phenom5
Member
Finally, after what seems like an eternity, it's time for a new build! I'll try to keep the background (boring) stuff to a minimum, and focus on what everybody actually cares about"¦the new tank.
A Look Back
A little over a year ago, my wife and I made the decision to move into a new house, and I made the decision that I did not want to move my tank. Yeah, I know it's possible, I've moved tanks in the past, but I feel kinda the same about moving tanks as I do about having multiple tanks. I respect anybody that does it, but it's not for me. I knew it was going to be a challenge to sell my tank, or at least the livestock in my tank.
I knew I could sell frags"¦even good sized frags of a lot of my corals, but selling big colonies? And selling named pieces would be easy, but what about the more common stuff. I did not want to end up with a tank still up and running with picked over livestock. Huge thanks to Dan & Dan and Fishy Bizness (one of our LFS).
Fishy Biz had just opened at the time, and they just so happened to be looking for livestock to fill out their display tanks. I can't imagine what a disaster that would have been, adding a fully stocked 75g reef into the mix with our move.
This is literally the last picture I have of my old tank, taken the night before it was broken down:
A Look Forward
On to bigger and better things.
The tank will be a 155g DSA Pro (72x24x21) SPS dominate, but I have a few things in mind going into this setup.
1. Planning - Seems stupid, right? But my first tank I didn't know what I was doing. My second tank I planned for one thing, then changed direction after it was setup (always a challenge), and my last tank was setup in a bit of a rush AND I changed the entire direction of the tank after it was setup.
2. Efficiency - I am considering energy efficiency at every step. Now that my wife has seen the electric bill without a fish tank, she wants me to keep energy consumption to a minimum.
3. Ease of Maintenance -I know that the easier maintenance is, the more likely it will get done. I've had too many maintenance tasks in my past setups that "œweren't that bad." Short-term that works, but after several years they can become too easy to put off. 1 week becomes 2 weeks, which becomes a month"¦
4. Quiet- My last tank was pretty quiet. I had plenty of people (think reefer spouses/ girlfriends/ boyfriends) that came over to pick up frags/ check out the tank/ etc, and would comment on how quiet it was. But I think we can do better.
5. Diversity - My last couple of tanks have been very focused on SPS. The new tank will still be an SPS dominated tank, but I want to have a more well rounded reef tank, and I want to have a bigger fish population.
So here is the space I'm working with:
I know what most of my non-reefer friends think"¦that's where the TV goes. Thankfully, you guys being reefers know better.
The space is 92" long x 24" deep x 96" tall. It's in our main living space, so the stand has to look good, and everything needs to be fully contained in the stand. I've decided to put the lights in a canopy to try to limit the amount of light spilling into the room.
Sketchup
Not exactly something Earth-shattering, but this is the first time I have worked with Sketchup when planning out a tank. I highly recommend it. Now, I don't have the skills (or the pricey rendering software) to make it look as nice as some of the really skilled folks on RC. But the ability to see the 3D model, build it out and think it through"¦invaluable.
Here's what the basic layout will be.
There are a lot of details that have not gone into the Sketchup model because...frankly, I'm not that skilled with the software, and I just don't have the time to devote to it. A lot of the tank setup I am plenty comfortable with, so I left it out (like plumbing for example).
I have been planning on using 2x4s for the frame. Should I go to 2x6s on the top and bottom? Increase in cost would be minimal, but the overbuild factor would probably increase.
I am debating making the right-hand door a little shorter. That will be where I put my electrical panel. I think I want to mount the controller head unit on the face of the stand, and then leave the top open of additional controllers.
Equipment
Lights "“ 3x AI Hydra52s controlled by an AI director.
Skimmer "“ ATB 840 v2
Flow "“ Maxspect Riptide
Return "“ Oceanrunner 3500
Sump "“ 40g Breeder
ATO "“ I have a dual float setup from autotopoff.com"¦may look into something new here.
Dosing "“ 2x 1.1 ml BRS dosing pumps
I sold off my Vortech when I broke down my tank. I wanted something quieter. Now I have sold off my Tunze setup. I am all in on the Riptide, which is a little nerve-racking since it hasn't even officially launched. But I think the idea and the design is sound. The focus is always on volume, but the Riptide takes the next step in addressing velocity. Fingers crossed it is ready for primetime when it's released, and fingers crossed it's released around the time it is expected to be.
I am open to suggestions on my ATO setup.
I am also open to suggestions on thoughts about my sump size.
My Reef To-do list:
1. We need to lay the tile. To be clear, when I say "œwe need to lay the tile" what I mean is "œwe need to slap down the Discover card and get someone that knows what the hell they're doing to lay 700sgft of wood-look tile." Tile guy is scheduled for the last week of August.
2. I need to install the sink in the laundry room. Debating form over function. A simple utility sink will be more cost effective, but a sink with a vanity may make my wife happier in the long run. Once the sink is in place I can setup my RO unit, and start to think about what my RO/ Saltwater mixing will setup like. Update - The sink is in. No water as of yet, because the utility sink kit that Home Depot sells comes with water supply lines that are WAY to short. Not sure about plumbing codes, but I would imagine that the height of the water lines is fairly consistent, if anything, I would imagine them being lower than where ours are...kind lame that they sell their kit with such short water supply lines...but it's in, and with an angle valve that is ready for my RO unit.
3. I need to get the garage resembling some sort of working garage. A path through all of the boxes to the table saw would probably be a start.
4. I guess I should order the tank"¦
Feedback, comments, suggestions, etc is always welcome. 10+ years ago I stumbled onto Reefcentral, and I read through every build thread I could get my eyeballs on. I learned a ton that way. Hopefully somebody can pick up a trick or two from my build that helps them be successful"¦or for that matter, hopefully somebody can prevent me from doing something stupid, and maybe I will still be learning stuff from this build thread. If there is one thing I have learned about this hobby, it's that when you start to think you've got it all figured out, your tank hits you will a curve ball that leaves you completely, and utterly confused.
And a little inspiration to leave things off for now. I am looking to have less rock in the display this go round, and am thinking of coral bommies
A Look Back
A little over a year ago, my wife and I made the decision to move into a new house, and I made the decision that I did not want to move my tank. Yeah, I know it's possible, I've moved tanks in the past, but I feel kinda the same about moving tanks as I do about having multiple tanks. I respect anybody that does it, but it's not for me. I knew it was going to be a challenge to sell my tank, or at least the livestock in my tank.
I knew I could sell frags"¦even good sized frags of a lot of my corals, but selling big colonies? And selling named pieces would be easy, but what about the more common stuff. I did not want to end up with a tank still up and running with picked over livestock. Huge thanks to Dan & Dan and Fishy Bizness (one of our LFS).
Fishy Biz had just opened at the time, and they just so happened to be looking for livestock to fill out their display tanks. I can't imagine what a disaster that would have been, adding a fully stocked 75g reef into the mix with our move.
This is literally the last picture I have of my old tank, taken the night before it was broken down:
A Look Forward
On to bigger and better things.
The tank will be a 155g DSA Pro (72x24x21) SPS dominate, but I have a few things in mind going into this setup.
1. Planning - Seems stupid, right? But my first tank I didn't know what I was doing. My second tank I planned for one thing, then changed direction after it was setup (always a challenge), and my last tank was setup in a bit of a rush AND I changed the entire direction of the tank after it was setup.
2. Efficiency - I am considering energy efficiency at every step. Now that my wife has seen the electric bill without a fish tank, she wants me to keep energy consumption to a minimum.
3. Ease of Maintenance -I know that the easier maintenance is, the more likely it will get done. I've had too many maintenance tasks in my past setups that "œweren't that bad." Short-term that works, but after several years they can become too easy to put off. 1 week becomes 2 weeks, which becomes a month"¦
4. Quiet- My last tank was pretty quiet. I had plenty of people (think reefer spouses/ girlfriends/ boyfriends) that came over to pick up frags/ check out the tank/ etc, and would comment on how quiet it was. But I think we can do better.
5. Diversity - My last couple of tanks have been very focused on SPS. The new tank will still be an SPS dominated tank, but I want to have a more well rounded reef tank, and I want to have a bigger fish population.
So here is the space I'm working with:
I know what most of my non-reefer friends think"¦that's where the TV goes. Thankfully, you guys being reefers know better.
The space is 92" long x 24" deep x 96" tall. It's in our main living space, so the stand has to look good, and everything needs to be fully contained in the stand. I've decided to put the lights in a canopy to try to limit the amount of light spilling into the room.
Sketchup
Not exactly something Earth-shattering, but this is the first time I have worked with Sketchup when planning out a tank. I highly recommend it. Now, I don't have the skills (or the pricey rendering software) to make it look as nice as some of the really skilled folks on RC. But the ability to see the 3D model, build it out and think it through"¦invaluable.
Here's what the basic layout will be.
There are a lot of details that have not gone into the Sketchup model because...frankly, I'm not that skilled with the software, and I just don't have the time to devote to it. A lot of the tank setup I am plenty comfortable with, so I left it out (like plumbing for example).
I have been planning on using 2x4s for the frame. Should I go to 2x6s on the top and bottom? Increase in cost would be minimal, but the overbuild factor would probably increase.
I am debating making the right-hand door a little shorter. That will be where I put my electrical panel. I think I want to mount the controller head unit on the face of the stand, and then leave the top open of additional controllers.
Equipment
Lights "“ 3x AI Hydra52s controlled by an AI director.
Skimmer "“ ATB 840 v2
Flow "“ Maxspect Riptide
Return "“ Oceanrunner 3500
Sump "“ 40g Breeder
ATO "“ I have a dual float setup from autotopoff.com"¦may look into something new here.
Dosing "“ 2x 1.1 ml BRS dosing pumps
I sold off my Vortech when I broke down my tank. I wanted something quieter. Now I have sold off my Tunze setup. I am all in on the Riptide, which is a little nerve-racking since it hasn't even officially launched. But I think the idea and the design is sound. The focus is always on volume, but the Riptide takes the next step in addressing velocity. Fingers crossed it is ready for primetime when it's released, and fingers crossed it's released around the time it is expected to be.
I am open to suggestions on my ATO setup.
I am also open to suggestions on thoughts about my sump size.
My Reef To-do list:
1. We need to lay the tile. To be clear, when I say "œwe need to lay the tile" what I mean is "œwe need to slap down the Discover card and get someone that knows what the hell they're doing to lay 700sgft of wood-look tile." Tile guy is scheduled for the last week of August.
2. I need to install the sink in the laundry room. Debating form over function. A simple utility sink will be more cost effective, but a sink with a vanity may make my wife happier in the long run. Once the sink is in place I can setup my RO unit, and start to think about what my RO/ Saltwater mixing will setup like. Update - The sink is in. No water as of yet, because the utility sink kit that Home Depot sells comes with water supply lines that are WAY to short. Not sure about plumbing codes, but I would imagine that the height of the water lines is fairly consistent, if anything, I would imagine them being lower than where ours are...kind lame that they sell their kit with such short water supply lines...but it's in, and with an angle valve that is ready for my RO unit.
3. I need to get the garage resembling some sort of working garage. A path through all of the boxes to the table saw would probably be a start.
4. I guess I should order the tank"¦
Feedback, comments, suggestions, etc is always welcome. 10+ years ago I stumbled onto Reefcentral, and I read through every build thread I could get my eyeballs on. I learned a ton that way. Hopefully somebody can pick up a trick or two from my build that helps them be successful"¦or for that matter, hopefully somebody can prevent me from doing something stupid, and maybe I will still be learning stuff from this build thread. If there is one thing I have learned about this hobby, it's that when you start to think you've got it all figured out, your tank hits you will a curve ball that leaves you completely, and utterly confused.
And a little inspiration to leave things off for now. I am looking to have less rock in the display this go round, and am thinking of coral bommies
