*New 105/G build*

[Reefahholic]

Started with the rock back in November 2020.

Here’s a guide for anybody interested:

 

[Reefahholic]

Then I got it curing in a 32/G brute can with some Dr. Tim’s “One and Only”, Live sand, and Siporax.

 

[Reefahholic]

Started to build the stand and paint it.

 

[Reefahholic]

Picked up the tank (Planet Aquariums) and drilled it.

 

[Reefahholic]

Inserted white starboard bottom. Painted back.

 

[Reefahholic]

I put a 1/2” yoga/workout mat under the tank to reduce point loading.

 

[Reefahholic]

Top off Reservoir is a 10/G Synergy Reef.

 

[Reefahholic]

More details to come soon. Have a headache tonight. Many more pics to post.

 

[Reefahholic]

Getting closer. A couple shots before water:

 

[Reefahholic]

Will be running lower light on this system. Acro dominated. Yes Yes…I know. I’m in the Dana Riddle camp and believe most corals (Even Acro’s) can grow just fine in 150-300 PAR. As an average I’ll target about 200 PAR with some corals at the bottom being in 120-150 and others in 200-275 at the top. 175-200 in the middle.

In my last tank I had corals sitting in 400-500+ PAR and wasn’t impressed with how the corals grew and looked. Despite a lot of nutrients and nutrition going into the tank, most corals just didn’t look happy and the tissue on others looked burnt.

So this time I have to know for myself how they will do in lower light at least for the first 2 years.


Will be running this spread with 2 Radion G5 XR15 Pro’s:

 

[GoVols]

That's a great rock scape... ;Woot ;Woot

How long before you place it in?

 

[Reefahholic]

That's a great rock scape... ;Woot ;Woot

How long before you place it in?

Thx! Should be soon. Only waiting on sump to arrive this coming week. Then it’s game on.

 

[Miami Reef]

This is a crazy build! I LOVE that aquascape and I admire your work ethic. Everything is done so professionally and with detail.

This build deserves way more recognition! Following!

 

[mandarin417]

Inserted white starboard bottom. Painted back.

Did you silicone down the starboard? I have been told debris can collect under it without sealing the bottom with a bit of silicone glue. Nice clean build. Pretty.

 

[Reefahholic]

This is a crazy build! I LOVE that aquascape and I admire your work ethic. Everything is done so professionally and with detail.

This build deserves way more recognition! Following!

Thank you bro! Appreciate the kind words.

 

[Reefahholic]

Did you silicone down the starboard? I have been told debris can collect under it without sealing the bottom with a bit of silicone glue. Nice clean build. Pretty.

Yes, the King Starboard is flame polished and siliconed to the bottom. If I could do it again the only thing I would do differently is put some weight on the starboard as it was curing. One side slightly cured with just a little bow. Almost unnoticeable, but I’m so ADD it bothers me. Lol. Nobody else would notice.

 

[Reefahholic]

 

[Reefahholic]

I have to make a embarrassing confession.

I drilled my Starfire front panel on accident. I’m really not sure how it happened as I took pictures with several paint samples showing how clear the panel was and afterwards I marked it so that I “wouldn’t” drill that panel! However, since I didn’t drill that day I believe I got confused and thought that the marked panel was the panel I needed to drill.

Months later after pulling the tank out of storage and having it setup on the stand in the living room I was looking at it from the side on the sofa. I thought…wow…that back glass sure is clear from the side! ;Happy Sure enough…the unthinkable happened.

My first Starfire tank and I’ll never know how clear it would have been. After all the new systems I’ve built I never thought I’d make such a dumb mistake.

One thing is for certain…I’m pretty sure I have the clearest back glass in town. ;Hilarious

 

[Reefahholic]

Plumbing pic:

 

[Reefahholic]

I did change the background color to a slightly darker blue. More of a sky blue.