My 165 Gallon Mixed-Reef Build Thread

Rich Klein

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 12, 2017
Messages
386
Reaction score
499
Location
San Jose
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Greetings fellow members. I have put-off posting my build thread by a bit (by almost 3 years). I started my tank in December of 2016 as a way to take my mind off of being diagnosed with Prostate Cancer (and not the good kind, if there is any such thing), and to help get me through the following 2+ years of treatment. I am happy to say that both the tank and me have made it through the "Uglies" and are doing quite well. Enough of the depressing stuff. - I will be completing this build thread over the next several days, so please bear with me ;-):

Equipment:

  • 165 gallons Display Tank (~6' x ~23" x ~23" converted from metric )
  • 50 gallon Sump with 4 chambers
  • 160 gallons of total water volume (including sump volume, rock etc.)
  • Custom designed acrylic refugium insert with AI Prime Fuge light (chaeto for nutrient export, pods and other critters)
  • 2 x Kessil AP700 LED display lights
  • Skimz Monzter SM201 Internal Protein Skimmer
  • Skimz Monzter CM 122 External Calcium Reactor - Kamoer FX-STP Peristaltic Pump and Carbon Doser Regulator
  • CO2 Scrubber
  • Apex Controller (extra PH Probes and Temp Probes, WAV, DOS (x4), AFF) -
  • Tunze Universal ATO
  • Tident Auto-tester
  • Bad-butt Saltwater Mixing Station (all ideas stolen from other members' posts - thanks!)

Stock:
Fish:

  • 02-15-17 (1) Hippo Tang
  • 02-27-17 (1) One Spot FoxFace
  • 01-30-17 (2) Black Ice Ocellaris Clownfish
  • 03-4-17 3 (2) Blue/Green Reef Chromis
  • 03-4-17 (1) Neon Dottyback
  • 02-1-19 (1) Flame Angel
  • 02-1-19 (1) Mandarine Goby
  • 04-1-19 (2) Algae Blennies
  • 09-15-19 (1) Purple Tang
Inverts:
  • 03-4-17 (1) Fire Shrimp
  • 03-4-17 (1) Cleaner Shrimp
  • ~(4) Peppermint Shrimp
  • ~ (30) Snails of several types
  • (20) Pincushion Urchin
  • (2) Abalone
  • ~ (20) Hermit Crabs
  • 9 Rose Bubble-tip Anemones (started with 1)
Corals: (will add / update soon)

Mixing Station Base - designed to lift the mixing tanks high enough to be able to slip buckets under the drain valves:
M%QsO1lzSuKee%P8MaG4mQ.jpg

Nu0XfJciSLKLX9QQ8Ay0Jg.jpg
mqaqrmjVSICGB%pgnRJFrw.jpg


Competed Mixing Station - stole all ideas from posted threads (thanks to all), but added a drain valve in the middle section in order to clear-out salt water and keep it from contaminating the RODI water:
qusSUWEwSqmx9kBae2GHGA.jpg
Dyt599v7S0GyhxxbYEE4pw.jpg


Display tank - finally won the battle with Dino, Hair Algae and other uglies. Today the rock work is mostly covered with coraline algae:
nW3TR7rUQ6KC+AoOUflfCg.jpg
fcLE+mYuQZG%dvBAQfY8SA.jpg
I60clCLEQmSx36OPnqncoA.jpg
qs5cryhOSEWI6Bi5ywKzQQ.jpg
HcHlA0F%T6iXEj6eN6ZkNQ.jpg
8+2QOvkWShuOjiy5lsu5ZQ.jpg
e216Q+6uS5id3PpwhtMZ4w.jpg

I call this the "Green Hairy Mushroom River". It stated with a piece of the Fat-Finger leather and a single mushroom. It's now a daily fight to keep the mushrooms from crossing the adjacent rockwork:
55lgqtoBR0qRkGQBHv4dhg.jpg
J%UwVDzTSo6U30rjesC8TA.jpg

The Custom Made refugium insert. AI Prime Fuge light, not visible in this pic really does the job of growing the Chaeto. Sized to maintain NO3 at ~ 5 and PO4 at ~ .08 when running for 16 hours per day.
a0PG7%H4TQWaJVQsTmT3cw.jpg
 
Last edited:

KJ

Lone Wolf
View Badges
Joined
Dec 14, 2011
Messages
22,318
Reaction score
113,203
Location
Tennessee
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Good job and nice looking tank ;)
 

C. Eymann

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 30, 2019
Messages
2,743
Reaction score
4,933
Location
Winter park FL.
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Very nice tank! love that green T. heronensis, those get wicked cool when they grow out!
 
OP
OP
Rich Klein

Rich Klein

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 12, 2017
Messages
386
Reaction score
499
Location
San Jose
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Nice set-up...Have you had to clean the mixing water storage containers? If so, how did you do it?
I use Red Sea salt, which does leave a residue :-(. I have washed the salt mix tank once with just water and a new cotton mop. That gets all of the loose stuff, but not the hardened residue. Salt water quality is always good, but the residue is a bit ugly. Next time I will acid wash it.
 

pbmahaffey

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 8, 2020
Messages
40
Reaction score
78
Location
Braselton
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I use Red Sea salt, which does leave a residue :-(. I have washed the salt mix tank once with just water and a new cotton mop. That gets all of the loose stuff, but not the hardened residue. Salt water quality is always good, but the residue is a bit ugly. Next time I will acid wash it.
I've been using Fritz Pro Reef Mix. Having to clean my brute containers monthly. Thinking about switching to Tropic Marin Pro Reef.
 
OP
OP
Rich Klein

Rich Klein

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 12, 2017
Messages
386
Reaction score
499
Location
San Jose
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I've been using Fritz Pro Reef Mix. Having to clean my brute containers monthly. Thinking about switching to Tropic Marin Pro Reef.
I was considering that as well, but my tank is thriving and super stable. Not going to make a change just due to residue.
 

Aquatic acrobat in your aquarium: Have you ever kept an eel?

  • I currently keep an eel in my tank.

    Votes: 26 14.3%
  • I have kept an eel in my tank in the past.

    Votes: 31 17.0%
  • I have not kept an eel in my tank, but I hope to in the future.

    Votes: 28 15.4%
  • I have no plans to keep an eel.

    Votes: 94 51.6%
  • Other.

    Votes: 3 1.6%
Back
Top