Susan's RS Reefer 3xl 900 Fantasy-Dream Build

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Susan Edwards

Susan Edwards

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I will ch
If you are going to spend the money, get a single Pentair UV sterilizer, especially since you are more after parasite control than algae. I think the 40 watt unit is rated for a tank your, but the flow rate is much lower for parasites, so low I would run a separate pump from your returns.
Here's a link to BRS website you can check out what they recommend flow wise. https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/emperor-aquatics-smart-uv-40-watt.html
I will check with the lfs guy as he is hooking things up for me
 
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Susan Edwards

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More progress!!

2 water tanks, 65 gal each for my new saltwater mixing station and my awc and ato! Automating this baby!!! (I hope...)
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I was going to try this when I vacuum sand bed. Just run hose into sump sock (fresh) vacuum into the sump and let return pump it right back into display. If I do a 1 gal water change daily, this should do the trick unless I need a major change
I did this yesterday, but I wasn’t quite as brave - I ran it into a separate bucket. I have that really fine, powdery oolite that gets everywhere.
 
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Susan Edwards

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I did this yesterday, but I wasn’t quite as brave - I ran it into a separate bucket. I have that really fine, powdery oolite that gets everywhere.
I used a fine sand last time, not that fine, and it was awful. Removed it last september for a medium sand. New tank will be medium. I think part of my tank issues were with too much fine sand blown into all m y rocks! Oolite is beautiful though!
 

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I used a fine sand last time, not that fine, and it was awful. Removed it last september for a medium sand. New tank will be medium. I think part of my tank issues were with too much fine sand blown into all m y rocks! Oolite is beautiful though!
My conches, nassarius snails and starfish just love it though.
 
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Susan Edwards

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No time to work on scape today. Maybe tomorrow am before work!. Have wed-fr off so then as well. Cleared and cleaned more in garage. This weekend we will start on the saltwater mixing station. Will need to order the apex fluid doser soon, which means some of the apex equipment as well.
 
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Susan Edwards

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You're going to love your 3XL 900! Ours is one of the first that was setup in January 2020, and it's been a solid tank ever since.
Good to know!! I can't wait. So eager!
 
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Progress update:
Electrical in and done. I have two 20 amp outlets in my little 10x10 office now lol's. 40 amps of power all for me and my fishes. Also have a box going from garage to laundry room to feed 1/4 tubing and a bus cable for my awc.

Off to go get some paint as I decided now would be a good time to paint, before tank goes in. Big groan here....
 
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what a day! Got my painting started. Discovered salt damage where my old qt tank used to sit. Cleaned it with kitchen cleaner then water. Will see if it paints tomorrow.

Using semi-gloss and will do a coat of semi-gloss polyurethane. Maybe. Will test it first.

Pic of my 40 amps of power lol's, the box going from garage to Laundry room for the tubing for the ato and awc and the new gray paint with the damaged area. Hubby's comment: boring lol's. We usually like color but I'm thinking white cabinet, white lights, and tank, the gray will showcase the tank. I hope....

I'm getting so antsy for my tank lol's even though I'm nowhere ready for it.

Need to cement the tonga-style rock as epoxy doesn't really work well for where it is on the rock. Almost done with the rockscape. So things moving. Just a bit slowly...

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room painted. Salt area on wall cleaned and it painted. I know where it is, but it's painted! Next step is to touch up ceiling paint and apply a coat or 2 of polyurethane to the tank wall. Hubby going to cap off the outlet on that wall and seal it to keep water from getting inside. Once tank is set up, it will be inaccessible so better just seal it off. I have a lot of outlets in this room now lol's.

Next project is to move the RO unit from kitchen to garage. And start planning light mounting for next month. Need that either up, or ready to go as I'll be moving corals over. 1 coral rock of gsp has a light crate base so that needs to go in before sand. Others are on smaller rocks and will be stand alone.

Feels like time is slow yet with so much to do, there might not be enough lol's.
 
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Update: Tank will be delivered and installed 1st week of October! Going to pick up all equipment in the next week or 2 so I can get familiar with it all, esp. the apex stuff and start my controller board. As the tank cabinet will only have about 15" on the dry side for equipment. Will use that area for my dosers and containers and thinking of mounting everything to my wall. I will only have about 15" (width of a stool lol's) on each side, so the sides won't work either.

On my first tank, an aio red sea 250 I used a medicine cabinet for the power strips and cords and powerhead controllers. . This time, I will have apex and a lot more controllers. So design time and research!

Trying to decide if I should glue all my zoas on the new zoa garden structure and let it "get live" in my current tank. The zoas need to be put on frags or rock, so with my algae gone, should be safe. Same with a frag colony of palys. They need affixing, so may do those as well.

Trying to figure out my salt choices. Almost done with my LA salt. Part of me say for the initial fill up go IO Reef (240gal!!!) and then go to a better salt with no anti caking to foul up my containers.

Had no clue all the choices to be made going big lol's. Or how consuming this is. I work 2 part time jobs: One outside the home, and the other this tank lol's. I'm also a writer and just can't settle to work on my latest book (bad me)

Next weekend hope to move my RO unit to garage and start getting the water change station finished. Painting the plywood this week and should hose out the 2 containers. Decided to change out my ro membrane when I move it. 4 years old and never changed. Hasn't seemed to need it.
 
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Susan Edwards

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Paid for my equipment today (yeouch!). Will pick up from lfs tomorrow. Now I can work on my control panel which will have to go on the wall. No room for all this in the dry side of tank.

Red Sea 900 skimmer
2 Red Sea Reefwave 45’s gyres
Red Sea doser
4 Red Sea 160’s lights
2 Neptune Cor-20 return pumps
2 mp-40’s
2 battery backups
2 15w UV

Apex controller, 4 probes, 1 energy bar
2nd energy bar
Dosing pump for automatic water change
Probe rack-pick up when I get tank
Display module
Calibration pack-when I get the tank
Leak detection kit
Leak probes—2 when I get the tank
Sensors for water containers and sump
ATO
Bus cable to hook from garage to bedroom

Later I want the par Monitoring and a breakout box.

Still looking at reactors to run rowaphos. Want an in sump (too nervous to do a water outside of tank lol’s) and have a bunch of stuff on amazon to get. Also want to order a clearview lid which is 600 bucks but it looks really nice

More progress. Also finished the rockscape. A bit more epoxy to strengthen the branches that the tips broke off. Glued for now. Now I'll take the scape into my graphics and start planning coral placements. Not totally to scale. A bit short in width and length.
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Susan Edwards

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Here are the corals that will go into this new tank. Put the hairy mushrooms, zoas, and cinnamon palys on their new rocks. Those are the only rocks that will go into the display. A few will go into the refugium of the sump.

I will start off with :
cinnamon palys
another rock of giant palys
several types of zoas
3 types of rhodactis
Gsp

The candy cane and blasto still show some color. Now that the leather is out of there I'm dreaming that they might come back. Actually I noticed the duncan had 1 spot of green left. But not hopeful with those lol's.
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Wow and whoo hoo wee!!! Xmas in August! Picked up all but a few equipment pcs. Some smaller apex items not needed until I have tank, the sand, and I still need to find a reactor! And lid. That skimmer is huge!!

Dipping 4 new corals--all cheap 15.00 so if my current tank kills them, no big loss, just a disappointment. Hoping with that huge leather gone, and numbers spot on, the 2 pavonas, duncan and galexiea will survive to add to new tank!

hmm, do I play with my new toys or go take a nap lol's

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OMG! What a daunting journey this is! I did some measurements last night (like 2am!!!) and the bookcase has to come out, the credenza has to move down which means the printer has to move-probably into my closet which means a short bookcase in there with grandkid crafts has to move out!!!! and Desk turned sideways. Yikes! Bookcase can go where the current tank is in living room but that won't be for many months so it will have to sit in the hallway! Eventually I can add some shelves to the wall for my pretties!
Hi Susan, I messaged you when you had one of your other tanks. What fish store are you using? Good luck with this build. I still have the Red Sea 350.
 
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Susan Edwards

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Hey, I remember you!!! Would love to meet up someday!!! Have some free white tipped leather corals lol's. No leathers in the new build. I use Aquatic Collection in Hayward. They've always been a good store and they are doing my new tank delivery and some of the set up. And a manifold. They are about as close as anyone and have a great coral selection and fish.

I sold the max 250 when I set up the 125. Now I will sell the 125 when I'm all set up.

Wish there was a fish club in our area!!
 
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Susan Edwards

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Here are 4 new coral to add to the new build if they survive in the old tank, which at least was (I hope) an lps and sps killer.

Green pavona--already has tentacles out. Previous attempts they never came out
Orange pavona--a bit slow in coming out
Pavonas are placed higher up in higher flow
Duncan-opening
Galixea opening.

Will give them some RS AB food in a while before lights dim. Convince them this tank is a nice home.... lol's. Will also check parameters tonight

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