120g Standard ULM Reef Tank Build

[Kfallwine]

Current Status:

Making sure tank is cycled and slowly adding. Cable management next.

Current Equipment:

Trigger Systems Triton44 Sump
Vectra L1 Return Pump
2 x MP40 QD
Kessil H380 Refugium Light
Neptune Apex
Neptune Flow Monitor
Neptune ATK
2 x Neptune DOS and DDR
Skimz Monster SM203 Skimmer
2 x Radion XR30 g4 Pro

 

[Kfallwine]

Originally and still have a 28g JBJ. Bought this tank 2 years ago at @WWC while I was in Orlando for business, knowing I had the perfect spot in my new house next to the stairs in the basement. Plan was to have the tank next to the stairs with "fish room" under the stairs and into the laundry room.

Transporting the sump and tank home to Virginia (stand in the trailer, not shown):

Tank for two years:

Life got in the way but now is the time to finish the tank.

Original plan was to use an Eshopps sump, and DoS pumps to do automatic water changes as I have a busy schedule, and hate doing water changes. Life changed however, and with a baby on the way, and a busy schedule already, I decided to do the Triton Method after watching @Bulk Reef Supply videos and a refugium just makes sense to me.

Could not figure out a way to have a large enough refugium, so decided to get a Trigger Systems Triton sump and place it under the stairs, behind the tank as it won't fit under the tank.

Painted the tank back and bottom:

Cutting hole in the walls to plumb everything:

Bought black pipes for plumbing overflows and returns in the overflow chambers (hard to see in pictures):

Sump mostly in place with white pipe temporarily in place while figuring out plumbing:

Trying to determine if I will run a manifold to the left above the overflow pipes but below the return pipe going under the stand, where it splits to both returns in the tank.

Will use blue pipe once plumbing finished. Using gate valves for both overflows, and ball valves for returns.

 

[Kfallwine]

Plumbing update, it's finished! The plan was to rough everything out with white pipe, then use the blue PVC as the final.

In progress of figuring out best way to run the overflow drains. A level really helps, and so does cardboard over sump to prevent drips of glue.

Almost finished:

Put the return pump facing "the wrong way" so that the drips from the dosing can be in the most turbulent area of the return chamber. Have the ball valve to add a manifold at a later date, using the threaded union to terminate it just in case, will switch to slip once I install the manifold.

Installed the FMK sensor past the manifold so I can get a true number of what is going to the returns in the tank.

Under the tank, on the other side of the wall:

Ball valves to control flow going to each return, gate valves to tune overflows.

Did a preliminary leak test with putting pitchers of RODI water into the overflow chambers. NO leaks except a bulkhead I forgot to screw tight. Ensured the drains worked, and then filled up sump to test returns.

Filled sump with hose from water mixing station, tested returns, everything is working with NO leaks!

Next step is to get electronics and other equipment, as well as aquascaping.

 

[Kfallwine]

Aquascaping. Used blue tape to mark my rule of thirds points of interest.

First attempt:

Didn't like the way the left Pukani rock looked. Also, decided to chisel some swim throughs into the right side rock, which ended up on the left.

Swim throughs:

Ended up putting the right side piece of pukani on the left now.

Front view:

View from the left of the tank:

View from the right of the tank:

Thoughts on aquascaping? Any suggestions?

 

[Kfallwine]

Finished the aquascaping yesterday using reef safe epoxy:

Top Down View:

Side:

Other side:

Started the filling process yesterday but ran out of RODI water. Finished making water today and filled the tank.

1 of 2 Vortech installed and Vectra return working well:

Not sure where to put the heaters. Don't think they will fit with the skimmer in the skimmer section:

Next up is adding salt directly in the tank, and then finally sand.

 

[Erick Armanii]

Very excited to see the progress you make on this! I’m basically doing the same thing except with a 125 long!

 

[Erick Armanii]

Really eager to see your progress!! I’m doing the same thing on a 125long your just a few weeks ahead of me I received my Triton 44 sump on Friday!

 

[Kfallwine]

Really eager to see your progress!! I’m doing the same thing on a 125long your just a few weeks ahead of me I received my Triton 44 sump on Friday!

Thanks! Been researching this for a long time, so hopefully this can help you out some!

 

[Kfallwine]

Added salt and sand. Put in 40lbs of CaribSea, waiting for it to settle before adding another potential 20lbs.

Temporarily put up the Neptune ATK and connected the Apex as well as connecting the return pump flow monitor.

Attempting to put the PMUP for the ATK in the top RODI container, not sure if it will work due to gravity.

Flow monitoring is saying I have 672 average GPH with the vectra set to about 55%. Hoping to get about 1000 gph once I get the sand and salt in the tank in order to meet the 10x turnover for Triton.

 

[sneub]

Awesome, following

 

[Kfallwine]

Sand had mostly settled so I set up the Radions, added them to reef link, put them on Coral Lab SPS AB+. After I took the pictures I tried to distribute the sand a little better, hoping the flow will push it where it needs to go.

One of the rocks on the left side is buried in sand in the pictures, the sand was re distributed by hand and now the tank is cloudy again.

 

[Kfallwine]

Moved some sand around. Still need to do a little moving, but it's starting to fill in everywhere. Radions are working well. Going to start adding food to kick off the cycle.

Next up is making sure auto top off is working appropriately, cable management, skimmer set up and tuning.

 

[Kfallwine]

Made a skimmer stand from egg crate, zip ties, and left over PVC pipes.

Installed in the skimmer chamber:

Heaters fit better:

Skimmer set up and running, waiting for it to break in:

Next up is straightening up all of the electronics, and setting up the DoS pumps while the tank cycles.

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

Looking good so far!

 

[Kfallwine]

Looking good so far!

Thanks! More coming in the next few days!

 

[Kfallwine]

Was away for a week for work. Diatom bloom occurred.

Looks pretty reasonable. Added a few CUC (3 turbo snails, 3 hermit crabs, 5 astria snails, and an emerald crab) to start the process of eliminating the diatoms.

Since the diatoms occurred, and I am feeding the tank with no noticeable ammonia, I'm assuming the tank is somewhat cycled, but am not rushing. I did however add a few coral to test the waters (pun intended), and went ahead and set up the refugium.

Added some chaeto and installed the Kessil.

Seneye pictured to try and monitor ammonia during cycle.

Also added some marine pur blocks and spheres as I really don't have that much in the way of rock in the DT.

 

[Kfallwine]

Have been feeding the tank every day, ammonia still reading at .003 or .001 on the seneye.

Received my XR30 diffusers today and installed them.

Before:

After:

Using an orange filter on pictures, but seems like the diffuser made a huge difference, even as far as color is concerned. The wall shows a huge difference as far as the light being scattered, as well as it getting thrown into the room.

Clean up crew seems to be putting a dent in diatoms. I have added some Purple Helix Coraline Algae in a bottle, looking forward to seeing some Coraline algae growth in the next few weeks.