Kevin's 110g Build thread !!

[CatatonicBug]

I have to say I just love the idea of the float valve on the RO/DI water supply for top-offs! Nothing like automation to make things easier.

 

[Vindicator]

Ya, a top off system is great. Love not having to worry about the water level every day. Will be great for when I have to go away for a day or 2 and leave a friend in charge.

I am not quite sure how much water is lost every day on my system yet. I do have a lot of water movement. So I do have a lot of evaporation.

I am still getting just a few more micro bubbles than I would like in the water. The bubble traps have helped a lot, but there is still just a few to many on the refugium side. I am actually hoping that when I add the cheato algae, that will catch some of the bubbles. If not, I will just have to add a sock on the pipe, although I would like to avoid this as another maintenance task that I do not need hehe.

 

[cmor1701d]

I clean my skimmer collection cup once a week unless I overfeed and need to empty it again sooner. ATO for top off is one of the best things I ever did. I use a 45 gallon BRUTE trash can for storage and clean that every quarter.

 

[Patroklos]

Looking at the pics there, are you making your refugium and sump by sumply dividing up another small aquarium? If this is the case, what is the sequence of water flow between your refugiun, sump, and skimmer?

 

[cmor1701d]

Look at Melev's Reef - Sumps & Fuge's for info on building your own sump.

 

[Patroklos]

Broken Link.

 

[CaptainAhab]

remove the last l

Marc's Hidden Treasure

 

[Patroklos]

I don't quite undertand the setup in from that link, Marc's Super Sump, it looks like he has two seperate refugiums, one for LR and one for LS and macro algae. Obvioulsy this guy is pretty advanced, is that at all necessary? Also, I don;t see how the water flow from the first refugium is getting to the second refugium.

 

[cmor1701d]

Look at this 52g sump for a simple design. The one you looked at was custome made to fit the stand it was going in. The model F has a center return section and right side fuge area.

 

[land locked]

I was having trouble with my water level because it is so dry around here, so I too purchased an auto top off. We have had a heck of a time getting it regulated. Because of the water level changes our skimmer is not working as well as it did before the top off was hooked up. Do you have any suggestions? Did the level effect your skimmer? We go through a bunch of r/o a week so it is up and down. We tried putting the sensors closer together but the skimmer is still having a hard time adjusting. I almost wish we had not gotten the thing.

 

[land locked]

Vindicator, could you please tell me more about the bubble traps. We have micro bubbles too. Thought it was the pump. Changed pumps and still have them. I have never heard of a bubble trap.

 

[cmor1701d]

The bubble trap is the section of the sump that has 3 closely spaced dividers. The first and last divider are attached at the sides and bottom while the middle divider is raised a bit to trap bubbles. Check out the this photo.

 

[land locked]

That would be why we have bubbles then. We have our stuff in a rubbermaid tub no dividers. So the old pump was probably fine.. Do you think that we could build a box around the pump to stop the bubbles? Or is the sock thing an easier option?

 

[Vindicator]

It all depends on the set up. Even with the bubble traps some people still have micro bubble problems. I am always looking for ways to build a better bubble trap. I think I have it under control now, only get a few micros when the water level in my return section gets very low.

If you could show me how your tub/sump is set up currently by a drawing or picture, I could throw some ideas your way

 

[Vindicator]

Well it has been a long time, I would say its about time for an update on the tank! Things were a little slow at first, but they are really starting to pick up now. I am not seeing the coraline spread that much yet, so I will be testing and bringing up the calcium over the next few weeks. I am seeing a lot of other growth on the rocks, its hard to tell from the pictures, but they are starting to get covered in different algae. But other than that everything is going great. My water test are coming up perfect for ammonia, nitrates, nitrites and ph.

The usual clean up crew is doing there job. I am going to need to add some more eventually, I stocked them light when I started. I really have no idea on numbers, but I there are the usual snails, some hermit crabs... Oh! and fighting conchs, I love these guys, they are always fun to watch. Oh what else, what else.. FISH! we have fish. Started with blue/green chromis, I am currently up to 5, these guys are also really fun to watch school, and to see there pecking orders. and they are always hungry, really fast eaters. Also have added a Coral beauty angel, this guy is really starting to show his true personality now, he is ALWAYS doing laps in the tank checking out something, and whenever I get close to the tank to look at something, he comes right up to the glass to see what is going on, a really awesome fish. And last but not least, I have acquired a Sailfin Tang. Another really awesome fish. He has only been in the tank one day, but he is already making himself right at home.

I am really surprised so far at the LACK of aggression in the tank. I thought that maybe the coral beauty would have something to say about the tang, or vise versa, but they seem to get along great together. In fact the only aggression what so ever has just been a little bumping and pushing on the part of the 5 chromis, but no fighting.

Oh! and I almost forgot to mention, I got the first piece of coral in the tank yesterday. It is a absolutely stunning Frogspawn. It is a 2 color frogspawn, pink and green, with 4 heads ( one of the heads looks like it might be starting to split )

Well, its time for a few pictures. I wish I had some better ones, but I still need more practice with the camera. I really need to sit down and practice with it one of these days. So here we go, forgive the picture quality.

Chromis!!!

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Fighting Conch doing his cleaning thing.

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Coral Beauty Angel. Hard to get a good picture of this guy, he never seems to slow down LoL.

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Sailfin Tang! Wow what a beauty, the photo does not do this guy justice. He is a real looker.

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WOW! multi color frogspawn. Has opened up about half way so far, but already looks great.

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Well that is it for now. I will try to get you guys a full tank shot when I get a good one. Was really not happy with how the camera was looking last night. Anyway! Enjoy everyone!

 

[FishCrazyBenBOMB]

Looks awesome!!!

 

[Vindicator]

I need to get some updated pictures of my tank up Soon. But in the mean time here are some pic's from my Vacation down in the Florida Keys.


Very cool little island right off the 7 mile bridge.

Family boat, sitting at the dock in front of the house we rented for a week.

SHARK!!!!!!!! hehe, saw a few of these little guys. They keep trying to eat fish we were catching 3x there size. Anyone got a really big tank with some room??? He would be really really cool looking J/k Catch and release of course! Little guy needs to grow up.

Family friend Dave with a good size salt water trout. I think this guy was to big to keep. He got off easy!

My younger brother trying to get another fish or 2 before the weather rolls in.

Sunsets in Paradise.

 

[Ziggy953]

That last picture of the sunset there is awesome!!!

 

[blazeyreef]

very awesome sunset picture! The keys are the best are they not? I spent about 3 days their