New Tank Build Thread!! 46 Gallon Bow

ncny21802

Premium Member
What's up everyone! I've been out of the game for 2 years. I had a 120g reef and a 55 gallon softie tank. 2 years ago the wife got pregnant with twins and made me sell it all. Over $15,000 invested and I got $6,000 in return. Now, 2 years later, and a proud father of 3 babies (we threw a third in there that was conceived 3 months after the twins were born) I got the ok to get a new tank. There was stipulations, couldn't be longer then 36 inches and I had a budget. The budget was hard since last go around I spent freely. Vortech's, $1300 skimmer, etc. So I got a 46 gallon bow from a local Charlotte, NC reefer and began the setup. This was 1 month ago and I just put water in the tank tonight. I researched for 3 weeks before I started ordering stuff.

Here is the equipment list:

46 Gallon Bowfront AGA Aquarium with stand
Nova Extreme Pro 6 bulb T-5 lighting system (upgraded the reflector)
Lunar link (2) moonlights...still working on drilling them into the light
Tunze 6045
Koralia Evolution 1050
Marineland Visi-therm 300W heater
SWC Extreme 160 Skimmer (built like a tank, may be much for my setup but I've always bought big skimmers)
Quiet One 3000 Return pump
JBJ Submerisble 13W UV
Bulk Reef Supply Carbon/GFO reactor (ROX Carbon and BFS GFO)
Air, Water, & Ice 5 Stage RODI

Livestock:

Since I just put water in it tonight I don't have any yet. The tank has 50lbs of Marco Dry Rock. 16lbs of live rock from another reefer's tank. 75lbs of livesand.

I used a full bottle of INstant Ocean Bio Spira to jumpstart the tank and the tank was filled with 55 gallons of RODI water mixed with reef crystals salt.

I plan on keeping a large Naso Tang...just kidding. This tank will be stocked heavy with SPS and some LPS and Zoas. It will have a clam or 2 and fish will include 2 oscellaris clowns, 1 flame angel, and maybe a blenny or two. Here are some pics so far. I'll update as I progress.

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Notice the custom lock I installed. I'm hoping that will keep the little ones out!!

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Right after putting the tank in it's designated area..no water

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50lbs of Marco rock right out of the box

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New toys arrive!

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This thing was much bigger then I thought. The monitor in the background is a 21.5" Samsung monitor and it looks tiny in relation.

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Staging area in the garage. This will be where I make my A&B additive as well.
 
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Fits perfectly in the middle of my 20 long sump

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Sand and rock before I add the water and live rock

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Water still cloudy since it was just put in tonight. Currently my Skimmer, UV, and reactor are all off. I'll turn them on in 48 hours, and 1 week for the UV. I added some mysis and other things to kick start the cycle.
 
Here are my parameters on day 1

ph - 8.3 - Milwaukee digital ph reader
Calcium - 300 - Tropic Marin (can't be right)
Mag - 1000 - Tropic Marin (seems low for new salt)
Alk - 11 DKH (sera)
Nitrite - .8
Nitrate - .5 - Both seachem
Ammonia - .05 - Sera
Salinity - 1.024
Temp - 76

I know the calcium and mag are off. I use reef crystals and it can't be that low. Too early to care all that much though. Please advise on these parameters on day 1. I'm not going to start dosing the 2 part for a few more weeks. I can't remember my last 2 cycles, so any guidance will be appreciated
 
Small leak this morning showed itself on my overflow pvc..small drip. Looks like I'll have to replumb it tonight
 
Water has settled and is looking good.

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Notice the Koralia Nano in the lower left hand corner. Great tiny pump that helped eliminate a dead spot.
 
I decided to replace the Koralia 1100 with a Vortech MP-10. Just ordered it tonight and can't wait for it to come in! I also order the Reefkeeper Elite Plus to handle the lights and temp, salinity, ph, etc.
 
Some updates. Got almost everything hooked up and running. Still need to drill the moonlights in so they are not taped and mount the salinity monitor. Here's some pics

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I'm going to lower the modules so the wires are not showing. Looks too busy up there now.
 
SPS is doing well. I got 2 pieces from ORA that i love. Joe the Coral and a Marshall Island Purple/Green Acro. The rest of my SPS are digitatas, monti cap and a millepora. The rose anemone is already splitting and the flame angel is very well behaved. The acans really colored up once I got them in the tank. I plan on getting a few more acros then going all LPS. I really like the limited edition Zoas and will be getting more acans. I'm waiting on the 2 clowns to notice the anemone. They are tank raised so I wonder if it will take them longer?
 
What is a normal swing for PH? I typically go from 8.15 during the day to 7.95 at night. Also I am trying to raise the PH to 8.3. I use Reef buffer and it raises the ph up to 8.4 but after about 6 hours it settles back down to 8.1-8.2. What is the ebst way to get it stable around 8.3?
 
first off, the tank looks great ! hope you dont mind one question. I too have a 46 bowfront and was wondering, couldnt really tell from the pic, but where did you position your powerhead outflows. I am debating on how to place powerheads and cant decide!
 
Thanks! I have the Vortech on the left side and the Tunze on the RIght side. Both are facing each other. The Koralia Nano is in the bottom left corner pointing up towards the Vortech. Lots of flow everywhere. I played with the idea of putting them on the back but the tank is too narrow and I couldn't get it to where the sand wasn't blowing everywhere
 
Updates. I got some nice corals recently and they have all settled in.

Ora Red Planet
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Spiderman Zoas
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Rainbow Acan
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ORA Jeremy's Monti
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Meteor Shower Cyphastrea
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Armor of God Zoas
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Joe the Coral looking happy
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