38G Reef Build

[Xiaan42]

Hey all

For the past few months I have been busy acquiring the final parts to my system and finishing up the plumbing of my new system.

I am hoping to have water in the tank by mid February!

Here is a list of what I have acquired:
38G All Glass Tank
All Glass Pine Stand
Coralife Salt Mix 150 Gallon
Natural Wave Wave Timer
2 x MaxiJet 900
MaxiJet 1200
Tunze Nano DOC Protein Skimmer - 9002
Jager 50 Watt Aquarium Heater (Eheim)
Hydor Koralia 1
Quiet One 1200
Aquasafe RODI Unit
Test Kit
Hydrometer
Sump (10G)
36" Nova Extreme Pro (http://current-usa.com/nova_extreme_pro)
Coralife Digital Power Center Timer
Carib Sea Arag-Alive! Bimini Pink 10lbs
Carib Sea Aragamax Sand-30 Lbs.

I have also been doing allot or research on what types of life I would like to have in my tank.

This is my wish list
Fish
Royal Gramma Basslet (Gramma loreto)
Blue/Green Reef Chromis (Chromis viridis)
Firefish, Purple (Nemateleotris decora)
Firefish (Nemateleotris magnifica)
Pajama Cardinalfish (Sphaeramia nematoptera)
Ocellaris Clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris)
Sailfin/Algae Blenny (Salarias fasciatus)
Court Jester Goby (Amblygobius rainfordi)

Inverts
Astrea Snail (Astraea tecta)
Cerith Snail (Cerithium sp.)
Blue Legged Hermit Crab (Clibanarius tricolor)
Scarlet Reef Hermit Crab (Paguristes cadenati)
Emerald Crab (Mithrax sculptus)
Bulb Anemone (Entacmaea quadricolor)
Crocea Clam (Tridacna crocea)
Hawaiian Feather Duster (Sabellastarte sp.)
Abalone (Haliotis sp.)
Nassarius Snail (Nassarius sp.)
Scarlet Skunk Cleaner Shrimp (Lysmata amboinensis)
Peppermint Shrimp (Lysmata wurdemanni)
Margarita Snails (Margarities sp)

Coral
Bubble Coral (Plerogyra sp.)
Frogspawn (Euphyllia sp.)
Short Tentacle Plate Coral (Fungia sp.)
Brian Coral (Lobophyllia sp.)
Candy Cane Coral (Caulastrea sp.)
Brain Worm (Platygyra sp.)
Montipora Coral, Encrusting (Montipora sp.)
Birdnest (Seriatopora sp.)
Zoo's (Zoanthus sp.)
Acropora Coral (Acropora sp.)


The tank is almost ready to go but I still have a couple things to do.
- find out how to install the moon lights (might not put them on this tank)
- build a back on the stand to hide the plumbing and wires (Almost done just have to assemble it)
- replace the fans in my light fixture (I want them super quiet!)

Here are some photos of the tank's progress

Empty tank

2.5" holes drilled for the drain

10G sump placement in the stand

Baffle layout for the sump

 

[Xiaan42]

Current Extreme Pro 36"

Lights on

Here is my lighting setup ( I probably going to swap out a few more bulbs)
Front
Current Actinic
Geisemann Aqua-Blue+
Current Actinic
Geisemann Midday
Geisemann True Actinic
Current 10K

 

[Xiaan42]

Constructing the sump

Plumbing the drain

Back of the tank

Close up of the sump area

Front of the tank

 

[Thunk]

Wow now that is a nice looking setup you got going there!

And I'm jealous of your lights, I only have a 4 bulb

You did your research too, all your fish are gonna stay pretty small.

Lookin good!:smokin:

 

[Xiaan42]

Thanks for the comments

I went out last night and got some SientX computer fans and replaced the stock ones in the fixture now it practically makes no noise.

Almost everything is done I am right now makeing RODI water and filling the tank !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Probably gong to mix the salt soon but I will not get live rock in there until next week, as I am going away for the weekend and don't have time to get some.

Here are some more photos.

Painting the back of the tank

Painted back in place

Stand extension to hide equipment

New fans and mounted Moon Lights

New Return Plumbing

New Return Plumbing

 

[db_triggerfish]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11785787#post11785787 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Xiaan42

New Return Plumbing

Looks very nice, good planning one thing the return maybe to low in the tank when you shut down the return pump it will create a siphon which from the size of your sump it may not be able to handle it.

 

[Xiaan42]

I all ready thought of that
I drilled two holes in the lock line just below the water line so the siphon will brake before my sump will overflow

 

[db_triggerfish]

Thanks, i forgot about that, i have to do the same to mine, below the water line as to not make a venturi causing air bubbles. I going to add that to do list next time i remove my canopy.

 

[siwelk]

very nice setup so far. im interested to see just how you mounted those lunar lights in the NEP. i have the same fixture and was looking at getting some of those lunar lights as well. i wasnt sure how to mount them though.

 

[Xiaan42]

For now I just taped them in under the splash shield near the back bulb slightly angled to the front. I am going to see how well they work that way tonight.

 

[siwelk]

cool. i may try some heavy duty sticky back velcro.

 

[mg426]

I like what I am seeing !!

 

[Arati]

I have that skimmer, great choice.

Good luck, looks great.

 

[Xiaan42]

I am currently in the process of mixing salt for the tank. SG is currently around 1.025 it is a little high so I am probably going to have to do some water changes with fresh water. I already have the sand for the tank and I hope to have live rock in there by Wednesday! I plan on putting in the sand after the live rock so nothing will topple over my aquascaping by digging.

 

[Xiaan42]

Also last night the moon lights looked really good. I am probably going to leave them taped where they are.

 

[Xiaan42]

Not much to report right now. Tank is filled with salt water (SG is still at 1.025 ppm I think I might try and leave it there). I also decided to put the sand in and a few shells. The tank is super cloudy right now but should clear up in a couple of days just in time for me to pick up my live rock on Friday! .

For Live rock I am planning on getting 20lb of Walt Smith Premium Live Rock(http://ottawainverts.com/shopping/product_info.php?cPath=25&products_id=166) and 20lb of "Green" DIY Rock. (http://ottawainverts.com/shopping/product_info.php?cPath=25&products_id=80)

The DIY rock will reduce my costs and provide a good base and interesting aquascaping to put the Walt Smith Live rock on.

 

[Xiaan42]

Here are some more photos the tank is still a little cloudy after I put the sand in.

Full Lights

Dusk

LED Moonlights.

 

[chujai]

hey what kind of moon lights are you using?

ive been looking for something i can mount on to my fixture too.

 

[Xiaan42]

I am using 2 blue Current Lunar link lights (http://current-usa.com/lunarlight.html).

I mounted them by removing the splash screen and taping the lights at the back of the fixture. I also drilled a hole in the side for the power cord.

 

[Xiaan42]

The tank is all nicely cleared up and has been running now for one week. Hoping to put live rock in there tonight

I did a quick test of my water parameters.
KH 5.8dkH
Ca 220ppm
PO4 0ppm
Temp 78.9F
PH 7.9
SG 1.025
NH4 0
NO2 0
NO3 0