liquidstar · reef build
300 Gallon
Salt Water Tank
A fully DIY reef system — reinforced floor, basement sump room, silent overflows and a lot of plumbing.
A fully DIY reef system — reinforced floor, basement sump room, silent overflows and a lot of plumbing.
The build: stand, plumbing, sump room and equipment.
What actually lives in it — fish and coral.
Display tank is 300 gallons, 3-side visible starfire glass, custom built by Miracles Aquarium and designed with a silent overflow in mind: 2 overflows, 1 return, 1 extra. 80 gallon sump and filtration in the basement.
This project was an upgrade from a 125 gallon setup. All DIY, including support and cabinet millwork.
Being on the main level, the floor was reinforced: 2 triple-sistered 2×8 beams run along the existing floor joists, spanning from the foundation to the steel support beam.
Plumbing runs to the “sump room” in the basement using 1½″ flex PVC to eliminate elbows — 4 runs in total at ~30′ each (the sump room is not directly below). Equipment in the basement is gravity fed from the overflow: 3 overflows running ~30′ linear and dropping ~10′.
The main run is in full siphon and provides more than enough volume and pressure to feed equipment. It is regulated via a ball valve at the far end, and the system is tuned so only a trickle uses the 2nd run. The 3rd overflow is a backup, used while the system stabilizes after power-on — it takes about 4 minutes for the main line to purge air and reach full siphon.
RO/DI water is used for top-off. It's collected in a 25 gallon bin and fed to the sump by a simple pump on a timer, roughly 1 gallon a day.
The stand is simple 2×4 construction, each vertical sistered and set 24″ apart. The top is a 2×4 perimeter with ¾″ ply, ¾″ foam, then a ½″ ply surface to relieve stress points. The canopy hangs from the ceiling to allow unobstructed access around the tank. All panels are MDF, primed and sprayed for a smooth finish.