Pellets, and will opt to not have a fuge. Skimmer is undecided as of now.





I rendered the drawings of the stand with 2x4’s, but will most likely build the stand out of 2x6’s (only under the DT). The side cabinets will be framed using 2x4. It will be built in four different sections, and then assembled. The first section will be the Stand, then the two Side Cabinets, and finally the Canopy. The Left Side Cabinet will be used to house the Water Change 29 Gallon Tank, my Electrical Panel above, and Dosing Equipment. The Right Side Cabinet will house the 29 Gallon QT Tank, a Mini Fridge above that, and Supplements/Testing Equipment, and General Storage. I left both sides of the tank open (though they will be black acrylic to not bleed light in/out) for Vortech Pump accessibility. I plan on running 2 MP40’s and 2 MP10’s.








Now onto the lighting aspect…As of right now, I will be going with a mixture of BoostLED Par 30’s and the new Orphek PR-25’s. I have arranged them oddly as you can see in the picture, but it will be the best solution for how I plan to scape. Since all reports of the Orphek Lights are stating a more spread light, I used 6 of these spaced across the entire aquarium. Then, I strategically placed 3 BoostLED Par 30’s, which have a spotlighting effect, above the areas of my main rock concentrations. This will all be installed on three 48” Track Lighting strips, independently controlled. I will separate the electronics with a sheet of wood, with holes cutout, and covered with 6” Can Light Trims. 6 Exhaust Fans will be cut into the top of the cabinet. After getting all of this setup, I will be able to finalize a height for the lights. I didn’t go overboard with the lighting, mainly due to the fact that I will be housing only a few specimens of SPS, and they will be under the spotlighting.












I am eying a timetable of this time next year to have everything running. As soon as I am settled in my new place, I will get some dry rock and start scaping, then put it into a 150 Gallon Rubbermaid Stock Tank….let it sit and grow all the little life it can. A seamless transfer will allow me to start stocking once all is built.


[FONT=&quot]That is my plan for now. After the move I will start accumulating equipment. I want to have everything purchased and set-up before mixing salt…unlike I did with my last build. Too many changes has caused a plethora of problems and bumps in the road.

Comments are welcome and appreciated.
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SWWEEEETTT~!!!!!\

Will surely be following this one!!!

 

I definitely will be following this FOD.

 

I'm jealous. This is going to be awesome, for sure. What corals will you have in here? Mixed/ LPS & softies mainly?

 

Subscribed.

 

Yes...mainly LPS. I like LPS more than SPS. Like I said above, a few SPS will make it into the mix, but it will be LPS dominated.

 

Lordy, that looks super sweet FOD, love your diagrams, can't wait to see it progress!

 

I have an updated version of the design, with all elements incorporated now.

 

I must be psychic. I see an empty wallet in your future.;D

That is an incredible design. This should be something to tune in to, for sure. (Required Reading For All 3reef Members).

Please, get me a Naso, and keep it at your place!

 

Well the best part about this build is that I have time to accumulate the equipment. I will be moving soon, so I will save the tank and building of the stand until I am settled. Plus, selling my current 84 Gallon minus my keepers (fish/coral/ATO/RKL) should net me some good cash to grab the tank. I will update this as I collect.