560g reef build (800g system) - SB Reef Lights

[SB Reef Lights]

So the 265g is packed, time to upgrade. With my new private label lights coming out, I wanted a nicer set up to showcase the lights. Here is the journey, thanks for watching - Mike


Basic outline of the build

TruVu 1" thick Acrylic Tank. 560g 96x42x32" Bare Bottom. Black back, and bottom. Bottom and back are 1.25" thick. 2 Overflows near both ends with 2x 2" drains in each. One "fake" center overflow with no keyholes, for pump returns. 2x 1.25" returns, feeding an over head manifold with 6x 1" nozzles.
Custom sump from Evolution Aquatics. Black back, sides and bottom, clear front, neon green baffles and Yellow skimmer stands. 88x24x24" 175g capacity. Dual Fuges, one at each end with Red/Blue 120w equivalent Par38 LED lights. Dual 4" filter socks, one at each end. Sump flows from both ends to the center. One Fuge Chaetomorphan, the other decorator algae like dragon's breath. Center of both skimmer compartments will have a 2-3" live sand bed since the tank will be bare bottom.
2x Bubble Magus Curve 29 Skimmers. One on each side so they are running in parallel, not series. ie one skimmer is not skimming the output of the other. Both dump into a 2.5 gallon skimate locker. When full the ARCHON turns off the skimmers and sends me a text. Love automation. CO2 scrubbers used on the skimmers as well to help maintain pH. ARCHON will also pause skimming for 2 hours when dosing Phyto and Zooplankton in the middle of the night.
2x DCT12000 Jebao return pumps. Power levels controlled through the ARCHON so I can run lower power at night and pause when feeding.
3x 36w UV units.
2x AquaFX Large Media Reactors. GFO then Carbon.
2x Jebao DP4 Dosers, 8 heads plus 8 Acrylic dosing containers 1.5L each. Dosing Ca, Mg, ALK, I, K, Sr, Mo, Fe, B, Br, Koralcolor, AcroPower, Phytoplankton, Zooplankton and Revive.
Full ARCHON (Reef Keeper) control system, Runs DT and both Frag tanks.
2x WP40 and 2x WP60 wave makers on ARCHON control.
10x SB Reef sBox Elite Pro 165w LED "*******" lights with improved spectrum. Controlled from the ARCHON for timing, ramping and spectrum.
2x 800w Finnex Titanium Heaters controlled by the ARCHON.
630 pounds of Live Rock. 430 pounds from the current 265g plus 200 pounds of new flat cut dry base rock.


Plus 3 40B frag tanks. Two plumbed into the main tank and one on it's own filter and skimmer. Plumbed tank is for outgoing frags harvested from the tank. The other 40B is for incoming corals to be QT'd, dipped and observed prior to adding to the display tank. All three 40B tanks have 32" 357w SB Reef Elite ramping ******* lights over them.. Allowing to gradually bring intensity up for new corals until they match the placement location of the Display Tank.


Everything is automated through the ARCHON, including 2 web cams. I can dial in from a hotel while on the road for 3 to 4 days a week and see my tank and change anything through the ARCHON. #totalreefnerd


Skimmers are HUGE!! 2x Bubble Magus Curve 29s

Here is one of the two dosing pumps and 4 of the 8 containers on the current 265g. They will be moving over once the new tank is running. The 2 TLF 550 reactors and 36w UV plus the DIY sump, FUGE and 2 D700 skimmers will stay on the 265g, it will be a non-reef safe fish only tank.

Dedicated Fuge sections are 16G and fed off a "T" and ball valve from the four main 2" drains. Using a 24W (120w equivalent) Red/Blue LED on each. Same as the 265g has now. Great light for Chaeto. Though I think the Home Depot 5000K 120w LED grows a little faster, it's not as cool to look at.

AquaFX Reactors going on the 560g. TLF go back on the 265g

Tank arrived! Just waiting on the stand now. 96x42x32"

 

[SB Reef Lights]

Scary part is over. No more holes to drill. Return manifolds installed.

Stand is finally done, off to powder coating then installing the feet.

 

[SB Reef Lights]

Stand is done!!



Sump is 94" leaving 1" on each end. Using 2x 3/4 Baltic Birch Plywood sheets to support the bottom of the tank. Glued together and pressed flat on the stand.



Moving stand into the house next weekend. Have to take the double sliding doors out, smallest dimension is 42". Tank the week after. Then a week to fill with water, need almost 800g and RO is 100GPD. Then move corals and rock over the week after. So a little less than 30 days to get everything up and running.

Added adjustable feet. 3/4" steel net welded inside with 3/4 threaded stock and 3/4" adjusting nut on the outside with 3" pads. Adding 3" polymer sliders to the bottoms of the slides to make adjusting easier.

Stand and Sump in place.

560g is in the house! Finish plumbing tomorrow, then fill with RO for a week. The end is on sight. The 46BF is moving in a couple weeks, replaced by another steel stand with 3x 40B frag tanks. 2 will be plumbed into the DT for outgoing frags, 1 on its own for incoming frags. Still have to move the other dosing pump and 4 dosing containers, plus media reactors from the 265g. Plus the other heater and UV. Adding 2 more 36w UV for 3 total. Plus move the whole ARCHON control system over. Lots of work left before I can transfer corals.

 

[SB Reef Lights]

Trying to keep the plumbing simple and clean. Still need to add a ball valve going to the fuge line.

I also had time to add automatic throat cleaners to my skimmers. Combined with the skimate locker, I should not have to touch the skimmers at all for months at a time.

Keeping the plumbing simple and clean. Ball valves for Fuge supply lines installed. CO2 scrubbers installed for Skimmers.

2nd doser and additional 4 containers.

 

[SB Reef Lights]

200 pounds of rock doesn't look like much. Lol. The 430 pounds from the other tank should fill it in on the two sides, with a couple smaller islands in the front. For scale those are WP60s

Tank is 3/4 full of RO now. Should be starting up the pumps and adding salt Saturday night. Then a couple weeks and it's time to transfer this over... Yeah fun times.

Side boob of the 265g

#noblues

#nowhites

3" to go. Should have pumps up and running tomorrow. I'll let it run for a week, I have to fly to corporate next week. Then start swapping corals, Reef Keeper, and Lights the following weekend. So 2 more weeks until the big move.

 

[SB Reef Lights]

Adding Salt tomorrow night and firing up the return pumps. Should be able to start moving over the Reef Keeper stuff. Then corals and rock in 2 weeks.

 

[SB Reef Lights]

Got the 395nm LED strip light installed under the stand. Glowing like skittles now! Have 8 colors of dosing containers to go still.

 

[blt4ever]

I love the setup, is the pvc in sump area painted or did it come like that?

 

[d-man]

Insane build. This is awesome. How do the jebaos stay put on 1" thick acrylic?
My wp60s let loose on 1" glass within minutes of reaching hi flow in anything but constant flow mode. The moving back and forth for any other modes causes them to detach from the glass.

 

[SB Reef Lights]

I doubled up the magnets on the WPs

 

[SB Reef Lights]

PVC is painted. The yellow pvc won't glow.

 

[SB Reef Lights]

UV sterilizers installed. I'll hook up the media reactors in a week when I get back home from corporate. Them start moving corals. Sooo close!

 

[nuxx]

Party in your sump!

Great looking build BTW!

RE the magnets. Had the same issue with Jebaos on our 1" acrylic. Ended up doing some crazy strong rare earth magnets wrapped in bubble wrap and black duct tape haha

SCARY STRONG!

 

[SB Reef Lights]

Okay, kicked on the return pumps this morning. No leaks. Adding salt now. Moving Reef Keeper Archon and cable management tomorrow. Moving corals Thursday.

Matching iron stand with 3 40B frag tanks next to it. Top two tanks plumbed into the main system for outgoing frags. Bottom tank on it's own system for incoming frags. Drilling the last 40B today.

 

[SB Reef Lights]

Never goes as fast as you want... Soooooo close. Moving last of the corals and rock Friday. Half of the 265g filled the 3x 40B, just corals. Rock is still in the tank. lol.. Moving rock and gluing these in Friday morning, then the rest Friday night. Fun Times! ReefKeeper Archon is running everything now. Installing lights Friday night as well. 10 SB ReefLights over the 560g.

 

[nuxx]

Looks like a candy store

 

[SB Reef Lights]

Got the lights up finally. 6 are on the reef keeper already from the 265g. Converting the rest this weekend so the RKE will dim and change spectrum.

12 ShitBoxes. Going to replace all 12 with my private label lights in about a month.

Made the lighting rack by cutting a fiberglass ladder apart, ripping the legs in half. Makes strong, light sports.

And black paint

Added lights and managed cables.

 

[cabinetman123]

Looks great!!

 

[SB Reef Lights]

Got all 12 lights tapped into the Reef Keeper Archon for dimming and spectrum. Should hold me over for a month or so, until I get my private label lights

Looked so full in the 265g, sooo empty in the 560g. Need more corals. And time to grow them out.

 

[d-man]

Nice. Great idea for the light rack.
Btw I love your light slogan, lol.
At least it's not "Brawndo"