Tank reno

[Goomba]

Heya folks, I usually enjoy skimming through reefin' logs and pictures in my free time so I figured I'll contribute and throw up some content for others to glance over. Early this spring I dismantled my tank and had a new one built about a foot to the right and forward, why so much effort for so little gain? It allowed me to remove the two step sunken landing at my front door which the aquarium had been previously hiding in the basement.



It's 50" long, 24" tall, and 26" wide. Rear mounted overflow chamber in the center, two returns in the top back corners, and the same sump as before with a refugium for random algae scum in the middle.

Running an eShopps skimmer which is probably rated just right for the new tank, two maxspect 230 gyres on alternating 10 second waves up high, and still have to pickup some bigger wave pumps for that rocking effect.

Tank is filled now with rock but my light is still a couple days away so I'll throw up some aquascaping pics when it's here. In the meantime here's my somewhat unhappy corals waiting for treatment in quarantine before they move in.

[Scythanith]

Your unhappy corals are still quite nice

[Goomba]

A couple corals are super browned out, but most have handled things ok.

Almost done with the outside of it, I tried to make an opening hood out of the wavy panels but they are just too flimsy even with 1/4" sheet for support. Probably have to make something firmer and just match the wall instead.





Light is supposed to arrive on the 10th, and I'll most likely get some cheapo wave pumps like Jebao for the ocean motion.

[WarDog]

Those panels are tres cool. What about half inch ply? It may sit a bit proud of the wall but will look great!

[Goomba]

Got my light and started to finish the upper front panel. I just beefed it up to 1/2", it's actually flush on the right side but exposes that I didn't line the tank up perfectly with the wall on the left and the panel sticks out a bit. Not gonna mess with it anymore, I'll just turn one issue into more. All that is left is to smooth out the panel joint some more and paint it.



I basically ended up with a "wall-o-rock", but jazzed it up a little with an arch up high connected to an island and a low bridge joining the peninsula out front back to the wall. I do like the way more artistic bonsai or reef bommie inspired aquascaping looks, but the good ol' wall offers up so much room for coral. I've kept as few pieces as possible in the back to allow for more flow so it's not so much of a brick in there.







The lights aren't nearly that blue, old iPhone just picks it up soooo much. Now is time to wait for the algae cycles and then add some fish and inverts. In there now are sand sifting stars, tiger cucumbers, and a gold watchman gobie pair with a pistol.

[Goomba]

Whole thing is fully hooked up now, all that's left is to finish treating the corals and move the quarantine/frag tank into the sump room so I don't have these extra wires hanging across the hall.



Was expecting the rock to re-cycle after coming out of the tubs but I got the white bacteria film followed by the "brown stage" of algae fairly quick with no spikes of anything. Green hairy algae just started growing too so I added the algae eating crew of snails, urchins, and a powder blue tang. By next weekend I hope to have most of the corals back in barring any problems.

Secret sump room door in storage



It ain't pretty like those all-in-ones or designer plumbing, but it gets the job done.







The room is really small even without the other tank in it, I'm as far back as I can get for these pics. I'll work on the quality of pics too, this old iPhones camera is really starting to show its age compared to newer stuff.