The Mammoth Nano - An acropora reef

[Dugless]

Here are a few pictures of the sump that Royal Exclusive built for me. The first chamber pushes water through 3 filter socks. I know a lot of people hate these, but I find them valuable if using lower micron mesh and rinsing them every 4-5 days. I elected to go with a Bubble King Double Cone 180 with a DC controller. This should help me dial in the skimmer, but I really was buying based on everything I read about its quiet operation. Similarly I chose the Red Dragon 80w DC return pump and I had RE build a simple manifold to feed a media reactor. I typically run GFO and this would be utilized for that down the road. There is a second output on the manifold if needed later on. Everything is topped off with lids to retain moisture and protect components in the stand from any micro salt spray. They're a bit cumbersome if I'm being picky, but definitely worth the effort considering the mess I usually run into with salt creep and the noise it eliminates.

Overall the whole box is really well built out of thick PVC. I can attest to it's bulk as it took some care to wrestle into the stand. Here are some more pictures.

 

[Dugless]

There is finally some water hitting the tank! Always scary and just a little bit exciting. No major leaks other than some necessary bulkhead and union tightening. The overflow is quiet, but not near as silent as I was hoping for. I blame the undertow of the water caused by the MP60s pulling water through the Synergy weir into the exterior box. I will continue to make adjustments to dial in the water level within the exterior overflow box as the noise seems to be from the waterfall here.

The ATO container holds just under 12 gals and should give me about 10 days or so between fills depending on humidity. Not a large container, but it definitely fills as much of the space I had available. I enjoy the measurements on the front pane.

 

[DesertReefT4r]

:celeb2:
Its wet! Congrats on that mile stone. Personally I enjoy the design and build process as much as I enjoy growing corals. Your setup is so clean and well planned out. I love the organization in the stand. Some top quality equipment on this build and I will live vicariously through your thread. What rock are you planning on using for your reef?
....munching on that popcorn.

 

[Dugless]

What rock are you planning on using for your reef?

I have had 80 lbs of Real Reef rock soaking in a brute trash can since August. I've never started with dry/clean rock before, so I'm hoping this rock populates quickly with some diversity. I did like the idea of low pest risk, but I'm not sure how long it will delay sponge growth and the like. I've noticed coral health and sponge health seem to go hand in hand in the past.

 

[reeftanker3295]

What paint did you use on your stand and what kind of wood did you use to skin it? It's exactly what I'm looking to do.

 

[Dugless]

What paint did you use on your stand and what kind of wood did you use to skin it? It's exactly what I'm looking to do.

The stand frame was constructed with pine 1xs, then skinned with a mix of poplar 1xs and maple plywood. The paint was simply a water based gloss. I don't think oil based paint is necessary if you're keeping the interior dry. I do recommend priming before paint for the best results, as much as I hate doing so.

 

[DesertReefT4r]

I have had 80 lbs of Real Reef rock soaking in a brute trash can since August. I've never started with dry/clean rock before, so I'm hoping this rock populates quickly with some diversity. I did like the idea of low pest risk, but I'm not sure how long it will delay sponge growth and the like. I've noticed coral health and sponge health seem to go hand in hand in the past.

I will be doing the same thing as for as using dry rock. It will be a first for me as well and I hope it seeds fast. I had some large sponges under my rock in my last tank. Any pics of your soaking rock? How is it coming along?

 

[solitude127]

amazing looking build. I love the quality of the RE stuff.

 

[GT350pwns]

Following! sharp build

 

[rocklobster1]

Looks awesome!

 

[Dugless]

Well, the last few weeks have been a bit of a rollercoaster ride. I thought I would get a jumpstart on seeding some copepods, something I'd never done before. In my mind the rock is low on diversity as its man made and I plan on stocking plenty of wrasses that would benefit from this food source. Just hours after adding the bottle, the tank was covered in a dusting of diatoms, bacterial film and small tufts of algae. The next day my water was cloudy with free floating bacteria as well. That will be the last time I add copepods again...

Everything I read said to wait it out and things would balance and take care of itself. However, almost a week later things were worse off if not the same. I decided to take things into my own hands and I scooped up my first UV sterilizer and employed some water changes. Just this morning the tank is finally clear enough to post a decent picture. And thankfully I'm seeing some pod activity, so it wasn't a total waste.

 

[cprdnick]

What am I seeing on the upper rear of your stand? It looks like a warped or broken board or something.

 

[Dugless]

What am I seeing on the upper rear of your stand? It looks like a warped or broken board or something.

That is a loose piece I still have yet to install for wire management. It will be placed in between the middle joists on the wall end of the stand. I wanted to wait to install it after I had my drain lines in as not to impede them.

 

[cprdnick]

Oh, ok, so it's just a piece sitting there in the lip of the stand. My mind was forcing me to see something different.

 

[Dugless]

Yep, that could look scary now that you mentioned it.

 

[Dugless]

amazing looking build. I love the quality of the RE stuff.

Thanks! I'm impressed so far with the RE equipment. There is absolutely no salt creep. Thats my favorite part. I can't say the same about the Synergy exterior box unfortunately...

 

[Dugless]

Following! sharp build

Thanks for checking in!

 

[Dugless]

It's a rare occurrence to see the winter sun come out in my neck of the woods. Had to snap a picture. Enjoy!

 

[justletmein]

Really impressed with the under cabinet cleanliness and organization!

 

[Dugless]

Really impressed with the under cabinet cleanliness and organization!

Thanks! There are sooo many cords to deal with though.