Upgrading to a 50

Yamaha1634 · Apr 8, 2022

So I've had a Fluval Evo set up for 4 months and I've definitely caught the bug for marine keeping after keeping freshwater for many years. After finding a cheap second hand upgrade on eBay I've gone larger! I collect the tank tomorrow so will upload pictures as i go. First step will be the big clean! The tank has been used for fresh water so hopefully won't be too bad of a clean as there won't be any coraline etc to scrape off.

Tank: Aqua One Mini Reef 180 litres (90x45x45)
Sump: approx 45l I believe
Lighting: Two AI Prime 16s. I have 1 already so may use the stock mariglo light and one 16 for a while until I can find a second.
Flow: Maxspect Jump Gyre 2k
Skimmer: AquaOne 300 but will be upgrading asap to something better
Heater: 250w with inkbird 308

I will clean, leak test and set up the new tank with Fiji Pink sand then begin the process of moving my current rock structure and corals and then my fish over and finally the sand from my Evo also. As far as I'm aware i don't have any pests in my Evo that I want rid of but I do have plenty of pods and spirorbis worms I want to keep. Filter media will be transferred to the sump so the tank will be cycled straight away and some fresh media will be added to make room for bacteria for future stocking. Then the Evo will be cleaned and set up as a QT for the future fish/corals.

I will add a second rock structure when I can find some nice pieces in my LFS but this can wait a while as with only one light I can only really use half of the tank for corals anyway so no rush. I have an idea of the shape i want in my head so I can wait until i find the right pieces.

Currently I have one perc clown (lost one to an internal parasite a few months back) and one pajama cardinal. Then a selection of hermit crabs and corals on my current rock structure, mushrooms, candy cane, duncan, frammer and monti cap. Also have some SPS frags in a second tank from a recent swap which will be added to the second rock structure eventually. Two pocillopora, a hystrix and a stylophora. Will bring them over on a frag rack to start with.

Fish I intend to add will be a second perc clown, two more pajama cardinals, tailspot blenny and then a centre piece fish possibly a dwarf angel or wrass which i haven't decided on yet. Will also be adding a cleaner shrimp down the line.

blaxsun · Apr 8, 2022

Upgrading is always fun - good luck with the new build!

Yamaha1634 · Apr 10, 2022

Picked up the tank yesterday, in pretty good condition! A few scratches low down on the front from someone's poor attempt at cleaning the glass!! Luckily they shouldn't be too noticeable as my sand will disguise them. And the end of the tank which will be by my sofa is free of scratches and that will be my main viewing point!

Tank is now in the kitchen filled with water and citric acid to soak for a day or two before I drain it, clean it and assemble it in the living room.

I've ordered a new heater as the one included was only 150w. I've ordered a 300w so should be ample.

Also the return pump included was only 1100lph and appeared to be very tired with little output so I've ordered a Jebao DCW-3500 which should do the job much better!

Found someone local selling a black Prime 16HD so will collect that this afternoon to make myself a matching pair!

Will also be re-doing the sump plumbing as I'm not happy with the length of the drain (too noisy...) the fact there are no valves on either drain or return and also I don't like the long length of flexible hose to the return pump as it will vibrate against the edge of the sump so will be installing some solid pipework and then a short length of flexible at the end.

Finally I have plans for power outlets and cable organisation that I want to add. Can't explain myself so I'll just do it and show you!

Yamaha1634 · Apr 12, 2022

Drained the tank and the sump this evening, both out in the garden awaiting a hose down. Cleaned the cabinet inside and out, got rid of all the water marks etc. Then added some cable management, some sockets and some lights.

Yamaha1634 · Apr 13, 2022

Tank and sump soaked in citric acid, drained, scrubbed and then cleaned with hydrogen peroxide bleach, rinsed and then left to air dry.

Cabinet area is wired and new plumbing installed and glued up ready to go.

Waiting on my new RO/DI unit to arrive tomorrow and i can consider filling it.

I will need to fill it with RO/DI, then add the salt to the tank and use the pumps to mix it as I don't have any containers large enough to mix salt water in any real quantity. And mixing 25litres at a time is going to take a while!! So I will fill the empty tank and sump with RO/DI, add salt then leave the pumps running for a week while I'm away and it should be ready when I get back. That does mean I will have to add the sand while the tank is full but don't have much choice .... I'll have to be careful!

Yamaha1634 · Apr 14, 2022

It's ready to get wet!

The plumbing is sorted, cables are all in, controllers mounted on the door. Pump is installed temporarily while i source the right adapter as the pump came with the wrong sizes, so it will look neater when it's up and running. Also the cables in the picture lashed inside the sump are the cables for the lights and the gyre pump which I'll install after I've moved the tank to its final position.

Next will be to disconnect the plumbing again, take the tank off the top and then move the cabinet to where it wants to be. I have to move another aquarium out of the way first though.... Hence why I'm building it in the wrong place to start with!

Yamaha1634 · Apr 17, 2022

Tank is in its final position and the long fill has begun! My RODI is only producing 25l every 5 hours so it will take a while....

Yamaha1634 · Apr 21, 2022

Tank is eventually full. 8.8kg of salt added to 220l of water and left for 24 hours to dissolve. Then added the sand. Obviously the water is now very cloudy! But I'm hoping it settles over the next few days.

I had a bit of trouble fine tuning the return pump flow and the ball valve on the drain to get an even water level along with quiet operation. Now I see why people add gate valves to durso overflows instead of ball valves! Silly me trying to save some money. Will probably end up swapping for a gate valve soon. Although i do have it balanced currently, running the pump at 30% and have the ball valve set just so. It's been left alone for around 15 hours now and the water level looks to be stable. I can now adjust the water level in the DT using the return pump, turn the pump up to raise the DT level and down to lower it. Then return the pump to 30% to restore the equilibrium. Only issue I have with this now is that the level in the overflow box is around an inch lower than the DT. This creates great suction and a very efficient surface skimmer, but does create a constant trickling noise....

I may swap to a gate valve and try tuning it again ...

Yamaha1634 · Apr 21, 2022

Hopefully this will clear over the next few days and then I can start the process of moving the rock and livestock over...

Yamaha1634 · May 7, 2022

Tank has been running now with the livestock from the Fluval Evo for just over a week, all going well so far.

Added the rock and corals from my Fluval along with a pipe organ and a pocillopora. Also a frag rack with 3 other SPS frags on.

Set up the Fluval as a QT in the kitchen and bough 2 more Pajama Cardinals, one small clownfish and a lovely little tailspot blenny! 3 weeks to go in the QT all being well.

Then added a scarlet skunk shrimp to the DT.

I've ordered 10kg of real reef rock which came but most of the pieces of rock were smashed in the box so the supplier is sending me more. Will have to wait till I have all the bits before I build the structure.

I've decided on a skimmer. I'm going to go for the Bubble Magus C3.5. Mainly because its small enough to fit in the skimmer section of the sump but also because it's easy on the wallet! Probably also going to swap my filter sock out for a filter cup and some floss and just throw it out every few days... I'm already sick of washing filter socks!

Finally I'm going to change the plumbing again. The 40mm Durso stand pipe will be cut down by 5 inches and a strainer added. The 20mm return will be extended above the water line and used as an emergency drain (Herbie style) and then I will make a section of hard plumbing that will have on the back glass with two 20mm return outlets between my two lights and then down the back of the tank and into the return pump section of the sump with a short length of flexible hose. This will stop me having to come downstairs in the middle of the night because I think I can hear trickling water and I'm scared the DT has overflowed!!!

Pictures.

Yamaha1634 · May 22, 2022

Added another 10kg of reel reef rock to finish the scape.

All the fish are now in from the QT. Stocking is now
2x clowns
3x pajama cardinals
1x tailspot blenny
1x cleaner shrimp
4x trochus snails

I did add 5 trochus snails but my hermit crabs immediately turned one over and killed is to the hermits have been banished to the sump for now!

Coral wise I've move the candy cane and the frammer over on to the new rock, added a Frogspawn and a lovely torch to make the starts of a Euphylia garden on the right. Also added a green and a blue rhodactis mushroom, hoping these 3 will multiply and start to cover some rock. I've temporarily placed 4 SPS frags also but not sure if I'm keeping them or not.

Started making the new plumbing arrangement to turn my Durso into a Herbie but this will be ongoing while I decide the best route for the pipe work before i do the change over as there will be no going back so want to make sure it's right.