Fin's Reef Savvy 125

Finatik · Feb 28, 2017

Fin said:
I did it the way that BRS recommended. Just let it soak in salt water (with circulation) for a good while and do water changes. Having said that, my rock has been soaking for over a year (while waiting for the tank) and there are still phosphates present (0.2 last time I checked). I only did a couple of water changes though. I am now running GFO on the container. Need to do some more water changes, starting soon. Getting closer to tank set up.

You might want to consider the acid bath, but be very careful. I imagine acid would do a number on the Pukani if soaked too long.

Yea... I'm not too keen on messing with acid.
I'll just soak the rock, and maybe put something in the container that will pull or absorb phosphates. I wasn't planning to soak them but about 6 weeks. I'm a little concerned that you've been soaking yours for a year, and you're still seeing measurable phosphates.
I'm almost regretting buying Pukani Rock now.
Maybe I should have gotten something else.

Finatik · Feb 28, 2017

Fin said:
The sump arrived safe and sound. Thank you Tyler at Elite-Aquatics! Very nice sump. Tinkering around with it today. Thinking about mounting the Turbo Algae Scrubber on the return side of the sump (at the front) so it will be easy to harvest algae. Luckily the opening was just the right size to support the unit. I may make something that would hold it in place better, but it seems fairly stable just sitting there.

My skimmer is still in use in my other tank, but there is plenty of room for it, next to the Avast Spyglass Reactor. It looks like the reactor will be be easy to service. Just lift out the cone, dump the media, rinse it out, add new media and sit it back into place on the stand. Don't even need to turn off the pump. My heater is too short to fit the brackets, so I will need another one or two of those. Anyway, here are a few more pics of the sump...

Nice Sump ! So what options did you get on it ? Or what other components are you planning to add to it I should say. Are you doing any reactors or anything ?

Finatik · Feb 28, 2017

Duplicate Post

Fin · Feb 28, 2017

Finatik said:
Nice Sump ! So what options did you get on it ? Or what other components are you planning to add to it I should say. Are you doing any reactors or anything ?

The sump is fairly basic. No refugium. I liked it because it is 40" long, having a large section for the skimmer and whatever else I want to put in there. I will use a skimmer with a small footprint and I am going to try the Avast Marine Spyglass reactor. Supposedly, it can be used with mixed media, so only the one reactor. I will also be using a Turbo Aquatics Algae Turf Scrubber.

Finatik said:
Yea... I'm not too keen on messing with acid.
I'll just soak the rock, and maybe put something in the container that will pull or absorb phosphates. I wasn't planning to soak them but about 6 weeks. I'm a little concerned that you've been soaking yours for a year, and you're still seeing measurable phosphates.
I'm almost regretting buying Pukani Rock now.
Maybe I should have gotten something else.

The rock has nice shapes and is very porous. I am still glad I got it.

Txdragonslayer · Mar 5, 2017

I am curious how the scrubber works, I have been reading on them again. Almost willing to try them. Great build so far

Fin · Mar 5, 2017

Sheldon Jessup said:
I am curious how the scrubber works, I have been reading on them again. Almost willing to try them. Great build so far

Thanks. This is my first experience with a scrubber. It is a very old concept (decades), but with new technology to make it more compact and less of a mess to operate. Excited to get it up and running, along with everything else.

G8trBait16 · Apr 28, 2017

Just wanted to see if there were any updates? I ordered a 240g long tank earlier this week and about to order a Synergy SS-44 (44″ long x 18″ wide x 18″ high). Was wondering how you were going to hand the power module. I ask bc I will have 2 - 48' 8 bulb Dimmable ATI's and wanted to see what you came up with on the hanging aspect. Build looks amazing by the way!

Fin · Apr 28, 2017

G8trBait16 said:
Just wanted to see if there were any updates? I ordered a 240g long tank earlier this week and about to order a Synergy SS-44 (44″ long x 18″ wide x 18″ high). Was wondering how you were going to hand the power module. I ask bc I will have 2 - 48' 8 bulb Dimmable ATI's and wanted to see what you came up with on the hanging aspect. Build looks amazing by the way!

Thanks for the compliment on the build, it just has hit another snag. I was going to wait until I actually got started putting it together before I posted anything else about it. Thanks for asking about it.

In the last 9 months, my wife has had a complete knee and complete hip replacement. In another few weeks she will have the second hip replaced. I also have an 81 year old mother that lives on her own and I help her maintain her house and yard. Oh yeah and there is that day job.

So, I have had a full plate for most of the last year. I have still obtained some more equipment while I wait for the opportunity to finish this build off.

As far as the ATI Powermodule goes, I gave up on ATI coming out with any new ideas on mounting and the light is now hanging from my ceiling (above the canopy of my 140). It is only a couple inches above the top of the canopy. I figured I would hang it and if it fell, it would only have a couple of inches to drop.

So far, so good.

Clayton Jessup · Jul 10, 2017

Beautiful build , I am dying to see the tank lite up by the ATI Powermodule! This tank has always been a long dream of a 120g , I am super excited for your Reef Savvy build ! [emoji12]

Fin · Jul 10, 2017

Clayton Jessup said:
Beautiful build , I am dying to see the tank lite up by the ATI Powermodule! This tank has always been a long dream of a 120g , I am super excited for your Reef Savvy build ! [emoji12]

Thanks. I am dying to see it set up too.

Just getting on the other side of my wife's recovery from her second hip surgery. So, I am hoping to be getting closer to getting started on this again. It has been a rough couple of years and this has been on the back burner for longer than I care to think about. Thanks for following.

Fin · Jul 27, 2017

With Rev's prodding, I am updating this dormant build thread. The good news is that life is beginning to return to normal after my wife's three joint replacements over the last 12 months. I wouldn't recommend that to anyone, by the way. What time I have had off this past year has been spent on doing everything that she used to do around the house, everything I usually do, some things that my 82 year old mom used to do at her house - and work my day job. It's been a very hectic year. But, my wife is doing better and helping me out where she can.

So, just today, I put in for time off around Labor Day. 10 days to myself - with no commitments eleswhere! The plan is to tear down the pitiful old 140, make repairs to my stand and at least start on the Reef Savvy that has been sitting in my living room since last October. The time has come - at last!

Fin · Oct 1, 2017

Well, I figure most of those that followed this thread earlier have given up on me, but one big hurdle has finally been cleared. The old tank is drained and gone. I gave it away to a fellow local reefer. Now turning my attention to refinishing my stand. Thinking about just painting it satin black with gloss white interior. The stain and polyurethane have been damaged in a few places by salt water over the years. Not sure I feel like completely stripping it and re-staining it. The new tank has black silicone and back glass, so thinking the black stand would look good. It once was a nice looking stand. There is no water damage to the structure, just the finish.

Out with the old and in with the new...

Anyway, hoping for a lot more activity here soon.

jolt · Oct 2, 2017

I think black would look great

Fin · Oct 2, 2017

jolt said:
I think black would look great

Thanks. I am having a hard time convincing the wife of that though.

I just thought it would update the look of the stand and black would be a better match for the tank.

jolt · Oct 2, 2017

Fin said:
Thanks. I am having a hard time convincing the wife of that though. I just thought it would update the look of the stand and black would be a better match for the tank.

Well my reef savvy is on a cherry finish stand and looks awesome. You really can't go wrong on choice of finish as far as matching up with the tank

Centerline · Oct 2, 2017

Fin said:
Well, I figure most of those that followed this thread earlier have given up on me, but one big hurdle has finally been cleared. The old tank is drained and gone. I gave it away to a fellow local reefer. Now turning my attention to refinishing my stand. Thinking about just painting it satin black with gloss white interior. The stain and polyurethane have been damaged in a few places by salt water over the years. Not sure I feel like completely stripping it and re-staining it. The new tank has black silicone and back glass, so thinking the black stand would look good. It once was a nice looking stand. There is no water damage to the structure, just the finish.

Out with the old and in with the new...

Anyway, hoping for a lot more activity here soon.

Man, if that were mine I would consider just hitting the stand with 220 and then brushing on a coat of Minwax urethane stain of your choice. Hitting that with 00 bronze wool and then a couple of tops coats. Weekend project that would make that Reef Savvy pop! I use those Minwax stains all of the time and they go on fast and dry fast. Maybe black walnut would be a good compromise? Still have the grain to keep your wife happy but a little to keep you happy. If you do decide to go with black then something like a nice flat / matt black epoxy (Sherwin Williams) that you can roll on with a small foam roller would create a nice uniform texture, seal and protect the wood and look awesome. Just my two cents!

Fin · Oct 2, 2017

Centerline said:
Man, if that were mine I would consider just hitting the stand with 220 and then brushing on a coat of Minwax urethane stain of your choice. Hitting that with 00 bronze wool and then a couple of tops coats. Weekend project that would make that Reef Savvy pop! I use those Minwax stains all of the time and they go on fast and dry fast. Maybe black walnut would be a good compromise? Still have the grain to keep your wife happy but a little to keep you happy. If you do decide to go with black then something like a nice flat / matt black epoxy (Sherwin Williams) that you can roll on with a small foam roller would create a nice uniform texture, seal and protect the wood and look awesome. Just my two cents!

I appreciate the input, since I know zero about refinishing furniture. This is a professionally built stand by a local caninet maker (who is also a reefer) and is still in good condition, despite being 11 years old.

I procrastinate too much and that should be pretty evident by now.