Tom's SPS Dominant Mixed Reefer 750XXL Build Thread

[tgionet]

Current FTS (11/25/19):

Tank: Red Sea Reefer 750XXL
Flow: 2x Maxspect Gyre 280
Lighting: 2x Kessil AP700+4x T5
Skimmer: Reef Octopus Regal 250EXT fed by a COR20
Return Pump: Varios 6
Calcium Reactor: Geo618, CarbonDoser, Masterflex feed pump
Controller: Apex
Fuge Light: Kessil H380
Finally got this set up after 20 months of it sitting in my garage, and 20 months of not adding anything to my then current 57 gallon. Got into the hobby with the 57 gallon around 2015
First day of the 57

57 at its peak before declining this summer

And the last shot of the 57 before its teardown

Annnnnnnd she's wet:

Got everything routed, working, and cleaned up a bit. Running 10% weekly water changes on a DoS, and a calcium reactor for managing Alk/Ca/Mg

The 750XXL stand is insufficient to support the tank and needs reinforcement. I used some 5/8" baltic birch ply scrap and sistered it to the back of the front bar of the stand. I then added 2 more strips of the baltic birch spanning the stand supported against strips running vertically and attached to the side and divider. I then cut a 2x4 to act as a center support on this new structure.

 

[hdsoftail1065]

That 750 looks sweet! Following

 

[tgionet]

Last year I had a run in with MEN and removed all montis in the tank. What’s left is whatever survived and grew back after being chiseled off the rock. Right now I need to get a fish QT running again so I can get stocking

 

[tgionet]

https://www.triton-lab.de/en/showroom/aquarium/auswertung-b/icp-oes/52256/ here’s the cause for the crash this summer. Best guess is either cutting into the plaster wall by the tank or an algae clip were the culprits. Silver lining is the pink caddy’s and Walt Disneys made it through with just color loss.

Been consistently having an issue with elevated Sn for quite a while. I, Mn, B, and Br tend to run low. I is the only one that NEEDS to be replenished though.

 

[tgionet]

FTS. Ugly phase for the new rock and sand is getting underway and it’s time to get QT tanks up and running for new additions

 

[tgionet]

3 week fts. Added an assload of ceriths and nassarius snails today. Coralline algae has started in earnest and things are going well. Chaeto growth has exploded and nuisance algae blooms are minimal now. I’m seriously considering Marine Collectors for fish stocking and forgoing QT. Also considering adding UV at protozoan flow rates as a preventative.

 

[tgionet]

Tossed in a few more tuxedo urchins and a fathead dendro.

 

[tgionet]

Moved some rock from the fuge to the DT and played with the aquascape a bit. I didn’t want the nem controlling so much area, especially in the center. Moved the MP40s to the bottom back corners as well.

Have a few fish coming in from Marine Collectors that are currently in QT, which will be the first fishes I’ve added in 2 years.

 

[bar|none]

This is really interesting to me mainly because it is a tank transfer and I have no clue on the do's or don't/s

Following...plus that's gonna be epic.

 

[tgionet]

This is really interesting to me mainly because it is a tank transfer and I have no clue on the do's or don't/s

Following...plus that's gonna be epic.

We drained the DT enough to move it. Got the new tank in place. Leveled it and filled with old tank water and new, heated, saltwater I had on hand. Rock had been curing in heated saltwater for 18 months at the point of setup. Sand was discarded. Since my diamond goby whom was assumed dead showed up I added fresh Bimini pink a week or so after setup.

Still going through the uglies but stick growth is back on track and color is starting to come back too.

WD 11/17

WD11/25

 

[bar|none]

Very cool!

 

[tgionet]

Well, that could’ve been catastrophic. Thought I canceled feed mode but instead shut the return pump off last night. Stupid mistake.

 

[bar|none]

Setup an alarm that goes off if return pump is shutdown for longer than a certain period. It will remind you. Common issue, done it many times myself.

 

[tgionet]

Gyre 280 rotors stripped out already.

 

[tgionet]

New fish are delayed at least a week due to an issue with one of them.

 

[CasaReefer]

Gyre 280 rotors stripped out already.

You really did Great Job on your Rock Work...

 

[tgionet]

Added a hippo and an Achilles tang as well as a Cirrhilabrus isosceles fairy wrasse

 

[tgionet]

Aaaaaand the Achilles is flashing. Time to go fallow.

 

[tgionet]

Never saw any flashing outside of that one incident or any other reason for concern. Recovering from a Dino outbreak right now, lost a few sps and my nem during treatment unfortunately.

 

[tgionet]

Dinos still suck. Everything's pretty much back on track now though. Never saw any further indication of parasites on any of the fish. And of course I couldn't resist ******* with things.