550g system 210+250 =13ft of reef

NEFFx

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Background:
I have loved reefs since I was 6. These are dream builds and this one is the first with a dedicated fish room.
The last three years I’m setting up or moving my 200+ system and this year is round 3. I had a nice dream 240 build Thread. I didn’t make a thread for my 210 but it was the 240 “compact”. Now I need to move my 210 and so the build in the new house begins. With a tank this size it’s hard to move in a day so I move it i over a week. Lessons learned the first time as I lost some corals not getting all the plumbing set up in time.

Current / proposed:
I bought a 250g (84x24x30 H) system and used the 125g sump for the start of the plumbing. I realized that my 210g is the same profile just 6ft long so figured why not concatenate them into one very long tank (and spread out the coral). One tank may have more aggressive fish and one more shrimp friendly options?

Updated pics Nov 11th
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Issues to deal with
1. Velvet: I’ve had it for almost 3 years and I’m finally going to go fallow. I have a 150g IBC tote for the fish and after copper for 2 weeks they’ll go into a cycled 120g for 6 weeks until the fallow period is over.
2. CO2 and pH, these have been a problem since having a calcium reactor. My plan is to use a refugium again which helped about 0.2-0.3 units. But I think
I’m going to setup a separate reactor for the effluent and also a phytoplankton reactor for the skimmer intake. I’ll keep a link to that once I start that design.
3. Programming. I’ve never really cared for programming to much. But this time. I’m going to get a bit more automated. Most I’ve had is the trident control my Ca and Kh additives in check when the Kalk and CaRx wasn’t enough. But I want a bit more of the skimmer and other functions to turn off during additions of various feeding and chemicals or supplements.



Setup:
This tank will build on a lot of what my 240g build had with some Lessons learned.

Generally I run Kalk, CaRx, and going to setup the dosing of calcium and alk again. big one is having my Vertex reactor working properly as it’s been having issues. I think a stronger pump and an additional 6” chamber.

Lights are all Radion. Going to run my usual 4 on 8 off schedule.

Carbon dosing. Tropic marin Elim NP and bacto balance have made life easier I don’t see every getting away from them.

UV lights 55w and perhaps a 40w as well since I have one.

Pumps are essentially all DC, EFlux have been awesome and inexpensive.

Skimmer is my baby. Octo 300ext with neck cleaner. A beast. Though I want the 36v driver but can’t find one for their DC pump.

Wave makers. I haven’t figured out yet. Def using my 4 MP40s. 2 per tank. But I have a bunch of Gyre 350s, though these have been unreliable in the past. Any comments on these. I love them when they work.

Roller mats have been a game changer. This is my biggest change in this system since I built a 125 sump to replace my trigger platinum sump due to water column issues. Therefore losing my integrated roller mat. It wasn’t perfect but it did the job. The new Red Sea 1200 I hooked up is so much smaller in ability but so much larger in space it takes up in the sump. I’ll come back to building a custom roller mat from the trigger systems setup (their roll is twice the area / size of red seas).

Otherwise I’ll aim to setup two low boys 5x2 ft each for frags.

A mixing station. And a fancy, for me, wiring cabinet.

Many things are in the works and in my brain including cooling and venting.
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NEFFx

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After the normal cycling of Caribsea reef sand. Usually from Petco or pets art but BRA finally caught up and started selling is for $24 a bag shipped. I get around 10 bags ish. Use most of them. Rapid cycle with water ever I can get my hands on. Seachem stability. Fritz bacteria. Live rock enhance. It all helps. Double the dose.

After 2 days (this comes from
Years of experience and do not advise everyone does this) I add coral from The old tank. Repeating bacteria and some sand from The old tank (<5lbs).

Best way to transport corals is with egg crate and zip ties. D shown in the image below.

Added a few more items to the tank and built an aluminum rack for the radions out of angled aluminum.

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NEFFx

NEFFx

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Everything was looking good in both tanks so it was time for the two big rocks. Each was built almost 3 years ago and weight 60 and 75lbs. Not fun. Both are huge. The picture is a 70g HDX tote.

Luckily. They fit in the tank. The height of the tank determined the clearance from
The ceiling. As you can see it was close.

Also added the skimmer (after fixing the cracks after I accidentally dropped it..).

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NEFFx

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The progression of a much emptier 210g. While I wait a week until I have a weekend free to do the rest of the move.

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NEFFx

NEFFx

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Some updates.
The move went pretty well. A dumb issue at 1:30 am and there are some regrets. But much better than last time all in all.

1. Got the old 210 in place and plumbed into the fish room. All I can saw is WOW I’ve never had so much PVC to deal with, maybe 60ft or more in total. The flex PVC from the local pool store was pivotal.
2. The EFLUX pumps are still doing amazing, best DC pump for the money. Having redundancy on each tank for flow and also powering all the other UVs abs fresh thanks.
3. Hooked up the massive 300EXT. Love this skimmer but this is the most awkward addition of it to my systems.
4. Got the water change station in place and mostly re-setup.
5. 2 low boys are installed and won’t take much to plumb into the system.
6. Added 2 x 20amp lines. For electrical.
7. Fish are half way through copper quarantine and tank has about 2 months left on fallow period for velvet.
8. Got some used MP60s and those will be exciting.

General ideas and learning experiences.
1. Paint wood before putting it up. I’m never patient enough for this and my tanks RR never in place long enough but it’s easy and really makes it look professional.
2. Add anair escape T in all the return lines. Also a good way to add new plumbing in the future.
3. I needed to do more drawings and planning of the space. But I was too busy and procrastinated.
4. Using pvc board for the baffles and sump build was easy though the silicone turned yellow. Otherwise highly recommend though not as rigid as acrylic or glass.
5. Always have flex PVC on hand.
6. Red Sea reef mat is ehh.

Next steps
1. I need to get all the Apex gadgets running and wiring fun.
2. Plumb the frag tanks and the UVs.
3. Setup the lights on the 210 and start aquascapin that. Build some new rocks With mortar. Btw @Addictedreefkeeping has the best mortar.
4. Start the cycle on the 120g and Move the fish to that after copper QT in the tote.
5. Do all the finish work on the tanks etc so they look pretty.

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NEFFx

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What are some thoughts on the following

1. MP60s. Just got some used ones and replacing both wet sides due to damage.
2. Red Sea roller mat? Takes up a lot of space in my setup, but didn’t customized for it.
3. Best Apex and Neptune hacks?
4. Best way to make canopies and siding?
5. Humidity control in the fish room?
 
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NEFFx

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Decided that trying to keep all the cords in one spot was not logical considering all the various pumps and lights. So. Decided to go with a more stealth approach like I generally prefer. And got a nice working area out of it.

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Woodmanreef

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It is most certainly more impressive in person. Also the tanks are way heavier in person as well. Not to mention a fairly tight fit to get them to the room. It has absolutely been a ton of work but really fun.
 

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Decided that trying to keep all the cords in one spot was not logical considering all the various pumps and lights. So. Decided to go with a more stealth approach like I generally prefer. And got a nice working area out of it.

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Wow Alex, so impressive all that you have experienced it setting up new tanks. One thing is for sure they are beautiful and your fauna love it!! As does your family ❤️
 
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NEFFx

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Had some more time to get the fish into the 120g is done and started organizing some wiring.

What do people do for their dosing organization?
Got some new coral frags in too!

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NEFFx

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Finally got around to making the aquascape. Definitely like using the ice cream frosting method for filling the cracks with mortar. I use addictive reef keeping mortar because the color is better.
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NEFFx

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Trying to figure out how to split the fish between the two tanks. Any suggestions?

See them here Quarantine tank

2x blonde Naso tang
Mauliceps tang
Clown tang
Hippo tang
2x baby orange stripe tang
Zebra swallow tail angel
Yellow foxface
Guttatus rabbitfish
Orange spot rabbitfish
6x heniochus
6x lyrtail anyhias
3x zebra dartfish
Falco Hawkfish
2x garden eels
Spotted filefish
2x percula

 

Reefing threads: Do you wear gear from reef brands?

  • I wear reef gear everywhere.

    Votes: 20 14.0%
  • I wear reef gear primarily at fish events and my LFS.

    Votes: 10 7.0%
  • I wear reef gear primarily for water changes and tank maintenance.

    Votes: 1 0.7%
  • I wear reef gear primarily to relax where I live.

    Votes: 22 15.4%
  • I don’t wear gear from reef brands.

    Votes: 80 55.9%
  • Other.

    Votes: 10 7.0%

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