Sofreef

May need to keep refreshing. Had the same issue viewing on my phone. The second and third rock is connected via arch. Thinking about creating a second arch over the first to fill the empty space above it. Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

Finally adding some more life to this thing! Preview of whats to come.....

Since I used 100% of the rocks and 50% of the water from my old tank, cycling was super fast, only took about 2 weeks to complete. A quick diatom bloom, then ammonia, nitrite, and even nitrate went to undetectable levels on my API test kit. (I know the ammonia color looks greenish, but I double checked. My phone camera colors are off) Little tour of the sump. Really simple return that is bifurcated to the return jets and a manifold. Manifold currently only has 2 outlets. First outlet runs a single canister BRS Reactor with biopellets that is sitting in the skimmer section. The effluent is discharge right next to the skimmer intake. Second outlet runs a dual reactor running a fluidized bed of Purigen in one, and AC in the other with discharge back in the refug section. Eventually will be adding 2 part doser when the CA demanding livestock goes in, but right now just maintaining levels using kalk and water changes.

When the bulkheads went in, I tightened it as much as possible by hand but unfortunately don't have the tools to grip it and tighten any further. I had a feeling it would leak when I was cementing the pVC pipes to the bulkheads because they started to spin freely when seating the pipes, by then it was pretty much too late without tearing the whole thing apart . I was also rushing a but at this point to get it up and running, was leaving town for a week in 2 days and my old tank was limping along.

Testing for leaks in plumbing. Found the middle bulkhead leaking a bit and no way of tightening it without having to tear everything apart so I emptied and dried the overflow section and silicon the leaky spot. Then the next day I find the left bulkhead leaky which drove me crazy....decided to just seal all the bulkheads from the inside of the overflow. I figure when its time to break the tank down i'll just have to cut it out (deal with that when it happens lol) Moving over the live rocks from the old tank, with the new dry rock. I am also filling the tank 50% with the water from the old tank. I am hoping this will quickly cycle the new tank. Cabling the neptune apex and mounting on the wall.

I love the sump. I got it when BRS was having a sale and had it sitting in the garage for the longest time. The only thing I don't like about is it does not take filter socks (which some don't use anyways). LITERALLY the week after i got it triggers systems came out with v2 of the sump and the only difference that I can see is it has mounts for filter socks .

I’m using 1” plumbing for everything with fittings and red pvc pipe. The SCA comes bottom drilled for 3 inch bulkheads. going to do herbie style overflow. Plumbing plans sketch: Parts. Forgot to take a pic of the red pvc pipes (but you'll see it in the dry fitting pics) Dry fitting: I'm moving kinda fast now since I found out the heaters in my old tank just bit the dust so sorry for the sparse photos but trying to get the tank up and running ASAP. First big deviation from the original plan. I decided to ditch my initial idea of keeping my two kessil 160's and adding a 360 in a [A B A] configuration.The combination of sufficient light output for SPS and difficulty finding a good mounting option has made me decide to save for some Radions. In the meantime I got a black box dual channel light for now until the Radions get here. Adding some rocks, sand and filling tank for the first time:

Eventually I will be putting up doors on the stand to hide the sump. I planning on mounting the doors on wooden frame, then connecting the frame to the stand either via some rare earth magnets or some sort of removable latch. The idea is to have them easily removable for maintenance.

I have been a member for a while mostly for research, to get ideas on tank builds and see what’s for sale from community. Figured it time to post some stuff since I am currently in the process of my new 120 mix reef tank build out. I did a concurrent post in the Welcome/Introductions area with equipment/stock information on my current 55 cube tank; take a peek there if you have time. I bought a house about 2 years ago and since then, I've had that itch for a bigger tank. My current 55, which was huge in my 1 bedroom apartment, suddenly looked like a desk toy. I'm going with SCA 120 Eurobraced Starfire glass tank. I chose the 120 for a couple of reasons. 120 is the largest standard size I could fit in the nook next to the dining room where the 55 was. 120 is also the largest size I'm willing to go considering it will be sitting on the second floor of the house. The tank will be up in the corner against 2 load bearing walls perpendicular to the floor joist. In addition, the space directly underneath is a small bathroom. While the walls of the bathroom is not load bearing, I'm hoping it will act as a failsafe to prevent excessive sagging should it be a problem. From what I can gather 120 seems to be the largest capacity most people would agree shouldn’t be a problem without additional supports. If I am wrong and the thing crashes through the floor I'll let you guys know Old Stuff: I will be reusing the 2 VorTech MP40s, BRS Reactors, ATO, and Kessil lights from my old tank. New Stuff: Tank: 120 SCA rimless eurobraced reef ready with star fire glass on front and sides. Stand: Instead of a standard wood frame stand, I wanted something that looks more custom with a "built into the house" quality about it. I went with a custom aluminum fame built out of quarter inch gauge 2x2inch square tubing. When planning this tank, I always knew I wanted a metal stand and chose aluminum due it its lightweight and corrosive resistant properties. The stand is 36 inches tall (standard counter height) to allow plenty of room underneath for equipment upgrades, expansion, maintenance, etc. (Shout-out to JB Custom Welding in South Riding who did a heck of a job building the tank stand). Tank is sitting on a standard laminate counter top cut to length to fit the space and matches closely to the real granite counter tops in the rest of the kitchen. The counter top edges sits about 1/2 from the walls on the sides so my plan is to bridge the gap with caulk, then build doors to cover the entire frame. The goal is to make it look like the countertop the stand is on was built into the house. Sump: I went with the Trigger Systems Triton 44. I knew I definitely want a large refugium, mainly for pod production since eventually I want to keep a mandarin goby (was is the fish that got me into SW). Triton is fuge centric and has the largest fuge volume of any sump of its size. I won't be adhering to the full Triton method. Lights: I will be reusing the Kessil A160's. I plan on adding a 360 to the mix. Return Pump: Reef Octopus VarioS-8 Tank Controller: Neptune Apex with Wifi Skimmer: Reef Octopus eSsence S-130 Fuge light: TBD Staging the area the tank will go in:

Hello, I have been a member for a while (since early 2017) mostly for research, to get ideas on tank builds and see what’s for sale from community. I am also concurrently posting in dedicated tank build thread for a 120 mix reef currently under construction. Little about me, I've been doing saltwater fishkeeping for close to 10 years now (started in early 2009) and have made every mistake someone could make. I started out with a 6 gallon long acrylic bookshelf tank with a DIY HOB fuge made from a Tupperware container. Moved on to a modified 6.6 gallon tall Fluval Chi, then a 16 gallon tall column tank. Main reason for the nano tanks was because of space limitations and cost since I was still in high school, then college living with my parents. Eventually I got my own apartment and was able get what is my current setup; Tank: Marineland 55 cube with stand Sump: Aqueon proflex model 1 Refugium: CPR AquaFuge 2 Large HOB Overflow: EShopps PF-800 HOB Main light: 2x Kessil 160WE Tuna w/gooseneck Refugium light: 2x Ecoxotic 12.5” 6w Stunner Strip 8000K White Heaters: 2x AquaTop 150w Controllers: DA ReefKeeper Lite, Kessil Spectral Controller Return pump: Sicce Syncra Silent 1.5 Circulation: 2x VorTech MP40qdw ATO: DIY with Tom’s AquaLifter Filtration: BRS Dual Reactor (Carbon & GFO) BRS Deluxe Reactor (Bio pellets) Skimmer: CAD Lights PLS-50 At its height it had the following stock; 2x ocellaris, 2x firefish, sixline wrasse, neon goby, Yellow coral banded shrimp, peppermint shrimp, Kenya tree, Rose BTA, green zoa, blue mushroom, green torch coral, clean-up crew consisting a mix of assorted snails, red/blue hermits, 1 emerald crab, 1 fighting conch. Unfortunately, I don’t have any photos when it was at peak stock (or my older failed attempts). What is left right now is the rose tip, green zoa (mostly brown now), Kenya tree coral, yellow coral banded shrimp, 1 ocellaris and whatever is left of the cleanup crew. Some disappeared (assume dead and eaten), some jumpers, some gave away in preparation for the new 120 gallon build. I will be posting in the new tank build thread to document my 120 build out since moving into a new house! (and also most of the old equipment here will be for listed for sale once the new tank is up) I am planning to reuse as much of the old equipment as I can and putting the rest for sale, so stay tuned as more is to come ☺