Marty's 180g [My Elusive Shrimp]

Powder blue tang, blue sapphire damsel and 3 bangghai cardibals. Assorted crabs and snails.

 

First off WOW. Just spent the last two hours reading through all the updates, notes and pictures. Amazing work and GREAT job. I learned some stuff from your build and plan to keep that in mind if(when) I upgrade my current 60 gal tank.


Couple of questions from a home theater enthusiast:

• How are you going to block light from the tank when you're watching a movie. That large a tank, even with the moon light LEDs on will still make quite a glare on the TV.
• Are you concerned about the sound at loud volumes stressing out your fish? I would imagine low frequencies (below 60 Hz) would have some detrimental effects over time. The sound is just going to be amplified in that tank.
• Additionally, how are you stopping sound from the tank/sump room? That white noise albeit a relaxing noise can really effect the sound of a movie. Specifically the rear channels, which often have the ambient sounds for a movie. The gurgling and water movement make quite a bit of noise I assume.
• What are you running for your home theater setup?

Now fish/setup questions:

• Did you put your invertebrates through a QT process?
• How accessible is that RO/DI system when filters need to be replaced?
• What color did you end up going with on the back of your tank?
• What are you using for your CUC?

Care to share any of the numbers on this build as far as costs, initial budget etc.? I ask this because my initial budget to get into this 60 tank was somewhere around $2k all said and done. Three months in that budget has nearly been tripled to do it 'right' vs just doing it. I had a couple set backs that needed to be redone too, which added to the cost. I knew I would be perpetually dissatisfied if I didn't get reef 'system' (its way bigger than a tank) setup and running correctly. By the looks of what you've accomplished along with all of the preventative measures you're of the same ilk. How much needed to be replaned/redone etc. or did you really get it this 'right' out of the chute? If you did, MAD props bro. I hope to some day have the foresight to be as effective as what you've accomplished. Hat's off my good man.[SUB] [insert emoticon of gentleman tipping his hat][/SUB]

 

First off, thanks for the kind words, I'm glad my little diary helped you out in some small way.

The tank is 90 degree from the tv so no direct glare will occur. Now there is some ambient light, but since we usually settle in with a movie during the sunset period, the ambient light is reduced greatly.

We hopefully addressed this with a multi pronged attack.

1. The tank stand is standing on a thick slab of concrete.
2. The wall is insulated
3. There is a layer of plywood and sheet rock to stiffen the wall.
4. The reverse side of the wall is also sheet rocked.
5. The sound system is sitting on pedestals to damped vibration transferred to the ground.
6. Everything is aimed at the rear corner of the room, almost opposite the fish tank.
7. We keep the volume a respectable level

I monitored the fish last night while watching an action movie and they did not seem to be bothered by the sounds, I could have swore my Tang was watching some scenes. lol

With all sounds off in the movie room it is quiet as a church mouse in the movie room. See above, the sump is underneath the tank in a completely shrouded enclosure. The door to the room also is a solid wood door, not the typical hollow interior door. That was done with intent. It really helps.

The TV is a Samsung 58" plasma and the sound system in a samsung surround sound with dolby 7.1.

1. I did not go the route of QTing the inverts, I know this is not ideal, but I didn't want to run the risk of QTing them where I have used cupramine. I got a bunch of pod hitchhikers from the CuC though, so me happy. No worms spotted yet though.
2. The ceiling in the room is low since we raised the floor so access the filters mounted above the window is relatively easy.
3. I bought a sheet of opaque blue acrylic from tap plastics, but have not installed it yet, still trying to figure a mounting method that allows removal for rear tank viewing should it be required.
Translucent and Opaque Colored Acrylic Sheets : TAP Plastics
4. My rough list (from the noodle) is as follows:

5 emerald crabs
30 small hermit crabs
10 large hermits (extra shells added)
40 small nasaurus snails (sp?)
10 large nasaurus snails
5 limpets
2 turbo snails
1 margarita snail
1 sand sifting star

Thanks again for the compliments we have put our heart and soul into this build. Since this was all part of a laundry room/theater room remodel the costs are quite nasty, probably in the neighborhood of $15-20k :-[. The old office and laundry room were completely gutted, plumbing replaced, floor replaced, all new wiring, new sub-panel in garage, new insulation, drywall. It was way more intensive then a normal build would be, but I had to split the room with the wife.

I would guesstimate for the fish specific gear I have spent around $3500.

Hope this will help you!

 

Here is a diagram of my sump plumbing. Everything is running smoothly. I have not installed my ATO yet, that should be done today. I'm also installing some chaeto and a reverse light this afternoon.

 

Nice!
Finally huh?!

It looks like your fuge is fed from your overflow vs feeding it with a line from the return pump???

 

Yeah, I wanted about 25% of my overflow water to be directed through the fuge. It was a little fast so I added a ball valve to regulate the flow even further.

Still trying to dial it is to get some air out of the overflow.

 

Looks really, really nice Marty! Your movie room sounds completely awesome!

 

I'll be the one to accost you and say that it should be supplied from a tee (and valve) from your return pump, not from the overflow.

 

I think an argument can be made to use an overflow supply. If the macro feeds off of nitrates and phos, shouldn't I supply it before it gets skimmed off? If I see any detritus in there I can always drop in some hermits.

 

Murphy's law. Subsection 277.58c
All overflows and drains should be run at maximum capacity.

The argument for using preskimmed water is valid. How much so is the debate.

You'd be better served by buying a small pump like a MJ400 or 600 to bring the water to your fuge from the skimmer side.

You've been warned! :smartass2