92 gallons, behind a bar

[benmed]

I have loved aquariums forever. I have had two FOWLRs many years ago, but too busy / not settled enough to get a new tank. Finally, in our new house we have the perfect spot, but we had to make it perfect first.

We have a bar area downstairs where we always hang out, but we don’t have enough friends to invite over to fill it up. So we rarely use the bar. There is a one way mirror behind the bar where we put a TV. I always thought it would be awesome to have a aquarium behind a bar because… well, duh. But I didn’t think it could ever happen because it had a faucet and two large columns which meant nothing could fit back there. But after a whiskey or two one night, I had ideas:

maybe, maybe, i could take out the columns and the faucet and have one MFing epic space for an aquarium.

As a super bonus, the mechanical room for the house is directly behind that mirror. I thought that we could run the plumbing from the tank through the hole where the sink was, and back into the mechanical room where we would keep the sump.

I thought I was going to have to purchase a custom tank to fit the bill. I was doing all sorts of measurements and getting my bank account mentally prepared for some heavy, heavy lifting.

But when my brother in law (who is an epic brother in law) heard that we wanted a tank, he offered his 92 gallon Red Sea set up with 16 gallon sump set up which was sitting unused in a warehouse. Even better, he still had all the things: lights, pumps, skimmer. But would it fit???

Measurements, measurements and more measurements and literally TONS of research. Cutouts and trials, it looked like it might work. All the calculations made it seem like it might work… with literally one half inch to spare. The columns, it turns out, were not structural and with a little work we were able to get them out in one piece (nice in case I ever want to put them back… doubt it). It was then a simple matter to pop the faucet out. The overflow tower was perfectly placed right under the sink. The perfect spot!

I am really excited about the build and eternally grateful to him for such a generous gift of not only the tank and sump, but most of the filters, lights and pumps.

Here are some pictures of the space before and with the tank sitting in it. I had to modify his sump to make space for a Reefmat. I’ve spent the past weekend cleaning and checking all the equipment and plan to do the plumping in the next couple weeks.

Will plan to have:
92 gallon main tank
Vortech MP40 x 2
Octo reef octopulse x2 (maybe)

16 gallon sump:
Reefmat 1200 (this is new… fleece rollers seem to good to get into that game)
Octo 200 INT skimmer
Eflux 1900 return
Maybe Tunze 1070.50 as redundant return (not sure how to plumb return)

There is a 2 gallon receptacle in the sump which I may use for ATO. I plan to install a RO/DI which I hope to connect connect either directly to the sump or to a brute trash can and then to the sump. ATO will be managed by a Tunze 3050. I also plan to have a DOS set up to do automatic water changes (will store the salt water in the a Brute trash can that I keep back there). There is a drainage outflow in the floor of the mechanical room which is nice, but everything and anything that holds water is getting float valves because all this is not worth it when my wife kills me if something leaks.

I’m hoping to get a refugium in there at some point, but not sure exactly how I will plumb it in or how to add it in the current sump. Might be able to add one little space for it but not sure it would be big enough to have an effect. Don’t want to put it in yet until we have more fish/waste being created.

Apex will monitor water levels, do auto changes, ATO, leak detection.

Eventually, I would like to have a reef aquarium, but I think I‘d like to get it going as a FOWLR first for about a year. That way, I can learn how to use the apex first so I don’t get overwhelmed all at once.

I have literally put tons of thought and research into this idea. I hope it works but I am actually very grateful to the BRS website. I think I have Singlehandedly paid for a new Ferrari for each of the executives through the YouTube ad revenue I have generated for them. I really appreciate their education section, even if it is clearly one big ad after another.

Please give me any thoughts/ideas.

 

[blaxsun]

On the plus side - after a hard day of messing around with the fish tank - the beer is right there.

 

[benmed]

The beer is right there WHEN you are messing around with the tank

 

[benmed]

Worked on the aquascape this week. Armed with the BRS educational video about making aquascapes, I decided to try my hand. I paid a stupid amount of money for 80 pounds of the Caribsea shapes (4 sets) and then picked out some other pieces at LFS to make sure I had options. While it is expensive, it does make the process a lot easier for those of us who are artistically challenged. Basically, I set up all the rocks on the floor and with my very pregnant wife critiquing from the folding chair in the garage, I set to work putting different pieces together. I used the superglue and two fishes epoxy. I did not have the quick set for the super glue, which made that process annoying. High Recommend on buying whatever magic spray they have which dries the glue quick. But, the epoxy works nicely, except I spent every night picking pieces of epoxy out of my fingernails.

Since my wife did not go into labor, I was able to get the seams covered up, so people don’t ask me if my three year old put the aqua scape together for me. The video shows a

The rock piece on the right is meant to be more open. It allows better viewing angles and more open water flow. The piece on the right is more sheltered which provides more walls and protection for the fish. I’m interested to see where they end up hanging out. I may regret the closed piece in terms of flow, but we will see.

Overall, I’m happy with how out they came out. I’m not totally sure they are going to hold. My basic rule was to have each rock have a minimum of 4 epoxy attachment points with surrounding rock. I used SCIENCE and MATH to determine that 4 was the correct number. The pieces hold now when I pick them up, but they have to make it downstairs to the basement.

In the mean time, starting to get the plumbing together. Waiting for new O rings to come in so I don’t turn my basement into a salt water pond. Hopefully plumbing should be done by next week, but the baby variable is a determining factor.

 

[benmed]

Here are some photos after I cleaned up the seams by using broken up pieces of rock and expoxy over the seams. Heartbreaking using a screwdriver in an expensive piece of rock.

next steps are to let it cure over the next 24 hours, have the baby, then test the stability of the structure. I provisionally picked it up and it is heavy af. Definitely going to be a sad day if it cracks as we are lowering it into the tank, shattering the bottom and my dreams.

if they are stable, then will probably drop them into some salty water, dump some bacteria, and get them cycling while we work out the plumbing

 

[benmed]

the baby came! Baby girl weighing in at lucky 7 pounds 7 ounces. Woo hoo! Everybody safe and sound. One night in the hospital and we hopped out of there because who wants to be in a hospital??

Got the RO/DI installed into the plumbing to provide a water source. It will lead into into one brute for the ATO. There is a float valve to control the water level here. A second brute will be for the salt water for DOS controlled weekly water changes.

I bought a cheap cabinet off wayfair to hold the wires for all the Neptune stuff. I will mount the equipment on the doors and have the wires run into the cabinet itself through some holes that I drill. If I get fancy, maybe I’ll paint it Neptune colors.

we did a dry set up some of the plumbing. Still waiting for some adaptors to come in to bring the red reef system into American plumbing. Hopefully those come on Monday. Over the weekend I’ll probably put up the DOS tubing and try to get the self leveling mat under the tank itself. Need help for that because that thing is heaaaavy.

 

[benmed]

ok. Active day balancing baby #1 (tiny baby girl) and baby #2 (aquarium) and the two boys. Now I remember what tired us.

so we (Josh from aquariums done Wright, local fish aquarium guru here in chicago) got the self leveling mat down under the tank (had to use 2 given our foot print). More dry plumbing run as well as all the light cords, controllers, and power heads to make sure we had the length to get them to the mounting board which will be behind the wall of the bar.

We have to run all these wires through the granite top of the bar where the faucet had been, which is not a huge hole. Drilling a bigger hole in the granite is very unappealing and expensive sounding. BUT the vortech mp40 controller definitely won’t fit.

PROTIP: you can disassemble the mo40 control board, pop off the electric snap on and then run that through a small hole. Easy peasy.

also built and mounted the mounting board which is a cheap cabinet from way fair. I then mounted all the apex stuff and controllers, etc. THEN in a move I will regret, disassembled the whole dang thing so I can paint it. No one is ever going to see it except me. Not sure why I’m torturing myself. Oh well.

tonight I primed the cabinet and probably tomorrow I’ll paint them.

 

[benmed]

the weekend project was getting the mounting board done and…. Success?

My goal was to hide the wires as much as possible. Cheap cabinet from wayfair which I modified.

the weekend was beset with difficulties everywhere, most especially and tragically with getting enough length for my mp40 cord to reach the mounting board but thanks to the community here (looking at you @homer1475 ), I have a solution. Thanks so much to everyone for helping with suggestions. Very grateful for all the help you guys give.
Anyway, after trialing a ton of different things and taking things apart, and spray painting and re spray painting, and inhaling fumes and having my wife yell at me because there is a new baby inside the house, not in the garage, but many, many rooms away not connected at all but still my fault, I mostly finished. Here are is the result…. Still have more things to mount but the space is there As you can see, I jumped on the Neptune bandwagon and am expecting royalty checks shortly.

anyway, things got crazy and so did I. I painted the screws which was overboard. But now it’s done.

 

[benmed]

Long mf day. Between taking care of the three babies, installing a new sprinkler head and setting this puppy up, I’m exhausted. So no detailed updates buuuut…

But… the tank is wet!! and everything else is dry so huge win. Thanks again to the guru at aquariums done Wright here in chicago for helping to set up and test the plumbing.

More details to follow.

 

[benmed]

Update. Progress on many fronts:

1. Overall, tank is wet and system dry where it should be. This is good.
2. Tank is cycling, Dr. Tims added, keeping ammonia around 2 mg/L, Reefmat and UV sterilizer off
3. Automatic Top off with tunze connected to Brute directly attached to RO unit is functioning
4. Neptune leak detection probes attached, but trying to figure out how to get the alarm system going. It’s my first apex.
5. The two MP40s, once the after market extension cords arrived, and after some trouble shooting, are paired and mounted at each end of the tank. This is not where they will live permanently but do get some flow going. The MP40s are plugged into a Costco battery back up and this is then plugged into the apex. Will run some trials so see how long that battery can keep them going for when the power goes out
6. Control / mounting board is progressing. Starting to hide the wires and connect things.
7. I’m very pleased with out the gate valve controlling the outflow from the Red Sea is working. Happy that we replaced that.
8. At some point, will need to think about which fish I want and what order to add them. Any guides, tips or thoughts much appreciated

To DO:
1. wait for Octo pulse extension cords to come and get those going
2. Attach battery back up for return pump
3. Figure out how to do apex everything
4. Get the DOS set up for water changes
5. Mount the return pump control dial once that extension cord comes
6. Figure out a good lighting routing for the Kessil lights

 

[Chee-tomorpha]

EPIC brother-in-law and congrats on the latest addition to your family.

The build is looking sharp. A reef next to the next-best thing, beer. Nice! This is my current setup on my 250, sad haha.

 

[benmed]

I have questions for more experienced reefers at the bottom of this post. Let me know what your thoughts are.

Now playing the waiting game. Overall, so much more work than I anticipated. But fun!

The tank is cycled with Dr. Tim’s and ammonia that I added. I have been tinkering while waiting. Things done:

*basically kept the lights off all time time. This is harder than i thought. Just want to stare at the tank but plan to keep them off for **4 months** (?????)
* a vertical overflow switch to the skimmer so it automatically shuts off with overflow.
*an extra EB328 on for extra plugs for the lights and the powerheads
*a UBC back up for the power heads
*learned a lot of programming for apex, there are now lots of autoshuts off for different variables like leaks, temperature issues, power outages, etc
*set up the quarantine tank - I’m planning on doing a 30 day copper quarantine for all fish that come into the tank.
*bioballs sitting in mesh bags in the sump to be used for QT tank when required. Ceramic cubes sitting with them to help manage nitrates but will not be transferred into hospital tank ever.
*the octo reef pulse controller isn’t working…had trouble getting in contact with them directly but my main dude at the little reef shop here in west chicago suburbs knows people and they say they are going to replace it… we will see.
*automatic feeder is now feeding an empty tank once a day. Giddy up!!
*optical sensors added to the salt water mixing station and ATO reservoir and Neptune set up to fill them when reservoirs become low to prevent TDS creep.



Questions:
1. I’m patient enough to do a 30 day quarantine, not a 76 day. Any other suggestions other than copper on what medications to give prophylactically?
2. Does it make sense to quarantine the fish if I don’t have a separate quarantine tank for any corals? Do i need to buy a coral QT as well?? Where am i going to have room to put that?
3. There is a huge bare spot in the front middle of the tank where the power heads blow off all the sand. Any thoughts on power head placement / power to keep the sand basically covering the bottom? Right now I have two mp40s mounted high centrally and two (well, only one since once is broken) mounted at the ends of the tank.
4. I decided I want corals but was thinking about adding fish first just get the cycle going and my kids entertained. SPS sounds too hard. Any references on where to start with which ones to do first, where to place. Basically, corals for dumdums is what I’m looking for.
5. Fish. Need recommendations. I’d love to start 30 QT on the first fish this weekend

TO DO:
1. Work on break out box buttons for lights, automatic feed, and maintenance.
2. But power cord for FMM so that it can power the solenoid to power the RO ATO. Annoying that i have to buy this separately.
3. Finish wiring and clean up display. Getting close.
????

 

[Chee-tomorpha]

Nice! I can't chime in on the quarantine tank as I don't have much practice as well.

But for corals, LPS are great for starters IMO. In my personal experience: zoanthids, torches and hammers, and give a Goniopora a try too. They've got some really hardy ones now a days. They'll give your tank a relaxing view as their tenticles/polyps sway in the current.

Stay away from the really invasive stuff like GSP, Xenia, and cheaper mushrooms. You'll thank me later when your tank isn't over run by them - I did a rebuild because of mushrooms and GSP took over everything.

 

[benmed]

First inhabitants! Meet Rodger and Dodger. Rodger has the spot on his right side, dodger on the left.

also, my first coral. It’s a zoa I think.

didn’t do the full quarantine since they are the first inhabitants. All subsequent fish have to stay in PVC hotel for a month with free copper and prasi cocktails all day long.

welcome to the bar, guys!

 

[benmed]

 

[benmed]

several updates:

LIGHTS: bought a used kessil so now I have three. A forth is coming in the mail so should have good coverage. Decided that running the tank dark for four months is still going to end up in ugly phase so will just do a gradual build up of light. I have been running four hours a day and will up to 6 hours a day next week to increase 2 hours every two weeks. There is no science here, just making it up as I go.

SUMP: added a break out box with high sump, low sump alarms. Also added a feed mode. The salt water mixing station is now fully automated controlled by apex. I just have to add salt when it tells me, push a button and it will mix over night with a heater on. Cool.

PARAMETERS:
ammonia - 0
Nitrites - 0
Nitrates - 12

LIVESTOCK:
added three more corals- hammer, green finger and a rainbow zoa

 

[benmed]

I’m really happy with how things are going!

the lone set back was that I didn’t have the mp40 appropriately guarded and, devastatingly, Rodger, the small clown, met a horrible end. I felt terrible.

i rectified the situation be buying guards for the mp40s and octopuses. I bought another clownfish, not quite as small, and when my kids asked, I told them that Rodger had eaten all his brocolli, and consequently had an amazing growth spurt. So, the silver lining is that brocolli is less of a battle at the dinner table.

so there are a total of three fish now: Rodger 2, dodger, and Selena tang who is a hippo and a dodo. When she first got in the tank, she would lie of top of the mp40. she clipped a little tiny bit of her tail fin at one point. It basically felt like we adopted an overly dramatic hormonal teenage fish who was threatening to off herself. She has since settled in and likes to wedge her self side ways between two rocks at the back of the tank where she daydreams about David hasselhoff baywatch hunk tangs. The biggest star of the tank is spook, the cleaner shrimp, who comes out of his cave and taps on the rock when he wants frozen treats. He was a pig in a former life. I’ve order more friends for them, a purple tang, a watchman goby, a blenny and royal gramma from dr reef, all quarantined. I’ve asked for all small fish to reduce the shock to the system

all 5 of my first 5 corals are still alive. Amazing heroic stuff. They all seem to be opening and seem okay to me. One of the rainbow zoas has some slight darkening of one of the heads which I’m sure is a sign of impending disaster for the entire tank, but otherwise they seem… happy?

But I bought two more kessil and installed one. Waiting for a power cord for the 4th. I’m gunna run them all around 30% for now.

as you can see, I’m in the early brown stage now. I won’t call it the ugly phase, because I understand that this is part of the healthy cycle of a tank that it must go through. With that said, I do feel that giving a large diversity of organisms a chance to get a foothold will add to the balance of the tank so I am dosing dr Tim’s (finished), clean microbacter 7, and will add aquabiomics live sand to the floor of the refugium in the sump.

Soeaking of which, I suppose that was a fail as well. My first batch of algae barn Chaeto promptly spilled out into the rest of my sump after adding it. I’ve made some adjustments to the baffle and weirs so hopefully I don’t provide a biweekly annuity for algaebarn. I did add some copepods. They probably found refuge in the skimmer cup by now. I don’t see any at night in yhe tank with a flashlight but perhaps it’s too early.

All the ato and water change stuff is working great (knock on wood). I was really pleased when I got an test message saying their was a leak. I was sure it was some sort of false alarm. But when I got home, there had been a leak from the auto water change but the system picked it up, turned off the appropriate things, and it turned out to be just a very small two paper towel clean up. +1 apex Neptune.

Another small disappointment is that the blood red shrimp took up residence at the back of the tank under a rock. I can just see his antenna, but I feel like probably I’ll never see him again. Oh well. Hopefully he does some clean up at night.

I’m slowly adding about 4 hermits and 4 snails every two weeks.

overall, I’m happy. Parameters are stable with nitrates just under 10, ph around 8.2, alk at 9.5, calcium 390, phos at 0.03.

just have to wait out the brown stage and see what disaster lurks around the corner that we have to figure out.

thanks for reading. Appreciate any thoughts, suggestions or comments.

 

[benmed]

Chaeto, take two!

first round of Chaeto all disappeared into the sump. Changed the plumbing to have flow go over the top which will hopefully keep the little bits from escaping out of the fuge. It’s got a nice tumble… thoughts?

Chaeto tumble

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[benmed]

Made a couple modifications to the refugium.

1. Added aquabiomics sand to the bottom. I’m hoping this can help give the tank a greater diversity of tools (species) to tackle problems as they arise. We will see
2 changed the position of the light so it doesn’t block the tumbling. This is the Tunze submersible and I like how you can get it right close to the algae
3. Added black acrylic panels to the fuge to prevent light leakage into the sump. Looks like it works!

Chaeto tumbling over aquabiomics sand

youtube.com

 

[benmed]

Selena Tang, the hippo tang, looks like she caught some thing and she was sent to the QT for for some QT with copper. She looks better. There are some before and after. Everybody is gunna say it’s ich, but the spots are a little big. Anyway, she is happy and chilling in copper time.
Here she just after getting in copper:

October 5, 2022

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And here she is after about a week:

October 9, 2022

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Also added 4 corals from aqushella in chicago. I have no idea what they are but they look cool. Any thoughts on placement or names, please chime in:



And I killed a coral, but not sure how. It looked like this two days ago:

And then today it looks like:

I’m not an coral expert, but this looks pretty dead. Should I take it out? Is it going to poison anything?
Parameters are stable at 1.026, nh4 0, nitrate 12, phos 4, temp 78

finally, the Chaeto is growing so fast! I use Chaeto grow and it’s almost tripled in size running at 12 hours at night. I bought some more copepods because I thought my old ones died with the old refugium. I spilled about 75% of the algae barn jar onto the floor while I was acclimatizing them. Smooth.