Reef City 110 gallon Re-Build

[Dj City]

My Sulfur Denitrator and media, Aqua Lifter, 40lbs Stax Rocks and 7 inch Filter cup arrived last night.
The Aquamaxx TS-1 is the smallest denitrator from them and it's still pretty large. Much larger than I thought it would be. It's going to be interesting using it. More interesting mapping out how and where everything will be.

In my cabinet, I have my sump,Dosing containers and Doser. I really have no more usable space. I can't even fit the Denitrator unless I relocate the dosing pump and container.

 

[Dave Mrnak]

Can you show us a from afar and close up picture of where your tank is in the house? Im no reef expert yet, but handy as all get out. Maybe I can see and throw an idea or two your way on a cabinet.

 

[Dave Mrnak]

Also, a custom cabinet maker may be your best bet if you dont want to tackle the job yourself. You could get it built to your exact dimensions.

 

[Dj City]

Can you show us a from afar and close up picture of where your tank is in the house? Im no reef expert yet, but handy as all get out. Maybe I can see and throw an idea or two your way on a cabinet.

Thank you.
I will do that this evening when I get home from work.

 

[Dj City]

I found some pics that kinda show what i'm working with...
Please disregard the mess as I was doing major maintenance.

If you look at the bottom pic, you can see the lack of room I have in my cabinet. You can also see the space I have to the side of the aquarium.

I'm thinking of moving the coffee table and replacing it with a cabinet for the Apex and other aquarium gear and stuff.

(Geeez... My living room looks an absolute MESS)

 

[Dj City]

Wow...

I just realized I will need a probe holder.

EDIT
Probe holder ordered!

 

[Dave Mrnak]

Can I get a better pic from in front at like 15 or 20ft away? Hard to see what room you have on the side.

 

[Dj City]

Can I get a better pic from in front at like 15 or 20ft away? Hard to see what room you have on the side.

I will take better pics when I get home from work. I just happened to have those pics on my phone so I uploaded them for reference.
Better pics coming this evening.

 

[NY_Caveman]

I will take better pics when I get home from work. I just happened to have those pics on my phone so I uploaded them for reference.
Better pics coming this evening.

It looks light your lights are hanging? To the ceiling? Point being I was thinking possibly to mount something like the size of a medicine cabinet to the wall above the tank might work. Not something mirrored of course, but I think you will understand what I mean. Might be too high of course.

 

[Dj City]

Better pics...
Worse looking living room.

Space im working with is 22" from back wall to front of tank, 27" from tank to couch, 27.5" from floor to level with the existing stand.

 

[Dj City]

Space inside my stand (or lack of)

 

[Dave Mrnak]

Ya without being super ambitious with cabinet placement, I would definitely replace the small table the lamp sits on and build a cabinet there. You could build or have built a really nice stand. Im thinking either black or a color in between your tank and couch as a transition.
I would use a glass front door and throw an ambient LED light on top inside to cascade light onto your controllers.
See attached for a somewhat similar idea im thinking about.

 

[Dave Mrnak]

I know the video can look professional. But some nice 3/4" plywood. Spray paint. Hole saw bits. Glass and glue could really make your stand look nice. You have more than enough space.

You could also build the back wall to be in the middle, or a false wall just like the video, and have the ability to put unwanted equipment behind it.

 

[Dj City]

It looks light your lights are hanging? To the ceiling? Point being I was thinking possibly to mount something like the size of a medicine cabinet to the wall above the tank might work. Not something mirrored of course, but I think you will understand what I mean. Might be too high of course.

I thought about that but I can't see a way to make it work. I don't see a way to do it cleanly and have it functional and accessible.

 

[Dj City]

If I can't find a cabinet, I'm either going to build one or have one built.

I would rather have it done sooner than later because I'm pretty tired of my living room looking like a war zone.

 

[Dj City]

I purchased a BestA cabinet from ikea. It's a nice cabinet. Much easier to put together than I thought it would be.
I got the tinted glass door.

I will be moving my doser, doser containers, return pump controller and anything else I can fit into the cabinet along with the Apex.

 

[Dj City]

I have most of the Apex set up. I definitely need to tidy everything up in my Apex cabinet. It's a mess.
I still need to connect my fuge light to the correct outlet on the energy bar.

 

[Dj City]

Update

It's been a fun few days for me with this tank. The re-build is going slowly as I try to get things in order and continue to plan out what and how this reef will ultimately be.

The Neptune Apex has really been a great addition to the tank. It's real nice knowing (at a glance) what the Ph, Salinity and Temp readings are. It's great to see trends develop as it gives you deeper insight into what goes on at a given timeframe of the day.

I am new to Apex but i'm slowly learning.
I do not have the Apex AFS. I use the Eheim Auto Fish Feeder. I have it set to feed at 6pm everyday.
I programmed the Apex to have an auto feed mode called "Dinner" that turns return pump and skimmer off for 10 minutes. When they come back on, The skimmer ramps back up 5 minutes after the return pump.
This program allows me to use my Eheim auto feeder instead of an Apex AFS.

This is the coding...
Dinner
Device..................Cntl A1
Location...............Virtual Output simulated by the Apex; it's not real.
Name....................Dinner
Icon......................Up/Down Arrow
Control Type........Advanced
Log.......................Enabled
Configuration:
Set OFF
If Time 17:58 to 18:10 Then ON

Return Pump
Device..................2_3
Location...............Outlet 3 on the EB832 named EB832_2 at Aquabus address 2.
Name....................RetPump_2_3
Icon......................Up/Down Arrow
Control Type........Advanced
Log.......................Enabled
Configuration:
Fallback ON
Set ON
If FeedA 005 Then OFF
If Output Dinner = ON Then OFF

Skimmer
Device..................2_5
Location...............Outlet 5 on the EB832 named EB832_2 at Aquabus address 2.
Name....................Skimmer_2_5
Icon......................Left/Right Arrow
Control Type........Advanced
Log.......................Enabled
Configuration:
Fallback OFF
Set ON
If FeedA 000 Then OFF
If Output Dinner = ON Then OFF
Defer 005:00 Then ON

I have Return Pump, Skimmer and Dinner set on Auto.

 

[Dj City]

The "Dinner" mode worked exactly the way it was supposed to.
All was well except for the 10 or so gallons of water that overflowed.

Totally my fault.
I forgot that I have Pentar Aquatics Smart 40w U.V. Sterilizer on the tank that is gravity fed via siphon. I have the inlet coming from the display tank and it drains into the sump.

As far as the "Dinner mode on the Apex, everything worked exactly as it should have.
The return shut down, the skimmer shut down, the auto feeder dispensed the food, the U.V. sterilizer continued to siphon water into the sump and the sump overflowed into the floor.
After "Dinner" the return pump came back on, the skimmer resumed 5 minutes after.

I need to figure out something for the U.V.
Other than that,
Total success!

 

[NY_Caveman]

The "Dinner" mode worked exactly the way it was supposed to.
All was well except for the 10 or so gallons of water that overflowed.

Totally my fault.
I forgot that I have Pentar Aquatics Smart 40w U.V. Sterilizer on the tank that is gravity fed via siphon. I have the inlet coming from the display tank and it drains into the sump.

As far as the "Dinner mode on the Apex, everything worked exactly as it should have.
The return shut down, the skimmer shut down, the auto feeder dispensed the food, the U.V. sterilizer continued to siphon water into the sump and the sump overflowed into the floor.
After "Dinner" the return pump came back on, the skimmer resumed 5 minutes after.

I need to figure out something for the U.V.
Other than that,
Total success!

Whoops!