Susan's Grand Adventure--125 Reef Build

[Susan Edwards]

Ordered Rock Today.
Marco Rock--25lbs plus 5 lbs key cut
Pukani--10lbs
5 lbs shelf rock
30lbs from reefcleaners
Total 75 lbs. I have prob. 40-50 between display fuge and QT coral tank which gives me 125. Might have to order more but we'll see.

Ordered 2 new durso overflow standpipes. Decided not to use old icky ones that came with tank.

Getting ready to order plumbing. Might see how much we have on hand to do test runs before order. Hubby will be my plumber for sure! But I'd like to look like I know what I'm doing....

Notes on diagram:
Sump will go closer to left side (don't want to redo all bits)
Drain and return lines in overflow need to be reversed (don't want to redo)

1-- Should I split 1 drain to the sock & to refugium or leave it all to drain to the skimmer section
If yes, use a gate valve to control flow to fuge? See purple T into fuge
2-- Enough unions? Do I need them all?

Am I forgetting anything? Plan to use true union balls. Do I need to set up a manifold with 3 or just maybe 2 and add more later if needed?

Manifold is in the middle of the split return to tank. Does it need to be separate--a separate T from return pump

Right now, only planning on using 1 ball valve to do water changes.

 

[Tbell805]

Tagging along for the ride! Looks awesome!

 

[Fin]

The diagram looks great! Personally, I wouldn't split the drain to the refugium. You can never have too may unions.

 

[Susan Edwards]

Thanks @Fin and @Tbell805 . I'll take out the split. Saves me some money.... Those gate valves are 50 bucks....

 

[Bronc]

More whittling of fish wish list. I'm going to use the ABC method and stock slow. With my sump, I figure, depending on final rock/sand volume to have approx 140 gal. Maybe a tad less or more. So per that method, it gives me 14 units of fish
Each group A (Rock Dwellers) is 1 unit per 2 of Group A
Each group B (open swimmers) is 1 unit each
Each group C is 2 units apiece.

Group A 2 Units
Goby spike fin
Goby Gold Head Sand Sifter
Royal Gramma
Blenny bi color or another blenny

Group B 12 Units
1 Angel Flame or Coral Beauty -- on fence. More research
3 Anthia Cariberryi
3 Anthia Bartletts or different Anthias that stay around 3"
3-5 Chromis Lemon Add early, add more, will prob. end up with 2-3

Group C 2-4 -6Units
Kole or Yellow or Tomini 2-3 tangs.

Total at highest 18-20 units (depending on # tangs). Need down to 14
No Angel, only 3 chromis gives me 16. 2 tangs gives me 14
Plan to take time stocking so some fish may or may not make it

I think this list gives me movement and color in all areas of tank

I’ve had Flame Angels and have a Coral Beauty now and love them both. If I have to choose one or the other I’d pick the Coral Beauty.

For Tangs, you can have multiple: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/the-trick-to-keeping-multiple-tangs-in-the-same-tank.279986/

 

[Susan Edwards]

Cool @Bronc Did you have any issues with the flame or CB eating your corals? I hear the stories, yet see so many tanks with them. They, along with the mandarin, are my dream fish to have. Have the mandy in my other tank. No need for one in each tank!

 

[Bronc]

Cool @Bronc Did you have any issues with the flame or CB eating your corals? I hear the stories, yet see so many tanks with them. They, along with the mandarin, are my dream fish to have. Have the mandy in my other tank. No need for one in each tank!

Nope, no issues with them nipping at corals at all.

 

[Susan Edwards]

Thanks, @Bronc You've given me hope!

 

[Susan Edwards]

Getting excited. Hoping to get stand drilled for plumbing this weekend. Durso standpipes arriving Fri and rocks Mon-wed. Ordered a mix: marco, pukani, reefcleaner

 

[Susan Edwards]

Not much progress this weekend. Removed sump from stand--if it was even an 1/8 inch bigger, we might not be able to get it in and out! Have to take one door off to do so and have angle just right.

Didn't get top of stand drilled for plumbing. Hubby had to work Sat. and get ready for a major project at work today--he'll be out doing surveys so we had to get rain gear and such together.

So this week I will paint inside stand with marine black. The stand is painted but this will be extra protection. Plus I'll paint the one board that is cut for the electrical cabinet inside.

The boot mat I bought to go under the sump fits exactly. And I mean exact! I like this mat. It even came with a rubber grid if I wanted the sump to sit on it but that would probably just collect water and end up stinking. I like that it is 2 inch deep so will be a good water catcher. Pics at end and yes, I'll be peeling paper off as soon as it gets back into stand. We bang the sump up getting it in and out! I will remember the paper on the bottom as well...

Marco rock and pukani should be here Monday and Tuesday. Rock from reef cleaners on Thur. So I will get to at least play

 

[Susan Edwards]

Well, exciting and disappointing. Got the first rocks in today--10 lbs pukani, 5 lbs shelf. Pukani was a tad less than 10. I was disappointed as the 2 pieces were pretty solid and not full of holes and crevices like the others i had ordered previously. I ordered another 15 and asked for better rock. So i sat and stared at my 2 pieces and have to say, I was pathetic... Ya just can't do much with 2 pieces... The shelf rock was nice but ya can't do much with just some shelf either. Marco comes on WEd. and Reef Cleaners on Thur. In the meantime, I will paint the inside of the stand with some marine paint. I wanna play! And create! And feel like my build is progressing <g>

 

[Susan Edwards]

Got 25 lbs Marco rock today (4 pcs) and 5 lbs prime cuts--2 pcs. Here is my "play time". Have more coming Thur, Frid and Tue. But couldn't resist playing around. I might try to make that disappointing pc of pukani into a central island as a show piece. Thinking green star polyps with something on top that won't be bothered by gsp. Maybe an unbrella leather? Remember, this is just me playing with my new toys.... I'll prob. go taller on the rocks but will also see what I can make when the rest of rock is here. Rocks need washing but if I like something, I'll wash after in sections.

Looks like I might have my sump--one I got with tank that I can use sold--at least have someone interested. And am selling a wall mount mat cutter which means I can buy my next batch of stuff sooner! Yippee

 

[Bronc]

That’s some good looking rock! GSP should be on its own separate island as it will take over everything else. I have some on a small rock on the bottom in my sand. It still tries to just grow it’s matte over the sand to get to other rocks but I just trim that back every so often.

 

[Susan Edwards]

@Bronc I was thinking of having it grow on that piece that looks like an arrowhead. I'm thinking of putting a leather on top, like a tree with wavy grass below. I don't think the gsp sting or will both the leather when it grows up to it. Prob. take it a while. Might even put cloves on top of shelf with a leather. Start gsp in the middle, cloves on top--the palm tree ones--and then a nice big leather. What do you think

 

[Bronc]

@Bronc I was thinking of having it grow on that piece that looks like an arrowhead. I'm thinking of putting a leather on top, like a tree with wavy grass below. I don't think the gsp sting or will both the leather when it grows up to it. Prob. take it a while. Might even put cloves on top of shelf with a leather. Start gsp in the middle, cloves on top--the palm tree ones--and then a nice big leather. What do you think

Sounds really cool!

 

[don_chuwish]

So this week I will paint inside stand with marine black. ...

Black? Most people do white so it’s easier to see things in there... just sayin’

 

[Susan Edwards]

@don_chuwish the stand was already spray painted black inside when it came. But I felt it needed to be a bit thicker and if it is a bit glossy, it will also be easier to wipe down and not so rough to catch on the toweling. I figure it will get wet or sprayed so I wanted very easy care and solid wood protection. I used a marine paint. We just turned the tank upside down so tomorrow I can paint under the top and the bottom, esp. the edges that are raw. I know how water gets spilled and tries to go under!

I'll have a fuge light and prob. led strip around the top as well and a light in the electrical side, or the same led.

 

[don_chuwish]

Okeydoke!

 

[Susan Edwards]

So, today I got my lbs reef cleaner rock. More playtime! Nothing to say "wow". Wishing I had a wider tank now, as 18, with twin overflows, means I'm stuck with more of a wall of rock than the more terraced look I wanted. I have some terraces. There are a couple pieces, left side I will keep together and cement before I wash them. Also get another 15-20 pukani and the bulk heads tomorrow. Needed slip x slip. Tue another 40 lbs from amazon

House smells like paint.... ugh More painting to do tomorrow

 

[count krunk]

What do you mean by marine paint? My fam has a parasailing company in FL, we used bottom coat marine paint to refresh our boats bottom coats. I hope you didn't use that stuff! Besides being $75+ a gallon, it's loaded with copper to inhibit barnie etc growth on the boat bottom.