Elos 160 - First Build

[Zaffor]

Also jumped on the bandwagon and ordered a few boxes of FRITZ salt. Have been hearing good things from some fellow reef keepers that have been using it and the parameters are where I prefer them to be.

 

[echopiece]

I love the DIY AIO 40, nice work!

 

[Zaffor]

Thanks
The ceramic media seems to work very well. I had 9 fish in qt and never a hiccup.

 

[echopiece]

Thanks
The ceramic media seems to work very well. I had 9 fish in qt and never a hiccup.

That is interesting. I might try the spheres, as I currently use the 4x8 block. I have 11 fish in a BB 100 gal and my nitrates still climb to 30.

 

[Zaffor]

I dont think 30 is too bad for a qt fish only system. Do you use any mechanical filtration (socks?).
I usually change 4-5gals per week and change out socks as needed depending on feeding and if i scrape the glass bottom. I use mesh socks that I clean with the garden hose.

I try to limit water changes while i run copper.

 

[echopiece]

I dont think 30 is too bad for a qt fish only system. Do you use any mechanical filtration (socks?).
I usually change 4-5gals per week and change out socks as needed depending on feeding and if i scrape the glass bottom. I use mesh socks that I clean with the garden hose.

I try to limit water changes while i run copper.

Oh I am talking about my SPS display lol. No, I don't use socks anymore. I probably only do a 10% water change every 4-5 weeks. I have been using NOPOX to keep my NO3 down around 10.

 

[Zaffor]

At the gallon a day i have the auto water change doing, it equates to 10% every 2 weeks.

 

[Zaffor]

Had added this a while back but forgot to update thread. I ran a few pairs of cables from my DIY breakout box to my water change closet and connected a few switches.

When I need to manually operate mixing pump (maybe to change water in qt tank) I flip the toggle switch. When I push the button for more than a second, it will run pump and powerhead for 3 hrs (used when I add salt to mix new batch of water).

I used to do this with fusion on my phone but figured this would be a good use of some breakout box ports.

Was thinking of adding a float sensor inside sea water container to alarm if I let the level get too low.

 

[Zaffor]

Also added several (9 including a copperband) fish that finished their QT regimen in hopes of achieving greater sps coloration. Lets see what happens.

 

[echopiece]

Also added several (9 including a copperband) fish that finished their QT regimen in hopes of achieving greater sps coloration. Lets see what happens.

Looking good. How many fish total now?

 

[Zaffor]

Current fish list
**Copperband butterfly
**Clownfish 1
**Leopard Wrasse
**Potters leopard wrasse
**Ornate leopard wrasse
**Dispar anthias 3
**Bartlett anthias 2
**Blochy anthia
**Red Saddled anthias 3
**Tailspot Blenny
**Blackcap Basslet
**Royal Gramma
**Cleaner wrasse

 

[Clayton Jessup]

What a beautiful tank, amazing job Zaffor , your comment on Chris 's build is truly making me say to just bite the bullet and go with a Elos as my upgrade to my current tank. Your tank is very well done another true Elos inspirational tank Round of applause [emoji122].

 

[revhtree]

Very nice!

 

[echopiece]

Current fish list
**Copperband butterfly
**Clownfish 1
**Leopard Wrasse
**Potters leopard wrasse
**Ornate leopard wrasse
**Dispar anthias 3
**Bartlett anthias 2
**Blochy anthia
**Red Saddled anthias 3
**Tailspot Blenny
**Blackcap Basslet
**Royal Gramma
**Cleaner wrasse

Any thoughts to adding a 2nd clownfish?

 

[Zaffor]

Thanks Clayton! I actually took a bit of a drive to buy mine (it was pre-owned and a SMOKING DEAL). I have been very pleased with mine and only have one mentionable complaint. The cabinet is divided down the middle which makes your sump space half as big. Sure it allows you to keep your electronic components free of moisture but I would have liked a larger sump ( perhaps a large chamber as a fuge ). I would like the "tune-able" overflow on the new models but thats no biggie. And i wish I would have found a 160XL for the extra depth. The length and height are ideal. Only other aquarium that I believe compares is Reef Savvy, Felix builds beautiful aquariums.

 

[Zaffor]

Echopiece - i had 2 and one recently jumped out. For some reason they like to hang out in the top right edge of the aquarium instead of within the rocks. I have to find a nice davinci or gladiator that I like and I will buy it.

 

[Clayton Jessup]

That's very good to know , I am currently looking at the Elos 70 which is relight around 55g for my first build I am thinking , but I might be going new , still going back and forth on the idea of a Elos

 

[echopiece]

Echopiece - i had 2 and one recently jumped out. For some reason they like to hang out in the top right edge of the aquarium instead of within the rocks. I have to find a nice davinci or gladiator that I like and I will buy it.

That's a shame. Mine do the same thing, but thank goodness for my screened top.

 

[Zaffor]

Based on the suggestion of my friend Chris (chris155hp) i bought a container of Reef Weld epoxy glue.

I used this to mend together my rock work because it felt a little loose in some places. This stuff is EXCELLENT! You heat it up in hot water and it becomes pliable and quickly hardens into a hard plastic. We used a small pot on the stove to keep the water hot and worked in small sections. If you dont get the epoxy placed in time you can just drop it in the heated water and it will get pliable again.
The added bonus is that it doesnt seem to release any chemicals into the water like regular epoxy does causing your skimmer to overflow.

One extra note - similar to the regular 2 part epoxy, this doesnt actually GLUE itself to the rocks. When you press and mold it in, it will mechanically grab the holes and crevices on the rocks as it hardens.

 

[Zaffor]

I added 2 new frag racks (thanks again Chris) from ZEN REEF. Tuan from Zen is very friendly and custom made the racks to the size i requested. I wanted to use 2 long rocks on the back glass of the aquarium that would make moving them up/down for viewing or cleaning easy. The magnets (he used 3) are extremely strong!! I used to have to be a little careful when moving my old racks too quickly even though they are rated for 1/2" glass, but these grab twice as hard. The Elos uses 5/8" glass which may keep racks rated for 1/2" from grabbing as firmly.

Thanks ZEN