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

[fishguy242]

agree Fedex is going downhill fast...

how it left here

how it arrived at destination...and they are fighting me on insurance...
fine print terms, prohibited item ,live animal...really??? GRrrr.

 

[Billldg]

Thankfully, my fish just showed up. I am currently floating it in my sump.

 

[James_O]

agree Fedex is going downhill fast...

how it left here

how it arrived at destination...and they are fighting me on insurance...
fine print terms, prohibited item ,live animal...really??? GRrrr.

 

[Billldg]

AND NO @James_O, you will not get any Blonde Naso tang spam of its newly emerging scalpels...LOL!!! My phone isn't that good...Otherwise...I would...LOL!!!

 

[Billldg]

2nd time in a row my Triton ICP test has shown 0.0 for Iodine, SO, I just dosed 8ml of Iodine and will dose almost 2 ml tomorrow. Not sure how to combat any other slight issues in trace elements. I have one or two that are slightly low, but, I am not sure if I even care about them.

 

[Billldg]

My snails dripping in a bucket, lol!!!

 

[Billldg]

After the black out my N03 is at 17.8 and my P04 is at 0.10. I can live with that.

 

[fishybizzness]

Hi Bill. How do you like the dimensions of your tank? I currently have a 120 and a 50 cube. I've been getting the upgrade to my dream tank itch lately and I've been researching for the perfect size tank and I keep coming back to a cda 72x30x22-24 height like yours except in a peninsula version. It seems like a perfect size. Not too big but big enough for most fish i would ever want. How is the maintenance compared to your previous tank? Have you found any negatives with the cda tank?

 

[Billldg]

Hi Bill. How do you like the dimensions of your tank? I currently have a 120 and a 50 cube. I've been getting the upgrade to my dream tank itch lately and I've been researching for the perfect size tank and I keep coming back to a cda 72x30x22-24 height like yours except in a peninsula version. It seems like a perfect size. Not too big but big enough for most fish i would ever want. How is the maintenance compared to your previous tank? Have you found any negatives with the cda tank?

Maintenance really is no more than my 120. I did build a 200 gal mixing station to make sure I have enough water in case something happens. I have not found any negative issue yet with the tank, I actually like the reinforced corner seams. It makes it easy to hit the corners and not worry about the seals.

 

[ReefChef19]

I just talked with Coralvue, and I made up my mind. I will go with a Abyzz A400.

They are, Coralvue, at roughly 90 percent recovery, so they will be able to supply you with your Coralvue needs.

Now I need to get the funds up to buy the pump and all the plumbing that is needed to upgrade my return plunging from 1" to 1.25".

I just got caught back up on your build. I understand upgrading from the L2, but why go all the way to the A 400? I'm sure you've compared the 2 but do you not think the A200 will be enough power? I'm just wondering because my next build will be similar to yours and I'm leaning toward the A200.

 

[Billldg]

I just got caught back up on your build. I understand upgrading from the L2, but why go all the way to the A 400? I'm sure you've compared the 2 but do you not think the A200 will be enough power? I'm just wondering because my next build will be similar to yours and I'm leaning toward the A200.

With the restrictions of 4 flow meters, 1 1/4 PVC, and running a reactor header with at least 2 reactors on it, having that little extra means I do not have to run the return pump at 100 percent. I talked with Abyzz and they agreed. Running dual Cor 20s was a no go, so running 2 L2's would be a no go as they are very similar with head pressure. An Abyzz A200 may work, but I want the extra room for any unexpected head pressure loss and such.

@SPR1968 runs A200's and loves them. So it may work. I am not sure of the head pressure loss of his system though. His system is over 2x's mine.

 

[Billldg]

I would take some photos of my latest addition, my Crescent Tail Fairy wrasse, but it is hiding. It is kinda swimming in a section between 2 rocks, thus, staying hidden. They are known to be shy, so its not unexpected. It is swimming and comes out every once and a while. I will give it some time to adjust before trying to take a photo. I dosed another 2ml of Iodine to the tank. I am not sure if I will dose 1ml daily to maintain levels. I will send another Triton test out in a month or so to see what it shows. I am not worried about any other trace element as I will not chase numbers.

 

[Billldg]

I will likely order another 20 pounds of KP Aquatics live rock to add to my tank. Since I don't care about anything on the rock, but, only what is in the rock, I will go with starter rock. I only care about the bacteria and nothing else in the rock as it will simply go into my sump. It will help right my bacteria balance in my tank.

 

[Operator Wrasse]

I will likely order another 20 pounds of KP Aquatics live rock to add to my tank. Since I don't care about anything on the rock, but, only what is in the rock, I will go with starter rock. I only care about the bacteria and nothing else in the rock as it will simply go into my sump. It will help right my bacteria balance in my tank.

So I got to go to RAP in Chicago today and talk to Dr Tim. We spoke about cycling rock for different purposes. If you're looking to age rock using mature live rock, he said it is best to have the mature rock touching the young rock. The bacteria, coraline, and all the other goodies almost all spread through direct contact and with a regular light schedule, not via the water column. The things that do spread via the water column spread much more slowly. Aging and maturing is much different than cycling, which is only for creating nitrifying bacteria.

 

[ScottB]

I will likely order another 20 pounds of KP Aquatics live rock to add to my tank. Since I don't care about anything on the rock, but, only what is in the rock, I will go with starter rock. I only care about the bacteria and nothing else in the rock as it will simply go into my sump. It will help right my bacteria balance in my tank.

I am always a fan of adding live rock whether it is from the ocean or a very old system. I find it really (over some time) solves for a lot of the uglies.

So I got to go to RAP in Chicago today and talk to Dr Tim. We spoke about cycling rock for different purposes. If you're looking to age rock using mature live rock, he said it is best to have the mature rock touching the young rock. The bacteria, coraline, and all the other goodies almost all spread through direct contact and with a regular light schedule, not via the water column. The things that do spread via the water column spread much more slowly. Aging and maturing is much different than cycling, which is only for creating nitrifying bacteria.

That is an interesting theory. I tend to sump this stuff but may next time to keep it in the display to accelerate things.

 

[Billldg]

So I got to go to RAP in Chicago today and talk to Dr Tim. We spoke about cycling rock for different purposes. If you're looking to age rock using mature live rock, he said it is best to have the mature rock touching the young rock. The bacteria, coraline, and all the other goodies almost all spread through direct contact and with a regular light schedule, not via the water column. The things that do spread via the water column spread much more slowly. Aging and maturing is much different than cycling, which is only for creating nitrifying bacteria.

I really just need the bacteria in the rock. I am not worried about anything else. I soaked half of my scape in brute trash cans with live rocks for a few months before adding it to my tank and also added a 4 pieces of live rock to my DT and 1 in my sump. It truly did make it a instant tank. After battling Dino's and adding so much Vibrant and MicroFactor7 it has influenced the bacteria population, so I just need to add some to my sump so I don't have to QT it. Any critters that will come with the rock will stay in my sump, otherwise I would move it to the DT. I agree that the rock should touch each other, but, the bacteria will get into the water column and help populate the DT, It just may take a little longer.

 

[Billldg]

Hi Bill. How do you like the dimensions of your tank? I currently have a 120 and a 50 cube. I've been getting the upgrade to my dream tank itch lately and I've been researching for the perfect size tank and I keep coming back to a cda 72x30x22-24 height like yours except in a peninsula version. It seems like a perfect size. Not too big but big enough for most fish i would ever want. How is the maintenance compared to your previous tank? Have you found any negatives with the cda tank?

I forgot to talk about the dimension. I feel the dimensions are perfect. It allows you to get that deep aquascape and yet not be a pain to clean. Your looking to get a peninsula will be less effected by the depth, so you will be even better off. I feel 30+ in depth or width in your case is the best starting point.

 

[Operator Wrasse]

I forgot to talk about the dimension. I feel the dimensions are perfect. It allows you to get that deep aquascape and yet not be a pain to clean. Your looking to get a peninsula will be less effected by the depth, so you will be even better off. I feel 30+ in depth or width in your case is the best starting point.

My wife got to see what a 40 inch stand looked like this weekend. She's intimidated by a 72x30x30 because she's afraid it will be too much stand and it won't look like it fits into a room without a tall ceiling. I'm a short guy, so I would also have to get a riser to be able to work on the tank. I think the flexibility in animal and coral husbandry will be worth it, though. I dont think I would recommend a tank this big to someone who will have to do a lot of maintenance... I'm going to have it fully automated with GHL.

 

[Billldg]

My wife got to see what a 40 inch stand looked like this weekend. She's intimidated by a 72x30x30 because she's afraid it will be too much stand and it won't look like it fits into a room without a tall ceiling. I'm a short guy, so I would also have to get a riser to be able to work on the tank. I think the flexibility in animal and coral husbandry will be worth it, though. I dont think I would recommend a tank this big to someone who will have to do a lot of maintenance... I'm going to have it fully automated with GHL.

I am 6' tall. I still need a 4ft ladder to deal with my tank.

I will never let anything limit me in the size of the tank. We all can have what we want, we just need to figure out how to do it.

 

[fishguy242]

I am 6' tall. I still need a 4ft ladder to deal with my tank.

I will never let anything limit me in the size of the tank. We all can have what we want, we just need to figure out how to do it.

just don't stand on buckets full off water w lids on ,in the middle of January ,hour away from home ,in Chicago...
no need to ask why...