TX’s Reef’s zoo med 50 gal lowboy

[TX_REEF]

I have to give a shout out to @reefbreeders and their nautilus pumps, this thing is dang near silent, DC fully controllable, and significantly less expensive than comparable alternatives.

 

[TX_REEF]

It looks like I may have to add an upside down U to the main siphon drain to prevent the air vortex and accompanying noise:

 

[TX_REEF]

I applied the first bead of silicone to the sump baffles today. Tomorrow I’ll silicone the other side of the baffle, once the first seam sets.

 

[DIYreefer]

Nice, looks to be coming along well!

I have my stand halfway built for mine. Just have been too busy with other stuff to get it knocked out. Maybe tomorrow...

 

[JoeyBagadonuts]

Looks great! I like the different clamps you used to support the plumbing. Smart idea that I haven’t really seen done that way before.

 

[TX_REEF]

Looks great! I like the different clamps you used to support the plumbing. Smart idea that I haven’t really seen done that way before.

Thank you! One of my goals with this build was avoidance of 90 degree elbows in the plumbing to preserve flow rates, so even though I lose the low profile return, I get whatever the neurotic equivalent of “peace of mind” is for increased flow rate

 

[TX_REEF]

@DIYreefer I know what you mean, it’s not easy to find those little magical time pockets where motivation and free time collide…

 

[TX_REEF]

I finished securing the return pump chamber sump baffles with silicone. I plan to have 3 chambers: inlet for the drain, large refugium in the center, and the return pump chamber. I plan to be skimmerless. I’ll separate chambers 1 and 2 with coarse aquamesh. I ordered a Kessil refugium flora LED.

 

[TX_REEF]

Aquamesh cut to size for use as a baffle with garden secateurs. Fits like a glove. Wondering if I should do another wet test before I move everything inside… probably will.

 

[DIYreefer]

I like the idea of that mesh. I'm assuming the intent with that is to keep the return pump clean. Is that right?

 

[TX_REEF]

Yes both keep larger junk from flowing into the refugium, and to keep macro algae from growing into the inlet chamber.

 

[TX_REEF]

I've updated the tab of total $ spent on the build on the original post, sitting right around $2,400. Now that everything is "ready", I am reconsidering where to place this system and I'm getting cold feet about having 90 gallons on the 2nd floor... I'd love to leave it in the garage, but no HVAC in North Texas = bad... The dining room would be nice, but I think my wife likes having a dining room table

 

[DIYreefer]

I've updated the tab of total $ spent on the build on the original post, sitting right around $2,400. Now that everything is "ready", I am reconsidering where to place this system and I'm getting cold feet about having 90 gallons on the 2nd floor... I'd love to leave it in the garage, but no HVAC in North Texas = bad... The dining room would be nice, but I think my wife likes having a dining room table

Keep in mind that it won't actually be a full 90 gallons since the sump won't be completely filled. But yeah, I definitely understand your concern. I have no experience with keeping any aquariums on a second floor but it makes sense to me to place the tank perpendicular to the floor joists (if you can even figure out which way they run) and as close to a load bearing wall as possible. Don't quote me on this, but I believe floor joists for a second floor are usually 12" beams. So your floor *should* be able to handle the weight easily.

What are you planning to grow in your Lowboy? Btw, I still haven't finished my stand. I have a couple of days off starting today, so it might actually get done soon... maybe.

 

[TX_REEF]

Keep in mind that it won't actually be a full 90 gallons since the sump won't be completely filled. But yeah, I definitely understand your concern. I have no experience with keeping any aquariums on a second floor but it makes sense to me to place the tank perpendicular to the floor joists (if you can even figure out which way they run) and as close to a load bearing wall as possible. Don't quote me on this, but I believe floor joists for a second floor are usually 12" beams. So your floor *should* be able to handle the weight easily.

What are you planning to grow in your Lowboy? Btw, I still haven't finished my stand. I have a couple of days off starting today, so it might actually get done soon... maybe.

I’m actually not concerned about the weight, more about potential future leaks and also hauling water upstairs

I haven’t decided what I want to put in it, I know I’m going to do a display refugium in the center sump chamber. I was thinking frag tank but the corals in my main display are basically still frags themselves hahaha

 

[TX_REEF]

Significant update! I moved the tank inside, wife agreed to let me put it near the front door downstairs so I don’t have to deal with stairs.

I have tentatively decided to divide the tank in half with egg crate. On the half where the return flows in, I will have a standard frag setup. On the half where the overflow and drain is, I will have anemone farming and clowns (I love the look of gladiators, might go with those.

In the fuge of the sump, I will have sand and rock forming a center island where I will plant the healthiest mangrove from my display.

I’m considering using IO salt rather than Red Sea, I’m just not getting the stability and coral growth I’m wanting in my display which uses Red Sea coral pro.

Any thoughts or comments, please let me know. Very excited, will share more photos as I progress!

 

[DIYreefer]

Significant update! I moved the tank inside, wife agreed to let me put it near the front door downstairs so I don’t have to deal with stairs.

I have tentatively decided to divide the tank in half with egg crate. On the half where the return flows in, I will have a standard frag setup. On the half where the overflow and drain is, I will have anemone farming and clowns (I love the look of gladiators, might go with those.

In the fuge of the sump, I will have sand and rock forming a center island where I will plant the healthiest mangrove from my display.

I’m considering using IO salt rather than Red Sea, I’m just not getting the stability and coral growth I’m wanting in my display which uses Red Sea coral pro.

Any thoughts or comments, please let me know. Very excited, will share more photos as I progress!

Nice, congrats on the win! I look forward to seeing this thing up and running!

Meanwhile, I'm still working on my stand. It's built, but I'm in the process of painting it now. I really hate painting.. it's so tedious.

I have used IO reef crystals for many years with no issue. However, I recently screwed up an order and ended up with 4 200g boxes of regular IO. I've done enough water changes with it by now for the vast majority, if not all of the sw in my tanks us regular IO. I have seen no difference what so ever. I'll probably continue to use regular IO from now on.

 

[TX_REEF]

Nice, congrats on the win! I look forward to seeing this thing up and running!

Meanwhile, I'm still working on my stand. It's built, but I'm in the process of painting it now. I really hate painting.. it's so tedious.

I have used IO reef crystals for many years with no issue. However, I recently screwed up an order and ended up with 4 200g boxes of regular IO. I've done enough water changes with it by now for the vast majority, if not all of the sw in my tanks us regular IO. I have seen no difference what so ever. I'll probably continue to use regular IO from now on.

Me too, that’s why I used spray paint haha

 

[fluffyhouse]

Significant update! I moved the tank inside, wife agreed to let me put it near the front door downstairs so I don’t have to deal with stairs.

I have tentatively decided to divide the tank in half with egg crate. On the half where the return flows in, I will have a standard frag setup. On the half where the overflow and drain is, I will have anemone farming and clowns (I love the look of gladiators, might go with those.

In the fuge of the sump, I will have sand and rock forming a center island where I will plant the healthiest mangrove from my display.

I’m considering using IO salt rather than Red Sea, I’m just not getting the stability and coral growth I’m wanting in my display which uses Red Sea coral pro.

Any thoughts or comments, please let me know. Very excited, will share more photos as I progress!

You are so lucky to have a nice wife who agreed to have the tank on the first floor

 

[TX_REEF]

Adding water today! It’s thirsty work…

 

[TX_REEF]

I threw together a DIY LED pendant with the Kessil H80, some barn door shutters, and eggcrate. I installed a curtain rod to hang it under the stand, so it allows enough height to grow mangroves as I’d like. The barn door shutters allow me to prevent light from spilling into the other 2 sump chambers which would cause unwanted algae growth.

I made a mechanical filter stack to prevent overwhelming the refugium with large detritus. The first layer is coarse aquamesh, the second layer is filter floss, and the third layer is simply black eggcrate to provide structure. I also secured a 6” tall panel of acrylic to the bottom of the sump with silicone between chambers 1 and 2 to both secure the mechanical filtration and prevent sand and crabs from moving from the refugium to the drain chamber.