My 300 gal mixed reef

[barnfrog]

Hi All,

I've been here a while now but never had the time to take any pix, vids or document my build from the start.

A little about me: I own a web development business which I started in 1999. I also work at Dell as a UI manager for the network security division. Lastly, I partner in a coral and fish whole sale company here in northern CA (Sorry we only sell to fish stores and other wholesalers).

I'm trying out a new lens on my canon so I decided to take a couple of pix and a vid. So, here is the start of my build thread. Since the tank has been up for a few years, I'll go back in document everything.

But for now, here is a front shot (only shows about 50% of the tank:

Here's a couple of full tank shots (new coral since these pix):

Here's the original setup vid:
[video=youtube;GJIXlzC3keo]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJIXlzC3keo[/video]

Here's the updated vid (again, it only shows 50% of the front):
[video=youtube;4SNZsSVoWHc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SNZsSVoWHc[/video]

Here's my original tank plumbing setup (It's changed over the last 2 years):

And just for giggles, here's my 100 pound tortoise eating his nom nom:
[video=youtube;v9DbSciuDj8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9DbSciuDj8[/video]

I'll be doing individual posts on the actual filtration units (I built and/or customized everything). I'll then get into the lighting, in tank water flow (6 vortech mp40s), and livestock.

I'll probably been doing separate threads on my zoa nano and sea horse tank.

Feel free to send feedback and/or questions.

:bigsmile:

 

[revhtree]

Wow great reef! Love it and we need more pics!

 

[EW_Fish]

Would like to see the guts of the system and some close up!!!

 

[joshporksandwich]

Looks awesome! Thanks for posting

 

[Kostaskappa]

Very nice setup and a great reef! Give us some details of your equipment my friend! What type of lights do you use? I love your fishes!

 

[barnfrog]

I've had a few request for tank and equipment details so here it is. I'll be adding more detail and pictures shortly.

The Tank & Sump
72" x 30" x 30"
Sump is custom made to fit the braces of the cabinet. Details:
2 removable baffles to control bubbles
large refugium in the center
float valve fed by the kalk reator for top off

Lighting

Main Tank
2x 250W Metal Halide 20,000k
3x Kessil a350w (supplemental mid ranged lights for the center and the outer edges)
3x Kessil a360w - set to actinic during the day hours, also used for sunrise and sunset ramps on an APEX controller
4x moon light LEDs controlled by an APEX controller

Sump
1x Kessil a350w - main fuge light
2x moonlight LEDs controlled by an APEX controller
1x Kessil a150 Amazon sun - lights up my custom made chaeto box

Water Flow
2x 1" Tunze Sea Swirls - returns from the sump
1x 3/4" bleed line - just in case of the sea swirls getting too much flow
2x Vortech mp40 - positioned length wise and set to anti-sync. Various settings during the day using ecosmartlive and a reef link
2x Vortech mp40 - positioned depth wise and set to sync. Various settings during the day using ecosmartlive and a reef link
2x Vortech mp40 - (installing this week) positioned in the to major caves in the tank. This will bring flow form the back of the tank and help with nutrient export. Various settings during the day using ecosmartlive and a reef link
2x 3/4" outlets set from a scwd wavemaker - This is a closed loop system on an iwaki pump

Skimmer
Reef Dynamics INS300 - main air line is feed through a customized media reactor that holds soda lime. This acts as a co2 scrubber which helps to maintain pH in the tank
Customized Sedra pump for re-circulation - Like the main air line, this air light also has a customized co2 scrubber

Reactors
24" Precision marine carbon reactor
Customized Two Little Fishes phosban reactor
Reef Dynamics bio pellet reactor rated for 300 gallons
Korallin calcium reactor rated for 300 gallons
Custom made kalk gravity fed from fresh water reservoir
Koralin sulfur based nitrate reactor
UV sterilizer (not a reactor but housed with them)

Controller
Neptune Apex with an 8 socket power strip, ph, temp
2x modules for LED moon simulation
module for ORP and (sump) temp
Kessil LED control module
Neptune auto feeder (probably going to get another one so I can feed both sides of the tank)

 

[jkirk]

Very impressive.

 

[jason g]

Very nice looking mixed reef. Look at all those bright colors. Great job!

 

[dragonfish]

amazing !

 

[barnfrog]

Some updated pix of my 300 forgot to turn off the pumps so there are micro bubbles

 

[barnfrog]

 

[Daniel@R2R]

@barnfrog, how is your reef? This thing is beautiful! Any updates?