180 Gallon Mixed Reef Living Room Build

backdraft_reefer · Aug 3, 2021

Mark said:
Nice to see someone else using the A500's. I switched to them from AI Hydras. Mine are 31" above water line with the narrow reflectors, and I had to reduce the intensity to 60% to match the PAR of my old lights. These suckers are intense!

I really love the mounting height that is possible with these. I feel like they will really start to become really popular in the next few months

backdraft_reefer · Nov 6, 2021

Hello everyone!!

Time again for a large, overdue update. Once again, sorry for the inconsistencies, as probably many of you can understand, work has been crazy lately and there has been no shortage of available overtime in the fire department. Here we go!

Overall, tank is still going strong! The new Kessil A500X are going great, and I think the corals have adjusted to the new lights. I have brought the intensity down to top out at 80% during the day. The spread is great, and the color is spectacular! Anyone that is looking to upgrade their lighting, I would HIGHLY recommend them!

Next comes all the new pumps. At the beginning of September, my new frag tank (custom built from CDA) came in. Side note, I have plans to begin a thread on that build also. I decided that I would use the two older MP10’s on the back wall of the tank for flow on the new frag tank. I decided to purchase two new MP40s to replace them and completely change the flow with in the tank. I wanted to open the tank more and create more viewing space. What I ended up doing is placing the new MP40s on the upper corners on the back of the tank and added small flow deflectors I picked up on Etsy to push the flow to the center of the tank. I then took the older MP40s and moved them to the bottom rear corner on the side panels of the tank. This pushes a bunch of flow under and behind my rock work and moves the pumps out of the viewing area from the sides. Changing my flow to the four MP40s had some positive and negative changes to the tank. First, the open viewing is far better! I also could control all four on the Mobius app much easier than the Apex. I also was able to reduce even more cords that were stung under the sump. All the pumps are running at much lower intensity, which I believe is better for the overall life of the pump. As for the negatives, the initial changes in flow kicked up a bunch of detritus that had built up in the back of the rock work over the past two years. The amount of nutrients that were released in the tank by the new placement took a toll of a few of my acropora and my large birdnest. The birdnest completely died in less than a day and two of the across receded and died in the following week. However, after those losses, the tank rebounded and has been running well ever since. I have all the pumps synced and anti-synced to nutrient transport mode to create completely random flow all day and night.

Moving on, the tank is still having some aptasia pop up here and there. Every couple of weeks, I complete a water change and siphon out multiple aptasia and glue/epoxy the ones I can’t inside. Its definitely a management program that I hope will die down overtime as the corals grow and encrust on the rock work. Outside of the aptasia, the tank has no other issues. The corals are growing well and encrusting and I am having to dose a ton of BRS two part everyday! I think the next step for the tank is to get a calcium reactor. I will have to see how the next few months go before moving forward on it though.

Hope everyone is well and safe! Please comment or DM me with any questions!

backdraft_reefer · Jan 27, 2022

Hello everyone,

Time for my typical weekly (actually bi-monthly) update. I have some small updates, but nothing major in terms of new equipment on the tank. Overall, system is doing pretty well. I did have a small outbreak of AEFW which effected a few of my macro colonies, mainly my millipora. I did multiple dips with Coral RX and moved some of the harder hit ones to the frag tank to recover. After about a month, I believe I am past the outbreak, but I am still checking daily for any signs of their return.

Additionally, my battle with the typical aptasia continues. I have found that F Aptasia works really well. I also put super glue and Tunze coral glue putty in parts that are more open. I definitely have the population under control and hope that as the reef grows and rock work gets encrusted, the numbers slowly decline.

I have started getting the parts together to switch over to a calcium reactor for my dosing. As of now, I have a brand new EcoTech Versa that I will use as a feed pump. I plan on purchasing a new Geos Reef Calcium reactor and the Carbon Doser in the near future.

Even though I have trouble keeping up with the updates here, I am very good at keeping up with the maintenance of my tank. This month I completed multiple tasks including: changing the UV bulb and quartz sleeve, cleaning out the rear overflow, cleaning all the MP40 wet sides, and vacuuming out the bottom of the sump. I have decided to use a canister filter for all my water changes and vacuuming. I have found that it is WAY easier to use it for siphoning and vacuuming rather than a hose and bucket. What is better is that I also attach a python hose and run it outside to the street so I no longer have to carry buckets and spill water. With this method, I am also able to vacuum the entire sump without loosing a siphon or running to low on water. I highly recommend this method for water changes!

Aside from all that, the reef is growing fast! I am now fragging my montipora's and acropora's almost bi-weekly. I am also having to rearrange some of the colonies so that they have room to grow. Lastly, I added two new corals I picked up at my LFS. For the first time I have a porites coral and a different type of branching montipora. Both sat in quarantine for 4 weeks in the frag tank and went through multiple dips before being placed in the main display tank.