125 gallon tank build

[Blue80]

After an 8 year hiatus, a couple of kids and getting married, I am finally getting back into the hobby! I currently have a 125 gallon long Marineland tank with two corner overflows. The tank until recently held some freshwater turtles and cichlids. I was able to find a great home for the turtles in an indoor pond and plan to find a home for the cichlids once things in the real world improve. Right now I am planning to go with a FOWLR system, but eventually plan to add in some easy corals and probably an anemone with a couple of clowns.

 

125 gallon aquarium.HEIC

 

I also built a DIY saltwater mixing station using two brute trash cans and a lifeguard pump from a previous filtration system. I can hook up a line from here and then run it to the tank for water changes.

 

saltwater mixing station.HEIC

 

I went with the 75 gallon per day liquagen ro/di system and then added on the 150 gallon per day upgrade to reduce the amount of wastewater being produced. There is a pressure gauge, it is just hidden from view. What do some of you do with your waste water/collect it in?

 

ro:di system.HEIC

 

I also plan to put my filtration in the workroom on the other side of the wall from the aquarium. My loving wife is allowing me to drill a hole through the wall.

 

filtration area.HEIC

 

I am planning to go with the current usa loop system currently being used on the tank. I purchased two of the 72" lights recently and the bluetooth controller to run the system. I have had great luck with this product thus far and the customer service at the company was also wonderful.

 

I have 300 watts worth of heaters that I plan to put in the sump. I am planning to purchase the   Coralvue Icecap 30 Reef Sump. I was also planning to convert one of the wet dry filters into a refugium (plan to remove the bio balls but would still plan to use the filter pad media in the section where the water initially pours in). I would just tee off the water coming from the tank so one tube enters the refugium and one the sump. I would then drill into the sump and connect via bulkhead so that the water can be returned via the pump. I have also seen the DIY Chaeto reactors and thought about building one of those instead of the refugium. There is plenty of room for either in the filtration space I plan to use for this tank build. Further, I have a submersible light for my refugium and was thinking about going with the algae barn starter pack for it. What do people think? I welcome thoughts on either of these ideas please.

 

Other equipment:

Duetto Dual Sensor ATO,

Coralife Skimmer 125 (I know this product has some mixed reviews, but I purchased it for my previous 55 gallon and never got to use it. So I figure I will give it a try). Welcome thoughts on additional skimmers.

 

Inside the tank:

Around 100 or so pounds of the man-made rock/live rock

Around 50 pounds of live sand

 

I look forward to any comments/questions

 

Thank you

 

[Blue80]

I also have a whole-home generator the previous owner had installed, so I am not too concerned about battery back ups for the life support system.