Back in the hobby after 11 years out of the game! 225g build

Bruce Wayne

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Hi, I am putting my old tank back together after it sat for 11 years in my mom’s garage. It’s a 225g display 72 x 30 x 24t, 120g sump, and 42” stand. I plan to have a sps dominant mixed reef.
My friend and I designed an extra large stand to not have any equipment outside the tank and stand, an ro top-off, for example. It also has heavy duty steel “L’s” that allows no canopy(not a fan) on the lights…
I have more questions than plans at the moment like what is the filtration approach these days? Before I had a big skimmer, a small and ineffective refugium, a gfo, carbon, and bio pellet reactor + monthly water changes. It seemed to keep my parameters in check…
Speaking of parameters, any new probes? Better test kits than Salifert?
How about dosing? I had calcium and alkalinity dosing on 2 part BRS dosers.
Thanks in advance

9A853ECB-15CC-4D19-942F-070C56C3D351.jpeg
 

Zero_Cool

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Tagging along. I am just getting back in after a long hiatus as well.

What I have found that has changed:
- Controllers (I went Apex but there are several)
- LED lights (this tech was just hitting the market when I got out)
- Hannah digital test kits (no more questioning what shade of blue that is)
- DC pumps
- Auto water changes

People do still dose using 2-part. Neptune makes the DOS that links to their Apex for that purpose.

Lots of good information and great people here to learn from or bounce ideas off of. You will find whatever you need.
 

19Mateo83

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Welcome back! Looks like there is quite a few of us getting back in the ocean. My biggest disappointment coming back after 12 years is the “live” rock. Now It is all either rock painted purple and pink or Marco rock. The days of actual live rock in stores appears to be gone. But I digress…. Sweet looking setup you got doing there. I’m looking forward to seeing you getting her back up and bubblin.
 
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Bruce Wayne

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Tagging along. I am just getting back in after a long hiatus as well.

What I have found that has changed:
- Controllers (I went Apex but there are several)
- LED lights (this tech was just hitting the market when I got out)
- Hannah digital test kits (no more questioning what shade of blue that is)
- DC pumps
- Auto water changes

People do still dose using 2-part. Neptune makes the DOS that links to their Apex for that purpose.

Lots of good information and great people here to learn from or bounce ideas off of. You will find whatever you need.
Wow, that’s a lot. Thanks.
 
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Bruce Wayne

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Welcome back! Looks like there is quite a few of us getting back in the ocean. My biggest disappointment coming back after 12 years is the “live” rock. Now It is all either rock painted purple and pink or Marco rock. The days of actual live rock in stores appears to be gone. But I digress…. Sweet looking setup you got doing there. I’m looking forward to seeing you getting her back up and bubblin.
I knew I wouldn’t be the only one coming back. Yeah, I’m not too worried about it besides the price, I was already planning on a dry rock start.
 
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Bruce Wayne

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02201352-991C-413C-AD73-9CDE0ED424E7.jpeg

Hi everyone,
So I got a couple return pumps and started plumbing when I had to go to the store for a part and it was closed. Here’s my sump/overflow/view under the hood. 7D2E87B7-D52C-4E5D-8458-EB99570C2428.jpeg 9055EAB2-5656-465D-A16F-5D9D4574FA01.jpeg 3EAF7C51-41A1-4CF0-81EA-2CD3863A3D48.jpeg
 
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Bruce Wayne

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Looks sweet. I like the dual return pumps for redundancy.

What is the MP10 for in the middle chamber?
The middle chamber in my sump is divided in two by glass, before I had a refugium in the back and a frag tank in the front. Sure, an mp-10 isn’t needed but I had it laying around from another tank
 
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Bruce Wayne

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Finally finished up the aquascape. I tried to make as many arches, caves, overhangs, and real estate for corals while attempting to come off somewhat natural looking. Definitely took longer than expected but it’s always a necessity to get the scape where you want it. Most of it is under 12” so if my sticks take off they’ll have room.
 

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Mastering the art of locking and unlocking water pathways: What type of valves do you have on your aquarium plumbing?

  • Ball valves.

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