EZ's Solana XL

[ezcompany]

Hey everyone
After multiple mishaps and delays, I'm finally ready for take off with the tank. Since it will be primarily SPS dominated I figured I'd post and keep a log of it in the SPS Keepers thread.

Tank Information:
Current USA Solana XL 60 (24x24x24)
3 low iron viewing panes

Total System Volume including sump: approximately 75 gallons

Lighting:
Current USA Outer Orbit 250 MH with Phoenix bulb

This is how the tank looked like in the beginning.
http://i35.*******.com/2a76978.jpg

Just picked this up, will probably be the only new major purchase for the tank as the back panels are glass, and having 3-4 nanostreams and koralias make it look very unsightly. One mp40 should do the trick for the entire tank hopefully.
http://i43.*******.com/23vkrp0.jpg

Goal of the tank is to be cost effective and old school. Not to be fancy schmancy as a hobby should not be something you cannot enjoy if you can't pour buckets of money into it. Most corals will be my old corals, and to grow them into large colonies will be the primary objective.

I still don't know what to do in regards to dosing. I sure don't want to spend 5 bills on a LMIII, is there a cheaper reliable solution?

[Amphiprion]

They aren't quite as convenient, IME, but the BRS dosing pumps seem to be a good option and many folks seem to like them.

[cham]

Nice tank. The Vortech should work great.

I've had really good luck with the Aquamedic twin doser. I've used two different ones on two seperate systems with no issues. You just can't put a lot of head pressure on them.

I'd also ditch the chiller for fans. A much better alternative for the budget reef or any reef for that matter.

[Nanook]

Looks like a sweet setup:thumbsup:

[divewsharks]

the BRS dosers work like a champ, and there is also this one: 'tiny url .com/yfa5t56'
This would be more convenient if you don't have or want to get a controller for the BRS dosers (which can be ran off of simple analog timers -- but not elegant at all)

[ezcompany]

Thanks for the inputs on the dosing guys, much appreciated.
So put the filter sock in the wash, ran it with only bleach, and ran it one more time with just water to rinse.
Is this fine? I'm worried that the washing machine may rip it up too much.

[s2k]

Jin - check out bubblemagnus dosers that just recently came out to the market. The main unit comes with 3 pumps. I am using the litermeter for my setup and it works great, but like you mentioned before it's on the high side. Good thing is that the litermeter comes with a 5 year warranty.

[scrapz]

Thanks for the inputs on the dosing guys, much appreciated.
So put the filter sock in the wash, ran it with only bleach, and ran it one more time with just water to rinse.
Is this fine? I'm worried that the washing machine may rip it up too much.

turn inside out, gentle cycle, bleach, double rinse. hang dry for 2 days.

[ezcompany]

oh drat, i placed it in the strongest wash lol
s2k- i'll check out those dosers for sure. got a link?
i'm going to try and post some pictures tonight of the tank it its current condition.

[divewsharks]

i posted a link up above, its: www. tiny url .com/yfa5t56 -- just combine everything

[ezcompany]

looks like a decent pump. are there any other distributors other than the manufacturer?

[ezcompany]

Update:

Tank has had fish for 2 weeks now.
Stock so far is:

Baby Yellow Tang
Sunburst Anthia
6 Apagons
1 True Percula

All fish are new except for the Sunburst. They have been doing very well

http://i41.*******.com/a2y7ba.jpg
http://i43.*******.com/20k574p.jpg
http://i44.*******.com/2elgqyg.jpg

This is the FTS
Rock hasn't been arranged at all, just dead rock seeded with one live rock. Barely any life on there. Waiting to pick up my main rocks from my friend.

http://i42.*******.com/2hyuzqp.jpg

Sump shot

http://i40.*******.com/2q2e2zc.jpg

Skimmer: H&S something
Return Pump: I think its a Quiet one...
Top Off: Tunze Osmolator
Control: Reefkeeper 2
Aquaclear HOB runs carbon and gfo
Heater: Rena (marineland stealth blew up and cracked sump)

Water Test as of today:

Calcium 400ppm
Alk 8dkh
Magnesium 900ppm fail.

[NVTE]

Really clean look Jin.
Love those Blue Eye Cardinal and Sunburst Anthias.

[E.intheC]

Looks very nice, with definite potential.
You were right about the return pump; it's a quiet one. ;)

[ezcompany]

Just got back my corals from a friend, thanks a lot scrapz!
Corals have been hard hit with dips from AEFW in the tank, so pretty much browned out at the moment. This is going to take awhile!!!!

[one8thscale]

Nice to see that it's up and running.

[Uncle Luke]

This is gonna be a special build...

[Felix1021]

looks good man
glad u got this project goin'
f.

[ezcompany]

Thanks guys.
my friend unloaded a bunch of corals with me last night. no sps all favias of some sort though. i have no idea what to do with them -_-

[scrapz]

Thanks guys.
my friend unloaded a bunch of corals with me last night. no sps all favias of some sort though. i have no idea what to do with them -_-

bring em over here:wave:

[saltygeek]

Any updates?

[scrapz]

hows the tank coming along?