Basement 280 Gallon Build:

[Seth81]

So I am still wrestling with the builder about that floor drain and what can be done. So I will have to wait a bit to finalize the fish room layout and tank dimensions.

I've been doing a lot of thinking about what I want to do differently this time around, and what lessons I learned from my current setup, what worked well and what didn't. So I thought I would take a second to write them down.

1. Automatic water changes probably saved my fish from my work schedule.
2. ATO only works well when you do not relay on level switches!
3. Install a drip tray under the sump and all external plumbing!
4. I feel that I wasted a lot of money on chemicals for coral growth
5. External pumps will leak, it's only a matter of time (reeflo hammerhead)
6. DIY LED fixtures was fun to build but not worth it in the end
7. No more tanks over 30" tall
8. Add fish and coral slowly to system
9. Sump design worked well: Always ensure there is enough surge capacity in the event the return pump fails and the overflow plus 1 or 2" from the tank fully drains into sump.
10. Had two outbreaks of Ich, not sure if the UV sterilizer helped slow the spread, but only lost 2 fish to Ich over 3 years.
11. Low iron (Starphire glass) scratches easily.
12. Need more flow! The turn over rate I had was 10x the tank volume an hour, but more/better power heads would have helped in my previous tank.
13. Went through a ton of GFO/Carbon, and had to change media more frequently then I would have liked. Planning on building an Algae turf scrubber and use two BRS jumbo carbon reactors.

[gregzz4]

Have you thought about moving the fish tank wall out a few feet ?
This will give you the space you need to have full access from behind.

I also like Steve's idea of having the tank flush on the viewing side with some full-access panels.
And the portal is a must for anyone with an in-wall build !!! Great idea Steve

[Seth81]

That wall can't move because of the stair case. As is, the wall is pretty close to that bottom step. I could jog the wall at the end of the bedroom, but I think that may look a little odd.

Originally Posted by gregzz4

Have you thought about moving the fish tank wall out a few feet ?
This will give you the space you need to have full access from behind.

I also like Steve's idea of having the tank flush on the viewing side with some full-access panels.
And the portal is a must for anyone with an in-wall build !!! Great idea Steve

[Seth81]

So I've been giving a lot of thought about what I want to do differently this time around. And perhaps I am getting waaaaay ahead of my self here, but I really enjoy the designing and engineering side of this hobby.

So I really want to try to use Algae turf scrubbers as the primary means of nutrient export. Reduce water changes, and reduce GFO use. I was thinking of two really big ATS's. One of my goals is to be able to leave the tank by itself for up to two weeks without having anyone do anything except maybe feeding.

So I was toying with the idea of plumbing the overflow drains to the ATS for efficiency. Then ATS to sump. But maybe that's not a good idea to go directly to the ATS because of potential clogging issues. Maybe its better to have a dedicated pump, although the electrical costs to run a separate pump would be approx $90 a year plus a $300 - $400 pump.

Anyone on here use an ATS? Anyone plumb it directly from the overflow?

[sphelps]

I'm not sure the new drain location is an issue unless I'm missing something. Seems to me a floor drain right under the tank is pretty good location. Easy enough to add elevate the sump/equipment to slope a drain line towards that floor drain, especially since you're looking at some sort of drip pan anyway.

For the ATS I would keep it separate, I'm not a huge fan/believer and with any similar type of addition best to make it as removable or adaptable as possible.

[Seth1981]

The problem is that the drain was suppose to be for a utility sink

Originally Posted by sphelps

I'm not sure the new drain location is an issue unless I'm missing something. Seems to me a floor drain right under the tank is pretty good location. Easy enough to add elevate the sump/equipment to slope a drain line towards that floor drain, especially since you're looking at some sort of drip pan anyway.

For the ATS I would keep it separate, I'm not a huge fan/believer and with any similar type of addition best to make it as removable or adaptable as possible.