Posted by: tkimmons85
in User Blogs on Dec 04, 2009
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Well after my first attempt at a reef tank did not go so well I am attempting to start again and do it right this time. My first attempt was a 55 gallon corner tank and the problems I encountered were endless. Mainly because of my own inexperience and lack of knowledge about reefs. I didnt have enought lighting, barely 2 watts per gallon. Not enough flow. I didnt feed the corals enough. I used crushed coral. Algae problems of all sorts not stop. Ph fluctuations all the time. It was pretty much a disaster and I am surprised I didnt kill more corals than I did.
After many lessons learned I took all I did wrong and looked at it and just decided to start over. After searching for a used set-up I came across a 125 reef setup with external overflow and sump. After getting the tank home and getting it in place I took in consideration of all the things I wanted to do right this time and decided to really take my time. First I painted the stand white from the original black. I added new hinges, knobs, and handles on the drawers and doors.
Then I started on redoing the filtration system. The skimmer that came with the tank was good a reef octopus, so I stuck with that. The sump however was not in good shape. The glass baffles were cracked and the silicone was not properly layed down on the baffles. I went a bought a 30 long from the aquatic critter of nashville. I then had a glass cutting company cut me 4 pieces of 1/4 inch thick glass. I also used aquarium safe silicone to put the baffles in and let it dry for a week. The sump is layed out as follows. The twin tube external overflow has dual tubes that run into both sides of the sump. One side for a skimmer and the other being a refugium. Then both of these overflow into the center where a quiet one 6000 pump returns the water to the main tank.
For additional filtration I opted for the Deluxe BRS GFO and Carbon Reactor from bulkreefsupply.com. I also used a maxijet 1200 to power the reactor that sits in the center of the sump next to my quiet one 6000. I am also running a bag of purigen in my sump next to one of my overflow hoses for additional nitrate fltration.
For lighting I new I wanted to do it right the first time and be done with it. I also knew because of low canopy clearance that I could not run halides without a chiller and a chiller was just more trouble and not in my budget. I instead went with the 48inch Sunlight Supply T5 Tek lighting fixture. I also went with eight Giessman bulbs.
Even a semi-cool running fixture like this generated so much heat in my cramped canopy that the fixture would become so hot that you could hardly touch the top of it. After consulting the manufacture over the phone I decided to make a DIY cooling fan unit. I used a computer power supply I had sitting around and bought some fans off of a computer parts website. The unit works fantastic and blows air across the top of the fixture and out the back of the canopy.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835426017&nm_mc=TEMC-RMA-Approvel&cm_mmc=TEMC-RMA-Approvel-_-Content-_-text-_-
All other technical aspects of the tank are pretty straight forward. For current I have 2 koralia 2s which are on 24/7, then I have 2 koralia 4s that alternate opposite tank ends every hr. I have two jager heaters 1 in the Main tank and 1 in sump. I have a Neptune Systems Aquacontroller JR with temp/Ph probes and a DC8 powerstrip. This unit controls my powerheads, lighting, refugium light, and moonlight leds. I also have an american dj power center for all of my other hardware that I need to switch on/off with the flip of a lighted switch. For evaporation control I have a 10 gallon fresh water tank with a Auto top off system that maintains correct water salinity and level.
Right now as livestock goes I only have 2 clowns, a foxface, twinspot goby, and a yellow tail damsel. Eventually however I would like to add the following.
Powder Brown Tang
Yellow Eyed Kole Tang
Neon Goby
Sixline Wrasse
Citron Goby
Purple Fire Fish
I am having trouble with adding pics. So here is a link to all my pics so far.http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1728292
Posted by: andywe
in User Blogs on Dec 03, 2009
I have never in my life had a tank give me so much gried as this one to get set up. Maybe it is an omen..as clearly, from the timeframe involved already it hasn;t been rushed...
The new sump works..however the bulkheads are stillr efusing to seal properly. SO drip drip every time no matter what. I am almsot at the point of siliconning the darn thing sin or using plumbers putty...I would rather they jsut seal!!!
Other than needing to get some spa flex pipe, I should be good to go at this point (providing the bulkheads seal). I will try again this weekend.
Posted by: andywe
in User Blogs on Nov 25, 2009
Well, it has been an 8 week saga on the sump I wanted. After 3 attempts to ship me one intact, and three broken sumps, I got my money refunded and settled for a lesser sump only. I got an ADHI Berliner 45. I ordered it last Friday and received it this morning, intact!! YAY!!
Posted by: MVlk
in User Blogs on Nov 06, 2009
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Here is a current FTS. More detail on my RC build thread (Sorry just not enough energy tonight to do both)
Posted by: sharrison
in User Blogs on Nov 02, 2009
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Posted by: andywe
in User Blogs on Oct 27, 2009
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Well I FINALLY got my Pro-Clear Flex 400 Sump/Refugium in today after almost a month of waiting. All in all this is pretty sweet! Sump size is 42" x 16" x 16", and the convertible refugium chamber is 14-3/8" x 15-3/4" x 14". The bad news is that it came in with a chip st a top corner, and a scratch on the bottom. I did take pics of it all, and it is a little disappointing. I will be calling Pro Clear tomorrow about it. What really concerns me is that Aquadirect.com, whom I ordered this through, no longer lists this item.
Posted by: andywe
in User Blogs on Oct 08, 2009
Well, about a month ago Leah and I picked up Raven's 220. What a beautiful tank!! Zach came up to Kentucky with us ans we had fun getting it drained. Danny, as usual ended up almost crawling into the tank to get things done.
Posted by: Adrian
in User Blogs on Oct 02, 2009
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Alright. So here is my first draft of what I want to do with my 90 gallon. I am not showing the egg crate as I don't know how to make it in the program. I am wondering about the sand bed, though, because in my current tank the sand in the front of the tank is constantly blown away from the glass, so this design could pose a problem. Especially, in the somewhat high flow I want to have in the upper portion of the tank. So I don't know yet.
Posted by: MVlk
in User Blogs on Oct 01, 2009
Re-posting in my blog now that I have it up and going. As in my post, had a casualty this morning...
Posted by: MVlk
in User Blogs on Sep 10, 2009
I was a little too tired to do much work tonight, but did get some done and could not resist posting a picture on its born date.
