Hello fellow reefers!!! Haven't done one of these build threads in along time, so here we go. It's been almost 3 years since I've had reef tank. Before I filed for divorce I sold all my coral and then my reef tank setup back in 2019. The divorce was finalized this year, and starting life all over again. Life's great, and even better now because I'm starting a new tank!! Let shenanigans begin.
Wasn't sure when I started looking for a reef tank to purchase that I would have ended up with a free tank setup. Personally I don't like paying full price and I'm ok with purchasing most items used/like new condition. I had made a few bids on some reef tanks setups for sale. Ranging from 120-240 gallons. Then I found an ad for one on FB, and it was listed for free. Complete RSR250 crated up with lights, return pump, RODI, misc stuff. I ended up buying and changing some items such as skimmer, return pump, and powerheads. The reason why it was for free is that the guy who owned it just wanted to get rid of it and had no time to start it back up. He had moved from San Francisco to Palm Springs. So that's how I ended up with a free reef tank setup. What an awesome score in my book.
Typically I'm the kind of person that takes the time to research things and then come up with a game plan to execute. So I spent some time looking around R2R for ideas on the sump and control board setups. I wanted to give credit to a few people(@Broadfield , @Eight , @SuncrestReef , @Butuz ) on here that inspired me to do what I've done with my tank so far, and what I plan on doing. One of the my favorite things about reef forums.
The plan was to make a clean and useful setup. Clean and organized with everything contained in the sump area or having a side cabinet with it all hidden.
Mixed reef tank is where I'm headed with mostly LPS, softies, zoas, and some SPS. You know how that goes!? I'm only going to do "this" with my reef on corals. Then $$$$$$ later you have a mixture.
Equipment:
Almost all these items were purchased used
Tank: Red Sea 250 w/V1 sump, I modified the sump to accommodate Clarisea 3000 roll.
Lighting: The tank came with 2 AI 26 HD hydra's. So I'm going to stick with those for now. But I did purchase a 36" hybrid T5 fixture to add over the tank with the hydra's. Thinking about OR3 Blue plus in place of the T5's. So that's on the table down the road too.
ATO: Tunze Osmolator 3155
Return pump: Vectra M2 pump in the sump to help eliminate multiple pumps. Hence the manifold built to supply everything with one pump.
Skimmer: Nyos Quantum 120 skimmer. Went with this because of how quiet it is. Little small for the tank I plan on building. But I plan on running some sort of chaeto reactor or similar.
Powerheads: x2 MP10QD, RS 25 wave, 1 Nero 5. Thinking I will add another Nero 5 and place them both on the overflow. Keeping the back of the tank water movement and detritus from building up back there.
Heater(s): Cobalt dual 300watt heater
Controller: Neptune Apex(full version), Trident to monitor ALK, CAL, MAG.
Media reactors: Aquamaxx XS reactors. 1 for carbon as needed, 1 for backup for GFO or whatever.
RODI: BRS stage 5 with a water station with brute trash cans
Substrate: 50lbs of dry rock that I made the aqua scape into. Using super glue, sand, accelerator to help the glue set fast. 60lbs of Carib sea live sand(special grade).
Supplementation: Not sure but I've had experience with calcium reactors and dosing pumps.
Quarantine tank: 20 gallon standard glass tank with hang-on the back filter.
Here's some shots of the tank. Started the bacteria cycle on 11/12/21, and now playing the waiting game. Cheers!!
Plumbing manifold
Sump and DT without sand
DT with sand and started cycling
DT photos
Wasn't sure when I started looking for a reef tank to purchase that I would have ended up with a free tank setup. Personally I don't like paying full price and I'm ok with purchasing most items used/like new condition. I had made a few bids on some reef tanks setups for sale. Ranging from 120-240 gallons. Then I found an ad for one on FB, and it was listed for free. Complete RSR250 crated up with lights, return pump, RODI, misc stuff. I ended up buying and changing some items such as skimmer, return pump, and powerheads. The reason why it was for free is that the guy who owned it just wanted to get rid of it and had no time to start it back up. He had moved from San Francisco to Palm Springs. So that's how I ended up with a free reef tank setup. What an awesome score in my book.
Typically I'm the kind of person that takes the time to research things and then come up with a game plan to execute. So I spent some time looking around R2R for ideas on the sump and control board setups. I wanted to give credit to a few people(@Broadfield , @Eight , @SuncrestReef , @Butuz ) on here that inspired me to do what I've done with my tank so far, and what I plan on doing. One of the my favorite things about reef forums.
The plan was to make a clean and useful setup. Clean and organized with everything contained in the sump area or having a side cabinet with it all hidden.
Mixed reef tank is where I'm headed with mostly LPS, softies, zoas, and some SPS. You know how that goes!? I'm only going to do "this" with my reef on corals. Then $$$$$$ later you have a mixture.
Equipment:
Almost all these items were purchased used
Tank: Red Sea 250 w/V1 sump, I modified the sump to accommodate Clarisea 3000 roll.
Lighting: The tank came with 2 AI 26 HD hydra's. So I'm going to stick with those for now. But I did purchase a 36" hybrid T5 fixture to add over the tank with the hydra's. Thinking about OR3 Blue plus in place of the T5's. So that's on the table down the road too.
ATO: Tunze Osmolator 3155
Return pump: Vectra M2 pump in the sump to help eliminate multiple pumps. Hence the manifold built to supply everything with one pump.
Skimmer: Nyos Quantum 120 skimmer. Went with this because of how quiet it is. Little small for the tank I plan on building. But I plan on running some sort of chaeto reactor or similar.
Powerheads: x2 MP10QD, RS 25 wave, 1 Nero 5. Thinking I will add another Nero 5 and place them both on the overflow. Keeping the back of the tank water movement and detritus from building up back there.
Heater(s): Cobalt dual 300watt heater
Controller: Neptune Apex(full version), Trident to monitor ALK, CAL, MAG.
Media reactors: Aquamaxx XS reactors. 1 for carbon as needed, 1 for backup for GFO or whatever.
RODI: BRS stage 5 with a water station with brute trash cans
Substrate: 50lbs of dry rock that I made the aqua scape into. Using super glue, sand, accelerator to help the glue set fast. 60lbs of Carib sea live sand(special grade).
Supplementation: Not sure but I've had experience with calcium reactors and dosing pumps.
Quarantine tank: 20 gallon standard glass tank with hang-on the back filter.
Here's some shots of the tank. Started the bacteria cycle on 11/12/21, and now playing the waiting game. Cheers!!
Plumbing manifold
Sump and DT without sand
DT with sand and started cycling
DT photos
