My New 120-gallon Reef

[Dana Riddle]

I've been missing in action for a few days - busy, and very busy with continuing work on my new 120-gallon reef.
Here are some photos - I'll post details tomorrow.

 

[count krunk]

i'm sure this is part of the details. But you know what we all want to know.

What light did you choose???

 

[dantimdad]

He may not want to say until he contacts a few sponsors. LOL!

 

[hotashes]

This gonna be interesting, shed some light Dana ;)

A.

 

[Dana Riddle]

i'm sure this is part of the details. But you know what we all want to know.

What light did you choose???

No problem - Orphek and Noopsyche LEDs. Still tweaking the lighting though. The sump uses an old BuildMyLED I had on hand. In the last few days I've added a few hardy corals that have beautiful fluorescent colors so I need to adjust the lighting to showcase these.

 

[dantimdad]

No problem - Orphek and Noopsyche LEDs. Still tweaking the lighting though. The sump uses an old BuildMyLED I had on hand. In the last few days I've added a few hardy corals that have beautiful fluorescent colors so I need to adjust the lighting to showcase these.

Awesome! Thanks Dana!

 

[hart24601]

Can't wait to see this progress!

 

[Ruben's Reef]

Great !!! Following>>>

 

[Royal_T]

Are you running this as a durso?
I never considered lowering the pipe like that and not going full siphon because of the overflow noise of water splashing down. Does the water stay that low and the hole on the top is for emergency and to break siphon?

 

[Dana Riddle]

Are you running this as a durso?
I never considered lowering the pipe like that and not going full siphon because of the overflow noise of water splashing down. Does the water stay that low and the hole on the top is for emergency and to break siphon?

This tank has two overflows handling water pushed by a Danner Mag Drive 12, but is surprisingly quiet. Water moving through the sump makes more noise. Yes, the water stays that low. Very happy with this set up.

 

[Daniel@R2R]

Following!!

 

[Dana Riddle]

Some comments about the above photos. First, the sump. Water enters and first flows through two filter socks, then to a reservoir housing the protein skimmer. From there, there is a weir plate and the flow falls first through a Chaeto bed, then a nylon bag with GAC and finally a foam filter to prevent migration of algae, carbon, or anything else into the pump chamber. Lighting is on at night, opposite the display tank photoperiod. There, two Danner Mag Drive 12 pumps are alternated by timers and propels water through eductors (flow accelerators.) Flow reversal does a good job of stirring up any detritus in the tank.
The 120-gallon tank houses 50 pounds of Florida live rock. It was cured for 5 months in a 100-gallon Rubbermaid tub. This was done in darkness until the ammonia and nitrite fell to zero. Once cycled, an old BuildMyLED lighted the tub. Amazingly, stony corals survived in almost total darkness for the month. The long cure time allowed the rock to be examined for any undesirables, such as Valonia algae and Aiptasia anemones. Partial water changes were performed during this time. 50 pounds of dead rock was cured in a similar manner (water was spiked with ammonia to kick cycling off.)

 

[Dana Riddle]

This tank has two overflows handling water pushed by a Danner Mag Drive 12, but is surprisingly quiet. Water moving through the sump makes more noise. Yes, the water stays that low. Very happy with this set up.

One other thing, the 90 degree fitting on the Durso is just a few inches off the bottom. Flow rushing in (a drop of about 18 inches) keeps the bottom from becoming a detritus trap. I cut some plexi covers to the top of the overflows. This cuts down on what little noise there is and reduces evaporation.

 

[Dana Riddle]

Forgot to mention, the force mains from the pumps to the eductors has an air break to prevent siphoning when the pumps shut down. This is simply a small hole drilled in each pipe with a small fitting glued into it. A regular piece of aquarium tubing directs water into the overflow when the pump is running.

Some comments about the above photos. First, the sump. Water enters and first flows through two filter socks, then to a reservoir housing the protein skimmer. From there, there is a weir plate and the flow falls first through a Chaeto bed, then a nylon bag with GAC and finally a foam filter to prevent migration of algae, carbon, or anything else into the pump chamber. Lighting is on at night, opposite the display tank photoperiod. There, two Danner Mag Drive 12 pumps are alternated by timers and propels water through eductors (flow accelerators.) Flow reversal does a good job of stirring up any detritus in the tank.
The 120-gallon tank houses 50 pounds of Florida live rock. It was cured for 5 months in a 100-gallon Rubbermaid tub. This was done in darkness until the ammonia and nitrite fell to zero. Once cycled, an old BuildMyLED lighted the tub. Amazingly, stony corals survived in almost total darkness for the month. The long cure time allowed the rock to be examined for any undesirables, such as Valonia algae and Aiptasia anemones. Partial water changes were performed during this time. 50 pounds of dead rock was cured in a similar manner (water was spiked with ammonia to kick cycling off.)

-

 

[Dana Riddle]

After the live rock was cured, I bought some Carib Sea live sand. Naturally, the sand and rock were added first. This established the bacterial population. Next came a mix of limpets (to eat diatoms), conchs (to keep the sand bed stirred and relatively clean) and Turbo/Astraea/Trochus snails. These, in addition to the Reverse Daylight Photosynthesis by the Chaeto in the sump and thus far prevented any nuisance algal outbreaks. Next came fishes: 2- Yellow Tangs, 2-Pyramid Butterflies, 1 - Lamarck's Angel, and 2- Ocellaris clowns. Theese fishes are heavily fed at least several times daily with flake and pellet dry foods, frozen mysis, 'meaty' and algal based frozen foods. The tangs are also offered nori and a brown algae grown in a separate tank. Here are some fish photos.

 

[Dana Riddle]

With the tank populated with fishes, and nutrients under control (NO3-N = 1.1 ppm and Phosphorus as P = 0.02) it was time to add corals. Here are few shots.

 

[Dana Riddle]

More corals.

 

[Dana Riddle]

PPFD (PAR) is about 175 on all corals except for a Blastomussa (not shown) at the top of the tank.
Supplemental flow to the Mag 12's/eductors is a Tunze 6020 that runs continuously.

 

[Tuan’s Reef]

I’m curious about the noopsyche led you chosen for this build since you already have the orphek and you can increase intensity. Shimmer?

Love the look of your new tank!

 

[Dana Riddle]

I’m curious about the noopsyche led you chosen for this build since you already have the orphek and you can increase intensity. Shimmer?

Love the look of your new tank!

Don't get me wrong - I love the Orphek Atlantiks but chose the Noopsyche since it has a smaller footprint, something I needed in order to create distinct lighting environments within the tank. The Orpheks highlight the beautiful coral fluorescence and do an excellent job of creating enough light. The Noopsyche, in addition to the 48" Orphek strip LEDs, with its smaller lighting area allows creation of a zone that will showcase the non-fluorescent proteins in some of the Acropora species I'll eventually obtain.