Mike's 180 display 280 total rebuild.

[reefermike1]

So I've decided a massive overhaul of my system is in order and have started preparing for it's transformation. The only thing staying is the stand and canopy that I currently have as well as the small amount of livestock I've aquired so far.

Here is a link to the original thread, but I will higlight a few of the images pertaining to this build.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2370453

Mainly the stand and canopy originally built by my grandfather and re-finished by myself stays.


The current acrylic tank will be replaced by this one. A GLA 195 show (72 x 24 x 26) 1/2" thick glass reef ready aquarium.


My current 55 gallon sump will be replaced by a GLA 100 gallon (60x18x22)



Here is a pic of my fishroom in its current state. It will be overhauled as well, cabinets put in and properly organized. Up on the shelf you can see my ro/di upgrade (BRS 150gal/day with booster pump) as well as 3 chinese leds that will be used along with 2 of my 60" t5s for the display.



I've got starboard on order as my display will be BB. Although I'll have approx 150 lbs of sand in a RDSB in the sump. I've also ordered a 48x18x12 rimless tank from GLA to be used as a propagation tank.

The plan is an easier to clean display and a more efficient fish room. I'm really itching to get back into sps, and do my part for the environment (and my wallet) with a decent size propagation system.

The acrylic tank along with the stand and canopy in the garage, current sump, and any other equipment I no longer need will be sold to hopefully comp some of the cost of this upgrade.

Big thanks to JasonC for the extremely fair price on the new setup.

 

[bpcardona]

Best of luck. Do you have any sketches you would like to share? I love seeing these and might could get some great advice.

 

[reefermike1]

Heres a sketchup layout of what I hope to achieve. The tanks and walls are all to scale, you will need to imagine stands and plumbing for now lol.

 

[bpcardona]

I love these sketch ups. I have a couple questions if I may. The tank behind the display, will that be a frag tank? I am just trying to figure out your plumbing. Also are you building your own sump? If so might I recommend a filter sock area more similar to the pic below. This design forces water through the socks. This is how I have mine and love it. Just a recommendation.

<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/90102096@N03/15558277864" title="Screen Shot 2015-01-02 at 10.31.29 PM by elitecoral, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8562/15558277864_14c5f3d028_c.jpg" width="800" height="474" alt="Screen Shot 2015-01-02 at 10.31.29 PM"></a>​

 

[reefermike1]

Yes the tank behind the display over the sump will be a frag tank. I want it to be plumbed into the main system, but also able to isolate it as a stand-alone tank if the need ever arises.

As for the sump I will be re-building a sump out of the 100 gallon in my garage, and I do like that design for the socks better. Thanks

Plumbing should be pretty straightforward, in the tank I plan to ditch the standpipes for a full syphon herbie style with a couple valves on the 1" drains, then use the 3/4" return lines as the emergency drains.

 

[bpcardona]

So in order for it to be cable of converting to a stand alone, you will have it plumbed in the following way: (correct?)

Display to sumo
Frag to sump
Sump to display
Sump to frag

I thought maybe you were planning on going from display to frag to sump. Your setup looks great so far. Can't wait to see the progress.

 

[reefermike1]

Yep, display to sump and back, and then frag to sump with its own smallish return pump and a valve on the drain. That way I could pull the pump from the sump and throw it in the overflow with a heater and run the frag tank similar to an all in one type of nano if need be.

In the past I lost the tank in my avatar due to a redbug/aefw outbreak which combined with a couple other factors caused my hiatus....This time around Im trying to hope for the best but plan for the worst with this setup. I've already inadvertently introduced majanos and aptasia into my current setup causing me bleach and cook approximately 150 lbs of LR that I got with this deal. I'll be taking no chances this time around with a dedicated qt tank somewhere in the mix for all fish, rock, coral frags etc...

This weekend(hopefully) the fish and small amount of corals I have are going into a 60gallon holding tank while the tanks are swapped out. Then I'll cycle out the new rock in the new tank before re-introducing any livestock.

Current livestock:

-pair of misbar black occys

-4 blue green chromis which may take up residence in the frag tank (not sure)

- juvenile bi-color angel (newer aquisition but so far seems healthy and eating)

-lawnmower blenny that hopefully wont starve in the new bb system.

-cleaner shrimp, banded shrimp, 2peppermints, couple dozen snails crabs etc.

-6 or 7 different zoa and paly mini colonies, and a couple mushroom mini colonies.

I'm sure they'll all do fine in the holding tank for a couple months while the new tank cycles, I'm glad I was so busy this last year that I didn't have time to go all out with livestock yet...

 

[reefermike1]

Revision B of the layout, also added RODI, ASW mixing tank, and dedicated qt tanks. This way I can use the ASW and QT tanks for the tank transfer method for new fish as well, I would just need to do a bucket brigade waterchange or two in the meantime.

 

[reefermike1]

REV-C lol... I'll use my 60gal holding tank as the RODI reservoir.

 

[bpcardona]

This look great. My only suggestion would be to put the saltwater mix tank on the bottom. This way you can simply "dump" the water from the above RODI tank via a ball valve.