PghReef
Well-Known Member
Not quite sure what you mean everything is plumbed and leveled. Tried to keep my tolerances low but I am not a professional woodworker by any means and some things are out 1/16th or 1/32 of an inch but nothing noticeable.
90 Gallon Reef Build
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anthonygf
Valuable Member
In the picture the top cabinet when viewed from the side looks like it is at an angle from the top of tank to the ceiling. Maybe it it an optical illusion from wide angle lens. Looks as good as professional, I love it.
PghReef
Well-Known Member
Thanks, yes that's camera angle. It is angled slightly like maybe 1/4 inch back to front over 3 feet so that things dont roll and get stuck back there. I need a 3 step stool and can barely reach lol.
PghReef
Well-Known Member
Thank you. Definitely puts a lot of pressure on keeping it clean and looking tip top. My wife has already warned me since I took up all that space she could've used for cabinets and storage
PghReef
Well-Known Member
Tank was finally filled over about 2 days with fresh rodi and redsea blue bucket. Took about 110-115 gallons between DT and sump after rock displacement. Water pretty cloudy and had a nasty smell so I added some carbon, seems much better. Still cloudy but doesn't stink. That pukani is dirty, found small crabs floating. Trace ammonia showing on the seachem badge. Ordered a bottle of bacteria to help jump start things.
Fired up the lights to test, brand new actinic bulb is defective. I went front to back actinic, coral+, purple+, blue+ all ati. Was worried the fixture was defective but tester bulbs and the actinic wont fire in other fixtures as well. I'm sure BRS will do right and replace. Kessil 360x's work fine.
Redsea reefwave is nice but I cant get it to connect to reefbeat. Very frustrating going to have to reach out to either BRS or redsea on that.
Fluval sp4 return seems louder but I think its vibrations in the pipe passing through the stand. Going to replace the 1ft black vinyl with silicone to see if it helps. If not then a d/c pump will be on order. Most importantly though no leaks in any of the plumbing! Going to replace the emergency drain in the overflow to make it a little taller. Have more splash noise then id like and I cant raise the water level any higher without raising the backup pipe.
Ordered a new vortech mp40 to pair with the gyre. Gyre seems to do really well but I feel like paired with a vortech on the backwall will really help eliminate any dead spots. Also set up a spare tank to cure liverock in, going to order about 30 lbs from kp this week.
Fired up the lights to test, brand new actinic bulb is defective. I went front to back actinic, coral+, purple+, blue+ all ati. Was worried the fixture was defective but tester bulbs and the actinic wont fire in other fixtures as well. I'm sure BRS will do right and replace. Kessil 360x's work fine.
Redsea reefwave is nice but I cant get it to connect to reefbeat. Very frustrating going to have to reach out to either BRS or redsea on that.
Fluval sp4 return seems louder but I think its vibrations in the pipe passing through the stand. Going to replace the 1ft black vinyl with silicone to see if it helps. If not then a d/c pump will be on order. Most importantly though no leaks in any of the plumbing! Going to replace the emergency drain in the overflow to make it a little taller. Have more splash noise then id like and I cant raise the water level any higher without raising the backup pipe.
Ordered a new vortech mp40 to pair with the gyre. Gyre seems to do really well but I feel like paired with a vortech on the backwall will really help eliminate any dead spots. Also set up a spare tank to cure liverock in, going to order about 30 lbs from kp this week.
PghReef
Well-Known Member
Thanks! I didn't want to deal with trying to quiet a durso or worry about floods.
Coming along ok, no matter how much you plan and and think ahead seems there are always some bumps. Frustrated that a new bulb isnt working and i cant connect to reefbeat but if that the extent of my headache I'll call it a win lol.
PghReef
Well-Known Member
BRS already has the replacement bulb on the way. No questions asked, kudos to them for always having awesome customer support!
Redsea emailed back and had me fill out the official warranty form. Think its a faulty controller as well but need to go through the appropriate process. Little more of a hassle than BRS but understandable and as long they take care of it I'm happy.
Worked on tidying up some wiring today. I'm never happy with it and wish everything was wireless lol. Also set up the Reef octopus skimmer, currently going nuts for the break in period. I'll let it dump back into the sump until it starts pulling sludge. Tank is still pretty cloudy, I think from the breakdown of organics on the pukani. Ammonia is reading on the badge but havnt bothered to test anything else. Microbacter start XLM coming tomorrow so I'll dump that in and start testing.
Vortech and carbon reacter will be here this week so I'll get them online. Silicone tubing should also arrive tomorrow to hopefully silence the hum of the return.
Ordered 30 lbs liverock from kpaquatics, hopefully be here Thursday! Probably do a photo update after that all gets settled in.
Redsea emailed back and had me fill out the official warranty form. Think its a faulty controller as well but need to go through the appropriate process. Little more of a hassle than BRS but understandable and as long they take care of it I'm happy.
Worked on tidying up some wiring today. I'm never happy with it and wish everything was wireless lol. Also set up the Reef octopus skimmer, currently going nuts for the break in period. I'll let it dump back into the sump until it starts pulling sludge. Tank is still pretty cloudy, I think from the breakdown of organics on the pukani. Ammonia is reading on the badge but havnt bothered to test anything else. Microbacter start XLM coming tomorrow so I'll dump that in and start testing.
Vortech and carbon reacter will be here this week so I'll get them online. Silicone tubing should also arrive tomorrow to hopefully silence the hum of the return.
Ordered 30 lbs liverock from kpaquatics, hopefully be here Thursday! Probably do a photo update after that all gets settled in.
PghReef
Well-Known Member
Another week gone by. Replacement bulb arrived from BRS and now everything works as it should, although the lights are off anyway for the cycle.
Also replaced the vinyl with silicone, as well as used a thicker silicone mat underneath the return. Between that and it breaking in seems much quieter. I'm happy with it and won't be purchasing a dc return after all.
Redsea had me do something with the pump to send them a picture of its code. I have no clue what it meant but they immediately sent me a new controller and told me to just throw the old one away. Hooked the new one up and was able to connect to ReefBeat first try.
The new Vortech mp40 also arrived and was able to connect to mobius. I might throw on an mp10 if theres any dead spots but reefwave and mp40 seem to provide great flow together so might not need to.
Added the BRS carbon reactor, no problems to speak of and the included sicce pump is quiet.
The skimmer is still breaking in, tons of micro bubbles and still bubbling too much to think about collecting anything. Not sure how long this takes to break in but no rush.
Added the MicroBacter last week.Test on halloween showed some nitrite, about 2 days after dosing the bacteria. Ammonia hanging around 2 still but nitrite .25 and no nitrates. Plan on testing again today.
I ordered an ATO resovoir from melevsreef. Holds 8 gallons and is taller and narrower then many of the other options. I'm really shocked how much evap I get per day, prob 1-1.5 gallons.
Liverock was delayed, didnt have any in holding and couldn't dive for more until this past weekend. Should be here this Thursday though!
Also replaced the vinyl with silicone, as well as used a thicker silicone mat underneath the return. Between that and it breaking in seems much quieter. I'm happy with it and won't be purchasing a dc return after all.
Redsea had me do something with the pump to send them a picture of its code. I have no clue what it meant but they immediately sent me a new controller and told me to just throw the old one away. Hooked the new one up and was able to connect to ReefBeat first try.
The new Vortech mp40 also arrived and was able to connect to mobius. I might throw on an mp10 if theres any dead spots but reefwave and mp40 seem to provide great flow together so might not need to.
Added the BRS carbon reactor, no problems to speak of and the included sicce pump is quiet.
The skimmer is still breaking in, tons of micro bubbles and still bubbling too much to think about collecting anything. Not sure how long this takes to break in but no rush.
Added the MicroBacter last week.Test on halloween showed some nitrite, about 2 days after dosing the bacteria. Ammonia hanging around 2 still but nitrite .25 and no nitrates. Plan on testing again today.
I ordered an ATO resovoir from melevsreef. Holds 8 gallons and is taller and narrower then many of the other options. I'm really shocked how much evap I get per day, prob 1-1.5 gallons.
Liverock was delayed, didnt have any in holding and couldn't dive for more until this past weekend. Should be here this Thursday though!
PghReef
Well-Known Member
Pretty happy with the progress so far. Really coming together and have things as i want them. I need to add the battery backup at some point, it's currently on the other tank with fish. I'll wait until I start stocking to switch it over. Will have to add the dosers at some point just to have them ready.
Also might want to start working on the other doors and screen tops soon.
PghReef
Well-Known Member
Been awhile since last update. Lots going on and good progress. All my spare time has gone to Christmas, and getting this tank going.
The liverock came from KP. Had a lot of nice algae on it as well as feather dusters, ceriths, bristle stars, sponges, some kind of macro algae, pods, worms, and a few small crabs I removed. I've seen a small urchin from time to time as well. I cycled that in a separate tank for a few weeks, went quick. Ammonia only went up to like 1 for a couple days and then down to 0. Within a week nitrites and nitrates were also down to 0 on API.
The liverock came from KP. Had a lot of nice algae on it as well as feather dusters, ceriths, bristle stars, sponges, some kind of macro algae, pods, worms, and a few small crabs I removed. I've seen a small urchin from time to time as well. I cycled that in a separate tank for a few weeks, went quick. Ammonia only went up to like 1 for a couple days and then down to 0. Within a week nitrites and nitrates were also down to 0 on API.
PghReef
Well-Known Member
After a few weeks I decided to transfer it over to the main display with the dry pukani. The dry rock was still reading high nitrites and nitrates but minimal ammonia. To be safe I dosed primed daily for a week or so until nitrites started dropping. Worked hard to get all 30 lbs in the display and find a scape I'm happy with. After doing that nitrites dropped pretty quick and nitrates down to like 10 within 2 weeks.
PghReef
Well-Known Member
After I settled on a scape I added 95 lbs of fiji pink sand. Washed real well and added floss to the filter sock. Cleared over night. I then added 15 lbs of dry rock to the sump and removed the filter sock. Going to try sockless for maintenance and overall food for filter feeders.
PghReef
Well-Known Member
After that was just a waiting game. Diatoms started so I added a small CUC. Took care of that overnight.
Tested my parameters and seemed ready for some coral.
1.026SG
8.0 kh
460 Ca
1360 Mag
5 Nitrates
50ppb phos
Phos was a little high but down from 92 earlier in the cycle. Changed out the carbon and phosguard and the next day was reading 32ppb. I'm still not collecting in the skimmer, just using it for oxygenation.
Tested my parameters and seemed ready for some coral.
1.026SG
8.0 kh
460 Ca
1360 Mag
5 Nitrates
50ppb phos
Phos was a little high but down from 92 earlier in the cycle. Changed out the carbon and phosguard and the next day was reading 32ppb. I'm still not collecting in the skimmer, just using it for oxygenation.
southerntnreefer
Valuable Member
Tanks looks amazing!!! Love following along!
PghReef
Well-Known Member
After adding a CUC I decided to try a few easy corals to make sure they do ok. I purchaser a 9 head mini colony of kyptonite candy cane and a large piece of mystic sunset montipora. I also transferred a small piece or rubble with blue mushrooms over. So far they have done great.
PghReef
Well-Known Member
Since those did great I went ahead and purchased a piece of wall frogspawn and a smaller Australian elegance coral from Jon at corals.com. Those have settled in and opened nicely. I added a large hermit crab to my sump to help with pieces of food that make there way down there. Decided to purchase about 2 lbs of sponge covered liverock from my lfs to add to the sump to help jumpstart a cryptic fuge and add more diversity, really saw my pods explode after that.
PghReef
Well-Known Member
I gave those a week or so parameters remained stable and corals looking good. Purchased a nice head of an Indo branching frogspawn from the lfs. Also found some nice pieces from a local hobbyist and purchased a green birdnest, purple stylo, forestfire digi, green slimer acro, 3 headed hammer, armor of god zoa, and fire and ice zoa.
Pictures are soon after adding so not final placement or opened fully.
Pictures are soon after adding so not final placement or opened fully.
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