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

[Billldg]

I started to secure my current aquascape today so I can continue scaping and hopefully finish this weekend. I am using Marco aquascaping mortar to secure everything. When using it I definitely recommend using a Solo cup and mix small batches as @Bulk Reef Supply recommends. It is a very fine line between it being to wet and to dry.

 

[Billldg]

Oh, and you win, LOL!!! ;Hilarious

This will most likely be my list of tangs, tang police need not respond.

Achilles tang
D. Sailfin tang
Blonde Naso tang
Tomini tang
Purple tang
Gem tang
Convict tang
Some sort of Acnathurus tang, most likely a Maculiceps tang.

 

[TexAgReefer]

Oh, and you win, LOL!!! ;Hilarious

This will most likely be my list of tangs, tang police need not respond.

Achilles tang
D. Sailfin tang
Blonde Naso tang
Tomini tang
Purple tang
Gem tang
Convict tang
Some sort of Acnathurus tang, most likely a Maculiceps tang.

Love it!!! I have a list of 7-9 tangs myself

Do you have an order? I assume the Acanthurus go in last?

 

[fishguy242]

i like it nice line up worry about purple and gem,you can do it...
are you typing with fingers that resemble "the thing",holding out on us with scape?

 

[Billldg]

Love it!!! I have a list of 7-9 tangs myself

Do you have an order? I assume the Acanthurus go in last?

Ultimately it will come down to what I can't get and when. My Tomini will go in by itself. Not really worried at it. Probably the 3 Zebrasoma's and then the Acanthurus tangs.

i like it nice line up worry about purple and gem,you can do it...
are you typing with fingers that resemble "the thing",holding out on us with scape?

Their will be 3 Zebrasoma's along with the Acanthurus, so they all will be preoccupied with each other.

Busy fastening some areas of the scape before I go further. I need to secure the platform section on the right so I can continue with the overhang and such.

 

[ScottB]

I have some maintenance work I've been avoiding this morning. But now after 3 coffees and 13 pages of your build thread I am feeling inspired again. Thanks @Billldg ! A couple of ideas I will throw out for your consideration.

Two-part: I would start out the system this way with your APEX DOS, but plan for a CaRx. They take up a fair amount of space and you need very good access to the reactor and CO2 bottle. A system of this size -- once grown out with SPS -- will require >1/2 a liter a day of 2 Part and you will be hating on all that mixing/refilling. A CaRx is not a must right now, but it will be IMO. I run a reactor and a DOS as my backup.

Rock work: The Marco cement is great. The bonds ultimately will be stronger than the rock itself. Here is a real time saver for the construction: superglue gel with accelerator. It sets up in seconds. You can fasten several pieces together, then mix much more mortar for the final pointing/securing. Think of it as a "force multiplier".

Circulation: I completely agree the pro/cons on gyres/MPs. I run both on my little 120G. My DT has a black back wall and overflow. That is where I run the gyres vertically. Neither the pumps nor the wires are noticeable back there. The side mounted MP40s are the only eyesore.

 

[ScottR]

Bill... no No acanthurus nigricans on the table? Your avatar is crying. ;Hilarious

 

[Billldg]

I have some maintenance work I've been avoiding this morning. But now after 3 coffees and 13 pages of your build thread I am feeling inspired again. Thanks @Billldg ! A couple of ideas I will throw out for your consideration.

Two-part: I would start out the system this way with your APEX DOS, but plan for a CaRx. They take up a fair amount of space and you need very good access to the reactor and CO2 bottle. A system of this size -- once grown out with SPS -- will require >1/2 a liter a day of 2 Part and you will be hating on all that mixing/refilling. A CaRx is not a must right now, but it will be IMO. I run a reactor and a DOS as my backup.

Rock work: The Marco cement is great. The bonds ultimately will be stronger than the rock itself. Here is a real time saver for the construction: superglue gel with accelerator. It sets up in seconds. You can fasten several pieces together, then mix much more mortar for the final pointing/securing. Think of it as a "force multiplier".

Circulation: I completely agree the pro/cons on gyres/MPs. I run both on my little 120G. My DT has a black back wall and overflow. That is where I run the gyres vertically. Neither the pumps nor the wires are noticeable back there. The side mounted MP40s are the only eyesore.

A calcium reactor is a possibility, but with the cost of this tank so far is has taken a backseat.

 

[Billldg]

Bill... no No acanthurus nigricans on the table? Your avatar is crying. ;Hilarious

I haven't decided yet on whether or not I will keep my Gold Rim tang. In all likelihood I will keep him and he will be part of the list. After seeing my pic of my Purple tang though made me realize I should have never sold it.

 

[Billldg]

OH, and some GREAT news. I emailed Zoya from CDA the other day and she told me they have started the prep work on my new tank. They have started sanding and prepping the bottom panel. So hopefully it will be shipped within the next month.;Happy

 

[Billldg]

My equipment list has changed a little.

I will use 2 Ecotech Vectra M2's for dual returns
I will use a Reef Octopus Regal 250SSS skimmer do to the amount of tangs, I would go with a 300SSS, but it would be shoehorned into my sump, plus the algae reactor will help with N03 and P04
I will go with 2 Gyre 350's and at least 2 Ecotech MP40's.

The reason I am going with 2 return pumps is for redundancy and so I can run my carbon reactor and algae reactor off of each one and still have plenty of return pump head pressure and velocity. I will install flow sensors on each, I just received my 1/2 in flow sensor yesterday, I will have to go with a 1 in sensor for the algae reactor as the gph is higher than the 1/2 flow sensor allows.

 

[Billldg]

I started to mess around with some ideas for the right side of the scape, I took some photos, the pics are of my rough scape ideas and now permanent and will be leveled and such. Tell me what you think.

Option 1, minimalist look, their would also be a overhang going towards the right island

Option 2, the rock will be leveled before securing and I can slide the rock over a little more for more of a overhang.

And excuse the mortar, it will be covered up, and excuse the mess, LOL!!!

 

[fishguy242]

love it!! ,leaning to a little more overhang on the right ,guess option #2

 

[Billldg]

love it!! ,leaning to a little more overhang on the right ,guess option #2

When I secure the right I can extend it out further to the right. Plus, I will likely add a few more small extensions extending it more and wider.

 

[Billldg]

When I secure the right I can extend it out further to the right. Plus, I will likely add a few more small extensions extending it more and wider.

How is this?

 

[Billldg]

How is this?

Actually, it’s about the same, just level and more secure, ;Facepalm, but I will add a few overhangs to that structure

 

[francesco.mancini]

Following .. just ordered the same size tank from reef savvy

 

[Billldg]

K, I think I was finally able to put the piece of rock we’re I wanted and create a great overhang. It’s the same section and prices of rock as the photos above, but in a slightly different position. Ignore the one rock that is on top and right of the piece on question, it will be moved back to its original position, but right now it is holding the piece of rock in place

 

[Billldg]

I also counted up the amount of SPS frags I can put in the tank, roughly, and allow them space to grow out, and the total is around 30. I could easily put 50 to 60 SPS frags, but I don't want them to grow into each other in a year, I want them to be full colonies.

 

[TexAgReefer]

I also counted up the amount of SPS frags I can put in the tank, roughly, and allow them space to grow out, and the total is around 30. I could easily put 50 to 60 SPS frags, but I don't want them to grow into each other in a year, I want them to be full colonies.

This is going to be the hard part!! Keeping that ~6" spacing for colony growth is going to be SO HARD!