A Reefaholic's 1000+ Gallon Mixed Reef System Build

[Newbie Aquarist]

I've been ramping up the livestock in the tank, mainly just fish/inverts but I'll have to try to snap some photos this afternoon or tomorrow.

In past month or so have added:

FISH
- 2 X Helfrichi Firefish (1 MIA)
- 1 X Midas Blenny
- 1 X Starry Blenny
- 1 X BiColor Blenny
- 2 X Buckshot Clowns
- 2 X Naked Clowns
- 2 X Black and White Ocellaris Clowns
- 50 X Green Chromis (Believe in about 4 days I'm down to 40-45. Hoping they stop fighting soon!)

Inverts/CUC
- 100 X Trochus Snails
- 5 X Emerald Crabs
- 2 X Sand Sifting Starfish
- 2 X Brittle Starfish
- 3 X Sexy Shrimp
- 3 X Cleaner Shrimp
- 1 X Fire Shrimp

I think that's it right now. Currently designing stand/system for a bigger QT. Next round of fish will hopefully be in next 1-2 weeks after I get the QT system going. It will be made up of 125, 75, sump. If I can fit 1/2 40 Breeders in I might try to do that too

This may sound crazy D but I heard that the reason the chromis do the hierachy thing is because there is no predator. If a predator is present they pretty much protect themselves and knock each other off. Now I am not saying to get a predator in your tank but that, just saying what a well renowned reefer told me.

 

[Eville]

That's a great fish list so far! Are you still going with the original planned list you posted a while back? Can't wait to see the new additions

 

[Dustin1300]

This may sound crazy D but I heard that the reason the chromis do the hierachy thing is because there is no predator. If a predator is present they pretty much protect themselves and knock each other off. Now I am not saying to get a predator in your tank but that, just saying what a well renowned reefer told me.

Actually believe that too. Schooling is a defense/security mechanism so if they don't have an aggressor they seem to bully one another.

That's a great fish list so far! Are you still going with the original planned list you posted a while back? Can't wait to see the new additions

For the most part, yes. I'm adding a few different specimens here and there and questioning a couple of the fish that can get very aggressive (Achilles and Orange Shoulder)

 

[worm5406]

Sure. Here goes! Don't blame me if I forgot something, I'm notorious for 5 trips to HW store.

- 2 X DC10000 Pumps
- 2 X Male 2" Threaded Adapters
- 2 X Reducers 2"->1"
- 4 X 1" Tees
- 5 X 1" Ball Valves
- 2 X 1" Ball Valves with Unions
- 2 X 1" Barbs
- 2 X 1" Thread/Slip Coupler
- 4 X 1" Unions
- 4 X 1" Elbows
- ~20' of 1" SCH 80 Pipe
- 1' of Nylon Tubing

Inside I used a couple 3/4 Lock-lines on each barrel that keep the water in rotation. During normal operation I only run them on the second speed setting. For 24 hours of mixing I run the SW barrel at full speed. Really you could make a design with 1 pump but I wanted to be able to pressurize two lines which feed to my basement. Also, I did not include parts above to have the feed lines to the basement...

How do you clean them out? (or do you?)

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

Cleaning SW mixing tanks is always a fun task for me. I have a 100g for RODI and when I use it for mixing salt, I have to disconnect everything and invert it over my sink and spray it out with a garden hose/sprayer and then hold it until all the water drains out that little 1/4" hole in the top ring. I hate that brown scum that builds up. When I got it (used) I ran vinegar and hot water through it (pump running) while scrubbing the sides with a pull-string filter sock on the end of a broomstick (stick only). That was fun.

 

[dave.m]

What about something a bit stronger like CLR? You'd have to rinse it out a lot more thoroughly, of course.

Dave.M

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

vinegar did the trick pretty well for me...and the tank was nas-T

 

[Dustin1300]

Yeah, my plan moving forward is just vinegar/water and will use mop head for any scrubbing. So far the AquaVitro Salinity salt is much cleaner than the Red Sea Coral Pro so hoping that they stay clean as they have so far!

 

[laugh]

If you use a separate container for salt and RO water there really is no need to ever clean the scale that builds up in the salt container. I believe Randy Holmes discussed this at one point. He said he had not cleaned his salt mixing drum in many years. It's just mostly calcium and wont affect the quality of the water.

 

[Newbie Aquarist]

Just buy a spare tank and rotate them out. Thats what I plan on doing.

 

[Dustin1300]

If you use a separate container for salt and RO water there really is no need to ever clean the scale that builds up in the salt container. I believe Randy Holmes discussed this at one point. He said he had not cleaned his salt mixing drum in many years. It's just mostly calcium and wont affect the quality of the water.

Makes sense and RHF is a good source! I really don't think it is a big issue either and a vinegar solution will likely just be to descale the pipes/tank/pump from time to time.

Just buy a spare tank and rotate them out. Thats what I plan on doing.

That's room where I could have another real tank! :hmm2:

 

[Newbie Aquarist]

That is very true.

 

[SPotter]

I had my two mixing tanks running for a year and the only time I noticed a lot of build up in the salt mixing tank was when I was using Reef Crystals. I would have to clean the tank every 4-5 weeks because I would get a brown sludge build up on the side walls. Cleaning was a snap.....disconnect the tank, take it out side, spray the walls with vinegar, scrub with a sponge on a stick, rinse and hook back up. The hardest part was getting the tank out of my basement but this whole process never took longer than 30 mins.

Dustin....we or I need to see more pictures of your tank. My tank is gone now and I wont have another one until this time next year so I am living vicariously thru my buddies here on RC.

 

[worm5406]

I had my two mixing tanks running for a year and the only time I noticed a lot of build up in the salt mixing tank was when I was using Reef Crystals. I would have to clean the tank every 4-5 weeks because I would get a brown sludge build up on the side walls. Cleaning was a snap.....disconnect the tank, take it out side, spray the walls with vinegar, scrub with a sponge on a stick, rinse and hook back up. The hardest part was getting the tank out of my basement but this whole process never took longer than 30 mins.

That is what I figured and I have heard that about RC also. I have noticed it when I mix SW too. I think I can do this with little to no problems. OR... I can just use a stepstool and do it from the top and rinse it and flush it out to the drain.

Dustin....we or I need to see more pictures of your tank. My tank is gone now and I wont have another one until this time next year so I am living vicariously thru my buddies here on RC.

Don't we all?

 

[SPotter]

any updates Dustin?

 

[Dustin1300]

any updates Dustin?

I can't catch a break from you guys! Life has been rather busy lately between the kid and work and some other projects around the house. I've got a QT system that's next on the list but have yet to have the free time to build stand and paint so that's all I've got!

Not super happy with color right now as I was tinkering with CR too much in past few weeks but think things are keeping really stable now. Making a road trip to a couple coral shops/farm on Sunday so we'll see if I can find any nice pieces to add to the collection!

 

[Dustin1300]

I posted this in the Apex forums with no response yet. Any gurus have a suggestion?

Looking for some suggestions on programming my closed loops. I'm by no means a programmer but can't seem to think of a way that I could easily program this.

I'd like to have a duration, say 11PM-11AM that I run them in night mode and I run reef mode the remainder of the time. Below is image of how I'd like to have them cycle...

Thanks in advance for help.

 

[worm5406]

Uugh... you would almost have to break out the times for each and have it set.

Like...

fallback off
set off
if 1100-1130 then on
if 1200-1230 then on
if 1300-1330 then on

With the other two in a offset by 30 to an hour... The over lap of the devices would mean that two different outlets would be in the on time at the same time. With of course everynow and then all three being on at the same time.

CAN be done... but it would be a long program for each outlet... Espc since it is not like an OSC statement.

 

[Dustin1300]

Yeah, that's what I'm trying to avoid but might be the only way to do so. Just thinking that it'd be easier somehow to set up a function/profile with the two modes and the just set the times from there. Then I could easily make changes in the future but it is what it is.

I've heard rumors a new controller (Not Cerebra) is being announced at MACNA. The Apex is such an old piece of technology and could be swept by a new controller with better technology. Last year the big announcement from Apex was a leak detector. We could do the same thing before with generic branded leak detectors.

What about wireless, multiple brains for redundancy, etc?! Ok...Off my soapbox!

 

[worm5406]

We will see... we will see...

Crystal ball time.