drummereef's 180g in-wall build

[cromedogg33]

Okay Brett, I'm convinced it's dino's

My rocks had started to get covered in them but I think they were masked by some cyano growing on top of them. I did a 3 days lights out and the cyano whiped out fairly quickly, but the dino's are holding strong.

I've begun dosing zeobak, coral snow, and sponge power and am noticing some graying of the algae, so hopefully some better bacteria is getting hold.

 

[110galreef]

Brett,

:wavehand:
Long time no talk or post. I am looking to finally construct a light rack. I remember you went with the estoconnectors. What size did you go with? Wall thickness?? What all did you hang/mount it with again? Is it bowing at all, still handling the weight/heat? Would you do anything different?

Hope all is well in your reef and life!:beer:

 

[tegee]

Yea....how's everything been going Brett?

 

[crvz]

Brett,

:wavehand:
Long time no talk or post. I am looking to finally construct a light rack. I remember you went with the estoconnectors. What size did you go with? Wall thickness?? What all did you hang/mount it with again? Is it bowing at all, still handling the weight/heat? Would you do anything different?

Hope all is well in your reef and life!:beer:

It'll bow significantly with just the connectors holding the rack together. I think Brett drilled and riveted a long bar along all his joints to keep the bowing minimized. I simple zip-tied a long piece (4 foot aluminum square tube) along my 5 foot light rack of estoconnectors, and it has worked fine to date.

 

[cromedogg33]

It'll bow significantly with just the connectors holding the rack together. I think Brett drilled and riveted a long bar along all his joints to keep the bowing minimized. I simple zip-tied a long piece (4 foot aluminum square tube) along my 5 foot light rack of estoconnectors, and it has worked fine to date.

It bows about 4" :headwalls:

If you are hanging it from a celing just put another 2 support cables in the middle or go the route of aluminum etc.

 

[MHG]

Hey I like your photos. I like the school of green chromis... you know the ones everyone keeps telling me will eat each other until there is only one left? strange I keep seeing picture after picture of guys with small schools of them. I am sure tank size is a big factor...

 

[110galreef]

Ok, thanks guys. I really think I am leaning towards some angle aluminum. Then use simple aluminum rivits to hold together. Then suspend with something? not sure if i want to go direct to the ceiling or attach it to a track to move out of the way. Simply raising would suffice for me. Have the room above.

I do like the additional square tube option to run cords thru, but still could do that with the angle aluminum as well if I wanted.

Ideas?

 

[110galreef]

Do you know which would deflect less?

Offset angle 1/16 x 3/4" x 1/2" I'd use the 1/2" lip for the edge to hold the reflector. Can't find in 1/8" thick.

Or regular angle 1/8" x 1/2" x 1/2" only want 1/2" as the 3/4" is probably eating into the reflector space more than i want.

 

[kknd187]

Very nice Brett, a lot of progress i see you have made since the last time i posted here. I think i can see ya in the TOTM in the near future man. Keep up the good work, tank looks flawless

 

[henrystyle]

Does everyone having the dino problem have marco rock in there tanks?
I'm convinced that rock is leaching something. I'm having the same problem.
I also tried chemi clean. It didn't do squat but make my skimmer bug out.
Been running gfo heavy. Seems to slow it down a little.

 

[110galreef]

I started with BRS dry rock, so pretty much the same. Just plopped in the tank, let cycle and used MB7 (just for first few weeks of cycle) and about 10# good live rock to start. Had a slight HA outbreak in the first 6-8 weeks of which my lawnmower blenny took car of. Never had an issue since.

Nitrates test 0 for last 10 mos and PO4 has been .012(last week), but steady at .018-.021 typically. Also am only doing 10% WC's every 4 weeks for last 7 mos. Tank is just at a yr old now.

I try to blast the rock weekly with my hands to stir up the detritus it poo'd or setlled on it. I also stir my shallow sand bed of ~1/2"-3/4" 1-2 times a week. I also gravel vac it a bit with each WC. I also run a mesh sock that i rinse out every 3-4 days and wash/bleach monthly. If I feel the need for some finer filtering I will run a felt style sock and replace 3-4 days with a new one.

 

[DanielJay]

I finally got through looking this entire thread over from start to finish and it took a LONG time to do it. Nice setup. I am considering putting a 135g setup in my basement and looking to do as much research as possible before even buying 1 piece of equipment. Looking to get 2 or 3 fish in the system first off and then consider corals and more fish as experience grows and tank matures.

Did you ever setup an external fuge or are you still having the chaeto in the sump?
In the last pictures of your sump you did not have carbon running or your bp any more. Are you running any reactors?

 

[DanielJay]

I finally got through looking this entire thread over from start to finish and it took a LONG time to do it. Nice setup. I am considering putting a 135g setup in my basement and looking to do as much research as possible before even buying 1 piece of equipment. Looking to get 2 or 3 fish in the system first off and then consider corals and more fish as experience grows and tank matures.

Did you ever setup an external fuge or are you still having the chaeto in the sump?
In the last pictures of your sump you did not have carbon running or your bp any more. Are you running any reactors?

 

[iwishtofish]

I miss the updates to this thread.

henrystyle, no issues with my marco rocks.

 

[aquaph8]

i miss the updates to this thread.

+1

 

[cromedogg33]

+1

+2

 

[PaPa_Johnny]

I miss the updates to this thread.

+3

More updates!:beer:

 

[lolgranny]

+3

More updates!:beer:

+4 !!

I just cut my wall for my 180 + made the stand. Did you end up doing anything in the front to get away from the open drywall? Im looking for ideas and i cant put trim around it b/c i have chair rail across the room and it would look super odd if i trimmed it out. lol.

 

[Mr. Right]

Same here

 

[bpeckj]

Umm

Umm

inappropriate

[/QUOTE]