DKoKoMAN’s 305g Basement Reef

[DKoKoMan]

So I had been contemplating an upgrade to a larger tank for some time and had some room on each side of the wall where my current 150g tank. Most my fish have been with me for a couple of years and have grown quite big. My wife and I were talking about purchasing a larger tank to allow for the fish to have more swimming room... so it began.

I had been browsing to ask for some time and measuring the stairwell leading to the basement as this is where the tank would be setup. I pushed the limits to where in theory the tank would be able to make it down the stairs and around the corner. I had been looking at plenty of tanks for some time and finally decided to pull the trigger naturally on a custom build. My main goal for this tank was to provide ample swimming room, minimalistic aquascaping and as quiet as an overflow I could go.

After tons of research and the ability to design what I wanted I chose to go with the bean animal style overflow. To stick to my original plan of maximizing swimming space I decided on utilizing an external overflow box (just shy of a coast to coast). Naturally I wanted a black vinyl back as I had the back blacked out on my 150g and loved it.

I had always loved the look of a Concept Built tank and often admired many fellow Canreefers who had these tanks. After looking at the options I chose to have my new tank built through Concept. Dave was great to deal with through the process and began drafting up some drawings for my review. I decided on a eurobraced aquarium as I often struggled with getting around the middle brace in my last tank. I went with the starphire glass on 3 sides and two return pumps drilled on the back corners. I opted to have the stand powder coated this go around for longevity. In addition I wanted a large simple setup sump for equipment and ease of maintenance. I also chose to have an ATO container built to match the sump. I wanted all parts of this tank to be visually appealing.

Here are the drawings I settled on: