Nathan's 210g Reef Tank Build

[n8n]

This morning the apex told me the skimmer was full. That makes 15 quarts skimmed in 7 days since adding lifereef. I normally and checking phosphates and nitrates. Anyways second week in a row, nitrates 4 and phosphates 0. ( ammonia nitrite also 0 ). I don't check calcium I don't have to many corals and normally do 3 gallon water changes daily ( haven't been doing on new tank but will get it started again today ). With the regular water changes I've not had to dos calcium or anything else but I've got the bottles in case.

 

Anyways two tests week apart zero phosphates and 4 nitrates. So Thursday when I did the test pulled my gfo reactor offline to let my phosphates increase. As stupid as that sounds I have a bio pellet reactor that appears to be constrained by my zero phosphates. It appears to be working because skimmer is going nuts now.

 

[n8n]

Today I got the last door done on the canopy. Since it's near a wall it comes off like stand doors instead of being hinged. I also wired up two switches, ( door bells ). One triggers feed mode the other starts the stand lights on a timer. I also installed a bunch of hooks in the canopy.

 

 

[n8n]

Today I got to use the breakout box and it was really quite handy. Open canopy reach up and push button. Instant feed mode, plus led above canopy and stand light turned on. I had no idea it was so dim without the led to light canopy. Did my feeding and ran to work. No hassle of iPad to apex or even messing with apex controller. Hard to believe a little button can make life so much simpler. I put the button inside the canopy out of reach of most kids, wife can reach it though

Edited October 5, 2015 by n8n

[YHSublime]

Well thought out. I like how this is coming together.

[n8n]

Tonight I fine tuned my recirculating Biopellet reactor. My phosphates have been hovering around .05 and nitrates around 4. I think the Biopellet reactor just needs to build up for double the water volume.

 

Anyways after running it to a bucket enough times it's now tuned to 90 gph with around 7"/12" inches of the 2 liter reactor filled with pellets. Pretty close to 1 liter. Should be pretty close to avast marine spreadsheet.

 

Also reworked part of the mixing station for the new tank. The small 1/2 inch PVC area is much cleaner and now allows me to feed water directly into sump very fast for large water changes or simply fill a bucket in garage. Before it was kinda ghetto and would only do one or the other.

 

Lifereef skimmer is still going balls to the wall. About 1 qt a day is coming out of tank. I keep having to hit the switch on my ato to have it top off with saltwater instead of rodi. I'm really considering adding salinity monitor to apex to automate if it's saltwater or rodi being topped off.

 

Who doesn't like fishies

 

 

 

 

[n8n]

When I got home today I snapped some fresh pics of my tank.  Going to work on plumbing for automatic water changes this weekend.

 

Happy 3day weekend.

 

 

I actually have some small corals hiding in back but they are really hard to get pictures of.

[n8n]

So I decided one light was not enough in the canopy,.. so I added a second light :P

 

It is now way easier to see what i'm doing on both sides of the tank.  Of course its all hooked into apex.  Feed Mode lights turn on.  Plus break out box switch in stand causes both stand lights and canopy lights to turn on.

[n8n]

So, my wife and I have decided to upgrade our QT tank also, plus there are still considerably more things to do with the display.  We are moving from a 24g cube tank with external overflow to a 40g breeder that I'm drilling.

 

Here is the drain/return/overflow pre-drill  (yeh the really low one what is that?!?! that is for water changes)

 

After drilled, my chief engineer is inspecting my work.  

 

My wife was authorized to 'decorate' this tank so i'm thinking there will be a purple theme of some kind.

 

Herbie overflow.  The lower covered 1" hole will be for a quick drain for super easy water changes.

 

I'll be re-using the sump/and some of the equipment from the original 93g from the start of this build.

 

I'm going to build the same type of woodwork around the tanks similar to the main tank (minus canopy)

[n8n]

I saw this at Home Depot, 10 bucks plus a double AA. Records min/max temp and humidity as well as current. Decided to toss it in the stand to get an idea of how hot it gets down there. Thinking of maybe getting a second to compare with outside of tank.

 

[n8n]

I got the drilling, drains plumbed, returns plumbed and overflow glued on my new 40g qt tank.

 

 

59 dollar blond Naso, 25 dollar sail fin, 15 dollar dragon gobie ... Anyways I did a 65 gallon "water change" on the display and now have my new quarintine tank online... Still a lot to do to fix the rush setup, like building a trimmed facaut / cabinet around it. Getting apex mounted etc.

[n8n]

Here is my new quarantine tank. Everything is operation I did all the woodwork you see today. Didn't turn out as nice as display but is functional for quarantine. Will hopefully get doors and finish this week and get electronics properly mounted.

Sail fin and blond Naso still in there with dragon gobie.

[ezeke1]

I like the updates. Keep them coming

[n8n]

I got the electronics moved to upper cabinet to protect it and cut top for cabinet. Also tuned skimmer on quarantine tank. Hopefully run by Home Depot and get wood for doors cut and mounted tonight.

 

Naso, sail fin and dragon doing well. I put in about 1/3 sheet nori in evening, they kinda ignore it. Wake up sorta ignored. Goto work and check and it's totally eaten. It looks like they get hungry between 6am and noon. Tangs ignore the mysis and rods.

 

 

[n8n]

Tonight I got the doors cut and hinges installed on quarantine tank. The sail fin is starting to show signs of ick. That's why we don't put fish directly in display... Going to start some light cupramine and hopefully it'll clear up. Between the two tangs they are eating about 1/2 a sheet of nori a day. I'm not sure the dragon gobie is eating. He seems kinda angry with the small Tupperware container of sand.

 

The display looked just as bland on the stand until I stained it and installed the crown trim. Nearly identical design door/trim wise.

 

 

 

[thakki]

Thats an awesome setup man! I am planning to setup one too...I have a question though...in your QT setup...how are you taking care of filtration...I see the skimmer...did you add some source of bacteria before putting the fish in? like filter sponge with bacteria from DT? or Dr.Tims/Biospira? or are you planning to monitor ammonia and change water very often?

[n8n]

Thats an awesome setup man! I am planning to setup one too...I have a question though...in your QT setup...how are you taking care of filtration...I see the skimmer...did you add some source of bacteria before putting the fish in? like filter sponge with bacteria from DT? or Dr.Tims/Biospira? or are you planning to monitor ammonia and change water very often?

The water is from my display. There is a 8x8x4 marine pure block in the sump from my old quarantine tank which was from my display months ago. It's fully populated are rated to handle 100g. I've got two of the same marine pure blocks in my display sump.

 

Hopefully that clarifies things. Ammonia / nitrite usually zero or near zero. The nitrates and phosphates slowly rise and I do large 50% water changes on quarantine and dose nopox on quarantine.

 

On the display I have a Biopellet reactor with a liter of bio pellets recirculating with sicce 4.0 with output around 90gph.

 

I also have ammonia alert badges but when I test ammonia is almost always zero. Marine pure is way awesome,

 

I plumbed a drain near bottom of quarantine so I can open gate and flood my sump. The return has a manifold that will have a hose that can reach a drain. I'm also have a manifold on display but need to get longer hose to pump directly from display to quarantine no buckets. ( outlet is above tank so qt water doesn't make it to display ). I have my saltwater mixing station on other side of wall with direct hose to display so no buckets there either.

 

140g gallon at mixing station (70g s/w, 35g rodi top off and another 35g reserve rodi ). ---> 210g display ---> 40g qt --> drain

 

When I do larger changes.

 

I also have dosing pump line that can do small (3 gallon ) nightly water changes on display only in about 3 hours fully automated.

Edited October 15, 2015 by n8n

[thakki]

The water is from my display. There is a 8x8x4 marine pure block in the sump from my old quarantine tank which was from my display months ago. It's fully populated are rated to handle 100g. I've got two of the same marine pure blocks in my display sump.

 

Hopefully that clarifies things. Ammonia / nitrite usually zero or near zero. The nitrates and phosphates slowly rise and I do large 50% water changes on quarantine and dose nopox on quarantine.

 

On the display I have a Biopellet reactor with a liter of bio pellets recirculating with sicce 4.0 with output around 90gph.

 

I also have ammonia alert badges but when I test ammonia is almost always zero. Marine pure is way awesome,

 

I plumbed a drain near bottom of quarantine so I can open gate and flood my sump. The return has a manifold that will have a hose that can reach a drain. I'm also have a manifold on display but need to get longer hose to pump directly from display to quarantine no buckets. ( outlet is above tank so qt water doesn't make it to display ). I have my saltwater mixing station on other side of wall with direct hose to display so no buckets there either.

 

140g gallon at mixing station (70g s/w, 35g rodi top off and another 35g reserve rodi ). ---> 210g display ---> 40g qt --> drain

 

When I do larger changes.

 

I also have dosing pump line that can do small (3 gallon ) nightly water changes on display only in about 3 hours fully automated.

 

 

Thats really good setup. Heard about the filter blocks but never seen anyone use it. If you are okay, I would like to come checkout your system sometime. I live close to sterling...will PM you.

[n8n]

Thats really good setup. Heard about the filter blocks but never seen anyone use it. If you are okay, I would like to come checkout your system sometime. I live close to sterling...will PM you.

Yup we will hookup. The blocks are rated for 100g per 8x8x4 block. On the display I have one at output of skimmer so water is pouring through it, the second is at overflow in sump from skimmer box to return. Once again water flowing through it.

 

If you goto quantum reefs in Springfield look at sump for their live stock. All the live stock tanks are supported by marine pure block in that single sump. I personally like to have extra so I want at least 2 in my sump of my display. That way if I need to reset the quarantine tank or setup a quick hospital I can just move a block and then put a brand new one in the sump of the display. There is so much live rock in my tank I'm pretty sure I could probably go even without the blocks in my sump.

 

As for starting from scratch I used dr tims and the ammonia you can get from dr Tim last year to cycle the first time. I then started adding fish after about a month starting with two maroon clownfish if I remember. ( most would tell you to avoid maroons specifically due to aggression and should be last fish or near last fish added). Personally once my maroons found their host they pretty much ignore 90% of the tank and only care about their anemone.

[n8n]

So my setup is long from done, I have a running list of things still to do..

 

40g quarantine:

• Hoses to make water changes simple. (plumbing already done)
• Skimmate Locker (from Avast) - probably steal from my display
• Apex breakout (so I can hook up to skimmate locker & any other float switch)
• child proof/lock doors.  (think TIGER proof.... I have cats, no kids)
• make the drop cam mount more permanent.  you can bump it and it moves.
• ato (thinking Avast or Tunze)
• stain cabinet/doors
• add reactor (gfo atleast, maybe carbon when I want it super clean)
• leak detectors ( I have them just haven't re-hooked them up yet)

210g display:

• mount second fan in stand.  (one is blowing in, I want another on other side blowing out) - have to cut hole in back of stand
• mount fan in canopy.  Probably on top blowing down through mesh top.
• leak detectors (have just haven't re-hooked up)
• label everything .. yeh I have label maker but still need to label
• security magnetic door monitor thing. wired to breakout box so I know when doors are opened maybe even auto turn on lights when a door is opened
• I'd like a float switch in my sump (like when way to high)
• I'd also like a float in overflow box at very very top to shut stuff off if somehow all three drains get plugged (I think near impossible)
• Once I get the second fan installed, I want to build small screens to put over them to keep the tigers away from fan blades.
• There is a 2x4 in my sump under the reactors.. yeh it needs paint.
• I'm working on a 1/2" drain from my 210g so I can do quick water changes. 
• I want to add an EB8 on my s/w mixing station so I can remotely control when water is going in the big tank instead of having to goto garage plug in and come back around ..
• I want to add teeth to my overflow, I have a small net there, before net, it was almost daily a fish would get in my overflow and not beable to get out.
• thinking of doing kalk in my ato reserve.. need to plan that out.
• If I stick with dc6000 as return pump I want to get the apex integration
• battery backup or generator.. seriously going to do it just need to make a final decision.  I wish there was something perfectly sized for wave pumps.  I've got the code to detect power outages and stuff, just need to find the right ups.
• the turkey basters and measuring cups are annoying the crap out of me in the canopy. need to figure out how to get them mounted or build a little shelf.  every time I feed the fish they ge tin the way and I have to move smething aroun
• I need to add a 30-40 foot hose that will reach my quartantine tank.  and get it hooked to manifold with quick disconnect.  I had two 20' hoses and a bucket with apump in it i was using but i want it a little more clean.
• need to work on fuge, I'm thinking the round marine pure balls in bottom of fuge would be perfect to make home for pods.
• new skimmate locker (5gallon) for display).  I'm skimming qt a day, and will be out of town 10 days .. so obviously i need something larger.

 

.. yeh far from done,  just working through my list and posting updates as i do them.  original goal was have it "done" by new years, may not be done by then but hopefully almost.

 

Thanks!

 

-Nathan

Edited October 15, 2015 by n8n

[n8n]

Tonight I ran a bunch of hoses and got automatic water changes going.

 

This is the manifold I built on my return when I setup 210g display. The two 1/2" braided hoses are new. One reaches my quarantine tank with a two little fishies valve on it so I can easily refill quarantine with water from display. The other hose goes through the wall to the waste water barrel in the garage. I don't have direct access to a large drain.

 

This is the end that goes to the quarantine drilled for no reverse siphone with a valve for easy on / off.

 

Less then exciting waste water barrel.

 

The automatic water changes are how they were on old tank but now I have it online again. 3 gallons a night with Neptune DOS.

[n8n]

This weekend I didn't get a lot done on the tank. Most of it was working on masters homework...

 

So the last hose was setup on Qt. I can now do large bucket free water changes on both quarantine and display.

 

The measuring cups that kept getting in the way now have a shelf in the canopy.

 

I also figured out I can mount turkey basters by using one of the hooks upside down in canopy,

 

Nothing to mind blowing this weekend, but still a lot to do to finish build.

[smallreef]

Ahhhh lots of cool, practical work...

Looking good!

[thakki]

Thanks for the tour Nathan. It was really nice of you to spend time talking about your setup…was really helpful. Good luck with the setup…I know you are not going to stop anytime soon  .

[n8n]

So I'm loving the new setup. Did my first water change on new qt tank. 50% ( 20 gallons). Hose from sump to sink unrolled, flip valves and watch 50% of the tank empty. Coil back up, unroll from display sump to qt. pump about 10g in then turn on pump from mixing station to display. Whole thing done in 10 minutes no buckets. Display got a fresh 20g or 10% ( ish ) and quarantine got its 50%.

 

Also loving the brs reactor. With the rox high capacity just fill extra cartridge swap ok I had to use bucket to run a gallon through reactor but other then that done in just a few minutes.

 

Anyways really pleased with setup. Hoisting 5g buckets over the old tank or even using a utility pump 5g at a time was crazy.

 

Nathan

[n8n]

Today I mapped my tank with par meter. Four different like frequencies, AI Hydra 52 (dual), at 4 different intensities and below are results.

 

I plan to make adjustments to my lighting and get the corals moved to optimal zones.