First and most importantly I should answer the simple question, what makes this tank unique from the thousands of others amazing write ups on reef2reef?
The color wheel. I plan to make my tank into a visual color wheel. The tank will be a mixed reef acro heavy tank generally separated into two areas; the sand and bottom third of the rock, and the top two thirds of the rock. These two categories will represent their own color wheels complimenting one another. To simplify the description I have made a graphic to represent my vision.
Why? It’s a fun idea to me, in theory the corals will compliment one another in color through the transition from bottom to top. Additionally, and most importantly, it makes shopping for corals more interesting to me. I’m new to the hobby and already worn out of looking at “Insert Coral Distributor” – “Insert crazy name” (Essentially, Mike’s Galactic Universe Smasher 5000). I look forward to the idea of developing a tank in such a way that I have fun targets for me. I can make places for corals I love, however as the tank develops and matures, the targeting and thrill can switch to trying to find just the right yellow SPS, or blue LPS.
On paper this is a clear and simple approach, in practice it will not be so clean and simple. Many corals are desirable BECAUSE they contain a mix or various colors, at minimum most SPS and LPS contain predominantly two different colors. I will have to judge and exercise my own discretion on where I feel like such corals fit and go best. The best part about it all? Well it’s my tank, so if I like how it looks I’m winning, however I do think it will be fun if the tank goes at all to plan getting advice from the community on continuing to stock and fill the tank with exciting and unique corals.
So now, a little bit about my journey into the hobby and the nuts and bolts of the build:
If you asked me a year ago about reef tanks, I would have said cool things with reefs, don’t know much about them and they have fish. Thanks to a good friend peeking my interest I have generally dived off the deep end like most all of us here. Due to good timing and him switching from his current 90 gallon to a larger 160 I was able to acquire the 90 gallon at a great friend discount. From there I did what any good friend does, as I researched and continued to develop my reefing knowledge through videos, helping with his tank and this forum, I sent him the message to let him know the corals I bought on that live sale are arriving at his house in two days (live sales are an Achilles heel after 6 beers).
Enough about me, onto what really matters on here, the tank and gear. I inherited a great setup but wanted to make it my own through some adjustments. The full set-up of gear is listed under, I would say it’s around 50/50 as to what came with the tank and what has been purchased by me, I’ve added (e) for existing and (p) for purchased.
Tank (e): Red Sea Reefer 450 – 90 Gallon Tank
Sump (e): It’s got one, lets call it 20 Gallons or so
Mechanical Filtration (p): Theiling Compact Roller Mat (replacing filter socks)
Skimmer (e): Vertex Omega 180
Return Pump (e): Jebao DC pump (hardly used)
UV Sterilizer (e): It’s got one (Too lazy to check the brand at this moment)
Lights (e): Geisemann Hybrid LED/T5
Power heads (p): Red Sea 45 Gyres (excited to test these guys out)
Heater (p): Finnex with Ink bird Controller
Sand (p): Caribsea Special Grade Dry Sand
Rock (p): Real Reef- Mix of Sizes, Shelving and Branching Rock
Additional Filtration (p): Marine Pure Spheres
Controller (p): Neptune Apex
Testing (p): Neptune Trident (ordered additional test kits for everything as well)
Dosing (p): Neptune DOS pumps, dosing Triton Other Methods
Auto Top off (p): Neptune ATK
I look forward to going on this journey and all the feedback the forum members with far more experience will surely have for me. So where are we now, and more importantly where are the pictures?
Tank loaded up and ready to be moved to be set up, did I forget my ratchet straps and use an extension cord to secure it? Yes.... yes I did. Tank was never fully cleaned after being broken down so its fairly nasty.
First thing up, After sitting for so long it got a good hose down and then a solid 10% vinegar bath. We let this run through it for around 24 hours or so, it did a fairly amazing job of really clearing up the tank of SO much of the gun throughout everything. After running the bath the tank was emptied and broken back down. Everything was rinsed off but shouldn't be the end of the world if a little vinegar is left in the system.
We were both pretty impressed with how clean the tank came out after just a hosing down, vinegar bath and the liberal scrubbing with Mr. Clean magic erasers (recommended on the forum here) did an amazing job. After letting everything dry out for a while we moved the tank into its new place of pride in the living area.
This won't be a 100% permanent location and down the road I will have the joys of a tank move, so the choice was made to not cut out the carpet. The tank is sitting on a very large and thick black rubber mat I had an extra laying around of (tractor supply horse mat, I have bought them for building an at home gym platform and placing throughout the garage workout area).
Outside of that, all the prior mentioned purchased equipment is en-route shipping and will be arriving of the course of the next week or so. Hopefully the color wheel idea and this tank build is something that peaks peoples interest, and we can enjoy the journey together (or you guys can enjoy my misery).
-Jordan
The color wheel. I plan to make my tank into a visual color wheel. The tank will be a mixed reef acro heavy tank generally separated into two areas; the sand and bottom third of the rock, and the top two thirds of the rock. These two categories will represent their own color wheels complimenting one another. To simplify the description I have made a graphic to represent my vision.
Why? It’s a fun idea to me, in theory the corals will compliment one another in color through the transition from bottom to top. Additionally, and most importantly, it makes shopping for corals more interesting to me. I’m new to the hobby and already worn out of looking at “Insert Coral Distributor” – “Insert crazy name” (Essentially, Mike’s Galactic Universe Smasher 5000). I look forward to the idea of developing a tank in such a way that I have fun targets for me. I can make places for corals I love, however as the tank develops and matures, the targeting and thrill can switch to trying to find just the right yellow SPS, or blue LPS.
On paper this is a clear and simple approach, in practice it will not be so clean and simple. Many corals are desirable BECAUSE they contain a mix or various colors, at minimum most SPS and LPS contain predominantly two different colors. I will have to judge and exercise my own discretion on where I feel like such corals fit and go best. The best part about it all? Well it’s my tank, so if I like how it looks I’m winning, however I do think it will be fun if the tank goes at all to plan getting advice from the community on continuing to stock and fill the tank with exciting and unique corals.
So now, a little bit about my journey into the hobby and the nuts and bolts of the build:
If you asked me a year ago about reef tanks, I would have said cool things with reefs, don’t know much about them and they have fish. Thanks to a good friend peeking my interest I have generally dived off the deep end like most all of us here. Due to good timing and him switching from his current 90 gallon to a larger 160 I was able to acquire the 90 gallon at a great friend discount. From there I did what any good friend does, as I researched and continued to develop my reefing knowledge through videos, helping with his tank and this forum, I sent him the message to let him know the corals I bought on that live sale are arriving at his house in two days (live sales are an Achilles heel after 6 beers).
Enough about me, onto what really matters on here, the tank and gear. I inherited a great setup but wanted to make it my own through some adjustments. The full set-up of gear is listed under, I would say it’s around 50/50 as to what came with the tank and what has been purchased by me, I’ve added (e) for existing and (p) for purchased.
Tank (e): Red Sea Reefer 450 – 90 Gallon Tank
Sump (e): It’s got one, lets call it 20 Gallons or so
Mechanical Filtration (p): Theiling Compact Roller Mat (replacing filter socks)
Skimmer (e): Vertex Omega 180
Return Pump (e): Jebao DC pump (hardly used)
UV Sterilizer (e): It’s got one (Too lazy to check the brand at this moment)
Lights (e): Geisemann Hybrid LED/T5
Power heads (p): Red Sea 45 Gyres (excited to test these guys out)
Heater (p): Finnex with Ink bird Controller
Sand (p): Caribsea Special Grade Dry Sand
Rock (p): Real Reef- Mix of Sizes, Shelving and Branching Rock
Additional Filtration (p): Marine Pure Spheres
Controller (p): Neptune Apex
Testing (p): Neptune Trident (ordered additional test kits for everything as well)
Dosing (p): Neptune DOS pumps, dosing Triton Other Methods
Auto Top off (p): Neptune ATK
I look forward to going on this journey and all the feedback the forum members with far more experience will surely have for me. So where are we now, and more importantly where are the pictures?
Tank loaded up and ready to be moved to be set up, did I forget my ratchet straps and use an extension cord to secure it? Yes.... yes I did. Tank was never fully cleaned after being broken down so its fairly nasty.
First thing up, After sitting for so long it got a good hose down and then a solid 10% vinegar bath. We let this run through it for around 24 hours or so, it did a fairly amazing job of really clearing up the tank of SO much of the gun throughout everything. After running the bath the tank was emptied and broken back down. Everything was rinsed off but shouldn't be the end of the world if a little vinegar is left in the system.
We were both pretty impressed with how clean the tank came out after just a hosing down, vinegar bath and the liberal scrubbing with Mr. Clean magic erasers (recommended on the forum here) did an amazing job. After letting everything dry out for a while we moved the tank into its new place of pride in the living area.
This won't be a 100% permanent location and down the road I will have the joys of a tank move, so the choice was made to not cut out the carpet. The tank is sitting on a very large and thick black rubber mat I had an extra laying around of (tractor supply horse mat, I have bought them for building an at home gym platform and placing throughout the garage workout area).
Outside of that, all the prior mentioned purchased equipment is en-route shipping and will be arriving of the course of the next week or so. Hopefully the color wheel idea and this tank build is something that peaks peoples interest, and we can enjoy the journey together (or you guys can enjoy my misery).
-Jordan