The 40 #1

[Lifelongaquaria]

Allot of you have seen this already as I am separating a larger thread into separate tank builds. This build more than others covers my latest evolution in the struggle to finally achieve a no water change method.

 

[Lifelongaquaria]

Step one. Pressure test

 

[Lifelongaquaria]

2. Some live rock and stuff to look at and house bacteria

 

[Lifelongaquaria]

3. Crappy 3 stage filtration but really got bacteria going and stabilized. Helped get the dry rock cultivated.

 

[Lifelongaquaria]

Macroalgae reactor used to close the loop on nitrogen cycle in order to not do water changes. System ghost fed shrimp to keep cycle going. Sand added

 

[Lifelongaquaria]

Sump construction.

 

[Lifelongaquaria]

Processing lava rock for extra bio filtration and a picture of finished sump. Don't use this media by the way you will see why.

 

[Lifelongaquaria]

My ancient skimmer and the actual sump set up.

 

[Devaji]

oh this is going to be interesting...
BTW I love the cat hanging out side on a leash with you.

yeah lava rock is no good in SW its great in FW tho.

 

[Lifelongaquaria]

First inhabitants. Coral beauty and a pencil urchin. Coral beauty had flukes. finally got rid of them and lost it to reaclimation because of using hydrometer and getting consistently wrong reading. Especially bad because spent two or three weeks coming out of hypo.

 

[Lifelongaquaria]

Finally changing sump because algae reactor worked but need an adjustment every 3-5 days to over disaster so had to go. Just say no to time bombs. Decisions aren't too blame it's the people making them. Just like when I was cheap and used what I had instead of what I knew I should. Note failing baffles in some pictures.

 

[Lifelongaquaria]

Clarkii and long tentacle added after I realized this was the first tank I cycled without even a diatom outbreak still no algae 6 months in.

 

[Lifelongaquaria]

New Anemone added first one killed when out of town spouse didn't call me and I couldn't nurse it back to health.

 

[Lifelongaquaria]

Optical ato system added to stabilize salinity when I'm gone and beginning to clear space in tank thinking about Coral space and not just stuff to look at. You can see added old skimmer onto system as well. It went on shortly after I put clown and long tentacle in.

 

[Lifelongaquaria]

Finally removed lava rock due to iron being off the charts. Added the new skimmer and filter sock. Removed half inch sand need to increase flow and detritus export on bottom of tank. Also trying to eliminate any future origins of unwanted chemistry spikes.

 

[Lifelongaquaria]

Finally started having algae issues due to not having enough space for macro algae in the right quantity. Built micro algae vertical turf scrubber. Finally win battle with micro algae by giving in and just helping grow where I want it not where I don't. Media had been replaced with dead Coral before that and put into sports net bag for easy handling. In middle chamber with skimmer.

 

[Lifelongaquaria]

Finally made reefscape and put in tank. Skimmer is off at this point let starve for months finally just turned it off.i know there is no serious outbreak of algae during the whole process but the smallest out break off any kind meant I want hitting my goal and not ready for Coral.

 

[Lifelongaquaria]

Almost forgot built canopy and inclosure shortly before reefscape. Spouse was happy to not have to look at sump finally after over a year.

 

[Lifelongaquaria]

So, crappy strip lighting on the algae scrubber is 100 percent a no go. Not only did it fail but I watched it almost start a fire. Literally glowing red ring of burning metal and plastic. I have a small double t5 fixture with hood Wich will fit over top of scrubber perfectly. Just can't find another bulb in town to replace it yet, as Lowe's nor home Depot has it.Will post pics soon.

 

[Lifelongaquaria]

. Replacement light source