Michael's 150gal build thread
- Thread starter mpderksen
- Start date
mpderksen
New member
Bashsea. Was curious myself so I found them at premium aquatics after watching a YouTube video about them. The dimensions perfectly fit what I needed, and I wanted a layout with no fuge. (That comes later and will be a separate box to keep the light from the mars hydro from making the entire sump a cesspool like last time.)
You can get them in black and white, red or blue. Red would have matched my Reef Octopus skimmer. But that one was out of stock, and I'm impulsive.
mpderksen
New member
16" x 18" and 20" tall. I'm going to have one siphon from the DT go into it. Then I'll put a bulkhead in the side to connect to the Pod Farm section of the sump. But since I'm not drilling the sump, the fuge needs to be a few inches taller.
Oh okay yea I heard that deep fuges are the best for growing macro algae. Are you relying on the refugium for major nutrient control? What are your plans to keep nitrate and phosphate in check ?
I'm interested as to how much refugiums actually help I know brs is doing some testing with different macro algaes curious to see how that goes for them
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I'm interested as to how much refugiums actually help I know brs is doing some testing with different macro algaes curious to see how that goes for them
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mpderksen
New member
mpderksen
New member
Michael's 150gal build thread
So today was the day. Empty both Brutes into the waiting 150 in the garage. Then put them by the 75 with a PH and a long hose. Shut down everything I could in Fusion. Start pumping. Corals were SERIOUSLY not happy with being dry for 10-20 minutes, but it was the only way the tank would be light enough to slide over on the tile. As soon as I got it shifted, I put the water right back. Added a filter sock for now too.
Then the new stand went where the 75 used to be. Since the 75 has to stay running for the next few weeks, I used an Aquabus cable to blend both stands to a single Apex. I have an extra EB4, so I'm all good.
I positioned the Bashsea sump (really a work of art), the chiller and some of the lines. I don't want to get ahead of myself, so until the tank plumbing is done, I'm not cutting anything. I have a cable raceway, a bunch of wrap and want this to be really clean. So I'll take my time before I build the cabinet doors.
Tomorrow a strong friend will come help me lift and position the tank. The process here will be to use the empty Brutes to drain it (cycling half full, currently), set the rock aside, put in place, add rocks and re-fill. Then make water. A LOT of water.....
Will take next week to complete the plumbing/electrical, then call up TBS for sand. I'm thinking #100 for a 72" x 18"? Then give it another week, and the corals from 75 and 25 move over.
Question: I have some vermitids. If even 1 gets transferred, then I end up covered in them. Live with it and don't worry? Or get all OCD to avoid moving them?
So today was the day. Empty both Brutes into the waiting 150 in the garage. Then put them by the 75 with a PH and a long hose. Shut down everything I could in Fusion. Start pumping. Corals were SERIOUSLY not happy with being dry for 10-20 minutes, but it was the only way the tank would be light enough to slide over on the tile. As soon as I got it shifted, I put the water right back. Added a filter sock for now too.
Then the new stand went where the 75 used to be. Since the 75 has to stay running for the next few weeks, I used an Aquabus cable to blend both stands to a single Apex. I have an extra EB4, so I'm all good.
I positioned the Bashsea sump (really a work of art), the chiller and some of the lines. I don't want to get ahead of myself, so until the tank plumbing is done, I'm not cutting anything. I have a cable raceway, a bunch of wrap and want this to be really clean. So I'll take my time before I build the cabinet doors.
Tomorrow a strong friend will come help me lift and position the tank. The process here will be to use the empty Brutes to drain it (cycling half full, currently), set the rock aside, put in place, add rocks and re-fill. Then make water. A LOT of water.....
Will take next week to complete the plumbing/electrical, then call up TBS for sand. I'm thinking #100 for a 72" x 18"? Then give it another week, and the corals from 75 and 25 move over.
Question: I have some vermitids. If even 1 gets transferred, then I end up covered in them. Live with it and don't worry? Or get all OCD to avoid moving them?
mpderksen
New member
Set the tank today. I'm guessing #375 empty? Only took me and a buddy about a minute to carry it from the garage and set it in place. Felt way less and no issue at all. Then I got serious about plumbing and wires.
Still making water to get the flow going, but I'm close. I have all 4 bulkheads in. The sump is plumbed, along with the chiller and GFO/Carbon reactor. I even stole the return from the 75 and subbed out a spare Mag7. So far, I've stolen the return pump, chiller, reactor and skimmer from the 75. (Probably don't need the skimmer just yet).
Next step is to get the full circulation going. The ghost feed until I can get a TBS sand order. I will build an egg crate container for my cycled Marine Pure balls, but won't drop them in until I'm sure I get my SG. Currently only 1.016!
I'll repeat my earlier question: do everything possible to avoid a vermatid transfer, or not stress about it?
Still making water to get the flow going, but I'm close. I have all 4 bulkheads in. The sump is plumbed, along with the chiller and GFO/Carbon reactor. I even stole the return from the 75 and subbed out a spare Mag7. So far, I've stolen the return pump, chiller, reactor and skimmer from the 75. (Probably don't need the skimmer just yet).
Next step is to get the full circulation going. The ghost feed until I can get a TBS sand order. I will build an egg crate container for my cycled Marine Pure balls, but won't drop them in until I'm sure I get my SG. Currently only 1.016!
I'll repeat my earlier question: do everything possible to avoid a vermatid transfer, or not stress about it?
mpderksen
New member
Completely full and plumbing connected. No leaks. Just placed my TBS order for #100 of sand. I know it won't be as fancy as The Package, but I'm excited to have some real diversity in there. Should be able to reach 77°F in the next few days and confirm the salinity is stable.
Spunky Bob
New member
Man this is looking amazing!
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mpderksen
New member
Richard is being sneaky! I ordered #100 of sand, and the website said 2 boxes (you pay $8 for each box....). Yet I got the airbill this morning, and there are THREE boxes coming for a total of #130!!!
Could certainly just be a little extra sand, and I do hope it's not a devil fish like Dennis got, but I can't wait for 3:30pm when the plane lands....
Could certainly just be a little extra sand, and I do hope it's not a devil fish like Dennis got, but I can't wait for 3:30pm when the plane lands....
mpderksen
New member
Yep, Richard sent me #130 instead of the #100 I paid for. Creepy crawlies started moving as soon as I dumped it in. Dozens of micro hermits and snails. It's what I can't see that's important. All the bacterial diversity is priceless.
In case anyone is wondering, the shipping cost was $143. The sand itself and boxes were $216. Yes, that's a lot for just "sand", but now that I've seen it, it's NOT just "sand" and I feel it was a great investment.
In case anyone is wondering, the shipping cost was $143. The sand itself and boxes were $216. Yes, that's a lot for just "sand", but now that I've seen it, it's NOT just "sand" and I feel it was a great investment.
JonezNReef
Member
Looks like you are off to a great start. I like the stand and that sump looks great. I like your idea for a remote fuge. I am planning on running my first fuge with macro's on my new system. Well I did try chaeto before but wasn't getting the growth I wanted and now I am thinking it was because my light source wasn't strong enough. If you watch BRS TV on YouTube they have a few episodes on chaeto growth with different lights and what not. Encase you are interested
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKNOfwEUdPs
I like the sand and I might have to look into getting a bit just to boost the diversity of my microfauna. Especially since I live in FL. I already have close to 400lbs or more of sand but it wasn't as alive like the stuff you got.
As for vermatid, I had a outbreak in my last system where they where in almost every nook and cranny of my 180. I have been working on my new system and didn't treat for them or do anything since they don't really hurt anything and honestly I haven't really seen any since I took my old system down. Part of my rock from the old system is in the new system and the rest in my 120g holding tank and not sure what happened but they either aren't there or haven't multiplied. Maybe I just got lucky. I will say that in the weeks leading to my transfer of everything to the holding tank I did get lazy with the old tank and it had a bit of a algae outbreak that covered everything but the corals and that might have starved them out since they too were covered in a film of algae for a couple of weeks. It didn't look good but I just kept the corals algae free and had no ill effect.
I will be following along. I love to watch what others do with setting up stuff and getting it going. Keep us updated
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKNOfwEUdPs
I like the sand and I might have to look into getting a bit just to boost the diversity of my microfauna. Especially since I live in FL. I already have close to 400lbs or more of sand but it wasn't as alive like the stuff you got.
As for vermatid, I had a outbreak in my last system where they where in almost every nook and cranny of my 180. I have been working on my new system and didn't treat for them or do anything since they don't really hurt anything and honestly I haven't really seen any since I took my old system down. Part of my rock from the old system is in the new system and the rest in my 120g holding tank and not sure what happened but they either aren't there or haven't multiplied. Maybe I just got lucky. I will say that in the weeks leading to my transfer of everything to the holding tank I did get lazy with the old tank and it had a bit of a algae outbreak that covered everything but the corals and that might have starved them out since they too were covered in a film of algae for a couple of weeks. It didn't look good but I just kept the corals algae free and had no ill effect.
I will be following along. I love to watch what others do with setting up stuff and getting it going. Keep us updated
