Norwegian 52G mixed reef

[alexjoha]

Hi,
This tread will be off our 210L mixed reef tank.

The tank was started in January 2015 and was planned to be kept as simple as possible.. That didn’t work so now I`m try to automate everything on the tank since I work offshore and I am away for 2-3 weeks at a time..

Aquarium
210 liters glass aquarium with overflow to sump

Circulation
VorTech MP10wES
VorTech MP40QD

Filtration
Deltec SC 1455
LS: 15kg
Deltec FR 509 - Using Rowaphos and seachem matrix carbon
18cm Filtersock 200 micron
Green killing macine UV 24W

Lighting
Ecotech Radion XR30w PRO G3

Other equipment
Smart ATO
Avast skimmer neck cleaner

Computer
1 x Neptune Apex base unit lab grade
3 x Apex Power bar
1 x ALD Advanced leak detection
2 x ALD-P2 leak prob
1 x WXM ecotech modul
1 x AFS Automatic feeder
2 x I/O break out box
1 x PM2 salinity modul

Fish
2 x Amphiprion Ocellaris - "Nemo"
1 x Nemateleotris decora - Firefish, Purple
1 x Cryptocentrus cinctus - Yellow Prawn Goby
1 x Acanthurus achilles - Achilles Tang
1 x Zebrasoma flavescens - Yellow Tang
1 x Salaris fasciatus - Lawn mower blenny
1 x Gobiodon okinawae - Clown Goby
1 x Labroides dimidatus - Cleaner Wrasse

Cleaning crew
4 x Nassarius distortus - Super Tongan Nassarius Snail
15 x Trochus sp - Banded Trochus Snail
2 x Turbo sp -Zebra Turbo Snai
1 x Astropecten polycanthus - Sand Sifting Sea Star

Corals
comming...

[alexjoha]

I hadn’t planned to buy a reef tank this early but i got a good price from my LFS on a tank that looked great..

I will start at the beginning and work my way forward to how the tank and system looks today with pictures and text.

This is the tank after one month with just 2 clowns fish.

[homer1475]

While your intentions are admired, your tank build is to big to be in the nano section. We are limited to 34gallons to fit into the nano category.

...And I'm sure someone will bang you on your choice in fish. Those tangs require a much larger tank.

[alexjoha]

After 2 months of having the tank up and running the algae started to decrease a bit but it’s still a lot of it in the tank.. So I decided that I would need to get a GFO reactor.

Until now I have only had a skimmer and heater running on the tank and no filter sock or other form for mechanical filtration.

[alexjoha]

While your intentions are admired, your tank build is to big to be in the nano section. We are limited to 34gallons to fit into the nano category.

...And I'm sure someone will bang you on your choice in fish. Those tangs require a much larger tank.

But it`s too small to be in the large reef section so where do you propose I put it?

I know the tangs will get to large for the tank that they are in atm.. but they are juvenile now and a new tank is in the planning.. Just wanted to document this one.

[alexjoha]

Month number 3 I added a Deltech FR 509 reactor.
I`m running RowaPhos and Seachem matrix carbon is this reactor.
I also added a Seachem matrix reactor to my system.

The ATO reservoir I had been using was a bit small so that got upgraded and put in to a bench that I found at the local shop.

[alexjoha]

Month 3-4
I finally got the new light for the tank it`s a Ecotech radion XR30W Pro G3.
And the skimmer got upgraded from a bubble king nac6 to a Deltec SC 1455
The Deltec is doing a great job and was a nice upgrade for my tank.

[alexjoha]

Month 5

My Ro system was getting a bit too small and I wanted a new one so why not install it permanently.

I mounted a splitter on the water outlet with valves for the washer and the RO system.

And I added a plastic fitting to the drain system for the waste water to go.

[homer1475]

But it`s too small to be in the large reef section so where do you propose I put it?

I'm just stating the rules, so if the thread gets moved, you'll know why.

[alexjoha]

Month 6
I found a guy selling off his Neptune Apex system and I got it for a reasonable price
The things that was included in the package from him was:

1 x Neptune Apex base unit lab grade
3 x Apex Power bar
1 x ALD Advanced leak detection
2 x ALD-P2 leak prob
1 x AWM AI modul
1 x AFS Automatic feeder
2 x I/O break out box
1 x PM2 salinity modul

[alexjoha]

I'm just stating the rules, so if the thread gets moved, you'll know why.

Thank`s for the tip :hmm5: sorry if i sounded angry i`m not :hmm5:

(How do you get a normal smiley?)

[alexjoha]

Apex install

I got a cabinet from IKEA and started mounting my APEX, It`s hard to get the wires looking nice..
I need to get me some cable management rails or something…

[alexjoha]

ATO reservoir upgrade

I needed a bigger ATO reservoir because I’m away for 2-3 weeks at a time so I installed a 12.5 gallon tank with LSL and LSLL switches in it..
The LSLL switch will turn off the Smart ATO then sound the local alarm horn and trigger a mail alert to both me and my GF

[alexjoha]

Skimmer overflow float switch

The deltec skimmer had already pre drilled holes that fit perfectly for my float switches so the install was quite easy.

If the level in my skimmer cup gets too high my skimmer will shut off and send me an email alert.
Nice thing to have on the skimmer so that it doesn’t overflow on the floor.

[alexjoha]

It took a few days for the remaining parts for my APEX build to come inn,
but it was nice to have a deltec grounding probe and the APEX probe holder installed in the tank..
I also got a few float switches and other stuff from ebay

[alexjoha]

Month 9

I needed something that would keep my skimmer neck clean so I ended up buying an AVAST marine skimmer neck cleaner for my system.
I programed it to turn on a few times a day using the APEX and it has worked out great. The performance of the skimmer is much better now.

[iced98lx]

But it`s too small to be in the large reef section so where do you propose I put it?

It goes in the Reef Discussion (http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=1) area.

Good looking build, keep updating!

[alexjoha]

It goes in the Reef Discussion (http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=1) area.

Good looking build, keep updating!

Thx! :) Ill try to keep it updated. If an admin sees this post could you pls move it inn to the correct area ? :)

[Misled]

Thread moved to the current forum :wave:

[iced98lx]

And here we are :) Jesse has it under control.

[alexjoha]

Month 10

I finally got the WXM module for my Ecotech gear! :D
I love this module and the lighting programming possibility’s it gives me..
Now I don`t need to connect my light to the computer anymore to do changes.
And I can control my pumps…

I have ordered a ecotech MP40QD so that I have 2 off them and don`t have to use the MP10 anymore…

but it hasn’t arrived yet… :(

(BTW conductivety prob isnt callibrated atm)

[alexjoha]

Month 11

After trying to manually dose my aquarium for a few months I have decided to start using balling+.
Because I’m so much away from the tank the manual dosing didn’t work for me.
I came home from a trip offshore and the KH was 4.5 and I had a lot of corals die one me… :(
So now I have added a Grotech NG 3 to the system… It’s still being calibrated.. But everything looks much better now.. And my KH,MG and CA is spot on… :D

Just hope everything is ok when I come back home from offshore.. :worried:

[alexjoha]

Thread moved to the current forum :wave:

Thx! :)

[alexjoha]

Fish selection

Before people react to the fish I have in my tank..
Especially the 2 tangs I have.. They are juvenile and I am planning a new tank build in the spring of 2016… :thumbsup:
The yellow tang has been in the tank for a while now and is still a small fish.. :fish1:
The tank Is tall and there is a lot off hiding places for both the Achilles tang and the Yellow tang.

The Achilles tang got added just a month ago after having him inn quarantine for a few weeks… :thumbsup:
My LFS doesn’t get to much rear fish inn and when they do you have to be there the same day and grab them because they get reserved the same day…

I live in Norway and the saltwater hobby isn’t too big over here yet… :)

Since the Achilles was a juvenile and relatively small I had to have it because I know I have a tank build planned for next yare…
and by that time the fish would be finished with its normalization to flake foods and the quarantine time…

I’ll put some pictures off the new tank plans with this post but that`s not what this tread is about..
And yes I know this tank will be 100 gallons and the Achilles will need a larger tank when fully grown up.
I already have a deal whit a local guy that has a 500 gallon tank.
He will get the fish when it gets too big for me and my new system

Hope I don’t come off as angry or anything I just wanted to explain :)

[alexjoha]

APEX lighting program for Radion 1/3

Thoth I would share my light program and schedule with you guys…
Would have been fun to see how you have your lights setup in APEX and if you have any suggestions or tips..

My setup comes from the Ecotech smart live program called “coral growth”

[alexjoha]

APEX lighting program for Radion 2/3

Had to make it into a few posts…

[alexjoha]

APEX lighting program for Radion 3/3

Had to make it into a few posts…

[alexjoha]

New project making my own stir plate for balling+ :lmao:

The project has cost me less than 20dollars and works great…
The parts are sourced from eBay and some parts is from stuff I had laying around

The plastic plate is a laptop table from Ikea that I had left over. :thumbsup:

[alexjoha]

And this is the finished project I wanted it to fit over my dosing pump.

New balling containers in place too.. 2 x Vertex 2.5L and one bubble magnus 1.5L local shop didn’t have 3 x Vertex 2.5L in atm..

I use the Neptune apex to run the stir plate for 5 min every hour. It works great :fun2:

Some problems with the dip that’s in the Vertex containers but a bigger stir magnet and this will be solved. :bigeyes:

[cypherljk]

I hadn’t planned to buy a reef tank this early but i got a good price from my LFS on a tank that looked great..

I will start at the beginning and work my way forward to how the tank and system looks today with pictures and text.

This is the tank after one month with just 2 clowns fish.

Why the foil in the 5th picture?

[alexjoha]

Why the foil in the 5th picture?

It`s for noise reduction.. it`s mats like the one in the picture under :)