60g reef savvy cube restart with automation

[turbo2oh]

I have a Reef Savvy cube I previously had up for several years (5/6). Unfortunately, in the process of a move I lost just about everything and decided to shut it down.

I now have some time to restart it. I'm trying to make a few adjustments this time to make my life easier. Primarily more automation by implementing an auto-water change system with the Neptune DOS and possibly a auto-filling ATO reservoir. Combining that with relatively low demand corals/fish I'm hoping to keep the maintenance schedule very easy. Just mixing up saltwater occasionally, feeding, and very intermittent testing (maybe a trident in the future?).

I've had the saltwater, dry rock, and sand in the tank for about 6 months now. I had cycled it originally but just restarted the cycle since it had sat fallow for so long since the first one.

My gear:
60g Reef Savvy cube
20g sump
New Neptune Apex (replacing old one)
Neptune DOS
Reef Octopus eSsence S-130 Skimmer
Kessil 360we w/ Aquatic Life fixture with 4 ATI blue plus T5s
Kessil H80 Sump light
Sicce Syncra SDC 6.0 return pump
BRS 5-Stage RODI 75GPD
Trigger ATO 10g reservoir
2x Ehiem heaters (150w?)
Avast Marine ATO
Homemade stand
Reef Saver Dry Rock

I have a few near term goals:
- Get a fish in there! Don't want to wait several more months and have to cycle again
- Decide if I'm going to replace the flooring below my tank and in the closet where I plan to store my water. I'm in the basement but its carpeted so a spill can still be a pain.
- Compile a shopping list of everything I need to get the remote auto water change and top off set up (its about 20ft away from the tank)
- Set up plumbing and wiring for ATO and water change system in a closet

Here's the shopping list I've compiled so far:
- some LVP flooring (if I'm going to replace it) (do people put a lip or anything on these types of set up to keep spilled water in?)
- lots of color-coded RO tubing (already got a 30ft aquabus cable with the new apex)
- valves for ATO water in and water change water out (what is best here? Planning to use bathroom sink hookups)
- optical water level sensors for Apex (thinking RO top off to drive a solenoid and another to monitor sump overflow)
- neptune FMM and leak detector
- solenoid(s) for handling ATO?
- replacement media and RO membrane for RODI system (they're old)

I'm adding a few photos of the tank, the closet where I plan to store water,RODI, etc. and the bathroom where I plan to hookup the drain and RODI input (open door on far left in 2nd photo). Also my work-in-progress sketch of how I'd like to set up the remote water change. I'm planning to cut a hole to run the tubing/aquabus cable across the top of the bar behind all the bottles and behind the refrigerator to the closet next to the refrigerator.

Any helps/tips/advice as I restart this journey are appreciated!

 

[JonoB]

I also have a 60 cube and I love the shape. I like where you're going with this and looking forward to seeing it come along. Not sure I'm much help on the Apex and automation side of things....but I did put LVP down before moving in to my house 1.5 years ago and its been GREAT for my tank, as far as spills and such go

 

[Peace River]

Wow! Nice setup - it looks like you have a solid plan!

 

[Indy_Reefer]

Looks like a great start. Excited to follow along.

 

[Poseidon's snail]

looks super cool

 

[turbo2oh]

Well I am indeed very slow. I've finally decided to rip up the carpet in the closet where I'll store water/RODI/etc. and underneath my tank. I'm starting the closet first. I'm installing Lifeproof LVP flooring so I can have a waterproof surface for spills. At this point the tank has been sitting with water/rocks and the return pump running for almost a year now so anything that on the dry rocks should have leached out. I'll have to cycle again but there is at least 1 green spot on a rock and some stuff on the sand so something is managing to live in there.

Flooring progress:

 

[turbo2oh]

If anyone has suggestions for brackets/mounting hardware for RODI lines that'd be awesome. Going to have to route them to the closet from the water supply then to the tank for ATO and DOS water change.

 

[turbo2oh]

Finished flooring for closet. Next step is to move the tank and redo the flooring under it as well. Then I can start setting up the equipment closet and running the RODI lines!

 

[turbo2oh]

Finally completed the new floor to go under the tank as well. At this pace, just a few more years and I can add fish! Next up is moving RODI into the closet and setting up the plumbing to it and to the tank!