Tank Journal Archive

[192k]

Introduction:

I have been keeping fish and everything else that lives in water since 2000.

Reefing Since:
2000

System Objectives:

To create a stable and healthy environment for my corals and fish

Type of reef:

Mixed for now, then SPS

Display System:

Initial Fill Date:

October 2011

Display Tank Dimensions:

1200 x 750 x 475.
4ft x 2.5ft x 19in in old school terms.
Rimless, brace-less, starfire bevelled edges with full length external overflow.

Display Lighting:

ATI Powermodule 10x54 HO T5 with active cooling

Stand:

75x45 Custom DIY that will be cladded and finished in black matte finish.

Hood or Rimless:

Rimless

Sump Design:

3 x 15 x 18 2 compartment sump. Skimmer and return

Filtration:

30 Kilograms of base rock that has been seeded since July last year.
Phosban reactor containing Rowaphos
Phosban reactor containing Carbon

300mg Ozone Unit fed directly into ozone port on BK skimmer

Support systems:

NSW or ASW:

ASW

Display Water circulation:

2 x Tunze 6205 with modded shrouds

Return Pump:

Laguna 6000

Skimmer:

Royal Exclusiv Supermarin 250

Evaporation Top Up:

Manual with PSI-RO/DI Filters

Chemical additions:

Calcium Addition:

2 Part dosing with dosing pumps

Alkalinity Addition:

2 Part dosing with dosing pumps

Magnesium Addition:

Weekly water changes normally offset mag consumption, otherwise Epsom Salts

Prodibiotics Addition:

VSV Method - I have been using Vodka, Vinegar and Sugar to keep Nitrates and Phosphates in check

Coral Food Addition

100% Reef Safe AA
Cyclopeze
Live Phyto-plamkton cultures

 

[brendore]

:poidh

 

[192k]

Ok, here we go.
So I picked up the tank from Dennison @ Mary-Annes Aquarium in Browns Plains.
It just fit in the back of the Mazda, getting it in with 4 people was easy...getting it out with 2 wasn't :eek

:D

Tank specs 4ft x 2.5ft x 19in high with external full width overflow.
The tank was designed by another person so the holes were not to my liking.
I would have loved to have done a Bean Animal like every other tank I have owned or helped set up.

I ended up going with a Syphon/Durso combination and worked with what was already there.

It has only 3 holes, the main standpipe is a syphon and takes 99% of the flow
The second is a durso that only takes 1% or so of the flow. In the event of the syphon getting clogged, the durso will take the lot. This is only because the opening of the durso is at the maximum level that I want the water level in the tank. When it reaches this level, it creates a full syphon and carries the flow.

The durso is also used to set the level inside the external overflow.

The third hole is for the return.

 

[brendore]

Nice! Can't wait to see it up and running :)

 

[192k]

Next step was to make the stand.
70x45 from Bunnings and 12mm ply

There is 2 extra legs that were placed in the middle after the sump was put into place.
These 2 legs are removable and allow ample room for maintenance.

I used 40x19 to create a frame underneath and cross braced it again with 70x45.

Stand took me a few hours to make and is very simple, yet strong and functional.

Tank on stand

The tank was lifted by two of us, it was an effort!

Now the tank was on the stand, I could start thinking about plumbing and covering the back panel of glass.

This was my first tank in starfire and despite the fact it scratches easily, I am happy with it.
Would I get another made in starfire? Probably not ;)

 

[192k]

Nice! Can't wait to see it up and running :)

Cheers mate. I am following your build too :)

 

[192k]

So I began the job of covering the back panel in black acrylic.

AS you can see, I used clamps and bulkheads lined up to apply pressure to the acrylic panel as it was glued. It worked really well and there are no bumps throughout.
I picked up the 3mm black acrylic sheet of 1200 x 475 for $38.50 from Acryform at Banyo

The black came up really good and its a great backdrop for my corals and fish:cool:

 

[192k]

Sump is in place and playing with plumbing.
The plumbing is my favourite part. PVC hard plumbed,except the transition from the return pump to the chiller.

 

[192k]

I came up with this

Left is the durso, middle is the return and right is the syphon.
I used an FIP DUBV 32mm to regulate the syphon. They are completely modular and removable with unions on both end. This will allow easy removal of plumbing for cleaning and maintenance ;)

Those of you with eagle eyes, yes thats a Panworld 250 PS pump under the stand........thats for the next tank :D

 

[192k]

So Benbo Baggins and another reefer came round to help me hang the light.
I jumped into the ceiling cavity and placed 2 cross beams at 90 degrees to the ones that were already there to create anchor points for the suspension kit. No pics of that. but the tank is ready minus the return pipe. I was not happy with the white PVC showing so I trimmed the return line and placed dual locline outlets on them.

Tank in its resting place

Only 4 bulbs are on, it makes the sun look dim with all 10 :eek

2 x Aquablue Special
2 x Blue Plus

Bulbs are placed W B W B and are new.

The light mounted from the ceiling carries on the sleek look of the rimless tank.

Very happy with things and how they have progressed so far :)

I would like to mention I purchased the ATI fixture from Micheal @ Reefing Life. Highly recommend him for your high end reef purchases.

 

[brendore]

Looking good man, keep the pics coming! :)

 

[192k]

Looking good man, keep the pics coming! :)

Will do mate :)
Here is how I trimmed the return and put the locline on.
People be aware, there is fake locline being sold and it will leak everywhere!!!
Only the original has the name embossed onto it.
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, surface skimming :D

Ignore the frag rack in the overflow :rolleyes

Leak test passed with flying colours !!

The water level isn't as high as it looks in the picture

For flow, I used 2 x 6205 Tunze Turbelle 2 Controllable Stream pumps with a 7096 USB controller.

These things push out a crapload of flow.
I changed 4 Vortechs for 2 of these and could not be happier.

The Tunze are silent. And yes I know they fell short in flow testing.
I would rather have a Tunze pump that actually works, then a Vortech that beaks in 2 months time.

Flow modded the outlets for them to give a broader flow :cool:
Still need to neaten the cuts up a bit.
Why flow mod you say? For a borader flow.

They are set up with the Tunze software on interval mode 30% low and 45% high opposite to each other.

These pumps are seriously too big for the tank, I would rather have the ability to dial them up to allow for coral denisty and growth ;) Future-proofing

 

[MTG]

this tank is amazing love it! :worship keep the pics flowing

 

[WoodyMackay]

This tank will be insane hen it's stocked! Love the size man keep the pics coming!

 

[VaultBoy]

Sweet setup... If your not happy with the pvc being visible have you had a look at the black threaded poly fittings? They would just disappear on the back of this tank!

 

[n0rk]

I still can't believe you flowmodded the Tunzes... you crazy fugger :p when do the 6105s go in?

 

[slin1977]

This slice of reef will be insane....looking forward to the next episode. Itching to see some sump photos soon.....thanks for sharing your build.

 

[MTG]

I still can't believe you flowmodded the Tunzes... you crazy fugger :p when do the 6105s go in?

is this done by adding a different shroud to the front of the tunze? or cutting away some of the pieces of plastic?

 

[reefmaniac]

tunze the best.

 

[192k]

This slice of reef will be insane....looking forward to the next episode. Itching to see some sump photos soon.....thanks for sharing your build.

Thanks mate, more pics to follow ;)

this tank is amazing love it! :worship keep the pics flowing

Thanks Matt :)

This tank will be insane hen it's stocked! Love the size man keep the pics coming!

Will do mate, cheers :)

I still can't believe you flowmodded the Tunzes... you crazy fugger :p when do the 6105s go in?

They are both here man, the pair of 6105's are for the next tank ;)

is this done by adding a different shroud to the front of the tunze? or cutting away some of the pieces of plastic?

Yes Matt, the teeth on the shroud can simply be cut away to increase flow up to 30-40% :cool:

tunze the best.

200% Agree, after using 4 Vortechs for the past 2+ years, I am convinced they are a superior product.

Here is half the sump including the skimmer.

BK SM250 Internal 2010 model.
The skimmer performs sensationally :D
I opted to put a Swabbie Neck Cleaner on the skimmer body and it has allowed me less time between cleaning and produces a more consistent skim over a longer period of time.
As you can see from the pics, it pulls out a dark skim.
I have always tried to place the outlets of my standpipes very close to the intake of the skimmer pump to allow it a greater chance of processing a larger volume of water.
The pipes come out directly in front of the skimmer intake and are approximately 3 inches in front of the intake


To the top right is my 2 part dosing system.
BM Dosing pumps provide Alk and Cal to the system over 24 hours, every hour to maintain parameters.
I upgraded the normal hose that they come with to surgical grade peri pump hose and have not experienced problems of the hose pinching and leaking like others have. Very happy with the pumps

Above the BM dosing pumps is the Ozone unit that is fed directly into the BK ozone port

The left side is simple, no bubble trap, just a single piece of glass at 21.5cm high to allow the skimmer to run at optimal depth.
A laguna 6000 is fed into the Haliea 500A chiller and into the display.

I use 2 TLF 550 reactors, one to house RowaPhos and the other is for Solid Carbon Dosing,

:cool: