ReefSentinel’s 200g Mini Barrier Reef build.

[ReefSentinel]

Hi All
Been a while between posts, long story basically have a accident that resulted in 20 stitches on both arm and forehead so had to stay away from water for a while.

A few weeks on and all is good now, have started filling the tank with RO water, very slow process as the booster pump can only work for 3hrs the off for 1hr.

I have sump full and plan to 3/4 fill DT , add salt to DT with wav’s & heater.
Then add aquascape, then top up and run all as one.

 

[Ben Pedersen]

Hi All
Been a while between posts, long story basically have a accident that resulted in 20 stitches on both arm and forehead so had to stay away from water for a while.

A few weeks on and all is good now, have started filling the tank with RO water, very slow process as the booster pump can only work for 3hrs the off for 1hr.

I have sump full and plan to 3/4 fill DT , add salt to DT with wav’s & heater.
Then add aquascape, then top up and run all as one.

Sorry to hear about your accident... Hope all is ok. Be careful! Really think your build process is amazing! My build process is more like imagine.. cut.. pray... fix... repeate. You are very blessed to have all the tools and a good place to work.

 

[Forty-Two]

Very nice build - and a lot of work in there to do it properly.

It's probably a good thing its filling slowly - especially with the front panel replaced.

Did the tank builder cite any concerns regarding the dimensions? Im not an expert, but from what I understand rimless generally needs to be wider than higher due to the strain put on the glass. I dont want to stress you out - but given your front panel was replaced with a leak...seems a little concerning.

 

[ReefSentinel]

Sorry to hear about your accident... Hope all is ok. Be careful! Really think your build process is amazing! My build process is more like imagine.. cut.. pray... fix... repeate. You are very blessed to have all the tools and a good place to work.

Thanks for the comments Ben, all is well now.
I am sure your build will get where you want it to be, we have all had to recut or redo something, all part of learning.

 

[ReefSentinel]

Very nice build - and a lot of work in there to do it properly.

It's probably a good thing its filling slowly - especially with the front panel replaced.

Did the tank builder cite any concerns regarding the dimensions? Im not an expert, but from what I understand rimless generally needs to be wider than higher due to the strain put on the glass. I dont want to stress you out - but given your front panel was replaced with a leak...seems a little concerning.

Thanks Forty-Two,
This tank has a rim, the build was happy with carrying out the replacement, did have any real concern that he told me anyway.
I was confident with replacing front panel as the front panel when on last when it was originally built so the process was the same, in saying this I still sleep with a little concern

 

[Janci]

Good to hear you recover from the accident and that the tank is now wet.
I hope things can now go straight forward.

 

[ReefSentinel]

Good to hear you recover from the accident and that the tank is now wet.
I hope things can now go straight forward.

Thanks,
All forward from here, still plan to take it slow and learn.

 

[Oberst Hajj]

Sorry to hear about the accident, but glad to hear you are okay and making progress on the tank again. I'm only a couple of days ahead of you on my build as I got it wet at the end of last week and have my rocks and sand in as of this past Saturday.

 

[ReefSentinel]

Sorry to hear about the accident, but glad to hear you are okay and making progress on the tank again. I'm only a couple of days ahead of you on my build as I got it wet at the end of last week and have my rocks and sand in as of this past Saturday.

Thanks,
Great to hear your tank is moving along, I hope it is going well.

 

[ReefSentinel]

RODI unit has been busy working, luckily it’s school holidays so I was able to have my son run the unit while at work.
Salt and heater was added and I was able to start the aquascape, moving rocks from garage to tank.

As I originally done a dry scape of the rock and I had lots of video and pictures of how it all when together that being said, when you have a wife in the background saying you will not remember it did take 2-3hours to fit all the rocks back together.

I currently have extra rock in the DT that weren’t originally part of the scape, these were left overs that I will move to the sump area once I have everything working.
Sand tomorrow afternoon

 

[Janci]

Looking good. I am not such a fan of overhanging rocks as they create shadows, but well done.

 

[ReefSentinel]

Looking good. I am not such a fan of overhanging rocks as they create shadows, but well done.

Thanks Janci,
The over hangs was my first option after seeing a few good a had to throw some in, being conscious of lighting I have put a number of large holes in the overhang section to allow the light to go through to help with shadows.
Also like watching cleaner shrimps hanging off the overhangs, I actually think this is the main reason for having them along with trying to get the rock off the bottom to allow for better flow.
Work in progress.

 

[mattgsa]

the tank looks amazing. Love the build.

 

[ReefSentinel]

the tank looks amazing. Love the build.

Thanks for the comments, slowly getting there.

 

[ReefSentinel]

Quick mid week update,
CaribSea’s Arag-Alive special blend sand is added, happy with the size and colour, all was a little cloudy at first bit didn't take long to clear up.

Equipment wise, I currently have a Nyos 160 which is a few years old now however it has started making a rattling sound which i have isolated to be coming from the motor/rotor section, seems to only rattle when the venturi is connected, replaced the o-rings however still a rattle.
I tried it in the sump but the i cannot with the sound so looking at a new skimmer, while the Nyos does a great job the rattle cannot stay.

Looking at a new DELTEC 1000i
Was looking at another Nyos possible 220 or 160 however consider I have a filter socks, refugium and a skimmer I think later down the track the 220 would be too big.
I like the 160 but for the money and the sound i have coming from it now hard to buy another one.
Have read lots of review on Nyos, many good ones and lots of bad ones so after some research I am looking at a DELTEC 1000i DC pump, having found a bad review yet so i little more research before I i spent.

If anyone has one please let me know what you think.

Review seem good, I figure its good if I can't find a bad review

 

[Janci]

Always a bummer to hear rattling noises.
I had the Nyos 160 and a Deltec before and replaced them quickly. For the Nyos I did not like to skimmate cup. The form was not so easy to clean (my opinion).
The Deltec was better but I found it more difficult to adjust. Nevertheless, not a bad skimmer at all.
For the future, I am checking the Tunze Doc skimmers. These have the pump at the outside which is always a huge plus for me.

 

[ReefSentinel]

Always a bummer to hear rattling noises.
I had the Nyos 160 and a Deltec before and replaced them quickly. For the Nyos I did not like to skimmate cup. The form was not so easy to clean (my opinion).
The Deltec was better but I found it more difficult to adjust. Nevertheless, not a bad skimmer at all.
For the future, I am checking the Tunze Doc skimmers. These have the pump at the outside which is always a huge plus for me.

Thanks for the experience, the DELTEC was a bit to the left purchase for me as I would normally go for a bigger brand but for some but will see how we go.

 

[ReefSentinel]

New week, new toy.
DELTEC 1000i delivered.
Seems a very simple skimmer, noise wise I am happy so far.
Running in now for next 48hrs, will report as I go.

 

[ReefSentinel]

Hi All
Well the build is coming together now.
New Deltec 1000i is super quiet so happy with that, so far skimmer is working well doing its job, its skimming a little wet i think but I plan to make a small change every 2-3 days and see the results, still learning.

Currently still have 2 heater in the DT as a back up as these were for when i only had the aquascape in and wasn't running the sump/system.
Now have a Schego 600W Titanium heater is the sump running with the Inkbird and it seems to be keeping up with the heating requirements consider we are in middle of winter.
Was consider buying a second one just in case or may put one of the old spare glasss heater one in the system as a back up.

Have added the the following from QT

2 x Red line shrimp
1 x Peppermint Shrimp
1 x Nassarius snail
1 x Conch snail
1 x Yellow Key Kole Tang
1 x Purple Tang

I have been running the tank the past week or 2 with no lights, have 1 (middle) on now at 5% .

Flash didn't really work out,

My parameters
Salt - Apex has it as 35.6ppm, milwaukee salinity tester has it at 34, both have been calibrated so hoping to get in the middle of both.
ORP - 318, stated out at 260 slowing rising
Temp: 24.5(76.1) - 25(77)
PH: Average day is MIn 7.9 to 8.05
Ammonia: 0
Calcium: 440
Magnesium: 1200
Nitrates: 0
Alkalinity: 8.6
Phosphates: 0.77 - 0.74, just tested and now at 0.42 so seachem phosguard is working ;Shamefullyembarrased

I have placed a bag of Seachem Phosguard in last week to try to reduce the phosphates, need to do test, I am guessing these are coming from the dry rock as the rock have light orange batches of it when i took the rock from the cycling container to DT, been d changing filter socks to help remove anything.
I do have a refugium how don't want to run it yet as the setup is only new.

The learning begins.

 

[Forty-Two]

Looking good!

Im assuming you got metric pvc piping - where did you get it from? Im seeing a lot of suppliers here so Im attempting to make some plans to order some in.