Crystal Dynamics 72x24x24 Build Thread

AaronFReef · Oct 7, 2021

just finished your build thread after you posted on my question about sumps last night. Thanks for saying hi.

Man oh man can you grow some coral! Frags to colonies lickety split.

I would love to see more pics of under the stand particularly the electrical front and back (I know it’s all of our shame

) but curious to see how it works and what room it takes up. Thinking I should probably go 48” sump after seeing some of your comments on sizing. Thanks again!

Tom Stevens · Oct 9, 2021

gatohoser said:
just finished your build thread after you posted on my question about sumps last night. Thanks for saying hi.

Man oh man can you grow some coral! Frags to colonies lickety split.

I would love to see more pics of under the stand particularly the electrical front and back (I know it’s all of our shame ) but curious to see how it works and what room it takes up. Thinking I should probably go 48” sump after seeing some of your comments on sizing. Thanks again!

Hi,
Your asking a lot to show what is underneath the tank. I will warn you, it is not pretty! Someone needs to come up with a better way to control all of the bricks and power cords. The number you need is ridiculous!

Power Station (left hand side). I tried to do better with cord management, but the better you make it look, the harder it is to replace a device when it fails! Also, I added extension cords to the wave pumps so I can easily unplug and remove for maintenance (Pro tip )

Under the tank. The reactor on the right is for Zeovit. Behind the reactor is skimmer affluent. I use a Bashsea Twister (which I love), but the design requires an external container for the cup to drain into.

Right side close up…. The little white box is a Wyze streaming camera incase I get a warning and need to look when I am not home.

Left side close up…. Yes, all of the blue bottles are Zeovit. I am a big fan of Zeovit… and it is not as expensive to use as one would lead you to believe.

Frag cabinet… I store the calcium reactor (Geo) under here. Not really enough room under the tank. I am also dosing a diluted Zeostart 3 which is under here too in the fancy plastic dosing container LOL.

The ”full monte“.
Note i did not clean the glass for these photos… that comes tomorrow

I hope this helps with your planning. Just understand there will never be enough room under the stand so plan for an external cabinet too and save yourself the heartache.

Happy Reefing!
Tom

AaronFReef · Oct 9, 2021

Tom Stevens said:
Hi,
Your asking a lot to show what is underneath the tank. I will warn you, it is not pretty! Someone needs to come up with a better way to control all of the bricks and power cords. The number you need is ridiculous!

Power Station (left hand side). I tried to do better with cord management, but the better you make it look, the harder it is to replace a device when it fails! Also, I added extension cords to the wave pumps so I can easily unplug and remove for maintenance (Pro tip )

Under the tank. The reactor on the right is for Zeovit. Behind the reactor is skimmer affluent. I use a Bashsea Twister (which I love), but the design requires an external container for the cup to drain into.

Right side close up…. The little white box is a Wyze streaming camera incase I get a warning and need to look when I am not home.

Left side close up…. Yes, all of the blue bottles are Zeovit. I am a big fan of Zeovit… and it is not as expensive to use as one would lead you to believe.

Frag cabinet… I store the calcium reactor (Geo) under here. Not really enough room under the tank. I am also dosing a diluted Zeostart 3 which is under here too in the fancy plastic dosing container LOL.

The ”full monte“.
Note i did not clean the glass for these photos… that comes tomorrow

I hope this helps with your planning. Just understand there will never be enough room under the stand so plan for an external cabinet too and save yourself the heartache.

Happy Reefing!
Tom

You rock for posting this and thanks for crushing my dreams. No for real I appreciate you posting this because I really didn’t know how it would all go and couldn’t see how a simple “electrical cabinet” option on the stand was going to solve all the issues I have with even my 24g tank I have right now which also uses a dedicated free standing cabinet off to a side.

mandarin417 · Nov 17, 2021

Great tank! Thanks for sharing the build.

Looks like you have a couple of square back anthius. They are considered somewhat aggressive. Any problems with your other fish?

Do you get buildup residue at the water line level with the eurobracing?

thanks,

Bob

Tom Stevens · Nov 18, 2021

mandarin417 said:
Great tank! Thanks for sharing the build.

Looks like you have a couple of square back anthius. They are considered somewhat aggressive. Any problems with your other fish?

Do you get buildup residue at the water line level with the eurobracing?

thanks,

Bob

Hi and thank you. I have not had any problems with the anthius. They have been great tank mates.

Regarding the euro bracing. No build up what so ever. I am very happy with it

Happy reefing

Tom