My new Hopefully Majestic SPS Reef Build, (290g)

Ashir Parekh

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Hey hey hey all, So, let me start my new reef adventure with you kind people. But before we get to that point, maybe a bit of history with my reefing career. So it began ......ahhh who wants all that history, Short and sweet here it goes, Started June 2015 with a 120L (30g) - (No pics of that tank - sorry), 5 weeks into my first tank and decided to upgrade already. Built a 200cm Long, 55cm wide and 700cm High tank. Total with sump around 750L (190g). It has been running well in the last few months only, Too many mistakes made but i learned from them. Most important things learned, Patience, Water testing and keep hands out. Anyway here is a picture of that tank.

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Around April this year i was toying with the idea of upgrading again. Few things that irritated me with this tank was the noise from the dual tunze overflows, pipes at the back of the tank which meant it was so hard to get to (it was against the wall) and adjust, Center bracing, Most importantly such a deep tank, that i could not get to the bottom of the tank myself to clean the sand bed. Yes i am a bit short, lol.

Playing with idea and now having to also get my better half on board for me upgrading was a challenge. But since me loving this hobby, she just accepted it with no hesitance. And now....The upgrade plans.....
 
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Ashir Parekh

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I wanted to fix most of the irritations first, So i decided on a peninsula tank, which meant i loose 1 viewing pane, fine, as that faces a window and no one really goes to that side. Then loose the center bracing. Add a bean animal overflow. and finally a slightly shorter tank for me to do some maintenance. And this is what i have come up with.

300cm Long X 65cm wide, 60cm high
320cm Long X 65cm wide, 95cm high Stand

This was my design in May 2019 (nb, 1st time sketchup user so not the greatest work)

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Ashir Parekh

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Now, to get someone to build this tank for me was a mission. In durban unfortunately, not many tank builders who could handle this size job. Starfire glass in the size required was not going to be easy to get. So looking at so many options then Boom, i decided on Acrylic. Yea yea, i know scratches easily, but if you are careful, which i am to a point and also noting that scratches can be repaired while the tank is running eased my mind. No one else but a local acrylic manufacturer in Johannesburg, about 700km away could build this tank for me. And this is why in South Africa, he is the BEST.

He has been building tanks for many years, Glass and Acrylic, But in the last few years he changed purely to acrylic only. Last year in August 2018 he built me and a acrylic Sump, A first in South Africa and his attention to detail is amazing. Have a look at this...

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A proudly South African Product made by Idol Marine. 1 year later and my sump looks like i bought it yesterday.
 
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Ashir Parekh

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So my thoughts, ideas and design was given to him, Now i challenged him, Build me something that will be amazing to look at without anything in it and should be MAJESTIC with it running with all these gorgeous marine creatures. Challenge was accepted in June.

A few things i requested was since it was a peninsula tank, Overflow on left, i wanted the return lines to be on the opposite side, Pipes cannot run under tank to other side, cannot go from behind tank and certainly not from top.....hmmmm.....how was he going to do that? Then also no center bracing, (easy 1 for him), want and acrylic light bracket to hold my 7 radions. This man did not sleep i think, because some things are just not possible. i also decided not add sand since i am now a true SPS freak. i wanted flow everywhere.

And so it begins......
 
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Ashir Parekh

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Here is the detailed list of equipment that will run this tank

300cm X 65cm X 60cm (water height at about 55cm)
320cm X 65cm X 95cm Stand
1 X RO Varios 8 return pump (Main Line)
1 X RO Varios 6 to a manifold
1 X Teco TK1000 Chiller
1 X Algae Reactor
1 X GFO Reactor
1 X Carbon Reactor
1 X AF Life Reactor
6 X Tunze 6255 Powerheads
7 X Radion G4 Pros
1 X GHL Profilux
3 X Ghl Plugbars
1 X GHL Doser
1 X GHL Maxi Doser (ATO)

Profilux is going to run everything except my Radions.
 
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Ashir Parekh

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So, because no sand was going to be used in the tank, i decided the bottoms of the tank should be white, so that the light could reflect of it and help some corals. And i would love to grow some corals on the floor too, the back and overflow side i wanted black, i find black in back makes corals pop a lot more. and so begins the build.

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Tank Built to a point
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Ashir Parekh

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In regards with the stand, i wanted it to be as good looking as the tank, although it may get covered but might as well go the full distance and be safe and solid too. So i went with Stainless Steel 316 grade.

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It does have adjustable legs too so easy to level the tank
 

vetteguy53081

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Very nice planning and layout. This will be a successful system !!
 
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Ashir Parekh

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So now we at a point where he needs to tell me how is the return line going to work and he shocked me, he is building it into the bracing. ahhhh, cool so i pipe inside the tank and covered by a box that will be the bracing, so i thought. NOPE. He is building a channel inside the Bracing. WOW, that would be different if he could do that. And so he did.

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As you can see in the Pic, this is 30mm Thick bracing. From left you will see 3 lines next to a hole. Cables will come through the bracing and into the lines that fall over at the back of the tank. These are for the powerhead cables. Next to that is a huge channel cut out and that is the return line water. 5cm wide but 2cm deep. Water coming in from a 32mm pipe so plenty of room for water to travel. Next to that is more lines which will be for me 7 Radion lights. 3 lines come from the opposite side of the tank.. This section of bracing is for the back of the tank. The fron bracing only has a water return channel and a feed hole.

Yes, i know what about algae build up in channel. Not to worry i was told as he is lining it with black acrylic all around so fully covered there.
 
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Ashir Parekh

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Next was lighting. I wanted a light bracket that holds 7 radions and that looks good without me covering it up. But it needed to be lifted so i could get into tank easily, and so he designed this for me.

This bracket is glued into bracing as well with line cut outs for wires as well.
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And this is what the final product looks like. ( you can also see in this picture, the return lines are covered)
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Some 316 Stainless steel need to be used on the inside to strengthen it so no sag down the middle. Radions get fixed using brackets and screws, so when lifted the lights will not fall over.
 
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Ashir Parekh

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As we speak today i have my main guy who has been with me my entire marine journey. He has helped me from my first reef tank to this 1. He supplies all of my marine related products and i mean EVERYTHING. He is also in the water purification business, so he is doing my plumbing and also i have just upgraded my RODI system too. His business name in Durban is The Waterboy. I will take more pics tonight and show the progress so far.
 

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