launchnukes' 300DD starphire build 400g+ total system

[launchnukes]

I just realized that I've never really taken any behind the scenes pictures so tonight I took some quick pics of the garage and fish room. please ignore the mess.

wall behind the tank (in the garage) you can see where the four overflow drains go through the wall and meet to form two 2" drains which go into the fish room. also you can see the return come from the fish room, split, 1/2 goes into the oceanic 1/2hp chiller then they both return into the top of the tank. I plan on patching the spray foam.

drains and return in the fish room (past the water heater)

sump, skimmer, and 150g rubbermaid fuge/rock tank.

view down the fish room

qt and water change station (200g water storage and ro/di system is in the garage and all ato, etc goes through the wall).

Control panel (i still need to organize and paint the trim)

Newest addition chilling in qt

 

[launchnukes]

New arrivals! A mated pair of golden rhomboid fairy wrasses. Excuse the phone pic.

 

[jg2269jg]

i just read the entire thread and this tank is great looking. now that you have everything setup what do you think of the 250 watt metal halides on this tank. i ask because i am buying the 200 gallon dd and was thinking i only could go with 400 watters for a sps dominent tank. thanks for sharing great job

 

[prop-frags]

That is a gorgeous pair of wrasses!

 

[launchnukes]

i just read the entire thread and this tank is great looking. now that you have everything setup what do you think of the 250 watt metal halides on this tank. i ask because i am buying the 200 gallon dd and was thinking i only could go with 400 watters for a sps dominent tank. thanks for sharing great job

Thanks. to be honest, i really havent run the MHs much because the tank is still a fish only (but not for long). The theory seems to be the more power the better but after pulverizing sps in my 120 with just t5s (ati powermodule) i'm confidant that if you invest in a good bulb, ballast, and reflector 250w will be plenty. but i could be wrong. i guess only time will tell.

That is a gorgeous pair of wrasses!

Thanks! I've been wanting a pair forever.

 

[Reef_Noob]

Great to see a build that has good planning and great equipment choice!

Good luck on the progress and do keep updating.
I am also in midst of my build,(though much smaller than your reef) the journey of realizing a plan is the best part of this hobby, right?

 

[Reef_Noob]

Great to see a build that has good planning and great equipment choice!

Good luck on the progress and do keep updating.
I am also in midst of my build,(though much smaller than your reef) the journey of realizing a plan is the best part of this hobby, right?

 

[launchnukes]

Great to see a build that has good planning and great equipment choice!

Good luck on the progress and do keep updating.
I am also in midst of my build,(though much smaller than your reef) the journey of realizing a plan is the best part of this hobby, right?

Thanks. It is true, at least to me, that the planning and build are one of the most fun parts of the hobby. Its just so rewarding when your done. However, no matter how much planning you do you'll always wish you did something different when its all done.

 

[aquaph8]

that is a gorgeous pair of wrasses!

+1

 

[prop-frags]

How are the rhomboids doing?

 

[launchnukes]

+1

Thanks.

How are the rhomboids doing?

They're doing great! eating like pigs and the color is getting better every day. the male is insane. it's funny you ask because i was playing with the camera earlier today....

with his woman

3 of the 4 helfrichis (they were schooling but one took off as i snapped the pic)

 

[cougaran]

Food for thought--I had rock in my qt tank setup too, when the time came for emergency cupramine, i know the rock absorbed some of the meds. It made treatment alot harder. My QT now has pvc pipe which the fish love to go through the big elbows..lol..the gobies hide under..PVC wont absorb..

 

[prop-frags]

Your fish are lookin great... Thanks for sharing the pics!

 

[launchnukes]

thanks guys. i'm finally getting some corals in the tank so there will be a new update soon.

oh, and thanks for the heads up on rock in qt.

 

[110galreef]

Nice build you have going. I have a 36" deep dimension tank and I love them too.
Corals anytime soon??

 

[salali]

The fish looks amazing. What are the demotions for you sump ?

 

[launchnukes]

Thanks. I have a few corals in the tank now. A huge (bowling ball size )frogspawn, huge war coral colony, and a few smaller ones, some sps frags, torch, duncan, and a brain.

My sump measures 72"l x 20" d x 16" t

 

[cougaran]

I like the way you have your sump and skimmer setup..I think I'm going to have to "borrow" this when I finally setup mine completely...

 

[jeremyjoslin]

What's in the big rubbermaid? LR and refugium macro? Why do you run it through a filter sock coming out... wouldn't you want the pods and such to pass and make their way up to the DT for good eating by some of the fish? Did I mis-interpret your setup?

I love the tank, and you may have converted me from an aspiring 200DD owner to an aspiring 300DD owner...

 

[launchnukes]

I like the way you have your sump and skimmer setup..I think I'm going to have to "borrow" this when I finally setup mine completely...

Lol. Feel free to" borrow" any ideas you'd like. Afterall, Isn't that why we do this.

What's in the big rubbermaid? LR and refugium macro? Why do you run it through a filter sock coming out... wouldn't you want the pods and such to pass and make their way up to the DT for good eating by some of the fish? Did I mis-interpret your setup?

I love the tank, and you may have converted me from an aspiring 200DD owner to an aspiring 300DD owner...

You're 100% correct, that was my exact plan but the current plumbing configuration was creating a ton of microbubbles so the filter sock is a temp fix till i can find the time to change a few things. Oh....and go BIG!