- Joined
- Jan 22, 2019
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Aquariums - as good for our well being and state of mind as they are for the millions of creatures that inhabit it's seemingly small, and at the same time, unendingly vast and bountiful landscape. To us giants, we see the glass box with rocks, and coral, and it's torrents of water swishing about; however, those who live within the contents know it's lush fields of green and red plant life - rolling rocky hills and cliff faces perched above an undersea beach. To each and every inhabitant, the scale is immense, and their habitat as vast as our imagination will allow. Journey further down, deep deep down into the miles upon miles of sinking undersea caverns hidden amongst only one of your live rocks, uncountable measures of micro life creep and squeeze their way into unexplored caves and crevices in search of a new feast, or toward their resting spot for a particular night. Back outside and down below, bristlely serpents slither beneath a desert of breathing sand, tiny bugs, slugs, and everything else that serves a purpose in it's jungly world. Wait till nightfall... What strange creatures lurk about then? And above? What a wild world we have in our living rooms, offices, and sleeping quarters.
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INTRODUCTION
Welcome to to bang for your buck 210G LPS +Soft Coral build. Follow along this fully fledged and self documented journey of a 210G Planet Aquariums tank and 75G DIY sump and refugium.
The entire process will be documented from soaking new rock, quarantining fish, tank drop off, sump construction, plumbing installation, equipment setup, aqua scaping, merging my currently existing 75G into the 210G, expanding the new tank with new fish and corals, and follow up updates.
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LATEST UP-TO-DATE TANK PHOTOS / COMMENTS / GOALS
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THE NEW 215G STRATEGY AND EQUIPMENT
This aquarium will be LPS and Soft Coral dominate, with emphasis on entirely new, low maintenance, low energy consuming, affordable equipment. I'm going for low-running cost, mid-price startup, no frills or extensively needless fixtures - just the basics (with a few fun features thrown in).
Overall, the entire build cost just under $3,300, with more than 70% being the cost of the aquarium, stand, lids, and a 50$ delivery fee to have it brought inside right to the office by the supplying LFS.
AQUARIUM: ($2100)
210 Gallon Planet Aquariums Low Iron Glass Aquarium - 72x24x29
SUMP: ($150)
DIY 75 Gallon Aqueon Glass Aquarium, 48x18x21 (Petco 50% off Sale)
SKIMMER: ($180)
Aquamaxx FC-280
RETURN PUMP: ($100)
Jebao DCP Sine Wave DCP-8000
CONTROLLABLE WAVEMAKERS: ($160)
2x Jebao OW-50 449-5283 GPH
2x Unbranded 800 GPH Powerheads
LIGHTING FIXTURES: ($432)
3x SB Reef 18" Basic
HEATING: ($77)
2x Eheim Jager 250W Heaters
HEAT CONTROLLER: ($52)
Industrial Ranco ETC-111000 Digital Cold Temperature Controller
SAND: ($162)
80lbs Carib Sea Ocean Direct ($66)
40lbs Carib Sea Crushed Coral ($30)
40lbs Carib Sea Special Grade Reef ($42)
10lbs Natures Ocean 1mm-2.5mm ($12)
8lbs Natures Ocean Live Sand .1mm-.5mm ($12)
ROCK:
~ 150 lbs of high quality fiji/tonga rocks, collected over the years from various old tank sales.
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THE OLD 75 GALLON SKIMMERLESS AND SUMPLESS AQUARIUM.
- Zen Reefing Approach article.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to to bang for your buck 210G LPS +Soft Coral build. Follow along this fully fledged and self documented journey of a 210G Planet Aquariums tank and 75G DIY sump and refugium.
The entire process will be documented from soaking new rock, quarantining fish, tank drop off, sump construction, plumbing installation, equipment setup, aqua scaping, merging my currently existing 75G into the 210G, expanding the new tank with new fish and corals, and follow up updates.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
LATEST UP-TO-DATE TANK PHOTOS / COMMENTS / GOALS
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
THE NEW 215G STRATEGY AND EQUIPMENT
This aquarium will be LPS and Soft Coral dominate, with emphasis on entirely new, low maintenance, low energy consuming, affordable equipment. I'm going for low-running cost, mid-price startup, no frills or extensively needless fixtures - just the basics (with a few fun features thrown in).
Overall, the entire build cost just under $3,300, with more than 70% being the cost of the aquarium, stand, lids, and a 50$ delivery fee to have it brought inside right to the office by the supplying LFS.
AQUARIUM: ($2100)
210 Gallon Planet Aquariums Low Iron Glass Aquarium - 72x24x29
Tideline overflow (Switched to Exotic Marine)
Maple Planet Aquariums Stand With Clear Varnish - 72x24x30Glass Lids + Hinge
SUMP: ($150)
DIY 75 Gallon Aqueon Glass Aquarium, 48x18x21 (Petco 50% off Sale)
Exotic Marine Systems 75G Sump Kit
SKIMMER: ($180)
Aquamaxx FC-280
RETURN PUMP: ($100)
Jebao DCP Sine Wave DCP-8000
CONTROLLABLE WAVEMAKERS: ($160)
2x Jebao OW-50 449-5283 GPH
2x Unbranded 800 GPH Powerheads
LIGHTING FIXTURES: ($432)
3x SB Reef 18" Basic
HEATING: ($77)
2x Eheim Jager 250W Heaters
HEAT CONTROLLER: ($52)
Industrial Ranco ETC-111000 Digital Cold Temperature Controller
SAND: ($162)
80lbs Carib Sea Ocean Direct ($66)
40lbs Carib Sea Crushed Coral ($30)
40lbs Carib Sea Special Grade Reef ($42)
10lbs Natures Ocean 1mm-2.5mm ($12)
8lbs Natures Ocean Live Sand .1mm-.5mm ($12)
ROCK:
~ 150 lbs of high quality fiji/tonga rocks, collected over the years from various old tank sales.
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THE OLD 75 GALLON SKIMMERLESS AND SUMPLESS AQUARIUM.
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