Tour of my 600gal reef system(aka the puddle)
- Thread starter tmz
- Start date
Aquarist007
New member
Wow--what an accomplishment. Time to start paying tours--help to defer the costs of electricity.
would love to see the basement sump/refugium setup
Time for an installment. First for fun a couple of pictures of Forcipiger longirostris(Big long nosed butterfly) hunting at night. It's tough being a worm or pod in that tank.
Tonight I'll show some shots of the basement setup where almost all of the support all tanks fuges and equipment are. the support stuff is in several locations and most of it runs along a 15 foot wall so it was impossible to get it in one shot.
I use a seachem ro unit, to which I have added two di canisters in line. When I was new at this I purchased the 200gpd seachem unit but have since scaled it back to a 90 gpd, using only one membrane and a 90g flow restrictor instead of two. I still use the dual carbon filters though.The two di canisters are add ons.
Next is an ro jug which enables me to take the water up to the kitchen sink for use there if I wan't it.
The ro/di runs across the basement to a rubbermaid brute with a float valve for shut off, so I always have 30 gallons plus the 3 gallon jug on hand. The second brute is a still resevoir for limewater(kalk) and the smaller 16g sterlite bin is where I keep mixed aerated salt water. I do small frequent water changes so the 16g seems an optimal size for my habits
Tonight I'll show some shots of the basement setup where almost all of the support all tanks fuges and equipment are. the support stuff is in several locations and most of it runs along a 15 foot wall so it was impossible to get it in one shot.
I use a seachem ro unit, to which I have added two di canisters in line. When I was new at this I purchased the 200gpd seachem unit but have since scaled it back to a 90 gpd, using only one membrane and a 90g flow restrictor instead of two. I still use the dual carbon filters though.The two di canisters are add ons.
Next is an ro jug which enables me to take the water up to the kitchen sink for use there if I wan't it.
The ro/di runs across the basement to a rubbermaid brute with a float valve for shut off, so I always have 30 gallons plus the 3 gallon jug on hand. The second brute is a still resevoir for limewater(kalk) and the smaller 16g sterlite bin is where I keep mixed aerated salt water. I do small frequent water changes so the 16g seems an optimal size for my habits
Brent Thomann
New member
looking good, need to make it over again.
Tom has some VERY nice corals, pictures don't do justice!
Tom has some VERY nice corals, pictures don't do justice!
Conesus_Kid
Premium Member
Looking great, Tom!
Could you tell me about the butterfly's diet? Does it take frozen or pellets? I'm guessing from the looks of its snout that it's adapted to pick off the rocks.
Thanks!
Could you tell me about the butterfly's diet? Does it take frozen or pellets? I'm guessing from the looks of its snout that it's adapted to pick off the rocks.
Thanks!
Hi Scott, There are two types of long nosed butterfly. The Forcipiger flavissimus(long nosed butterflyfish, is relatively easy to feed and keep but it will eat corals. The Forcipiger longirostris(Big long nosed butterfly) which is what I have has a much longer snout and a tiny mout. It is considered excellent for a reef tank and mine has not bothered a coral in the 18 months I've had it. It is notoriuosly difficult to feed. I may have been lucky to get one that eats readily. Ifeed 2x per day with a mix of mysis,brine,bloodworm and cyclopeeze. Additionaly I feed prime reef flake, spirulina flake and nori to all of my fish.
Before tonight's installment ,a bit of discussion on ro/di.
One issue some may not be aware of is tds(total dissolved solids) creep. When the unit is not flowing some water may pass through the membrane and carry some solids with it. When flow to the unit is started a bit of these solids are in the output leading to higher tds. It is therefore a good idea not to run a constant on off mode but rather to run larger amounts of water( several gallons at a time).
Many run sucessfull tanks without a di add on. You will probably see tds in single digits which is very workable. However, phosphate and silicate may be the majority of this small amount. So, in fine tuning for sps corals, I decided to add a di. Then I found out that if the resin exhausts before you change it,the first thing to be released by the resin is phosphate and silicate . This is why I added a second di canister and a tds meter between them. So if the first exhausts, I move the second up in line and refill one canister and put it last. It doesn't take any more resin to do this just a second canister.
TDS can be measured with a tds meter,either in line or a hand held portable. The later can be had for about $20. I test tds every 2 weeks along with other parameter tests.
One issue some may not be aware of is tds(total dissolved solids) creep. When the unit is not flowing some water may pass through the membrane and carry some solids with it. When flow to the unit is started a bit of these solids are in the output leading to higher tds. It is therefore a good idea not to run a constant on off mode but rather to run larger amounts of water( several gallons at a time).
Many run sucessfull tanks without a di add on. You will probably see tds in single digits which is very workable. However, phosphate and silicate may be the majority of this small amount. So, in fine tuning for sps corals, I decided to add a di. Then I found out that if the resin exhausts before you change it,the first thing to be released by the resin is phosphate and silicate . This is why I added a second di canister and a tds meter between them. So if the first exhausts, I move the second up in line and refill one canister and put it last. It doesn't take any more resin to do this just a second canister.
TDS can be measured with a tds meter,either in line or a hand held portable. The later can be had for about $20. I test tds every 2 weeks along with other parameter tests.
Now for a conitnued tour of the basement set up. But first a few full display tank shots for fun.
This is the 89 gallon, the newest tank
On to the basement
Full length shot, best I can get
This is the litermeter 3 which I use as a dosing pump for limewater as top off. I fill the rubbermaid can with water from the ro/di water barrel manually every 5 to 7 days,add kalk powder and stir with a length of pvc pipe. The liter meter provides a set amount of this mixture to the display in little squirts spread over a 24 hour period. If I choose to just dose the kalk at night I can easily employ a timer and adjust the dosing amount.
Incidentally, there is no need to stir more frequently. Limewater in a covered still resevoir will retain it's strength for well over a week
On the other end of the system I employ a calcium reactor for additonal calcium and alkalinity.
Both the dissolved calcium carbonate and the calcium hydroxide from the limewater resevoir are balanced in the proper proprtions in terms of alkalinity and calcium.I never need to use calcium chloride and buffer anymore but could if I needed to tune it up some.
The calcium reactor effluent has a ph of 6.7 and contains CO2. The llimewater has a ph of 12.4 and takes up CO2. Using the 2 together I am able to maintain ph at a morning low of 8.28 and an evening high of 8.38. Akalinity is a steady 11.2 with about 520ppm calcium.
This is the 89 gallon, the newest tank
On to the basement
Full length shot, best I can get
This is the litermeter 3 which I use as a dosing pump for limewater as top off. I fill the rubbermaid can with water from the ro/di water barrel manually every 5 to 7 days,add kalk powder and stir with a length of pvc pipe. The liter meter provides a set amount of this mixture to the display in little squirts spread over a 24 hour period. If I choose to just dose the kalk at night I can easily employ a timer and adjust the dosing amount.
Incidentally, there is no need to stir more frequently. Limewater in a covered still resevoir will retain it's strength for well over a week
On the other end of the system I employ a calcium reactor for additonal calcium and alkalinity.
Both the dissolved calcium carbonate and the calcium hydroxide from the limewater resevoir are balanced in the proper proprtions in terms of alkalinity and calcium.I never need to use calcium chloride and buffer anymore but could if I needed to tune it up some.
The calcium reactor effluent has a ph of 6.7 and contains CO2. The llimewater has a ph of 12.4 and takes up CO2. Using the 2 together I am able to maintain ph at a morning low of 8.28 and an evening high of 8.38. Akalinity is a steady 11.2 with about 520ppm calcium.
Gary Majchrzak
Team RC
I need to get over there someday 
S Helinski
Active member
Tom, it looks amazing! I still haven't gotten a chance to see it in person though... 
Steve
Steve
oceanparadise1
In Memoriam
wow congrats on an AWSOME set up tom!
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13497285#post13497285 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Gary Majchrzak
I need to get over there someday
It would be nice if we were closer.I'd love to seee you set up too and just talk things over. PS I still have that yellow sponge.
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13497661#post13497661 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by S Helinski
Tom, it looks amazing! I still haven't gotten a chance to see it in person though...
Steve
Steve any time. Some of the frags I got from you are doing real well as colonies. Come visit them.
oceanparadise1
In Memoriam
np tom! i hope one day my tanks look like that!
TIme for an update.
Just a further word on Calcium and alkalinity dosing. I forgot to mention the importance of magnesium. I test for it every 2months and maintain about 1400ppm. As many of you know it is important since corals and coraline and other organisms use it in calcification along with calcium and carbonate/bicarbonate. Magnesium also discourages calcium carbonate precipitation by attaching to a forming calcium carbonate crystal and in so diong stopping other calcium ions from attaching to it. I this way it helps to maintain high calcium levels by keeping calcium at higher levels in a dissolved state.
By the way please feel free to ask any questions you may have or to offer constructive discussion as we move along.
Next will be filtration but before that a few shots of the 90gallon sps tank. This is my first tank and has been up over 6 years. I ran it for two with a canister filter before getting the sump set up in the basement going.Hauled two gallons of water a day back and forth for daily water changes.I was able too switch it over to the new system without taking it down. Some of the fish are newbie cycling errors that made it through.
Just a further word on Calcium and alkalinity dosing. I forgot to mention the importance of magnesium. I test for it every 2months and maintain about 1400ppm. As many of you know it is important since corals and coraline and other organisms use it in calcification along with calcium and carbonate/bicarbonate. Magnesium also discourages calcium carbonate precipitation by attaching to a forming calcium carbonate crystal and in so diong stopping other calcium ions from attaching to it. I this way it helps to maintain high calcium levels by keeping calcium at higher levels in a dissolved state.
By the way please feel free to ask any questions you may have or to offer constructive discussion as we move along.
Next will be filtration but before that a few shots of the 90gallon sps tank. This is my first tank and has been up over 6 years. I ran it for two with a canister filter before getting the sump set up in the basement going.Hauled two gallons of water a day back and forth for daily water changes.I was able too switch it over to the new system without taking it down. Some of the fish are newbie cycling errors that made it through.
Biofiltration
There is plenty of live rock in the system probably near the 1 lb per gallon mark.
The 90 gallon has a deep sand bed which is stirred pretty well by some large nassarius snails,cerith snails and a large 6 year old Alpheus sp. ([pistol shrimp). A Holothuria thomasi (tiger tail cucumber cleans it. I help by puffing up the expsoed aresa every few days with a turkey baster.
The other tanks ae bare bottom or have shallow beds of oolictic sand mainly for fish that need it and aesthetics.
There are 4 refugia :
A 20gallon with gracillaria and chaetomorpha,bare bottom.
A 30g with chaetomorpha ,gracilleria and some live rock.
A 44 gallon unlit with live rock rubble
A 50 gallon with live rock kept dark for sponges etc.
There is plenty of live rock in the system probably near the 1 lb per gallon mark.
The 90 gallon has a deep sand bed which is stirred pretty well by some large nassarius snails,cerith snails and a large 6 year old Alpheus sp. ([pistol shrimp). A Holothuria thomasi (tiger tail cucumber cleans it. I help by puffing up the expsoed aresa every few days with a turkey baster.
The other tanks ae bare bottom or have shallow beds of oolictic sand mainly for fish that need it and aesthetics.
There are 4 refugia :
A 20gallon with gracillaria and chaetomorpha,bare bottom.
A 30g with chaetomorpha ,gracilleria and some live rock.
A 44 gallon unlit with live rock rubble
A 50 gallon with live rock kept dark for sponges etc.
Similar threads
