Trickman2's - 280 Gallon Upgrade

[Trickman2]

Trickman2's - 280 Gallon Upgrade

It is finally time after 16 years I am upgrading my 90 gallon tank to a 280 gallon. This is the thread for the build. Stayed tuned and subscribe. The tank is being built and a new stand fabricated. My goal is to keep this thread updated and allow for others to join my journey. Thanks for viewing.

Current Status-
01-05-2026 - It's a new year and it is time to get this tank up and running like a champ again.
03-12-2025 - Tank took a hit over the summer sadly...it is still running. I am in the middle of getting it back up and running good again.
04-19-2023 - Okay-things continue to stabilize but Algae is getting aggressive due to everything. Aiptisia has also gotten out of control. In Response my fish selection has been updated to reflect this and try and control this. Their are now 5 rabbitfish, 4 Molly Miller Blennies, Berghia Nudibranch added...(Haven't seen them ever since).

03-20-2023- We are Stabilized and things are getting better.
03-13-2023- Refugium meltdown :-(. Refugium has been emptied after the chaeto went and started melting. Lost fish some and corals. Trying to stabilize and get things under control again.


Stay tuned and subscribe


Fish:

• Fowleri Tang - 3-30-2023
• Achilles tang - 05-24-2023
• Tomini Tang - 3-30-2023
• Australian Stripey (Microcanthus strigatus) 03-11-2025 (3x)
• Aussie Harlequin tusk 03-7-2024
• Bluestriped Snapper 03-11-2025
• Biota - Molly Miller Blennies -Scartella cristata - 1
• Bumblebee Snails

Coral List: (Wild West)

• Corals added recently -
  Colony Hollywood Stunner Chalice _AW
  La Lakers Scroll Coral- Colony _AW
  
  
  
  Frags:
  
  Fire Beast Rhodactis - Aqua SD
  Prismatic Splash Safari Chalice - Aqua SD
  Beach Bum Monti - Aqua SD
  Chiquita Zoanthids - Aqua SD
  Deadpool Mushroom - Aqua SD
  Toy Yoda Zoanthids - Aqua SD
  Radiohead Zoanthids - Aqua SD
  Glow Heart Mushroom - Aqua SD
  Rainbow Montipora - Aqua SD
  Green People Eaters - Aqua SD
  Rainbow Wave Zoanthids - Aqua SD
  Glittering Bubble Tip Anemone - Aqua SD
  Lava Lamp Mushroom - Aqua SD
  
  
• Dragon eye Zoas
• Mother Magic Carpet Unique Hairy Mushroom
• Dark Realms Reaper Kenya Tree
• Electric Viens Lepto
• Jason Fox Beach Bum Monti
• Jason Fox Outer Space Psammocora
• Jason Fox Autumn Harvest Psammocora
• Tinker Bell Glitter Leptastrea
• Aussie Crown Leather
• Blue discomoma mushroom colony
• Weeping Willow Leather

Equipment List:

• Custom Sump
• Skimmer: Nyos Quantum 300
• Apex Fusion Controller
• Neptune - Return Pump COR 5
• UV Sterilizer - lifeguard Aquatic Pro-Max amalgam uv sterilizer 3inch 90 watt (Needs repair)
• EcoTech Marine Vectra L2 DC Aquarium Water Pump
• Ecotech Vortech Mp60 - Qty2
• VorTech Battery Backup
• Ecotech WXM module _obsolete
• Avast Marine Break out Box for Neptune
• Avast Marine Small Spyglass reactor (Qty.2) Running 1 at the moment
• Avast Marine Plank
• Avast Marine Kalk Stirrer
• Philips CoralCare Gen 2 lights X2 - December-2021
• Tropic Eden Tonga Pink Sand 120lbs (0.8mm)
• Tropic Eden Miniflakes 30lbs (aragonite crumbs, 2mm)
• Neptune Systems LDK - Leak Detection Kit
• Maggie Muffler Quiet Overflow 1.5" Qty 4
• Mighty Magnet

Refugium:

• Walt Smith Fiji Mud Refugium Booster 6lb
• Tunze LED Fixture Full Spectrum 8850.00

RIP: ASD Hulks Psammy , ASD Grafting Setosa , Aussie Jawbreaker ,Blue Beast Psammacora ,Aussie Toxic Jacko ,Aussie Gorgeous Hammer Colony ,Aussie Iron Man Favia ,Purple Stylo,Duncan,Puff the Dragon Xenia ,Rainbow Anemone,exesa Hydnophora,Silver Whisker Torch, tubbs montipora stellata, Blue Petals Monti, Predators blood Psammy, ASD Pink Phoenix Monti, Indo Orange Super Thick Montipora ,Jackolantern Coral , ,Ninja Star Leptastrea , , Nuclear Poccli -GOne,Red Monti (Sdreefs) , , Japanese Christmas Tree Leather Coral , AOI Zoas , Yellow Ring Hornets Zoas, GSP Neon , SD - Acid Blast Blasto , , ASD - Spaceman Spiff Ricordea, ASD - White Eyes Dragon Zoanthids , , ASD - Ultra Aussie Zoanthids , , ASD - Purple Berry Zoanthids, , MAK Inferno Anemone,
Fish:Yellow-Blotch Rabbitfish - Siganus Guttatus Qty3 - 03-06-2023, BIOTA - GOLDLINE RABBITFISH - Siganus lineatus Qty 2 03-23-2023

 

[dbl]

Consider me subscribed to follow along. Good luck on the upgrade.

 

[Trickman2]

Okay here we go. Got the tank on May 4th, 2018. Tank is 72x30x30, all 1 inch thick acrylic with dual overflow boxes (3/4 inch acrylic overflow boxes) made by sketch. Made by Advanced Acrylics. advanced_acrylics_

 

[Trickman2]

The Stand: 05-05-18
Sitting on 1/2 rubber stall mat.

Plywood stained, cut and sealed with a clear Polyurethane .

Tank, sump and stand. 05-06-17

Tank and stand in dining room(notice the height). Stand is 38 inches tall. 05-06-17

 

[Trickman2]

Sump custom: Made by Advanced Acrylics. 05-04-18

Pump

 

[andrewkw]

Very nice. Dinning room is one of the best spots for a reef imo.

 

[hdsoftail1065]

That will look Amazing! Congrats on the upgrade. Watching!

 

[Trickman2]

Plumbing started - yikes - 15 bulkheads

Soft plumbing Started- 5-13-18

Two Pipes Plumbed and Finished: 5-13-18

 

[Trickman2]

Overflow boxes plumbing - it will have two Maggie mufflers. 5-12-18

Loc-line bulkhead (one on each side)

 

[Mr. Limpid]

Love the look of new equipment. Just noticed your receptacle, you may want to change it out to GFI, or is the circuit breaker GFI already? Nice acrylic tank, you will love how your fish and coral pop.

 

[Trickman2]

Love the look of new equipment. Just noticed your receptacle, you may want to change it out to GFI, or is the circuit breaker GFI already? Nice acrylic tank, you will love how your fish and coral pop.

I have a brand new GFI sitting on my counter. Just need to install it. :-)

 

[Trickman2]

Overflow box returns plumbed. 5-14-18

 

[Trickman2]

Returns are plumbed- 5-16-18

 

[Trickman2]

5-16-17 (10:40 pm) Fired up the return pump and got water from the sump’s bulkhead and from the Neptune Systems -2" FLOW SENSOR FS200.
They didn’t pre-Teflon tape the threads for you on the flow sensor. :-( Both issues are fixed now. Slowly making reverse osmosis water and filling as it goes while checking for leaks.

 

[vikinglord13]

Nice, looking forward to seeing this once it is complete.

 

[Trickman2]

5-21-2018
Just a quick update - The tank is up and running but ran into some more issues.
Current issues:

• Dolphin Ampmaster - Running loud but In defense of the pump it is 7 years old. (Contacted Ampmaster- They are sending me a new one under warranty. ( What a awesome company.)
• Pin-Drop leaks- these are the leaks that start and drip very very slowly (Like one drop every six hours). I had two coming from the threaded connection because of Teflon tape. Loosened and added Teflon paste ( I knew I should have done this in the first place). Verifing it is fixed now.
• White washed the tank : -( . Got all the RO water in and decided to add the sand. Gave it a light rinse and dumped it in. Instant white wash. Couldn't get it to clear and had to drain and rinse sand in the aquarium. All that RO water wasted :-( . Was supposed to be clean clean sand but that is not the case. (Refilled and added salt to new RO water.) Fixed
• Brown washed the tank - DOH....Went to add the Walt Smith Fiji Mud to the refugium and it turned the water brown. I think I liked the white wash better lol. Salt added at this point so just letting the filter socks clean the water up. Seems to be working but was still a little hazy this morning.
• Original Apex controller seems to have given up without warning. Unit has always been sheltered in a electrical box housing. Still it was one of the original units built with a four digit serial number # starting at 2xxx. So we will see what they say. Unit overheats from what I can tell and doesn't stay on long enough to do anything.

Crazy weekend

 

[Mr. Limpid]

Like Rosanna Dana said, if its not one thing its another thing.

 

[Trickman2]

Added some waterproof leds underneath WiFi connected at that.

 

[Mr. Limpid]

Cool idea, I just have some stick up LED battery puck lights.

 

[Trickman2]

Cool idea, I just have some stick up LED battery puck lights.

I thought about that but wanted something that was powered. Happened to find these on amazon, Wifi connected, Apps on Iphone, android and even Alexa. Pretty cool for the price. 16 feet was perfect for under my stand.