Cliff/Spar's 450g Reef build

[Spar]

And FINALLY the long overdue update!! Blaming work hours ended a year ago with a new job, so can only blame laziness for having not done so sooner!

In summary here are the changes that I have made since:
(1) Completely redid all the plumbing, including the sump/refugium, pumps, etc. The sump that was installed was built for maybe a 200g max tank.. no clue what the company who did my install was thinking (claimed was sized for a 650g :thumbdown ).

(2) Changed out my lights - the LED's worked but just didn't quite give me the SPS growth I was after, so now use MH lighting - 4 units with 250w Radium bulbs each. PAR is now between 300-1000+ at all depths! Running them at 6 hours per day right now.

(3) Changed from running 4 Tunze 6125's to now running 2 Vortech MP60's - just preference, as didn't want to see the cords. MP60's even blow sand around in my 450g! Love those things (once set low enough to not blow around sand anyway...)

(4) Reduced my Live Rock from 600+lbs to ~300 lbs. Was just too much rock for my liking. Now when the coral grows out the fish will actually be able to swim around!

(5) Upgraded my skimmer. Unfortunately a sore point in my reefing experience as was ultimately given a much smaller skimmer than what I had purchased. But, now have the right size in - Super Reef Octopus 5000 Internal.

(6) Started using a Calcium Reactor rather than dosing 2-part. Seems more difficult to keep fine-tuned than expected, but keeps things very consistent with minimal efforts.

(7) Added more fish! Albeit, very very very slowly! Current fish include:
-2 Yellow Tang's
-1 Sailfin Tang
-1 Tenenti Tang
-1 Foxface Rabbit
-2 Yellow Coris Wrasses
-4 Blue Tang's

(8) Some coral, never did memorize the names of them, but mostly SPS with some LPS.

Current picture.

 

[Spar]

New sump build pictures. Marc Levenson from Fort Worth built the sump/fuge and helped me do the install! The tank has such a better feel to it now with better plumbing and filtration.

Took us all night (literally, was light out when we finished) to pull out all the old plumbing and replace with all the new plumbing/sump, etc.

Used 2 Dart pumps to fuel the entire tank including a chiller and a manifold that can run to 6 different peripherals (carbon, ozone, calcium reactor, etc)

The beautiful new sump! Due to the amount of space I had in the room we had to do the sump in 2 pieces. They were then attached via 2 pieces of 2" PVC and Uniseals... ask Marc how much fun getting the PVC through the Uniseals was! Calling it a nightmare would be a far understatement! But, alas we got them connected!

Marc helping build the Manifold, think it is around 5 feet long or so, maybe more.. Yes, I did help out during all this rather than taking naps, just not in any of the pictures.

Marc also built me a dosing station container. There are 5 compartments. 1 for RO storage, 1 for Saltwater storage, and then 1 for each of Alk/Calc/Magnesium. I don't currently use the Alk/Calc/Mg compartments because I switched to Calc Reactor dosing, but fantastic to have just in case for down the road!

Very tight room so couldn't get a great final product picture, but here are my best attempts!

 

[Spar]

I mentioned now using a chiller above. I decided to run the line into my garage so I didn't contribute to heat in the fish room. Comes on for about an hour per day or so.

I also hadn't updated my Auto-Water Change setup since I completed the work over a year ago. I will gladly admit it is excessive, but looks fantastic doesn't it! Hypo water is in the one on the left, regular SW (1.025) is in the middle and RO/DI is on the right.

Most high-tech Calcium Reactor effluent dripping device EVER created! :smokin:

 

[Spar]

Alright, finally got out the camera! I'm trying to recall what I have changed since my last update... but think it really just comes down to that I recently stopped doing GFO and Carbon (as frequently). I also downgraded my QT sizes to a 10g for Non-Fish and either 10g or 20g for Fish (depending on type/size).

Below are some tank shots... i do have a black backdrop that I put up today to take some pictures (where you can't see the fish room in the back through the tank), but I caused a sand storm just prior to taking pictures... so these will have to do for now!

All of this growth is almost exactly 1 year old. Made a ton of changes 1 to 1.5 years ago to finally give a coral a fighting chance, seem to have had success on most coral types.

 

[maddmaxx]

tank looks good now. i see you removed the sand. how come you removed it? and a background on that tank would def make things pop more. especially a black background. seeing everything in the back kinda takes your eye away from whats goin on in the tank...

 

[Spar]

tank looks good now. i see you removed the sand. how come you removed it? and a background on that tank would def make things pop more. especially a black background. seeing everything in the back kinda takes your eye away from whats goin on in the tank...

Thanks. Re: sand - MP60's + sand just don't mix I discovered the hard way :headwally: so have slowly been removing it all. I am about 90% there, but all the sand between the rocks is slowly working itself out, hence the sand storm I caused earlier today when about to take pictures.

I have the black backdrop on now, just need to let the tank settle over night and will grab some photos tomorrow. Does look a lot better not seeing all the tubes hanging in the back of the photo!

 

[vair]

Hows the tank. Looks good and nice water change station. Don't know how I stumbled on your thread but looks like it's time for a update.

 

[Spar]

Hi everyone! Almost a year since my last progress update. No major (possibly any... hard to remember) equipment changes, but the coral is growing out of control... to my liking!

 

[worm5406]

Nice update. I see you did not like the black on the back.

 

[SS_Sean]

Nicely done. Colors are awesome!

 

[Spar]

Nice update. I see you did not like the black on the back.

Ya, the blue gives significant more depth when viewing the tank, IMO. It is actually in the middle of the fish room behind the tank rather than right on the back pane of glass like the black was.

 

[dave.m]

I would like to know how you trained your yellow tangs to do formation swimming.

Dave.M

 

[A_CoupleClowns]

Hahaha, that was pretty much exactly what I was thinking when I seen that photo.

 

[worm5406]

That is the missing fish formation. A respect for all the lost fish due to putting a fish eating anemone in a tank without researching the anemone.

Pretty cool. I have only seen that formation a few times.

 

[Spar]

Ha, ya I liked that formation. The trick was Nori on a clip at the top and I suppose the pecking order puts them 'in line' to get to it. They generally cruise separately throughout the tank.

 

[phaze5]

just following along, looks nice

 

[Spar]

Well, my day has come! My glass decided to separate on me a little over a week ago. Manufacturing defect of some sort...

I moved everything over to a 300 gallon tub in hopes to store it there until I got my tank fixed (minimum of a couple months). But, things started going south real quickly, starting with my massive turquoise staghorn dieing and an ammonia increase to follow. I only lost a few things at least.

This all happened on the same day I brought my newborn daughter (first child) home from the hospital. Between the shift in priorities with now taking care of her, and the emotional trauma of this tank collapse ordeal, my wife and I have decided to take a prolonged break from the reefing the world.

I can assure you all I will be back a few years down the road though!

Here is the final full tank picture I have from before the collapse, and then what it looked like after :sad2:

 

[dave.m]

They say one door never closes but that another opens in its stead. Hopefully the next part of your journey will bring you joy and fulfillment... or you can start another reef tank.

Dave.M

 

[Deinonych]

They say one door never closes but that another opens in its stead. Hopefully the next part of your journey will bring you joy and fulfillment... or you can start another reef tank.

Dave.M

+1

Really sorry to hear about your tank, especially seeing how beautiful it was. Enjoy the time with your newborn - you can never have that back. The hobby will be here when you are ready to return.

 

[d-man]

Sorry to hear about the tank. Was looking amazing. But congrats on your newest, most important addition. Although I know soon you'll want a lil tank, to help balance out the soon to be hectic ness of life again. And she will definitely enjoy the lights, colors and movement it will provide as well.
Best of luck. Congrats again