Matt's 700 Gallon Natural Sunlight System

[capj64]

lol, I'm glad he's sharing the amazing tank with us...livin' the dream through others

[dezso]

Yes it is amazing, I'm just way to jealous...

[StripesTheEel]

Originally Posted by Mitchell0605

If you look at it it's kinda like a divider between two rooms. My grandparents had a similar thing (smaller but the same principle). Matt what are the dimensions? In metric, so you can feel at home.

The tank is 7 feet long, 5 feet wide, 2.2 feet high or 84" x 60" x 26"

Originally Posted by mellowyellow

Words can't describe your beautiful tank. I love your lighting. Custom, I bet. It's neat and clean looking without the glare of the strip lighting. Super. When you were doing the close up your fish couldn't wait to get on camera. Showoffs! Again, super.

I'm wondering where you have this tank. I'd have to add on another room to accommodate such a giant rig.

Haha yes, the fish are showoffs, especially the tangs.

As someone noted, the tank is a room divider between kitchen/living and pool room.

Here's a pic or two.





Also found a pic of the sump for anyone interested.

It is a racetrack design so ends where it begins so to speak. Water enters the sump, crosses over DSB, does a U-Turn and goes over refugium, then back up into display tank.



Sump is 5'x 3' x2'

[capj64]

So you have a DSB and a separate refugium? What in the refugium?

[Greenmaster]

Sweet. Can we see the sump in action?

[StripesTheEel]

Originally Posted by capj64

So you have a DSB and a separate refugium? What in the refugium?

Macro algae and some live rock for copepods and other critters to hide

Originally Posted by Greenmaster

Sweet. Can we see the sump in action?

I will take a video at next chance

[gibbin94]

what happens when it is cloudy for a long period of time?

[Greenmaster]

It simulates a storm...

[Apollo1K9]

Originally Posted by Greenmaster

It simulates a storm...

That it does! Although, in some cases, it may actually be a storm! :P

[capj64]

lol, that's funny you're saying that because when it's raining here I keep the bright lights turned off Don't know...just do.

[swankyspoon]

Unreal.... I have read about wealthy people that buy 6 figure tanks as a conversation piece, and do not even feed the fish themselves, but it is more satisfying to see someone who is really passionate about it build something of this caliber.

[StripesTheEel]

Thanks.

I am not wealthy by any means, I actually do not do alot other than reefing due to it being very expensive. The fish are more important than corals, so their welfare is always priority.

[Greenmaster]

I have known people who smoke 2 packs of smokes a day and drink like a fish... they probably spend $1,000-$2,000 a month on just that... My fish tank doesn't cost that and I doubt this one is anywhere near that either.

[StripesTheEel]

Agreed!

On a side note I just bought a new skimmer

Alpha Vertex 300

[IT-FishGuy]

Great tank. I aspire to get one like it, but 700 gallons is a bunch of weight. I take it this was a custom build, but who built it?

[StripesTheEel]

Maryann's Aquarium which is in Queensland, Australia.

It took around 15 people to lift it into my house.

[Curtis]

Nice tank Matt. How old is your emporer??? Did you get him when he was a juvinile??

[StripesTheEel]

He was acquired at about 1 inch, is now around 5-6 inches. Hasn't grown too quick at all and only just changed to full adult colouration in the last 12 months.

His home aquarium age is about 5 years.

On a side note it was time to change my T5 tubes (12 months) so I decided to take the opportunity to downgrade from x2 10 bulb units to 8 bulbs to allow my solatubes to increase their spread.

Videos were taken at night so only T5s no sunlight.

Each unit now contains x3 ATI Blue Plus, x3 ATI Aquablue Special, x1 ATI Pro Color and x1 ATI Purple Plus.

Video #1

All Lights on

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZ1ai0HDN3M

Enjoy!

[Etunes]

So what time do you have your lights go on and off? I like the effect it gives to. In the morning do you only have 1 set of lights come on too but on the oppisite side? That would be cool.

[StripesTheEel]

By the time I wake up in the morning it is already lit from the solatubes. lol

Natural sunlight from about 6am - 6pm

T5's stagger from 1:30-9:00pm

They come on at the same time but turn off differently to simulate the sun going down.