Cadlights 165 SPS dominate mixed reef

[TangingOut]

Just found this section of the forums and decided to share/show my reef build, since it's the first one that I've actually planned out. My last system was pre-existing that I pretty much changed out all components over the nearly 3 years I had it.

Build started in June. Here's the original build thread I had in the local club forums https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/cadlights-165-build.310152/ I'll copy/transfer over the progress here with dates.

Tank is a Cadlights Artisan 165 which is 71.5 x 23.5 x 21

Here's the rest of my equipment list:
-ATI sunpower modded with 4 Hydra 26HD
-Hydra 26HD over frag section
-Maxspect Gyre XF250 x2
-Tunze 6055 x2
-Neptune Apex classic
-Skimz monster SM203 DC
-GHL 2.1 standalone doser
-Custom Advanced Acrylics 48 x 18 x 16 sump and ATO container
-Fluval SP4 return, SP2 utility
-Emperor aquatics 40 watt UV sterilizer

June 12,
Tank in place and lighting fixture finished.

The light is a 60" ATI sunpower with 4 Hydra 26HDs. The middle 4 T5s were removed and the remaining 4 were re-wired so the 2 closest to the Hydras are on 1 ballast and the other 2 on another. I cut out circles the size of the Hydra fans for cooling.

 

[TangingOut]

June 13,
Rockscape done. Just need another bag of sand. I'm loving the reflection off the back glass and plan on trying to keep it clean this go around. Also installed some soft close cabinet door dampers and some LED strips inside the stand. And hooray!!! for recess euro bracing.

June 22,
Rescaped and started working on my control panel.

 

[TangingOut]

June 23,
Sump and ATO reservoir in place. Tank was filled to just below the weir to get cycle started.

 

[TangingOut]

June 30,
Tank is cycling, but water still hasn't cleared up. Weird because 3rd day after filling up, water was crystal clear and now cloudy ever since.

Just finished my manifold last night and success!!! No leaks and no more getting high on PVC cement. Tank was re-drilled for herbie drain in standard sizing 3/4" syphon and 1" emergency. Cadlights stock is metric plumbing.

 

[jazzmik]

June 13,
Rockscape done. Just need another bag of sand. I'm loving the reflection off the back glass and plan on trying to keep it clean this go around. Also installed some soft close cabinet door dampers and some LED strips inside the stand. And hooray!!! for recess euro bracing.

June 22,
Rescaped and started working on my control panel.

Love the scape!

 

[TangingOut]

July 18,
All wires buttoned up and 2 of 6 liters of siporax in place. UV plumbed in, TLC reactor added for GAC.

Also tank is starting to clear up. Added 12 lbs of live rock and did a little re-scape. Added two Tunze 6055s to break up the Gyre's flow for more random/chaotic flow. I thought I could get away with just the sump fan, but I needed to add one over the display as temps were closer to the upper limits than I was comfortable with.

 

[TangingOut]

July 18,
I added the first part of my clean up crew yesterday. Already working on the diatoms. This batch consist of trochus, astrea, nitrite, and margarita snails. Second batch will be leftover clean up crew from my last setup consisting of trochus, nasarius snails, red legged hermits, a fighting conch, and lots of mini brittle stars.

July 27,
First wave of fishes went in a few days ago and they're all loving it. Plan is to move a few fish over every week or so and feed lightly for the first few days and ramp up feeding until the next wave of fishes and repeat.

 

[TangingOut]

August 6,
Diatoms are really starting to clear up. Most fishes are now transferred over. Had to remove a piece of live rock on the left side, because a dang aiptasia pop out of it. It was one of the few live rocks that were added to seed the tank.

Skimmer pulling some nasty junk. Let me know if this is normal or if you've experienced this. I started with mostly dry rock that was cleaned very well, and rinsed dry sand. Yet the skimmer has been working overtime and been pulling nasty stuff even before fishes were added. Wasn't as dark, but still filled the cup in less than a week. Picture is 4 days worth with small feedings.

 

[TangingOut]

Present date,
Started adding corals

This Pearlberry was getting browned out in my semi-neglected frag tank. Already starting to get color back after a couple days.

Full tank shot

 

[NY_Sea]

Great looking build!

 

[TangingOut]

Great looking build!

Thanks.

The plan is going to be an SPS dominate mixed reef. I guess I should have put that in the title or first post.

 

[dbl]

Wow, this is a great looking system. Congrats on such a great job.

 

[TangingOut]

Wow, this is a great looking system. Congrats on such a great job.

Thanks, the whole time my last system was running(nearly 3 years) I was just thinking/planning what I wanted to do differently on a new system. This is the final result of that.

 

[915MANG]

Really well thought out system. I really like your lighting with the T5

 

[TangingOut]

Really well thought out system. I really like your lighting with the T5

Thanks mang, I like watching your videos. I'm a subscriber.

 

[Barb Hillson]

Looks amazing.

 

[McMullen]

Beautiful setup!

 

[najer]

Very nice, love the scape.

 

[TangingOut]

Added a couple new fish friends,

Got a pistol shrimp for this guy as well

Mini maxi nem

Not sure when I want to move this over from my frag tank

 

[TangingOut]

You can see the change in color and growth from the picture above. I'm also putting it here to document changes with nitrate dosing. This was taken right after the first dose.

And current FTS