It only took a year....but it finally is started

[smmscott]

Hey gang. SO I bought a 120 in Feb. of this last year after waiting for the first owner to cook his rock for a few months. So it has been about a year since i first learned the tank was going to be available. Well I don't have much in the ways of before shots but here are some of the build.

Everyone has a picture of their kids or pet in their tank. My dog wouldn't go for it. So here is the next best thing.

Front

Rear

underneath

First cup of sand

In place

Hood open with sand

 

[smmscott]

Equipment

Equipment

Se here is a list of equipment thus far.

120 gal. Aga tank with dual overflows

Custom stand and canopy

Sump that is built by original owner, then modded for my uses.

Aquacontroller 3 with 2 dc8's

Custom Geo skimmer. (I got it used as well) I will look later and get the specs for you equipment junkies.

A panworld 50px for the return.

Right now I have a korilla 4 powerhead and some other mj1200 mods that will be upgraded down the road to tunzes or vortechs

Icecapp 660 running 4 48" t-5 lamps

A retro dual 250w MH setup

Auto top off system.

A diy calcium reactor I bought off someone going out off the hobby.

I am sure there are somethings I forgot about but will add later down the line.

 

[smmscott]

And so a wait begins....

 

[crzy4saltH2O]

nice tank just curious is that where your keeping the tank? is that cooling fan going to get enough air?

 

[smmscott]

Not sure about what I am going to keep in there yet. I am assuming that you are referring to the fan near the wall. It should have enough air. It is about 6 or so inches away from the wall. I wanted to at least be able to get my arm back there so i think it should be ok.

 

[ReefWidowed]

There is one on the other side as well, and since we don't have AC, we are considering adding a chiller in the summer, depending on what the temp swings look like.

 

[glalderman]

Looks good! I love the design of that hood!

I agree with crzy...I have two 110w VHO Antics and two 250w MH in my hood...I originally put two 120mm fans in the hood like you guys...then ended up adding a 6" clip on inside the hood (in the center angled down at about 45 degrees towards the water) and also one down in the sump to keep the temp from going too high during the day...the tank was only started about 3 months ago...during those couple of hot streaks we had the tank was getting up to about 82.5 with only the 2 120mm hood fans when the MH were on...putting those two 6" fans kept the temp to no more than 79.6...although my topoff jumped to about 2 or 3 gallons a day...

now that it has cooled down and my house heat is never set above 68...my temp runs nice and steady between 77.7 and 78.4...I broke down and bought a AquaController 3...and am also using it as a heater controller...I have one 250w element come on at 77.7 and the other to come on at 77.5...and have both of them turn off at 77.9, I have yet to see the second element kick on...which is what I was hoping for...

I guess the point of my typical long winded post is...you might end up needing to put a couple of clip on fans in there also!

Then again…we might both be looking for a chiller come summer…I am pretty sure I will need one…I had to put one on my 35g RSM nano to keep the temps from skyrocketing last summer…don’t think I will get away with a $250 1/10hp model on the 120!

Greg

 

[smmscott]

I was thinking I would need something in the sump area as well to help keep it cool. Although a chiller maybe in order as well. Greg, how do you like the RSM tank?
The tank is over half full of rodi water. I am hoping before bed time to turn the return pump on, double check for leaks and maybe start adding salt. I want to get the 75 torn down the next week or so.

 

[glalderman]

Scott...I really like the RSM...it has been up and running for a little over 6 months now...I sent the hood to NanoCustoms and had them install their MH retrofit...much nicer lighting...although needed to get the chiller after that...the only think I don't like is the skimmer in it...it is caca...some people have replace the skimmer with either a Remora C or a Tunze Nano skimmer...I have Tunze Nano skimmer in my frag tank...but am going to be putting a sump under the frag tank very soon and am going to replace the nano skimmer with the Octopus 110 that I pulled out of the 120 when I put in the Tunze 9015 this past weekend (the 9015 is an AWESOME skimmer for the size! It has pulled out 300ml of gunk in the past 48hrs...)

Sorry to hitchhike your thread...but you did ask!

Can't wait to see your 120 when you get it all up and running!!!

Greg

 

[Kreeger1]

Dribble dribble

 

[smmscott]

If I could stay awake long enough and finish programing my ACIII I might have water flowing from DT to sump and back. However, knowing me I will be asleep soon and won't get it up and running till tomorrow after work.

 

[smmscott]

I only have the overflows and one chamber of the sump to fill and on she goes. However I may have been given permission to put a sump and all that in the basement soooo.......we will see.

 

[ReefWidowed]

Everything has been re-plumbed. Sump, Top-off, Skimmer and probably the Ca reactor have been moved to basement. (Hopefully the landlord won't notice the hole we cut in the floor) Pictures to come.

 

[smmscott]

pictures that were promised

pictures that were promised

What to do in a winter storm??? I know, transfer contents of your tank to the upgrade. I had some time today and did just that. I got everything plumbed to the basement and live rock and livestock transfered to the new tank. I haven't aquascaped yet but have almost everything running.

Here is the tank as it stands now. Like I said I need to move stuff around but I am tired and wanted things to settle a little bit.

Here is the basement. It need neatened up alot and somethings rerouted and what not but hey it is running.

I just wanted to say that I love my geo skimmer. It is a major improvement over my old coralife skimmer. It was ok for begining and took care of things for the most part but this new one was pulling gunk out of fresh saltwater without any rock or livestock in the tank!!!

Things left to do.
-get calcium reactor online and running
-clean stuff up
-reaquascape
-add more flow I am just not happy with what I have. (hopefully santa knows what TUNZES are)

 

[ReefWidowed]

i don't suppose any C-sea-ers own a maid service company.....

 

[ReefWidowed]

Only one major problem overnight. Skimmer went crazy and has a leak around the uniseal. Scott had put the top off on a timer, so the level dropped and the overflow/return kept surging, so that was fun. Felt bad about waking Scott up at 2am, but I would hate to crash the tank on day 1.

As soon as he gets back into town from work, we'll probably move some stuff around. hopefully I can make some headway in cleaning the basement so we can create an "away" for things, so they stop ending up on the floor/lost/broken/thrown out by mistake....ect.

 

[scottfarcuz]

I'm curious about the butterfly. Is he going after manjo's?

 

[ReefWidowed]

Yes with a vengence

 

[scottfarcuz]

Glad to hear it. Now I'm going to have to give one a try...

 

[smmscott]

Be a little careful and keep an eye on em. Mine has thought about nipping at other things in the tank most of the time softies and zoas and what not. A very cool cool fish none the less.