Wilson's 5ive

[wilsontantw]

This will be the journal for my first foray into the big tank scene... The main objective is to share my experience (right or not-so-right), so that it can benefit new reefers...

[wilsontantw]

First up, a memorial photo of my old tanks...

Finally took the leap.. to upgrade after much "thinking"... started talking to tank maker in mid September.

[Reefzzz]

First up, a memorial photo of my old tanks...

Finally took the leap.. to upgrade after much "thinking"... started talking to tank maker in mid September.

Bro, how big will be your new tank.. The tank on the right in your old pics already looks quite big to me..

[wilsontantw]

Hey bro.. please pardon my slowness in posting new pictures... am still learning to use tapatalk to post.

The old tanks are 2.5x2x2 and 2x2x16.5" ... relatively small..

I'll share more about the new tank build slowly... but to ease ur curiosity, it's a 5ive...

[digibee]

Wah bro .... hi 5ive for the 5ive footer!!

Pics please of the whole system ....

Cheers!

[raydiative]

whoohoooo!!!!

[jquek]

Looking forward to this!

[chiays]

Hi will tag along, looking fwd t to learn more about reefing.

[hotsoup]

Hurry eagerly waiting for the pics

[mengyang_neo]

bro more picture, will love to see your rock scape. =)

[LittleBurger]

Hey bro.. please pardon my slowness in posting new pictures... am still learning to use tapatalk to post.

The old tanks are 2.5x2x2 and 2x2x16.5" ... relatively small..

I'll share more about the new tank build slowly... but to ease ur curiosity, it's a 5ive...

Yo wilson, Looking forward to yr scape.

Guess u have lots of equipment to upgrade since u go frm 2plus ft to 5ft.

[cedricang]

Haa...bro, i like your thread name

[Ketchup]

lai ah.. shd be Wilson 5ive-0 like hawaii five-O!

[peacemaker]

[amused]

Finally bro!

eagerly awaiting the first pics of your tank and sump!!!

[wilsontantw]

Yo yo.. fellow fanatics ... I'll like to reply individually however tapatalk isn't exactly able to reply multiple quotes, (or perhaps I don't know how to use)... plus no point chalking up additional posts.. so I'll summarize by saying..

Thank you for your support! Hope this will be informative for you..

[wilsontantw]

Here are some drawings which I received from tank maker..

Started as a 4 footer with side cabinet...

[wilsontantw]

After speaking to Cedric and hotsoup, it became a 5...

Changed the side cabinet.. to have a balanced 4 doors...

[wilsontantw]

As I wanted my own sump design, spoke to a few reefers( Jacky, kiko, eniram, comycus, ray, desideria, ketchup and ah siang)... and sketched out the sump..

And this is the better schematic...

What I like about this sump:

1) L-shaped overflow cover that makes removal of filter sock effortless.

2) hosting compartment on the front left to temporary house fish/corals...

3) Skimmer and FR at the front right for easy maintenance and "display"

[wilsontantw]

Next up.. pipe work.. I'll like to use only 2 pumps... reason: reduce heat and provide redundancy...

Drawing... this is courtesy of eniram's consultancy work... plus adaptation from hotsoup's...

For overflow, I'll like to use 2x40mm to control the noise instead of durso...

[wilsontantw]

And once this was settled... confirmed my tank order.. the rest... is history.

Will take about 2 weeks for delivery.

Next steps to decomm tanks and buy new rocks...

[wilsontantw]

Forgot to add... as I will not be using sand.. I've incorporated an underflow and overflow concept as seen in the earlier pic... which proved to be a good move to auto-siphon detritus..

[wilsontantw]

Choosing of liverocks turned out to be quite a lucky thing.. found 6 huge pieces (totalling 30kg) from T95.. one of them was over 12kg. Huge piece with lots of crevice which is good for small fish to hide...

[wilsontantw]

Due to some personal preference and partial feng shui (geomancy) reasons.. the new tank will be in the same spot where the current tanks are... this became the biggest headache in the entire project.

Gave some corals away, sold some and temporary housed some with my brother in law..

Still kept quite a few in some blue tubs and drum... courtesy of pinnacle and larry (forum owner).. thanks guys!

The blue tub became a holding tank plus sump for the frag tank.

Due to the huge mess and potential hazard.. my kids had to stay with my parents... while I tear down the tanks, wait for new one, cycle and re-load all corals and fish... my wife had to put up with this mess and the inconveniences...

So for this, I owe her a big one!

[wilsontantw]

As for equipment, I had planned to reuse all my existing ones.. except chiller and return pump...

So got a new Reef Octopus HY7000 and daeil 1/3hp... which eventually, the chiller will be upgraded to a compressor due to heat issue.. as I dislike having to keep the cabinet door open.. it's a hazard for my kids..