New 310g Mixed Reef Tank Man Cave Build

[CincyReefer07]

Finally added my rock and ocean direct live sand to my tank this afternoon. Currently finally filling the tank up as I type. After making sure I added all 70 pounds of Australian live rock, and making sure I used as much of my fiji and pukani dry rock that I have accumulated before adding in Marco rock that I’ve bought(I like to use what I consider in my opinion natural reef rock and not man made). I also realized I have bought way more rock than I needed haha. Didn’t even end up using the cornerstone branch rock I had bought and still probably have 60-80 pounds of Marco rock left and some random fiji and pukani pieces of rock left lol.
Hopefully I’ll have the entire system up and running by tomorrow afternoon!

I’ll probably be fiddling around with the top left section of my aquascape over the course of the weekend because I’m “okay” with it, but don’t really “love” it yet

 

[Buckster]

I have a 180 and making the perfect landscape was difficult and probably not achieved. Now that it's been 2 1/2 years and covered with corals and growth, I'm very pleased. Can't wait to see more photos as yours is looking awesome!

 

[CincyReefer07]

I have a 180 and making the perfect landscape was difficult and probably not achieved. Now that it's been 2 1/2 years and covered with corals and growth, I'm very pleased. Can't wait to see more photos as yours is looking awesome!

Thank you!!! Yeah I don’t doubt that my feelings will change once corals start taking over. I feel my top left aquascape is built too far forward and more straight up like a wall, rather than a gradual incline. The top 3 rocks on there I may change or move or something. Haven’t decided yet. For now, for the night, I’m sitting back and having some beers and just looking at it now hahaha…. I’ll get back to it in the morning

 

[Jubei2006]

Thank you! Just did a quick skim through your own build thread, I like what ya have going on. I especially like how you kind of hid your overflow with the rock rubble

Thanks, that was 3 days work by my lovely wife epoxing each piece. Not a big fan of the tower, but it's the only way to have a 4 side viewable tank with no chords coming out of it.

 

[Jubei2006]

Well this weekend was finally the big move for the Planet Aquarium 310 gallon tank. From where we dropped it off from the delivery truck in my garage, around the house to my back patio into the house, down the steps and onto the stand I’ve been in the process of finishing.

With the size and weight of this, I would not have attempted this with less than 5 total guys. Used a combination of furniture skates and ratchet straps to hold the skates firmly to the tank while moving it around, had to roll it onto its side to be able to fit it through my patio door in which case I laid down as many old blankets and comforters I could find to roll it onto its side on the patio to help protect it, once in the house rolled back right side up and slid it towards the stairs. Took a 30’ tow strap around the tank, and had 3 of us up top slowly lowering it down and 3 down below. 2 guys to put pressure against the tank to take some of the weight off of us lowering it down the steps and another guy waiting with the furniture skates to make sure it meets just right at the bottom of the steps with the skates. I had made a carpeted ramp out of 2x4’s to slide the tank down the steps on to keep it from getting hung up on any steps and be a bit more protected. Once down we rolled it on the skates into position to lift it up and onto the stand. Used 4 heavy duty glass suction cups rated for 150-175lbs each that I got from Amazon, and also 2 cheap harbor freight suction cups I had laying around.

Now I just have to finish the doors and the trim work for the front of the stand and do the plumbing and run a couple new 20amp circuits down into my basement from the panel in the garage.

Good work! I know that trip on the stairs was a big pucker moment!

 

[CincyReefer07]

Well the tank and sump is finally completely filled and have all the equipment running minus the skimmer and uv for now. Still need to order my lights which are going to be a set of (3) Philips Coral Care Gen2’s and will be adding Reef Delight ultraBARS along the front and back to eliminate any shadows. But for now I feel I can finally take a step back and relax and take it all in for it being “mostly” completed now finally!

 

[Jubei2006]

Well the tank and sump is finally completely filled and have all the equipment running minus the skimmer and uv for now. Still need to order my lights which are going to be a set of (3) Philips Coral Care Gen2’s and will be adding Reef Delight ultraBARS along the front and back to eliminate any shadows. But for now I feel I can finally take a step back and relax and take it all in for it being “mostly” completed now finally!

From what Ive seen and read the coral cares have great spread and blanketing, thought about them myself, but not a big fan of flat T5 type lighting. May not really need the strips once you get the lights on and up to height. Great organization skills on the equipment cabinent, my fish room is a mess right now. Been waiting on an electrician for almost a year just to get a dang sub panel in.

 

[CincyReefer07]

From what Ive seen and read the coral cares have great spread and blanketing, thought about them myself, but not a big fan of flat T5 type lighting. May not really need the strips once you get the lights on and up to height. Great organization skills on the equipment cabinent, my fish room is a mess right now. Been waiting on an electrician for almost a year just to get a dang sub panel in.

I feel like the Philips are built extremely well, and I love trying out different lights. I have kessils with T5’s on my 75g which I love, had ocean revives over it before those, I have a cheap old aquatic life reef led strip light over my quarantine tank. Wanted to do a different brand of lighting over this tank since I have kessils on my 75g. Price wise, I feel philips are higher quality than ecotech and Neptune for lights in that price range. But we’ll see. What I really wanted was solartronics but those are like $1300 a light lol

 

[Jubei2006]

Wow wee, adjusts based on what a mastertronic tells it? 280watts? That thing gets expensive in a hurry when you have to buy a mastertronic as well for all the features. Thought my ghl mitras 7206s were fancy.

 

[CincyReefer07]

Wow wee, adjusts based on what a mastertronic tells it? 280watts? That thing gets expensive in a hurry when you have to buy a mastertronic as well for all the features. Thought my ghl mitras 7206s were fancy.

It’s definitely a very interesting and unique light that no other light is doing on the market, the adjustments it makes plus the lights moving throughout the day to replicate a suns movement throughout the day, along with led strips on each side to help with shadowing. I can see why it’s so expensive.

 

[Jubei2006]

It’s definitely a very interesting and unique light that no other light is doing on the market, the adjustments it makes plus the lights moving throughout the day to replicate a suns movement throughout the day, along with led strips on each side to help with shadowing. I can see why it’s so expensive.

I can adjust my 6 mitras to simulate sunrise to sunset over the tank, had it set that way for awhile. Just didnt see the benefit in it. Was a cool function, but largely unnecessary. Changing the par based and alkalinity and nutrient levels........that's pretty cool

 

[CincyReefer07]

I can adjust my 6 mitras to simulate sunrise to sunset over the tank, had it set that way for awhile. Just didnt see the benefit in it. Was a cool function, but largely unnecessary. Changing the par based and alkalinity and nutrient levels........that's pretty cool

I personally like trying to simulate as much in the natural habitat as possible. But that’s just me though.

 

[Pico bam]

Holy cow! This looks immaculate.

 

[CincyReefer07]

Holy cow! This looks immaculate.

Thank you! It’s getting there! Just gotta get to my LFS this weekend and start discussing the first round of fish orders for the tank

 

[mrbh22]

Looking great! Keep us posted on your fish list!

 

[CincyReefer07]

Looking great! Keep us posted on your fish list!

Thought I had it all figured out, and then I began second guessing myself on my fish list on a couple. Eliminated my idea of keeping a harlequin tusk due to it potentially eating other fish, and also eliminated my idea of having chromis for fear of uronema. Still trying to decide on which pair of clowns I want to keep. But as of right now, this is my potential stocking list


1 - White Tail Bristletooth Tang
1 - Blue Hippo Tang
1 - Naso Tang
3 - Yellow Tangs
1 - Whitecheek(gold-rimmed) Tang
2 - Black Cap Basslet
1 - Midas Blenny
1 - Copperband Butterflyfish
2 - Bangaii Cardinalfish (male/female)
2 - Clarkii or skunk or saddleback clownfish
1 - Foxface
1 - Pink Spotted Watchman Goby
2 - Blue Throat Triggers (male/female)
12-14 - Disbar Anthias (1 male)
1 - Quoyi Parrotfish
2 - Pyramid Butterflyfish

 

[CincyReefer07]

Picked up my 3 Coral Care Gen2’s yesterday from my LFS. Wasn’t planning on installing them this weekend. But halfway into my Friday night beers I couldn’t contain myself and had to get them over the tank lol. I love these lights. They give off such a natural look, and dang these lights are built to last. The quality of them is insane. Very happy with these. I’m a kessil fan, have a pair of a360x’s with T5’s above my 75g. But I love these Coral Cares. I was really surprised at how heavy these things are, around 19 pounds per light.

Pics taken with no filters or lenses on my iPhone

 

[Mjl714]

Looks fantastic, very nice build!

 

[dstockwell]

Sweet build.

 

[CincyReefer07]

Looks fantastic, very nice build!

Sweet build.

Thank you guys! I appreciate it! It’s been a long process for me, pretty much exactly a year from when I first started it