120g build...after disaster stikes

[Steve B]

I am in the process of changing from a 50g with a 20g sump to a 120g and 40g sump...for anyone who has had to do a swap you know this isnt easy in a established tank....many fish and lots of corals have to make the not so easy move...

it all started when i noticed a crack all the way accross the front of the 20g sump...and then 2 days later a crack on the 50g...this was truelly depressing...but i always go big or go home so i talked the wife into letting me do a 120...so this weekend after ordering tons of stuff (new skimmer, 120g, 40g, tons of dry rock and much more) we have started the tranfer...

we started building the stand a while ago...and it couldnt have turned out any better (thanks to my genius brother inlaw) and the we are making the sump in a new configuration than the last one, should work pretty good.

so at the moment i have 5 bins full of all my stuff this was hard as i needed heaters and pumps for each bin and since my rock is still circulating it might be a while
2 30g bins full of rock old and new (might be a while though because my tests showed nitrite levels way off my chart)
1 15g bin full of old sand with fresh water to kill all old bacteria
1 20g full of fish
1 15g full of corals

the stand after a bunch of bondo and primer and some very special weather paint

the refugium

the clutter

thanks for reading and looking ill be sure to post more pics as we progress

 

[DolphinLVR]

Wow! Cant wait to see how things progress.

 

[Myteemouse]

are you putting the skimmer after the fuge??
I think you should put skimmer before the fuge..?
The rest looks Awesome

 

[alki]

Hahha awesome post. I like how you labelled the fireplace!!

Also I will be moving soon and I will be doing the same exact thing. Not sure what size, but somthing bigger than my 45.

Keep it up!

 

[alki]

He has water coming into both sides. One through the fuge and one to the skimer part.

I have mine kinda like that and it works good.

Actually mine is exactly like that just reverse. Great minds think alike

 

[Steve B]

Oops...too late haha...decided to do a different setup this time I've heard if u have a good refugium it can clean the water way better than any skimmer ever could so I figured put it
first...plus I am seeding the main tank with 4 types if pods 2 weeks before I put corals and fish in so I am not relying on the sump for that...any other reason it should have been reversed

Thanks

 

[Steve B]

just got the RO/DI today 5 stage from bulk reef supply and the gfo/carbon reactor

sump all fiished

tank in its resting spot

 

[Steve B]

 

[alki]

So how did you manage the whole fish/coral part? Did you just have them in the rubbermaid until the tank was ready? Did you reuse the water?

I will be moving soon (house) and trying to move all the stuff from my 50gal into something bigger. I figure if I have to move everything anyway might as well have more room, so I am looking for tips advice on the best way to go about it.

 

[seagem]

How about a picture of your sump in operation?

 

[Steve B]

So how did you manage the whole fish/coral part? Did you just have them in the rubbermaid until the tank was ready? Did you reuse the water?

I will be moving soon (house) and trying to move all the stuff from my 50gal into something bigger. I figure if I have to move everything anyway might as well have more room, so I am looking for tips advice on the best way to go about it.

i used 6 huge tubs...1 for fish 2 for corals (both had to be under lights and heaters and pumps) 2 33g for rock with pumps, and 1 for sand

i used the ro/di to make most of the water and then i also reused most of the water in the tubs with the fish and coral in it and when i did the final move it was just a long slow acclimation period i just took 1 bucket (fish or coral) and drip acclimated the whole thing

good luck and thanks for asking

 

[Steve B]

How about a picture of your sump in operation?

It's not quite finished just need to use some more PVC instead of hose...and tidy up sone wires and things and ten rearrange the rock to make it look good

 

[fatboyt123]

I like how you set up the fuge part kind almost Bonsai.

 

[TJL]

There is always a shiny side

Hey Steve,

Great job and the 120 is lookin good. ? Did you hard plumb the ro/di into sump with a manual switch or auto top-off on timer or float switch?

I to just did the tank swap over holidays from a 50g w/ 20 sump to a 75g w/ 40 sump w/ Iwaki 40 using Miracle Mud & NO skimmer. Now have lots of room in sump w/ less noise & heat. HEAT I believe was the cause of my 50's demise " 94* in tank temp, after are summer heatwave my 5+ yr old 50g acrylic started coming apart at the seams. I have had and sold acrylic aquariums for 25+ yrs and never had this happen before.

The Miracle Mud seems to be working fine so far with just alittle macro-algae and have had only a slight cylcle. I also added 20lbs of live sand & 20lbs of new cured LR.

Good Luck and keep us posted

Todd

 

[Steve B]

Interesting Im thinking bout using mud do u prefer it?

Te ro/di will be plunmed this month...inside the cabinet to the left of the tank...it will fill a bucket inside and have an ATO on the bucket and the a tiny pump to go from cabinet to sump with an ato on that aswell the ro/di will be attached to the water heater not hot though and the te waste line goes to my washing machine...

 

[TJL]

Miracle Mud

Yes I would have to give it a thumbs up!

Its been just about 2 weeks and everything is doing really well. The Xenias, Sarcophytons, Gorgonians, Favia & Acros etc.. have great polyp extension for enduring a fairly rough couple of days during breakdown & setup. I pulled an all-nighter to get it done and to acclimate the fish and corals (separate holding tanks) with 105 gallons of new saltwater bought from Denny's I just transferred pitchers of holding water 1.024 to main then replaced with new water 1.022 until close.
I will be adding atleast another 10lbs of Mud in near future as fuge area of sump is much larger than originally planned for. May put frag rack in there?

Also love NOT HAVING TO SERVICE SKIMMER, BUT TIME WILL TELL AS ALWAYS

Todd

 

[Steve B]

I will definetly be checking that out then

 

[roscoe]

You guys don't run a skimmer? Awsome tank by the way. The 120 dimensions is nice!

 

[TJL]

Just recently, after 15yrs of maintaining one I am taking another step in reefkeeping. I have read about Miracle Mud for about 5-6 yrs and everyone who has gone that route seems to be very happy with outcome. As I said time will tell but initially it meets all my expectations. Will keep posting on subject.

Todd

 

[Steve B]

i do run a skimmer (reef octopus extreme) but i am interested in using mud also not eliminating the skimmer


thanks for the complement...it was my best decision thus far...looks amazing and the 24" width make the tank just seem so massive...so much room to aquascape