Future Tank Build - looking for comments

[arking_mark]

So after 20+ years in the hobby, I'm looking to build my dream aquarium for my 50th birthday (which is several months away).  To that end, I've started my research and am putting together a build list.

 

My long term goal for this tank is a low maintenance system that can house anything I throw at over the next 15 years. My short term goal for the tank is to house 3 Orange Spotted Filefish, a Gold Nugget Clown with anemones,  and maybe some choice soft and hard corals.

 

Coming from my old tank (RSM 130D)  will be the anemones and Gold Nugget, some sand, and some of my rock. Along with these I'll bring over my favorite mushrooms (Jawbreakers, Godsspawns, Sunkist Bounce, and Grande Palys)...everything else will  be sold or given away (blow-torching my now unwanted mushrooms and other softies as a last resort).

 

As for tank size, I'm looking for something bigger than what I have...but still manageable.

 

There are some limitations on the location of the tank and aesthetically, I want all equipment contained within a tank cabinet. From a maintenance perspective, top off H2O and making sea water happens in the basement and cannot be automated :(

 

I've decided on using the Triton Core 7 method for dosing and reducing the need for water changes. As this method relies on KH measurements, I'll just need a KH Controller for dosing. (For my current tank, I do not dose, but instead do frequent water changes)  I'll also add a refugium for nutrient export.

 

I'm a believer in running a deep sand bed.

 

I'm really looking for any feedback or suggestions on the equipment or approach for lower maintenance and/or getting the cost of the system down.

 

Without further ado with estimated equipment cost,

 

Tank & Stand [$2560]: 

• Red Sea Reefer 300xl Deluxe 36x24x24 (Includes Tank, Stand, Sump, plumbing, ATO reservoir, and lights) ~$2500 

• Recommend return flow is 660gpm 

• Red Sea DIY net cover plus 2 zags ~$60 

 

Return Pump [$300]: 

• CURRENT USA EFLUX DC FLOW PUMP 1,900 GPH ~$170 

• GHL Flow Sensor 5000 l/h ~$130 

• Plumbing adapters? 

 

Circulation Pump [$540]: 

• 2x Reefwav 25 ~$540 

 

LIghts [$0]: 

• 2 x Reefled 90 (included with deluxe) 

• 2 x Reefled 90 Mounts (included with deluxe) 

 

Filtration [$600]: 

• Reefer Skimmer 300 ~$300 

• 2x Filter Media Cups ~$30 

• 2x Micron Filter Bags ~$20 

• 2x Mefia Bags ~$10 

• Refugium - Kessil h160 Grow Light ~$240 

 

Heater/Chiller [$0]: 

• Haeger 802 200watt Titanium Heater (already own) 

• Deep Blue Kryos Chiller (already own) 

 

ATO/AWC [$484]: 

• Tunze Osmolator ATO (already own) 

• Level Sensor Holder Base Unit ~$20 

• 2x GHL Level Sensor Fastener ~$12 

• 2x GHL Float Level Switch ~$72 

• GHL Doser Maxi Standalone, White ~$380 

 

Dosing [$1250]: 

• Will be using Trident Core 7 (4 part dosing based solely on DKH) 

• GHL KH Director w/ GHL Doser SA and GHL Slave ~1250 

 

Controller/Monitoring [$900]: 

• GHL Profilux 4 Mega-set 6e (Temp, Ph, Salinity, ORP, and power) ~900
• Is one 6 plug GHL Powerbar enough? 

 

Sand and Rock [$180]: 

• Use existing sand ~40lbs 

• Add 40lb of Aragalive sand ~$60 

• Existing base rock  ~20lbs 

• Add 30lb? of rock ~$120 

 

LIvestock [TBD]: 

• 3x Orange Spotted Filefish 

• Gold Nugget Clown  w/ Anemones

• Bullet Nose Goby 

... 

 

Coral [TBD]: 

... 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 22, 2020 by arking_mark

[arking_mark]

So upon further review, I think a deep sand bed with refugium should make a skimmer not needed.  So I'm  going skimmerless...and uping the refugium lighting to outcompete the display.

 

- Reefer Skimmer 300

Kessil h160 Grow Light --> Kessil A360x Refugium 

 

Also, article from Advanced Aquarist show limited benefits of a Skimmer.

https://reefs.com/magazine/further-studies-on-protein-skimmer-performance/

 

My own experience with Skimmers seems to indicate that they help initially, but with an established DSB and mature tank, their usefulness is very limited and much less skimmate is produced.

 

Thoughts on going skimmerless?

[epleeds]

I think if your only going with 4 fish then a skimmerless system would probably be fine. But if you decided to up your fish load, then you might want to rethink that option. You could always have a sump built to accommodate a skimmer if you ever wanted to add one, or you could always run on externally if you have the space. 

[YHSublime]

I think skimmers going to depend on the types of coral you want to keep and the bio load as mentioned above. If you're planning on keeping sticks, I'd personally run a skimmer. Also, didn't read the article, but did notice it's over a decade old, so there's that. 

[arking_mark]

@epleeds The sump that comes with the Reefer is big enough for both. I'll probably use my small Tunze Skimmer at the beginning.  However, I'm really leaning towards skimmerless. My research indicates that a DSB with a Refugium that can out compete the tank should make the skimmer obsolete.

[arking_mark]

Curious who in Wamas is running Skimmerless and what are your thoughts?

[hlem]

I have a skimmerless nem tank with some zoas and soft corals and about 5 fish, larger ones too. 

[arking_mark]

@hlem Working well? Do you run DSB and Refugium? If not how are you maintaining water quality and organics?

[DFR]

To be honest, the skimmer-less idea isn’t bad.  I ripped all my filtration out and went with ONLY a fuge about 1.5 years back and couldn’t be happier.  Since you will run Core 7, your trace elements should be fine (in relation to what macro algae typically consume).  In my particular situation I converted due to tunability, but it also made my life easier.  I’m now moderately stocked and only run the fuge for about 4 hours a day.  If the need ever arose, I can increase or decrease the duration to help keep my nutrients higher or lower.  The only “maintenance” I do is vacuum the substrate about once a month.  
I run about 1” bed in display and none in fuge, but I do have some marine pure in my “overflow”.

[arking_mark]

@DFR What type of lights are you running on your fuge and what size is your fuge and display tank? Just Chaeto?

[DFR]

It is 80g supported by a 12g sump (fuge section equals about 3g).  A Kessil H360 light is used to grow chaeto and caulerpa.

[arking_mark]

@DFR I'm planning on a 3-4 inch DSB which is a little higher that what I have today. I'm glad to see you're using a Kessil h360...I was questioning whether I needed something so expensive for lighting a fuge.  BSR had a great fuge series and I have read several articles that suggested you need to outcompete the display or you'll get more algae in your display than fuge.

Edited April 22, 2020 by arking_mark

[hlem]

8 hours ago, arking_mark said:

@hlem Working well? Do you run DSB and Refugium? If not how are you maintaining water quality and organics?

hey mark,

 

I don’t have a dsb, just lots of live rocks, a few Marine pure blocks, and no refug, and weekly/biweekly wc depending if I’m lazy or not. But the tank is established for more than 4 years. That’s about it. Auto feeder 4 times a day and manual feed randomly. 

[arking_mark]

So another thing missed was battery backup.  Any thoughts on the Icecap V2 battery backup?  It should be compatible with the eFlux pump. Probably need to calculate the how long an outage it can cover.  I currently use a UPS for short term outages.  I have a deep-cycle battery that I can hook up if there is a longer outage.