CapnGreenJeans
New member
First post!
I grew up snorkeling in hawaii and spending a lot of time around the ocean, my dad kept a large freshwater tank growing up, and I've always loved nature and caring for it - back in college my degree was in Environmental Sciences. I saw a large reef tank at a restaurant a while ago, and realized I HAD to have that.
I decided to do this with a few goals in mind:
- Minimal maintenance (== maximum success)
- Long-term success (redundancy, back-ups, plans for failure, leak sensors everywhere)
- Minimizing long-term cost (with up-front investment, avoiding the upgrade trap)
Gear:
- 4x2x2 CustomAquariums glass tank with stand (~120g)
- Trigger Systems Triton 44v2 sump
- 2x Vortech mp40 (flow)
- 2x ReefOctopus Varios-2 (return)
- 3x Kessil A360x lights
- Kessil H80 fuge light
- 2x Eheim 300w heaters
- 120lbs BRS reefsaver dry rock
- Pink aragonite sand (should I go thin? deep? in between?)
Control
- Apex (with 2x EB832)
- DoS pump
- Triton tester
- Tunze Osmolator ATO
- Apex leak detector kit
- Apex wifi module (to control mp40's, maybe the kessil's?)
Support
- Mop sink
- 5stage RoDi
- 75g salt tank (with circulation pump, hose hookup to fill the tank)
- 25g fresh tank
Quarantine
- 20g long tank with a baffle for 2x 10g tanks
- Bubble filters
- 50w heaters
- PVC pieces to hide in
I'll probably want more flow, and better heaters...probably a Gyre pump (or 2?) for varied flow...?
An electrician installed 2 new circuits wired to 2 new outlets next to the sump - one heater and one return will be on each circuit...well, the apex will have two power strips, each on their own circuit.
The sump will be plumbed with a 3 port manifold, for future stuff like carbon, uv, whatever.
I was originally planning to use the BRS 2-part for my calc/alk/mag, but as I've been doing more research on the Triton method I'm thinking I might start the tank out using that. I'd need a second DoS pump for the additives, but I already have the sump for it (18g fuge section)...maybe a larger return pump? But that's probably it.
I started cycling 120lbs of BRS reefsaver rock in a Brute can on 11/22 - 85f, 1.015 salinity. Used Dr. Tim's and ammonium chloride solution.
I'm now at the point where I can dose up to 2ppm ammonia, and it's gone in 24hrs. I attached a small fuge to the brute can and attached the kessil light, threw in a ball of chaeto and nitrates are <20ppm (API test kit), Nitrite 0.
I've still got a few weeks to wait until my tank gets delivered, so I was going to throw a pair of clowns into the quarantine system in about a week or so, so they're ready to introduce once the tank is set up. I think it will be okay to introduce fish shortly after setup due to the thorough cycling.
I will run and stock the tank slowly for a few months, until alk/calc/mag consumption increases....and then probably just start with the Triton Core7 program? And ICP testing of course...is this a bad idea? Seems almost too good to be true, minimal water changes etc... I really like the science based approach.
Reality check me please! Does this all sound sane?
I grew up snorkeling in hawaii and spending a lot of time around the ocean, my dad kept a large freshwater tank growing up, and I've always loved nature and caring for it - back in college my degree was in Environmental Sciences. I saw a large reef tank at a restaurant a while ago, and realized I HAD to have that.
I decided to do this with a few goals in mind:
- Minimal maintenance (== maximum success)
- Long-term success (redundancy, back-ups, plans for failure, leak sensors everywhere)
- Minimizing long-term cost (with up-front investment, avoiding the upgrade trap)
Gear:
- 4x2x2 CustomAquariums glass tank with stand (~120g)
- Trigger Systems Triton 44v2 sump
- 2x Vortech mp40 (flow)
- 2x ReefOctopus Varios-2 (return)
- 3x Kessil A360x lights
- Kessil H80 fuge light
- 2x Eheim 300w heaters
- 120lbs BRS reefsaver dry rock
- Pink aragonite sand (should I go thin? deep? in between?)
Control
- Apex (with 2x EB832)
- DoS pump
- Triton tester
- Tunze Osmolator ATO
- Apex leak detector kit
- Apex wifi module (to control mp40's, maybe the kessil's?)
Support
- Mop sink
- 5stage RoDi
- 75g salt tank (with circulation pump, hose hookup to fill the tank)
- 25g fresh tank
Quarantine
- 20g long tank with a baffle for 2x 10g tanks
- Bubble filters
- 50w heaters
- PVC pieces to hide in
I'll probably want more flow, and better heaters...probably a Gyre pump (or 2?) for varied flow...?
An electrician installed 2 new circuits wired to 2 new outlets next to the sump - one heater and one return will be on each circuit...well, the apex will have two power strips, each on their own circuit.
The sump will be plumbed with a 3 port manifold, for future stuff like carbon, uv, whatever.
I was originally planning to use the BRS 2-part for my calc/alk/mag, but as I've been doing more research on the Triton method I'm thinking I might start the tank out using that. I'd need a second DoS pump for the additives, but I already have the sump for it (18g fuge section)...maybe a larger return pump? But that's probably it.
I started cycling 120lbs of BRS reefsaver rock in a Brute can on 11/22 - 85f, 1.015 salinity. Used Dr. Tim's and ammonium chloride solution.
I'm now at the point where I can dose up to 2ppm ammonia, and it's gone in 24hrs. I attached a small fuge to the brute can and attached the kessil light, threw in a ball of chaeto and nitrates are <20ppm (API test kit), Nitrite 0.
I've still got a few weeks to wait until my tank gets delivered, so I was going to throw a pair of clowns into the quarantine system in about a week or so, so they're ready to introduce once the tank is set up. I think it will be okay to introduce fish shortly after setup due to the thorough cycling.
I will run and stock the tank slowly for a few months, until alk/calc/mag consumption increases....and then probably just start with the Triton Core7 program? And ICP testing of course...is this a bad idea? Seems almost too good to be true, minimal water changes etc... I really like the science based approach.
Reality check me please! Does this all sound sane?
