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New 300 gallon high tech high light planted Discus tank - Build Journal

219K views 609 replies 200 participants last post by  FischAutoTechGarten 
#1 ·
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.

 
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#601 · (Edited)
Well done on the attention to detail. Just when you think that you've thought of it all, you pull another trick from your bag.

How are you going to combat a regular and accurate fresh water drip system? I don't have much/any experience in them, but I would think a more reliable solution would be a dosing pump hooked up to a fresh water source. That's how I've always envisioned a regular fresh water feed to be setup.


Not to go off topic here, but I got thinking about what would happen if work asked you to relocate for a few months while at a crucial time after filling. How would you respond to that? In our eyes, it might seem completely reasonable to decline the offer or push to stay where you are, but in other peoples/management eyes it might not look so good at all. After all this work and preparation, to fill it and have to maintain and watch it through the most crucial stage, I doubt it would be as easy as getting a family member or an inexperienced friend to look over it while you're gone.

When I say 'you', I mean the general/avid tank keeper.
 
#602 ·
Just checking in. I'm bouncing with excitement--this is coming along so wonderfully!! It's possibly the longs thread (chronologically) I've ever followed, but it's so unbelievably worth it to see this slowly coming together. I'm glad you got a bit of water in it already, although it'd probably be more satisfying if it actually touched the bottom of the tank ;)
 
#607 ·
Maybe he filled it and everything died. This threads so long I cant remember if the guy has ever kept discus before. Anyone know? Would be one hell of an expensive trial run lol. But seriously who in their right mind could stare at an empty tank that long? Especially one so large. Would have put some crappie in there in the beggining and had some nice sandwiches by the time anything tropical made its way in.
 
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