Rags2Riches - The Learning Curve. 125g

RichtheReefer21 · Mar 16, 2019

Most recent FTS (5/20/20)

Tank Dimensions:

72" x 18 x 20
125g - 155g total volume

Lighting (DIY Custom Canopy Fixture):

2x Hydra 26Hd
1 48" Fluval Marine 3.0 w/ Smart Bluetooth APP
1 48" Fluval Marine 1st Gen strip

Circulation:
2x Maxspect Gyre XF250's w/ Advanced Controller
Dual drilled 3/4" bulkhead to loc-line returns

Sump (DIY Custom-baffled)
33 Gal Long 48" + Macro Algae Refugium
eFlux 1900 GPH return Pump
Bubble Magus Nac 7 Skimmer
Ph2500 skimmer impellar assembly...replaced in May, 2019
Synergy Reef Shadow 16" overflow
2x 300w heaters, 1 is ceramic

Salt: FRITZ rpm blue box

Rodi: Aquatic Life 100gpd
ATO: Tunze 3155
Test kits:
API / RED SEA / HANNA

CURRENT LIVESTOCK:

Zebra Sailfin Tang
Yellow Tang
Foxface
Yellow/Blue Damsel
Davinci Clown (female)
Snowflake clown (male)
Red fire fish
Rainbow BTA x2

More CUC than I care to list. And my sand is infested with spaghetti worms, to my liking.

Current Coral:

Nps:
Dendrophyllia
Orange Gorgonian
Long Polyp Purple Gorgonian
Skinny purple photosythetic gorg

Euphyllia:
Octospawn
Golden Torch
Indo Rainbow torch
Green/purple Hammer

LPS:
Aussie Pink Blasto
Teal / Purple Favia
Rainbow acan lord
Purp/green micromusa
Cotton candy Acan Lord
Rainbow echinada
Orange Sunburst AcanLord
BW joker blasto
Duncan

Softies:
Purple / pink shroom
Green / orange shroom
Blue / teal shroom

Brains:
Lobophyllia

Leathers:
Devils Finger Leather
Green toadstool (the green monster)

Zoas:
Pink Krakatoas
JF Stargazers
JF butt Munchers
Radioactive dragon eyes
dragon eyes
Cats eyes
Rastas
Utter Chaos
Utter Peace
Rainbow Infusions
Purple deaths
Fire and ice
Blue hornets

Pixy dust
Lazer lemon
Lazer lemon color morph
JB Cranberry Lemonade

SPS:
WWC Reverse Sunset Montipora
Deep Magenta Montipora Capricornus
Seasons' Greetings Monitpora
Green plating Montipora
Mystery Teal Acro
YR Montipora Spongiode
Bonsai
YR Bubblegum digitata
Purple Stylophora
YR Cactus Coral
ORA Red Planet
BW Tri Color Stag

Other:
JF LimeLight Hydnophora

RichtheReefer21 · Mar 16, 2019

Macro Algae Refugium.

Currently stocking:
Decorator crab

Green Star Polyps
Kenya tree
Ulva
Chaetomorpha
Red ogo
Leafy red ogo

RichtheReefer21 · Mar 16, 2019

Meet and greet

My name is Rich, and I'd like to welcome you to my build thread, Thanks for stopping by... it's actually more of a "shoulda done it right the first time" thread. I began this adventure into saltwater reefing last year, March 2018. Link to my first build thread is in my signature labeled, "my mess"

I am a DIY'er. To the bone. If I see it, and I like it, I make it better, and save money doing it myself. The following build is a take-off from the Learning Curve I endured over the last year with a 55g and a canister filter.

Without knowing much, I dove in, and researched heavily. With a small budget and not wanting to commit fully, I went the canister LFS route to start.

About 4 months later, I experienced a parasite outbreak, and luckily landed this 125g to upgrade to. For a decent price of ZERO dollars. I turned the 55g into a QT, and ran the 125g fallow while I saved and treated the remaining fish I was able to salvage from the episode. No money for a sump. Desperate, I threw the 125g up and started it in 6 hrs after the refurbishing was complete.

So after another 7 or so months, tax season is upon us. And it's time to do it over, do it right, and employ everything I have learned in the last year here on r2r.

Let's get to the pics!

RichtheReefer21 · Mar 16, 2019

Day 1

Cant beat free. About 20 miles from me, a co-worker had this as a ground-filtered FW set up. It has been in a barn, uncovered, for 8+ years. The stand held snowblower motor assemblies, gas and oil containers, and anything else that could fit...

The stand was in rough shape. But with a mouse sander and some sweat, it cleaned up quite well to my surprise.

Before:

After:

Day 2.

At this point, LFS rodi was all I had. I have since set up a RODI water station. You will see it further in the build.

RichtheReefer21 · Mar 16, 2019

The transfer took place from my old 55g, to the new 125 after a small mini cycle took place. I added 50lbs dry reef rock to cure while the tank ran fallow.

I swapped the Aqueon400 Canister from the 55g and started my timer for fallow period. And waited. 77 days.

RichtheReefer21 · Mar 16, 2019

Floating Hinged Light Canopy Build

I needed a permanent, finished look for the lighting, and wanted it recessed, if you will. I designed this to hinge with 1 push up and rest against the wall for fast, easy, no hands access to the tank for whatever I may need to do.

The Link to the details of the canopy build can be found in my signature below.

I'll let the photos do the talking now.

Stainless hardware was used, 2 coats of KILLZ latex exterior primer, followed by 2 coats of Rustoleum gloss black exterior black.

Final Product:

I was fighting algae the whole way with this running under-powered filtration with the canister and old school remora protein skimmer. That story you can find in the RichReef saga thread in my sig, "my mess".

RichtheReefer21 · Mar 16, 2019

DIY Frozen Meal Prep

RichtheReefer21 · Mar 16, 2019

New Toys

The upgrade toys have been slowly streaming in over the last 3 months. And finally the time has arrived for the "Drain and Gain" sump build.

TUNZE 3155 ATO
BRS LED REFRACTOMETER
A.L. 100GPD RODI
COMBO TDS/TEMP/VOLTAGE METER
SKIMZ MAGNETIC FRAG RACK
2 XF250 GYRES
BUBBLE MAGUS NAC 7 SKIMMER
Synergy 16" SHADOW Over Flow

eFlux 1900GPH DC controllable return Pump

mch1984 · Mar 16, 2019

Nice upgrade, hard to say no to a free tank.

RichtheReefer21 · Mar 16, 2019

DIY SUMP

Target: Roughly 7x turnover
33 gallon Long + 12" x 12" MacroAlgae Refugium layout plan:

Messing around with flow plans:

Too lazy to make a "blue print" like I did with the canopy. Hehe. Maybe later some day. For now, u get a Samsung photo edited and my chubby fingers for an idea of what is to come:

(Green lines are the baffles for sectioning off each function of the filtration I have planned)

Gates valves and a custom manifold will be employed on the return line so I can use excess flow and pressure from the Return Pump to power reactors downstream in the build. This will eliminate the need for '3rd wheel' pumps for additions later on.

When I enclose the sump area with wood and cabinet doors, there will be a viewing window to see the Decorator Crabs' MacroAlgae Refugium from outside.

RichtheReefer21 · Mar 16, 2019

Quarantine

After going through the canyons of fire with an outbreak that lead me to the original mess I made of this 125g, I am now a firm believer in prophylactic quarantine for livestock. I have not yet established a Coral/Invert QT, but it will come in due time.

Here is my current fish QT dry, and on stand by for set up and cycling. The canister that is currently running the 125 while I convert it to a sump system will eventually be transferred to this QT. It just needs a good vinegar soak and scrub, rinse, repeat, and I'll be ready to start knocking off bucket list livestock additions.

RichtheReefer21 · Mar 16, 2019

Welp....

In 6 days it will commence.. I've been waiting for this moment for months.

Emptying the DT, transferring corals and livestock to temporary holding... and then m drilling, plumbing, power management and dialing it all in will take place Friday. 1 big swing and if it all goes off without a Hitch, it will hopefully be up and running 36hrs after I drain it.

I will have my guru and friend assisting in the project. He successfully runs 11 tanks, fw, brackish, and salt, at his home. He provided the 33g Long to make it possible. I've been trying to talk him into gettin on the #r2rforlife train, but he us skeptical about the web for the hobby. (He truely doesnt know what he is missing)

The next 5 days will be spent prepping and pouring over the plumbing schematics and diagrams. Exciting. And scary.

RichtheReefer21 · Mar 16, 2019

mch1984 said:
Nice upgrade, hard to say no to a free tank.

U bet. Thanks for stopping in.

Raege · Mar 16, 2019

Nice reboot thread for your upgrade! Another step in the never ending reefer journey is taken. Looking forward to it all especially the viewable fuge should be some sweet sweet eye candy

RichtheReefer21 · Mar 16, 2019

Raege said:
Nice reboot thread for your upgrade! Another step in the never ending reefer journey is taken. Looking forward to it all especially the viewable fuge should be some sweet sweet eye candy

Thanks Ray.

I'm excited to try to make a true Macro fuge work. More learning curves to come.

I cant decide if I want to use this 12" x 12" cube or a 10g with canopy.

RichtheReefer21 · Mar 16, 2019

The cube is already drilled for over flow and pump inflow. Got some thinking to do. Originally I wanted to fuge to sit flush atop the right edge of the 33g. And overflow into the 33g below. But I don't have the clearance underneath to hold 24".

My max is 22.5". So the fuge must be done to the side instead.

RichtheReefer21 · Mar 16, 2019

Needs a scrub and rinse, but here it is...

It's actually a fuge built for the small and tall cabinet of a nano red sea reefer in white. Another freebie some guy in NYC was giving away last year.