Hydrored's 300 Glass Cages Build

[Hydrored]

I ordered a 10' frag tank with Synergy over flows (one on each end) back in January. Every since then, I keep seeing these issues. I will be taking delivery next week some time. Guess I will "dry fit" it for testing or something before I glue it all. I dunno.

Well, I'm not sure about your tolerance for noise, for me it was unacceptable but for others, they will never care. I like a surging flow, I have run all my tanks that way and if somebody would make a wave box that doesn't vibrate to death and isn't ugly I would run one. With this overflow, I can not run anti sync reef crest or the overflow gets too noisy for me. I ended up settling with how I placed my pumps and settings along with a couple of adjustments so now I can't hear it at all.

The issue simply comes down to the box on the back of the tank being lower than the overflow in the tank itself. MM does not have this issue.

@Joe Glass Cages I know you've said others run these without issue, but I wonder how many of those folks are pushing 100+ times flow in their tanks. Synergy overflow may be fine for a mixed reef tank but useless when the water is raising and lowering due to the waterfall it creates. The videos they show of this overflow clearly show the flow is not surging at all or it will waterfall.

This is the only item I would change from my build with Glass Cages

 

[ScottB]

Well, I'm not sure about your tolerance for noise, for me it was unacceptable but for others, they will never care. I like a surging flow, I have run all my tanks that way and if somebody would make a wave box that doesn't vibrate to death and isn't ugly I would run one. With this overflow, I can not run anti sync reef crest or the overflow gets too noisy for me. I ended up settling with how I placed my pumps and settings along with a couple of adjustments so now I can't hear it at all.

The issue simply comes down to the box on the back of the tank being lower than the overflow in the tank itself. MM does not have this issue.

@Joe Glass Cages I know you've said others run these without issue, but I wonder how many of those folks are pushing 100+ times flow in their tanks. Synergy overflow may be fine for a mixed reef tank but useless when the water is raising and lowering due to the waterfall it creates. The videos they show of this overflow clearly show the flow is not surging at all or it will waterfall.

This is the only item I would change from my build with Glass Cages

All my systems are high energy too. I barely keep water in my frag tanks. Perhaps given my length, it will be OK. I will have Sea Sweeps running in the middle and MP60s on the ends.

 

[rtparty]

Well, I'm not sure about your tolerance for noise, for me it was unacceptable but for others, they will never care. I like a surging flow, I have run all my tanks that way and if somebody would make a wave box that doesn't vibrate to death and isn't ugly I would run one. With this overflow, I can not run anti sync reef crest or the overflow gets too noisy for me. I ended up settling with how I placed my pumps and settings along with a couple of adjustments so now I can't hear it at all.

The issue simply comes down to the box on the back of the tank being lower than the overflow in the tank itself. MM does not have this issue.

@Joe Glass Cages I know you've said others run these without issue, but I wonder how many of those folks are pushing 100+ times flow in their tanks. Synergy overflow may be fine for a mixed reef tank but useless when the water is raising and lowering due to the waterfall it creates. The videos they show of this overflow clearly show the flow is not surging at all or it will waterfall.

This is the only item I would change from my build with Glass Cages

Did you keep it at 1.5" all the way to the sump?

My tank must be as silent as possible. I pick equipment based on how quiet it is and was told the Synergy overflow was nearly silent after tuned.

After 5 hours, I gave up and could never get it to work. I am reducing the main siphon down to 1" PVC and leaving the other 2 as emergenices. Bean Animal is pointless in my experience. I much prefer the Herbie method personally.

I would 100% not go with this overflow again. I also overlooked a very important part of no Eurobrace on the back of the tank. Meaning fish can easily splash water out the back onto my wall and down into the electronic section. I am figuring out a way to combat this. Moving the electronics is not an option on this setup.

 

[Hydrored]

Did you keep it at 1.5" all the way to the sump?

My tank must be as silent as possible. I pick equipment based on how quiet it is and was told the Synergy overflow was nearly silent after tuned.

After 5 hours, I gave up and could never get it to work. I am reducing the main siphon down to 1" PVC and leaving the other 2 as emergenices. Bean Animal is pointless in my experience. I much prefer the Herbie method personally.

I would 100% not go with this overflow again. I also overlooked a very important part of no Eurobrace on the back of the tank. Meaning fish can easily splash water out the back onto my wall and down into the electronic section. I am figuring out a way to combat this. Moving the electronics is not an option on this setup.

1.5 all the way to the sump, I shortened the length the Drain pipe is under water. Herbie will work fine but just set the water height in the rear box higher to solve the waterfall and siphon issue.

I used D&D jump guards that I cut to fit using a chop saw, much cleaner install. I left the center cover longer so it actually goes an inch over the back glass where the euro brace is missing

 

[Hydrored]

I got 40 lbs of live rock today from KP Aquatics for for my frag tank and to add some more to my 300. I will be running my frag tank with ocean live rock only and filter socks to try something new. All of the live rock will go to the sump and not be in the tank, the sump has a bunch in it as well.

I did the overnight in water so not sure if I have to cycle it? How long before I should add fish? Been a long time since I started a new tank with all new live rock. All sort of things alive and well in the rock.

I also picked up an Orphek Icon compact and mount for the frag tank.

 

[rtparty]

A cycle likely won't be needed but still watch it.

Did you do a high salinity bath on all of it to get the nasties out?

 

[Hydrored]

A cycle likely won't be needed but still watch it.

Did you do a high salinity bath on all of it to get the nasties out?

Yeah, but still have a pistol shrimp and 2 small white crabs with freckles on them in the rock. Frag tank is at 1.033 as I was just planning to leave the rock there for awhile and do water changes with the main tank.

This frag tank has been up for a couple months with bio cubes from my main display but have the ato off and just ghost fed it.

 

[ScottB]

I got 40 lbs of live rock today from KP Aquatics for for my frag tank and to add some more to my 300. I will be running my frag tank with ocean live rock only and filter socks to try something new. All of the live rock will go to the sump and not be in the tank, the sump has a bunch in it as well.

I did the overnight in water so not sure if I have to cycle it? How long before I should add fish? Been a long time since I started a new tank with all new live rock. All sort of things alive and well in the rock.

I also picked up an Orphek Icon compact and mount for the frag tank.

Agreed there should be no cycle required with the live rock and ghost feeding. Never hurts to throw in some One and Only bottled bacteria if the fish load ramps fast.

 

[Hydrored]

While I can tell you my experience with Dr. Reef is off to a much better start, fish came way healthier and at 1.023 salinity.

I had to put the gem tang in my frag as my purple tang isn’t having it.

 

[NickHolmes]

While I can tell you my experience with Dr. Reef is off to a much better start, fish came way healthier and at 1.023 salinity.

I had to put the gem tang in my frag as my purple tang isn’t having it.

Beautiful fish!

 

[sdreef]

While I can tell you my experience with Dr. Reef is off to a much better start, fish came way healthier and at 1.023 salinity.

I had to put the gem tang in my frag as my purple tang isn’t having it.

What's your plan for the gem? Do you have other Zebrasoma tangs?

 

[Hydrored]

@sdreef

Any tricks to adding another tang to an established tank? The issue is most of my fish have been with me for years unchanged until today. I'd hate to have to leave this gem tang in one of my frag systems.

I just have the one Zebrasoma (purple)

 

[Eagle_Steve]

@sdreef

Any tricks to adding another tang to an established tank? The issue is my fish have been with me for years unchanged until today. I'd hate to have to leave this gem tang in one of my frag systems.

I just have the one Zebrasoma (purple)

Only way I was able to add a new zeb, was to place a large mirror taped to the tank. Once the purple was settled, my yellows and scopas could have cared less after a day or 2. I think it helps I feed 6-7 times a day and nori is always available in multiple spots.

 

[Hydrored]

Only way I was able to add a new zeb, was to place a large mirror taped to the tank. Once the purple was settled, my yellows and scopas could have cared less after a day or 2. I think it helps I feed 6-7 times a day and nori is always available in multiple spots.

I can give this whirl, the tank is already fed multiple time a day and nori is always available on each side of the tank. All of the fish could care less about the Naso, he’s cruising around already and made a friend.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

I can give this whirl, the tank is already fed multiple time a day and nori is always available on each side of the tank. All of the fish could care less about the Naso, he’s cruising around already and made a friend.

I put the mirror right smack in the middle of the tank. Just went to hobby lobby and bought a 12"x12" one with no frame and it was like 5 bucks lol.

I then put nori below it and on the sides. Purple would eat from the sides to begin with and yellows/scopas would flash the mirror and then eat below it lol.

I will note, if you have any male flasher wrasses, be prepared to watch them show off and do some cool things.

 

[sdreef]

@sdreef

Any tricks to adding another tang to an established tank? The issue is most of my fish have been with me for years unchanged until today. I'd hate to have to leave this gem tang in one of my frag systems.

I just have the one Zebrasoma (purple)

I agree with the points @Eagle_Steve makes regarding feeding and I do think aggression can lessen with time. A mirror is one strategy to buy time.

I use a large acclimation box to buy time, allow everyone to get familiar, and then consider releasing the fish once attention has died down. I'm currently using it for a large copperband to avoid him getting beat up by the purple tang as it turns out. Still no guarantee of success.

I think adding a third zebrasoma will increase your chances of success. I'm not sure the size of the gem and purple also, but that's another consideration. Perhaps adding two additional zebrasomas at the same time (the gem and one other).

Another strategy could be to remove the purple and let the gem settle before adding the purple back, but I would be concerned that with only the two fish from the genus they would end up fighting again.

 

[Hydrored]

I put the mirror right smack in the middle of the tank. Just went to hobby lobby and bought a 12"x12" one with no frame and it was like 5 bucks lol.

I then put nori below it and on the sides. Purple would eat from the sides to begin with and yellows/scopas would flash the mirror and then eat below it lol.

I will note, if you have any male flasher wrasses, be prepared to watch them show off and do some cool things.

I really only want to add fish for nutrients, I hate fish, least favorite part of this hobby. I have 12 fish in my 300 and can’t ever keep nitrates in the thing. Phosphates is a whole other point lol

 

[Eagle_Steve]

I agree with the points @Eagle_Steve makes regarding feeding and I do think aggression can lessen with time. A mirror is one strategy to buy time.

I use a large acclimation box to buy time, allow everyone to get familiar, and then consider releasing the fish once attention has died down. I'm currently using it for a large copperband to avoid him getting beat up by the purple tang as it turns out. Still no guarantee of success.

I think adding a third zebrasoma will increase your chances of success. I'm not sure the size of the gem and purple also, but that's another consideration. Perhaps adding two additional zebrasomas at the same time (the gem and one other).

Another strategy could be to remove the purple and let the gem settle before adding the purple back, but I would be concerned that with only the two fish from the genus they would end up fighting again.

Good point about a third. I forgot about that. one on one sucks. I had 3 yellows, scopas and a des when I added the purple. Des could care less about anything though and is about 12", so just does it's thing lol.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

I really only want to add fish for nutrients, I hate fish, least favorite part of this hobby. I have 12 fish in my 300 and can’t ever keep nitrates in the thing. Phosphates is a whole other point lol

Phosphates and nori go hand in hand. Feed a ton and it is there. I have recently been moving over to gracilliria, but have to get my macro tank back in line before I can go all grac. For whatever reason, it doesnt seem to spike po4 much when the fish poop it out. I assume that is cause it does not uptake as much when growing or I grow it using straight ammonia and not much PO4 can be consumed by it.

 

[Hydrored]

I agree with the points @Eagle_Steve makes regarding feeding and I do think aggression can lessen with time. A mirror is one strategy to buy time.

I use a large acclimation box to buy time, allow everyone to get familiar, and then consider releasing the fish once attention has died down. I'm currently using it for a large copperband to avoid him getting beat up by the purple tang as it turns out. Still no guarantee of success.

I think adding a third zebrasoma will increase your chances of success. I'm not sure the size of the gem and purple also, but that's another consideration. Perhaps adding two additional zebrasomas at the same time (the gem and one other).

Another strategy could be to remove the purple and let the gem settle before adding the purple back, but I would be concerned that with only the two fish from the genus they would end up fighting again.

What brand it the box?

I only have a large hang on that doesn’t work. I was thinking of using some Tunze magnets.

Either way I have time to try and figure it out as I have my main frag tank with a kole and now my smaller frag tank rolling along

The second that gem went it it was all out chaos