Buildapotamus

YHSublime · Dec 4, 2014

This is my new 180. It started as a small upgrade from a 150, but that extra depth made all the difference. It's a miracles build, eurobraced. The overflow is brought to you by Exotic Reef Creations. I sold off most of my SPS from my old build Two Tanks, One Room, and kept most of my zoas and other LPS.

The steel stand was designed and built by a local club member, and most of the equipment is the same from the 150. An Avast CS3 serves as the skimmer, and I have an upgraded Super Locker and Swabbie to add to the beast. The return pump is a DC-6000, and the flow is provided by x2 MP-40's. I currently have two WP-40's as well, but I will probably remove those, and try to upgrade my MP's to the 60's, or go with x2 gyres.

I changed my lights from the G3 radions to T5's, and I went with a 5' reefbright. I have really happy with the results and color. The fixture is the ATI 8x80, and so far my color combo is 4 blue plus, 3 coral plus, and 1 fiji purple.

The overflow is setup as a bean animal, so I can really hear all the noise my pumps make. I'll post up pictures and additions as I grow, but it's still the beginning, so stick around!

Photocredit for the 3 below to Brad908.

Overflow delivered

duke4130 · Dec 8, 2014

Nice set up!!! Everything looks healthy and thriving... What was the reason for getting rid of the Radions for T5?

FrankAbagnale · Dec 8, 2014

Looking good!

YHSublime · Dec 8, 2014

duke4130 said:
Nice set up!!! Everything looks healthy and thriving... What was the reason for getting rid of the Radions for T5?

Thank you! Everything is doing well this far! I had a 24" ATI over my frag tank, and the color was super crisp. I think if I could have afforded another 2-3 radions, I would have enough par, but I only had 2 g3 pros and one g2, and the colors would never match up. I think the radions are great, and I've done LEDs before, as well as metal halides (although it was only a 150w and for about 3 months) but T5 has been my favorite look this far. The reefbright in tandem with the 8 bulbs really sets the color off.

FrankAbagnale said:
Looking good!

Thank you for checking it out, and taking the time to leave a comment!

YHSublime · Dec 9, 2014

I went ahead and added x2 Fathead Anthias, really enjoying the additions!

luxauterna · Dec 9, 2014

gorgeous !! I too have been trying to figure out a way to add some T5's to my setup with my lumentek pro 240

fishroomlady · Dec 9, 2014

beautiful tank! love the fatheads

- liked your thread title too

YHSublime · Dec 9, 2014

luxauterna said:
gorgeous !! I too have been trying to figure out a way to add some T5's to my setup with my lumentek pro 240

Thank you very much!f you have a canopy, you can easily retrofit them in on the front and back. I did that on my old build, which unthinkable linked in my op.

It will make a difference, I like the T5/LED combo.

fishroomlady said:
beautiful tank! love the fatheads - liked your thread title too

Thank you so much! I'm really enjoying them, timid at first, but very curious now it's been about a week. The thread title was long thought out, lol.

luxauterna · Dec 9, 2014

Ya I have been looking at ways to do that. I'm just having a hard time finding single or double t5HO retrofits with a small footprint and closed off ballast (safer for water splashing). Closest thing I've found is this: 36 Grow Light Combo 36 3 ft or 91cm T5 HO Fluorescent Grow Light Combo Wit | eBay

YHSublime · Dec 9, 2014

luxauterna said:
Ya I have been looking at ways to do that. I'm just having a hard time finding single or double t5HO retrofits with a small footprint and closed off ballast (safer for water splashing). Closest thing I've found is this: 36 Grow Light Combo 36 3 ft or 91cm T5 HO Fluorescent Grow Light Combo Wit | eBay

Get waterproof endcaps and a ballast and wire yourself:

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1418178527.678460.jpg

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1418178536.995315.jpg

luxauterna · Dec 9, 2014

yea, definitely not savvy enough for wiring anything

oh: haha I love the way yours looks with the single bulbs on the outside of the fixture in the center. That is exactly what I need to do.

Sahin · Dec 17, 2014

Your new tank is looking great! Look forward to its progress.

YHSublime · Dec 17, 2014

Sahin said:
Your new tank is looking great! Look forward to its progress.

Thank you!

So far the only sps is a few birdsnest, birds of paradise, ponope, some old encrusting montis, a highlighter stag, a piece of setosa, and recently added, echinata and red dragon. I will be adding the original Oregon Blue Tort this weekend, and select sps faves to fill in around my zoos.

Thanks for following up, it's refreshing!

Thunderfan · Dec 17, 2014

Where did you get the overflow? Sorry if you said and I missed it.

YHSublime · Dec 17, 2014

Thunderfan said:
Where did you get the overflow? Sorry if you said and I missed it.

Designed with Exotic Reef Creations!

YHSublime · Jan 6, 2015

Well, one goals on my 2015 list is to take better pictures, and to keep this thread updated, so I'll jump right into it!

Thanks for looking!

Sahin · Jan 7, 2015

Looking great! Nice colours on corals.

YHSublime · Jan 7, 2015

Sahin said:
Looking great! Nice colours on corals.

Thanks! Slowly getting there. I've added some choice SPS, but put them in locations that will require a bit of work to get nice pics, they will follow soon.