New Tank Build!!

[Neurotech]

Here we go....
I was GOING to get a 118 corner for the LR we were redoing, and was just about there before it got Kaiboshed. But then, my wife :love2: suggested I get another 54 corner tank for the family room to match my existing one, like bookends. So I ran with it.

Here is a pic of the existing softy/lps tank:

The new one will go in the opposite corner of the room, and be sps only. which means I need better light, RR and a sump, better flow and better skimming for the new tank.

Better light means I will need a canopy, which means I need two canopies, because the two tanks must match of course.

Brad to to the rescue - He's making the canopies. As you know, canopies for corner tanks are not easy to find. Here is one so far (you can see the second one clamped up in the rear).

Stay tuned. More to come.

 

[onegreenray]

i saw it in person. he did a great job on these.

i want to see picks of the two setup once you get it all done.

 

[6stringpenguin]

Is Brad available for hire?

 

[Neurotech]

Not till he's done with my canopies!!!! He is puckbs here on RC.

 

[Neurotech]

Slowly but surely the canopies are coming along - more pics soon. Thanks to Joe, my tank is free of the condy, and I started some re-aquascaping (although I will be removing a bunch of this reock for more swim room and to help the new tank get a kick start.):

Here you can see the room (bad pic, I know), where the current 54 is in the left corner. The new one will be on the right:

 

[Neurotech]

So, I guess the NERAC photography workshop is mandatory.

 

[puckbs]

Sent you two new pics...don't forget to get back to me with those remora measurements

 

[Neurotech]

Here is the new tank thus far. Brad has done an awesome job - I am still trying to figure out where it opens - Brad?

Nice, huh? Just waiting for a coat of poly and some openings cut for HOB skimmer and fan.

 

[puckbs]

the whole front flips up so you have insane access to the tank...i'll try to get you a pic of that soon too

 

[Neurotech]

The Tunze 6045's arrived moments ago. Although they are intended for the new tank being set up, I had to try one out in my current tank. Easy setup, less than 5 minutes box to plugged in and pumping silently and powerfully. Awesome product. I mean totally silent. Once the 6025's come out and I have saved some bucks, the old tank will be turbelleized as well.

 

[Neurotech]

Here is the plan in a nutshell for those interested:
AGA 54 gallon reef ready tank w 400 gph overflow
Custom canopy, 16 inches high, including a single 4 inch icecap fan
250 watt reeflux 10 k w/ coralife electronic ballast and spider reflector from reefexotics.com
Sump - AGA 15 gallon high with 10x10 section for skimmer, 10x2 inches for bubble trap, 10 x 6 fuge area, 2 inches for return area, with bulkhead for external return pump.
Return pump - EHEIM 1260
2 Tunze 6045's in tank for flow, and a maxijet 1200 behind the rocks.

 

[Neurotech]

OK - I am a newbie all over again! But now I have set up my first sump.
The new tank (pics tonight) is up and running.
I made the sump out of a 15 high, w eheim 1260 external. It is so tight in there, I was going to give up on the idea of a refugium, until I realized I could place the baffles at an angle, creating an almost triangular refugium section and return section:

I stocked the fuge with a bunch of very live sand from a tank my son gave up on, and used a bunch of rock from my existing tank to get the main tank started. After MUCH debate and personal agony, I am going barebottom!

So, since I have live sand going, and the rock is as cured as it gets from a mture tank, how long do I have to wait to start stocking? Do I need a cycle method?

 

[Neurotech]

My new tank is up and running, but no pics yet as camera is not cooperating. I have mature rock in there and a sump / fuge in full swing, and the euroreef rs-80 just started delivering goop. So, I get a pair of little sebae clowns from aquahut as well as a GBTA. The GBTA hides for a day, pokes out between rocks tonight and the female clown goes right in!!! So cool. The male is wary, and the female seems territorial over the nem, but I think that will work itself out. I wanted to get the nem settled well before I add SPS. The critter pack from reeftopia arrives on Wednesday.

 

[MoCha920]

looks good

 

[Neurotech]

New Pics

New Pics

So the tank is up and running, and both tanks are canopied.
Finally, here is a shot of the new tank:

The way Brad has the hood flipping up, you get absolutely full access to the top of the tank:

Here is my quite crowded 15 high sump with RS80, fuge with chaeto and caulerpa (thanks Joe) and return with eheim 1260 (yes the eheim is incredibly quiet.) Note, if you can see, that I made the baffle for the return area create a triangular space which maximized available fufe space. I haven't had to worry about a fuge light yet as the sump still gets light from the barebottom.

I used half the rock from my old tank to aquascape this one. I think the old tank looks better with less rock. Here is the old, heretofore known as the LPS tank as it currently looks:

and here is the aquascaping in the new: