Sand Dollar's 125gal: the return

[Sand Dollar]

Hello everyone, old farts and new ones.

Sorry I have been away for quite a while, and how have I missed reefing...the smells, spills, slime and cracked hands. Actually the smell of the salt in the air again is kind of refreshing. I was a bit apprehensive about even starting a build thread just yet. The tank is not much to look at right now as it currently going through the diatom phase of initial set up.

Things were a little different this time around. Decided to use all dead rock and seed the tank with NITE-OUT II. The live rock seems to bring with it too many opportunities for nuisance alga and other pest to take hold. Since I'm old school I decided to stay with MH's. I will be trying a Radion G4 pro over a frag system though.

So, here we go again, finally.

I bought a used Keith Grandt tank that seems to have changed hands several times before finally being set-up again. Not sure how many people have owned this tank, but I think it changed hands at least 5x.

System specs:

*125 gallon (473L) 48x30x20 rimless glass starphire tank
*Synergy Sump SS-34
*Vertex Omega 180i skimmer
*Return pump-Vortech M1
*Finnex 800w Heater
*Tradewind 1/3 Hp chiller
*Temperature control with a Ranco Dual stage controller
*Internal flow-Vortech MPwQD x2.
*48" Giesemann Spectra with 2x250w Radiums and ATI Coral plus, and Blue plus T-5s.
*48" Build my LED Actinic
*Apex Neptune controlled and monitored.
*Neptune DOS x2 for Alk and Ca addition, as well as water changes.
*substrate: mix of grade #3 and #5 sand and added about 30lbs. of each.
*Rock: started with a mix of dead tonga branch(~50lbs.) and pukani(~15 lbs).
*Tunze 3155 Osmulator ATO.
*Salt: Tropic Marin Pro, Initial#s: 8.3 dKH, Ca 380, Mg 1080 Salifert.

Breaking in the skimmer and adding sand

the rock work

the ugly diatom phase

 

[Arkayology]

Nice build. I really like your choice in equipment. Are you planning to skin the stand or leave it open? What livestock are you planning to add?

 

[Sand Dollar]

Hey Matt,

Fish wise: Vlamngi, kole, and purple or yellow tangs. Radiant, orange back fairy and a lineatus fairy wrasse. A couple tailspot blennies. Some anthias, just don't know which one's yet. Diamond watchman goby to clean the sand bed. The list will probably change as time goes on. I really like the kole tang as a bristle tooth tang for keeping the rock and glass semi-clean. The radiant wrasse I like as a pest hunter.

Coral wise: Of course it will be sps dominant. My list is always changing. I plan on starting off with some cheap frags placed on the bottom to see how they do. Some of the new stuff out these days I'm not sure of. Since the advent of LEDs I have seen some crazy psychedelic color renditions. People are taking their pictures with filters and I'm unsure of what's real and what's been hyped up to sell or simply show off. Some of the vendor's I would like to try are RMF, JF, and Bigrcorals.

Here's a pic with the skins that came with the stand. For now I plan on leaving them off. I kinda like seeing the guts of the system.

 

[DaveRaz]

Looks great!

 

[coral102]

Will be following this thread. Awesome start.

 

[Sand Dollar]

Thanks Dave and Cary!

Here's a few pics from the old system. Just reminiscing. Getting kind of anxious for frags.

nostalgic pics: purple monster

Wild lokani

Cali tort

 

[purplereef]

Welcome back Rich. I missed having you in the hobby bud. I am guessing you are now a pharmacist? Nice start on the new tank. Dan

 

[bif24701]

Wow, really great build. Will be following its progression


Aaron

 

[reefmutt]

Oh yeah.. I'm not sure what I like better; the scape, the plumbing or the organized utility board.. Or the beautiful shots from your last system.
Doesn't matter... Love it all!
Looking forward to seeing your system take shape.

 

[Sand Dollar]

Thank you Dan, Aaron and Matt!

It feels good to be back. My tank has already claimed its first victim. I started with a small 2-3" naso tang to get some bio-load into the tank and it just would not eat. Tried nori, reef frenzy and brine shrimp. It would eat a little, but obviously not enough, and croaked. I thought about using damsels...for about 2 seconds. I can't stand the little *holes. Brings back bad memories of them biting my arm. It hurts! Anyway, replaced him with a tiny 2" vlamingi tang and this thing is a pig. I call him mr. bluelips...could be a miss though.

Thanks for your comment guys. Much appreciated. You all know its a labor of love with our tanks.

Matt, I have been watching your system as well and admire what you have accomplished. Colors, aquascape are quite amazing:thumbsup:

 

[bif24701]

Thank you Dan, Aaron and Matt!



It feels good to be back. My tank has already claimed its first victim. I started with a small 2-3" naso tang to get some bio-load into the tank and it just would not eat. Tried nori, reef frenzy and brine shrimp. It would eat a little, but obviously not enough, and croaked. I thought about using damsels...for about 2 seconds. I can't stand the little *holes. Brings back bad memories of them biting my arm. It hurts! Anyway, replaced him with a tiny 2" vlamingi tang and this thing is a pig. I call him mr. bluelips...could be a miss though.



Thanks for your comment guys. Much appreciated. You all know its a labor of love with our tanks.



Matt, I have been watching your system as well and admire what you have accomplished. Colors, aquascape are quite amazing:thumbsup:

Hate to hear that about the Naso, I really want a blonde. Hope I don't have the same problem


Aaron

 

[plyle02]

Wow,
Impressive setup and equipment, I love the look without the skins too, but I am afraid my wifey would not, either way it looks awesome! Look forward to seeing it get wet, and those corals were quite amazing, the PM and that lokani= WOW

 

[patekphilippe]

Impressive build

 

[C.Eymann]

Awesome looking build, looks like this is going to turn out nice !
Subscribed

 

[Sand Dollar]

Hey Aarron,

Not quite sure what did the little Naso in. It may have been the ammonia spike.

I really like the Blond Naso's also. It was the only tang that would eat dictyota spp. It's a y-branching algae and extremely invasive.

 

[Sand Dollar]

Thanks for the encouragement Perry, Corey and Patekphilippe.

 

[Sand Dollar]

Its been about 45 days since the start up, and the addition of the NITE-OUT II and approximately 30 days since the little Naso was added, which died. RIP:sad2:

Yesterday I added a Moorish Idol and a Blond Naso. Not too sure if adding the Moorish was a good idea. They can be finicky and may feed on coral polyps. I've seen others have success in reef systems with them...hopefully it works out. So far it is not feeding on reef frenzy or brine shrimp.

The tank is looking clearer. I think it is starting to break through the diatom phase. The skimmer is doing a great job at pulling a lot of stuff out. Also, added a few more rocks on the outer edges. Not sure it it's too much, but it does provide a little more cover for the fish.

I have no pods, phytoplankton or rotifers in the system since I did not start with live rock. Has anyone used any of the Coral Reefing Products line?

 

[bobssecrtsn]

this build sounds really interesting. the first few months are a tad slow but once it takes off you'll be thinking of an upgrade in a year! lol.


quick question regarding your sump. when power goes off your sump can support the water in the tank that gets below your return line bulk heads right? just a FIY that looks like alot of water in the tank!

 

[Sand Dollar]

"quick question regarding your sump. when power goes off your sump can support the just a FIY that looks like alot of water in the tank!water in the tank that gets below your return line bulk heads right?"

There is actually barely enough capacity for all the water once it drains down through all the plumbing. Yes, it is a concern of mine. If you take a look at the pic where I am adding the sand and look to the right of the sump, I have a battery back-up. This keeps the return pump running for about 2 hrs. Next on the list is either a back-up generator or larger APC unit.

Everyone keeps saying that i will outgrow the tank. I had a larger system before and will try to stay content with this for a while I hope. I also started a little frag/quarantine system for the overflow of growth I am hoping for.

 

[fishnerd]

Good looking setup Rich! you should showoff the QT setup too