My dream tank by sam

[Pacx]

The journey started with a dream of mine to start my own marine tank. This little dream start to become a reality when I purchase my own flat in June .

I begin to start my learning for this hobby through reading valuable feedback in this forum and books as I have no previous experience in keeping a tank before.

Luckily I have a uncle with introduce me his friend who is a experience reefer who make my steep learning curve in this hobby a little bit better.

After some discussion with my reef tutor and my OC, we decided to place the tank at a very challenging location(bay window) in my living room.

The start of my journey begin on the 25 oct 2012 as the frame of the tank come. Looking forward to next week when the carpentary for the tank start.

[Admiraltian]

Will be camping to see your progress.

[inwear]

Upz for u bro

[Underwater]

hope the window is not facing east and esp west (afternoon sun) or your tank temp is gonna rise like crazy.

[RushAct]

i think its going to block the light that is going to the living room?

and not planning to open your window?

[Pacx]

Hi guys

Thanks for your valuable feedback, it make me feel that I did not make a mistake in starting my own log book in this forum as there are so many helpful reefers around

1) The whole bay window will be box up and the carpentary will cover the whole space.

2) There is very little sunlight going through that bay window in the afternoon as my unit is north south facing. ( I believe there is some morning sun)

3) There is another big balcony beside the bay window in the living room which will allow ample sunlight and wind to the living room as I plan to cover that bay window.

4) There will be black tape (if I am not mistaken )sticking to the back of the aquarium to reflect the heat .

5) I use led lighting for the tank to reduce heat and placing chiller out the cabinet (after reading through the forum)

Hopefully all the above measures help in setting the tank in the best manner as I plan to have a great view when I am dinning at home.

*attach a 3d decoration of the dinning area as the place is still under renovation

Thanks a lot for the valuable feedback and I appreciate it a lot !!

[Kakani]

Very nice 3D drawing. May i know what material or wood you going to use for your tank?

[Pacx]

Will be using aluminium for the tank frame

[allantang]

Use aluminum alloy. Aluminum corrode too easily. U may wan to rust prove ur window frame n tank frame.

Btw, black absorbs heat. Use white facing out n black the other side.

Using sunlight is better than any lighting but I foresee is u may hv lots of algae issue. So may hv to look into it.

[Kakani]

Aluminum for tank frame you will need to becareful as what allantang say will corrode easily and don't forget marine tank is much heavily then normal tank because of water density and live rock.

[Pacx]

Thanks bro, will check with my tank maker next week when I see him

Looking forward to next week as the tank and slump come in !

[tropic]

Is that the only window in the living room? Any breach of safety for yourself and family if touch wood emergency?

[Pacx]

Hi bro

I have another window at the balcony which is just beside this window

Just a small update for my diary this week , the tank was brought in today but sadly they forget to stick the black tape at the back of the tank.

This mistake was spotted by my mentor and have to bring the whole tank to the workshop. Well .. Good things have to wait I guess and patient shall be the key to reef keeping

* At least one good thing come out today was that I was reading one of the website somewhere in the Internet and have an idea to place seahorse in the fudge at the slump area.Since I have a bay window, the height of the small little fudge will be just nice for my kids to view the little display tank at the slump area..yippee!!!

[Pacx]

Simple update:

Equipments came this week and some minor changes to the carpentary work. The chiller is kind of big and decide to do nice cabinet to cover it but of cause leaving the front and back of the cabinet open for ventilation .

Bad news is that can't have the small version of the tank to keep seahorse at the slump due to the space limitation .

Next milestone will be the using freshwater to run the tank today to check for leaks and adding of saltwater to the tank this weekend for cycling of water..

[Pacx]

Some pics of the equipment that came in, the chiller and the skimmer

[Gouldian]

Nice set-up and well thought sump layout, care to share your tank maker?

[Pacx]

Hi gouldian

My tank maker is Albert from reef system. Pretty nice guy.

[JeffL]

Must be tough decision for sacrificing the whole window area and I agree with Tropic on the safety issue, just in case....

anyway nice tank! will be camping to check out for more.

[Pacx]

cycling of the water start today, 3 long long week of staring at a tank full of rock hahaha

Upload some pics of the events that happen today

Tones of marine water in my small living room

Live rocks from coral farm

Shaping of rocks done by the experts

Finish product after 2 hours of hard work

*Next week will be the installation of the calcium reactor and the carpentry work. Cheers !!!

[Harlequinmania]

Nice set-up and well thought sump layout, care to share your tank maker?

From the look of the photo I have already guess it is done by reef systems. That's a lot of salt you are getting lol..

[Admiraltian]

What is the size of your tank & lighting u gonna use?

[babyseahorse11]

Hi your tank is my dream tank. wait for your up date. cheer.

[Pacx]

What is the size of your tank & lighting u gonna use?

Hi bro

Mine is a 5 feet tank. Lightning should be using ecoxotic led lighting 100w * 5. They will be coming in next week as well !

[Pacx]

From the look of the photo I have already guess it is done by reef systems. That's a lot of salt you are getting lol..

U r the expert man, one look u can know there are too many salt, they was was a miscalculation done by the staff and the poor guy have to carry back almost 10 pails of salt water back

[Pacx]

Hi your tank is my dream tank. wait for your up date. cheer.

Saw a posting you are doing a comeback tank.. Welcome back to wonders of reef keeping!

Choosing a tank maker is one of the most impt decision as it will affect your whole reef keeping experience . Happy reefing