125 gallon display basement halophyte system

[keagan]

A bit early starting the build thread and this will be a slow build, but I'll document the whole process beginning to end this way.

I just picked up a 125 gallon marineland display that's now (after having to lift it in with my wife scary process) in my living room. Directly below it is a room that my wife has graciously allowed me to take as a fish room.

My plans are a 125 mixed reef with alot of alot of softies and LPS only a few acros up top. I'm still debating lighting likely the NICEREW gen 2 lights 3x 150 watt.

Below it is why this will be a slow build. I'm using 4 55 gallon HDPE barrels for a sump I'm planning on using uniseals to run them in unison at about 16" water height. Above them will be a 8'x4' (8 inch tall) ebb and flow table with LED grow lights above it. I will be trying out different tropical Halophytes to see what species grow well at reef salinity. The plan is a slow rise in water on an independent low wattage pump that pulls from the barrels. Then slowly drains using a bell valve and standpipes. I'm new to plumbing so this will be interesting to say the least, a steep learning curb.
The basement fish room to the display water level will be about 14' so I'm planning on a large AC pump plumbed from one of the barrels.

The fish room is 9'x8' so a tight squeeze but it'll work. I'm wrapping the walls in white poly and putting in a bathroom fan. This will take a lot of tweaking to get right so it'll be awhile but thanks to anyone who read all this!

 

[Michael Hughes]

Sounds like a fun project! We have an eight month old 125 gallon tank and really like that size. I'll be following along, especially to see updates on your halophyte system.

What are you thinking for fish stocking?

 

[keagan]

Sounds like a fun project! We have an eight month old 125 gallon tank and really like that size. I'll be following along, especially to see updates on your halophyte system.

What are you thinking for fish stocking?

Thanks! It'll be fun once I'm done drilling for the overflow and plumbing I'm a bit hesitant taking it on. I'm thinking to start a school of green chromis 7-8, a blue hippo tang and a couple ocellaris clowns (for the kids) I'm still considering what else to add I'm def open to any suggestions and I'll be checking out your build thread for inspiration!

My past tank had a cuban hogfish that didnt always play well with other fish so I had limited options for tankmates. Nice starting fresh!

 

[Michael Hughes]

We also went with some ocellaris, and despite them being a bit cliche, they are still such beautiful fish and we really enjoy them. We're taking it intentionally slow with our stocking - at eight months in, we only have 4 fish so far - but of those 4, the red firefish is always the most popular among visitors. I really like our engineer goby too. He gives us that eel like look while still being completely reef safe.

I also really like green chromis, but it seems almost impossible to get them without uronema these days, so I removed them from our stocking list. In your case, I think a shoal of anthias would look great with a blue hippo tang.

 

[kevgib67]

Congratulations on the tank, following!