Wet Dream

[Phillip Capewell]

Hi all.

I’m currently planning my “within reason” dream tank build. We are finalising the house then work on removing walls to accommodate the tank can be started.

The plan:
80 x 30 x 30 peninsula display
55 x 25 x 25 remote sump

Total volume works out around 1500litres or 410(ish) gallons.

Tech bits-
Lighting will be provided by a Pacific sun 8 tube T5 unit.
Return is a sicce sdc 9.
Skimmer is a reef octopus elite 220s.
Flow is 2x Gyre fx350 & 2x fx150 from my current tank.
I also run apex on my system and plan to transfer it to the heart of this one along side lots of redundancy.

Nutrient control will be lanthanum chloride for phosphate and bio pellets for nitrate.

Major elements will be from a Bubble Magnus calcium reactor controlled by apex that I have on my current tank. This will need to be upgraded as/when things settle in and grow.

So with the above I plan on trying the BRS/WWC strategy. Long long cycle, simple and stable.

I currently have 80(ish+)kgs of real reef rock going through a cure. This should give me plenty of options for a negative space scape.

Any ideas or tips people can give would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Blue Tang Clan]

I would use great caution with lanthanum chloride -- that doesn't seem like something you would want to regularly dose. A refugium is natural and has far greater benefits.

 

[Salty Lemon]

I'm following along. This will be so much fun to watch you guys build this up! Pictures as soon as possible!

 

[Evan28395950]

Nice!

 

[Phillip Capewell]

I would use great caution with lanthanum chloride -- that doesn't seem like something you would want to regularly dose. A refugium is natural and has far greater benefits.

Have you used it in the past? What negative effects did you see?

 

[Blue Tang Clan]

Yes, for curing live rock. I would never use it in an active tank. There are dozens of other methods for reducing phosphates that are safer (GFO, etc) and some with other benefits, like a refugium that can host pods.

Using LC is like trying to swat a fly with a nuke.

 

[Phillip Capewell]

Yes, for curing live rock. I would never use it in an active tank. There are dozens of other methods for reducing phosphates that are safer (GFO, etc) and some with other benefits, like a refugium that can host pods.

Using LC is like trying to swat a fly with a nuke.

There is a lot of already establish brands using LC. PhosphateRX, quantum and agent green to name a few.

I like the precision of LC, I dose X amount and it turns X amount of phosphate into flocculant which I can remove via skimming or sump vac with routine maintenance.

I know you can calculate GFO absorption quantity but I haven’t got a clue about the speed of absorption. Plus I don’t have to change anything messy out. Just the bottle of solution every few months.

 

[maroun.c]

Tagging along.
will it be a reef? SPS dominated?
I have not used LC due to claims that it can afffect fish gills.... again not that I've tried it or had any issues from it.
I use Biopellets, a large Fuge, Rowaphos and water changes and my levels are fine for both nitrates and phosphates.
In all my previous setups as well as this one I tend to see that as setup matures and colonies get massive they do contribute a lot in nutrient reduction. for example in my current setup I have now a few more fish that what I had 2 years back, I feed the same if not a bit more, roughly same water change amount and frequency.... I used to use aroudn 1 KG of Rowaphos per month to stay around 0.05 where as now I dont use as much every 2 months and my levels are around 0.03. I'm not a fan of sudden changes like in calculating how much LC I need to use and dosing to drop PO$ in one go but again this can be done gradually...Not a big deal anyway as many use LC without any issues.
I would suggest you checkout many other thread of tanks similar in size to yours for inspiration on scape, filtration equipment choices, stocking lists and also see what worked and what not for others. My tank is roughly the same size as yours and I've detailed the equipment I used over the years and success stories as well as failures and mishaps....
Good luck with your build, looking forward for some pictures.

 

[Phillip Capewell]

Quick update,

Now all settle in the house and have just welcomed our newborn who came along 2 weeks after getting the keys.

Sadly the builder who we had organised to take the wall out withdrew so the tank isn’t yet in place as was planned.

Till then I can at least start the fishroom. Little pic of current condition. Plan is to paint walls and floor to seal the bare concrete and brick then cover with plastic board to protect it further from splash’s.