Built in 145 gallon custom Acrylic build

[seattlereef]

I appreciate everyone on the board who has already been giving me advice and helping to move my project forward. Originally I was going to try and fit my sump/refugium underneath my display tank but due to size constraints and after talking to some people I've decided to place my sump/refugium in the garage inside of an insulated stand that I'm building myself.

• Display Tank: 145 gallon 61x22x25 Custom Acrylic.
  • One overflow 4x13 with main drain @ 1.5 and a backup 1" drain.
  • Custom Lexan cover to reduce evaporation + jumpers in display tank
• Sump: 55 Gallon 48x13x20
  • triple pane bubble baffles holding the protein skimamer.
• Refugium: 55 48x13x20 Gallon
  • Algae Turf Scrubber intake and HOB Overflow
• Display stand: I currently have built in base cabinets and bookshelves on top that I'm having modified to remove the bookshelves and reinforce the base cabinet to support the weight.
• Sump/Refugium Stand: 92x16x60 Tall plywood special with rigid foam insulation since it will be located in the garage.

Here's a diagram of the setup:



So a couple of questions I'm hoping for help with:
1) Given the display tank will have a cover do I need to worry about ventilating the display Cabinet due to moisture if I'm utilizing LED lighting so heat won't be an issue?
2) The sump/refugium will be ready a month before the display tank will be due to lead time on the display Cabinet build out what do you guys think of me starting my live rock/sand in the refugium and then finishing off the display once its ready? Do I need to feed live rock during this time?
3) Live Rock vs "Dead" Rock. I'm considering going with 90% dead rock because of pests and/or cost. What are your thoughts?

Thanks!

 

[Red C Aquarium]

I have a great local dead rock option, stop in check it out.

RED c

 

[Myteemouse]

I would go with a different size sump (width) because of the restrictions on the size of skimmer you can fit in there. MOST skimmers to skim a 150+ gallon system are wider than 12 inches!
Looking forward to seeing this set up!

o with ALL dead dry rock and cycle it properly so you have NO pests!! Starting off on the right foot

 

[eww]

I would go with a different size sump (width) because of the restrictions on the size of skimmer you can fit in there. MOST skimmers to skim a 150+ gallon system are wider than 12 inches!
Looking forward to seeing this set up!

o with ALL dead dry rock and cycle it properly so you have NO pests!! Starting off on the right foot

+1 to all of this. Great advise

 

[seattlereef]

Thanks for the feedback. Even though the sump tank is narrow since I don't have to worry about a refugium in there it can be as long as I need. I'm debating between the Reef Octopus 150 or 200 and even the larger 200 is 10.25x15.6 which provided I make the skimmer compartment long enough I should be able to fit it.

Anyone have any advice about getting the Rock and ATS cycling ahead of time?

If I decided to go with dead rock and go from scratch what do you use to seed it?

 

[Darthv247]

extra room is needed to get the skimmer in and out for maintenance too. wider sump will also hold more volume. if its an option go wider at least 18 or 20 inches

 

[seattlereef]

Its been awhile but I finally have a tank. First I need to thank Jason CFI for the beautiful tank and going above and beyond by #1 providing a reference to Wilson Remolding who did the cabinetry work, giving great advice on the tank design, coming by my home after hours to help me get the bulkheads installed and the tank on the stand! Rob at Wilson remodeling did a great building the stand he was always on time, his work was superb and estimates were on target. Finally everyone here on Reef frontiers for their advice and help!

The quality of the pic’s are camera phone quality when my wife’s done doing all the editing for her customers X-mas cards I’ll get her to snap some higher quality ones.

Overall tank install

Close up of Display Tank

Sump/Refugium in Bud Light Styrofoam Mode

Algae Turf Scrubber / Refugium

Sump

 

[seattlereef]

I'm running 100% base rock that I had been cycling in a pair of Brutes for the past month. Once I got everything up and running at temp etc water paramaters:
Salinity .25
Temp 78
PH : 8.0
Amonia 0
NO2 : 1
NO3 : 0
I just added the Cheato, Doesed with Dr Tims one and Only and a pair of Clown Fish. I'll keep the thread updated with how it goes.

 

[Somethings Fishy]

That is a sweet setup!

 

[Peppie]

Very very nice.
Your rock scape is awesome. You should be very proud.

 

[Krish]

Very nice! You have everything infront of you...Tank, TV and fire place. Can't go wrong there.

 

[trido]

Great looking set up! Sorry I couldn't help you out with it. My work has been crazy busy all fall and I still wouldn't have had time to fit you in to the schedule. I recognize your living room

 

[seattlereef]

Thanks for the complements all. Trido glad to hear business is still going well for you.

Tonights numbers
Salinity .24
Temp 78
PH : 8.0
Amonia 0
NO2 : 1
NO3 : 10

Still dialing in my ATO so I'm thinking thats the reason for the salinity drop, but not going to worry about since its still in range.

As I get time I'll update this thread with some of the things I learned.

Lesson #1) Yes it takes a long time to plan and build... Double what you think it will take and you'll be much closer.
Lesson #2) The Algae Turf Scrubber's really needs a stop at the oposite side of the water input. I just utilized a rubber stopper that I picked up from Tap that I cut a hole in the middle and super glued to the PVC. Otherwise you'll get dripping of the edge and it won't necesarrly end up in your sump... Might be a good idea not to run the pump all out when you first try it out... unless your into wet shirts in december in an unheated garage that is.

 

[seattlereef]

Things are going well. Amonia is holding steady at 0, NO2 around 1ppm and NO3 10-15ppm. Skimmer has broken in and is pulling junk out of the water.

The Diatom bloom setting in. I realize this is just a phase while the tank is cycling however the research I've done has shown a split between introducing a cleanup crew vs holding off and letting it run's its course. What have you guys done? One last question I'm not yet running my Phosphate or Carbon reactors at what point do you turn it on?

Lesson #3) Always buy extra PVC fittings while your at the store. You'll still never have everything you need but it will help. Plus at the end you get a little HD bonus when you return them.

 

[seattlereef]

Its been awhile thought I'd give an update. PH: 8.2, Ammonia : 0, NO2: 0, NO3: 0-5 (color is between 0 and 5).

I treated the water with Dr Tim's one and only and added a pair of clown fish. Good news is Dr Tims kept my params low. Bad news is the fish didn't make it. The first one ended up getting a scrape on its side that got infected. I left it too long hoping it would heal on its own before trying to dose with Melafix. The second one was eating well until the first one died so either as my wife thinks it missed its buddy or more likely the first one dieing caused a spike that my kits didn't detect and the second one stopped eating and eventually passed.

Second round of stocking was a pair of fancy white clown fish which are eating great and doing well. Added my cleanup crew of 15 Mexican Turbo Snails (aka Mexican mafia), 10 Cerith Snails, 5 Scarlet Hermit Crabs, 1 porcelain crab and 1 Fighting Couch. The porcelain crab is supper cool when we can spot him unfortunately he likes hiding and I've got a lot of hiding spots. Added a Naso Blonde Tang this weekend, she's still skittish but appears to be eating. Hard to tell since she likes hanging out behind my rock work. She's eating the flake food and torn up pieces of Nori. Currently she's ignoring the vegi clip but I'll keep trying. Was originally planning on putting her in my 12 Gallon QT tank but she was too big to fit so I'm doing a bit of unprotected reefing. At the same time I added a Green Elephant Skin Coral and Red Mushroom about 2 weeks ago and they are thriving especially the red mushroom.

Currently fighting a Red Slime Algae bloom. I think I should have enough flow with 1500gph pump (minus head loss) plus a pair of Tunze 6095's (500-2500 gph) I've repositioned the heads a couple of times but even areas that have the flow almost directly over it are still getting growth. I've started running both my Carbon and Phosphate reactors (BRS reactors) which haven't seemed to help much. I've also broke out the tooth brush which helps for about two days. I'm doing weekly 10%-15% water changes. Recently occurred to me that perhaps my refugium could be a partial cause to the problem so did a good siphon in there (which I was avoiding trying to get pods established) and added a pair of Hydor 1400's. Only thing left is over feeding, which I realize I'm doing but don't want to scale back on the feedings until the fish are well established. Was going to treat with a Red Slime treatment but that was before I added the tang so am taking a wait and see approach to see if the additional flow in the refugium will help.

I've also got both the good white flatworm and bad red flatworm in the refugium which I was going to treat with Flatworm Exit but given my addition of the Tang I'm holding the population in check with siphon and will treat in a week or two after she's established.

Lesson #4) Dry fitting PVC good... not taking it all apart before gluing = accidental / drip gluing + cutting and more pieces.