Advise on revamp of 200 gallon tank

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Hi everyone--

I figure many of you are here because you enjoy giving input to
others. So here we go: I'm taking control of a 200 gallon aquarium
which is currently running in the classic and awful sterile fish-only
style. Green and blue algae are everywhere, the remaining (I stress
remaining) fish look marginal and there is zero other life in the
tank. The caretakers (enthusiastic but busy and non-fish-buffs) are
health care professionals, and the tank is in a radiation therapy
waiting rooom. This tank is truly awful. The worst part is that it
was funded by donations, and it is a total embarassing waste of money
as it stands. My job: make this thing into a very low maintainance
reef, that can eventually be passed on to non-marine biologists.

My biggest design issues involve plumbing without using a sump. I
would really, REALLY prefer to avoid a sump. Floods are really not an
option in this place, and rushing/gurgling/slurping water isn't a
great thing either. Am I being paranoid about a flood? Perhaps.
Maybe I should use a sump. I dont know. Thats why I'm asking you
all.

The tank is currently drilled 5 times through the bottom, all along
the length of the middle of the tank. 4 intakes feed two Iwaki 70
RLT's, via the most goofy and restrictive combined intake system you
coul imagine. They both feed through a 3/4" return line (yes, thats
right, a single line). And did I mention the pumps are pulling
through an undergravel filter? Yep. And did I also mention that
somehow the tank reached 90 degrees recently, prompting the purchase
of a 1/3 horse drop-in chiller? (which is just a lovely sight, sitting
there on a table with a huge black hose and coil dropped into one end
of the tank).

The more I write, the more I think a sump is inevitable. I can't
stand hang-on gear, and it would look especially goofy in this setup,
as the tank is visible from 3 sides. Now I suppose my mission is to
install an overflow system on the tank. Any suggestions on where to
buy a central overflow? Build my own?

I'm getting overwhelmed thinking about this. Time for bed.
Thanks for any ideas,
Ryan Lenz

[Wayne Sallee]

First you will want to clean it out and see just
what you have. The rock and gravel could be tainted
with copper as well. Give the remaining fish to a
lfs, or trade them in for store credit. That way you
don't have to worry about the fish while you take
your time to do the tank right. You could make a
built in overflow by making a glass box, but those
are hard to modify. You could also make an overflow
out of something like 5 inch pvc pipe. Use silicone
2 as it has solvents in it to help it bond better to
plastic. But the best method would be to just use
drain pipes, and return pipes (no silicone needed).
And less expensive. You can cut slots in the
overflow pipes easily on a table saw. Now this won't
look very pretty, but you can cover it up after you
have tested it. To cover it up, go to my web site,
and search for the instructions for "reef cement tank".

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets


wrote on 2/27/2007 2:11 AM:
> Hi everyone--
>
> I figure many of you are here because you enjoy giving input to
> others. So here we go: I'm taking control of a 200 gallon aquarium
> which is currently running in the classic and awful sterile fish-only
> style. Green and blue algae are everywhere, the remaining (I stress
> remaining) fish look marginal and there is zero other life in the
> tank. The caretakers (enthusiastic but busy and non-fish-buffs) are
> health care professionals, and the tank is in a radiation therapy
> waiting rooom. This tank is truly awful. The worst part is that it
> was funded by donations, and it is a total embarassing waste of money
> as it stands. My job: make this thing into a very low maintainance
> reef, that can eventually be passed on to non-marine biologists.
>
> My biggest design issues involve plumbing without using a sump. I
> would really, REALLY prefer to avoid a sump. Floods are really not an
> option in this place, and rushing/gurgling/slurping water isn't a
> great thing either. Am I being paranoid about a flood? Perhaps.
> Maybe I should use a sump. I dont know. Thats why I'm asking you
> all.
>
> The tank is currently drilled 5 times through the bottom, all along
> the length of the middle of the tank. 4 intakes feed two Iwaki 70
> RLT's, via the most goofy and restrictive combined intake system you
> coul imagine. They both feed through a 3/4" return line (yes, thats
> right, a single line). And did I mention the pumps are pulling
> through an undergravel filter? Yep. And did I also mention that
> somehow the tank reached 90 degrees recently, prompting the purchase
> of a 1/3 horse drop-in chiller? (which is just a lovely sight, sitting
> there on a table with a huge black hose and coil dropped into one end
> of the tank).
>
> The more I write, the more I think a sump is inevitable. I can't
> stand hang-on gear, and it would look especially goofy in this setup,
> as the tank is visible from 3 sides. Now I suppose my mission is to
> install an overflow system on the tank. Any suggestions on where to
> buy a central overflow? Build my own?
>
> I'm getting overwhelmed thinking about this. Time for bed.
> Thanks for any ideas,
> Ryan Lenz
>