My 180 Dream Tank

[Roid Reefs]

So, I recently saw the opportunity to get a lightly used(1 year) 180 Gallon Planet tank from a local guy who was moving for a price I could not pass up. I recently moved myself and my 75 gallon was not set back up yet, everything was in a Rubbermaid tub. So I jumped on my chance to get my reasonable dream tank. (of course we all want a 2000 gallon reef. lol)
Here is the picture from the sale.

 

[Roid Reefs]

Now lets get the pictures, I picked up the tank over a month ago and have been setting it up. To date it set, plumbed, cleaned, leak tested, filled, new sand, and all existing rock and livestock transferred over.

 

[Roid Reefs]

And now the fine details.
The tank is up and running, but still getting it situated and adding extras as time goes on.

180 Gallon Planet Aquarium with center overflow, dual 1" drain, dual 3/4" returns in the overflow
Custom stand 2" x3/4" thick stainless steel tubing with a 3/4" stainless plate on top
Custom Skin that fits around the tank, it leaves me enough room on each side of the tank to add powerheads and such.

Currently I am using the lights that came with it- 24" and 48" photon v2's outfitted with 2-24" and 2-48" reefbreeders lumenbars. I am starting them off low and going to ramp them up over the next two months. I am currently not running the lumenbars, they will be run off a timer. Once I get the photons to the intensity desired, I will add in the lumenbars one by one to the lighting schedule.

Trigger systems Tideline 48 sump - drain crash chamber that overflows to 2- 7" filter socks. Then the skimmer chamber, then refugium chamber, then the return chamber.
Running a BubbleMagus Curve 7 skimmer. I do not have the refugium up yet, but I have a kessil h80 refugium light to be mounted over it.
I am running a Jebao DCT 8000 return pump to 1" pvc that splits to the two 3/4" returns. I used unions on all of the plumbing so I can change in the future with ease if needed, plan to add a manifold one day.

I added 120# of new fiji pink sand. Let that settle and run for a bit and added some biospira in. Then transferred the rock and inhabitants from the 75 gallon. I had about 90# of caribsea liferock shapes. It looks like so little in this tank. It looks empty, I probably have enough to fill in about half of the tank. I still have not had the time to aquascape and get the rock the way I want it. but I plan to add probably another 80-90# of rock. I will probably save up and go to the lfs and play with the liferock shapes and buy what I want to fill in the rest of the tank.

I currently have one jebao rw8 on the tank keeping some flow in there for the coral. I have two mp40's to add to the tank, but they kept jumping off the glass. I do not have the rubber gaskets for the dry side, so I need to order those and get them in.

So that's where I am currently at. Its up and running and sustaining the inhabitants I had. Still looks beautiful and all the coral looks great. My next steps are aquascaping and planning coral placement and a stocklist.

 

[Roid Reefs]

Stocking list - Critique welcomed, even a little harshness

Coral- Mixed softie/lps. Starting to get intrigued by some sps pieces, but not ready to take that dive. Still only 2 years into the hobby.

Fish-
Current inhabitants:
Scopas tang
Sailfin tang
Yellow Tang
(I was going to have to upgrade from a 75, I know tang police, that's why I was looking for something like this. The tangs were all small, under 3-1/2")
Coral Beauty Angelfish
Royal Gramma
2- Ocellaris clowns

Future wants:
Powder Blue Tang (Wife's favorite)
Blue Hippo Tang (For the kid's of course)
Magnificent Foxface
4- Royal Grammas (I want a harem, I know the males will fight, so im hoping to get all females and not have any issues)
Either a mandarin, or a pair of ruby reds and a pair of scooter blennies.
maybe 6 or so Chromis just as some filler fish, kind of undecided on them.

I know that is 6 larger fish, but is it doable. I would prefer to nix the blue hippo over the other two if I need to. I know a PBT is a terror, I'm hoping that having the trio of zebrasomas that get along and trying to get a small PBT and another larger tang like the hippo will help reduce/ spread out aggression.

 

[Roid Reefs]

On the lighting- The photons are currently running, But I used Hydra 26's for a year on my old tank. Absolutely loved the hydras. I have a local who is supposed to come buy the 48" photon v2 not this weekend but next, if so, I am already planning to buy a third hydra and pull the 24" photon off. I plan on building a custom hanging bracket that will support the hydras along with the lumenbars for the accent.

 

[Roid Reefs]

Haitian live rock anyone?! Coming soon! I have a brute can full of some Haitian live rock that I gave a vinegar bath. This will give me what I need to completely fill the tank with rock. If I can find the right scape that I want of course. There will be about 90# of liferock shapes, and 90# of Haitian live rock. I have the liferock covering half of the tank at the moment. I will probably mix all of the rock throughout the tank so it is not such a drastic change between sides of the tank.

 

[Roid Reefs]

Newest edition - The wife's favorite. I can't argue that its gorgeous

 

[Rollman]

Looks good. Following along working on a 180 myself

 

[Roid Reefs]

Looks good. Following along working on a 180 myself

I feel like this is the perfect size tank for most people. Large enough to house basically anything, but not monstrous huge.

Once I have my new haitian live rock in the tank, I will be able to add a few more inhabitants to the tank.
Currently I am at a Yellow, Sailfin, Scopas, Coral Beauty, Pair of Ocellaris clowns, royal Gramma, and the PBT.
Also a Cleaner and Fire Shrimp, along with snails and hermits.

I am so torn with what to add next though. I know for sure I want a Foxface. Would love a mag, but any variety would make me happy.
I also have my eyes on wrasses. Love the melanarus, but I know they may or may not eat shrimp. The fire and cleaner are large, so I'm not sure if they would get eaten. I also have my eyes on a six line wrasse. On the smaller side, but I think feisty enough to hold his own in the tank.

Another fish I have my eyes on is a splendid/ neon/ or orchid dottyback , but Im not sure how it would do with my gramma.

A few more, would want a Tailspot/linear/midas blenny,
Once I get the chaeto fuge running, and stocked up on pods, I would want a dragonet of sorts. Not picky on the kind, just like the movement around the rocks.

 

[Roid Reefs]

Update! always thinking of different fish to add. I Can't make up my mind. lol. I guess I will once I get the additional rock in my tank and just go with what i want at that time.

 

[reef-rc]

Following as I just started a similar journey myself. Planet aquarium was on my short before I had made the final decision.

What is your overall plan for this tank?

 

[Roid Reefs]

Following as I just started a similar journey myself. Planet aquarium was on my short before I had made the final decision.

What is your overall plan for this tank?

Currently I have a 48” and 24” photon v2 over the tank. About to switch out for the 4 hydra 26’s I have.
Fish wise, I have a coral beauty, yellow, scopas, and sail fin tangs, powder blue, pair of ocellaris, and a royal gramma. Can’t decide on other fish. End goal is a mixed reef. I have never tried sps, but may add some birds nest or month cap or some easy sps down the road. But mostly lps and softies.once I get some Haitian love rock cures to add and fully fill out the rockscape, I will place the corals where they’re a good fit and get some rigid pictures of the tank.