DIY - Projects & Ideas • DIY 300'ish Gallon Tank... The Start

[BigDaddyK]

Yeah.. if I didn't have to have the back side of the tank "livable" I would have done the same

[TheFishGuy]

I understand completely!

[BigDaddyK]

So got home last night and checked on things... Sump had a slow but steady leak. The bottom of the sump was completely soaked so I drained it all out and took it outside for inspection. I found what I think and hope is the only leak



If you look at the right most hole you'll see it's damp and thats the only place I could find that was definitely dripping down to the bottom of the sump. I sanded with 60 grit on the line that those holes made (previous design of the sump baffles that I threw out) and siliconed the #%$& outta it. It's not pretty but I'm confident that I got that particular issue under control.

I had to give it 24 hours so I figured I'd get my UGJ's pump installed. I teflon taped the connectors and started to assemble. The return connection worked well but when I was tightening, by hand mind you, the intake connection I split the impeller cover. Luckily I'm using the same pump for the sump return and I can just swap pumps but I was seriously angered for a min!! In my opinion I shouldn't be able to break the cover when I'm tightening by hand. Frustrating night but I think all in all things are still going quite well and I should be done and cycling tonight. I put a decent piece of foam my current 135 to jump start the cycle. I'll likely also throw in the foam from my 2 HOB filters in that same tank to help out.

[BigDaddyK]

So I have it Built already (no photo's yet) but here is the Sump Design.



This all sits inside the Sump Box that I was working on last night... I think it's self explanatory but questions or comments as always are welcome

[AussieSwede]

TY AussieSwede Personally I'd wait to make sure my tank holds water but hey.. you go for it if you'd like LOL

TFG... you fill your tank all at once!!??!! I'm not sure my nerves can handle that! I was thinking on filling it 4 - 6 " at a time and checking for leaks... maybe I should grow a pair and make it happen ?

Oh Yeah.. I got the additional Pond Armor to finish up the Overflows and Sump should be ready for Filling this weekend

Btw, if you don't mind. How much would I spent for that one?

[BigDaddyK]

Including Pumps, Lighting, Substrate I'm sitting around 1k Canadian Dollars. That includes the additional $100 for the pond armor that wouldn't have been necessary if I had been better at following directions.

[BigDaddyK]

Well no leaks and I added most of the fish tonight







real camera is dead and I can't seem to find the charger... cell phone foggy photo's is the best I can offer

[JiggsJedi]

Looks good bro!!! Love it!!! I'm jelly.

[BigDaddyK]

Today I got 1100 pounds of rock



View from my Couch



And a couple of the fish currently in the tank (Arowana jumped while I was putting rock in.. seems fine now)

[juststayinthecave]

Congratulations Big Daddy, enjoy the view from the couch, that is one heck of a tank and looks great. It was fun following the build.

[monisaab]

great tank and nice setup...

[iwade4fish]

[JimA]

While I think it looks impressive, I think you could have done better with the rock. Please don't take this the wrong way, but you have built a beautiful "huge" tank only to throw a pile of rocks in.

In the end it is your tank, but to me it seems you have wasted a lot of space. I do like the rock choice, just not so much of it.

[BigDaddyK]

No offense taken. I like the amount of rocks in there. I think it looks good in the tank. I appreciate your opinion and if I decide that it's too much then I'll certainly remove some. Also as the fish grow I may find the tank cramped and need to pull out some rocks then too. I have been looking at my 135 and kinda thinking that the rock would look good in that tank too so it's possible I'll want/need to move some there too.

thanks for your thoughts

[Norm66]

Wow. Nice.