Fish Room Build

chinkle

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Posting pics of my Reefer 425XL build with the first phase being demo and buildout of dedicated office/reef room. Taking me forever it seems but getting close! Wont bore with the details here a few that might cross your mind. I have restroom on same floor with sink about 20 feet from the tank. I have a nice small closet directly next to the tank. The flooring I installed was Home Depot Life Proof Chiffon Lace 100% water proof w/ lifetime warranty. Great if you have dogs too! Easy to install once you get the knack. I knocked a hole in the wall and put in sliding double barn doors. Not as easy as it sounds. Had an electrician put in a dedicated 20amp circuit behind the tank and pull wire to the closet. I replaced all the fixtures. The dedicated outlet had two built in USB connection. Installed a new ceiling fan, paint, crown molding and currently working on my ATO/AWC station in the closet which is evolving. I have waste water option plumbed to either drain to the outside of my house into one of the flower beds or to the tap at restroom sink drain. Let me know if you have any questions, critiques or ideas.

demo3.jpg In The Begining.jpg prog3.jpg Closet 2.jpg
 
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chinkle

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Here I am at the 60 day mark. My cycle went well took about 4 weeks. I used dry live rock, Losses- 1 Heliofungia- loved it, was expensive and would not have purchased had I done proper research. 2 Clowns-my first two fish! One to a rare tongue eating parasite and the male just stopped eating. I think his heart was broken. I just recently lost a small lemon damsel that got sucked into my power head. My first coral- a zoanthid rock had Aptasia which I beat with Aptasia X. Thank you forum. I have killed a few more since but no outbreaks knock on wood. I also had just set up my refugium. Using a Bubble Magus protein skimmer, 2 filter socks, biomedia and rock in the other two media containers. Also becoming familiar with my Apex system although not utilizing much at this point.
 

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chinkle

chinkle

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Here I am at the 60 day mark. My cycle went well took about 4 weeks. I used dry live rock, Losses- 1 Heliofungia- loved it, was expensive and would not have purchased had I done proper research. 2 Clowns-my first two fish! One to a rare tongue eating parasite and the male just stopped eating. I think his heart was broken. I just recently lost a small lemon damsel that got sucked into my power head. My first coral- a zoanthid rock had Aptasia which I beat with Aptasia X. Thank you forum. I have killed a few more since but no outbreaks knock on wood. I also had just set up my refugium. Using a Bubble Magus protein skimmer, 2 filter socks, biomedia and rock in the other two media containers. Also becoming familiar with my Apex system although not utilizing much at this point.
Correction: I used F Aptasia
 
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chinkle

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Here is present day. I took this today and I am now at 4 mos. Totally in love with the 425XL. I have added an ice cap 90 watt UV and just got it plumbed in last week. I also added a dual carbon and GFO reactor. I will likely swap this out with a space saver combined reactor like the one BRS sells. Have not needed to use GFO and have that reactor stuffed with filter floss and just running carbon for now. Also installed two dosing pumps for Ca and Mg as I was depleting those rapidly and manually dosing was inconsistent and becoming a chore. Seeing growth in all my corals and everything is really happy. Also just implemented auto water change via my Apex. Caught up right now with the water change versus no water change debate. I plan on doing another cost analysis in the future but for now seems like the 2 part dosing is working out to be cost effective but I'm hearing that could change down the road.
Sump1.jpg
sump2.jpg

 
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chinkle

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I am 6 months in as of today. My losses have been 2 clown fish- 1 to a rare parasite. 1 Fire shrimp, a Heliofungia-was a bad purchase-should not have put this in my new tank. Chalk that up to ignorance. 1 Rasta torch-small frag and never seemed healthy and a wall hammer due to a flat worm invasion. I have successfully battled Apatasia, small dino outbreak and most recently large white flat worms-i think. I have stabilized my water parameters, seeing lots of growth especially since adding a CO2 scrubber and pegging my PH and ALK. Doing auto water changes via Apex and manual water changes as needed and the only thing I manually dose ALK, a drop of Lugols a day and some AB+ every week or so. Input welcome and appreciated.
6mos.jpg
6mos.jpg
 

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