Irish reef

[Diggler]

FTS 24/11/2019

 

[vetteguy53081]

Welcome to the R2R community!!!
Tank off to a great start!

 

[Jon Fishman]

Welcome! Awesome rimless!

 

[Diggler]

Hi guys,
I've just set up another tank and will try my best to keep this thread updated to show progression and to document the trials and tribulations that are bound to come my way.

This is my previous tank tank that I have just shut down last month

Tank was stripped down as I fancied a change and too allow for some house decorating.

So I picked up a nice EA Pro Reef 1500 from a local reefer
So, once I picked it up and placed it into the living room we soon found out the cabinet isn't a nice charcoal colour that was originally thought

but a brown that the wife most definitely did not approve off

So, a trip to B&Q produced some vinyl wrapping to suit the wife's taste. Doors were removed and the complete cabinet was wrapped in about 60 mins.

Cabinet door a dirty brown color:

After wrapping:

I think it turned out well and everyone is happy

The tank its final clean before pipework and plumbing installation. Sump was removed and given a good hose down.

Then it came to pipework and when checking to make sure all items are present and correct I discovered a seal for the return pipework is missing

I need 2 of the white seals:

 

[Diggler]

So plumbing was re-assembled the way the previous owner had it, I didn't like it as it would be far too noisy with the main drain sitting above the water line in the sump. Plus it extended way too far into the sump. This would limit the possibilities of equipment in the first section.

So, pipework was dismantled and seals cut using a Dremel. I expected to have to buy some new lengths of pipe but luckily enough I was able to make do with what I had. So pipework now looks like so :

I saw a nice and neat filter floss trap on FB that I want to create and use instead of using a roller filter or filter sock. the box looks like this:

So the down pipes should sit in the first chamber, water will flow up over the partition into the second chamber and out the bottom. In this section I will add on some egg crate to set filter floss on so as to trap any ditritius and polish the water.

I put the acrylic pieces together to make the filter floss trap. I have to say I'm pretty impressed with it. Here's a few pics:

In place

And in action it works a treat

 

[Diggler]

20kg of sand rinsed and placed into tank

Had a go at doing the rockscape. The idea was to keep it low with plenty of ledges for placing corals. Here's what I came up with:

and a trial fit into the tank to see how it looked in place.

 

[Diggler]

Most of the rock used has been cycling in a drum for a few weeks and when tested showed zero Ammonia and Nitrite and huge Nitrates. I'm guessing thats its cycled? I've never actually done a cycle before so this is all new to me. If anyone has any thoughts on this please let me know.

A good friend picked me up 500 liters in his pick up. Its definitely handy having a truck

And the fill got under way

and after bringing it up to temp so some slight salinity adjustments its up and running.
The sump:

I will let this tank run for 2 or 3 weeks with no lights and to let it finish cycling.

I currently have a lot of fish in a holding tank in my garage, these will all be given the 3 week Avaclor treatment before gradually adding them into the new set-up.

That's where I am as of now. Thanks for reading
-Tony

 

[Diggler]

Welcome to the R2R community!!!
Tank off to a great start!

Thanks mate. Im looking forward to seeing how it progresses

Welcome! Awesome rimless!

Thanks Jon, Yeah the rimless tanks are really nice. I've wanted one for a while now. They are really clean and tidy looking

 

[tstar]

That's a great setup and I have tank envy!!! I like your DIY filter floss holder and the minimalist rockscape. How many pounds of rock do you have for the 140ish gallon system?

Is your return line a garden hose? What is your turn over rate??

Tim

 

[Diggler]

That's a great setup and I have tank envy!!! I like your DIY filter floss holder and the minimalist rockscape. How many pounds of rock do you have for the 140ish gallon system?

Is your return line a garden hose? What is your turn over rate??

Tim

Hi Tim,
To be honest I'm not sure how much rock I have used, at a guess I would say maybe 40kgs.

The green return line is just standard Ehiem hose bought from the lfs. I did use the garden hose tho for the tank fill.

I'm not sure what the turn over rate is either. When its set up I will have 2 MP40 QDs ( and progressing to a 3rd unit when filled out) running about 80% and my return pump is 12,000 lph so that should give me plenty of flow.

Do you see an issue with any of the above or would you recommend changes?

 

[tstar]

Oh I'm learning my friend... I wouldn't dare suggest or recommend anything at this stage in my hobby career! lol

Tim

 

[Diggler]

Oh I'm learning my friend... I wouldn't dare suggest or recommend anything at this stage in my hobby career! lol

Tim

We are all learning mate, I would be highly doubtful of anyone if they proclaimed to be an expert.
Those reefers that I would deem experts certainly would not agree with me in my labeling of them.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hi Tim,
To be honest I'm not sure how much rock I have used, at a guess I would say maybe 40kgs.

The green return line is just standard Ehiem hose bought from the lfs. I did use the garden hose tho for the tank fill.

I'm not sure what the turn over rate is either. When its set up I will have 2 MP40 QDs ( and progressing to a 3rd unit when filled out) running about 80% and my return pump is 12,000 lph so that should give me plenty of flow.

Do you see an issue with any of the above or would you recommend changes?

Garden hose has been known to secure mold and bacteria. I would consider clear hose for this purpose

 

[Diggler]

You think I should change over the green Ehim pipe on my return? Its purposely built for this application?

Any links to the clear hose you recommend?
Thanks
-Tony

 

[vetteguy53081]

You think I should change over the green Ehim pipe on my return? Its purposely built for this application?

Any links to the clear hose you recommend?
Thanks
-Tony

That would work