Aquatop 24 AIO build

[Reef Ready]

Hey guys, gonna keep my progress updated here to look back at things!

Build specifications

Tank: Aquatop Recife 24
Modifications:

• We added another baffle to the sump area to keep the water level consistent in the media chamber.
• I plan to add a better skimmer in that chamber or use it as a refugium. Basically either a HOB skimmer and that's the refugium or HOB refugium and that's the skimmer chamber.
• Upgraded the return pump and plumbing as it seemed suuuper flimsy and cheap. I used a mighty jet 326gph as i like the DC option and it fit in the rear area. (had to remove the strainer after my baffle mod)
• The plumbing upgrade consisted of Vinyl tubing from pump to return. Return build out was 1/2" threaded bulkhead with 1/2" lock-line fitting in one side and 1/2" threaded to 90degree barbed fitting on the other side. (when the time comes to clean the pump its definitely gonna be a PITA to remove as I had to loosen the bulkhead and spin it to attach the 90 barb threaded end onto it.)
• Removed the god awful sponge from the 1st chamber as well as all the media from the baskets they included.
• I have plans to build a custom media basket for the 1st or 2nd chamber to run my filter floss, carbon, and phosphate media. this will clear up the current media chamber for use as stated above.

Lighting: Plan for a Radion XR15 G5
Flow: Plan for an MP10QD
Skimmer: Still undecided
Refugium lighting/set up: Still undecided
Heater: Jager 100W
ATO: Still undecided
Dosing pump: Still undecided
Dosing regimen: BRS Pharma Balling Method
Water Testing:

• Hanna DKH Colorimeter
• Red Sea Calcium Pro Test Kit
• AquaForest Magnesium Test Kit
• NYOS Nitrate REEFER Test Kit
• Hanna Phosphate Ultra Low Range PPM Colorimeter
• Refractometer calibrated with 35ppt solution
• API Saltwater master test kit
• Seneye Reef monitor
• Floating thermometer

Water source: BRS 6 stage 150GPD RODI kit. Producing 0ppm TDS water
Salt mix: plan for tropic marin pro salt but got talked into auqavitro salinity by my LFS and im honestly not a fan of the residue left behind from it.
Foods: Nyos goji pellets that my clowns are not a fan of currently lol
Rock: 80% dry marco rock 20% real reef already wet and cured form my LFS
Substrate: Fiji Pink caribsea live sand

Will update with photos and progress

As of 3/18/22
Currently just 5 days into cycle with some clowns for ammonia production vs ghost feeding or ammonia dosing.

 

[blaxsun]

Good luck with the tank!

 

[Reef Ready]

Good luck with the tank!

Thank you!! Looking forward to the evolution of this tank and the eventual upgrade once I buy a house!

 

[JumboShrimp]

I don’t know— to each his own. But I’ve been running one “stock” in my office for about 8 months; smooth-sailing. I don’t really do water-changes to speak off. I just add top-off water and change filter-floss from the filter boxes.

 

[Reef Ready]

I don’t know— to each his own. But I’ve been running one “stock” in my office for about 8 months; smooth-sailing. I don’t really do water-changes to speak off. I just add top-off water and change filter-floss from the filter boxes.

Nice! Yeah I've seen a few people running them stock. I love to modify stuff to suit my particular needs.

 

[JumboShrimp]

Good choice with the MightyJet pump, that I will say. It is a somewhat uncommon/ overlooked tank, but I love mine. I went with one tall swim-around rock-structure in the center, if you ever want to see a photo. I’m getting it covered in Pulsing Xenia.

 

[Daniel@R2R]

Following along!

 

[Alexwlwsn]

Great to see another Aquatop 24g. That white stand looks very nice. Good call on the plastic mat underneath the tank, I didn't think to do that with mine and I spill water semi often hah

 

[Calebd91]

Interested to see your pump plumbing mod

 

[Reef Ready]

I was hoping to have time to update this biweekly but here we are over a month later. I added some more rockwork, upgraded the skimmer (aquamaxx bullet HOB), the light that came with failed so they sent a replacement. Lights were acclimated on slowly and I got the first algae bloom. CUC just added this week. Got some corals and fish in my 10g QT tank. Added a few different macro algae to my display while I decide how I want to tackle a refugium. Still leaning towards a Fiji cube large HOB refugium. I know the stock pump is trash but I like the design and size. Apparently the Marineland powerheads are a perfect replacement for the stock pump. I'm open to suggestions. I'd like to avoid turning the back chamber into a fuge after all.

Currently running filter floss pads, rox 0.8 carbon and bio media in the rear chambers filtration section.

My clowns ended up having internal parasites so I've been treating them with medicated food for the past 2 weeks. They're still looking a little distended and skinny but once they're looking better ill move them to QT and leave the tank fallow for 4 weeks. I'll probably add corals during this time and focus on fattening up everyone in the QT.

Here are a few FTS of how it look today. I'll post another reply with photos of the plumping mods I made.

 

[Reef Ready]

As for the plumbing upgrade I purchased a 1/2" threaded x threaded bulkhead fitting, a 1/2" barbed x 1/2" threaded 90 fitting, 1/2" locline × 1/2" threaded, and 1/2" ID vinyl tubing. I affixed the hose and elbow to the pump. It's a tight fit so I used a dremmel to make the hole slightly larger for the bulkhead fitting. I threaded it mostly in then dropped the pump with vinyl tubing and 90 attached then spun the bulkhead to thread on the 90. Then tightened the bulkhead and attached the locline on the other side. Here are photos of the plumbing set up.

 

[BigDangler]

Curious what you're running in each of the media baskets in the back. I got the same tank just finished cycle and 2 clowns in it so far. Gonna make a build thread here eventually this week when I get some time. You still got that big piece of sponge in first chamber? I just threw some filter floss on top of it and plan on wringing the sponge out a bit whenever I do water changes. Looks good though so far!

 

[X-37B]

Nice system! You have a great start.
I have the exact same nano cube.
I run 2 baskets of eheim substrate pro and 1 basket of matrix.
I bag of rox carbon in chamber 2.
Small 3x4 piece of floss in overflow basket. No sponge!
Red macro algae rubberbanded to rock on both back corners.
2 16hds.
Tunze ato.
Tunze return pump.
Jebao ow-25 for flow.
2gs once a month WC.
Tanks 4 months old.

 

[X-37B]

Curious what you're running in each of the media baskets in the back. I got the same tank just finished cycle and 2 clowns in it so far. Gonna make a build thread here eventually this week when I get some time. You still got that big piece of sponge in first chamber? I just threw some filter floss on top of it and plan on wringing the sponge out a bit whenever I do water changes. Looks good though so far!

Get rid of the sponge. Its a mess.
I use this small basket with floss. Super easy to service.

 

[JumboShrimp]

I’m still using the sponge for now— but I can see why some people would change it out for a media basket. As for the large media baskets that come with the unit, it’s lots of cheap, easy-to-change filter floss for me.

 

[BigDangler]

Nice system! You have a great start.
I have the exact same nano cube.
I run 2 baskets of eheim substrate pro and 1 basket of matrix.
I bag of rox carbon in chamber 2.
Small 3x4 piece of floss in overflow basket. No sponge!
Red macro algae rubberbanded to rock on both back corners.
2 16hds.
Tunue ato.
Tunze return pump.
Jebao ow-25 for flow.
2gs once a month WC.
Tanks 4 months old.

I've seen your tank before and was like dang... that's glorious... but now I can actually tell ya.. looks nice as hell! lol where did ya find that little hang on basket you got there for the first chamber if ya don't mind me asking

 

[X-37B]

I've seen your tank before and was like dang... that's glorious... but now I can actually tell ya.. looks nice as hell! lol where did ya find that little hang on basket you got there for the first chamber if ya don't mind me asking

This one.

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