New tank build!
- Thread starter CHSUB
- Start date
CHSUB
"Certified Hobby Expert"
progress is slow, but almost finished.
View attachment 187344
hood and stand skin are done and look great; the hood is completely removable and all panels on the stand are either on hinges or removable.
the sump is 80 gallons with a skimmer section, alpha cone 300 (in mail), and a 28 gallon fug, the middle section is the return; i'm using a customize "bean" overflow...it is super quiet.
using a reefflo superdart gold for return and a 1.5 inch sea swirl, also built a manifold with 4 outputs: chiller, vertex CR, and two reactors
i will be taking more pics of lights and stand; running freshwater currently and all looks good...no leaks
View attachment 187344
hood and stand skin are done and look great; the hood is completely removable and all panels on the stand are either on hinges or removable.
the sump is 80 gallons with a skimmer section, alpha cone 300 (in mail), and a 28 gallon fug, the middle section is the return; i'm using a customize "bean" overflow...it is super quiet.
using a reefflo superdart gold for return and a 1.5 inch sea swirl, also built a manifold with 4 outputs: chiller, vertex CR, and two reactors
i will be taking more pics of lights and stand; running freshwater currently and all looks good...no leaks
Curious George
New member
I like this build. Very interested in seeing the rock after it has been marinating in the ocean for a bit. Do you have any better before pics for the comparison of when you go and get the rock?
- That's a great idea by the way.
- That's a great idea by the way.
jacob.morgan78
New member
I was curious about the rock too... how's it cookin?
CHSUB
"Certified Hobby Expert"
set-up complete...
got skimmer today and installed, vertex alpha 300, still need to tune and adjust: pics of manifold, chiller, fug with led grow lights, hood with lights installed...
-painted inside of hood with marine boat epoxy, my last hood just rotted away
-studied some manifolds and copied the best ones. built it off a tee with a disconnect so it can be removed without turning off main return
-chiller is 10 years old hope it keeps working
-got the vortech battery back-up for short power outages and a 8k generator wired to house fusebox for longer outages
-rock has been stewing for 4 months, planning on getting it next weekend
View attachment 187969
View attachment 187970
View attachment 187973
got skimmer today and installed, vertex alpha 300, still need to tune and adjust: pics of manifold, chiller, fug with led grow lights, hood with lights installed...
-painted inside of hood with marine boat epoxy, my last hood just rotted away
-studied some manifolds and copied the best ones. built it off a tee with a disconnect so it can be removed without turning off main return
-chiller is 10 years old hope it keeps working
-got the vortech battery back-up for short power outages and a 8k generator wired to house fusebox for longer outages
-rock has been stewing for 4 months, planning on getting it next weekend
View attachment 187969
View attachment 187970
View attachment 187973
Cloudburst2000
Active member
Looking forward to seeing your setup.
However, I hope you had all the proper permits for aquaculturing rock in Florida. They might not be happy if they see you posting here about aquaculturing rocks without proper permits. I'm not trying to be a downer here, but just want to make sure you have all your bases covered. You have to be careful about aquaculturing, harvesting, or taking anything from the ocean. Make sure you have ALL the proper paperwork. It can be a nightmare with huge fines if you don't. Below is the info on permits for aquaculturing rock. People shouldn't be doing this if they don't have the proper paperwork unless their willing to pay the fines if caught.
(iii) Aquacultured live rock. For a person to take or possess aquacultured live rock in the Gulf or South Atlantic EEZ, a Federal aquacultured live rock permit must have been issued for the specific harvest site. Such permit, or a copy, must be on board a vessel depositing or possessing material on an aquacultured live rock site or harvesting or possessing live rock from an aquacultured live rock site.
However, I hope you had all the proper permits for aquaculturing rock in Florida. They might not be happy if they see you posting here about aquaculturing rocks without proper permits. I'm not trying to be a downer here, but just want to make sure you have all your bases covered. You have to be careful about aquaculturing, harvesting, or taking anything from the ocean. Make sure you have ALL the proper paperwork. It can be a nightmare with huge fines if you don't. Below is the info on permits for aquaculturing rock. People shouldn't be doing this if they don't have the proper paperwork unless their willing to pay the fines if caught.
(iii) Aquacultured live rock. For a person to take or possess aquacultured live rock in the Gulf or South Atlantic EEZ, a Federal aquacultured live rock permit must have been issued for the specific harvest site. Such permit, or a copy, must be on board a vessel depositing or possessing material on an aquacultured live rock site or harvesting or possessing live rock from an aquacultured live rock site.
Cloudburst2000
Active member
I believe so. I know that Florida has regulations about where rock can be placed for aquaculture. I know it can only be placed on sandy bottoms and with a minimum distance away from any coral reef (not sure what the distance is). The regulation I posted just says aquacultured rock which is rock that is placed into the ocean to develop marine life. It does not seem to differentiate between rock used for commercial or personal purposes. I would just be very careful about putting anything into the ocean or taking anything out of the ocean without having the proper permits. And you do have to have a permit to take living organisms out of the ocean in Florida. I would assume this applies to any organisms that are living on the rock that you put out into the ocean. So at the minimum, I would think, you would have to obtain a permit allowing the harvesting of living organisms from the ocean.
screamingibis
New member
awesome build. you are dropping some serious jack in this build.
CHSUB
"Certified Hobby Expert"
rock work complete, very happy with the outcome!
got the rock in the tank only after a couple hours after getting it from the keys; it was hard, rough seas, and the permit got wet too! a lot of "jack" for that permit...
the rock was cover with sargassum weed and other macro algeas, i put 3 pieces of rock in the sump with some chaeto, and the rest in the dt. at first there was no sign of coralline but after 3 weeks it is all over the rock, i think i just could not see it. most of the leafy algea has been eaten by the tangs now.
my NH3 went to about 1 ppm then 0 very soon after, now
No3 - 1 ppm
PO - .03
ALK - 7.2 (rising i hope)
Cal - 410
MG -1250
ph -7.8 to 7.9 (night to day)
started vinagar 25 ml about 2 weeks ago, skimmer pulling some nice coffee colored stew...
hopefully ph rises with increased alk, used nsw and with the cycle lowered the alk to about 5dKH...
View attachment 191510
got the rock in the tank only after a couple hours after getting it from the keys; it was hard, rough seas, and the permit got wet too! a lot of "jack" for that permit...
the rock was cover with sargassum weed and other macro algeas, i put 3 pieces of rock in the sump with some chaeto, and the rest in the dt. at first there was no sign of coralline but after 3 weeks it is all over the rock, i think i just could not see it. most of the leafy algea has been eaten by the tangs now.
my NH3 went to about 1 ppm then 0 very soon after, now
No3 - 1 ppm
PO - .03
ALK - 7.2 (rising i hope)
Cal - 410
MG -1250
ph -7.8 to 7.9 (night to day)
started vinagar 25 ml about 2 weeks ago, skimmer pulling some nice coffee colored stew...
hopefully ph rises with increased alk, used nsw and with the cycle lowered the alk to about 5dKH...
View attachment 191510
CHSUB
"Certified Hobby Expert"
thanks steve; yes i'm very happy with the aquascape. i drilled the rocks and connected them with fiberglass rods and epoxy glue, made some very nice towers. too many avalanches in past tanks!
thanks, it really looks nice. the cabinet builder did a great job. the picture doesn't not even show the details very well!
Still working on the ph...it is too low. if anyone has any ideas that would be great? i think it will come up over time. i run outside air to the skimmer, have a reverse lit fug, dose kalk all night and still my ph runs 7.81 to 7.89.
SPotter
Active member
I chased ph for the longest time and ended up having other problems as a result. my range is 7.85 to 8.05 and everything is happy in my tank. I would love for it to be higher for better calcification but I've just accepted that this is as good as it gets.
how are you liking the pac sun leds?
Sent from my SCH-I510 using Tapatalk 2
how are you liking the pac sun leds?
Sent from my SCH-I510 using Tapatalk 2
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CHSUB
"Certified Hobby Expert"
i agree on the pH, it would just make me happy to get above 8. i get very little spread, .05 from day to night which i think is very good.
the lights, as you know, are great!
I read you had a temp problem with your tank and was wondering what temperature your lights were running? mine run mid 60's C. seems too hot?
how about starting a thread about your LED ATS?
CHSUB
"Certified Hobby Expert"
tank is moving in the right direction. corals look good! i have about 35, 1/2 frags and 1/2 med sized pieces. peninsula tanks hold a lot of corals, my old tank would be full and this tank still looks empty. growth is great, color ok. my no3 went up to about 2-3 and i noticed less PE and some "browning" so i upped the vinegar to about 45 ml and the color is improving again. i would like no3 at .2! i did lose my hippo tang to ich about 2 months ago which was very sad. i won't add anymore fish till nov. my ph issue has be solved. outside air to skimmer, reverse lit fug, and dripping kalk at night keeps it at 8.08 to 8.12 imo a very tight range.
replaced my 10 year old chiller with a 1/4 hp aqua logic, just could not trust the old chiller. i also removed the 100 micro filter pad which has worked perfectly, not only is my skimmer working better, daily chores are much easier.
replaced my 10 year old chiller with a 1/4 hp aqua logic, just could not trust the old chiller. i also removed the 100 micro filter pad which has worked perfectly, not only is my skimmer working better, daily chores are much easier.
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