190 Gal build

[EagleFF]

Hello All, I thought I would share a very slow build, pics to come, I will be building a 190 gal Pro Reef tank soon, well not soon but by sept, I am on the end of a refugium,Sump build from Jeff at LifeReef Systems.
Lights will be EchoTech Radion XR 30w Pro X's 2
Circ pumps will be EchoTechs quiet drive MP40 and MP60
the cabinet,hood, came from DSA, this is going to replace a 61 gal reef tank I currently own and run for 4 years,
Sump is a LF1 200S with a 24" refugium, I will be using a mud system on this tank, all components will be hooked to a reeflink,along with this build, I will also be installing a mixing station with auto topoff/auto water change system rigged up in my garage where the RO/DI system will be installed.
Tomorrow I will be painting the back glass Black.

 

[EagleFF]

I got the back glass painted this afternoon, 1 small flaw at lower right bottom but the bed will cover it., maybe tomorrow I will get the 61 gal tank moved out of the way and place the 190 in its home, then fill with water to do a leak check. Lights should be in in 5 days, will have them mounted soon after that to inside canopy.

 

[EagleFF]

tried to upload some pics but files are too big, i'll get them downsized and post

 

[iced98lx]

most of us use a free service like Photobucket to host the images and then embed them here using [img tags, it works really well and those not logged in can see them as well.

 

[EagleFF]

thanks for the info Iced, I have 2 of the Echotech XR 30w Pros in, did a mock install to see the spread, decided to go with 1 more light just to make sure I have enough to grow corals, will work on the pic situation soon, I also have fresh water in the 190 gal tank for a week now doing a leak test, so far soo good.

 

[EagleFF]

Okay, its question time for those of you reading,
equipment is as follows:
190 DSA Pro Drilled Tank
Life Reef LFS1-200 Sump
24" refugium
3-Echotech Radion XR30 Pro Lighting
2-Echotech QD MP60
Life Reef Calcium Reactor
Life Reef Skimmer w/ pump
4-Icecap Variable speed cooling fans, 2 for canopy 2 for cabinet
there will be a return pump in sump and a pump for skimmer,
anything you see I'm missing other than a heater,which brings me to my question, interested in the inline heater but unsure it will work with existing equipment, what type, brand of heater do you guys recommend for this setup,house stays around 70 to 71 degrees year round, I'll also have a ATO and AWC system setup as well with the RO/DI system I'll be installing, the sump build has been moved up to August I hope I can be moved up some more, I do not have the pumps MP60's as of yet, echotech recommended a 40 and a 60 but I'll go with 2 60's.
Thanks for any advice you can give.

 

[lpsouth1978]

Okay, its question time for those of you reading,
equipment is as follows:
190 DSA Pro Drilled Tank
Life Reef LFS1-200 Sump
24" refugium
3-Echotech Radion XR30 Pro Lighting
2-Echotech QD MP60
Life Reef Calcium Reactor
Life Reef Skimmer w/ pump
4-Icecap Variable speed cooling fans, 2 for canopy 2 for cabinet
there will be a return pump in sump and a pump for skimmer,
anything you see I'm missing other than a heater,which brings me to my question, interested in the inline heater but unsure it will work with existing equipment, what type, brand of heater do you guys recommend for this setup,house stays around 70 to 71 degrees year round, I'll also have a ATO and AWC system setup as well with the RO/DI system I'll be installing, the sump build has been moved up to August I hope I can be moved up some more, I do not have the pumps MP60's as of yet, echotech recommended a 40 and a 60 but I'll go with 2 60's.
Thanks for any advice you can give.

For the heater, I use Finnex titanium heaters with a Thermostat. It is recommended to use a Ranco thermostat as they are more reliable. I have never used an inline heater so cannot be of any help there.

 

[EagleFF]

here is a couple pictures of the tank,stand,and 3 radion lights, I ordered the 2 MP60 quiet drive pumps this weekend, ordered a refractometer as well

 

[iced98lx]

Looking good! I also use finnex titanium heating tubes with a controller, so no comment on the inlines.

What pumps are you using for the return / skimmer?

 

[EagleFF]

Unsure of pump sizes as of yet, they are coming with sump/refugium, the return pump will be an upgraded size due to the refugium, unsure about the skimmer as well, I'll have information on those when the build gets closer to being started, trying to get the ATO figured out on which system to use, leaning toward the Tunze Osmolator, and having an acrylic holding tnk built for a cabinet next to the tank, next month I will be getting the AWC system items together and installing those components.

 

[EagleFF]

the return pump was a bluline 70 HD according to my notes, but I do believe that has changed since we went from a 20" refugium to a 24" refugium

 

[EagleFF]

Skimmer pump will be a Mag drive 9

 

[EagleFF]

the return pump will be a Bluline 70hd external, and the Skimmer will be a Mag Drive 9.5, had a short conversation with Jeff on Tuesday but work called so had to cut it short, I keep moving up the list and I am now 2nd for August, with any luck I'll move up to July and get this puppy up and running by Oct.

 

[EagleFF]

Received the 2 Vortex MP60 QD in on Wed. have them installed still running fresh water, trying to get lights and pumps dialed in, these pumps will move some water at 100%, I do not believe EVER they will run 100%. Still looking at the end of July on Sump build, I am also having Jeff build me a 8"x10"x24" RO/DI container to hold my top off water. I also ordered my norwesco 50 gal poly tanks for my mixing station, will have that up and plumbed to tank as soon as the sump/refugium arrives.

 

[EagleFF]

After careful consideration on heater controllers, bad review after bad review, I believe I'm going to use the Apex, and the FInnex Titanium Heaters, I've also read bad reviews on the Finnex about stray voltage, when I receive the heater I do believe I'll use some silicone to make sure both end caps are sealed as a precaution, no matter which heater I have looked at I read bad reviews, some less than others, warranty issues, the inline I am looking at is almost 800 bucks, I also received my salinity meter in as well I found my 61 gal tank at 1.020 been bringing that up to 1.025 slowly.

 

[EagleFF]

on a side note, I am doing several things different in my 61 gal reef tank and things are looking alot better, frogspawn has more extension,along with the hammer, hairy mushroom is looking like a 10" carpet and about to split, trumpet corals are looking more healthy, getting the salt at the correct 1.026 after 4 yrs is helping alot seeing as I am using a refractometer now and not the deep six floating needle. July needs to hurry up and get here so I can proceed with the 190 gal build, I should have the remainder of the accessory equipment in when the Life Reef sump/refugium,canisters arrive, I decided not to go with a calcium reactor at this time, if I feel I need one I can always order one, at ends on rock, leaning toward the pukani dry rock from BRS.

 

[EagleFF]

I was trying to figure out how to post pics that are full size not thumbnails, how do you guys do it?

 

[EagleFF]

Ok I think I finally figured it out, this is my current tank 61 gal reef tank about 4 months ago, since then I have done some changes to the water as I now have RO/DI system and I have moved up my water changes along with moving a few corals, frog spawn,hammer coral, and thinned out the Xenias, the clam has been in there for 4 yrs, used to be about 2 1/2 inches, now its a good 4 to 5 in. the 190 gal tank will host all the corals in this tank as I will no longer run it, it will be sold, xenias will not go into new tank, only 1 rock from this tank will make it into the 190 gal tank and thats the rock with the clam attacked.

 

[EagleFF]

I just took a stroll on the Life Reef Systems site, Jeff has moved me to the top of a July build, so I hope to begin this tank mid July, as I will have knee surgery on July 24th, unknown as to down time, if its a meniscus tear that will be repaired, if its an ACL they will just stitch me back up and reschedule ACL reconstructive surgery at a later date as that will have me down 4 months, if its a meniscus, down time is 3 weeks, a little better to stomach than 4 months.
Items left for tank are as follows:

Heaters - 2 300 watts with controllers (Finnex)
Apex Tank controller
grounding probe
and the Tunez 3155 osmolator ATO

I am still waiting on the 2 50 gal ploy tanks for the mixing station, I have the Panworld 200S for the pump, I just need some floats and all the connections when the tanks arrive.

 

[EagleFF]

Jeff sent me an email yesterday saying be more than likely will start my build this week, I am soo ready to get going on this tank, so hopefully by the end of next week I'll be able to start the plumbing and doing a wet test of all systems.