kresDFW
Active Member
Hello everyone! I’m finally getting a chance to share my next reef build after purchasing a newly built home. I sold off my DSA 175g from the old house knowing that my living room space would be slightly different. I was trying to hold off on starting a new build until I finished all the projects I wanted to do in the new house. We all know that never works.. so here’s to new builds!
For this build I’m going with:
Since I had the room in the dining area, I decided to build a bar so it would be easy to just sit and watch the tank. This was the concept in sketch-up.
After deciding how to build it sturdy enough that I could stand on, I got work. Here's how the bar turned out.
In order for the bar to be effective, I would want the bottom of the tank flush with the bar. Thanks to @3mm3 I got the measurements for the stand and determined I would need to build a platform that was 3.25" in height. I liked how Red Sea used a pedestal to introduce the tank so I decided to do something similar.
Since I was reusing sand that I got from a fellow reefer, I needed to clean it out. It took about a week to wash it all thoroughly and let it dry in the hot Phoenix sun since the tarp could only be effective with about 2 buckets of sand. I also did a muriatic acid wash on the rocks.
Some goodies arrived.
For QT, I have two 10g tank setups for TTM and a 40g observation tank with sump. I got that plumbed and started the cycle on that.
I also setup a 20g long tank to QT the cleanup crew. I didn’t QT my cleanup crew last time and when they were added to the tank, I noticed hydroids attached to one of the snail’s shell and those spread quickly.
While that was drying, it was time to start on the water change room. I ended up splitting the outside line so I could plumb a line into the storage closet under the stairwell. I also had to put an electrical outlet there. It’s not the most spacious, but it seems functional so far.
I’m trying to decide if I want to plumb another line outside from the RO water reservoir to where the tank will sit to make topoff easier.
I purchased the updated SpectraPure ATO system with magnetic probe holder and LiterMeter Gen-6 Peristaltic Pump. Does anyone see any issue with doing this?
For this build I’m going with:
- Red Sea Reefer 650 Peninsula tank (140g display/174g overall) with the white stand
- Reef Octopus Regal 200-INT
- 3x Vortech MP40s
- 4x Hydra 26’s (kept from previous build) with AI Director and HMS hanging kit
- Apex Classic with additional EB8’s, a WXM, and Breakout Box
- 2x AquaMaxx Media Reactors
- Marinepure 8x8x4 Ceramic Plate
- Par38 LED Light with RapidLED Goose Mount
- BRS Pukani Rock
- Tropic Eden Reefflakes
Since I had the room in the dining area, I decided to build a bar so it would be easy to just sit and watch the tank. This was the concept in sketch-up.
In order for the bar to be effective, I would want the bottom of the tank flush with the bar. Thanks to @3mm3 I got the measurements for the stand and determined I would need to build a platform that was 3.25" in height. I liked how Red Sea used a pedestal to introduce the tank so I decided to do something similar.
Since I was reusing sand that I got from a fellow reefer, I needed to clean it out. It took about a week to wash it all thoroughly and let it dry in the hot Phoenix sun since the tarp could only be effective with about 2 buckets of sand. I also did a muriatic acid wash on the rocks.
Some goodies arrived.
For QT, I have two 10g tank setups for TTM and a 40g observation tank with sump. I got that plumbed and started the cycle on that.
I also setup a 20g long tank to QT the cleanup crew. I didn’t QT my cleanup crew last time and when they were added to the tank, I noticed hydroids attached to one of the snail’s shell and those spread quickly.
While that was drying, it was time to start on the water change room. I ended up splitting the outside line so I could plumb a line into the storage closet under the stairwell. I also had to put an electrical outlet there. It’s not the most spacious, but it seems functional so far.
I purchased the updated SpectraPure ATO system with magnetic probe holder and LiterMeter Gen-6 Peristaltic Pump. Does anyone see any issue with doing this?
