MathiasReef
New Member
Good morning,
after me being out of the hobby for some years, the time has now come to get back into it.
The plan:
Me and my fiancée want to place a larger aquarium in our newly build kitchen. As of right now we wait
for our structional engineer to get back on us about how much wait the floor in the designated spot is able to carry without warping over time.
There are two options we are considering size wise:
Option I: length: 62' width: 23' heigth: 23' - water volume: 150g display + 40g sump
This would be the smaller option, if there are limitations concerning the weight of the tank.
Option II: length: 78' width: 27' heigth: 23' - water volume: 220g display + 60g sump
This option is what our planing right now is focused on, with the possibility to scale down what ever components we choose if we have to get the small tank.
What´s it about?
Our new reef will be a largely SPS dominated tank with just a few selected fish (that is if the fiancée won´t change the fish part due to cuteness...).
As of right now I´m thinking of a very airy aquascape. I really want to try to build an arch with the top breaking through the water surface. In addition to that there
will be some smaller pillars and shelves around the lower sections of the tank.
The thinking behind the arch is to replicate some of the coastal reefs where the underwater world and our realm meet when old coral structures die off and after years break through the surface.
Yes I know that kind of structure potentially comes with some dangers. Namely critters making their way out of the or something that way.
That definetly is a concern and counter measures must be installed.
I´m planning to build the structure out of dead rock. In the past I always had problems with invasive species due to the use of live rock, that I know want to try the other road.
As for stocking ideas in the coral area I'm not exactly sure what as of now is availlable in Germany. So when the time comes me and the fiancée have to check out what´s in stock in the LFSs around here. On the wishlist are some nice variants of A. millepora, tenuis, floriad and efflorescent. Furthermore I really really want to get my hands on some leptoseris. In the past they weren´t really availlable over here, so I hope that has changed.
There will be some soft LPS but mainly a nice and large duncan, some candycane and maybe an euphillya.
Fish wise I'm going for a pair of yellow tanks, a foxface, maybe one or two wrasses, a pair of mandarins and a pair of bangaii cardinals.
I would like to have some cleaning snails and a cleaner shrimp. No urchins or seacucumbers for me this time.
All fish and coral will go through quarantine so that all kinds of pests and illnesses may be treated before stuff goes into the main tank.
That will be a first for me so we will see how that goes.
What components do I want?
In the past I went with the triton method while it worked like a charm, but the overal cost-value ratio combined with the high level of maintanance is nothing I wanna focus on again.
So this time I like to try to make things easier.
For filtration I'm going to use my trusty ATI skimmer with a variable speed pump. That thing works like a charm and I never had any issues with it. In addition to that I'd like to incorporate a build in filter sock racket that is easily removable for cleaning purposes. That way I hope I'm covered both on the micro and macro part of filtration.
I won't be doing a refugium right from the start, but will incorporate it when necessary.
For maintaining Ca, MG and Alk I really want to give a calcium reactor a try. I have thought about this option on every project I did, but now I think the time is right to finally get one.
That will be the part where I definetly will need your help guys. I honestly have no clue what right now is availlable and more important, what is working.
In the flow compartment I'm going with a mix of MP40s and some Tunze powerheads. Maybe I'll give the gyre type pumps a try.
Lighting is, at least in my view, the most important part when it comes to growing coral. Sadly it is also the most expensive part of the components.
So for the beginning I will use my ATI T5/LED hybrid fixture in combination with a small AI hydra 26hd. Down the line I'll swap out those lights for radeons.
In my opinion that fixture simply creates the best results.
So nothing fancy but easy and trusty. That's the way I wanna go.
Where we are right now:
This build is in the very early stages. So far or new garage with the kitchen on top is existing as a bare brickwork structure. We hope to be ready for flooring at the end of the month.
This is how the kitchen looks right now. The corner you see ahead is the designated space for the tank.
In front of it the will be a small dining table and the kitchen itself will be placed left of the window next to the tank space.
The scheduled next steps are:
April:
* Get flooring in
* Install all the electrical and piping
May:
* Paint the walls
* Install the laminate
June:
* Move in furniture
* Set up the tank!
July/August:
* Build in the kitchen
So as you guys see this project is more on the long term side of things.
I really hope that some of you find this interesting enough to accompany me and my fancèe on this journey.
We are really looking forward to get startet and to get to know many new friends on the way.
Talk to you soon
after me being out of the hobby for some years, the time has now come to get back into it.
The plan:
Me and my fiancée want to place a larger aquarium in our newly build kitchen. As of right now we wait
for our structional engineer to get back on us about how much wait the floor in the designated spot is able to carry without warping over time.
There are two options we are considering size wise:
Option I: length: 62' width: 23' heigth: 23' - water volume: 150g display + 40g sump
This would be the smaller option, if there are limitations concerning the weight of the tank.
Option II: length: 78' width: 27' heigth: 23' - water volume: 220g display + 60g sump
This option is what our planing right now is focused on, with the possibility to scale down what ever components we choose if we have to get the small tank.
What´s it about?
Our new reef will be a largely SPS dominated tank with just a few selected fish (that is if the fiancée won´t change the fish part due to cuteness...).
As of right now I´m thinking of a very airy aquascape. I really want to try to build an arch with the top breaking through the water surface. In addition to that there
will be some smaller pillars and shelves around the lower sections of the tank.
The thinking behind the arch is to replicate some of the coastal reefs where the underwater world and our realm meet when old coral structures die off and after years break through the surface.
Yes I know that kind of structure potentially comes with some dangers. Namely critters making their way out of the or something that way.
That definetly is a concern and counter measures must be installed.
I´m planning to build the structure out of dead rock. In the past I always had problems with invasive species due to the use of live rock, that I know want to try the other road.
As for stocking ideas in the coral area I'm not exactly sure what as of now is availlable in Germany. So when the time comes me and the fiancée have to check out what´s in stock in the LFSs around here. On the wishlist are some nice variants of A. millepora, tenuis, floriad and efflorescent. Furthermore I really really want to get my hands on some leptoseris. In the past they weren´t really availlable over here, so I hope that has changed.
There will be some soft LPS but mainly a nice and large duncan, some candycane and maybe an euphillya.
Fish wise I'm going for a pair of yellow tanks, a foxface, maybe one or two wrasses, a pair of mandarins and a pair of bangaii cardinals.
I would like to have some cleaning snails and a cleaner shrimp. No urchins or seacucumbers for me this time.
All fish and coral will go through quarantine so that all kinds of pests and illnesses may be treated before stuff goes into the main tank.
That will be a first for me so we will see how that goes.
What components do I want?
In the past I went with the triton method while it worked like a charm, but the overal cost-value ratio combined with the high level of maintanance is nothing I wanna focus on again.
So this time I like to try to make things easier.
For filtration I'm going to use my trusty ATI skimmer with a variable speed pump. That thing works like a charm and I never had any issues with it. In addition to that I'd like to incorporate a build in filter sock racket that is easily removable for cleaning purposes. That way I hope I'm covered both on the micro and macro part of filtration.
I won't be doing a refugium right from the start, but will incorporate it when necessary.
For maintaining Ca, MG and Alk I really want to give a calcium reactor a try. I have thought about this option on every project I did, but now I think the time is right to finally get one.
That will be the part where I definetly will need your help guys. I honestly have no clue what right now is availlable and more important, what is working.
In the flow compartment I'm going with a mix of MP40s and some Tunze powerheads. Maybe I'll give the gyre type pumps a try.
Lighting is, at least in my view, the most important part when it comes to growing coral. Sadly it is also the most expensive part of the components.
So for the beginning I will use my ATI T5/LED hybrid fixture in combination with a small AI hydra 26hd. Down the line I'll swap out those lights for radeons.
In my opinion that fixture simply creates the best results.
So nothing fancy but easy and trusty. That's the way I wanna go.
Where we are right now:
This build is in the very early stages. So far or new garage with the kitchen on top is existing as a bare brickwork structure. We hope to be ready for flooring at the end of the month.
This is how the kitchen looks right now. The corner you see ahead is the designated space for the tank.
In front of it the will be a small dining table and the kitchen itself will be placed left of the window next to the tank space.
The scheduled next steps are:
April:
* Get flooring in
* Install all the electrical and piping
May:
* Paint the walls
* Install the laminate
June:
* Move in furniture
* Set up the tank!
July/August:
* Build in the kitchen
So as you guys see this project is more on the long term side of things.
I really hope that some of you find this interesting enough to accompany me and my fancèe on this journey.
We are really looking forward to get startet and to get to know many new friends on the way.
Talk to you soon
