BobbyV's Marineland 300DD Starphire Project

[BobbyV]

All in good time, you will soon become nuts like the rest of us. Less than 4 years ago I was starting up my first 29g bio cube. As you eventually become more experienced and knowledgeable through trail and error, you will develop the confidence/desire to invest in larger projects.

Thank you for your message.

 

[KrazyOnetime]

Just curiuos if you've realized than the amount of water that is able to flow through the "TINY SLITS" in the overflows isn't nearly enough to feed your Herbie without cutting the flow WAY down. I to own this verry tank with the same herbie style drains behind the overflow panel. They can really move "suck" some water but are limited by the poor design of the "tiny slits" resulting in me removing every other slit which helped but stil a verry poor design. And what was Marineland thinking using 1" drain holes on a tank this size? Another design flaw IMO luckly the Herbie solves that but if you can't get the water to the herbie style drain in any real volume then your kinda stuck. Nice plumbing by the way.

 

[BobbyV]

I 100% agree with you KrazyOneTime. My solution is to run a SUPER clean system with a high rated skimmer, bio pellets and activated carbon mixed with GFO. For the amount of savings you receive by purchasing a 300DD mass manufactured tank, you just have to deal with it and take the good with the bad.

I also placed an Eheim 1000 pump rated at 380 GPH in each drain compartment to mix up the debris to push into the drains to prevent settling and increasing nitrates.

In addition, I also siphon all the water and excess junk from each compartment when I perform water changes.

 

[BobbyV]

Some were curious I how I was going to incorporate the "mineral mud" in my refug with out it getting crazy messy. Digging in a refug one a year to replace this substrate is not fun.

I decided to go with Mineral Mud over Miracle Mud because after much research, the way I am intending to use the substrate was to only really compliment my chaeto. If a minor amount of trace elements do find themselves in the Display, all the better.

Either "mud" are very similar in trace element offerings. Iron was one of the biggest reasons why I decided to incorporate this into my system.

Growing the Chaeto helps reduce nitrates and phosphates naturally. (as 99% people know, nothing new)

I will tell you though, within an hour of implementation my Jedi Mind Trick Frag had huge polyp extension.

However, faser I can have the Chaeto grow the better!

I put on a 1.2 gallon HOB refug and put in .5 gallons worth of mud.

I have an aqualifter pulling water from the sump through the HOB refug and trickling into the main refug. I also added a GFO reactor attached to the carbon reactor. The drain from the reactor line is feeding the remote fuge.

I also have two Innovative Design 6500k Sky Lights powering the system 24/7.

The HOB can be found on Amazon for $10 and free shipping!

Look for Marina Fish Breeding Box. Comes with a bunch of accessories to my surprise!

 

[BobbyV]

Rearranged my rock to cover more of the forward area of the landscape to allow:

- Maximum SPS Placement so that Acro's can eventually grow tall wide and wild (one day)
- Turned up the 2 MP60's and 2 MP40's from 60% to 90%!!

I tried pushing it by turning them all up to 100% full blast but a small amount of sand started to move in the forward area, so 90% was the limit to keep this sand staying in place and less maintenance to move back in place once a week.

The fish really liked this new arrangement - especially the wrasse. Let me know if any one would want to claim the Dejourdini Tang at a fair price. I am kinda over him - but my wife would freak out if we placed him out of the tank. His name is "Meat Ball" since he is a BIG PIG!!

The original rock placement was much more attractive, but I wanted to design more surface area to support a hardcore maximum multiple species SPS super HIGH flow system. When the SPS corals are huge and healthy it will balance together well. Now it looks ugly and boring.

In regards to the super high flow, the tangs hover in front of the MP60 swimming in place. Pretty interesting to watch.

In regards to the front right forward area, this is reserved for some sort of high flow anenomea for my Maroon Clown to host. I know it looks a bit uneven till i find a good specimen to put into place.

I also cranked up the Radions to 100% with the TIR Lenses to accomodate the depth and width of the 300DD. I believe this picture is of the 14K 100% setting.

 

[Ted_C]

Your using the medium grain substrate - aren't you?

How many inches below the water surface are you running your mp60's?

Do you get an (how do I say this...) epileptic seizure effect from the ripples on the surface and your LEDs? I guess others call this the disco ball effect. It's shimmer - but it flashes too fast to be a comfortable shimmer.

 

[Nwest]

Ted, I have radions also and you get the same shimmer from a MH. It just just all based on how much surface agitation you have in the tank. I dont mind it but I do not have a lot of surface agitation.

 

[BobbyV]

Dear Mr. Ted -

I am using the high quality reef "tonga" flake from Eden Tropic. Awesome stuff, Sam added it to his 120 build if you need another reference. Or you can search the threads.

I put my MP's in a sweet spot on the tank so barely little surface agitation if any.

No disco ball just a nice shimmer. If there were to be a disco going on, not very noticeable.

MP60's top are about 9 inches down and MP40's about 7' down.

I believe high flow encourages a healthier tank. Less "junk" to settle on rocks. When I feed the PE Mysis and Cyclopese I don't turn down the power heads. The fish transform into full out Olympians. Everything eventually is eaten due to turbulence, nothing touches down to the sand bed.

I did revise my lighting schedule on the Radions after observing other success stories with SPS. Also revised the flow patterns on the WXM to compensate.

 

[Ted_C]

I was running my mp40's in the 120 at around 5" below the water surface and the disco ball effect was too much.

I moved some rock and dropped them down to 11" and too much sand was blowing around (Tropic eden sugar sized).

I'm now at 9" below the surface - just like you. The disco ball effect is not noticeable - just need to wait and see what the mp40's do to the sand bed - been running 8 hours now at 80% and it still looks good.

Thanks for the assist. While we have different tanks, sand and lights - it looks like some of the theories can be shared.

 

[BobbyV]

Always nice to hear others sharing success stories - happy new year!

 

[BobbyV]

So I finally got the GEO 818 Calcium Reactor On-Line. The Lab Neptune PH Probe Calibrated perfectly with 4.0 & 7.0 fluid.

I am using a Eheim compact 600 pump as my feed from the sump to the reactor. The Pan World PX40 on the reactor is a bit noisy so I will have to call the vendor to find out my options of an exchange.

If you are in need to find the CO2 Regulator Outlet Setup "Advanced" on the APEX please consider my input:

Fallback OFF
If pH2 > 06.60 Then ON
If pH2 < 06.55 Then OFF
If pH > 08.35 Then OFF
Defer 030:00 Then ON

So far I have the PH2 solid at 6.63. From my understanding CO2 starts to react with the media at 6.70 - 6.50 Anything below 6.50 brings the media to mush. 6.63 is a safe area to start with since I have SO much media, a full 3 gallons for only 4 frags in 270 gallons of water volume.

From what I noticed, since I have a large amount of media keeping this PH2 is very easy. I have the PA Regulator at a bubble at every 10 seconds and the working pressure very low around 3.5 psi to make the bubbles smaller.

This may change over time since the media is so new, but from the start the media is very "rich" and is easily bringing down the PH2.

By the way, the PA regulator is very expensive - but I am a first timer and I was able to lock in a PH2 in less than a few hours! Worth every penny plus a 3 year warranty included. I bought the 20lb CO2 tank and regulator with a special credit card which doubles the manufactures warranty. Just a pearl for those with the same coverage. (6 years coverage no out of pocket on the regulator alone!)

My PH is a bit low, but from my understanding the media is derived from Sodium Bicarbonate which lowers the PH for larger easier dosing with a lesser threat of killing fish. I will have to work on this to get my PH higher.

The drip is about 20ml's per minute which I will increase as I take further KH measurements. I would rather be under than over on my drip when first starting out. I don't want to unknowingly spike my KH.

You can also see I put the 36W Coralife Steralizer on-line - keeps the water crystal clear.

The stand area came out nice, I have a pretty decent roomy crawl space to access all the in sump equipment with out moving anything in the path.

Thats about it for now - I don't for see any further equipment additions. Just have to skin the stand which I got some good feed back from "postal" (Lee) as to where to find good affordable materials.

Thanks for following along, it has been a fun build - :wave:

 

[BobbyV]

After I went barebottom.

All the dust on the floor from scooping all the sand out. Notice that the pumps, push all the solid's to one area of the tank. The remainder of the sand I didn't get and any "heavy matter". The lighter matter like fish waste is twirled and suspended by the high flow and drained out. I see the cleaner and blood shrimp forging in this pile from time to time looking for goodies. Next water change, I will simply just suck up the remainder sand. Every month of syphoning will become easier and easier through process of elimination. Notice that down the tank, I left two fighting conchs in, they just "mop" the floor for me. The conch tracks are also about 24 hours - they get around pretty well. This should help you get a better idea how many conchs are suitable for your tank if ever go shopping for them. I did have nassarious and olive snails in the tank, but they were too slimy. They left a "slime trail" which the dust and particle would adhere to, took them out. Put them in the breeders.

To give you an idea, of how clean and low maintenance the water column is for SPS, I cleaned the skimmer head 24 hours ago. As you see I am skimming super wet, what you see is the remainder of the dust particles in the water column being stripped/filtered out by the skimmer.

From time to time, I will turkey baste the rocks to get all the junk in the skimmer.

 

[aguila88psi]

Hey Bobby, I thought you were into wrasses and planned on getting a few? Most wrasses require a sand bed to burry themselves at night or when frightened.

Anyway, tank and filltration setup is looking top notch, I can't wait to upgrade my setup. Hopefully it will be soonish lol

 

[BobbyV]

Good message - yea those wrasses like sand however I think you are thinking of the coris like family of wrasses. The fairy wrasses don't "require" sand. They like to sleep in holes of the pukani rock. Right now I have a Flame and a Exquisite in there.

Exquisite wasn't very exclusive but looks nice with the patterns and colors.

I am a sucker for those higher end Fairy Wrasses, so if anyone locally are looking to sell - let me know. I really would like to find a Lineatus or Golden Rhomboid.

The online vendors are sooo freaking expensive, then you have to pay for shipping and cross your fingers it lives!

My flame I got for $132 including tax - I got lucky with the wrasse no problems eating - even picks at Nori.

 

[aguila88psi]

Oh true, I had forgotten not all wrasses need the sand, I've become a wrasse man myself lol, but more towards the sand dwelling kind. I would love to have a lineatus or rhomboid, there not very common at the lfs at all. If I had a tank big enough I would love to see a red coris grow from juvenile to adult, that would be awesome.

 

[bpcardona]

These picture don't do BobbyV's set up justice! You have a beautiful setup and house. As you have seen it has lit a fire under me to do it up right. I will be following and stealing idea!!!

Thanks for the great substrate!!!

 

[BobbyV]

You are welcome, thanks for the visit.

Take your time and invest in high quality equipment and materials. "Buy it once!"

Best success toward your build don't forget to post pictures .. .. We all love pictures!

 

[BobbyV]

This was a double post .. .. .. So to fill in the area and write something new/edit: "God is GOOD".

 

[MrHarvard]

I'm interested in seeing this tank when it's finished! I love to see someone with the money to buy the best actually do so! This is gonna be one sweet tank! I'm starting to become more fascinated with the dry goods, hardware, and chemistry of this hobby than the corals and fish themselves. My wife says I'm truly becoming a weirdo because of how into it I have gotten. Keep posting!

 

[BobbyV]

Thank you for your support.

I don't think I have the money to spend, I just appear to be more reckless than most!

We all get a little carried away from time to time!

If you are into reef aquariums - I have not met anyone in this hobby that wasn't a weirdo.

You are in & found the right place to be!

"WELCOME!"

:wave: