FLSharkvictims 120 build

FLSharkvictim

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Hello everybody! I am going to be doing two different threads since I have had a 120 gallon Mixed reef tank up and running for over 19 years and have finally made the upgrade to a Custom Rimless SCA 150 but I will mention that ones it's completed but in the mean time, I want to do this thread for my current tank that has been running for quite a while noe which its my 120 mixed reef! Little info and back ground about me, I have been a keeping reef tanks for over 20 years now. I first started out with a 30 gallon in 1990 with a under gravel system as my filtration..lol boy those were the days...I mean the wet dry system were out of my league at the time and I believe they just had came out... My next saltwater tank was 55 gallon with wet dry system with bio balls and mainly filled with Live rock rock and a couple of soft corals, Clown Fish and mainly tangs, triggers, etc etc. I was mostly self taught up until I got a part time Job @ a Local Reef Store. After working there for just a few months I was moved over to the saltwater department and gained a ton of experience for the next 3 years to come. I was testing water and telling people what fish are reef save and which ones were not, bagging up fish which helped me know my types of fish and which ones were reef safe and which ones were not. I read a lot of saltwater books and tried to educate myself as best I could. Another positive working at my LFS i GOT A ton of hands experience with plumbing as well since we plumbed a lot of tanks at the fish store for our clients. Right before I moved on from the saltwater fish store I had around 10 clients where I was maintaining there tanks for them and cleaning them and doing monthly water changes for them. I have been avid aquarium hobbyist that has spent almost the entirety of my life fully immersed in the aquarium industry. From working as an aquarium service technician in my local aquarium shop and getting chance to maintain some of our clients tanks was a great hands on experiences... With that being said I took that experience with me and started my adventure into reef keeping and growing corals. I have always had a love & passion for the ocean and it's inhabitants, since I was born and raised right on the water my entire life over in the Tampabay area. I have have had the privilege of diving on some of the most beautiful dive wrecks & reefs around the world and really getting a chance to view these corals in their natural environment so Instantly i was hooked and thats basically how it all started for me in this hobby! Also, I have a very strong connection with the ocean and the amazing creature that live down in the Abyss since the unthinkable happen to me @ Sebastian Inlet which only 12 shark attacks that happened in the State of FL and I was one of the 12... Anyways, I made CNN, & 5 newspapers the day after Thanksgiving from the attack that happen to me. The shark basically shot straight up and bite my right arm and mangled 3 out of my 5 fingers which where pretty tour up from the compression of the sharks bite.. I will never forget that moment of feeling a few thousand pounds of pressure coming down on your right hand and finger, it hurt like hell , let me tell you. Where I was attacked by a shark surfing on the east Coast of FL in 1992 was in Melbourne ,FL. I might not be here posting this thread right now if it was not for my best friend who was in the water with me at the time help me get back to shore and on our way to the hospital b.c i don't think i could have paddled back in by myself since were out 100 yrd.

Here are a few pictures of my right hand after i got released from the hospital and before they did two differnt operations in order to remove the sharks teeth that will still imbedded in my fingers. Long story short, I had around 80 stitches in my fingers and right forearm. From the bite marks the shark was estimated to be around the 6 or 7 ft range which is a pretty big shark in my opinion. Please see below for the original story that the St Pete times did on me and what all took place that day I almost lost my life due to an unprovoked shark attack. PLEASE REMEMBER, sharks can't see very good and all this shark was doing was chumming through the water & made a mistake by attacking me, and as soon as the shark started to pull me under & off my surfe board , the shark new it was not want he wanted so he let go. After that I jump back on my board and my buddy yelled SHARKKKKK!!!! . All my documents can be found on INTERNATIONAL SHARK ATTACK FILE or clicking this link below:
https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/shark-attacks/trends/

So now that you know how I came up with my screen name let's move on to my 120 mixed reef.
11-25-1992
Original st pete times attack.png

The other side of my Arm was worse
right hand afterattack.png

My 120 Tank @ 3 yrs old
3yr tank.jpg

Tank @ 5yrs old / MAINLY ROCK AND FISH ONLY
TANK PIX OF 2013.jpg
 
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FLSharkvictim

FLSharkvictim

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Thanks guys, I thought I would do two threads one for the tank thats been up and running for over 19 years and a little info about me and my screen name and then do one for the new my SCA 150..
Yea, deiced to go with the SS-44 SUMP thats Red Mercury from Synergy. Also, will be getting the matching 10 gallon ATO storage to match up with my sump. Will be placing my order very soon for this new one but that will be for another thread...
SCA -Rimless 150
150 side shot.JPG

Synergy Space Saver -44'' SUMP
SS-44Red-Black.png

Synergy ATO Storage 10 gallons
Red_Mercury ato.jpg
 
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FLSharkvictim

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Here is my custom sump that I had made for my 120. Plus, my Skimz 163 Protein skimmer, Ecotech Marine M1 return pump, Eshopps 5 gallon ATO storage container and my dosing container for my Alk, & Cal.

Custom sump 35''x15x15''
OldSump.jpeg

Eshopps Pacific ATO 5 gallon Storage container
eSHOOPS.jpg

Dosing Container
Eshoops 2.0l container.jpg

Tearing my old AE TECH sump out & installing the new one
Install on my gear .jpg

New Sump w/ Vectra M1
Install going in! .jpg
 
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FLSharkvictim

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This is how my hard plumbing job turned out after using all Sch 40 Red PVC pipe from BRS and went all Sch 80 grey fittings! For my valves, I went all #Cepex and #Spears plus 2 Wye Check Valves for my returns. Also, you can see my Eshopps IV Master doser Incl Slave on the far right hand side of the picture. No leaks... Yahooooo

Installed sump & pump, skimmer.jpg


Sharks plumbing.JPG
 
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FLSharkvictim

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I add about a 10lb bag of Miracle Mud in my refuge with out any dirt clouds or any of the mud getting into the main display! After about 8 months and going through 2 #SKIMZ pumps i decided it was time for an upgrade but I need a skimmer to be big enough to accommodate the 150 + another 40 gallons for the sump so i chose the REGAL 150 INTL. There are so many things love about this skimmer, the controller is awesome, it has a float switch build in so you never have to worry about your skim getting into your sump or display. The new VarioS pumps that come on there skimmer i LIKED so much i went out and bought a VarioS4 for my saltwater mixing station that I will talk about in the next post. I have own quite a few protein skimmers in my time and let me tell you & the new REGALS with the new VarioS line of pumps that they have on them and in my opinion are one of the best skimmers & pumps on the market today at affordable price. Has BNC connectors which is another plus... Anyways, 5 stars on the REGAL Protein Skimmer 150INTL by Reef Octo!

Refuge shot.JPG


Regal INTL #6.JPG


Reef Octo Regal 150 intl Skimmer .jpg


Regal 150.JPG


Regal INTL #3.JPG


Regal INTL #4.JPG

Reef Octo Varios4 for my #Saltwater Mixing Station / love these pumps
SaltWater mixing pump - VarioS4.JPG


34191083_10216931376545359_4255350195539148800_n.jpg


sump shot w: Reef Brite led strip.jpg
 
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FLSharkvictim

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Decided to switch UP my ATO reservoirs since my Brute can is reef safe and can hold 5 more gallons of water which is all connected to my RODI station on a float switch and a booster pump. For those who do not have over a min of 50 psi's coming out from your home which is your product water - I would strongly recommend getting a booster pump b/c if you don't you will burn through filters a lot faster, TRUST ME BEEN THERE DONE THAT!!! Anyhow, If you are running an RODI you most likely will require a booster pump to get the very BEST PERFORMANCE out of your RODI filtration system. I have mine set @ 60psi's when filling my Mixing station barrels or my 10 gallon ATO storage container. Also now that I have added a second membrane i have doubled the output of the water from 50gpd to 150(gpd) and cut the waste water in half when adding a 2nd membrane to your RODI system. I wanted to list all of my Equipment that I currently am running on my 120 Mixed reef b.c I am going to be using a lot of it for my next up and coming SCA 150 build. I will share some updated pictures of my tank that has been up and running since 2001 with around 50 pounds of Old school Tonga Branch (Which is no longer available and was banned for export in the early 2000's) Another 60 pounds of Ultra Premium Fiji live rock that been underwater for as long as this tank has been running for over 10 yrs solid at my new house and another 4 yrs at college. I have had my up's and downs with my 120 over the last decade but ever since I added an Santa Monica HOG1.3 Scrubber and a Dual Reactor - I have had ZERO Algae in my display but then again I do a 10 gallon water change every week or at the min every two weeks.
Like I mentioned above I learned so much from those 3 years that I work for my LOCAL REEF STORE! I had an Apex Classic for a few years and it worked great but then ones my Brand new energy bars broke on me and I had to send them back to Neptune was down hill from there. After Hurricane Irma that came down the FL West coast line pretty much flatted my entire County and we were left with no power for 7 brutal days with no ac but i had a generator to keep my fish and coral alive. Basically all I had running was my TUNZE Power-heads 6055's one facing up to oxygenating the water and one pointing downwards to get some type of flow in the tank.. We were getting winds that were up to 90 -100 mph, since i live 5 minutes from the beach. All of my fish and coral all made it thought 7 insane days of no power plus I had to worry about the temp not getting over 83 degrees, i WAS on the edge of losing everything but somehow pulled it off since I have a Generator. After sending in my Apex power bars that did not work properly back to Neptune since it was still under warranty. I had two DOS DOSERS, plus just about every module that they make except for the par module. Anyways, when I got back my power bars from Neptune I noticed that my green lights were not working on the Energy power bars to let me know if the bar is getting any juice or not which somehow worked fine when I shipped it to Neptune but when I received it the led green lights did not work. The green little lights were not that big of a deal to me but it was about the principal and the two weeks without a contoller even know that the controller was still covered under their 1 year warranty and it should have been caught and tested before they ship me my energy bars back out but a-course they did not. Ones I got my Energy bars back from Neptune and went to hook back up everything all of my ports where all messed up and not to mention the green leds on the Energy bars, the power light did not work and it worked when i shipped them so i CALLED up tech support. When I normally call i would have to say 50% acted and make you fell like your a dumb#$#$#$#$. I myself always seem to get the stuck up with the Icehole that thinks he owns the company no names mentioned and monitors there forum.. I call him the APEX POLICE..LOL After telling Neptune's tech support that all of my outlets where all messed up and now, my little green leds no longer works on both brand new power bars that i just sent in for repair and rep said to me from Neptune's tech support told me you really don't even need them anyways which i could not believe that he actually said that to me. After that call I put up all my Apex gear for sale since I was sick and tired of dealing with the tech support and Most of all there customer service techs are ok, but there are a lot them that are very stuck up and act like us consumers are already suppose to know this or what even fix or updated that needed to be done. Sorry but in my opinion they are nothing but a pain in the ICE! When DROP OVER 800 ON A CONTROLLER, i except everything to work and work right plus, Neptune does not even send directions on how to do any type of installation, coding etc etc so I was done with Neptune and their tech support people especially this one Moderator for there form, boy he is a real winner let me tell ya! Long story short, I had enough with this company so thats why I have jumped ship over to GHL. I am currently not running a controller now since I am getting ready to install it on my new build. After selling every last piece of the Apex gear, i found a deal of a life time on a brand new never used ProfiLux4 Ultimate kit including an extra PAB bar plus, a ton of extras all for under a $1100.00 and placed an order with @premiumaquatics for my #GHL #MaxSA doser for AWC'S that's connected to my saltwater mixing station that I will get into later. I haven't set up there my controller yet but I did have to set up my GHL MaxiSA doser to I had to create account in myghl and create in account in the GHL Control center, they are separate. It's was a bit confusion but after taking to Mathias @ RAP at the GHL booth, it all made sense! So I re watched there YouTube Videos again and again until I was able to figure it out on how to run this doser... Yes, GHL IS A LOT more technical but when you have it all hooked up you don't have to buy 10 modules you're all good to go. Your ProfiLux will look like the back of your cable box, plug, and play! Lot of people will probably not like the way the platform since it can only run on windows so I had to buy a mini laptop which was no big deal since I run all MAC'S at the house. Plus, in my opinion, i like GHL tech support way better then the boys from California - Neptune.. GHL Youtube videos are way better and as far I CAN SEE i would much rather have a P4 vs the new 2016 apex any day of the week especially there dosers are TOP NOTCH!

EQUIPMENT LISTING:
All-Glass Aquarium - 120 48''X24''X24'' w/ dual overflow boxes
Illusions Custom sump = 35''x15''x15
Santa Monica Algae Scrubber
Reef Octo REGAL Protein Skimmer incl a VarioS2
2 Aqua Illumination Hydra 26 HD LEDS
Hms Single arm brackets
EcoTech Marine M1 for the return pump
Brs Dual Reactor / RowaPhos & ROX 0.8 Carbon
Eshopps IV Master Doser Incl Slave
Tunze Osmolator 3155 Water Level Regulation System
Avast KALK reactor K1 Model
Spectra Pure 5 Stage RODI system
BRS peristaltic Pump to feed my KALK reactor / 50 mL per minute flow rate
Maxspect Celestial Aquatic Algae Growing C35-A Spotlight
4 Cepex Ball Valves
2 Spears Gate Vales
2 - 54 inch of RED PVC pipe
2- Wye Check Valves
SCH 80 GREY FITTINGS
50 gALLON Saltwater Mixing Station
Reef Octo VarioS4 return pump / for my saltwater mixing station
GHL Controller P4
GHL MAXISA doser for AWC's

DIY, 10 Gallon Brute ATO Storage container
ATO Storage container.JPG

Back of the P4 Controller


PRO4#4.JPG

50 Gallon mixing station
50 GALLON MIXING.JPG

Back of the MaxiSA doser
Back of the Maxi SA.JPG

GHL Touch Screen
GHL TOUCH SCREEN.JPG

P4 Ultimate Kit w/ tons of extras
IMG_6186.JPG

GHL MAXISA front shot
GHLMaxiSA.JPG
 
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FLSharkvictim

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Wow that sump and skimz look great.l same with the reef octopus.

@Lilmatty5dimes - Many thanks, my Skimz Monzter Series 163 pump kept breaking down and I was not happy how you were able to tune the skimmer in with some cheap dial vs my Reef Octo REGAL 150 INTL THAT has a Gate Valve to control the VarioS~~ What a difference, it's like comparing apples to oranges.. Plus, the Skimz does not have a float switch that's build into the lid of the skimmer as you may know! Do you have the 150 or the 200 regal?

sm163-1-800.jpg


Reef Octo Regal 150 intl Skimmer .jpg


Regal INTL #6.JPG
 
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FLSharkvictim

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Tank @ 7 years old!
When this pictures was taken is when I really kind of started to get into SPS corals and educating myself a lot more about them! I started collecting SPS corals, right around 2 0r 3 years ago.
To me there is nothing in this world more beautiful then a Reef tank that's filled with all different kinds of SPS corals, hint hint... next build thread :)
LPS and Soft Coral Pix
old 120 shot.jpeg


tnkshotjuly8th.jpg
 
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Lilmatty5dimes

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@Lilmatty5dimes - Many thanks, my Skimz Monzter Series 163 pump kept breaking down and I was not happy how you were able to tune the skimmer in with some cheap dial vs my Reef Octo REGAL 150 INTL THAT has a Gate Valve to control the VarioS~~ What a difference, it's like comparing apples to oranges.. Plus, the Skimz does not have a float switch that's build into the lid of the skimmer as you may know! Do you have the 150 or the 200 regal?

sm163-1-800.jpg


Reef Octo Regal 150 intl Skimmer .jpg


Regal INTL #6.JPG

I don't have either one. I wish I could have bought a a regal 220sss I found for a great price but it was over my budget. I ended up buying a rlss r8i skimmer new and the. Found a local Reefer selling a reef octopus sro 3000 for dirty cheap so I ended up buying that was well.
 
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FLSharkvictim

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I don't have either one. I wish I could have bought a a regal 220sss I found for a great price but it was over my budget. I ended up buying a rlss r8i skimmer new and the. Found a local Reefer selling a reef octopus sro 3000 for dirty cheap so I ended up buying that was well.
--------------------
You can't go wrong with the Reef Octo REGAL, it's one of the nicest skimmers out there on the market! I really wanted the REGAL 200 INTL since I am getting ready to buy a Synergy SS-44'' sump w/ out a refuge.. At the time, BRS was out of stock and only had the 150's which is still rated for tanks up to 200 gallons so I grabbed a 150 intl. I was going to go with the REGAL Space save but there are way to much money and the pumps are harder to get to and clean. I would much rather have my VarioS pump on the out side of my skimmer vs having on the inside. I LOVE these VarioS DC line of pumps so much i went out and bought a VarioS-4 to install on my mixing station that i am will talk about more in my new Rimless - SCA 150 thread. Another plus about these pumps is that w/ control through the VarioS Controller, you can control the flow of the pump, enter feed modes (15 or 60 minutes), add a safety float switch (included), or simply connect it to a third party controller. Also, thinking about get another one for my main return pump, the VarioS-8 and have my EcoTech Marine Vectra M-1 run my manifold!


SaltWater mixing pump - VarioS4.JPG


Reef Octo VarioS2 &4.JPG
 
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FLSharkvictim

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I was very lucky to be able to buy 1 out of only 11 Ultra Blue T Maxima Clams that were imported in from Tahiti @ REEF-A-POLZZA in 2017. It's probably my favorite pcs i have in my display currently! As we all know that there are five species of Tridacna clams kept in the home aquarium. The largest, the T Gigas, is not commonly imported anymore. The remaining four (T Derasa, T Squamosa, T Crocea and T Maxima) are all readily available in a wide variety of colors. The Derasa is identified by its smooth shell and customary tiger striping. The T Squamosa, also known as the fluted clam, can be identified by its large fluted scales on its shell. The mantle is normally brown with spots or wavy lines, but occasionally pure blue Squamosa clams are available and highly sought after. The Crocea or rock boring clam is the smallest of the five clams of the Tridacna family and they are also the slowest growing. The shell typically only shows fine wavy ridges and the mantle color varies widely with blues, greens, purples and gold. The T Maxima is a medium size clam with medium fluting on the shell. This species comes in a wide variety of vivid colors including black, golds, blues, greens and browns

My baby T.Max Ultra Blue Clam @ 2 yrs old
DSC01162.JPG


DSC01148.JPG


DSC01119.JPG


DSC01047.JPG
 
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A worm with high fashion and practical utility: Have you ever kept feather dusters in your reef aquarium?

  • I currently have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 76 37.6%
  • Not currently, but I have had feather dusters in my tank in the past.

    Votes: 69 34.2%
  • I have not had feather dusters, but I hope to in the future.

    Votes: 26 12.9%
  • I have no plans to have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 29 14.4%
  • Other.

    Votes: 2 1.0%
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