Mako's Reef 2.0

Salty.Reefer · Jan 25, 2018

Tank Description: 55x26x18 110 gallon starphire LeeMar

Lets just start out by saying I AM STOKED! I have thought about upgrading from my current 50 gallon but never really put much effort into it.
When my friend went on vacation I would with his reef tank and we would exchange lots of coral. Recently he asked me if I wanted the tank and everything in it. How could I say no?!
The tank at his house when it looked the best.

On moving day. We both agreed that the Gig belonged at our favorite store. Amazing Aquariums and Reefs. I knew that I could not set up the reef right away. It was too beautiful to risk. Sitting at around 18in across it the largest I have seen in a private aquarium.

My brother and the owner of the tank.

This was 20 days ago. I have been busy with school and work so this thread and the tank are not as far along as I would like but the tank is up and running. I will give a little tease of whats to come.

Brew12 · Jan 25, 2018

You forgot the sand!

Salty.Reefer · Jan 25, 2018

Brew12 said:
You forgot the sand!

YES! I have. I have a good amount of sand in my current 50g and like 2.5 gallons from the tank. I have left the sand moved from the tank in an unheated bucket for the 20 days. It stinks so bad. I am debating about making a quick thread about weighing the cons of washing that sand and putting it in the tank.
What is you opinion? Should I wash that sand or just bit the bullet and buy new sand?

Brew12 · Jan 25, 2018

Salty.Reefer said:
YES! I have. I have a good amount of sand in my current 50g and like 2.5 gallons from the tank. I have left the sand moved from the tank in an unheated bucket for the 20 days. It stinks so bad. I am debating about making a quick thread about weighing the cons of washing that sand and putting it in the tank.
What is you opinion? Should I wash that sand or just bit the bullet and buy new sand?

Either way, you will end up washing sand. The questions is really more of how well you can clean the old sand. If the old sand has a rotten egg smell or lots of black gunk, I would toss it. If it smells like the beach, cleaning it would be fine. The last 2 times I've bought sand it was so dusty it took forever to get clean.

Salty.Reefer · Jan 25, 2018

Brew12 said:
Either way, you will end up washing sand. The questions is really more of how well you can clean the old sand. If the old sand has a rotten egg smell or lots of black gunk, I would toss it. If it smells like the beach, cleaning it would be fine. The last 2 times I've bought sand it was so dusty it took forever to get clean.

I haven't seen any black but it does have a rotten egg smell. I really wanted this process to be as cheap as possible but I also got myself Radion G4 pros...;Nailbiting;Nailbiting. I too am worried about the time it would take to clean dry sand. Would live sand provide any benefit?

Brew12 · Jan 25, 2018

Salty.Reefer said:
I haven't seen any black but it does have a rotten egg smell. I really wanted this process to be as cheap as possible but I also got myself Radion G4 pros...;Nailbiting;Nailbiting. I too am worried about the time it would take to clean dry sand. Would live sand provide any benefit?

Not really, I find it over rated. It also has a lot of dust in it and should be washed.

If you aren't in a hurry you should be able to clean the sand and make it good again. If it is in a bucket take a hose and let the hose nozzle dig its own path to the bottom and let the bucket overflow for awhile. Just keep doing that on a regular basis until the smell goes away and crud stops floating out. Its worked for me in the past and much easier than using a strainer unless you have a large, fine, wire mesh one.

Salty.Reefer · Jan 25, 2018

Brew12 said:
Not really, I find it over rated. It also has a lot of dust in it and should be washed.

If you aren't in a hurry you should be able to clean the sand and make it good again. If it is in a bucket take a hose and let the hose nozzle dig its own path to the bottom and let the bucket overflow for awhile. Just keep doing that on a regular basis until the smell goes away and crud stops floating out. Its worked for me in the past and much easier than using a strainer unless you have a large, fine, wire mesh one.

Thanks! I think I have seen a large fine mesh strainer at smart and final which could help. Now that I think about it I don't think I have enough sand so I may just order some fresh stuff soon.

Salty.Reefer · Jan 27, 2018

First attempt at Aquascaping. Still don’t know where to put the large Monti. What do you guys think?

Salty.Reefer · Apr 14, 2018

Wow I guess I have been forgetting to update this thread. With most new tanks and restarts it has been going through an ugly phase but I feel I’m on the tail end. Been focusing on stable chemistry.
Added sand a while ago. Tropic eden mini flakes.

Then I got cyano and used chemiclean. It worked awesome!

I now have some thin brown algae but it isn’t really concerning me yet. Lol yet.

Salty.Reefer · Apr 21, 2018

Hey guys. Just a little update fts. Nothing special yet but I can tell this tank is going to be killer.

Salty.Reefer · May 8, 2018

Been busy with my masters program but still finding time to enjoy the tank.
I went to the Souther California Coral Farmers Market last weekend. It was fun and packed!

Lobo from a friend that’s all healed now.

And what I got from the show.

Brew12 · May 8, 2018

Everything is looking great!

Salty.Reefer · May 8, 2018

Brew12 said:
Everything is looking great!

Thanks! Now I just need to get rid of all these frags. Eventually I want to remove the huge sock section from the sump and make a mini frag tank. I think it will be 10-12 x 20 inches

Salty.Reefer · May 13, 2018

Finally got a good (maybe decent at best lol) picture of my favorite piece I got from the coral farmers market.

A large chunk of micromusa for only $45!

sergio706 · May 17, 2018

Awesome lighting

Salty.Reefer · May 17, 2018

sergio706 said:
Awesome lighting

Thanks! A ton of people suggested I get 3 and put them perpendicular to the tank. I’m super happy I only got 2.

Salty.Reefer · May 17, 2018

Salty.Reefer · Jun 17, 2018

Phew! It’s finally summer for me. I can manage work but work and school at the same time can be draining.
It’s awesome to have some tank time now.
I got my apex DOS installed. And have been balancing it the dosing.
Right now it’s stable at Ca: 410 Alk:8
I want to shoot for 425 and 9 but all within good time.
Summer plans include
finishing the doors
Finishing the control center/wire management
Killing the GHA
And possibly modifying the sump to remove the sock section and replace it with a frag section. I am so over having frags in hot main display.
I also finished this year top 3 of my class so I got a pretty good stipen. I want to treat myself so I’m debating about getting a pax bellum Algea reactor.

Anyways photo update time. Most the the tank pics I took under water with my iPhone.