AmateurAlchemist's Final Upgrade... For Now

[AmateurAlchemist]

Hello R2R!

Around a year ago I put together what was supposed to be the final upgrade and biggest tank that sensibly fit, a Red Sea Reefer 425 (build thread here). Well, sensibility is out the window. Like, non-existent. Toast. Kaput. A bigger tank does not physically fit. This is the final final upgrade. For now...

Planning started in October 2024 and I expect all livestock to be in by the end of March 2025. It's crazy how much work goes into a tank this size!

Equipment

Tank	Red Sea S-850
Lid	London Aquatic Design
Return Pump	Royal Exclusiv Red Dragon 5 130w
UV	Pentair E50S
Skimmer	TBD- Octo Elite or BK Double Cone
Powerheads	TBD- Octo OP-2s or Ecotech MP40s x2-4
Lights	ATI Straton Pro G2 204 x2
Refugium Light	Kessil H80 Tuna Flora
Mechanical Filtration	Red Sea ReefMat 1200
ATO	Red Sea ReefATO
Controller	GHL Profilux 4
Dosers	GHL Doser 2.1 x2

Livestock

Black Tang	Zebrasoma Rostratum	1
Yellow Tang	Zebrasoma Flavescens	1
Gem Tang	Zebrasoma Gemmatum	1
Red Foxface	Siganus Magnificus	1
Copperband Butterfly	Chelmon Rostratus	1
Moorish Idol	Zanclus Cornutus	1
Picasso Clownfish	Amphiprion Percula	2
Flame Angel	Centropyge loricula	1
Regal angel	Pygoplites Diacanthus	1
Mystery Wrasse	Pseudocheilinus Ocellatus	1
Banggai Cardinalfish	Pterapogon Kauderni	1
Citron Clown Goby	Gobiodon Citrinus	1
Lyretail Anthias	Pseudanthias Squamipinnis	4

Hold on to your hats!

 

[AmateurAlchemist]

Preliminary scape. I still need to glue some pieces together to enlarge the two outer caves.

 

[AmateurAlchemist]

Top tip- don't build the scape where the tank is going. I started playing aimlessly, built something cool, then presented myself the dumbdumb of the year award.

 

[AmateurAlchemist]

Big tank + tiny room (approx 3x3m) = lots and lots of humidity, so decided to install a split AC unit above where the tank will be.

Normal drill for scale :beaming-face-with-smiling-eyes:

 

[AmateurAlchemist]

Normally I mount lights to the tank but given the low profile of the Stratons, decided to hang them. By shear chance, errr, I mean, thanks to amazing planning, there's a beam in the ceiling running parallel to the tank, ~30mm from it's midpoint.

It's critically important to create a soft landing zone while test mounting.

The Stratons have a ton of niggly shortcomings but they look straight up amazing.

 

[AmateurAlchemist]

Pump finally arrived- a Royal Exclusiv Red Dragon 5 130w. Very solid, very quiet, very pump. Looking forward to doing some plumbing. The tank is due any day now.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Normally I mount lights to the tank but given the low profile of the Stratons, decided to hang them. By shear chance, errr, I mean, thanks to amazing planning, there's a beam in the ceiling running parallel to the tank, ~30mm from it's midpoint.

It's critically important to create a soft landing zone while test mounting.

The Stratons have a ton of niggly shortcomings but they look straight up amazing.

Ooooo Those lights are going to look amazing on your tank! Good job with the mount!

 

[AmateurAlchemist]

Ooooo Those lights are going to look amazing on your tank! Good job with the mount!

Thanks! I’m super OCD but not always the most competent, so quite glad they went up straight!

 

[AmateurAlchemist]

Tank bred Regal Angel came in and oh boy, does it have some growing to do; guess this is home for the next few months! It's juuuust starting to explore after 3 days of dim lights and being left alone in a quiet room.

 

[Featherweight]

Tank bred Regal Angel came in and oh boy, does it have some growing to do; guess this is home for the next few months! It's juuuust starting to explore after 3 days of dim lights and being left alone in a quiet room.

It's so small!

 

[AmateurAlchemist]

I've never cared for something so small that wasn't a scavenger- it's terrifying! It's eating Goldpods and a selection of micro pellets 5 times per day so hopefully it grows quickly!

 

[AmateurAlchemist]

Tank landed, at long last! Stand is in place and my LFS is working on hiring some muscle to move the tank.

Would you like some office with your aquarium?

 

[AmateurAlchemist]

LFS managed to organise some muscle to move the tank today, let the games begin!

 

[Featherweight]

Sweet!

 

[AmateurAlchemist]

Tank positioned, stand level, sumps in, braces in and doors on. Now the slow process of making 850L of RO water while I sort plumbing and scape. I’d love to know how to convey the size more accurately in photos, it’s way more impressive in person

 

[Featherweight]

That's exciting

 

[AmateurAlchemist]

I'd filled the tank with RO water then began having doubts that the stand was as level as it could be. So it was off to IKEA for some Samla 130L containers. The tank was drained down and I spent the morning re-levelling the stand. I think it was worth the effort tbh. I used a large level and an engineers straight edge to make sure there were no low or high spots- which is very easy to do with such a big tank.

The postie finally got around to delivering the last of the plumbing bits

Plumbing was semi-improvised after deciding to add a redundant pump in the 11th hour so I still need to add valves to isolate the UVs for servicing. A 3d printed bracket keeps the UVs in place and I'll make another one to replace the books once valves are in place.

I could sign up to be a Red Sea dealer at this rate :D

 

[Featherweight]

Pro plumbing job my friend. Looks amazing

 

[AmateurAlchemist]

Pro plumbing job my friend. Looks amazing

Thanks, being a bit OCD isn't so bad when it pays off!

 

[Featherweight]

No kidding. I plumbed a cube to replace my failing red sea yesterday. Took much longer than expected