125 Gal. Reef Built Thread

[KittieKatt]

It was requested to see a thread for our reef build. I guess better late then never. lol We have a LPS dominant 125 gal reef tank in a peninsula set up.

Here is a few pics from the stand build to get it started. Wired in 4 outlets total in the stand. Each controlled by a light switch. Basically my skimmer is on one outlet. Return pump on one. Lighting on one. Heater and circulation on one..

The shelf to the far end of the tank is for my skimmer to set on as my skimmer is outside of the sump.

The sump is a 55 gallon tank that I converted into a sump. Pretty basic design.. has bio balls, carbon, live rock, and filtration padding.. my skimmer is fed from the sump near the intake.. the return from the skimmer lets out into my chamber of live rock.

 

[KittieKatt]

The tank in the house and full!!

 

[BeltedCoyote]

Very cool! I never would have thought of wiring outlets directly into the stand itself.

following!

 

[WIReefer]

Looks great love the look of everything!

 

[KittieKatt]

We seem to be having amazing results with our LPS!!! Our Duncans sprouted 13 new heads in the course of about a month from an original 4 heads.. our Acans had 3 heads and sprouted another 10 ish or more heads in the last month ish as well!!! Our Rock flowers have doubled in size as well as our elegance and meat!! our bubble has gotten huge and tripled in size!!! We got a dragon soul favia a couple months ago that had some algae growing on it that was causing the heads to go away.. since we got it home and gave it some love 3 new heads have come back!!! we even have baby snails now!!! =D

 

[BeltedCoyote]

Those are some happy corals! Awesome!

 

[KittieKatt]

Very cool! I never would have thought of wiring outlets directly into the stand itself.

following!

Have built a few stands like this from scratch.. forgot to mention.. the stand has pc power plugs in it.. so basically the stand uses a standard pc power cable to go to the wall!! =D

 

[KittieKatt]

We plan to build the hood for the tank once we move into the new house!! we are having a new house built so will be moving in about 2 months ish if all goes well!!! once we are in the new house we are also going to build a bar down the flat side of the tank!! so you can have nachos or a drink or what ever and watch the fishies!! =D

 

[KittieKatt]

We are looking at making the bar with a marble tile edged in the same trim as the stand. the bar will be about 6 feet long once is all done and will span the whole tank!! =D

 

[BeltedCoyote]

We plan to build the hood for the tank once we move into the new house!! we are having a new house built so will be moving in about 2 months ish if all goes well!!! once we are in the new house we are also going to build a bar down the flat side of the tank!! so you can have nachos or a drink or what ever and watch the fishies!! =D

Well congrats on the new house! My girlfriend and I are in the process of buying our first house and I’m waiting to move in to finish my build.

a bar connected to the tank stand, that’s brilliant! I may borrow that idea one day if I ever try and convince my better half that I need to upgrade to a bigger tank Lol

 

[KittieKatt]

Gives an idea on the filtration.. was not completely set up then. but still about the same.. Over flow box had dual drains ran them into one larger drain.. runs to the far end of the sump. skimmer has a co2 scrubber on it and has a jug to catch the goo.. return pump is right under the over flow boxes in the sump and goes straight up for super short lines..

 

[KittieKatt]

Well congrats on the new house! My girlfriend and I are in the process of buying our first house and I’m waiting to move in to finish my build.

a bar connected to the tank stand, that’s brilliant! I may borrow that idea one day if I ever try and convince my better half that I need to upgrade to a bigger tank Lol

It took a little doing!!! I finally convinced him by getting him addicted to the corals and fishies too!! lol we started with a 40 gal. set up that was very basic!! then got him to bite on the idea of a 125!! in the new house we will either have 2 large tanks or 1 large and 2 smaller =D will be my fish lounge!!! HiFi stereo for music with fish tanks and a lounge area to chill out and unplug after a long day!! =D

 

[KittieKatt]

This was our original 40 gal setup (we built that stand as well). it now has a few low light corals and a snowflake eel named Earl!! =D

 

[Jen1978]

Everything is beautiful. Can't wait to see the upgrade with the bar after your move.

 

[KittieKatt]

2 of the 3 rock flowers we have, our bird nest, and our alveopora =D

 

[KittieKatt]

Ohhh, tank is lit by 3 AI hydra 32. I think I want to add t5 as well.. but things seem happy so not sure!!

my settings are at:

30 white
143 blue
143 royal blue
5 green
98 UV
97 Violet
5 deep red
0 Moon

My lighting has 30 min ramp up and down and runs for about 10 hours total (9 peak) with 12 moon at night.

 

[KittieKatt]

We are officially in the new house!!! the tank looks amazing here!!! =D Plus I officially have my Fish Lounge started!! =D a place to chill out and listen to music and watch the fishies!!!

Things are starting to settle back in and be happy again!!

Hoping to start building the hood and bar in the next couple months..

 

[KittieKatt]

It has been a crazy and super busy year!!! but, that being said we got a lot done!! We finally built the light fixture to hold our AI 32 HD's over our tank and got rid of the hideous rack!!! =D We also built a cap for the end of the stand near the wall!! =D

 

[KittieKatt]

We also were having flow issues in a few spots.. so we lowered the returns, changed the nozles on the returns, and spent a few days making new rock work that allowed for more flow!! Thus our x-mas eve was spent swapping all our rock out and placing our corals in the new rock work!!

 

[KittieKatt]

We are battling a little ugly right now in our tank from the rock work changes and changing our light schedule a little.. I was suggested to try a setting that had been made called Pirates of the Caribbean in an AI facebook group. I liked the setting for the most part so I am running that, but with a couple changes like a shorted the ramp up and down a bit.. almost all my corals are LOVING it!! just have to get past the uglies from the rock and light changes and we should be good!!