The "She Said Yes!" 120 Gallon Build

[dangles]

That surprises me. My yellow eye was a lawn mower. Didn't have a spec of green algae anywhere, including the sand bed before he died.

 

[dangles]

I have a cool surprise coming next week. I wanted to do a little bit of testing to make sure my tank is still free and clear of bad guys before the surprise gets here

 

[08TRDOFFROAD]

 

[dangles]

I cleaned out the fresh seawater container the other day. Fun times.

 

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Welp. One of my two AI Prime 16 HDs is officially on the fritz. The AI tech called today and said the LED cluster is going out, AND the lens was starting to melt. The lights are exactly 2 years old, and of course out of warranty. Cool. $100 for a replacement LED board, and some pocket change for a new lens. Negative, Ghost Rider. I'll be ordering some @luxdium clusters for both (assuming they're compatible with my Prime 16 HD lights - the website is a little unclear on that). Better quality all around from what I've heard. @telegraham is who I first heard about them from (I think).

Oh, also my Bangaii cardinal died out of the blue. He was just about 2 years old

I do however have some good news to share on Saturday assuming nothing goes awry with the surprise I mentioned a few posts ago! Standby!

 

[08TRDOFFROAD]

Welp. One of my two AI Prime 16 HDs is officially on the fritz. The AI tech called today and said the LED cluster is going out, AND the lens was starting to melt. The lights are exactly 2 years old, and of course out of warranty. Cool. $100 for a replacement LED board, and some pocket change for a new lens. Negative, Ghost Rider. I'll be ordering some @luxdium clusters for both (assuming they're compatible with my Prime 16 HD lights - the website is a little unclear on that). Better quality all around from what I've heard. @telegraham is who I first heard about them from (I think).

Oh, also my Bangaii cardinal died out of the blue. He was just about 2 years old

I do however have some good news to share on Saturday assuming nothing goes awry with the surprise I mentioned a few posts ago! Standby!

I'm interested to see how those upgraded clusters work out for you!

 

[dangles]

I'm interested to see how those upgraded clusters work out for you!

Or maybe I’ll just sell all my AI lights and buy a 4-Helix setup… or maybe an Atlas pair

I wonder if 2 Atlases over a 4-foot tank would be too much though. Any idea of the pros/cons to those two setups? You’ve looked into them haven’t you?

 

[MissMolly]

Most updated tank photo:

Keep reading for the details and progression


For my original Innovative Marine 50 gallon AIO build, click HERE.

Also please check out my pico build HERE

Details and Process

This will serve as my new build thread. It will be slow to get started as I gather all the gear but once Black Friday hits the pace will pick up dramatically!

Long story short, my fiancé just built a house out in the country. It makes the most sense for us to sell my house and move in with her once we get married (yeah we're the old fashioned type). I suggested the possibility of upgrading my current 50 gallon AIO tank to a 4 ft 120 gal tank because it would fit PERFECTLY in the spot we've picked out for it. There's even a laundry room on the other side of the wall where I can set up a large controller board and possibly even the RODI setup. Plus... there's no better time to upgrade than when you move! She didn't put up any fight at all

My philosophy guiding this build is to automate and back up as much as possible, provide some more space for some fish I couldn't keep long term in my 50 gallon, and not become a slave to the maintenance of the tank. I travel a decent amount, and I work 24+ hours at a time. I don't want my fiancé to have to manage things while I'm away.

My plan for the 50 gallon was to pretty much focus on LPS. But with this bigger tank, and the lighting I have planned, I may shift focus to some hardy SPS as well as some LPS and shrooms. A 4-foot tank with SPS lighting also opens the door for a clam, which I'd REALY love to do!

Here's what I have planned so far:

Tank

Planet Aquarium rimless 120g w/ internal external overflow and stand

Sump

Tideline 36 (a little large for the tank size, but I'm going to ATTEMPT to go sans-skimmer, relying instead on a filter roller and refugium)

Rock/Sand

Marco dry rock (cooked in a dark tub with dark-rubble from my current tank)
I'm leaning toward TBS live sand. I'm really digging the look/makeup of their sand (the big chunks and such) and I wanna give the "live" stuff a go.

Filtration

ClariSea SK3000 G3 filter roller

Refugium lit by an AI Blade Fuge

Reef Octopus Classic 110EXT recirculating skimmer (intentionally undersized because of the filter roller and refugium)


Pumps/Flow

Return pump: Dual EcoTech M2 pumps, one S2 going straight to the tank, and an M2 going through the UV and a small manifold. One of the M2 pumps will flow through UV and on to the display, the other will flow through a manifold and then to the display.

Powerheads: Ecotech MP40mQD x2


Lighting

2x AI Prime 16 HD

2x AI Blade Grow 48"

Controller

Neptune A3 Apex
- FMM
- MXM
- EB832 x2
- LLS15 for the sump

Topoff/Dosing

Neptune ATK Gravity-fed from the fresh water in the mixing station (RIP Jake )

Neptune DOS #1
- Dosing head 1: Kalkwasser (possibly adding an Avast Kalk Stirrer)
- Dosing head 2: TBD (phyto, All For Reef...)

Neptune DOS #2 for auto water changes

Temperature Control

BRS Titanium heaters x2

Inkbird Wifi thermostats x2

RODI/Mixing Station

Brute 44 gal trash cans x2 65 gallon water tanks

Vectra L2 (definitely didn’t need a pump this big!)

BRS 7-stage 150 gpd RODI system with auto flush, auto shutoff and booster pump

Misc

Avast Plank autofeeder

Amazon autofeeder

Ecotech battery backup x2

Aqua Ultraviolet 25 watt UV sterilizer


I'm going to be having a couple of engineer friends help me design and build a dope controller board and cabinet. One of them has a wood shop, the other has a 3d printer, and CNC router/laser cutter. All of those will come in REALLY handy!

Anyway, hopefully you all will enjoy the process along with me

NEAT!!!!!!!!

 

[dangles]

NEAT!!!!!!!!

Thank you, Miss Molly

 

[telegraham]

Or maybe I’ll just sell all my AI lights and buy a 4-Helix setup… or maybe an Atlas pair

I wonder if 2 Atlases over a 4-foot tank would be too much though. Any idea of the pros/cons to those two setups? You’ve looked into them haven’t you?

There’s never too much in dimmable lighting, and two over a 4’ would work well.

Last I looked, Luxdium was zero balance on pucks. And on compatibility: “LUX Engine presently supports all Prime HDs, Hydra 26HDs, and Hydra 52HDs. Technically, Non-HD lights can also be upgraded, however their slow dimming and variations in power distribution makes it difficult to guarantee spectral output with our verified presets. Thus, we recommend installing these in HD lights. LUX Engine does not support recessed lens 16-multiple light fixtures (16HD, 32HD, and 64HD).”

 

[Fishy Guy]

There’s never too much in dimmable lighting, and two over a 4’ would work well.

Last I looked, Luxdium was zero balance on pucks. And on compatibility: “LUX Engine presently supports all Prime HDs, Hydra 26HDs, and Hydra 52HDs. Technically, Non-HD lights can also be upgraded, however their slow dimming and variations in power distribution makes it difficult to guarantee spectral output with our verified presets. Thus, we recommend installing these in HD lights. LUX Engine does not support recessed lens 16-multiple light fixtures (16HD, 32HD, and 64HD).”

Is there a thread that has more info on these?

 

[08TRDOFFROAD]

Or maybe I’ll just sell all my AI lights and buy a 4-Helix setup… or maybe an Atlas pair

I wonder if 2 Atlases over a 4-foot tank would be too much though. Any idea of the pros/cons to those two setups? You’ve looked into them haven’t you?

I'll tell you what @telegraham told me.

"There is no such thing as too much with dimmable leds."

The Atlas spectrum is crazy impressive. My wife just disliked the fixture being round for esthetic reasons. If it were a rectangular or square fixture, I'd have one over my tank now. You'd never outgrow the Atlas.

The helix setup would give you a really even par spread/blanket of light, rivaling that of a multi bulb T5 fixture.

 

[08TRDOFFROAD]

There’s never too much in dimmable lighting, and two over a 4’ would work well.

Last I looked, Luxdium was zero balance on pucks. And on compatibility: “LUX Engine presently supports all Prime HDs, Hydra 26HDs, and Hydra 52HDs. Technically, Non-HD lights can also be upgraded, however their slow dimming and variations in power distribution makes it difficult to guarantee spectral output with our verified presets. Thus, we recommend installing these in HD lights. LUX Engine does not support recessed lens 16-multiple light fixtures (16HD, 32HD, and 64HD).”

He beat me too it!

 

[dangles]

I'll tell you what @telegraham told me.

"There is no such thing as too much with dimmable leds."

Smart guy that Jimbo is

 

[telegraham]

Smart guy that Jimbo is

I have my moments. Most of them are other than smart.

 

[telegraham]

Is there a thread that has more info on these?

Which these? I have an Atlas and can answer questions.

 

[dangles]

Surprise

I had been curious about Dr. Reef’s chromis in particular. I know he has a good reputation in general but he makes special note on his chromis page that despite his best efforts, some MAY still show signs of uronema after shipping. I posted a thread asking if anybody had experience with his chromis in particular. He popped into the thread and offered to send me a few at no cost so I can evaluate for myself and report back! He has started sourcing slightly larger specimens from a different part of the world and has seen no signs of uronema from that population. Combined with his qt process he’s pretty convinced the risk is significantly lower than normal. Super cool

I offered to do AquaBiomics Tank DNA tests both before and after to test out his theory. He said go for it, and told me to post about it whatever the result! I did my pre-intro test last week to make sure I didn’t unknowingly introduce any parasites since my last clean test. Results aren’t back but assuming it’s still all clear, I’ll do another test in about a month. That should tell me pretty definitively if they were carrying uronema (or anything else).

So here they are!




He sent 7! Two looked didn’t look very good on arrival… laying on their sides gasping. I followed his recommended acclimation method then put them all in a temporary holding tank (using water from my display) to let them settle in without the stress of all my other fish. All of them perked up at first. Unfortunately I lost one overnight but the other 6 seem ok still. Most are already eating. I’m hoping to introduce them into my display tonight or tomorrow night once I can confirm they’re ALL eating!

Whatever the outcome as far as the parasite situation goes (there are obviously still risks - even if minimal), I’d still highly recommend Dr. Reef and will likely be using him exclusively for fish from here on out.

 

[08TRDOFFROAD]

Surprise

I had been curious about Dr. Reef’s chromis in particular. I know he has a good reputation in general but he makes special note on his chromis page that despite his best efforts, some MAY still show signs of uronema after shipping. I posted a thread asking if anybody had experience with his chromis in particular. He popped into the thread and offered to send me a few at no cost so I can evaluate for myself and report back! He has started sourcing slightly larger specimens from a different part of the world and has seen no signs of uronema from that population. Combined with his qt process he’s pretty convinced the risk is significantly lower than normal. Super cool

I offered to do AquaBiomics Tank DNA tests both before and after to test out his theory. He said go for it, and told me to post about it whatever the result! I did my pre-intro test last week to make sure I didn’t unknowingly introduce any parasites since my last clean test. Results aren’t back but assuming it’s still all clear, I’ll do another test in about a month. That should tell me pretty definitively if they were carrying uronema (or anything else).

So here they are!




He sent 7! Two looked didn’t look very good on arrival… laying on their sides gasping. I followed his recommended acclimation method then put them all in a temporary holding tank (using water from my display) to let them settle in without the stress of all my other fish. All of them perked up at first. Unfortunately I lost one overnight but the other 6 seem ok still. Most are already eating. I’m hoping to introduce them into my display tonight or tomorrow night once I can confirm they’re ALL eating!

Whatever the outcome as far as the parasite situation goes (there are obviously still risks - even if minimal), I’d still highly recommend Dr. Reef and will likely be using him exclusively for fish from here on out.

That's pretty cool! I have been looking at his fish off and on. Just hate paying shipping. After losing everything though. I will never put another unquarantined fish in any of my tanks.

What are the details of your qt system?

 

[dangles]

That's pretty cool! I have been looking at his fish off and on. Just hate paying shipping. After losing everything though. I will never put another unquarantined fish in any of my tanks.

What are the details of your qt system?

Same re: un-quarantined fish. Especially after getting a clean AquaBiomics. I might make an exception for Biota stuff from my lfs since they keep those in a disconnected system from their WC stuff. Still a risk though. Most likely I’ll just do Dr. Reef.

I wouldn’t call mine a QT tank. Just a simple temporary obs/acclimation tank. 10 gallon Aqueon using water from my display, a cheap Amazon wave maker, some PVC hides and a heater. I surround it with cardboard to minimize stress from the outside world. I feed twice a day and do daily 50% water changes to keep from having to worry about ammonia. A few days+ in there to make sure they recover from shipping and are eating before being thrown in with gen-pop. The stress of shipping followed immediately by the stress of integrating into a fish community with an established hierarchy just seems reckless to me.

 

[dangles]

I'm in a bit of a slump.

Many of my corals just aren't doing very well. My Oregon Tort has been struggling for a while now, but finally gave up and bleached. My seriatapora aren't thriving like they were a couple of months ago, my goni has retracted, my turbinaria heronensis looks nearly dead, my pectinia is shrinking, my TNT anacropora bleached, my slime ball spongodes is struggling, my plating montis aren't really growing anymore, my bubblegum digitata is half dead, my Bali green slimer bleached, and my King Kong bounce Yuma has deflated (the babies just aren't growing much at all lately). Even some of my zoas are struggling! Among a few others. I'm 85% convinced it's my phosphate swings (back and forth from sub-0.03 to 0.12+ sometimes. I'm starting to wonder if it's the food I'm using (Avast Reef Jerky) because I'm really not changing all that much, and my rock/sand is established enough at this point that I don't think it's that. I read a couple of other reports of people using Avast Reef Jerky having phosphate swings (although a number of people also reported no issues). I'm going to be switching over to a mix of freeze-dried and pellets that I read about in one of those threads. It's a precisely measured out recipe so maybe that will help.

On top of the phosphate swings, I'm sure the somewhat drastic reduction in light over the last couple of weeks from my broken AI Prime hasn't helped. Corals on that side of the tank seem to have been hit harder.

As soon as I hear back from Luca with Quanta Lights about restocking, I plan to order some of either his Quanta Pros or Quanta Helixes, and selling my AI Blades and my remaining Prime. I haven't been super happy with them. My phosphate issues aside, I'm just not convinced it's a good setup for my situation. I'm also not convinced the spectrum is all that great.

Anyway, power through I suppose. Hopefully I don't end up losing 80% of my coral investments over the last year.

*edit*

The cherry on top: my Starlink internet service has also kicked the bucket. So my Apex is virtually inaccessible to me right now. No idea what the pH or temp are at the moment. And I can't make any kalk adjustments. And apparently Starlink doesn't have a phone number for support. Gotta start a support ticket through the app. It's been over 48 hours since I started the ticket. No response. I'm scraping by using my cell phone as a hotspot, but I'm out in the boonies and service sucks to begin with. Yay.