165 gallon system - back from the dead (just in time for Halloween!)

[fkshiu]

I finally managed to transfer everyone out of the temporary holding tanks and into the new tank after about a month. I have to say that my mortality rate was surprisingly low given that:
1. the fish, most inverts and LPS were in a 25 gallon
2. softies were in the sump
3. SPS and clams in a 10 gallon
4. abalone and blue tux urchin in a rubbermaid with 100+ lbs of LR.

For the record, the losses were 1 maxima, 1 blood shrimp and a few snails. All the SPS browned out but are still alive. The LPS were even thriving, go figure.

Anyway, here's everybody in the home crib:


I decided to set the tank up in a Gyre arrangement with lots of open space. I wanted to get away from the rock wall look. Here's the open "back alley" running the length of the tank behind the rocks:



I've utilized PVC frames to minimize the amount of rock required. That's a Tunze 6000 on a single controller on the other end. It's the only circulantion other than the Eheim 1260 return pump that's been split three ways (two over-the-back returns and a UV-sterilizer that loops back into the sump). The flow from the Tunze wraps all the way around the tank creating a whirlpool effect. The SPS have their colour returning and the softies/LPS are still doing well although I am still working on finding the lowest flow spots for them. This has allowed me to get rid of the four powerheads I previously had on a Wavemaster Pro.

Here's the oldie, but goodie skimmer - a Tunze 240/3. Skims just as well as my old meshmodded ER CS6-2 but takes up less than half the space, uses less power and is quieter to boot!