Steve's sunlit outside build

Introduction:

Will be a 6 tank modular system sunlight will provide most of the systems light requirements (supplementing with MH when required)

System Objectives: Propagation SPS and mixed reef

System Type: SPS, Mixed Reef, in the main 4x4x2 with very minimal live rock all live rock in this part of the tank will come from natural limestone carved into the shape I want, Zoa in the 2x2x18inch and Morphs Rhodactis & Ricordia in the other 2x2x18inch

Display System:

Strike up Date: Main tank delivery date11/11/2009 all other tanks are onsite apart from the emergency overflow rubber maid tank.

Display Tank: 4x4x2 BB + 2x 2x2x18.

Display Lighting: Natural Sunlight supplemented by 3x 250w MH Lumenbright reflectors on a light movement rail .

Stand: Limestone and steel.

Hood: Nil.

Sump: 4 sumps 2x 3x2x18 one will hold a DSB the other a fuge & live rock 1x 3x2x2 will hold skimmer return pump etc 1x 500 liter rubber maid for emergency overflow with it’s own pump on a float (several pumps).

Refugium & DSB: 2x 3x2x18 the fuge will be ½ Macro Alage and live rock (I plan to keep Mantis and crab in this section).

Refugium Lighting: Natural Sunlight


Support systems:

System Water: NSW stored in 10 220 liter drums which can be plumbed into the system if need be . Automatic water change system 20 liters per day plumed straight into a drain.

Display Water circulation: 6 x Vortech MP40W + 16000 Laguna Maxi Flow each frag tank will have 2x 6000 Seio.

Return Pump:16000 liter Laguna Maxi flow obtained second hand.

Skimmer: SWC 300A Purchased from Luke at http://www.shop.reeffiltration.com/p...9&categoryId=1

Evaporation Top Up: RO water top up


Chemical Support:

Calcium Addition: RO Calfusion 2600 2x

Other Chemical Maintenance: RO Calfusion 2600 2x

Everything will be plumed into a drain system making it easier to do water changes and empty the skimmer etc.

Images:

The modular system

Each tank can be bypassed by simply opening or closing a valve without impacting upon the rest of the system there will be 12 valves in the system. All pipe work is 40mm 2 legs will feed the 2 frag tanks the other leg will feed the DSB & Fuge. My existing 3x2x2.5 will become a fish QT tank.



The fish room

East, West orientation ½ of the 6x4x2.7 meter shed will be roofed in clear polycarbonate as will one wall Winter it gets 5 hours of sunlight Summer 9 hours. Shed is being built this week by yours trully.



The main tank

4x4x2 custom built by Vebas a LFS here in Perth all tanks in this system where built by Vebas I have to say they have been great we have been talking and planning this system for a year or more and nothing has been to hard for Pacco and his crew and I don’t think I could have accomplished it at the current cost with out Vebas



2 Frag tanks



The Skimmer



The Chiller

Obtained from Vebas along with 2 Vortechs and a battery backup to supplement the 2 I already have 4 in total another 2 to come.



Me putting the fish room\shed together (no doubt a few one liners could be dropped)




Cheers

I find it ironic that you can spend $10,000 on getting this system up and running and yet you drink Jim Beam instead of better whiskey. Haha!

Really, I'm extremely jealous. This looks like such a fun build. I wish I lived in a climate that allowed this sort of project.

Is this for a business? Are you worried about Predation?

Hey pass the Jim Bean!!

Very cool beginning!!!! I see your in Perth, whats the average temp in your parts. Would love to do something like that here but the temp swings too far north and south to do it.

Love that 4x4 tank!!

You got those black, orange tipped clamps from the dollar store didn't you?

Alright!! Great project. Cant wait to see this develop. Ill be watching for sure.

Best of luck.

That looks awesome! I've always wanted to set up a coral greenhouse. One tip I have is that from what I've heard about others doing this, SPS doesn't seem to grow very well only using sunlight, so you'll probably have to run MH in addition to sunlight. However, softies and LPS do well in just sunlight. Maybe it's because the plastic roof diffuses too much light or the walls block some out, I don't know. You'd think they'd grow in only sunlight since they do it in nature.???

First of all Steve and what a welcome it is! This is an incredible project that all of us on the east cost (US) are extremely jealous of! Can't wait to see the progress on this...so 'ya have to keep us posted with pics!

Steve. It's great to see another Aussie on this forum Fantastic project mate.

I missed it but where are you at.. Love the idea.. Thanks for sharing.. system that large you can probably make a good portion of the live rock,, saving a little money..

edit

Originally Posted by RCA

I find it ironic that you can spend $10,000 on getting this system up and running and yet you drink Jim Beam instead of better whiskey. Haha!

Really, I'm extremely jealous. This looks like such a fun build. I wish I lived in a climate that allowed this sort of project.

Is this for a business? Are you worried about Predation?

With shed and slab it is pretty close to about $15K just for a hobby no business

Originally Posted by billrob71

Hey pass the Jim Bean!!

Very cool beginning!!!! I see your in Perth, whats the average temp in your parts. Would love to do something like that here but the temp swings too far north and south to do it.

Love that 4x4 tank!!

Cheers it has been pretty fun so far. We also get pretty big temp swings 13 degrees Celcius in winter 45 in Summer.

Originally Posted by IanH

You got those black, orange tipped clamps from the dollar store didn't you?

Shhhh don't tell anyone

Originally Posted by chris&barb

Alright!! Great project. Cant wait to see this develop. Ill be watching for sure.

Best of luck.

Cheers

Originally Posted by spinycheek

That looks awesome! I've always wanted to set up a coral greenhouse. One tip I have is that from what I've heard about others doing this, SPS doesn't seem to grow very well only using sunlight, so you'll probably have to run MH in addition to sunlight. However, softies and LPS do well in just sunlight. Maybe it's because the plastic roof diffuses too much light or the walls block some out, I don't know. You'd think they'd grow in only sunlight since they do it in nature.???

Yeah we will be supplementing the sunlight when needed with 3 x 250W MH Lumenbright reflectors on a light movement rail.

Originally Posted by Barbara

First of all Steve and what a welcome it is! This is an incredible project that all of us on the east cost (US) are extremely jealous of! Can't wait to see the progress on this...so 'ya have to keep us posted with pics!

Cheers

Originally Posted by ozzie

Steve. It's great to see another Aussie on this forum Fantastic project mate.

Yeah I have grown pretty tired of RTAW and some of their crap over there so this looks like a good place discuss SPS and the hobby in general.

Originally Posted by 1000

I missed it but where are you at.. Love the idea.. Thanks for sharing.. system that large you can probably make a good portion of the live rock,, saving a little money..

I am in Perth Western Australia there will be minimal liverock in the big tank and the rock that will be in there will be carved from natural limestone (which we have an abundance of in WA) the fuge will be seperated into 2 sections and one section will hold 100kg of very mature liverok from my current display

Cheers guys a quick picture all the areas outlined in red will be clear polycarbonate me sweeping up after a crappy day

I can't wait to see this done! So when do you think it will be done?
I would love to do something like this. I've had the itch to stick a 10 gal. outside lately with some zoas or GSP just to see how it did.

Originally Posted by Rhys123

Cheers guys a quick picture all the areas outlined in red will be clear polycarbonate me sweeping up after a crappy day

Wow your a short little guy (cute kid)

Keep the pics coming looks realy interesting. 13 celcius is pretty cool but it's gets alot colder around here so no chance but I guess anything is possible with enough $$$$.

keep us updated with photo i can see that's going to be a great fun this week end

Wow cool Project, Keep the pics comming.

Your moving along pretty quick!!

Looking great Steve, but man you are tiny....

How many square feet is that building?

Originally Posted by tcwayne

I can't wait to see this done! So when do you think it will be done?
I would love to do something like this. I've had the itch to stick a 10 gal. outside lately with some zoas or GSP just to see how it did.

Yeah I think it is a natural progression after all we are trying to emulate there natural environment so the next step is sunlight lit tanks.

Originally Posted by billrob71

Wow your a short little guy (cute kid)

Keep the pics coming looks realy interesting. 13 celcius is pretty cool but it's gets alot colder around here so no chance but I guess anything is possible with enough $$$$.

Anything is possible with lots of money unfortunately just recently I have had to fork out for a new car so my savings that I was hoping to spend on this system are somewhat depleted the system itself will cost me about $6000 all up an running.

Originally Posted by marvik

keep us updated with photo i can see that's going to be a great fun this week end

Cheers

Originally Posted by Reefdaddy

Wow cool Project, Keep the pics comming.

Will do

Originally Posted by chris&barb

Your moving along pretty quick!!

Yeah I have a weeks leave from work so I want to get it (the shed) finished by Monday

Originally Posted by skinz78

Looking great Steve, but man you are tiny....

How many square feet is that building?

Yeah you should try putting that shed together and being that size

Not sure in feet the sheds dimensions are 6x4x3 meters

That's a lot cheaper than I would have imagined, good deal!

Originally Posted by spinycheek

That's a lot cheaper than I would have imagined, good deal!

Same here i thought it would off been more as well