Bills CDA 225 gal 72x30x24 tank upgrade/Dream Tank!!!

[Billldg]

Well, today is the day. I finalized my order and put a down payment on what will be my dream tank. I ordered a Crystal Dynamic Aquariums 225 gal tank along with metal stand. Below is what I plan on installing in the tank.

Tank and stand:
Crystal Dynamic Aquariums 225 gal 72x30x24 tank with starphire glass
Modular Marine 24 in overflow/ Blue pvc
Metal stand with Cardiff wood wrap/ black paint
Lighting brackets welded to stand

Filtration and such:
Bashsea Signature series SS-48 sump/ Black and Blue color
Bashsea 10 gal ATO tank/ Black and Blue color
Bashsea carbon reactor/ Black and Blue
Tunze 3155 ATO
Ecotech Vectra L2 return pump
Reef Octopus Regal 250SSS skimmer
2 Ecotech MP40 powerheads
Gyre XF350 with 2 Pumps
CW-200 Clear Water Scrubber

Inside tank:
180 pounds Marco Shelf rock
Several pieces of Marco foundation rock
60 pounds live rock to seed tank

Lighting:
Aquatic life non dimmable X18 T5 61 in fixture
Probably 5 XR15 G5 Blues

I will remove the Apex and modules from my existing tank and install in this tank.

May the upgrade fun begin.

 

[hdsoftail1065]

Congrats!!! Can't wait to see it!

 

[Billldg]

Congrats!!! Can't wait to see it!

It's gonna be a VERY long 10 to 12 weeks, LOL!!!

Unlike my last tank, I plan on doing this one right. I will hold myself to the one thing we hate, PATIENCE!!!

 

[hdsoftail1065]

It's gonna be a VERY long 10 to 12 weeks, LOL!!!

OhmyGollyGeeWiz!!! Thats like...Forever!!! I would go nuts!

 

[Chefwheredyougo]

Congrats. Looking forward to the updates!

 

[Redfoxtang]

Congrats. It’s like buying a car you can’t drive yet, which is no fun!

 

[Billldg]

I learned their is a difference between a tank that will support corals, and a mature tank. Anyone that has been in this hobby long enough will fully understand and agree with me on this. When a tank actually hits maturity, the coral frags do so so much better. When you drop a frag in a mature tank, within a few weeks it is already growing and has already colored up.

 

[LDog74]

Congrats! I am so glad I decided to go with CDA for my tank. The quality of the build and details were amazing. They completed my tank in 7 weeks from deposit to delivery so you might be surprised .
Look forward to the build.

 

[HairyGary]

Congrats! I'm also about ready to start a new build thread!

 

[Saltyreef]

Waiting on my custom CDA too

Good choice.

 

[Billldg]

Just ordered several items for the new build, along with 100 pounds of Marco Shelf rock. I already have, roughly 30 pounds of Marco Foundation rock, so maybe I can start planning the aquascape, or at least mess with it a little to get some kind of idea of what I need to do to get the look I want. I also ordered 2 300 watt BRS titanium heaters, I will order a 3rd, but wanted to also get their controller, but they sold out of the package. So I will have to wait.

 

[TopShelfAquatics]

Oh boy, I cant wait to see this!
PICTURES plz thanks!

 

[Billldg]

Oh boy, I cant wait to see this!
PICTURES plz thanks!

I will when it shows up, LOL!!! I just hope you plan on bringing the heat at Macna next year. It will be within 45 minutes of my house and the new tank should be ready for SPS by then.

 

[signal7]

I put down my deposit in November and it just started being built, so it does seem to vary.

 

[fishguy242]

sweet,going to be a great build,following along

 

[saf1]

Good luck and sounds like you are off to a good start. Question on the dry rock. Are you going to start the cycle and maturing now, in parallel while tank is made, etc?

Only reason why I'm asking is because just having gone through this using 150 or so pounds of dry pukani it takes a while to mature. I'm two years in and only now believe it is 80% or so there. I can still pick up a rock, turn it 90 degrees, and see rock face as if it was newly put in. I'll never go dry again.

 

[Billldg]

I put down my deposit in November and it just started being built, so it does seem to vary.

I put my down payment down now to give them time, with Covid and everything, I don't know how they were effected. So I figured I would do it now, that way if they are behind, or have a shortage of material, they should have plenty of time to build the tank and allow me to put in together during the winter time.

 

[Billldg]

Good luck and sounds like you are off to a good start. Question on the dry rock. Are you going to start the cycle and maturing now, in parallel while tank is made, etc?

Only reason why I'm asking is because just having gone through this using 150 or so pounds of dry pukani it takes a while to mature. I'm two years in and only now believe it is 80% or so there. I can still pick up a rock, turn it 90 degrees, and see rock face as if it was newly put in. I'll never go dry again.

That's were the live rock comes in. I will buy 60 to 80 pounds of live rock and cure it. Then I will place the rock in the tank next to the Marco rock to help seed it, and the rest will go in the sump. Then after a few months I will move the live rock that is in the tank to the sump also. I am also using the live rock to combat one major issue that seems to be on the rise, and that's Dinos. Is their a short cut, probably not, at least not to a mature tank. I do hope this will help to speed things up.

 

[signal7]

I put my down payment down now to give them time, with Covid and everything, I don't know how they were effected. So I figured I would do it now, that way if they are behind, or have a shortage of material, they should have plenty of time to build the tank and allow me to put in together during the winter time.

Definitely should help! I did something similar and ordered as soon as possible to give me time to iron out other details.

 

[Billldg]

Definitely should help! I did something similar and ordered as soon as possible to give me time to iron out other details.

I have actually thought about cycling the Marco rock with live rock to speed things up further, but the bacteria will die when start the aquascape as it will have to be kept wet. I am still thinking of, once my aquascape is done and cemented together into several pieces, to cure and cycle it with live rock. That way I will not have to keep it out of the water to scape it, it will already be done. It would just be a matter of some big trash cans. I love Biospera and such, but I think they are missing some bacteria that are the key to live rock success.