135 gallon sps dominated reef Tom Toro

[TomToro]

Here's my build in three posts. My buddy Alex (Dentdominator) and I built this together. I have to give him lots of credit for this build. It was designed almost exactly like his setup, but with some upgrades he thought of.

Here are some specs:
135 DT in the wall
100gallon sump/refugium
ETSS 800 Skimmer with Iwaki 55
2x175w Iwasaki 15k w/Lumenbright Pendants w/M57 ballasts
2 x 6' VHO Actinics
Closed Loop w/Dart Pump and eight adjustable nozzles
Built in Overflows (Donated by TomB)
57w UV Aqua w/mag 7
Kent 5g Aquadoser Kalkwasser Drip
ATO by PumpBiz
GAC/GFO Reactor by BRS
2 x Koralia 4's
Water changes valved through the closed loop and plumbed out.
55g Food grade barrel holding saltwater plumbed with Rio 1400 into the sump
Water changes take minutes with the turn of two valves.

Here it is almost all cleaned up with the overflows positioned.

Some pics of the before:
Old view of 12"high by 68" long. New view will be 20"high x 68" long.

Fishroom with empty 100g and sump gone

Temporary setup with 100g rubbermaid tub, lots of circulation and my etss 800.

Large anemone happy so far.

Next step: Removal of tank and stand and then re-wiring.
Here's the new opening that will be 21" high after all the trim is installed.

The bench is done except for the counter tops. This thing is huge and braced well. I'll have to add removable bracing after the sump is installed. It's as long as the tank.

Somehow, Alex talked me into popping the tank on the stand. That was one heavy mutha. 1/2" glass means a lot more weight to this old man.

Here it is from the back. On the stand and waiting for plumbing.

Here it is from the front. After the trim, it should be showing 21" of view.

I hid all the wires and installed some tongue and groove cedar slats.

The trim is done on the outside:

 

[seafansar]

Looking good! I'm with ya, 1/2" glass is heavy!

 

[TomToro]

Part two of the 135 build

Whew, what a mess!

Here's the 100 gallon sump with the special microbubble busting design. There will be egg crate to keep the LR suspended above the deep sand bed and some gutter guard in the first and last baffles to keep the critters and cheato in the refugium:

Close up view through the bottom of the plumbing and four of the eight nossles for the CL

Plumbing under the stand:

Closeup of the CL manifold:

Closeup of one of the nossle assemblies:

Overhead view of the plumbing through the bottom glass:

The sump is in:

View from the front since I painted it black:

The water movement:

 

[TomToro]

135 build part three

My son's idea of a joke. If I'd known he was taking this, I'd have flexed or something. I'm tracing the starboard around the overflows.

Here's a good shot of Alex's handywork on the measurements and result. I measured one thing and it was wrong. I left the rest to him.

It's filling up with r/o water. Slow as heck.

The skimmer is running and skimming something. Not sure what.

Sump is almost filled:

Those aren't my lights. Just the lights in the fishroom. Haven't bought them yet.

Here's the ballast setup:

Here's the Pendants Lumenbright minis:

Here's the front with all MH lights on:

Here's the final lighting setup with the 2x 6' VHO's and the 15K MH's.

Now to sit back and watch them grow.

Since these were taken, lots has happened. I'm currently in the beginning stages of using some Brightwell products. I'm on my 8th day of the Bacter7 and already notice color changes for the better on my sps. I'm also fighting a turf algae problem that won't go away, but it's stopped spreading anyway.

Thanks for looking,
Tom Toro

 

[dantimdad]

I love that setup!

Normally, I am not into barebottom but yours really looks nice.

Thanks for posting this.

dantimdad

 

[Salty Dog]

Well hats a really nice family room with 2 beautiful tanks for sure. Your mechanical skills are top notch. Great job looks great.

 

[revhtree]

Wow your tanks look great! Love the REEF room!

 

[TomToro]

Wow, thanks very much for the good words, Sarah, Rev, Salty and Dad! I appreciate the feedback.

 

[amore169]

Very nice tank, like the pics.

 

[cparka23]

I can't image how you managed to move that tank with a hand truck. That's an impressive feat in itself!

 

[jerl77]

damm i need to live with you please:haha:

 

[oceanparadise1]

dang bro! Sick room! My wifey almost killed me the day she left for work and came back to a 180 in the family room and a 75 in the living room! Lol great job that room is sick!

 

[tewkes]

Wow, for some reason I never knew you had two in-wall tanks. That looks awesome! A couple more and you can start charging an admission fee for your aquarium spectacle.

 

[cultivatedcoral]

Very nice looking in-wall set ups you have there! Great work.

 

[ahayes13]

Very nice !

 

[Russellaqua]

Awesome!

 

[reefz3ro]

thats really nice looking. i love having my 180 in the wall. your plumbing is really nice makes mine look like a huricane

 

[TomToro]

Thanks for the generous words, folks! Yeah, in the wall is the only way I can go anymore 'cause I'm a reef pig and it gets pretty messy back there. Can't see the wife putting up with a constant mess where folks can see it.

tewkes,
I had the one in since 1989, but first it was a freshwater and turned to a reef in 1998. Then just last december I ripped it out and put in the 135.

The 240 has been in about a year I guess. Next on the list to overhaul.

cparka23,
That was pretty heavy for this old man. I had to move it from the truck down around the house (downhill luckily) and up the stairs in my deck. Then off came the doorwalls and in it came. My buddy guided it.

oceanparadise1,
I bet it was 'cold' around the house for awhile after she got home, eh?:sad: I was chicken and got full consent before I did mine.

jerl77,
C'mon over. My son is leaving for college and all you have to do for room and board is scrape the coralline on the 240 ACRYLIC without scratching it, lol.

 

[Poon Tang]

Beautiful tanks! What's the reason for not using live sand? Is it easier to keep clean. I noticed you have sand in your sump, but not in the tanks themselves. What type of livestock do you have in the new tank? How long do you have to cycle a tank that size before adding coral/fish. I have a 125 gal I want to set up. Im just trying to save enough cash to buy 100 lbs or so of live rock.

 

[TomToro]

Beautiful tanks! What's the reason for not using live sand? Is it easier to keep clean. I noticed you have sand in your sump, but not in the tanks themselves. What type of livestock do you have in the new tank? How long do you have to cycle a tank that size before adding coral/fish. I have a 125 gal I want to set up. Im just trying to save enough cash to buy 100 lbs or so of live rock.

Thanks Mr. Poon Tang!

I went bare bottom because I wanted extreme flow in there for the sps I want to keep.

I have 3 tangs, a flame angel, mandarin, lemon damsel, Bengaii Cardinal, sps corals and a couple of vagrant mushrooms.

I cycled my tank for about 6 weeks if I remember right before all the numbers came in right. Then I started very slow.

If you're looking for Live Rock, look for another reefer to sell their's. I've bought hundreds of pounds from reefers. Very small amounts from lfs and usually averaged about 2.50 a lb. Sometimes less.

Sorry it took so long to reply. I haven't been here lately.

Take it easy,
Tom