Johnny Reefer's Reef
 

So after 8 mostly full days, the new lights are on and the new sump/auto top-off system is done! :biggrin:
Good thing I'm on holidays (again). It was a way bigger project than I thought it'd be. I don't know how all you M-F dayworkers do it! :confused: :smile: The main tank is 4 months on now.

That's my QT tank high right. Sump and 45g auto top-off on left.
http://www.canreef.com/photopost/dat...System-med.JPG
http://www.canreef.com/photopost/dat...Sump_1-med.JPG
http://www.canreef.com/photopost/dat...Sump_2-med.JPG
The main tank.
http://www.canreef.com/photopost/dat...k_View-med.JPG

Looks good! I like the aquascaping. :cool:

Nice tank! Congrats on the upgrades!

Chris

Mark, looks good, but 2 concerns. The tank appears to be awfully close to the oven, temp might be affected if you bake lots of cookies and stuff. Second, the water level in your sump looks high; can the sump handle a power shutdown? Meaning if the power goes out, can it handle the back flow from the tank?

This tank was a freshwater tank in the same spot for the last 3 1/2 years. Admittingly, when I first set it up, then, I thought the oven/stove might matter. Got lucky there cuz it actually doesn't affect it at all. Now maybe if I was cookin' a turkey in there all day long...might be different. But that ain't gonna happen. :lol:
As for the sump level...I'm gonna try a simulated power failure tomorrow before the MHs come on. Should be okay though, I think. When I first fired it up I had the water filled to the top of the middle baffle and the main tank water level was even with the bottom of the overflow grooves.
I'll tell ya, though, the auto top-off is droppin' fast. 2 1/4" in 2 days! :sad:

yup. My 150 used 5g of top off water each day.

Really? I thought 2" from the top was standard. No?
My baffle tops are actually 2 1/2" from the top. :confused:

My sump runs about 60% full, power shut offs raise that to about 90%. I guess it depends on how much water siphons back from the tank. Just hit the power and you'll figure it out quick enough :razz:

sweet :biggrin:

wow, looks awesome mark!! :smile:

Just a little update to the upgrades done, for my own peace of mind, as I do not wish to convey inaccurate claims.

The sump was running, as the pictures show, but now it is not.
I decided, 6 weeks ago, that the external overflow system is WAY to risky for me, what with going away from home frequently.
So I went back to running two canisters, for now.

I have a 70g sitting empty, right now. As well, the 45g top-off tank and the 33g sump are sitting empty too. So at the earliest opportunity, I am going to move all my LR, corals, sand, and inverts to those tanks, temporarily, and send the 135g out for drilling and get the overflow and sump/auto top-off going properly. The fish can go in my 20QT tank if there is not room in the others.
Hoping to get this done in Oct. or Nov. and hopefully it won't take any longer than 1 week to do.

Anyway, just wanted to set the record straight that a more accurate thread title here would be "Upgrades On Hold" rather than "Upgrades Done".

Cheers,

reply
 

Good choice, I never liked external overflows either.

Oh man sound like a lot of work. But it will pay off in the long run.
Looking forward to reading all about it in Oct.

Good Luck
Jason

Upgrades done? Ha! LOL. Upgrades just lead to more upgrades, I’ve learned. Well, it is for the better, though.
So… the latest upgrades are done. Got a 180 drilled tank with two corner overflows.
Moved the sump from under the top off tank to directly under the main tank. The top off tank is still in play. Just a longer feed hose there, is all. This was all done about 6 weeks ago, actually, but just getting around to pics now.
So what’s next? Well, I can’t help but think that this system is way under skimmed. So the next upgrade is to get either an ASM G3 or a EuroReef CS8-2 skimmer for the sump.
It’s only a 33g sump so I’m hopin’ a CS8-2 will fit! Which has got me thinkin’ I need to upgrade the size of my sump! Sheesh! Well, the sump upgrade is gonna have to wait for the time when I plan to upgrade my living quarters so I can better accommodate these aquarium upgrades. (Read: Own place = peace of mind; concrete place = peace of mind). Heck, at the same time, I may as well upgrade the 135 FOWLR to a 180g and get a sump goin’ on that too, as it is under skimmed also. Oh, and RO/DI top offs are in the plans too!
Can you say upgrade, Johnny? Upgrade, upgrade, upgrade.
In the meantime, however, I think it's time to get some livestock!

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...3/IMG_0187.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...3/IMG_0188.jpg

This pic is with the cabinet facade in place.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...3/IMG_0189.jpg

Cheers, :)

Ahhh now that's better Mark, and now you will be able to sleep easier too:mrgreen:

Upgrades Continuing
 

I’m so excited that I just :neutral: can’t :smile: hide :biggrin: it :lol:!

I’m now committed to a ground floor condo. Possession date is December 1st.
Upgrade plans are…..
I’m getting out of FW altogether and these tanks will be used to upgrade my Reef and FOWLR systems.

I’m gonna get two corner overflows installed in my 135 FW tank. This will become the new Reeftank. I’ll use the 45 I’m currently using as a top-off reservoir for the sump/fuge. My current 135 FOWLR tank will become the top-off reservoir for this tank. Gonna go with a RS-180 EuroReef skimmer. The lights will be the Aqualight Pro 3x150W 10K HQI I already have. Planning on upgrading the flow to two Tunze 6080’s, with two MJ 1200’s for surface agitation. Pondering a chiller, but considering 2x3.125” Coralife cooling fans instead. (Way cheaper). Planning on going with a 1” sand bed.

The 180 I have will then become the FOWLR TriggerTank. I have a 70g that will be the sump/fuge. My 90 FW tank will become the top-off tank for this system. Skimmer will be a RS-250. Lights will be a Lunar Aqualight 2x96W 10K P/C I already have. The Seio 1500’s I already have in my current Reeftank will be moved to this FOWLR tank. Two MJ 1200’s for surface agitation. I don’t expect a need to chill this tank. Cooling fans will probably suffice. Planning on going with a 1” sand bed here, too.

RO/DI is also in the plans.

Needless to say, this is going to be a huge move (hint, hint :wink:). Two display tanks, two sumps and two top-off tanks. One of the display tanks requires drilling, as does the two top-off tanks. This totals up to 9 tank moves altogether. Something that is just not gonna happen in one day. Looking forward to it, though. More space and a solid platform means getting around to larger sump(s), bigger skimmers, and improved conditions all around and an increase in livestock capacity as a result. (Finally).

Any thoughts and/or suggestions are welcome.

Thanx much and cheers:smile:,

Mark why not make 2 tanks converted into one have 1 sump so that everything is dealt with on the reef side then the FOWLR wont get half the attention. IE when doing water changes you change the water in the sump and then your good to go. and you water parameters are going to be more stable in both tanks too.... lots of people are doing this should sheck into it...


good luck and congrats

Definitely a good idea and something I will consider. One problem I struggle with is hooking up an RO/DI to the existing condo plumbing and then have it fail someday. I'm not so sure my insurance, (or the Strata's insurance), would cover that. I'm new to owning, having rented all my life. Not too comfortable asking about it. ....."Hi! I'm the new owner of unit xxx. I have these huge aquariums. I want to hook up an RO/DI auto top-off from the laundry room plumbing directly to my tank systems. This means running water filled lines along walls and ceilings. Does the strata insurance cover damages when it fails?"
I'd rather run the RO/DI off the kitchen faucet only when I need it, thus the top-off tanks....which will take up more space. Consequently, the Reef and the FOWLR could not both fit in the same room.

Am I out to lunch worrying about not being insured in the event of an RO/DI failure?:confused:

Thanx much,

Changes soon forthcoming in December.
Here’s a “before” shot of the 180g reef tank.
Sump too small; awkward to access / hard to work on; couldn’t fit skimmer in with this arrangement.
Temperature control by way of those two wall mounted fans.
Water circ is by way of 2 Seio 1500s; 4 MaxiJet 1200s; and the sump return.
Been running skimmerless since mid September due to unreliable HOB skimmer.
Fluidized Bed filter removed and gone for good.
45g top-off tank not large enough for my needs.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...reUpgrades.jpg

Here’s a shot of the new 135g sump.
(It will not be used on this stand, as photographed. The sump will sit down on the floor, beside the display tank).
Live Rock will go in the first chamber and the second chamber, (in that basket under the skimmer), and also between the skimmer and the ‘fuge chamber.
The ‘fuge will have a 2” sandbed and I’m going to use Chaeto as the nutrient exporter.
The canister will run carbon and maybe RowaPhos. I’m going to try my PhosBan (RowaPhos) reactor again, but I may go back to Rowa in the canister.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...r3/135Sump.jpg

More.....

Here’s a detail shot of the right side of the sump.
The return pump is in behind the canister and, hard to see here, but in the far back corner is the chiller pump. Both pumps are Aquaclear 901s. (Actually, they are big powerheads).
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...SumpDetail.jpg


I’ll post “After” pics when the time comes.

Cheers,

Well my big move and associated upgrades are essentially complete. Phew! Still a few minor loose ends to deal with, in time. I'm ground floor now, so weight and flooding neighbours below are no longer an issue. Here are some after move pics. (Mods. Please move this thread to the Tank Journal Forum if that is deemed more appropriate).

This is a new 180g Seastar tank. That's a 1/4 HP Coralife AquaChill in the background. On the right is the 135g Auto Top-Off tank.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...3/IMG_0406.jpg

Here's a shot of the 135g sump in action. The skimmer is a Euro-Reef RS 250. Lighting the 16g 'fuge is a Coralife Aqualight 1 x 150W 10,000K DE used MH. (Still have to get some Chaeto in there). Return is a Hagen Aquaclear 901 powerhead. a second 901 feeds the chiller. Float valve for the top-off system is a Laguna (Hagen pond product).
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...3/IMG_0407.jpg

More pics....

Here's a couple of shots with the foam board facade in place.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...3/IMG_0437.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...3/IMG_0395.jpg

More pics.....

This is the SpectraPure 180GPD RO/DI unit. I still have to hook this up. Thus, it goes without saying that I've used tapwater so far. (I was too impatient and wanted to get things going).
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...3/IMG_0455.jpg

And here's a shot, albeit not that great a pic, of the display tank itself. Lighting is a Coralife Aqualight Pro 2 x 14,000K 150W DE MH and 1 (soon to be replaced) x 150W 10,000K DE MH with 2 x 96W actinics. Water circulation is provided by 2 Tunze 6100s on 7091 contollers, and 2 MaxiJet 1200s. Livestock at present is a PB Tang; Yellow Tang; 2 Tasseled Filefish; 2 Green Mandarins; 2 False Percula Clowns; 4 Green Chromis; Softies, Zoos, LPS; and various inverts.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...3/IMG_0452.jpg

Thanx to all that helped with this endeavour.

Cheers,

Update:
Aiptasia rampant.
Cyano coming back.
Gonna get a UV sterilizer soon.
Upgraded return pump to a Mag 18.
The Coral Banded Shrimp made it after all. It hangs out in a spot where I actually see him all the time now.
Fish and corals doing good. (Just that damn aiptasia and cyano).

Cheers,

I beat cyano by adding more water flow,more powerheads.cyano grows in calmer waters,so by adding more flow it cant setle down and take over,this is the way I got ride of it.
Good luck

Did you get your RODI hooked up yet? If not use lots of Prime with your tap water.

Yes, that's been the general consensus. A point I have agreed with....until now....when I discovered one of the new cyano patches directly in the path of a Tunze 6100! Now I don't know what to believe. :neutral:

Cheers,

No,...not yet. :redface: .
Shame on me.
This week.

Cheers,

Looks really good Mark. Can't wait to come over and see it in person.

I'm too embarassed to show it off quite yet. The aiptasia is nuts. I swear there must be 1,000 polyps. I'm going to IPZ tomorrow/today. Maybe they have some peppermints there. Like 10! But they won't eat the big ones. I'll have to Joe Juice those. It's gonna take a while. Been pondering a CBB, but I can't keep a CBB long term, and the last time I tried a CBB my PBT was none too happy. Oy vey.

Cheers,

Injected about 20 - 30 (of many) aiptasia polyps tonight and it has peaked the Tasseled Filefish's interest.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...tasiaMaybe.jpg
It's as if they've said "Oh! You don't want those things?". Ahh,....noo! Start eating!
Not sure if they are eating aiptasia or just the mucus shedding from the aiptasia. In any event, I can't see this being a bad thing, (as long as the JJ doesn't harm them), and maybe this will get them aquiring a taste for the non-nuked ones. One can only hope for that.

Cheers,

Give him a call first if that's the only reason you're heading up island. They're pretty hard to come by on the island.

Well I see I've neglected this thread for close to two years now, so I figure I should update it. The following few posts are a copy/paste from another board I frequent. For anyone that is interested, please forgive me if some of it doesn't make sense, chronologically. I have paid a bit more attention to the other board thread, but here there is a two year gap.

Okay...updates. Unlike the Trigger Tank, I am very happy with the progress of my Reef Tank. IMO, it has never looked better. Like the Trigger Tank, similar changes here too.

Sump changes: Refugium out, ZeoVit in. EuroReef out, BK in. No more canisters. No more Nitrate Sponge. No more RowaPhos. Running carbon passively. Added 67 more (net) pounds of LR and also switched some of the denser stuff with lighter rock. Also added a grounding probe.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...ReefZeovit.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3.../ReefSump2.jpg

Tank shot, left side.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...fer3/Left2.jpg

Tank shot, middle.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...3/Middle-2.jpg

Tank shot, right side.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...er3/Right1.jpg

As happy as I am with this tank, it has not been without a few problems and losses. In particular, I lost my Tridacna Clam. It was a healthy, robust clam when I bought it from Shelley in January and I think what might have done it in was my Alk when down to about 4.5 dKH at one point. It was around this time that the clam died. One of the challenges to working a tank with my schedule. My attempt at keeping a Goniopora has failed, as well. It looks like the point of no return for it now, so it will go into the sump soon. The Turbinaria is not fluorishing, but it is hanging in there and I believe there is actually some new growth on it within the last week or two, so I am optimistic there. The two Open Brains are not as well as they could be, the red being the better of the two. The Red Brain had a good day today. The Green Brain I have had since '05 and really want this coral to pull through. It rarely extends anymore, but it showed signs of coming to life again about a week ago, with fairly decent extension, so I'm optimistic with it too.

Like the Trigger Tank, this tank was high in NO3 and PO4 as well. I did a major sump cleaning in November and this brought the NO3 down from 50 to 25. Eight x 20% water changes in Dec/Jan has brought the NO3 down further to 5-10. PO4 is now at .05. Now the Zeo can take over and hopefully bring this down a little more.
The Zeo on this tank has definitely made a difference. I no longer have Grape Caulerpa or Dictyota and the GHA growth has decreased drastically. Corals, although sutle, are more colourful and the water is clearer.

New additions since last update are...Coral Beauty, Eibl's Dwarf Angel, 2 Solar Fairy Wrasses (sold as "Clown" Wrasses)(actually 3, but 1 dissappeared), 4 more Sun Corals, 2 Candy Canes, 2 Blastos, 2 Bubbles and a Mushroom.

Final equipment upgrade will be an AquaCare Ca/Mg Reactor. Just waiting for a few more parts for that. Then my focus will finally shift to stocking the display a bit more.

Oh ya, and I'm not dosing ChemiClean anymore and part of the Zeo regime is dosing Iodide, so I'm not dosing Lugol's anymore either.

Stay tooned and cheers,

A few more pics....

This large Frogspawn used to be right up front, but it got so big it was touching the front glass. So I moved it to the back. It's worked out perfectly because the Clowns, who "guest" in the Colt, now "guest" in the Frogspawn too. It is so cool! While moving the FS, a frag broke off, so I put that where the big FS used to be. The Colt is finally starting to grow, despite the FS being right next door.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...sFrogspawn.jpg

One of two Solar Fairy Wrasses.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...asseCorals.jpg

Eibl's.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...iblsCorals.jpg

Tasseled Filefish. One of the new Bubbles. The Frogspawn frag.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...fishCorals.jpg

The other new Bubble. The struggling Green Brain.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...sseCorals2.jpg

A few more...

The Red Brain. Today was a good day.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...3/RedBrain.jpg

GSP. I've taken a sprig from this colony and put it on the left side. Should have the same thing there in about a year or two.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...fer3/GSP-1.jpg

The male Mandarin.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...nSunCorals.jpg

Oh ya, I decided to cut my flow back. I put both Tunzes on timers. Each runs 6 hours on, 6 off...and opposite each other. Each PH faces a different direction so it's kinda, sorta a tidal thing going on....sorta. Flow was 43x turnover/hour, but now it's around 25x with at least one Tunze off all the time.

Cheers,