StPeteReefer's 80 Gallon Rimless Build

[StPeteReefer]

Today I installed a dosing unit, set it up and have it dosing both my 25 and my 80. Also moved over my duncans a broken piece of wolverine, and some xenia. Just have a single AI prime over the corals for now, also sold a ton of coral out of the 25, everthing I didnt plan on keeping.

 

[StPeteReefer]

So over the weekend I managed to find a T5 Halide combo fixture for free from a fellow reefer. I also picked up a small ish Desjardini Sailfin and added him to the tank. My yellow tang was not happy, so I redid the aquascape, added another 12 or so lbs of rock, put a mirror on the side of the tank, and bought a fake purple tang decoy fish. 3 days later the aggression has settled and the sailfin is doing fantastic. Started healing on his fin tips already, no longer being picked on, starting to hold his own against the yellow and eating like a pig. Tank is starting to look like something!

 

[StPeteReefer]

So over the weekend I managed to find a T5 Halide combo fixture for free from a fellow reefer. I also picked up a small ish Desjardini Sailfin and added him to the tank. My yellow tang was not happy, so I redid the aquascape, added another 12 or so lbs of rock, put a mirror on the side of the tank, and bought a fake purple tang decoy fish. 3 days later the aggression has settled and the sailfin is doing fantastic. Started healing on his fin tips already, no longer being picked on, starting to hold his own against the yellow and eating like a pig. Tank is starting to look like something!

P.S. this decoy tang was the best $5 I ever spent. I thought it was stupid at first, but it definitely was ticking off my yellow tang enough to keep him off the Sailfin. Worked like a charm.

 

[Reefcowboy]

Congrats on the tank! I had that exact tank a few years ago...really like it.
My advice is hang your light higher and slowly lower it as the corals wil bleach very easily due to the short height of the tank.

I ran a 6 bulb t5 at over 12” above water level and most lps would bleach...

 

[StPeteReefer]

Congrats on the tank! I had that exact tank a few years ago...really like it.
My advice is hang your light higher and slowly lower it as the corals wil bleach very easily due to the short height of the tank.

I ran a 6 bulb t5 at over 12” above water level and most lps would bleach...

Thanks for the input! I did manage to put a par meter on the tank and I adjusted the height to mimic similar par numbers to the tank/lights the coals came from. Maybe I'll raise it bit more just in case. Also I think bulbs might need replacing, I'm not too familiar with T5s or Halides.... any reccomendations on bulb changes?

 

[Reefcowboy]

Thanks for the input! I did manage to put a par meter on the tank and I adjusted the height to mimic similar par numbers to the tank/lights the coals came from. Maybe I'll raise it bit more just in case. Also I think bulbs might need replacing, I'm not too familiar with T5s or Halides.... any reccomendations on bulb changes?

Halides with t5’s can be tricky when bulbs are changed. Dont change them at the same time to avoid the intensity shock. Change half at a time and the other half a month or so later(t5’s and halides later or vice versa).

Since you have a meter and know what par you had before, you should be good. What lighting did you have before?

 

[StPeteReefer]

Halides with t5’s can be tricky when bulbs are changed. Dont change them at the same time to avoid the intensity shock. Change half at a time and the other half a month or so later(t5’s and halides later or vice versa).

Since you have a meter and know what par you had before, you should be good. What lighting did you have before?

I have 2 AI Primes over my 25 gallon Lagoon, mostly SPS in it. I'm probably going to end up with the aquatic life T5 LED hybrid and put the primes in there. Just figured I could use this light for now and try something besides LEDs for a change.

 

[StPeteReefer]

My two tangs, Elvis and Presley.

 

[StPeteReefer]

Update after a 20 gallon waterchange. I picked up an Icecap 3k Gyre this weekend and installed it on the top right side. Also cleaned up the electrical in the back, put the lights on a digital timer, and installed the gyre controller inside the stand.

 

[StPeteReefer]

Finally got the refugium going. Cant say enough good things about Algae Barn btw. Excellent customer service. I ended up with chaeto and two containers of their mixed pods. I'm using an old AI prime to light it right now, might end up with a Kessil H160 down the road. Also ordered the skimmer today, Eshopps S120, I will post another update when it arrives.

 

[Brew12]

Finally got the refugium going. Cant say enough good things about Algae Barn btw. Excellent customer service. I ended up with chaeto and two containers of their mixed pods. I'm using an old AI prime to light it right now, might end up with a Kessil H160 down the road. Also ordered the skimmer today, Eshopps S120, I will post another update when it arrives.

Agreed, Algae Barn is a fantastic vendor!

 

[StPeteReefer]

Few updates, I picked up a 25 watt LED grow light from amazon and hung it over the fuge.

Also picked up an Eshopps S120 Skimmer since the theme and color went so well with the build, wasnt cheap but it's already pulling some nasty stuff out.

Last hurricane season taught me a valuable lesson, so I purchased a little peace of mind with this 3500 Watt Dual Fuel generator by Champion Power Equipment.

Everything livestock wise is doing great in the tank, the tangs are doing fantastic and eating nori like pigs. The chromis are still doing fine. I moved over a cleaner shrimp from the 25 gallon awhile back and hes doing well also. As far as coral goes, I moved my prized Duncan Colony, my Orange Tounge Coral, some Xenia, and a frag of Wolverine Acros from my colony in my 25 gallon. I moved all of these about a month ago and everything is doing great. Starting to strongly consider moving everything over to break down the 25 and set it up in another room as the quarantine tank.

 

[KJoFan]

Nice build! I love these tanks. I used to have one but sold it off some time back. Now, I just picked up the 60g version for a frag tank. Keep up the good work!

 

[StPeteReefer]

Tank Update!

So the tanks been running for about 4 months now and I've finally shut down and moved everything over from my 25 Lagoon.

The RBTA in my 25 was a nightmare to get out, but 2 weeks later managed to get him moved.

Also I ripped out the Halides from my fixture was causing me nothing but temp issues and I replaced them with 2 AI primes from my last tank which conveniently fit right where the halides were. I'm actually getting solid PAR numbers from this combo, better than I expected and I can get even higher if I push the primes a little farther. These are also old school primes, non-HD. I've replaced 2 of the 4 Blue Plus bulbs, one with a Purple Plus, and one with a Coral Plus, and I love this combo, it's a nice balance that makes the corals pop. (Dont mind that the LEDs aren't on in the par picture, they were on when I took the readings.)

The skimmer is running flawlessly, so well that I'm scared to touch it. The chaeto in the sump has now tripled in size and is WAY more dense than when it was purchased, still have a bit to go before I start removing some.

Nitrates have balanced out nicely at about 4 PPM with no detectible increase in the last 2 weeks. I have reduced the waterchange schedule to every 2 weeks at this point. ALK is reading a consistent 9 day in and out with a balanced CA reading of 420. I may bump these numbers up a tad over the course of the next 30 days.

Coraline alage is starting to make a good presence in the tank now, quite a bit showing up on the rock work and frag plugs. The back of tank has 3 small specks that have me excited about how smooth this tank has been in comparison to my last one.



Current livestock is:
FISH
1 Yellow Tang
1 Desjardini Tang
3 Chromis (one died, one jumped in month 2)
3 Ignitus Anthias
1 Oscellarious Clown

INVERTS
1 Skunk Cleaner Shrimp
2 Red Hermits
10 Blue Hermits
10 Trochus Snails

CORALS
Duncan Colony 28 Heads
Aussie Purple Tip Orange Tounge Coral
Pulsing Xenia Colony (Isolated)
Strawberry Lemonade Acropora Colony
Wolverine Acropora Mini Colony
Green Slimer Acropora Frag
Sunset Montipora Frag
Red Montipora Cap Frag
Bubblegum Digitata Mini Colony
Meteor Shower Cyphastrea Frag
Green Stylopora Mini Colony
Rose Bubble Tip Anenome

 

[powers2001]

How is the Eshopps skimmer for noise @StPeteReefer?

 

[StPeteReefer]

How is the Eshopps skimmer for noise @StPeteReefer?

I honestly dont even hear it. Like at all, no noticable noise. When I unplug it, I hear no difference in sound under the stand. The water moving through the sump and my Sicc return pump are the only things I hear.

This thing has been rock solid since about 4 days after I plugged it in. Def had a short break in period, but hasnt slowed up and is pulling nasty stuff out constantly. The skimmer cup has to be dumped and cleaned every 4 or 5 days or it fills and I'm talking DARK skimmate. It is a bit pricey but worth it IMO and if I could do it over I'd buy it again.

 

[StPeteReefer]

Just one ReefTank365! Stoked!

I'm going to do a LARGE update here soon, I've had some good, some bad and some ugly as usual with a new tank. Finally getting close to the 1 year mark where things get stable. Thanks for the votes!

 

[gotmesalty77]

Update after a 20 gallon waterchange. I picked up an Icecap 3k Gyre this weekend and installed it on the top right side. Also cleaned up the electrical in the back, put the lights on a digital timer, and installed the gyre controller inside the stand.

How do you like running the 3k solo in the tank do you feel like it is enough flow? Im considering doing the same.

 

[StPeteReefer]

How do you like running the 3k solo in the tank do you feel like it is enough flow? Im considering doing the same.

Sorry for the delay on this reply. The 3k was too much flow in my 80 gallon, probably would have been okay if it were an SPS only tank. It actually just broke on me too, and it was only running for a little over a year at 20%.

I just ordered 2 of the new WIFI 2k Icecap Gyres, so we will see how that goes.

 

[StPeteReefer]

So a few changes over the last 6 months or so. One was, I removed all the sand. I got tired of it being a detritus sink, and I actually like the look of the bare bottom better.

I have been fighting a cyano issue for a month or so now, just checked my RODI unit today and figured out why.. My source water was up to 5ppm.... So needless to say I ordered a new set of filters.

Biggest update was obviously these amazing Radion XR30w Gen4 Pros!! Super stoked about these lights but man they were $$$$$....