Vances 700 plywood build
- Thread starter Vance
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You are in the big-time now. Never again will you be able to see somebody complain about building and the costs of a cube and not roll your eyes. Large tanks are different and even though people who have smaller tanks mean well when trying to help, they just don't get that what they do does not scale all of the time.
If you are still making decisions about lighting, there are better (cheaper and also more effective) ways to light big tanks than with panels - reflectors are your friend. If you have already decided, then forget that I posted.
If you are still making decisions about lighting, there are better (cheaper and also more effective) ways to light big tanks than with panels - reflectors are your friend. If you have already decided, then forget that I posted.
Had a little progress. Finally got my returns how I want them so I was able to simulate a power outage and set the water level in the sump. Which led to drilling the sump and putting in a float valve! Whoo no more manual top off. Still have to get the bean animal drain manifolds built but the gurgle doesnt bother me yet.
Added all the fish. Well at least for a year or so... I was planning on doing the fish in two stages
#1 naso and foxface
#2 maculiceps achillies and chevron
Well the vlamingi killed the nice 8" naso I added.... so she got pulled... no longer in the tank.
And on Wed I added another smaller naso, maculiceps, chevron, and Achilles in on fell swoop. So far everyone is eating, a few are showing signs of stress (the maculiceps is almost always at one of the cleaner shrimp stations), and a bit of flaring at each other right before the lights go out. I am hoping this will resolve in the next couple days.
Wish us luck!!! New fish babies is always so stressful, and being all tangs I'm a wreck lol.
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Added all the fish. Well at least for a year or so... I was planning on doing the fish in two stages
#1 naso and foxface
#2 maculiceps achillies and chevron
Well the vlamingi killed the nice 8" naso I added.... so she got pulled... no longer in the tank.
And on Wed I added another smaller naso, maculiceps, chevron, and Achilles in on fell swoop. So far everyone is eating, a few are showing signs of stress (the maculiceps is almost always at one of the cleaner shrimp stations), and a bit of flaring at each other right before the lights go out. I am hoping this will resolve in the next couple days.
Wish us luck!!! New fish babies is always so stressful, and being all tangs I'm a wreck lol.
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Tank? Stand? Rock? Water storage containers? Equipment? I haven't even gotten to the expensive part of the bulk of the life suppory system yet...
Tank and stand alone:
~3.5k, including the value of my time to build tank and stand ~10k it was extremely labor intensive.
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Tank and stand alone:
~3.5k, including the value of my time to build tank and stand ~10k it was extremely labor intensive.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk
For wide spreads and deep penetration, reflectors are your friend. You will end up with less wattage in MH on big reflectors than you will if you use panels. The heat will help you out too since heating will be your #1 cost. Look at somebody like Dr. Joshi's large reef as an example... he had to replace each 400W MH on huge reflector with three Radions. He got them for free, but we don't get that luxury. I know that people mean well when they suggest what they use thinking that it will scale to a large tank, but if you look at people who actually light tanks this big you will see a lot of MH still being used since it is cheaper. One guy sold all of his and ended up with 27 Hydras to replace five MH... and he hates the color and stuff.
I know that you all over this with your assessment that it will be at least ten panels. When you factor in a more likely amount (whatever that is, 14 or 15?), compare it against probably three 400W MH for both initial and sustained costs which also factoring in that the MH will save you a lot of heater costs in every month except maybe July.
VHO can also be your friend because they are VERY powerful (each tube has more than twice the output of a similar length T5) and the bulbs last two years.
Anyway, just trying to help and not start a war. If you want suggestions for reflectors, then let me know. Otherwise, keep on reefing and congrats on the huge tank.
I know that you all over this with your assessment that it will be at least ten panels. When you factor in a more likely amount (whatever that is, 14 or 15?), compare it against probably three 400W MH for both initial and sustained costs which also factoring in that the MH will save you a lot of heater costs in every month except maybe July.
VHO can also be your friend because they are VERY powerful (each tube has more than twice the output of a similar length T5) and the bulbs last two years.
Anyway, just trying to help and not start a war. If you want suggestions for reflectors, then let me know. Otherwise, keep on reefing and congrats on the huge tank.
Not a war lol. I'm a metal halide guy always have been. What drove the decision to led was the maintenance of halide... if we do 4 x 400watt ushios and assume the ballasts last 4-5 years, that's about 500 a year to replace bulbs and ballasts. I absolutely LOATH replacing bulbs every year, I feel like I'm just throwing away a hundred bucks for every bulb that still works, that is just burned out of spectrum, tossed the garbage. And t5 is 6 months... And t12's are rapidly disappearing from every wholesalers stock list...
When we decided to do this tank I told myself equipment wise and life-support I was doing this right, not buying any of the cheap chinese stuff, and not making and wiring my own like I've done in the past. So for LEDs that leaves Kessil, Ai and Ecotech. I'm not really a fan of Kessils smaller units at the moments, but am really intrigued by their cannon multichips. I may add two of those in addition to the radions... need to do some research. I love Ai, its what I usually sell the people that come into the shop because it's an awesome price point for a very good fixture. We run them on most of our accounts. I have noticed long-term however that radions last longer than Ai's. I feel that I am always replacing fans and pucks and motherboards in old vegas and sols.
Finally to radion. Eco-tech has one fixture essentially. And they have always stood by their fixure, most of the earlier generations can be upgraded to have almost all of the new features as later models. However the guys at eco-tech have been busy little bees lately and the fact that the L1 wont sync with apex makes me think something big is coming from that company. Hopefully my assumption they will continue to be upgradable doesnt come back to bite me in the butt! They do a fantastic job of growing coral with great perceivable "ambient" color and great coral color. And little to no maintenance which is huge for me. I work on reef tanks for a living I like to come home and enjoy mine. And when the big dogs in metal halide like Sanjay and Mike Paleta start swaping out their halides it's time to take notice.
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When we decided to do this tank I told myself equipment wise and life-support I was doing this right, not buying any of the cheap chinese stuff, and not making and wiring my own like I've done in the past. So for LEDs that leaves Kessil, Ai and Ecotech. I'm not really a fan of Kessils smaller units at the moments, but am really intrigued by their cannon multichips. I may add two of those in addition to the radions... need to do some research. I love Ai, its what I usually sell the people that come into the shop because it's an awesome price point for a very good fixture. We run them on most of our accounts. I have noticed long-term however that radions last longer than Ai's. I feel that I am always replacing fans and pucks and motherboards in old vegas and sols.
Finally to radion. Eco-tech has one fixture essentially. And they have always stood by their fixure, most of the earlier generations can be upgraded to have almost all of the new features as later models. However the guys at eco-tech have been busy little bees lately and the fact that the L1 wont sync with apex makes me think something big is coming from that company. Hopefully my assumption they will continue to be upgradable doesnt come back to bite me in the butt! They do a fantastic job of growing coral with great perceivable "ambient" color and great coral color. And little to no maintenance which is huge for me. I work on reef tanks for a living I like to come home and enjoy mine. And when the big dogs in metal halide like Sanjay and Mike Paleta start swaping out their halides it's time to take notice.
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Are you talking off of the hot water heater? I have an all electric house (thank God for solar panels) no gas what-so-ever, it is a compression pump heater so a little more efficient but really the cost per °F raised of tank water would be about the same as a standard heater....
I've been running the tank at 77 for the watanabei, since it has been running since June the one 300watt heater has barely ever kicked on. We will see how things go this first winter. I sure I will have to get another heater and was honestly planning on 3 (redundancy... call me paraniod) when I finally settle on a controller.
SynDen: your tank is in your basement right? Is it full yet? Have you noticed that much increased power consumption in the winter? My basement is one of the few rooms of my house that stays a pretty consistent 73° all year...
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I've been running the tank at 77 for the watanabei, since it has been running since June the one 300watt heater has barely ever kicked on. We will see how things go this first winter. I sure I will have to get another heater and was honestly planning on 3 (redundancy... call me paraniod) when I finally settle on a controller.
SynDen: your tank is in your basement right? Is it full yet? Have you noticed that much increased power consumption in the winter? My basement is one of the few rooms of my house that stays a pretty consistent 73° all year...
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Very, very few folks have five year old panels over their tanks. Most of those that do have needed work... kinda like you said. I would not plan on a life cycle any more than five years. You might be able to get more time, but the more that you have, the more points of failure.
BTW - those guys got their panels for free... they said so at MACNA in 2015.
It was a brilliant move by EcoTech since most people believe that they switched on their own. Have you read Dr. Joshi's assessment of his experience - not all rosy. He was far harsher in person at MACNA.
Good luck. I have a 960 on order and will probably get it set up in the next year, or so. I have had big tanks before and while I love the challenge, I hate the challenge too. ...I know that you know what I mean.
BTW - those guys got their panels for free... they said so at MACNA in 2015.
It was a brilliant move by EcoTech since most people believe that they switched on their own. Have you read Dr. Joshi's assessment of his experience - not all rosy. He was far harsher in person at MACNA.Good luck. I have a 960 on order and will probably get it set up in the next year, or so. I have had big tanks before and while I love the challenge, I hate the challenge too. ...I know that you know what I mean.
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Ya off the hot water heater, and plumbed to a tap line if you want cooling.
My tank isnt wet yet, still building, but the next piece, after I finish the qt's and mixing station, is the the temp control system. I'm shooting to keep my tank around 74 in the summer and 72'ish in the winter, as it will be mostly deeper water stuff. Im making 2 coils, one for heating and one for cooling.
Heating one is hooked to hot water heater and circulated via a hot water pump and controlled by a ranco, with apex in backup. The cold water will be hooked to cold tap, with output hooked to my yard drip system, to water my yard when the tank gets cooled in the summer. ranco to control and sprinkler valves for the solenoids.
My basement runs about 5 degree cooler the house temp on average which in summer is 73 most of the time. In the winter its about 68 in the room, so should be just about perfect for mine
My tank isnt wet yet, still building, but the next piece, after I finish the qt's and mixing station, is the the temp control system. I'm shooting to keep my tank around 74 in the summer and 72'ish in the winter, as it will be mostly deeper water stuff. Im making 2 coils, one for heating and one for cooling.
Heating one is hooked to hot water heater and circulated via a hot water pump and controlled by a ranco, with apex in backup. The cold water will be hooked to cold tap, with output hooked to my yard drip system, to water my yard when the tank gets cooled in the summer. ranco to control and sprinkler valves for the solenoids.
My basement runs about 5 degree cooler the house temp on average which in summer is 73 most of the time. In the winter its about 68 in the room, so should be just about perfect for mine
Does tapatalk not work for this site anymore? I was going to update pictures but this is kind of a pain.... heres the build thread on reef2reef if anyone is interested, i will just update on there from here on out.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/vances-700-plywood-build.321239/page-2
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/vances-700-plywood-build.321239/page-2