My Elos goes Zeo and SPS

MAXreefer · Feb 10, 2014

I had a Zeo tank quite a few years ago and was very happy with.
I had to take the tank down at some point but I have setup a couple other ones in the mean time.
Due to heavy work travel I couldn't dedicate enough time to keep a reef tank well maintained and decide to try a FOWLR.
After a small disaster with my FOWLR tank and loosing all my fish I am in the game again to start all over.
I never could become a big fan of a tank without corals and decided to go for it again.
The new setup is a full Zeo reef again

Memories:

180G Zeovit tank: video
Elos Mini
Elos System 120 Reef: Tank and Corals
Elos System 120 FOWLR: video

I started a couple weeks ago and this is a quick recap what has been happening so far.

Setup:

Tank	Elos System 120
Stand	Elos cabinet
Sump	Elos sump
Skimmer	Elos NW skimmer
Return	Sicce Syncra 3.0
Water Flow	Tunze Wavebox
	2 x Tunze Turbelle Steam 6095
Controller	Apex Full
	2 x DC8 Energy Bars
	1 x AWM to control the AI Hydra
	1 x ALD with several advanced surface leak detectors
	1 x Neptune PH probe
ATO	Elos Digital Osmocontroller
Lights	3 AI Hydra's LED
UV	Coralife Turbo Twist 12x
Rock	Dry rock
Sand	Arag Special grade

My first steps were to remove all the rocks and sand from the old setup. I won't reuse any of them.
Washed and cleaned tank, sump and equipment with vinegar/water mix. Thanks Magic Eraser (Original) for doing such a great job.

MAXreefer · Feb 10, 2014

Added:

100lbs of Arag Special Grade sand. This is not to fine and won't be blown around with the high flow I will have in the tank
30lbs of Dry rock for a minimal Aquascaping

The Hydra's ready to install

I really wanted to keep the Elos AquaTop as it prevents the fish from jumping, no light spread outside of the tank, be able to watch the corals from the top and still keep the clean look from tank.
Now the tricky part was to mount the new units in the AquaTop.

Here is the look from the AquaTop on the previous setup

I removed the old LED's from the center part and placed all 3 units in the opening and I was lucky the cutout matches exactly the dimensions from the 3 units.
However I still had to put in some additional brackets to keep the units 100% in place. Better save as sorry.

MAXreefer · Feb 10, 2014

I tried to get the cabinet reorganized again. Starting to get there.
Instead of going with the AI Director adding web control for the LED's I added the Apex AWM module. Does pretty much the same thing and it is nicely integrated in all the control features of the Apex. No need for extra app's.

MAXreefer · Feb 10, 2014

Couple pics from my minimal Aquascaping.
Just plane rocks looks always weird and don't show to many details but from what I see here there will be a lot good spots for coral placement and lot of caves and swim through tunnels for the fish.
Note: Didn't play around to much with the camera settings and the colors are a little off. Also the lights were not setup properly and it looks a little unbalanced.

MAXreefer · Feb 10, 2014

Installed also the Zeovit Reactor from Avast Marine. This reactor shakes the rock automatically and no need to pump the reactor twice a day to shake the Zeolites.

Here is a short video from the Zeovit Reactor in action.
You will see how the mulm gets released from the rocks (water gets cloudy)

[video=youtube;UHIQNnisGOE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=UHIQNnisGOE[/video]

MAXreefer · Feb 10, 2014

Cabinet still needs some serious clean up now everything is installed. A panel will be installed behind the Reactor to protect the electrical stuff from eventual water spill.

MAXreefer · Feb 10, 2014

Day 7 since I started dosing Zeovit and the cycle is in progress.
Finally first algae started showing up.

Dosing schedule until day 14:

ZeoStart3: 0.4ml twice a day
ZeoBak: 4 drops once a day
Sponge Power: 4 drops once a day

MAXreefer · Feb 10, 2014

Have been thinking a lot to get things as much automated as possible with all the dosing.
Not that I am lazy but travel a lot for work and want to make things easier for the tanksitter.

Most dosing pumps can't handle small amounts below 1ml accurate and therefore I got a used syringe pump. Works like a charm
I will dose with this the ZeoStart which is only 0.4ml twice a day directly in the "Vibe" reactor.

MAXreefer · Feb 10, 2014

Day 12:
Added 300 ml Korallenzucht Carbon passive in a filter bag.

Day 14:
Added the CUC

74 Dwarf Ceriths
25 Nassarius
27 Florida Ceriths
20 Antillean Nerite
5 Dwarf Planaxis
5 Black Ribbed Limpets

and
1 bag of Reef Tisbe copepods

benny z · Feb 10, 2014

nice tank! love those elos system setups. very sleek.

MAXreefer · Feb 12, 2014

Made BRS 2-part today and got the doser installed

More organizing in the cabinet. Wish there was something like "wireless electricity" to get rid of all those power cables.

nitro'sreef · Feb 12, 2014

very sleek set up. nice work

SeahorseKeeper · Feb 12, 2014

Very nice!!

MAXreefer · Feb 12, 2014

Thank you guys!!

Final piece of equipment installed.
Doses 0.4ml twice a day directly into the Zeoreactor

luxauterna · Feb 12, 2014

How do you feel about coming to Wisconsin to help me organize my setup!? lol I always have trouble with that part.

Rob&Gab · Feb 12, 2014

looks amazing.! great build.!

benihana · Feb 12, 2014

He is very good at that part!!

Looking great michael!!

powers2001 · Feb 13, 2014

Subscribed.

MAXreefer · Feb 15, 2014

Sharing my Light settings for the AI Hydra LED's based on the Season Table for Saint Paul.

After the programming (see below) the lights don't come on or go off at fixed times but follow the modified Season Table from the Apex.
Additionally it throws in some cloudy and stormy days.

PROGRAMS - OUTLET SETUP		PROFILES

[ Hydra_R ] ( 7_1 ) Set OFF If Moon 000/000 Then LED_Moon If Sun 000/-360 Then LED_SunUp If Sun 360/000 Then LED_SunDn If Sun 060/-060 Then LED_Midday If Outlet Pre_Weather = ON Then PreWeather If Outlet Clouds = ON Then Cloudy If Outlet Storms = ON Then Stormy If Outlet Post_Weather = ON Then PostWeather		[ LED_SunUp ] Type: Vega/Hydra Cool White Intensity: 35 Warm White Intensity: 0 Neutral White Intensity: 0 Violet Intensity: 85 Red Intensity: 15 Green Intensity: 15 Blue Intensity: 0 Deep Blue Intensity: 100 Royal Blue Intensity: 100 UV Intensity: 95 Start Intensity: 0 End Intensity: 100 Ramp Time: 180

[ Hydra_L ] ( 7_2 ) Set OFF If Moon 000/000 Then LED_Moon If Sun 000/-360 Then LED_SunUp If Sun 360/000 Then LED_SunDn If Sun 060/-060 Then LED_Midday If Outlet Pre_Weather = ON Then PreWeather If Outlet Clouds = ON Then Cloudy If Outlet Storms = ON Then Stormy If Outlet Post_Weather = ON Then PostWeather		[ LED_Midday ] Type: Vega/Hydra Cool White Intensity: 35 Warm White Intensity: 0 Neutral White Intensity: 0 Violet Intensity: 85 Red Intensity: 15 Green Intensity: 15 Blue Intensity: 0 Deep Blue Intensity: 100 Royal Blue Intensity: 100 UV Intensity: 95 Start Intensity: 100 End Intensity: 100 Ramp Time: 1

[ Hydra_M ] ( 7_3 ) Set OFF If Moon 000/000 Then LED_Moon If Sun 000/-360 Then LED_SunUp If Sun 360/000 Then LED_SunDn If Sun 060/-060 Then LED_Midday If Outlet Pre_Weather = ON Then PreWeather If Outlet Clouds = ON Then Cloudy If Outlet Storms = ON Then Stormy If Outlet Post_Weather = ON Then PostWeather		[ LED_SunDn ] Type: Vega/Hydra Cool White Intensity: 35 Warm White Intensity: 0 Neutral White Intensity: 0 Violet Intensity: 85 Red Intensity: 15 Green Intensity: 15 Blue Intensity: 0 Deep Blue Intensity: 100 Royal Blue Intensity: 100 UV Intensity: 95 Start Intensity: 100 End Intensity: 0
Virtual Outlets

[ Pre_Weather ] ( Cntl_A1 ) OSC 000:00/005:10/637:00 Then ON If Time 16:00 to 12:59 Then OFF		[ LED_Moon ] Type: Vega/Hydra Cool White Intensity: 0 Warm White Intensity: 0 Neutral White Intensity: 0 Violet Intensity: 0 Red Intensity: 0 Green Intensity: 0 Blue Intensity: 0 Deep Blue Intensity: 1 Royal Blue Intensity: 1 UV Intensity: 0 Start Intensity: 100 End Intensity: 100 Ramp Time: 1

[ Storms ] ( Cntl_A2 ) Set OFF If Outlet Pre_Weather = ON Then ON If DoW S-T-T-S Then OFF Min Time 037:10 Then ON Defer 005:00 Then ON		[ PreWeather ] Type: Vega/Hydra Cool White Intensity: 35 Warm White Intensity: 0 Neutral White Intensity: 0 Violet Intensity: 85 Red Intensity: 15 Green Intensity: 15 Blue Intensity: 0 Deep Blue Intensity: 100 Royal Blue Intensity: 100 UV Intensity: 95 Start Intensity: 100 End Intensity: 40 Ramp Time: 5

[ Clouds ] ( Cntl_A3 ) Set OFF If Outlet Pre_Weather = ON Then ON If DoW -M-W-F- Then OFF Min Time 037:10 Then ON Defer 005:00 Then ON		[ PostWeather ] Type: Vega/Hydra Cool White Intensity: 35 Warm White Intensity: 0 Neutral White Intensity: 0 Violet Intensity: 85 Red Intensity: 15 Green Intensity: 15 Blue Intensity: 0 Deep Blue Intensity: 100 Royal Blue Intensity: 100 UV Intensity: 95 Start Intensity: 40 End Intensity: 100 Ramp Time: 5

[ Post_Weather ] ( Cntl_A4 ) Set OFF If Outlet Clouds = ON Then ON If Outlet Storms = ON Then ON Min Time 005:00 Then ON Defer 037:00 Then ON		[ Stormy ] Type: Weather Light Maximum Intensity: 40 Cloudy Light Intensity: 25 Cloud Duration: 7 Cloudy Time: 75 Probability of Lightning: 65 Lightning Intensity: 100

		[ Cloudy ] Type: Weather Light Maximum Intensity: 40 Cloudy Light Intensity: 25 Cloud Duration: 7 Cloudy Time: 75 Probability of Lightning: 0 Lightning Intensity: 0