Devo's Mixed Reef : JBJ 45

[mahindra.dev]

I should have started this build thread a long time ago on R2R. I will share a brief overview from start to where the tank is at its 6 month mark and will maintain this thread with tank updates.

First OFF
Thanks to
@CJs Aquariums for my AIO choice
@Broadfield for APEX mounting
@revhtree
@Ryanbrs @randyBRS
@MarineDepot @Bulk Reef Supply @Tidal Gardens @mrsaltwatertank @melev
@Reefbuilders for all videos. I cant say enough & for all the other reefers, forums and tons of material online.

Specs:

JBJ 45 with stand
Aquamaxx 1.5 HOB skimmer
Innovative Marine mid-size reactor for carbon
Aquamaxx FR-S reactor for GFO
Kessil 360W
Innovative marine Chaeto Max for refugium
Neotherm heater – 2 x 150W
Tunze 3155 ATO
InTank media basket and InTank floss holder
NYOS Viper 3.0 750GHP Return Pump with IM spin streams
BRS 4stage RODI unit
2 Jebao SW-4 with Apex link
Trigger Systems 10 gallon ATO container
Apex Fusion
Reef Saver rock with aragonite reef grade sand

Goal is Mixed reef and im still to get there.

 

[mahindra.dev]

JULY 1st 2017: Leak checking weekend

 

[Bob Escher]

I should have started this build thread a long time ago on R2R. I will share a brief overview from start to where the tank is at its 6 month mark and will maintain this thread with tank updates.

First OFF
Thanks to
@CJs Aquariums for my AIO choice
@Broadfield for APEX mounting
@revhtree
@Ryanbrs @randyBRS
@MarineDepot @Bulk Reef Supply @Tidal Gardens @mrsaltwatertank @melev
@Reefbuilders for all videos. I cant say enough & for all the other reefers, forums and tons of material online.

Specs:

JBJ 45 with stand
Aquamaxx 1.5 HOB skimmer
Innovative Marine mid-size reactor for carbon
Aquamaxx FR-S reactor for GFO
Kessil 360W
Innovative marine Chaeto Max for refugium
Neotherm heater – 2 x 150W
Tunze 3155 ATO
InTank media basket and InTank floss holder
NYOS Viper 3.0 750GHP Return Pump with IM spin streams
BRS 4stage RODI unit
2 Jebao SW-4 with Apex link
Trigger Systems 10 gallon ATO container
Apex Fusion
Reef Saver rock with aragonite reef grade sand

Goal is Mixed reef and im still to get there.

I should have started this build thread a long time ago on R2R. I will share a brief overview from start to where the tank is at its 6 month mark and will maintain this thread with tank updates.

First OFF
Thanks to
@CJs Aquariums for my AIO choice
@Broadfield for APEX mounting
@revhtree
@Ryanbrs @randyBRS
@MarineDepot @Bulk Reef Supply @Tidal Gardens @mrsaltwatertank @melev
@Reefbuilders for all videos. I cant say enough & for all the other reefers, forums and tons of material online.

Specs:

JBJ 45 with stand
Aquamaxx 1.5 HOB skimmer
Innovative Marine mid-size reactor for carbon
Aquamaxx FR-S reactor for GFO
Kessil 360W
Innovative marine Chaeto Max for refugium
Neotherm heater – 2 x 150W
Tunze 3155 ATO
InTank media basket and InTank floss holder
NYOS Viper 3.0 750GHP Return Pump with IM spin streams
BRS 4stage RODI unit
2 Jebao SW-4 with Apex link
Trigger Systems 10 gallon ATO container
Apex Fusion
Reef Saver rock with aragonite reef grade sand

Goal is Mixed reef and im still to get there.

Nice Mix I also have the JBJ 45 AIO. But I turned mine into having a sump with a 20 gal cube
Here’s a pic of mine and in my build on you tube I have my latest video showing what I did
But looking good

 

[mahindra.dev]

Nice Mix I also have the JBJ 45 AIO. But I turned mine into having a sump with a 20 gal cube
Here’s a pic of mine and in my build on you tube I have my latest video showing what I did
But looking good

@Bob Escher : Yes Sir, I have seen your build, videos and how you converted it into a sump. So I initially had a JBJ 30 which was my freshwater tank and in trying to convert to a sump, I chipped the tank and then during water fill test it leaked. So for JBJ 45 even though I wanted to go your route, I was not confident and instead went with the AIO setup. Sometimes I feel I should have gone that route, especially siphoning the return area and or adding any more reactors etc. Oh well, it is what it is. I plan to make the best of this system

 

[mahindra.dev]

July 13th 2017 – July 18th 2017: Let’s call it: Playing with rocks

 

[mahindra.dev]

Nice Mix I also have the JBJ 45 AIO. But I turned mine into having a sump with a 20 gal cube
Here’s a pic of mine and in my build on you tube I have my latest video showing what I did
But looking good

@Bob Escher : Do you have more details on the APEX Stand on the outside? Can you post more pics in your thread or here please. I have mine currently installed on the inside but if I can make a control panel and mount it to the side, why NOT.

 

[mahindra.dev]

July 25th 2017 - Sep 14th 2017: Fishless cycling. I added Dr. Tims bacteria and ammonia per recommended dosage. NO lights were on during the cycle and once i started to see Nitrates, I did a 50% water change, added sand and continued the cycle for an additional 10 days.

 

[mahindra.dev]

While all this cycling was happening, I added APEX on 8/23/17 and organized my cabinet space 9/10/17

 

[mahindra.dev]

My first live stock: 9/14/17

 

[mahindra.dev]

First Corals: 9/24/17
Duncan, Purple Hammer, Clam, Red Platygyra

Green Bubble Tip Anemone: 9/27/17
My clowns till date dont care for it. The GBTA took 1 week to settle down and it split. I sold the 2nd one.

 

[Bob Escher]

@Bob Escher : Yes Sir, I have seen your build, videos and how you converted it into a sump. So I initially had a JBJ 30 which was my freshwater tank and in trying to convert to a sump, I chipped the tank and then during water fill test it leaked. So for JBJ 45 even though I wanted to go your route, I was not confident and instead went with the AIO setup. Sometimes I feel I should have gone that route, especially siphoning the return area and or adding any more reactors etc. Oh well, it is what it is. I plan to make the best of this system

I understand. Mine is working out quite well. At times it gets noisy and at times when my wife didn’t know better three years ago I should have went with 75 Gallon butit is what it is and we are happy

 

[mahindra.dev]

I understand. Mine is working out quite well. At times it gets noisy and at times when my wife didn’t know better three years ago I should have went with 75 Gallon butit is what it is and we are happy

The only reason I want to go big is for the fish I want to keep. Especially Wrasses, but from a coral only scene I am liking the smaller size.

Also, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE!!

 

[Bob Escher]

Oh I agree I would love to have bigger fish and some wrasse. The stepson has a 125 gal and I’m so jealous but we’re on a 2nd fl condo and we just don’t have the room let alone worrying about weight. We want to move to a ranch style house and if and when we do look out.
Thank you for your support. And if you have served thank you for yours as well

 

[revhtree]

Looking good!

 

[mahindra.dev]

I added by first SPS : 10/31/17

 

[mahindra.dev]

My happiness from 10/31/17 didn't last long. I call this event in my build: "Reef-tank disasters of a Rookie 11/13/2017"

A section of the rock topples while I was trying to use putty to place some SPS frags. Luckily I was able to catch the rock and not hit anything. Issue is my glue didn’t work or was not strong enough. I didn’t attempt to rework and I started to like less rock work. So removed that section, but with that I didnt realize I was taking away my SPS frag placements.

I did change what i use, now it is FaunaMarin "Aquascape fix bonding adhesive"

 

[mahindra.dev]

The 2nd disaster happened during my vacation. 12/14/17 - 01/07/17

I had someone watch my tank and having APEX helps. But my auto feeder was dumping more food than I intended to. This caused Nitrates to go upto 80 ppm. My GFO kept phosphates under control. Nevertheless i come back to a glass that took me 30mins to clean and bleached or totally pale SPS corals. Everyone of them and stylophora and birds nest suffered from STN. Tank looked like a goner.

So I did 3 30% W/C over 5 days and things started to look better. Here I am back to all LPS at this point and decided to stick with LPS only.

 

[mahindra.dev]

Five months after going thru 2 disasters, the tank looks good and I was ready to add more corals.

02/14/18 : 5 months

 

[mahindra.dev]

03/14/18 : 6 months

I went from LPS, SPS to LPS to LPS and Softies. Will def go back to a few SPS after 1 year mark. Lots of lessons learnt.
But very happy so far. Big fan of Euphyllia's if you all haven't noticed already
In love with this Kessil Light: Run @ 50% on power and color for 6 hrs and 2hrs of ramp up and ramp down
I run Chaeto max LED for 12 hrs along with BioPellets and GFO reactors. I think the reactors can go offline at
the one year mark and for now things seem to be in control.

Fish List:
2 Clown fish
2 Wrasse
1 Longnose Hawk
1 Diamond Goby
1 Yellow Tang

Way too many corals to add. But i will add them in my next update. I plan to add a few Zoa's and be done with adding for some time.
Here is a shot @ 6 months : 3/14/18

Just a contrast from start to 6 months

 

[mahindra.dev]

03/17/18: McCoskers Flasher went bonkers

It managed to jump or get thru the feeding hole in the IM defroster. As you can see there wasn’t much gap between the mesh and defroster!! It eat and then rested. As I was trying to take one more pic, it got out thru the hole.

Just wanted to share my experience!!