Tanglovers 520g Build

[ReeferRob]

Very impressive and well thought out. It appears as though you will be able to skip using any other pumps for flow like the VT, but incase of a power outage what will be your fail safe?
The sea swirls in the corners are for return flow from the sump, what pump or pumps will you be using for the returns.
Do you find sea swirls to be dependable and reliable? I owned one once but it fried itself shortly after purchase. I've wanted to try another one but have been skeptical.
Also curious what you use to paint the PVC black? Is there any prep work involved such as sanding the pipe so that the paint stick better?

[tanglovers]

For painting the PVC I sanded it with 220grit sandpaper to rough it up then used Krylon Fusion paint. As long as you let it cure a miniumum of a week it is completely reef safe (at least that is what my research said). I am a little unsure of the long term results as I have heard mixed things about it chipping. Seems like if you prep it it does well. If this does not last, I will redo the pieces in schedule 80 grey.

For return pumps, I am using ATB FlowStar 1500s. Three of them total, 2 to feed the main tank and 1 to feed the back tanks that will eventually be plumbed together.

Sea swirls, I have never used them. I too have heard mixed results. From what I have gathered you need to make sure no XL snails or anything else block them. As long as they are unrestricted they can last for quite a while (been hearind 3-4 years). If I am not happy with these long term, they will be plumbed on unions and there will be a fixed 90 and bulkhead in the hole the sea swirl is currently using.

I am not planning on my closed loops being the only flow. It will be to start but I am planning on needing mroe flow as the corals mature. I am thinking either two MP60 vortechs or four MP40s on the ends. San jays 500 has a two dart closed loops and he has needed to add I think 4 or 5 MP40s to get enough flow to his mature coral colonies.

For a power outage, the tank will be monitored (not controlled) by an Apex to email / text me alerts. I currently have a generator here but it is not an autostart and would require running extension cords etc. In the spring, we are buying a larger generator and I am having an electrician wire in a transfer switch to make an easier generator hook up. It will be large enough to run all the fish tanks and the fridges/freezers. Not a whole house standby but something much easier to hook up and that anyone could do.

[tanglovers]

Update, pics to follow tomorrow if I get some time.

Closed loops are all done and plumbed in - two darts each with an Oceans Motions 4 ways. I used spa-flex for the longer runs and like the way it came out. I ran the long way around the tank and not across so there will not be any shadowing created.

Wendi has done some small changes to the aquascaping here and there, when I do not think it can get any better she seems to find a way to do so. I still can't beleive how awesome the aquascaping turned out.

I added the dry sand to the tank, it is about an inch and a half across the whole tank which so far equated to right about 400 lbs (dry). This was Carib Sea Special Sea Floor Grade.

Return plumbing is about 1/2 way done. The 1" sea swirls are mounted to the tank rim (drilled a 1.5" bulkhead hole to drop the nozzle down into the tank). I then removed all the plastic mounted hardware for the sea swirl and used some industrial velcro to hold it onto the euro-bracing. I also have all the UVs in place and the mechanical prefilters for each of them. This took quite a while to figure out a way that I could easily service them, remove them for cleaning and not have them take up a ton of room (there are 6 UVs and 3 mechanical filters). If all goes well the UVs will never even be turned on but I want them there incase needed.

All pressure lines (returns, closed loops) is plumbed in grey PVC and spaflex. The drain lines will all be in white PVC. Everything is also getting labeled when it is all done as well.

Tank background is all done, mix of paint (around the closed loop holes), acrylic on the outside of the aquarium (to allow me to look behind the rockwork) and the inside of the aquarium (to hide the external overflow box).

I think that is most of what I have accomplished, does not seem like much when I type it but I feel like I got a good amount done the last few days.

[Sir Patrick]

Pics!!!!!!!!!!!

[ReeferRob]

Sounds amazing, did you remember to scape away from the back wall so that you can service the plumbing and scrape the glass!?

[tanglovers]

There is no rock touching any of the side or back of the tank to allow for plumbing maintenance and algae cleaning. Behind the rockwork there is roughly 4" not touching anything, on the sides is 4-6" and across the front there is 8"+ for the most part. This is to give the illusion of the reef sitting back away from the tank and allow for lots of swim space for the numerous fish this tank will hold....

[tanglovers]

Well after much delay (from posting online), here is an update.

Tank is filled with saltwater, took I think 6 days (maybe 7 lost track), there are no leaks in the plumbing and the tank is cycling. I have the return pumps and the closed loop pumps running. Getting real nice flow in the tank, once corals are added and start to grow out I am sure more flow will be needed but I figured that from the start. The two dart closed loops were not designed to be the exclusive flow long term.

Rocks were all mortored while still dry using the mix from Marco Rocks, thi stuff worked great and I would highly recommend. There is about 350-400lbs of dry sand in the tank and comes out being around 1-1.5" thick.

All drain plumbing is done in white PCV while all feed and pressure lines are done in gray PVC (still schedule 40).

Here are some pics:

Right Side of Tank:



Left Side of Tank:



Back Shot of Closed Loop Pumps:



Return Plumbing (bad shot but the best I can do until the fish holding system is moved):



Top Shot Of Closed Loop Plumbing:

[tanglovers]

Still to do:

- Mount lighting over tank and figure out exact spacing
- Setup calcium reactor
- Setup auto top off and figure out which reservior I will be using
- Paint a set of 90s for the front closed loop returns (had to redo these - lower them down some - so gray ones are in short term)
- Dose Prodibio to hopefully speed up the cycle
- I am sore more I am forgetting at the moment

[Sir Patrick]

Nice and clean look! Very nice.

[ReeferRob]

Absolutely awesome stuff . I am truly jealous.

I've been wanting to play with the stuff from Marco for a while, does it dry and cure quickly?