Getting back in! 48x30x24 155 build

[m.kristoff]

How tall is your stand in the latest pic?

Looking really nice!

From the floor to the top of the countertop its 37". From the floor to the top of the tank it is 62.5"

 

[m.kristoff]

Basement remodel finally done!- expect to install shelves and move all my Bourbon to the new Bar! Now I can finally start working on the tank

 

[Jonathan Adams]

That’s my c

Finally starting to get everything in to start this build. The Tank from planet Aquarium us being delivered tomorrow. 2 weeks early! Basement remodel is wrapping up. New floor , paint and a bar where the tank will be installed . I had 2 new circuits ran and installed a Vent right above the tank. It will be controlled by EVE to monitor Humidity and My Apple Home kit. My 300 gallon caused a lot of damage with mold. This new build will have covers on the sump and All sources of open water will be addressed. I ran a line from outside to bring in fresh air for the skimmer to help with PH/O2 levels

oncern with my build as well. I have a 210 coming so I setup a dehumidifier with a condensate pump to run right near the tank!

 

[m.kristoff]

That’s my c

oncern with my build as well. I have a 210 coming so I setup a dehumidifier with a condensate pump to run right near the tank!

Humidity can destroy a house! I also have a humidifier. My plan is to get a Eve sensor connected to my Apple Home automation to kick on the vent fan.

Eve Sensor

 

[m.kristoff]

Finally progress. My sump, dosing chamber and frag tank was shipped from Advanced acrylics today- Delivery on Jan 3rd! Also finish the hood for my lights. Made the front panel is removable for easy access.

Made a few equipment changes

Change my Return pump to a Red Dragon 150
Changed the UV from an Aqua UV to a 55 watt Lifeguard- really happy with that decision! came down to vendor support

Lighting was a long hard decision. Went with 2x Gen 5 XR30Pro's and 1 XR15 Pro. They are mounted pretty high at almost 15+ inches. After talking to so good folks at WWC my lighting setup should work just fine for sticks and LPS or whatever I want to do. I really struggled with lighting. was looking at Radions, ATI Straton's and Neptune Sky's. each had their own pros and cons. The final decision came after a long talk with WWC and what they have success with.

Still waiting almost 2 months for 2x 55-gallon containers for my water change station. no ETA

 

[m.kristoff]

Built the new light rack and installed all 3 Raidon's. Got to love amazon!

My sump and Frag tank are finally in Ohio! Expecting delivery this week

 

[VanDalsenReef]

Built the new light rack and installed all 3 Raidon's. Got to love amazon!

My sump and Frag tank are finally in Ohio! Expecting delivery this week

Looks like this will be a beautiful build. Will be following

 

[vetteguy53081]

Good for. Nothing like recovery and improvement

 

[m.kristoff]

My sump, frag tanks and Dosing chamber was finally delivered! John at advanced Acrylics did great work.

after 2 months my 55 gallon tanks for my mixing station are due This Saturday! Finally coming together.

Put in an order from BRS for Super glue to build my scape, plumbing supplies and valves.

 

[m.kristoff]

Next up is to turn this space into my sump room. Its underneath my basement stairs

 

[m.kristoff]

Got the Aquascape finished. Used Super glue and Morter. It is pretty open a lot of flat areas for coral.


55 gallon containers were a no show today due to the delivery person has Covid. Hopefully next week

I decided to fill the tank with RO and mix salt to get the cycle started.

Next step: put the sump room together and plumb in my sump

 

[Scottayy]

Got the Aquascape finished. Used Super glue and Morter. It is pretty open a lot of flat areas for coral.


55 gallon containers were a no show today due to the delivery person has Covid. Hopefully next week

I decided to fill the tank with RO and mix salt to get the cycle started.

Next step: put the sump room together and plumb in my sump

Amazing, following along.

It's always easier with the wife involved and helping to make decisions!

 

[m.kristoff]

Amazing, following along.

It's always easier with the wife involved and helping to make decisions!

got that right

 

[m.kristoff]

Salt added 1/11/22 Cycle started. I planned to run a HOB skimmer, but it doesn't work. I hope to get my sump plumbed in this weekend.

 

[m.kristoff]

Sump Room 90% completed. I have a bad Flow sensor for the UV. Neptune is sending me a new one so once that is installed, I will finish the wire management. Still need to build a stand for frag tank.

Still undecided if I will go with a Turf Scrubber or a Fuge- Leaning towards a Turf Scrubber

Also researching Dosing vs Cal reactor and a Kalk Stirrer or all 3!

after 2.5 months of waiting to get the containers, the water change station is also completed

Have optical sensors, leak sensors and a solenoid to autofill the RO container. Got the 1-gallon auto water change running yesterday.

 

[m.kristoff]

20 Days in and not a single brown, green or red spot on the rocks that would be consistent with a cycle. Not even a dusting on the glass!

Skimmer is removing gunk. it's on its lowest setting because there is no load, but it is removing gunk. I did add 1 pound of cycled live rock and dosed MicroBactor7 for 7 days. Add a small amount of food for several days to get some kind of Ammonia in the tank. I also decided to cycle with UV running. It was shut off for 4 hours daily as I was dosing Microbactor. 100% of the return water is going to the tank via UV. Not ready to say that is the reason why there is not even a dusting on the glass but the water is Crystle clear. I would expect to see something maybe this week as I go into week 4. If not, I will check the parameters next weekend and if all good, maybe Add a yellow tang and a cleanup crew.

The tank is maintaining a steady 8.0 PH. I got the Trident online last week and now have a full week of testing

Alk: 8.34
CA:396
MG: 1168
PH: 8

I have been researching and debating to either dose, run Kalk or get a calcium reactor. I was originally planning on using the Trident to Auto Dose. After a lot of research, I decided to get a calcium reactor. I ended up getting an Open box Reef Octo SRO-CR-3000D dual chamber 7" Reactor from BRS. It was less than $550 so it was a great deal for a dual chamber. I do plan it use my Apex for PH control in the reactor. I am still deciding if I should go with a Kamoer or a Versa to feed it.

Tank, sump and Apex have been running really solid. The 1 gallon Auto water change, ATO and general operation has been "predicable" . 0 issues.

 

[m.kristoff]

Month 2 and still no ugly stage, just a light dusting on the glass. I do have a chromas and a bunch of crabs in it but its ready for more.

The Bad:
Went on vacation last week and my FMM that controls my ATO lost connection to the apex but left the pump running. filled the sump, but a random check on my phone caught it. Reprogrammed the ATO and put in some safeguards but if the pump fails on, nothing will work so rethink my ATO

The Trident was, in my opinion, not all that great. Had a problem with it out of the box. IM not a fan of how the auto dosing works. I am trying to decide between the Alkatronic and a KH director. tough decision and have yet to decide.

New skimmer

After years of running a Bubble King, I decided to make a change to an external DC recirculating Skimmer. My tank is in the basement, and I didn't feel that the Bubble king was pulling enough air. After my FMM fail, I wanted something out of the sump, draws a lot of air and is less finicky. I got the Reef Octo 200EXT. It has a Varios 4 for air draw/ recirculation and I am feeding it with a 2nd Varios 4. I just got it up and running and even with pump a level 3, you can hear the air being drawn in. I need to decide how and here I am going to install it.

adding a Kalk Stirrer.

found a Used Reef Octo 150 Kalk stirrer. I hope to take advantage of the elevated PH. Not sure if I will put it on a controller such as the Alkatronic or balance it with my ATO. decisions!

Going to rearrange my sump room a little to fit all this equipment!

I picked up a nice little gadget on Amazon to measure CO2 levels. Since my sump is underneath my basement stairs in a closet, I was worried about CO2 levels. It turned out to have the best airflow in the house!

 

[m.kristoff]

New Skimmer update. The difference between and single pump skimmer like my Bubble King is night and day. Really impressed with the performance of this new skimmer. I'm not suggesting that the bubble king was a bad skimmer, but this Octo Recirculating skimmer is running circles around it. great performance!