New 300 gallon high tech planted Discus tank - Build Journal

[rbarn]

So, bought a new house and always wanted a massive multi-100 gallon tank.
Plan is a 300 gallon 96" long X 24" deep X 31" high tank done up with all the bells and whistles.

I am doing lots of remodeling so I had the contractor run a cold water line to under the tank and a drain will go out an exterior wall next to the tank and drain into the back yard. Water changes will be constant and automatic. Trying to make the tank as hands off and self supporting as possible. All I should have to do is vac out the fish poop a couple of times a week, replace filter media once a month and change out Co2 tanks.

Lighting:
(2x) 48" Corrallife Aqualight Pro hybrid lights each with twin 150W MH lamps, twin 96W PC fluorescent lamps and 3 1watt lunar lights

Controller:
Reef Keeper Elite NET - full PH control and Co2 injection. Heaters, Chiller, UV light - the works

Filtration:
Custom homemade acrylic sump with constant drip water exchange system

Tank scape:
Sand bottom with mineralized top soil sub base, with wood and some nice swords for plants.
Wont quite be a biotope, but wont be a crazy super planted tank either.
Shooting for a look similar to the award winning ADG discus tank.

Couple of months of build time. So watch for a slew of updates and build pics.

Stand is framed - Will be finished out to look like nice built book case eventually.
Ultra strong with 2x6 supports and a doubled up 2X10 header running over the front opening.

[jimmyjoe]

Looking good, should be quite a build can't wait to see it all finished..............Jim in Ohio

[dandestroy]

can't wait to see more...

[rbarn]

Me too, I cant wait. I have always dreamed of having a massive tank and I finally get to have one. I'm really stoked about having water feed and drain under the tank. No more hoses running thru the house for me !!!!!! God I hate that.

Hoping I can get it looking similar to this with about 50-60% sand on the bottom. I have experience with high tech high light tanks so I think I can pull it off.

foto01a_108.jpg


Putting in a 4,000 gallon concrete koi pond with a pool at same time too )))))

[tisha85]

love to see it when finished

[Chunks]

Wow I'm keeping an eye on this build!

[dacevedom]

wow, cant wait to see the progress and the final picture

[Chunks]

What do you look for in a good mineralized top soil? There are so many to choose from at home hardware stores?

How deep will the soil part be? Then how deep does the sand need to be to cap it off?

Have you had experience doing a substrate like this before?

[rbarn]

You want to use soil with no added fertilizers or bits styrofoam in it. The soil only needs to be about 1" deep then with 2" of sand on top. No experience trying this yet, I've always used ADA soil, but going to give it a shot. Done a ton of research on it, and I think I have the gist of it down. I have already mineralized a nice big container of soil. Took about a week and a half of spreading the dirt on large trash bag on the back deck and wetting and flipping it once a day. Kind of neat how it turns from earthy smelling dirt to a crumbly sand textured dirt with no smell. You can definitely tell when the transformation has taken place.

[Darrell Ward]

I really don't consider a 300 gal. "massive", but it's a decent size that allows you many options. Drip ain't that great with a discus tank. Been there,done that, years ago. You'll have better water quality with water changes. Honest. Good luck with it.

[rubinsteinnyc]

glass or acrylic? plywood?

[walt3]

sounds like fun project. i might cut off my pinky for a 300 in my basement! lol. jealous! 75 will have to do for now... have fun.

[rbarn]

glass or acrylic? plywood?

Starfire glass.

I really don't consider a 300 gal. "massive", but it's a decent size that allows you many options. Drip ain't that great with a discus tank. Been there,done that, years ago. You'll have better water quality with water changes. Honest. Good luck with it.

Well 300 is massive for me, lol. -- biggest thing I could put in there anyway.
Got a 4,000 gallon koi pond going in outside for my big fish fix.

It'll be a learning process on the water change routine for sure. At the end of the day it will be a hands off automatic system though set up to work on timers and overflows into drains. I am on a well at this house, so my water conditions will be more stable than a city water feed that has gone thru their treatment plants and been chlorinated to hell and that comes from different sources depending on the time of year.

[rbarn]

Sump design is finished. I have a limited amount of vertical room but gobs of horizontal space so this one is set-up for lots of cross flow. This set-up is whisper quiet when dialed in just right with flow rates on the two feeds from the the overflow boxes. The up flow design ensures good and full flow thru the filter and bio media with minimum amount of water agitation to help maintain Co2 levels for the Ph and plant health. It will also have a sealed top to trap and concentrate any Co2 that does out gas in the sump.

[BH71]

looking forward for this nice project.I have 240 g it is already big for me,300g wow