rawhideshaba
Community Member
Started this tank a few months back and I am just sharing my build on R2R. I initially started my build in my local Saltwater groups forum.
Ok so wanted to share some of my progress on the new build I'm working on. It is still in the works and will be a few weeks before anything even gets wet.
I have been a freshwater guy for a few years and I got sucked into the hobby so I even stepped my freshwater game up to being a cheaper less intense version of saltwater. Sumps, Refugiums, Gyres, Apex, C02 and the likes. But now I have been talked into saltwater by one of my buddies and now I'm doomed.
So here goes my initial design and build of my 120 salt setup.
This tank is your typical 48" by 24" 120 setup with a nice canopy and Peninsula setup. This is the tank below (Empty and that's not my house)
I was shooting for the Peninsula look as well with the new setup but this ended up not working in my home.
So I sort of started from the beginning with water and purchased and set up the RODI unit. BRStv's videos are addicting so I went with the triple DI setup to ensure I am not starting with bad water. I even hooked just the RO side to the refrigerator to make the other member of the house happy. Since this picture it has changed by quite a bit and actually have the expansion tank set after my RO stages. Seems to keep the pressure high so that when it runs through the DI stages it has a bit more oomph.
(Sorry about it being sideways.)
I had a perfectly good sump ready and waiting for the tank but I watch too many internet posts and read too many forums so i had my LFS Aquatica build me a custom sump with some serious space for a nice refugium. These were my initial plans I sent over and it actually worked out very well.
So very simple sump just nice and large. second chamber is for the protein skimmer and the third is the refugium. Lastly the return pump will be in the final chamber. I already have the Vetra M1 pump and reef link so I am just moving them to this tank. My buddy brought me out to lear where i ended up winning the XR30W Radion light which I traded a buddy for 2 x AI primes with mounts so that I could use the aquatic Life T5 Hybrid. It already had 2 x 1 1/2" Bulkhead holes drilled on the opposing side of the tank for the overflow so I picked up 2 x H2 Overflows. I have one set up with a trickle (loud trickle I need to add foam) and the other at full siphon. i will be running the Apex jr on this setup as I already have it and a few probes for PH and temp. I don't plan on chasing the PH but I do want it in the correct zone so to say. I am out of town often so I am running the Auto Aqua AWC plus ATO to keep the tank as stable as possible. I don't mind doing the big water changes when the tank needs it but I really want this tank to be as stable as possible. Right now I am changing about 3% every other day as I have not setup the schedule yet and am still doing it manually until I trust this thing. Its still only the push of a button so its not like it bothers me.
Picked up the sump from Aquatica and Steve Shin did an awesome job! Should run at 42 gallons with room for another 32 in case of power outage. Good guy gave me a great deal on this custom build too.
New bulkheads to fit the giant holes in the tank and plumbing has began! Like always i forgot a few fittings so i had to make the home depot trip multiple times.
I weighed the 300 dollar kessil 380 option against a horticulture light made for indoor growing (medicinal plants) lol. And the horticulture light won for 70 bucks. I know alot of people go with cfl bulbs and clip on lights but after watching brstv I chose more wattage and spectrum instead of starving the macro of light. Stole someones design off youtube and used magnets to hang it.(45lb ratings) so 180 lbs of magnet power. Figure that will help me move the light if ever needed without having to fight with it. (I pulled on the light pretty hard and its not moving without me detaching them)
Picked up my t5/led hybrid light and bulbs as well. So this will run with 4 T5's and 3 ai primes as i traded 1 big light for 3 smaller lights. T5s will be 2 coral plus and 2 blue plus.
Coral pro Salt as I figure I can deal with the elvelated levels easier than dealing with low levels. May switch to the man made clean salts one day when my corals are extremely costly.
Also grabbed a 1/2 cubic foot of marine pure cubes so I outlined the entire refugium in them and made a pile in the reactor chamber for a secondary place.
Still not sure if the marine pure cubes are in a good location around the mud like that but it may work out well for the pods to hide and breed.
http://c-sea.org/forums/attachments/20180501_180936-jpg.1697/
This will be a mixed reef as I am not used to alkalinity and or magnesium so I will work my way up to some of the higher demanding SPS at some point. But as I do like Softies and a few LPS I will be starting with the lower demanding ones. Started the tank with BRS Bulk Reef Saver and some live rock from some club members and my brother in laws tank. His LR was awesome to use since he has had no fish in it for almost a year, just a cycled salt water tank. That made for a nice pest free bacteria starter.
I truly want some cool fish in this build with little to no predators. But i really like those trigger fish!!!!!! I mean I reeeally like those triggers!!! But either way i want my refugium to be packed full of pods and have them overflowing into the tank in such an unsightly way that the only way to take care of their out of control growth is to get a mandarin goby. If that doesn't happen than i will stick with easier to care for fish with some personality.
I went with 3/4 the recommended amount of Miracle mud and an aragonite Sugar sand for the rest in the refugium area to save some cash. At the 6 month mark or so I will probably add that last 1/4 of MM. I have seen all the people online questioning miracle mud but I have yet to see one person that has it and speaks badly of it so I figured i would give it a try and hope for the best. My skimmer is rated for 200 gallons and I am running it 6 hours a day during daylight hours.
First Rock Layout (Not much changed really) I did place flat stones on top of tonga branches to create some free space under the rocks. this is where the Shrimp goby and Pistol shrimp combo have made a home. I think its more of a apartment complex so I am thinking of adding another goby. If they don't get along I will return it but there is a ton of space for them so they may be fine.
Almost there. Still have to play with the rocks and add some more. I have it but now i'm starting to get picky with what the rocks look like and placement. Great flow and shimmer so far. Still need some ledges and more caves though. Also belive i want some magnetic ledges and frag racks on my black wall.
The hybrid light and 2 ai primes really do look awesome at this point though. If more is needed i may grab a ai twenty six but i think the par is already in the low sps range. I kept it lights out for about 2 weeks to avoid algae. (Diatom bloom was heavy when they did come on though, still fighting some but nowhere near where it was.
Jumped the gun a bit on the cycling (few weeks vs the 8 I planned) added 5 snails and tigger pods in and they survived perfectly fine with plenty of bottled bacteria, live rock, live sand, and general life to keep it rolling. Even tossed in some chateo and whatever the grass caluerpa is.
Ok Now to upload the pictures still in phone lol.
Ok so wanted to share some of my progress on the new build I'm working on. It is still in the works and will be a few weeks before anything even gets wet.
I have been a freshwater guy for a few years and I got sucked into the hobby so I even stepped my freshwater game up to being a cheaper less intense version of saltwater. Sumps, Refugiums, Gyres, Apex, C02 and the likes. But now I have been talked into saltwater by one of my buddies and now I'm doomed.
So here goes my initial design and build of my 120 salt setup.
This tank is your typical 48" by 24" 120 setup with a nice canopy and Peninsula setup. This is the tank below (Empty and that's not my house)
I was shooting for the Peninsula look as well with the new setup but this ended up not working in my home.
So I sort of started from the beginning with water and purchased and set up the RODI unit. BRStv's videos are addicting so I went with the triple DI setup to ensure I am not starting with bad water. I even hooked just the RO side to the refrigerator to make the other member of the house happy. Since this picture it has changed by quite a bit and actually have the expansion tank set after my RO stages. Seems to keep the pressure high so that when it runs through the DI stages it has a bit more oomph.
I had a perfectly good sump ready and waiting for the tank but I watch too many internet posts and read too many forums so i had my LFS Aquatica build me a custom sump with some serious space for a nice refugium. These were my initial plans I sent over and it actually worked out very well.
So very simple sump just nice and large. second chamber is for the protein skimmer and the third is the refugium. Lastly the return pump will be in the final chamber. I already have the Vetra M1 pump and reef link so I am just moving them to this tank. My buddy brought me out to lear where i ended up winning the XR30W Radion light which I traded a buddy for 2 x AI primes with mounts so that I could use the aquatic Life T5 Hybrid. It already had 2 x 1 1/2" Bulkhead holes drilled on the opposing side of the tank for the overflow so I picked up 2 x H2 Overflows. I have one set up with a trickle (loud trickle I need to add foam) and the other at full siphon. i will be running the Apex jr on this setup as I already have it and a few probes for PH and temp. I don't plan on chasing the PH but I do want it in the correct zone so to say. I am out of town often so I am running the Auto Aqua AWC plus ATO to keep the tank as stable as possible. I don't mind doing the big water changes when the tank needs it but I really want this tank to be as stable as possible. Right now I am changing about 3% every other day as I have not setup the schedule yet and am still doing it manually until I trust this thing. Its still only the push of a button so its not like it bothers me.
Picked up the sump from Aquatica and Steve Shin did an awesome job! Should run at 42 gallons with room for another 32 in case of power outage. Good guy gave me a great deal on this custom build too.
New bulkheads to fit the giant holes in the tank and plumbing has began! Like always i forgot a few fittings so i had to make the home depot trip multiple times.
I weighed the 300 dollar kessil 380 option against a horticulture light made for indoor growing (medicinal plants) lol. And the horticulture light won for 70 bucks. I know alot of people go with cfl bulbs and clip on lights but after watching brstv I chose more wattage and spectrum instead of starving the macro of light. Stole someones design off youtube and used magnets to hang it.(45lb ratings) so 180 lbs of magnet power. Figure that will help me move the light if ever needed without having to fight with it. (I pulled on the light pretty hard and its not moving without me detaching them)
Picked up my t5/led hybrid light and bulbs as well. So this will run with 4 T5's and 3 ai primes as i traded 1 big light for 3 smaller lights. T5s will be 2 coral plus and 2 blue plus.
Coral pro Salt as I figure I can deal with the elvelated levels easier than dealing with low levels. May switch to the man made clean salts one day when my corals are extremely costly.
Also grabbed a 1/2 cubic foot of marine pure cubes so I outlined the entire refugium in them and made a pile in the reactor chamber for a secondary place.
Still not sure if the marine pure cubes are in a good location around the mud like that but it may work out well for the pods to hide and breed.
http://c-sea.org/forums/attachments/20180501_180936-jpg.1697/
This will be a mixed reef as I am not used to alkalinity and or magnesium so I will work my way up to some of the higher demanding SPS at some point. But as I do like Softies and a few LPS I will be starting with the lower demanding ones. Started the tank with BRS Bulk Reef Saver and some live rock from some club members and my brother in laws tank. His LR was awesome to use since he has had no fish in it for almost a year, just a cycled salt water tank. That made for a nice pest free bacteria starter.
I truly want some cool fish in this build with little to no predators. But i really like those trigger fish!!!!!! I mean I reeeally like those triggers!!! But either way i want my refugium to be packed full of pods and have them overflowing into the tank in such an unsightly way that the only way to take care of their out of control growth is to get a mandarin goby. If that doesn't happen than i will stick with easier to care for fish with some personality.
I went with 3/4 the recommended amount of Miracle mud and an aragonite Sugar sand for the rest in the refugium area to save some cash. At the 6 month mark or so I will probably add that last 1/4 of MM. I have seen all the people online questioning miracle mud but I have yet to see one person that has it and speaks badly of it so I figured i would give it a try and hope for the best. My skimmer is rated for 200 gallons and I am running it 6 hours a day during daylight hours.
First Rock Layout (Not much changed really) I did place flat stones on top of tonga branches to create some free space under the rocks. this is where the Shrimp goby and Pistol shrimp combo have made a home. I think its more of a apartment complex so I am thinking of adding another goby. If they don't get along I will return it but there is a ton of space for them so they may be fine.
Almost there. Still have to play with the rocks and add some more. I have it but now i'm starting to get picky with what the rocks look like and placement. Great flow and shimmer so far. Still need some ledges and more caves though. Also belive i want some magnetic ledges and frag racks on my black wall.
The hybrid light and 2 ai primes really do look awesome at this point though. If more is needed i may grab a ai twenty six but i think the par is already in the low sps range. I kept it lights out for about 2 weeks to avoid algae. (Diatom bloom was heavy when they did come on though, still fighting some but nowhere near where it was.
Jumped the gun a bit on the cycling (few weeks vs the 8 I planned) added 5 snails and tigger pods in and they survived perfectly fine with plenty of bottled bacteria, live rock, live sand, and general life to keep it rolling. Even tossed in some chateo and whatever the grass caluerpa is.
Ok Now to upload the pictures still in phone lol.
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