After a 15 year hiatus, Starting a 60W x 22D x 20H Custom

[tang_man_montreal]

Coming along...

Finished plumbing under the stand

and made my way to the sump.

Don't mind the Apex mess. I have been testing my modules and probes, and getting acquainted with the Apex ecosystem.

I will probably start filling the display tomorrow. And this week-end I will finish running my dedicated circuits and mount my Apex to a panel.

I really don't like the idea of filter socks and the maintenance that comes with them. I want to get a Klir DI-7 filter roller, but my sock holders are too high. I'm considering cutting out the sock holders, and getting a Klir DI-7 Bracket to put in their place. I just can't seem to find the bracket in-stock anywhere. Does anyone have one for sale?

 

[tang_man_montreal]

Update time!

The tank has been online since Monday.

Finished filling the tank and sump, and placed all my liverock in the sump.
I am running the dry base rock in the display as this gave me the opportunity to aquascape.

Here she is in all her glory tonight after 4 days online.

I currently only have 1 of 2 Apex WAV pumps online. While they are quiet, they are not as quiet as I'd like. I'm considering going with opposing MP40's with Quiet drives. We shall see.

Additionally, I have been adding Fauna Marin Bacto Blend since Tuesday per bottle directions.
Tonight I added 4 bottles of Cyclopoida and Harpacticoida copepods.

The Bullethole clown is now in the main display, along with a couple of Blue leg hermits, 2 mexican turbo snails, and a scarlet hermit crab that I inherited on the liverock I bought from a fellow reefer.

I still have some cable management to take care of in the sump room, but I am fairly pleased with the results so far...

Nitrate is now reading below 5ppm.

One thing I'm looking to cure is my overflow. I'm not entirely satisfied with the design. Specifically the horizontal weirs that don't seem to skim the top of the water properly. Additionally I find that their placement has left me with almost 3" between the top of the water and the eurobracing. I'd like the raise the water level as well.

I'm contemplating modifying the weirs in favor of some vertical ones.... just not sure how to best go about it.

I'm considering cutting out the horizontal weirs and replacing with something like this from Amazon:

or this from ebay UK:

I ordered the one from Amazon which is due to arrive tomorrow, and will see what it looks like. I kind of favor the one from ebay UK due to what looks like a simple install.

I have a Magnificent foxface and a sixline wrasse being quarantined and medicated by my LFS. I hope to have them in the next 2-3 weeks once they are given a clean bill of health and are eating properly.

I'm going to wait a few more days before turning on the skimmer as I don't want to skim out my new population of pods I added...

SO that's it! The journey begins...

 

[tang_man_montreal]

Tank's been up and running for several weeks now.

Clean-Up Crew:
2 Mexican Turbo snails
1 Scarlett hermit
30 blue leg hermits
10 Nerite snails

Fish:
2 chromis
Bullethole clown
six-line wrasse
Coral Beauty undergoing QT and meds through my fish supplier as of today for 30 days.

Corals:
Zoas: Watermelon, Blonde blue eyed *****, Pink Hippos
Mushrooms: 2x Green hairy mushrooms
1 frag Meteor Shower Cyphastrea
1 large purple Montipora Cap
1 red and 1 green frag Montipora Cap that I grafted together

Last night I received and installed my Neptune DOS for Auto water changes.
Currently configured to change 2gal per day between Midnight and 08:30am.

Water parameters are stable as well.
Nitrates are 2ppm (Salifert)
CA is at 420 (Salifert)
Mg is at 1320 (Aquaforest)
dKH is at 8.0 (Hanna Checker)
Phosphate is at 0.06 (Hanna Checker)

I also received my 7 head Kamoer Doser.
Still deciding whether I will go with RedSea system or Fauna Marin for dosing.

 

[ItalCanadaReefer]

Nice scape and crazy nice build so far . Also from Montreal, so I will be following you. After years of wanting to get into reefing, I have started my very first system a few months ago.

 

[tang_man_montreal]

Thanks @ItalCanadaReefer , I wasn't sure anyone was still following this thread as there weren't many replies other than my own

That being said, the tank is progressing well... honestly better than I would have expected.

I had a minor diatom bloom which seems to have subsided and parameters are stable. I may have to see about feeding more since my nitrates and phosphates are undetectable.

Nitrates are 0ppm (Salifert)
Phosphate is at 0ppm (Hanna Checker)
CA is at 410 (Salifert)
Mg is at 1275 (Aquaforest)
pH varies from 8.07 to 8.19
dKH is at 8.1 (Hanna Checker)

Fish:
2 chromis
Bullethole clown
six-line wrasse
New Tomini Tang
New Starry Blenny
New Diamand Goby (for sand sifting)
New Royal Gramma
Coral Beauty did not make it through QT at my supplier. Was eating, active, and appeared healthy until he died suddenly 2 days ago. Was preparing to go get him this week. Supplier suspects Cyanide capture.

Lots of Coral additions recently:
SPS
Green Montipora Digitata colony
Red Montipora Digitata frag
Several unknown Acro frags
Light blue stylophora small colony
Blue stag frag large
Forest fire Digitata frag
Pink Birdsnest
Red Anacropora

LPS
Chalice Coral frag
Duncan, 3 heads (2 new sprouting)
Torch Green with purple tips, 2 heads
Branching Hammer, 4 heads
Octospawn Blue/green, 4 heads
Fungia plate coral, Pink w/green polyps

SOFT
Zoas: Watermelon, Blonde blue eyed *****, Pink Hippos
Mushrooms: 2x Green hairy mushrooms
Clavularia frag

Started dosing with Aquaforest Component 1+2+3+
Currently at 87ml per day over 12 doses

Also using Fauna Marin Bacto Blend and Fauna Marin BactoBalls

Refugium is running with Chaeto on reverse daylight cycle. The chaeto was pruned this last weekend as it had doubled in size.

I'll follow this up with some updated pics later tonight...

 

[tang_man_montreal]

Here are some pics...

Updated sump room with DOS, Kamoer dosers, and refugium light

Some tank and livestock shots

 

[ItalCanadaReefer]

Here are some pics...

Updated sump room with DOS, Kamoer dosers, and refugium light

Some tank and livestock shots

Looking great. Can’t wait to see more progress. Just out of curiosity, why did you end up choosing Aquaforest over Fauna Marin for dosing? I have FM but have not started dosing yet (still only have small frags). Also still kind of intimidated to be honest.

 

[tang_man_montreal]

Hey, Thanks for the kind words!

I picked AF simply since it was available and I needed to start dosing. FM was out of stock at Raging Reef.
I will likely switch to FM once I go through all of the AF as I love their products so far...

I understand the intimidation... This is not my first reef, so I had a jump start. Just take your time and read, and ask questions. You'll be ok!

 

[mrbh22]

Build looks great! Did you ever make a decision on where to put your gate valve on the drain line? Close to overflow or close to sump? I’m kind of in the same position as my fish room is on the other side of a wall and I don’t know where is the better spot to put the valve.

 

[tang_man_montreal]

Build looks great! Did you ever make a decision on where to put your gate valve on the drain line? Close to overflow or close to sump? I’m kind of in the same position as my fish room is on the other side of a wall and I don’t know where is the better spot to put the valve.

Hey, Yes I did... I put it near the sump. It made most sense in my head, and I'm glad I did.
The full siphon establishes itself rather quickly.

 

[camerb98]

Were still watching don't worry

 

[ItalCanadaReefer]

How’s the tank coming along?

 

[tang_man_montreal]

How’s the tank coming along?

Hey thanks for checking in!
Tank is going great. I'm getting some good growth, parameters are stable.
Just struggling with really low nitrates and phosphates. Otherwise doing great!
I have since switched from Aquaforest Component 1-2-3 to Fauna Marin Balling light
Also now using Fauna Marin Pro salt as well.

I managed to find a nice 4" Yellow tang as well. He's doing great.

Here are some pics I took a few weeks ago.

And a growth comparison:

 

[ItalCanadaReefer]

Hey thanks for checking in!
Tank is going great. I'm getting some good growth, parameters are stable.
Just struggling with really low nitrates and phosphates. Otherwise doing great!
I have since switched from Aquaforest Component 1-2-3 to Fauna Marin Balling light
Also now using Fauna Marin Pro salt as well.

I managed to find a nice 4" Yellow tang as well. He's doing great.

Here are some pics I took a few weeks ago.

And a growth comparison:

Really awesome so far! Really loving this tank. As a newbie in the hobby I aspire to this

 

[tang_man_montreal]

Really awesome so far! Really loving this tank. As a newbie in the hobby I aspire to this

Thank you so much for the kind words! It's been a journey that is far from over. I'm thankful for a community such as this that I can also aspire to.

Here are some photos from tonight.

 

[tang_man_montreal]

Here's a 6 month-ish update (more like 6 months and 3 weeks )

The tank has turned the corner from the brief cyano outbreak I had from my own mistake. I overfed Fauna Marin AMIN, MINS, Coral Dust, and ORGANIC over a period of several weeks which caused the cyano. The excess nutrients were being consumed by the cyano and thus I never registered an increase in Nitrate or Phosphates.

Nitrates are around 4-5 ppm
Phosphates are still registered near 0 (I'm still trying to increase this parameter, see below)
dKH is at 8.2
CA is at 450
Mg is at 1350
pH hovers daily from 7.7 to 7.89 (this is low due to high CO2 in the house caused from recirculated air from AC Units. I am feeding my skimmer directly from outside air to help, otherwise pH would be around 7.6. Once winter comes around I expect pH to increase again)

I have switched completely to Fauna Marin products. To date I am using
- Fauna Marin Professional Sea Salt
- Fauna Marin Balling Light
- Fauna Marin Bacto Balls
- Fauna Marin Bacto Therapy (switched from Bacto Blend a few weeks ago)
- Fauna Marin CARB L
- Fauna Marin PHOS .04 (I'm using this product in a Phosphate 150 reactor in an effort to bring up my phosphate, and maintain at 0.04
- Fauna Marin AMIN
- Fauna Marin MINS
- Fauna Marin ORGANIC
- Fauna Marin Coral Dust (Target feeding)
- Fauna Marin Component K (ICP tests over last 3 months were showing a low Potassium levels, which improved after switching to Fauna Marin salt, however needed help to get back up)

ICP tests also displayed some low trace elements, which were also adjusted using Fauna Marin trace elements, including Vanadium, Nickel, Manganese, Iron, Cobalt, Molybdenum, Strontium.

I'm also adding 3 drops of Iodine (Lugols) twice a week.

Here are some morning shots of the tank waking up today.
The little orange bowl left of center is a temporary home for a Ultra Blue Squamosa clam. Just helping it adjust away from any hermit crabs.

End shot:

Light filter shot

 

[ItalCanadaReefer]

Here's a 6 month-ish update (more like 6 months and 3 weeks )

The tank has turned the corner from the brief cyano outbreak I had from my own mistake. I overfed Fauna Marin AMIN, MINS, Coral Dust, and ORGANIC over a period of several weeks which caused the cyano. The excess nutrients were being consumed by the cyano and thus I never registered an increase in Nitrate or Phosphates.

Nitrates are around 4-5 ppm
Phosphates are still registered near 0 (I'm still trying to increase this parameter, see below)
dKH is at 8.2
CA is at 450
Mg is at 1350
pH hovers daily from 7.7 to 7.89 (this is low due to high CO2 in the house caused from recirculated air from AC Units. I am feeding my skimmer directly from outside air to help, otherwise pH would be around 7.6. Once winter comes around I expect pH to increase again)

I have switched completely to Fauna Marin products. To date I am using
- Fauna Marin Professional Sea Salt
- Fauna Marin Balling Light
- Fauna Marin Bacto Balls
- Fauna Marin Bacto Therapy (switched from Bacto Blend a few weeks ago)
- Fauna Marin CARB L
- Fauna Marin PHOS .04 (I'm using this product in a Phosphate 150 reactor in an effort to bring up my phosphate, and maintain at 0.04
- Fauna Marin AMIN
- Fauna Marin MINS
- Fauna Marin ORGANIC
- Fauna Marin Coral Dust (Target feeding)
- Fauna Marin Component K (ICP tests over last 3 months were showing a low Potassium levels, which improved after switching to Fauna Marin salt, however needed help to get back up)

ICP tests also displayed some low trace elements, which were also adjusted using Fauna Marin trace elements, including Vanadium, Nickel, Manganese, Iron, Cobalt, Molybdenum, Strontium.

I'm also adding 3 drops of Iodine (Lugols) twice a week.

Here are some morning shots of the tank waking up today.
The little orange bowl left of center is a temporary home for a Ultra Blue Squamosa clam. Just helping it adjust away from any hermit crabs.

End shot:

Light filter shot

You’re the man! Love it

 

[tang_man_montreal]

First equipment failure...

Not so much equipment, a Uniseal.

Yesterday morning while doing my daily equipment check, I noticed a small puddle beneath my mixing station. I then noticed drops coming from the Uniseal at the bottom of my mixing station. I emptied what was left of the salt water and upon further inspection revealed that the uniseal had split.



I was lucky enough to have a spare uniseal on hand which made for a quick repair.

On another note, yesterday I started dosing Fauna Marin Component P to raise my phosphates. Currently adding 18ml over 3 days which should raise them by 0.02. We shall see.

 

[tang_man_montreal]

It's been a while, time for an update!

Happy to say the tank is thriving. I'm seeing noticeable growth everywhere, which inspired me to build a frag tank and plumb it into the system Frag tank build thread here. I'm at a point where I need to make room by trimming back some of the cheaper SPS in favor of more expensive collectors. I've started slowly to add some nicer pieces, and will help offset the cost of these gems by selling frags eventually.
With this frag tank, I am now well into the 200gal total actual water volume category.

Water parameters (testing every 2-3 days):
Nitrates are around 4-5 ppm (Hanna HR)
Phosphates are ~ 0.02 (Hanna Phosphorus ULR, I'm now dosing Fauna Marin Component P daily)
dKH is at ~8.1 (Hanna)
CA is at 460 (Salifert)
Mg is at 1350 (Aquaforest)
pH hovers daily from 7.95 to 8.10 (Apex)
SG 1.026 (Refractometer)
Temp 78 (Inkbird & Apex)

Over the past 15 years, I had forgotten how much of an addiction this hobby is. LOL
I took an inventory of my fish and corals, and realized that I'm an addict.

I'm on the lookout now for a a small shoal of anthias (2 females, 1 male)... likely Bartlett or Lyretail, and a Copperband butterfly.

Below is a list of my current residents.

Fish:
1 Bullethole Clown
1 Green Chromis
1 Sixline Wrasse
1 Pink tail wrasse
1 Tomini Tang
1 Yellow Tang
1 Powder Blue Tang
1 Starry Blenny
1 Diamond Watchman Goby
1 Royal Gramma
1 Coral Beauty Angel
1 Bangaii Cardinal

Inverts:
1 Blue Ultra Squamosa Clam
1 Skunk Cleaner Shrimp
1 Puple pincushion urchin
1 Blue linkia Starfish
1 Orange Echinastrea Starfish
2 Mexican Turbo snails
3 Ninja star snails
10 Nerite snails
5 Cerith snails
5 Trochus Snails
4 Astrea snails
25 blue leg hermit crabs
1 Red hermit crab (sump)

Right Island
Purple Montipora Capricornis
Green Montipora Capricornis
Red Montipora Capricornis
Nauti Spiral Montipora Capricornis
Green Hydnophora
Blue Stag Acro
Superman Montipora Digitata
Purple Stylophora
Unknown Green Acro
Yellow Scroll Turbinaria
Red Planet Acropora
Green Montipora Digitata
Orange Florida Ricordea

Mini island
Green Slimer Acro
Duncan Coral
Blastomussa Merletti
Tricolor Hammer euphyllia
Green Torch / Blue tips euphyllia
Red / Blue Rock flower anenome
Green / Yellow / Peach Rock Flower anenome

Center Island
Green Montipora Digata
Pink Birdsnest Seriatopora (Med)
Pink Birdsnest Seriatopora (Small)
Orange Passion Acropora
Forest Fire Montipora Digitata
Green Stylophora
Blue Montipora Digitata
Acropora Turaki
Ghostly Tips Acropora
Multicolor acropora
Purple tip Nana Acropora
Bizzaro Cyphastrea
Red Setosa
Green Montipora Spongodes
Neon Green Acropora Austera
Branching Hammer Blue tips euphyllia
Gold Hammer euphyllia (Richard)

Left Island
Green Stylophora
Bird of Paradise Bird's nest
Red Montipora Digitata
Papaya Clavularia
ORA German Blue Montipora Digitata
Blue Montipora Digitata
Blue Tort Acropora
Green Pavona
Octospawn euphyllia
Green / Yellow spot Chalice
Ultimate Bonsai Acro
Tiera del fuego Acro
Strawberry Shortcake Acro
Green/pink Acro
Watermelon Zoanthid
Blonde haired blue eyed ***** zoanthid
Pink Hippo zoanthid

Reefrax Shelf Rock
RR Rainbow Loom Acro

Sand
Dragon soul Favia
Red/Blue Welsophyllia
Peach/Green Funghia
Green/blue Micromussa
Ultra Rainbow Micromussa
Jack-o-lantern Leptoseris
Armor of God Palythoa
Nivana Palythoa
Sunny-D Palythoa
Green Favites (Richard)
Dragon Soul Torch euphyllia
Rainbow Torch euphyllia
Light color Torch euphyllia
Multicolor large hammer euphyllia
Purple/blue large hammer euphyllia
Green Hammer euphyllia 1 head
Green Hammer euphyllia 4 heads
Purple Hammer euphyllia 4 heads
Green Hammer euphyllia 4 heads
Green/Purple Hammer euphyllia 4 heads

Frag Tank
Bubble Coral (Richard)
Red/Blue Micromussa
Pink Aussi Acro frag
Fragbox green acro frag
Watermelon zoanthid frag
Forest Fire Montipora Digitata frag

 

[tang_man_montreal]

Oh... pics!