Cause the addiction never stops. My new 400+ gallon tank

[widarecu]

It's just not very well designed in my opinion. Tends to be noisy if pushed towards its capacity. I personally much prefer the larger, single units from either Modular Marine or EMS.

Edit - I see you found the synergy thread .....

I don't see how the modular marine design is any different?

Personally I think any overflow with teeth is a design flaw because it cuts the length of your effective overflow in half, thereby doubling the velocity of water but whatevs. That is the way it has been done in the past so that is the way it continues to be done.

A lot of thinking and planning to do now, I imported the Synergy ones so quite some money there just in shipping, I hate wasting money like that :mad:

 

[widarecu]

Some more progress with the sump ... getting there

 

[Ashish Patel]

I can relate 100% to you.. I started in 97 as a 11 year kid with a 30 gallon fish only system, then 55 gallon later converted to reef, then 120 gallon, then a custom 115 gallon, and now finally purchasing my first home and planning a 400 gallon tank thats gonna be one of the best in the world. Or at least thats the goal. lol

 

[widarecu]

I can relate 100% to you.. I started in 97 as a 11 year kid with a 30 gallon fish only system, then 55 gallon later converted to reef, then 120 gallon, then a custom 115 gallon, and now finally purchasing my first home and planning a 400 gallon tank thats gonna be one of the best in the world. Or at least thats the goal. lol

That is the best feeling ever mate, enjoy the process and take your time, are you looking to document your build? It would be cool so we can share learnings

 

[Ashish Patel]

Thanks, I'll make a build thread once I receive the tank. In the past I never did a build thread as I was still trying to figure out acros and knew it would impact my ability to learn. I call it build thread syndrome. The good thing Is I have a packed tank which I will be setting up in the basement and will take my time with the new build.

 

[widarecu]

Thanks, I'll make a build thread once I receive the tank. In the past I never did a build thread as I was still trying to figure out acros and knew it would impact my ability to learn. I call it build thread syndrome. The good thing Is I have a packed tank which I will be setting up in the basement and will take my time with the new build.

Having the second tank already running definitely helps to slow down with the new one, I just couldn't take it easy if I don't have anything else already running, too much anxiety .... definitely an addiction lol.

 

[SPR1968]

Having the second tank already running definitely helps to slow down with the new one, I just couldn't take it easy if I don't have anything else already running, too much anxiety .... definitely an addiction lol.

This is very true, I’m exactly the same and would be going full steam at the new one if my S650 wasn’t running. It sort of takes the rush out of everything, to the point of absolutely no pressure at all. Just take your time sort of feeling.

 

[Ashish Patel]

Yea for sure.. I'll focus on making a good QT tank while the tank rock matures. . I think if i moved all the colonies they would be too much die off so will make at least 10-50 frags of each coral and transfer them to a large vat. This is a project I am not looking forward too.

 

[widarecu]

Yea for sure.. I'll focus on making a good QT tank while the tank rock matures. . I think if i moved all the colonies they would be too much die off so will make at least 10-50 frags of each coral and transfer them to a large vat. This is a project I am not looking forward too.

That’s something I’ve been thinking about as well, how to transfer my current livestock from one tank to the other while achieving a nice aquascaping I’ll be happy with in the long run (I’ve always failed in this last part).

I was considering selling everything and start from 0 with all new frags but I think your approach is better, frag the colonies and use them to seed the new tank plus some new ones handpicked slowly over the months .... logistics, logistics!!!

 

[Ashish Patel]

That’s something I’ve been thinking about as well, how to transfer my current livestock from one tank to the other while achieving a nice aquascaping I’ll be happy with in the long run (I’ve always failed in this last part).

I was considering selling everything and start from 0 with all new frags but I think your approach is better, frag the colonies and use them to seed the new tank plus some new ones handpicked slowly over the months .... logistics, logistics!!!

Survival is key and I am almost certain if I tried to move larger pieces they would probably die. I am considering making 300-500 frags, putting most of the Live rock in a sump. Closing on a house in Oct 15th, My tank and stand are being moved by a moving company Nov 30th. have 2 weeks to setup a large frag tank. Moving everything into my current tank would be too stressful. I figure if I keep the alk stable and minimize exposure of Liverock to air I should have good survival rate.

 

[widarecu]

Survival is key and I am almost certain if I tried to move larger pieces they would probably die. I am considering making 300-500 frags, putting most of the Live rock in a sump. Closing on a house in Oct 15th, My tank and stand are being moved by a moving company Nov 30th. have 2 weeks to setup a large frag tank. Moving everything into my current tank would be too stressful. I figure if I keep the alk stable and minimize exposure of Liverock to air I should have good survival rate.

Sounds pretty stressful already :/ Check the systems the BRS guys setup to run their Investigate series, they normally have a bio brick running, flow and 2 or 3 part dosing together with water changes and that's enough to keep the frags healthy, I think you'll be fine. Good luck with all that, just think on the end result, it's worth the effort

 

[widarecu]

So my LFS just got a new shipment of CaribSea Shapes rock, it doesn't come that often here in Australia so I'm thinking on buying 4 boxes (20 pounds each) to early stock them and then buying a few more next months when they come back again (trying to control the spending lol).

Any thoughts or experiences with this rock that I should be aware of? Searching a bit through the forums I find mostly positive comments.

 

[pdxmonkeyboy]

That is a sweet sump, love the covers!

 

[Nhltc99]

So my LFS just got a new shipment of CaribSea Shapes rock, it doesn't come that often here in Australia so I'm thinking on buying 4 boxes (20 pounds each) to early stock them and then buying a few more next months when they come back again (trying to control the spending lol).

Any thoughts or experiences with this rock that I should be aware of? Searching a bit through the forums I find mostly positive comments.

I have all CaribSea Life Rock in my tanks, including some of the shapes. I like them. 4 boxes of the shapes plus more later may be excessive depending what you are looking to do for your aquascape though as theyre pretty unique. However, the liferock itself I would definitely recommend.

 

[Ashish Patel]

So my LFS just got a new shipment of CaribSea Shapes rock, it doesn't come that often here in Australia so I'm thinking on buying 4 boxes (20 pounds each) to early stock them and then buying a few more next months when they come back again (trying to control the spending lol).

Any thoughts or experiences with this rock that I should be aware of? Searching a bit through the forums I find mostly positive comments.

Its a very nice looking rock but I would never rely on it for biological filtration or use 100% of this in my tank. The only way you can manufacture such shapes is to have pour cement into a cast, which leaves only surface area. Natural rock takes few days to dry out or even longer, Caribsea shapes and reef reef tonga drys out in few minutes. Still love it but ppl are mistaken thinking these rock can compete with natural rock

 

[widarecu]

That is a sweet sump, love the covers!

Thanks!!! I should have it all finished and tested this week, I’ll post some photos with the end result soon, can’t wait!!! =D

 

[widarecu]

I have all CaribSea Life Rock in my tanks, including some of the shapes. I like them. 4 boxes of the shapes plus more later may be excessive depending what you are looking to do for your aquascape though as theyre pretty unique. However, the liferock itself I would definitely recommend.

Great thanks for the reassurance I have problems visualizing the quantities of rock, I always end up buying too little or too much that’s why I’m getting these 4 boxes first then I’ll buy the rest (if any) as needed, I think that’s a good plan

 

[widarecu]

Its a very nice looking rock but I would never rely on it for biological filtration or use 100% of this in my tank. The only way you can manufacture such shapes is to have pour cement into a cast, which leaves only surface area. Natural rock takes few days to dry out or even longer, Caribsea shapes and reef reef tonga drys out in few minutes. Still love it but ppl are mistaken thinking these rock can compete with natural rock

This is an area I’ve given a lot of thought, I’ve always used live rock from the ocean and with that, quick cycling but lots of undesired things and an aqua scape I’ve never been happy with because I have to do it quickly and under water .... also something inside me feels weird taking such an amount of rock out from the sea, not sustainable.

I’m also not planning to bring my current rock into the new tank as with that comes the Aiptasia, Asterina and Bristelworms I’m always fighting with, so to help the cycle I have 3 bio bricks from Brightwell that I’ve been running in my tank for about 3 months (they’ll have almost a year by when I move them to the new tank) and then I’ll just let it run with the new rock until it cycles, I’m also considering get the rock wet now and let it cycle in closed containers for months until the tank is ready to go ... I think all that should be good enough to cover the biological filtration, thoughts?

 

[SPR1968]

It’s personal preference how you do it really.

I'm using brand new rock, and in my case Real Reef Rock which I’ve used before and like the look of, and how it works. If I wasn’t keeping the current tank going I still would use new rock so none of the pests get in the new system mainly asterina starfish. And I will be quarantining all the coral additions to the new tank as well.

My intention is to design the aquascape when the tank is dry. It’s going to be a ‘modern‘ design and I’ve got in my mind exactly how it will look, because I’m very ‘artistic’ you see! Lol

So, artificial rock in, followed by Red Sea Pink (it’s not pink before you ask) LIVE sand, followed by around 530 gallons of water.

Then in goes 5 large bottles of ATM Colony followed immediately or shortly after (a day maybe) by a shoal of probably green Chromis to get the biological filtration up and running. Thats it, well the start of it.

 

[ruskimax]

You guys ever consider using TBS rocks? Have some cooking in another room and am really happy w the quality. No unwanted hitchhikers that ive found and tons of coralline. More than my 18month old 40 Gallon cube.