Jason's 120x60x45 Tank & Setup - modified eaReef 1200S

Hello everyone as I mentioned in my last post my 60cm has now been closed but I'm happy to introduce my next BIGGER project, the tank ive been dreaming of for a while

Some information..

For this project I want to DIY most of it meaning it will be a long process.

Tank size is a custom optiwhite 120cm L x 60cm D x 45cm H that I will be ordering in the next few weeks

The cabinet i will be making myself out of 25mm ply wood, then primed and sprayed, I've already got my cut list made as I've been researching this for a while, infact before I got the permission

For filtration I could spend nearly £800 on two new cannisters or I could DIY, I love a challenge so I decided on making my own custom wet and dry sump.

Here are a few designs that I have already planned for a 60cmx45cmx45cm wet and dry sump

Design one allows me to fit both heaters into the sump.



Design two is a more common version but limits space with heating etc.



I will also be using a over flow method that is silent called bean animal which uses a weir and three over flow Pipes, one that is fully open and one that is used as a secondary, the third one is called a emergency pipe that is placed higher than the other two just incase of any blockages.

I will get a drawing of this uploaded once I'm at this stage.

For each stage of this project I will post the plans and information as I go.

The first stage is the cabinet and I'll be ordering the wood this week.

Comments and feedback is welcome.

Updates coming soon.

Thanks

 

Design 2 is the standard layout except the over flow Pipes in the diagram are to long and should be just under the water level, something to do with flow and noise I'm told?

I'm opting to drill the tank with an external weir but some use over flow boxes with mixed reviews

 

Keith to get the flow I need I would need 2 cannisters that cost about £300+ each depending on the make.

With the sump it will cost me £50 + £100 for the plumbing as I already have the tank for this and just need the partitions and foam, the media I already have also.

On top of them costs I would need a pump but the overall cost will be let than one cannister.

Wet and dry Sumps are easier to clean, access, most equipment can be installed in the sump instead of the tank, heaters co2, Dosing pumps etc, once I'm finished the only equipment you will see in the display will be two removable return jets that I'm designing to be easily removed when needed.

Any plumbing will be hidden except for those two return jets.

 

The other reason for my sump design is to allow for all the equipment, its not needed but keeps the main tank free of equipment and also its the size I have available, costing me less.

As the cabinet is 120cm long it still leaves me with 60cm x 60cm of floor space just for a co2 cannister and maybe Dosing on bottles etc.

2 large cannisters won't be far off this space? I know the eheim 600 is 300mm wide x 2

 

Wood for the cabinet has been ordered today and should be here later in the week.

25mm x 1220mm x 2440mm WBP Plywood.

For most of the cabinet I am doubling up on the panels for example all the uprights will be 2 x 25mm glued together giving me a 50mm thickness at both end and middle supports after researching this and visiting a few lfs its a lot more than most of the big names use.

I was actually shocked at some of the big name cabinets (15mm or 18mm) that people actually buy and trust!

I'll post some pictures of the process as it comes together.

 

Marcel that's my thinking the media volume will be the same as two large cannisters but with the added bonus of integrated equipment.

I will loose another 100mm due to the thickness of the cabinet sides but it still leaves me with 500mm space to play with for co2 bottles etc.

I priced up the acrylic for this and its £52 + pump. Bargain!

I also priced up a few 120x60x75cm cabinets, conti board would cost £280 made and 18mm ply was £480! So far the 25mm ply wood cost me £86 delivered

+ primer + spray paint

glue and screws I already have.

 

Once I have the cabinet built I'll order the tank and plumbing as I want tidy pipework and will mock up the plumbing drilling holes etc first before priming and spraying for a better finish.

 

Thanks Marcel, the cabinet I'm planning on using for many years, so do a good job the first time and it will last I hope

Thanks for the video, I looked into this type and its great but my only concern is noise. another reason I chose the bean animal overflow.

Saying that the one In the video is massive so I imagine thats the reason for the excess dB

 

This Is what I was thinking no different from an air stone in the tank? plus I've planned a cover for this section.

 

Thanks for the video Marcel, clever idea with the hob, I'll look into this more when I'm at that stage, I'm concentrating on the cabinet now and Keith I will post an image asap, the wood was ment to be delivered today but unfortunately the delivery company never turned up

The delivery company is called TNT so I nicked named then tomorrow not today

Keith the cabinet uprights will be 2 x 25mm so support will be more than enough, based on the cabinet from the big aquarium manufacturing companies there cabinets will look like toys.

Ill get the diagram up as mentioned asap.

 

That's interesting, I know TNT have been working in the UK for many years, at least 15 years as when I worked for a high voltage electrical company they used to use TNT for delivery of the very large cable reels.