Scubaguy

March 20, 2015

March 20, 2015

Hey Everyone,

After months of reading posts, viewing pictures and building a stash of equipment, I think its time i started my own thread.

I kept a salt water tank for about 7 years during the 90s.. 110 gallons.. Made every mistake known to the hobby. IE using plain ole tap water, no chemicals, live rock that stunk up a town house for days, red / green battles, pumps that electrified the entire tank to include me when I stuck a finger in it when i noticed something was wrong with the animals, just to name a few mistakes.....

Fast forward - empty nester now with the kids gone to college and me wanting a "man cave"... So i started collecting pieces and parts over the winter time.

Purchased list:

96"x24"x24" 240Gallon - Custom Aquariums - Being delivered 3/20/15

64"x20"x20 100Gallon custom sump by Primo Reef - Being delivered 3/21/15

(1) Vertex Alpha 250 Skimmer

(2) MP 60s

(1) APEX GOLD

(2) Jumbo BRS Reactors

(1) 6 Stage RO/DI

(2) 65 Gallon Tanks for water station ( wife is not happy about me taking over the basement bathroom )

200 lbs of reef saver BRS Rock

140 lbs of Special grade live sand

(2) 800w heaters

(1) Wireless module for APEX

(1) AFS for APEX

(1) Sicce 12 return pump

Probe holder

glass cleaner

and an assortment of other supplies

We made a custom stand / bar for the enjoyment of the tank while sipping on a cold one..Found a piece of granite on sale that was cut to fit around the tank. I will upload more pictures later today to show more detail.

Made a separate compartment for the electronics.

Lights have not been purchased yet .. Going with 4 Radion 30pros

The ultimate goal for me is to have a mixed reef tank.. a little bit of everything...

Thanks for allowing me to share my journey, as i have read so many of yours.....

February 9, 2015

1st HMMMM I did not use a qt tank for years. Only takes one bad apple to kill off the whole crop. My stepson brought a sick fish home form PETCO and without asking me he put it in my sump. EVERYTHING (all my fish died). However the corals were ok.

You will learn the hard way one day if you dont QT.

2nd. I think anyone that has corals (takes years to grow them) will agree. It is also very important to QT your corals. If I lost all my fish again i would be upset, but I can replace them. The liverock and coral I have been growing for years is a different story, if I lost my corals I would prob sell my stuff off as I could not afford to buy replacement and dont know if I can stand taking years to grow it again.

3rd Several members and I basically have a coral bank going. We all share frags (after and or treatment) so if we have problems we dont loose everything!

Ok.. So i will put together a 20L for a QT..Thanks for the heads up..

Question: When you say you have a coral bank going... ?? Do you have another tank that is just corals? do you use your fish QT for your frags?

Thanks.. Richie

February 9, 2015

I went about 20 years before I setup a quarantine tank but started using them in 2013. I have a pair of 20R that run a simple Pengiun HOB filter, small heater, and Ecoxotic Panorama Pros (1 blue/white and 1 blue/magenta per tank). 1 is used for fish that has some PVC for a place to hide but otherwise bare bottom and typically has copper. The other has a couple small pieces of live rock (left overs from the DT that I didn't want to trash) and is used for inverts.

I've always been very meticulous about the specimens I purchase and am pretty good at spotting things. This combined with dumb luck and lack of money were the reasons I went so long before setting up the quarantine tanks. In 2013 however, I picked up a McCoskers wrasse that looked great for about a few days but started to show symptoms of ich. He ended up taking a digger because there was no way for me to retrieve him from the DT stressing everything else out. It ended up dying and I promptly setup the quarantines. I would have been able to treat and save it had I just taken the time to do things right.

In my formative years I didn't get so attached to things but as time passed I grew a great appreciation for the items I was plucking from the ocean and gained a new found respect for the role I played in their lives. A QT is well worth the investment and is a mandatory item for me now.

Thank you!!! Much Appreciated...

February 9, 2015

Hey Everyone,

Im still on the side line waiting for my display tank and sump to be delivered. AND since I am in this holding pattern for another few weeks. Ive decided to do some research on a Quarantine set up, I have read so much about why you should.. but i am learning that people dont have them either.

If you do have one... can you tell me / show the setup? or where to find the best procedure for setting one up? Do you do a full set up?

Assistance is appreciated..

Richie

February 1, 2015

Oracle Reefer,

Sent you a PM.. I would like some more images of that tank you posted. Looks incredible!! Please and thank you!

Richie

January 30, 2015

Can you let me know as well. I want to set up a couple of containers as well. 55gal-60gal..

January 22, 2015

Dont you just love receiving packages in the mail..

Delivered.. was Vertex Alpha 250, 2 Titanium heaters, ATO, APEX Wireless module...

Getting closer to setting up..

SIGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH :huh:

January 20, 2015

Sorry to burst your bubble! LOL One good and bad thing about WAMAS is that everyone is willing to help, and they try to help people learn from their own mistakes. If you ask before you do something you will get tons of ideas. If you ask afterwards you may get tons of ideas of how to improve it . Since it is glass and the load is around the rim you are putting that load 6" inside the front edge of the stand. since you are using 4" x 4"s the nominal size is 3.5" x 3.5" which puts the front edge load of your tank 2.5" inside your front support posts which look like they are being held by screws. None of your cross members sit on top of the 4 x 4's so all of that load is maybe a worry for the shearing off the screws.

No worries.. I like the ideas coming in.. Thats why i joined the Forum..

I did put a board across the top to help the load.. I will have to rethink maybe add corner braces to the top. I wouldnt want any issues down the road..

January 20, 2015

I don't see where he says if the tank is glass or acrylic (in this thread), which matters. Glass needs to be supported on the outside edge. Acrylic need a perfectly level surface with a neoprene or rubber cushion. My go to is engineered lumber (PSL), larger spans, open spaces, stronger then wood. You know he is going to have to knee on the top when he works on it, might as well make it strong enough to stand on that 6" shelf.

The tank is glass. The counter top is level all the way around.

January 20, 2015

I'd ditch the center brace for ease of access

I thought about that.. but left it for the support.. .. the doors are 24 by 31.. pretty big openings. the counter is 41 inches high.

Now im re-thinking it.. crap..lol

January 20, 2015

Here is the stand..

I did add the 3/4 board to the top.. Just forgot to add the picture to the original thread.

January 19, 2015

The Apex would be a great way to tell you it is leaking.........The liner will actual help it from becoming a flood that you know about, but can't do anything about when you are not home. Which is when all floods happen.

Of course.. :cool:

January 19, 2015

I like that you over built the dim. of the stand so you have places to put items, like a counter Another consideration would be to build a "tray" inside the bottom of the sump, and or line it with pond material, or caulk the heck out of the joints so any water that spills in the stand will stay in the stand.

I was thinking about lining the entire bottom of the sump. I did buy the leak detection module as well for the APEX. Since I have a month of waiting, You may have talked me into it .. as a precaution..

Will give me something to do this weekend. after the meeting of course..

January 19, 2015

I like full access to my sump, anything less is a pain for the life of the tank, so glad you're ok with it!

Will have four doors in the front that will open for access..

January 19, 2015

Will you be able to remove your skimmer cup and all items in your sump comfortably? Will you have to slide your sump down the side?

Hey .. Yes.. The sump will have to be slid down one of the sides then closed up. One of the ends will be a panel for the electronics.. facing outwards..

from the floor inside to the top is 32 1/2 inches.. I hope i have enough space to clean the skimmer cup.. should be a few inches of wiggle room.

Im going to prime the inside tonight.. and mount some LED rope lighting this week.. Then, I will be at a stand still till the sump and tank is delivered. till then Im looking at boxes from BRS in the corner piling up..

January 19, 2015

Will be my first meeting. Looking forward to meeting additional members that share in this addiction. Ive met a couple of members who were gracious enough to show me their setups. Thanks for all the help so far..

Richie

January 19, 2015

Built a stand that is bar height..

Tank and Sump will be delivered Mid Feb so i am in the process of getting everything set up and ready.

Stand is 104" x 30"

Tank is 96" x 24" x 24"

Sump is 64" x 20" x 20"

Thoughts??

January 16, 2015

Do you have a build thread?

No I will do it soon. Nothing to show yet except the room that i have painted and hung up my Capitals memorabilia ... Will do some images of the stand build this weekend. going out to buy wood today..

January 16, 2015

who did u order your tank from?

I ordered my tank from Custom Aquariums - 96"x24"x24" 280gal , and ordered my sump from Primo Reef - 64"x 20"x 20"..

I was in the hobby 15 years ago then moved into a single family house. Im excited about my man cave . I will post a picture this weekend of the stand build.. Maybe do a time lapse gopro video..

January 14, 2015

I thought about doing that, but I have to run an RODI line for the ATO. I figured i would run an ethernet line as well.. Then cover it up with some crown molding. Thanks...

January 14, 2015

Richi I just set up my rodi yesterday but it's not hooked up to the water source yet but hung it on the garage wall

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Awesome.. Take some pics.. I will not be hooking that up for a month or so.. Need to run an ethernet and water line to the set up this weekend as well.

January 14, 2015

I'm in Gainesville starting a new 70 gallon build. Let me know we can share ideas!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Eddie,

Im setting up a 280 gallon.. its on order.. Would love to exchange ideas, thoughts, build stuff..

I ordered tank, RODI, APEX, sump..

building stand this weekend..

Im off of 28 and 234 by pass, close to the airport...

Richie

January 14, 2015

I have no experience on this pump. base on the spec above, it is a little bit over 5x turn over (1400gph) however if you calculated the height that it have to pump the water up IMO it is about right. Have consider other alternative pump?

Thanks for the feed back...

I ended up going with the

SICCE SYNCRA HF 12.0 PUMP (3200 GPH)

And ordering a complete APEX Gold with a couple of extras.

Stand is getting built this weekend.

The insanity begins...Pictures will follow soon...

Rich

January 13, 2015

gOOD MORNING EVERYONE,

Just wondering if anyone has any experience with this pump. And want to open a discussion about how much water movement I will need from SUMP to TANK. I am installing a 280 Gallon Tank and am trying to figure out a pump for the sump. Thoughts?

Suggestions?

Rich

PUMP SPECIFICATIONS:

Input-Power: 110V / 60Hz
Power Consumption: 65W
Input: 1.25" (32mm)
Output: 1" (25mm)
Flow: 1584 GPH (6000LPH)
Pressure: 8 Ft (2.5 meters)
Height: 6.8" (17 cm)
Width: 4.15" (10.5 cm)
Length: 7.9" (20 cm)

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