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02/09/2009, 06:00 PM | #1 |
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My 65 gallon build log
Just getting this tank up and running, so I thought it would be a good time to start the thread.
A little background. My last tank was a 180 with a 90 gallon prop tank 40 gallon refugium and 70 gallon sump. I was spending all my time just keeping this thing topped off. It was time for something a little less intense. I tore down the 180, and sold off a lot of stuff. We moved into a different house a few months back, and were very pressed for room for a tank. After measuring, it was decided that I coupld go no more than 3ft. So the natural choice was a standard 65 gallon tank. 36"18"x24". I spent about 2 months planning, measuring, and preassembling this tank and its support systems, before any reall work was done. Once I had most of the peices and an idea for where things needed to be, I started by drill the tank.
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Trust me my friend, the names are not important at all. I've own hundreds of different zoas and palys and don't know the name of a single one. In my opinion, they are a waste of valuable time. Mucho Reef |
02/09/2009, 06:05 PM | #2 |
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Here you can see I have begun mocking up the plumbing.
Then I was able to locate the location for the closed loop intake. I went with Sch 80 plumbing for the clean proffesional look I feel it gives. All the valves are true union which will make things a bit easier in the long run. The tape around the bottom of the tank is to represent the sand bed. I had decided early one that I would run a DSB. With the limited space for a sump, I knew I would not have much ( turned out any) room for a refugium/algae filter. I also knew that I wanted to have as much surface area of the dsb exposed as possible. SO, with that in mind, I took some 4" pvc, cut holes in it and cut it into 6" sections. This would give my liverock a sturdy platform off the sand bed.
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Trust me my friend, the names are not important at all. I've own hundreds of different zoas and palys and don't know the name of a single one. In my opinion, they are a waste of valuable time. Mucho Reef |
02/09/2009, 06:08 PM | #3 |
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Here you can see the plumbing finished, and the back of the tank painted. Also, notice I painted the housing of the closed loop pump to better blend in with the plumbing.
For an overflow box, I went with the "Calfo" design, which I have been using for several years now. I used black acrylic, and bent the piece with a bender, so the front and bottom are one piece. The lack of a seem along the bottom really helps the box blend in with the back of the tank.
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Trust me my friend, the names are not important at all. I've own hundreds of different zoas and palys and don't know the name of a single one. In my opinion, they are a waste of valuable time. Mucho Reef |
02/09/2009, 06:12 PM | #4 |
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Inside the sump I made a hinged panel to be my 'control center'.
As you can see, I have 2 american DJ Control panels mounted. Also, my ph meter, and soon my temp meter will be on this panel as well.
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Trust me my friend, the names are not important at all. I've own hundreds of different zoas and palys and don't know the name of a single one. In my opinion, they are a waste of valuable time. Mucho Reef |
02/09/2009, 06:13 PM | #5 |
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My first attempt at aquascaping the tank came up with this.
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Trust me my friend, the names are not important at all. I've own hundreds of different zoas and palys and don't know the name of a single one. In my opinion, they are a waste of valuable time. Mucho Reef |
02/09/2009, 06:38 PM | #6 |
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lookin good man. Can you post some more pics of your overflow and drain plumbing? Im building a 58g and am trying to figure out how Im going to design my overflow. Id like to try what you did, so some extra pictures would really help me out. Thanks!
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02/09/2009, 07:18 PM | #7 |
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What else do you need to see? The drains are the 2 pipes starting at the top of the tank and going down into the left side of the sump.
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Trust me my friend, the names are not important at all. I've own hundreds of different zoas and palys and don't know the name of a single one. In my opinion, they are a waste of valuable time. Mucho Reef |
02/09/2009, 07:38 PM | #8 |
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Equipment infomation.
Return pump. Mag 5 Closed Loop pump Panworld 100Pxx-MD40x Closed loop wavemaker 1" SQWD Lighting. After years of talking about it, I finally took the plunge to T5 lighting. My past reefs had all been lit with 400 watt XM 20k. Currently I have 4 36" T5 bulbs, overdriven by and Ice Cap 660. All have icecap reflectors. I plan to add 3 more bulbs on another 660 very soon. I had origonally set the sump up with a middle refurium section. The first section was for a skimmer, which initally I had an Aqua C Remora Pro with the mag pump. I soon began shopping around for a better skimmer, and ended up with a MSX 200. In going with this skimmer I had to eliminate the refugium area. I do not feel this should be a problem, as this skimmer is more than up to the task of this tank.
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Trust me my friend, the names are not important at all. I've own hundreds of different zoas and palys and don't know the name of a single one. In my opinion, they are a waste of valuable time. Mucho Reef |
02/09/2009, 07:41 PM | #9 |
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I ended up re aquascaping the tank, and came to a much better (imo) structure. The returns are temporary, I plan to replace them with locline.
It is all epoxied togehter as well.
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Trust me my friend, the names are not important at all. I've own hundreds of different zoas and palys and don't know the name of a single one. In my opinion, they are a waste of valuable time. Mucho Reef |
02/09/2009, 07:41 PM | #10 |
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Mike, this is the inside of the overflow box,
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Trust me my friend, the names are not important at all. I've own hundreds of different zoas and palys and don't know the name of a single one. In my opinion, they are a waste of valuable time. Mucho Reef |
02/09/2009, 07:42 PM | #11 |
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Looks really cool man!! I can't wait to see this thing stocked.
Keep the updates coming. Spleify
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Make it a Great Day!!!! Current Tank Info: 60 gal SPS cube, with 25 gal refugium, 400W MH, DIY Lumenarc III, DIY skimmer, DIY stand and canopy. 40 breeder LPS with 40 gallon sump, DIY stand, 250W MH |
02/09/2009, 07:56 PM | #12 |
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Thanks.
I am looking forward to stocking as well. I have a few things in waiting right now. In going with the extra oversized skimmer, my plan has been to stock fairly heavy, and do a lot of feeding, both fish and coral feeding.
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Trust me my friend, the names are not important at all. I've own hundreds of different zoas and palys and don't know the name of a single one. In my opinion, they are a waste of valuable time. Mucho Reef |
02/10/2009, 04:00 PM | #13 |
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Details on liverock and sand.
Liverock consists of 17lbs of fiji shelf rock(base) 20 lbs of Fiji Bottlebrush 3 lbs of Marshell Island All live rock has been in other tanks for months to years. All was washed clean with saltwater, then dipped for 1 hour in flatworm exit. Sand 120lbs of Tropic Eden Aragasnow So far I have added, 3 peppermint shrimp 3 cerith snails 3 astrea snails 3 blue leg hermits 2 emerald crabs 1 scarlet crab All are doing well, except 2 peppermint shrimp died a few days later. Water is testing out pretty good. Very minimal cycle. I am using instant ocean salt, and it actually mixed out with high mag and high alk. Calcium was low. Skimmer is starting to break in.
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Trust me my friend, the names are not important at all. I've own hundreds of different zoas and palys and don't know the name of a single one. In my opinion, they are a waste of valuable time. Mucho Reef |
02/10/2009, 05:29 PM | #14 |
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Next up, is figuring out what reactor (calcium or kalk stirrer) to get, and where to put it.
I am kind of leaning towards a kalk reactor, but I may end up with the calcium reactor. Anyone care to share theirs experinces, or suggestions on either?
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Trust me my friend, the names are not important at all. I've own hundreds of different zoas and palys and don't know the name of a single one. In my opinion, they are a waste of valuable time. Mucho Reef |
02/10/2009, 06:14 PM | #15 |
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looking good. love the calfo overflow box, although if its not set up correctly it can be noisy. I am sure you have planned that out, as you said, you have been running them for years.
One thing I dont understand, is why you have what looks to be your main return coming in at almost the bottom of the back wall? can you explain the theory behind that one a little bit
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Time is the most valuable thing you have... spend it wisely Current Tank Info: 60x26x24 AGE 3 sided starphire |
02/10/2009, 06:22 PM | #16 |
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I had the return coming in low just to help with flow in the lower portions of the tank.
It has a clear true union check valve, which I can see and maintain with ease.
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Trust me my friend, the names are not important at all. I've own hundreds of different zoas and palys and don't know the name of a single one. In my opinion, they are a waste of valuable time. Mucho Reef |
02/10/2009, 07:13 PM | #17 |
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lookin good!
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I wasn't planning on keeping the turtle until it could pull me around under water. ~RV7AFlyer Current Tank Info: 150 ish gallons of Reef |
02/10/2009, 08:05 PM | #18 |
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Thanks!
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Trust me my friend, the names are not important at all. I've own hundreds of different zoas and palys and don't know the name of a single one. In my opinion, they are a waste of valuable time. Mucho Reef |
02/10/2009, 11:19 PM | #20 |
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Looking good Jeremy!!
For that size tank, I think you should be able to maintain calc/alk with just the kalk reactor. You might need to do occasional alk boosting down the road when the SPS really start to grow in...but for know, IIWM, I would just do kalk. I mean, really, where are you going to fit a CO2 bottle in that stand |
02/10/2009, 11:42 PM | #21 |
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Nice looking build. Is your ph really 9.67?
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02/11/2009, 07:48 AM | #22 |
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The filter floss is there to stop microbubbles from the skimmer as it is still breaking in.
The sqwd is fed by the closed loop pump. There is a large strainer on it, but it is not 'prefiltered'. I am leaning towards a kalk stirrer. The CO2 tank was a concern, as is the RO storage container for the kalk. The tank sits at the end of my couch, I had thought about placing the co2 tank on the other end! No, my ph is not 9.67. My moniter seems to get a surge every so often, it will read fine, but then it jumps a full point or better, then it goes right back to normal. I tried calling the manufacture, but was not able to talk to anyone. I have calibrated it twice. It is running with the ac adapter, so I do not know if that is part of it. I am going to try and get ahold of them today.
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Trust me my friend, the names are not important at all. I've own hundreds of different zoas and palys and don't know the name of a single one. In my opinion, they are a waste of valuable time. Mucho Reef |
02/11/2009, 10:07 AM | #23 |
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Just spoke with the guys at American Merine USA (pinpoint makers).
They said the problem is with the ac adapter, that it is recieving interfernce from another electrical device.
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Trust me my friend, the names are not important at all. I've own hundreds of different zoas and palys and don't know the name of a single one. In my opinion, they are a waste of valuable time. Mucho Reef |
02/11/2009, 10:38 AM | #24 |
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I am pretty sure I am going with a kalk reactor. Most likely Geo's.
I am looking around at auto top offs now to feed the top off water to the reactor. Anyone have any suggestions?
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Trust me my friend, the names are not important at all. I've own hundreds of different zoas and palys and don't know the name of a single one. In my opinion, they are a waste of valuable time. Mucho Reef |
02/11/2009, 11:00 AM | #25 |
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The Tunze Osmolater is supposed to be the best!
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