CoralShopper's Zoa/Softie Grow Out System

[chazman113]

I'm pretty new to Reef2Reef but someone suggested I start a tank thread. I put a lot of blood sweat and tears into a frag system starting about a year ago. I wanted to see if I could do it cheaply and turn a profit at a small scale. So far the answer is no and no, but I'm still in the fight! It started with snagging all the parts I could from Facebook Marketplace, then gradually I collected everything I need to grow and ship coral either by building it or retail sources. I got into 3d printing the parts I need and I've actually made a few products that have sold. As of now I've sold a lot of Cheato, but the Zoas aren't quite ready. I have them on 3d printed tile grids that allow them to "migrate" onto individual tiles that I can just slice with a razor and sell. The theory is this process is easier and less desctructive than physically breaking off plugs or frags. To ship I've developed a "bump free" caddy that will keep the frags secure in the bag and not touching the walls. It's getting to the point where I have to turn theory into practice, so it's exciting and nerve wracking. I'm about 10k in the hole and have come back with about $500 in net so far on 3d printed things and Chaeto.

Setup includes:
8x2 Plywood Tank - Made with Pond Armor, Glass Panels
60 Gal Acrylic Frag Tank - Right now its more of a display tank for pics - FB Find
125 Gal Sump - FB Find, Mostly a Huge Fuge for Chaeto

Equipment Overview:
Lighting is Nicrew Hyperreef 2
Reef Octopus Skimmer (FB Find)
Powerheads are the Hygger knockoffs and they actually work really well and are programmable
Jaebo 36 W Sterilizer (Had a dino problem when I started, which is what cost me the most time and pain)
Neptune System for most power and programming
BRS Dosers for Kalk and Mag (First Upgrade will be a multi head unit with better programming once I make some money)
Tunze Ozmolator Nano for Makeup (I had this, need to upgrade! It faults sometimes because the water volume change is a lot higher than it is designed for, right now I just have the neptune reset the power twice a day)

Stocking:
A lot of Zoas from various retail sources
Some little SPS frags one of the retailers accidentally sent me (they are actually doing great)
2 Long Fin Ocellaris
1 Cleaner Shrimp
Various Snails and Hermits
I definentally want to up the stocking when I turn some profit. Maybe a tang for algae and a wrasse or two.

Anyway here are some pics of my garage setup.

Heres some of the Zoas. The brown is mostly just Diatoms. I bought a microscope during a dino outbreak and I keep the Diatoms flowing with SpongeAccel for now. They don't bother me and I don't bother them.

Heres my big fuge. I made a custom basket for the Chaeto so I could get it easily and it could still roll around. I also printed the sock holders. There are no real baffles in the sump. Should I have added them? Maybe. Can I get that thing out and change it without it being a whole weekend? No.

Here is the Arcylic tank I got on FBMP as well. It was very scratched up. I buffed most of it out but it doesn't need to be pretty. I basically needed an overflow area for everything "not zoa":

The Sump is basic. It has the FBMP skimmer (needed a new pump). I printed a stand for it. Also a Phosban reactor I run carbon through sometimes. I added a cheapo sponge filter because it kept getting clogged. I run a big tub of kalk in and the makeup res is an old tank that is fairly big. I needed to be able to leave it for over a week without needing new water, I can then turn the RO line off to prevent leaks while I'm gone. I do have a cheap Eufy camera on everything so I can monitor it past the Neptune alerts.

I got an RO system on FB as well, found a stainless steel work area someone was throwing away (Yea I know the DI resin is about out):

 

[Fish Styx]

Following for sure!

Hey, #Heathens check out this build!

 

[Fish Styx]

@tbrown and @That Crusso Kid are big 3D printer people, too. You guys will likely get along.

 

[That Crusso Kid]

Let the haranguing begin!

 

[That Crusso Kid]

Good to meet you, @chazman113 , even if it is through Matt @Fish Styx .

Looks like you have a nice setup running and did a good job.

Are you running the Nicrew 200's?

 

[chazman113]

Let the haranguing begin!

It's the internet after all, I generally stear clear for that very reason. I deleted my social media years ago. However I need to grit my teeth and put myself out there if I'm going to be selling eventually. Most people on R2R seem generally pretty nice though, I've yet to be trolled.

My vibe for construction and products is not in the perfectionist, super pretty lane. That's a great lane for a hobbyist but I like when things are afforable and practical. I want to make things I would buy. I've been very successful in my life under the assumption that you can get 80% there for 50% of the price on most things.

 

[chazman113]

Good to meet you, @chazman113 , even if it is through Matt @Fish Styx .

Looks like you have a nice setup running and did a good job.

Are you running the Nicrew 200's?

Its 3x of the 100's on the prop tank and a 200 on the 60 gallon frag. Overall I'm very happy with them. The programming is easy and they put out good light. Granted for the frag tank it's designed for softies so I didn't go crazy.

 

[Fish Styx]

It's the internet after all, I generally stear clear for that very reason. I deleted my social media years ago. However I need to grit my teeth and put myself out there if I'm going to be selling eventually. Most people on R2R seem generally pretty nice though, I've yet to be trolled.

We'll be gente*.



* at first

 

[That Crusso Kid]

It's the internet after all, I generally stear clear for that very reason. I deleted my social media years ago. However I need to grit my teeth and put myself out there if I'm going to be selling eventually. Most people on R2R seem generally pretty nice though, I've yet to be trolled.

My vibe for construction and products is not in the perfectionist, super pretty lane. That's a great lane for a hobbyist but I like when things are afforable and practical. I want to make things I would buy. I've been very successful in my life under the assumption that you can get 80% there for 50% of the price on most things.

Haranguing  and trolliing to commence momentarily.

 

[That Crusso Kid]

Its 3x of the 100's on the prop tank and a 200 on the 60 gallon frag. Overall I'm very happy with them. The programming is easy and they put out good light. Granted for the frag tank it's designed for softies so I didn't go crazy.

Based on extnsive testing anther reefer on here and IG does, the Nicrew 200's are the biggest bang for the buck. He has a grading system and takes many factors into consideration.

We'll be gente*.



* at first

I don't know if you meant to type "gentle" or "gentlemen". In either case you'd still be wrong.

 

[Minifoot77]

Welcome @chazman113 sorry you bumped into this lot...

 

[tbrown]

@tbrown and @That Crusso Kid are big 3D printer people, too. You guys will likely get along.

Hey Chris, I think he called us fat...

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Always love seeing what people can do with a 3D printer. Finally got my back up and running now that I have the space for it again. Following along!

 

[tbrown]

Based on extnsive testing anther reefer on here and IG does, the Nicrew 200's are the biggest bang for the buck. He has a grading system and takes many factors into consideration.


I don't know if you meant to type "gentle" or "gentlemen". In either case you'd still be wrong.

Gente is Spanish for People. So really he said we'll be people (at first). After that, all bets are off!

What are people though. I mean really?

 

[tbrown]

Always love seeing what people can do with a 3D printer. Finally got my back up and running now that I have the space for it again. Following along!

Now for the tank...?

 

[Minifoot77]

I have been considering another plywood tank how has the pond armor been and how do you consider things like urchins and snails with the coating?

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Now for the tank...?

I wish it were for the tank, but that is not set up.....

 

[That Crusso Kid]

Hey Chris, I think he called us fat...

I didn't look at it that way but now that you mention it.

I wish it were for the tank, but that is not set up YET.....

No worries as I'm right there with you. However, I am gaining on it.

 

[chazman113]

I have been considering another plywood tank how has the pond armor been and how do you consider things like urchins and snails with the coating?

So its been a year and no signs of leaking or anything like that. It does have lots little micro bumps where there were imperfections in the wood. I would have definentally sanded everything better. I decided to do the windows after the fact so there are coats on top of the coats and its still fine (you have to sand it). Algae sticks to it and I've seen coralline start growing on it. Once you mix it you have to paint pretty fast, it gets hot and hard quickly. I would definentally do a small mix first to get a feel for it.

 

[chazman113]

Always love seeing what people can do with a 3D printer. Finally got my back up and running now that I have the space for it again. Following along!

Yea so I posted a little celebration post about selling one of the things I made with a picture and your account auto or selectively banned it. So I really and confused on the rules about posting stuff I make? Is this a trick? Lol