The Upgrade Build... From 110 to 180

[leepink23]

I had a thought that I've never really had before.

Bare bottom.

I've never run a tank bare bottom before. I never really liked the look of bare bottom but I can't deny the benifits.

It's an idea I need to explore a lot more before I decide.

I thought about it but decided I didn’t want to clean algae off the bottom vs cleaning the sand. I think it’s a good idea though

 

[Dj City]

The new tank is a result of a long hard fought dino battle that I lost.

Dinos are primarily in the sandbed.

I'm wondering if I go bare bottom, can I maybe avoid the problem in the future? Maybe be able to salvage my existing corals?

I would paint the bottom glass with a textured white paint to emulate sand.

 

[Dj City]

Or...
Just use a white yoga mat for under the tank.
That way I don't have to paint it.
The more I think on it, the more I am learning toward bare bottom.

If I don't like it or want to change it in the future, I just add sand.

 

[scriptmonkey]

I think I've settled on the Clarisea SK-500. I think it has the best flow rating and the best performer of the one I've looked at.

I know this build thread is kinda scattered right now. Without the tank in hand, all I've really got are ideas.
I put my ideas down in this thread and hope to get some insight from other referees before making a concrete plan.

Once I get the tank, this build thread will start to come together.

Yeah, I hear you on the waiting. Started my new build thread last night and it is insanity.

 

[scriptmonkey]

The new tank is a result of a long hard fought dino battle that I lost.

Dinos are primarily in the sandbed.

I'm wondering if I go bare bottom, can I maybe avoid the problem in the future? Maybe be able to salvage my existing corals?

I would paint the bottom glass with a textured white paint to emulate sand.

That is not a bad idea. The only thing I worry about is when you start to see coralline algae, think it would screw up the illusion?

 

[Dj City]

I'm hoping regular maintenance would avoid that.
Cleaning the glass BEFORE coraline algae takes hold of the bottom of the tank.

 

[Dj City]

I just thought of something...

What is a good clean up crew for a bare bottom reef?

I honestly have no idea.

 

[Dj City]

Equipment list so far

Jecod DCP 15000 return pump
Jecod DCP 10000 return pump (for manifold)
2x Random Flow Generators (720 - 1000 gph to work right)
3 OceanRevive Artic T-247 led lights (scrapped)
2 Viparspectra 165w led lights (scrapped)
4x Kessil A360X's
2x ReefBrite Lumilite Pros Actinic
1x Refbreeders Photon 50 V2+
1 sunblaster 48" T5 with ATI Blue + bulb
1 Lumenbar (high octane UV)
Clarisea SK-5000 Automatic Filter System (With replacement fleece roll)
Apex Controller
Apex FMK (Flow Meter Kit)
2 Apex Energy Bar 832's
4 Apex Wav Pumps
Apex Trident water tester
2 x Apex Dos
2 x Jeabo 3.4 Wifi Dosing Pump
Reef Kinetics ReefBot Automatic Water Testing Device
Maxspect Gyre 150 (1st gen) (scrapped)
Jecod Crossflow CP 40 (gyre) (scrapped)
2 Maxspect Gyre FX 350's
2 Jeabo RW-8's (scrapped)
Tunze Stream 3 Powerhead (scrapped)
Tunze Care Magnet (long)
Tunze Osmolator 3155
Seneye Reef Monitor (par meter)
Aquamaxx TS-1 Sulfur Denitrator
Aquamaxx Cone S C02 Skimmer
125lbs Aquamaxx Eco Rock
8L Seachem Pond Matrix
8 Maxspect Nano-Tech Bio Blocks
8L Brightwell MicroBacter7
1L Bio Spira
Lifeguard Aquatics Turbo Media Reactor (carbon Reactor)
Aquatop MR-30 as DIY Co2 Reactor
Reef Octopus LR-200 Algae Reactor
Avast Marine K2 Kalkwasser Stirrer
AutoAqua Smart Skimmer Security
Pentair Aquatics Smart UV 40 Watt
Enaly Ozak Plus 200 Ozone Generator
Coral Box wifi Dosing Pump (if needed)
Black PVC pipes
White PVC fittings

I'm probably forgetting to list something but I can add whatever it is later.

I'm debating between Marine pure blocks, Brightwell Xport blocks, Maxspect Nano Tech bio blocks or Seachem Pond matrix.
Edit...
Debate is over. I decided to go with the Maxspect Nano-Tech Bio Blocks.

Advice is always welcome.

 

[Dj City]

!!!**THE TANK ARRIVES TOMORROW**!!!​

 

[Dj City]

The tank has arrived!

It's great but not all good.

The tank itself arrived in excellent shape. No scratches, chips or cracks.
I'ts extremely HEAVY. Bringing it into my house was a back breaking, muscle aching affair but with the help of 2 friends, we got it in.

The bottom of the strand was damaged.
The sump is configured wrong.
They sent metric pvc pipe with standard fittings so nothing fits.
The canopy did not arrive at all.

That said, I contacted SCA and they said they are sending out a new stand and canopy today.
They said they are sending me the correct plumbing. They are also sending me 2 pieces of glass for the sump baffles.

He said that the shipping company probably broke the pallet containing the stand and canopy and lost the canopy when switching pallets. He thinks that's how the stand got damaged.

I am pleased with their customer service even though these issues could have been avoided in the first place.

More to come.
I'm exhausted!

 

[Dj City]

So...
The sump goes from right to left.
1st chamber where the filter pads are is where the Clarisea SK-5000 will go.
2nd chamber is supposed to be for the skimmer but there is no bubble trap.
3rd chamber is where the bio media is going
4th chamber is for the return pump but if I'm seeing this correctly, it will be full of bubbles from the drain and skimmer.
The 5th chamber is ATO water.

I need to reconfigure this sump to work. I am getting the glass straight from the manufacturer.

Can anyone tell me how the baffles SHOULD be?

 

[Dj City]

Yeah, I hear you on the waiting. Started my new build thread last night and it is insanity.

Where is your buld thread?
I want to follow it.

 

[Dj City]

Some of my equipment arrived yesterday.

120lbs of Aquamaxx Eco rock and 2 buckets of Red See Pro Salt also arrived yesterday.

I'm considering using a separate pump to feed the manifold I'm planning to build.
Everything about this build is constantly evolving.

 

[Dj City]

Lighting

I have 3 OceanRevive T-247's over my 110 gallon tank.

I have 2 viparspectras hanging around.

For the 180, I'm going to add the 2 Viparspectras to the existing lights.

Blanket led coverage!

Edit...
I scrapped the OceanRevive T-247's and the Viparspectras in favor of Reefbreeders Photon 50 V2+ and a Lumenbar High Octan UV

 

[Dj City]

I will be removing this pic in the future. Just needed it here to remind me of a way to draw out my manifold ideas. Besides that, this pic will be completely irrelevant to me.

 

[Hemmdog]

Nice build man!

 

[Dj City]

Nice build man!

Thank you @Hemmdog

Im waiting on the replacement cabinet to arrive before I even attempt to think about starting.
Everything right now is planning, revisions and practicing patience.

 

[Dj City]

This is part of this build (kind of)

So...
As I plan to break down the 110 gallon, I've been wondering what to do with my corals.
I have dinos in the 110 so I'm VERY skeptical of putting anything from the 110 into the 180 but I'm not going to simply toss the corals out.

My new idea...

20 long frag tank.
Just set this up today.
The light you see is coming from the bare bottom 40 breeder qt tank above it.
I have a GalaxyHydro 156w led on the way to light the frag tank up. I have an Aqueon Quietflow hob rated for 50 gallons.
I have a mp10 top right and a Tunze 6105 bottom left under the eggcrate.
I'm using 2 little fishes Stax rocks for live rock and it doubles as a stand to raise the eggcrate off the bottom of the tank. I added a bunch of bio spira and microbacter7 to start the cycle.
I think I will get some miracle mud or fiji mud for this frag tank. Maybe if I can get enough biodiversity in the frag tank, the dinos will be starved out and I can add them to the new build.

 

[Dj City]

It's getting crowded in here

 

[Dj City]

Aquascape idea #1 (1st attempt)