wakeboardgeek's rimless SPS build

wakeboardgeek

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After being away from the hobby for about a year due to work and the birth of our daughter, my wife gave me the green light to build the “stick†tank that I want. This will probably be a slow build due to our 3 month old daughter and I don’t want to break the bank. I did save some equipment from my previous tanks and I was lucky enough to find a rimless starfire tank with an external overflow from a local reefer.

Planned Equipment List:
Tank: 32x24x20 tall rimless with external overflow (60 gallons internal dimensions without overflow)
Sump: Custom sump
Return Pump: Eheim 1260 (not yet purchased, going to use a mag7 initially)
Water Movement: (2) MP40ES (not yet purchased)
Skimmer: Skimz SK201
Main Lights: 250 watt SE Halide (Phoenix or Radium) on icecap ballast
Actinic Light: LED (445 nm blue, 453 nm blue, and magenta)
Controller: ACjr with DC8 and DC4
Cooling: Planning to use fans but have a reserved output in the manifold in the event I have to use a chiller.
Dosing: Bubble Magnus Doser
ATO: Tunze Osmolator (not yet purchased)
Other: Water Mixing Station

Planned Coral List:
This will be a BB tank with mostly “hairy†SPS. I may try to keep acan lords at the bottom of the tank but not sure how they’ll do if the water is “too cleanâ€. Details on the SPS will come later.

Planned Fish List:
Orange-back Fairy Wrasse
Carpenter's Flasher Wrasse
McCoskr's Flasher Wrasse
Yellow Banded Possom Wrasse
Green Mandarin (male) - I will have a decent size rubble section in the sump for pods
Spotted Mandarin (female)?
Midas Blenny?

Now for some pictures:

This is a picture of the tank when I purchased it.
tank_purchased.jpg


This is a picture of the tank after I've refinished the stand (without the door attached) and panted the back of the tank black.
finished_stand.jpg


This is a picture of the lights within the floating canopy and the canopy hanging. Room was purposely left on the sides so I could add another row of LEDs if I wanted.
inside_canopy.jpg

hanging_canopy.jpg
 
In the past I've been unhappy with thehitch-hikers I've gotten from live rock and though I could try to make mycustom shapes with DIY live rock. I started the live rock a few monthsago and has been kuring. The rock is no longer leaching anything and thepH is stable so I can start cycling the rock! Here is a couple picturesof the planned aquascape (minus an island that will go in the front corner ofthe tank). The eye-level pic, you can see where I'm planning on addingthe powerhead on the back wall :)
potential_aquascape_level.jpg

potential_aquascape_aerial.jpg
 
Very nice tank! love the external overflow. looks like you are off to a great start.

With all those wrasses, do you have plans for a lid on that rimless tank?
 
In the past I've been unhappy with thehitch-hikers I've gotten from live rock and though I could try to make mycustom shapes with DIY live rock. I started the live rock a few monthsago and has been kuring. The rock is no longer leaching anything and thepH is stable so I can start cycling the rock! Here is a couple picturesof the planned aquascape (minus an island that will go in the front corner ofthe tank). The eye-level pic, you can see where I'm planning on addingthe powerhead on the back wall :)
potential_aquascape_level.jpg
potential_aquascape_aerial.jpg

Looking great man! I look forward to following this thread im setting up a 57 gallon rimless so im interested to see what you do with everything

I am really jealous of that rock!! ha it is perfect I could use that in my tank!
 
Looking great man! I look forward to following this thread im setting up a 57 gallon rimless so im interested to see what you do with everything

I am really jealous of that rock!! ha it is perfect I could use that in my tank!

Too bad you're not closer, I have a bunch of extra that I'm not sure what I'm going to do with. Maybe I could seed it and trade the live rock for frags locally. :)

Very nice tank! love the external overflow. looks like you are off to a great start.

With all those wrasses, do you have plans for a lid on that rimless tank?

I'm planning on putting 1/4" netting to prevent carpet surfing. Hopefully it won't be too much of an eye sore.
 
Too bad you're not closer, I have a bunch of extra that I'm not sure what I'm going to do with. Maybe I could seed it and trade the live rock for frags locally. :)

I'm planning on putting 1/4" netting to prevent carpet surfing. Hopefully it won't be too much of an eye sore.

haha for sure! that stuff is sweeeetttt

and I was thinking of doing the same thing for netting so hopefully it goes well
 
What??? You don't like powder blue??? It would match your tang :bigsmile:
 
Looks good bro!!!


"You might be a firefighter if your kids are scared to get in a water fight with you"


Go Gators!!!

Christian
 
Thanks for all the great comments everyone!

I hit a little speed bump...after water testing the plumbing, the silicone on two corners of the tank were ruffled. The ruffles are just on the edges (and don't jeopardize the tanks integrity) but to be safe, I've decided to reseal the edges. The black RTV103 silicone has been ordered so hopefully I can have the tank resealed by next weekend.

On a positive note...I will be seeding the rock today with a raw shrimp!
 
Skimmer should be coming in today or tomorrow also. want to see some pics of that beast. just think everything will be ready when you get back from CO. you would be able to sleep when you get back. lol
 

IF YOU HAD TO TAKE A REEFING EXAM, WOULD YOU PASS?

  • Yes!

    Votes: 32 45.7%
  • Not yet, but I have one that I want to buy in mind!

    Votes: 9 12.9%
  • No.

    Votes: 26 37.1%
  • Other (please explain).

    Votes: 3 4.3%
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