150g RS Upgrade

Daimyo68 · Oct 19, 2013

Got this tank/stand combo from a close friend a few months ago. Slow going... One day I had the drive, the next day eh!

150g RS, 48x30x24, 3/4" glass, 3 sides Low Iron.
Mag12 Return Pump supplying reactors via a manifold.
50g Breeder Sump
Reef Octopus SRO3000INT
DIY Led Fixture
2 x MP40W

Removed the original overflow/return box, and installed an internal/external Overflow with the BeanAnimal Drain system. (Don't think I'll ever do another tank without it. Been using this drain system for years and love it!).

24" x 1.25" x 4.75" Smoked Black Glass internal overflow
24" x 4.25" x 9" External Drain/Box

The external box normally wouldn't be this deep, but the return bulkhead hole was below the 2" drain holes. I didn't want to use a check valve, and also didn't want the possibility of the bulkhead plug leaking, so instead I encompassed all 3 holes in the external box and plugged off the return. If it leaks, there won't be any water on the floor

BeanAnimal is 1" pvc, hard plumbed top to bottom.
Returns are 2 - 1" over the top with 3 sections of loc-line on each.

All freshly cooked live rock

Couple pics (lighting is temporary until next week when I take the 75g down, and move the DIY LED's to this tank):

http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/gg578/68Daimyo/DSC04579_zps25b3e764.jpg

Daimyo68 · Oct 19, 2013

Mysis shrimp (Lots!) in the water last Wednesday (right after adding water and cooked LR)... Thursday, a live dirty *** bait shrimp in the tank... died 2 days later, also threw in misc dry foods... Pulled the dead shrimp out yesterday (Wednesday) afternoon (The pieces I could get since it was deteriorating) Man what a stench that was, I threw it outside fast and ran to the bathroom gagging...

Cooking rock has proven to be the way to go. I've never done it before and wanted to see the results. I didn't expect to see a cycle and after questioning plenty of people was told the same (although I would have liked to see ammonia... It would have made me feel better

).

All levels (Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, phos) tested out at 0 on a regular basis. I should have had a reading of something after everything I added to the tank, and especially after the shrimp died and deteriorated.

I've used shrimp in the past:
1 - When setting up using dead rock with 1 LR, dry sand and a cup of live sand from an established tank, I would always get a cycle as expected.
2 - When setting up with a couple pieces of LR, dry sand and a cup of live sand, I've seen a light/short cycle.
3 - When setting up with established rock, dry sand and a cup of live sand, I've never seen a cycle.

This time I setup with a shrimp, cooked/live rock, live sand (fresh dated bags), dead mysis shrimp, and various dry foods - Never seen a cycle. This will be the way I go for all future systems.

This is the first time I've used cooked rock. A buddy of mine was nice enough to give me some space in one of his LR tanks. He replenishes that tank with new/fresh rock every week. My dry rock was put in about 3-4 months ago. Since it was dry, obviously there was no life and the good possibility of phosphates and organics (some of the rock was dry for years, while other pieces came out of a tank with an algae issue and remnants of soft coral pieces on it). I would go by weekly to clean it off, and scrub it. The dead life worked it's way out, and the weekly restocking of new LR helped to keep a steady level of bacteria thriving.

On another note, while the rock did look cool from the front, it was waaaaay to symmetrical for me from the side. It looked like a letter L. One of the reasons I wanted this tank was because of the depth front to back, and that roskscape just wasn't taking advantage of the room I have in that perspective.

So I stayed up until 2am the Tuesday evening/Wed morning, playing around, got ****ed off because I was tired and I couldn't get a look I liked, so I just dropped all the rock on the bottom and went to bed... Next morning at 9am, I was at it again. After about 3 hours, I finally got it to an acceptable look.

I'm sure it will still go through some changes over the next few weeks. It's still missing something on the left side in the back... Maybe another frogspawn is in the future. The one I had would have fit perfect in that hole on the left.

Also spent countless hours matching parameters to my 75g.

Front, then side, and a short video

Flameback Pair · Oct 19, 2013

What are your stocking plans.

J Rog · Oct 19, 2013

Nice scape!

Karl Hevacheck · Oct 19, 2013

I really like your aquascape.

gerards_reef · Oct 20, 2013

Sweet scape!

Lilmatty5dimes · Oct 20, 2013

awesome scaping. def worth the hours put in. this is a dream tank.

Daimyo68 · Oct 26, 2013

Thanks for the comments.

Right now I have:

Bellus Angel
Chevron Tang
Leopard Wrasse
Yellow Coris Wrasse
Chalk Bass
Midas Blenny (not in the tank yet)
Picasso Clownfish (not in the tank yet. In a 28g nanocube, hoping for it to take to my Anemone, no luck yet though)

I'm hoping to add another Bellus, a Male, and a few other fish. Just not sure what yet. I am open to suggestions

I finished off the stand for my 75g, and the new owner is picking it up tomorrow morning. Once that is gone, and my living room is back to normal, I'm going to weed out the corals i don't want anymore, and then start placing colonies where they look good. I see at least another full day or more doing so. Right now, everything is just "in the tank" in temp locations.

I was recently over a friends house, and he a new 90g (7-8 months) that he upgraded to. He has a mostly softy dominated tank with lps, and man did it look good! I'm thinking about going the same route. Less maintenance/worry with water quality, and lots of nice flowing movement.