A little late starting this, but after 15 years I finally decided to try reefing again. Currently set up in the fish room are 15 freshwater tanks (really 16). Swore I wasn't going to go down the reef path again, but it was always there tempting me. So after months of debating and catching up on new stuff available in the hobby I finally starting buying stuff to build a reef. My previous tank was a 180, so I wanted to find another like tank this time. Unfortunately couldn't find a 180 and settled for an Aqueon mega flow 125 close to the footprint I wanted. I'll start posting pics since it isn't just the 125 I'm building out. I am a good ways along, but I'll catch everyone up.
Time to revisit the reef after 15 years - Adding salt water to the fish room (build out)
- Build Thread
- Thread starter jsweir
- Start date
- Tagged users None
This is the current freshwater - a 125, four 75s, two 20s, and eight 10s (fry/quarantine). All bigger tanks running off 1 air system with separate air for the eight 10 gallon tanks.
And here is the future saltwater additions. Of the four 40 breeders, top right will be coral QT, left two will be marine fish QT, and bottom right is the other freshwater. QTs are currently cycling.
WIReefer
608 MOD SQUAD
Looks great I would say you are preparing always good!And here is the future saltwater additions. Of the four 40 breeders, top right will be coral QT, left two will be marine fish QT, and bottom right is the other freshwater. QTs are currently cycling.
Mr_Knightley
2500 Club Member
Welcome back to the salty side!
125 Equipment list:
Lighting - 60" Aquatic life fixture with 4 T5 bulbs and added 3 reefi duo extremes
Sump - 40ish gallon that came with the tank - modified by adding more baffles
heat - 2 ebo jager 250W on an inkbird temp controller
Top off - 35 gallon rodi tank with Tunze 3155 ATO
return pump - Vectra S1
power heads - 2 AI Nero 5s
skimmer - reef octopus 200 int
multiple Alexa controlled power strips to help automate
Lighting - 60" Aquatic life fixture with 4 T5 bulbs and added 3 reefi duo extremes
Sump - 40ish gallon that came with the tank - modified by adding more baffles
heat - 2 ebo jager 250W on an inkbird temp controller
Top off - 35 gallon rodi tank with Tunze 3155 ATO
return pump - Vectra S1
power heads - 2 AI Nero 5s
skimmer - reef octopus 200 int
multiple Alexa controlled power strips to help automate
RODI/Mixing capability - 180 gallon per day dual membrane can be diverted 3 ways. To the 75 gallon holding tank of the mixing station, to the 35 gallon ATO system next to the 125, or on the wall next to the four 40 breeders so I can manually top them off. The mixing station works by filling the 75 on the right with RODI, then pumping it to the left 75 where salt is added. Adjustment of the valves and the left tank can be mixed/stirred at intervals using the smart strip. Once mixed, the valves are adjusted and the saltwater goes across the ceiling over to the 125 where it will terminate in the sump for water changes. There is a hose fitting at the mixing station for doing water changes in the four QTs. Still have to leak check the mixing plumbing and plumbing to the 125.
vetteguy53081
Well known Member and monster tank lover
Partner Member 2024
Excellence Award
Reef Tank 365
RGB
Article Contributor
Tampa Bay Reef Keepers
West Palm Beach Reefer
Hospitality Award
Ocala Reef Club Member
305 Reef Club
Wisco Reefers
Midwest Reefer
Fish Medic
MAC of SW Florida
Rock Pool Reef Keepers
R2R Secret Santa 2023
My Tank Thread
My Aquarium Showcase
Managed to try out the mixing station/rodi lines. RO/DI can push water to all 3 stations no leaks. Mixing station had one joint I forgot to glue and seems to have a small leak somewhere. Even tried out pushing the water across the room to the 125. Filled a 5 gallon bucket in less than a minute and ended up with water on the floor, but no leaks! Built the plumbing for the mixing to hopefully stir the water.
QTs are difficult to figure out if they are cycling since the test kits are so hard to read. Built 2 small frag racks for the coral QT.
125 needs the right emergency overflow pluming finished and leak checked. Then I need to finalize the power cord/controller layout.
Have the dryrock aquascape laid out. Once that is done, I plan on ordering 40 lbs of live from Tampa Bay to start off that tank.
Good and bad news today - emergency drain plumbing on the 125 is leak free so time to glue it. I have nitrates showing up in the QT tanks, so they are getting there as well. Want to add some ammonia after the nitrites go to zero just to check how fast they system can handle the added load.
Bad - on the mixing station, it appears the 75 gallon salt container is leaking on the bottom of the container. May have got a faulty one which will suck if I have to get another.
Bad - on the mixing station, it appears the 75 gallon salt container is leaking on the bottom of the container. May have got a faulty one which will suck if I have to get another.
Similar threads
