New SPS Tank in Georgetown (150g)

[+olaggie01]

Hi All,

I have been slowly purchasing equipment for a tank upgrade. This will be my 5th tank, ranging from a 10g in 2001 (complete disaster), 120g in 2005, 60g in 2007, 40g in 2009. I was looking at the downgrade trend and figured that I might as well go big while I had the chance.

Tank:

150g (36x36x27) - 1/2" glass, black silicone, 3x1" sch 80 bulkheads for Beananimal drain built by a Local tank builder in Dallas

Stand:

1" tubular steel stand fabricated by an Austin local

Stand/Canopy/Bookshelves

Since the tank is in my home office, I'd like to match the cabinets/doors (knotty alder) along with having 2 small bookshelves flanking the tank. This will allow me to store office/fish things but also provide some space where my ATO tank and electronics will be housed in the deadspace behind the bookshelves. (See sketchup below)

Layout with proposed sump:

Sump:

40g (24x24x18) Tamco Sump from US Plastics. I purchased a used sump from an Austin local but the layout of it wasn't right, so I'll be selling that soon. The Tamco sump will allow me to drill easily into the side of it for my return pump and allow me to have additional water volume for water changes, etc. I plan on running all three drains into the sump with a Beananimal drain system

Skimmer:

ATB 840 v1.5

Lights:

48 LEDs

22 NW – XPG

6 CW – XPG

20 RB – XPE

Assembled on 3 heatsinks, with 12 LEDs on 2 of the heatsinks, and 24 on the 3^rd. The 2 – 12 LED heatsinks will flank the 24 LED heatsink along with 2x24w T5s (already had from a previous build)

I will control the LEDs with my Profilux controller in order to dim the LEDs to get a proper color.

During build:

Edited December 7, 2010 by olaggie01

[+olaggie01]

Continued:

Operating LEDs at Marsh Christmas party:

Proposed layout in canopy:

Return pump:

Reeflo Snapper powering the main tank, reactors, water change and eventual frag tank

In-tank flow:

2 x Tunze 6105 controlled by the profilux

2x Tunze 6055s controlled by the profilux (from previous tank)

I also have 2 x Tunze 6025 if I have any dead spots (unlikely)

Controller:

Profilux EX II with EVG card to control LEDs and Tunze control

CA/ALK/MG:

Profilux 4 channel dosing pump controller

Avast Marine Kalk reactor

Top-off/ATO:

15 gallon square black Tamco tank (11.5x11.5x18)

Profilux float valve to control water level in sump

Aquascape:

Minimal rockwork in tank, bonsai style main island with 2 smaller islands highlighted by the LEDs

Coral:

90% SPS (tabeling acros along with some branching formosas)

10% LPS (chalice, acans)

Current Fish:

False Perc (already have)

Lubbocks Wrasse (already have)

2 PJ cardinals (already have)

Red Sea Pygmy Angel (already have)

Potential Fish:

Orange Shoulder / Powder Blue Tang

Copper Banded Butterfly

Scripps Rabbitfish

A pair of Angels (compatible with my Pygmy?)

[chrisfowler99]

Ooh! LEDs!

I oughta try some of those.

Looking good!

[JasonJones]

Chris,

All looks good.

Are you sure about only 48 leds though? I know you will only be spotlighting certain areas, but that seems really low, especially for that depth and open aquascaping. I assume you will be using 40 degree optics or tighter to reach down and I would be worried about spotlighting with so few LEDs and just generally not enough light. I would make sure you rent/borrow/steal a par meter to make sure you will be good to go.

I am a huge fan of the tank you are modeling.

J

[+olaggie01]

Ooh! LEDs!

I oughta try some of those.

Looking good!

You should post some of your progress soon. Mine is nothing compared to yours.

Chris,

All looks good.

Are you sure about only 48 leds though? I know you will only be spotlighting certain areas, but that seems really low, especially for that depth and open aquascaping. I assume you will be using 40 degree optics or tighter to reach down and I would be worried about spotlighting with so few LEDs and just generally not enough light. I would make sure you rent/borrow/steal a par meter to make sure you will be good to go.

I am a huge fan of the tank you are modeling.

J

Valid point Jason. In fact, Chris Fowler and I had that conversation a couple of times. I'm hoping with the addition of the 2 T5s, it will help light up the tank. The electrician who built the LED array measured the par values (not sure if they were in a tank or in air), but he was getting 300+ par 24" below the 12 LED fixture. If anything, where the LED fixtures are located, I may have too much light. I am hoping to have some darker spots to give some additional depth to the tank.

Also, on the 12 LED array, I have 12 additional spots to put additional LEDs if I want. So, another 24 LEDs could be added. I also have 6 more T5s at the house in case I need additional light. I'm hoping to avoid that though, with the cost of bulb replacement and the additional cooling required.

[JasonJones]

That is a really impressive par number and should certainly be more than sufficient. Knowing you have the room to add more if necessary is great as well.

How do you like the color of the lights? You seem to have a much higher white ratio than I have seen thrown around. Also, have you played with any cool blues to see if that adds anything? I am playing around with an LED spotlight to go over my SPS and it uses 2CW, 3RBs and 1CB, havent set it all up yet to see what I think, but 1CW and 2RB was too blue.

[+olaggie01]

That is a really impressive par number and should certainly be more than sufficient. Knowing you have the room to add more if necessary is great as well.

How do you like the color of the lights? You seem to have a much higher white ratio than I have seen thrown around. Also, have you played with any cool blues to see if that adds anything? I am playing around with an LED spotlight to go over my SPS and it uses 2CW, 3RBs and 1CB, havent set it all up yet to see what I think, but 1CW and 2RB was too blue.

Actually, I haven't received the lights yet. They are still in Houston. Those pictures were from the Marsh Christmas party, which I didn't attend, just my lights. I may have my ratio wrong. I'll have to take a look at them when I get them in my hands.

The PAR values aren't surprising, but what I'm hoping is that I'll keep my rock work low in the tank and allow the corals to grow up towards the light. That should give me plenty of swimming room for my fish as well.

Edited December 8, 2010 by olaggie01

[acropoorer]

Very cool Chris. I would comment on the LED's, but all I know is I like the blue ones I have in my tank and would have no clue as to how to go all the way LED. How are you doing your overflow? Didn't see one in the picture.

[+olaggie01]

Good eye Dale. You are correct, there is no overflow yet. I've had some real issues trying to figure out what I wanted in the overflow box. My initial thought was to hide the 2 Tunze 6105s, but once I got the tank and the pumps, I realized that the eurobracing on the tank will hinder how easily I can take the pumps out to clean them, plus it will also limit where I can put the pumps in case of growth in the future.

My new plan is to either build a small rectangular box or perhaps bend a longer piece of acrylic at 45 degree angles to get some surface area to skim. Make sense?

[+olaggie01]

Anyone have any thoughts on the fish that I have listed below?

My current fish are listed first. I would like to keep these, and possibly, find another perc in hopes of them pairing.

FYI, all pictures of the potential taken from LiveAquaria.

2 of these guys:

I can't find a picture on LA for my wrasee, but here he/she is:

Potential fish:

Pair of these guys: (Depending on the compatibility with my pygmy)

Always wanted one of these for valonia control

Maybe 1-2 wrasse(s) depending on how the personality with my Lubbock

[+olaggie01]

Had one of these in my 120 and loved him

Maybe 1 tang:

Pair of Mandarins (likely ORA if possible)

Always liked CBBs (if I can find one eating frozen)

[+olaggie01]

Should be getting my sump/plumbing parts tomorrow as well as the LEDs. Not sure when the pump will be here, hopefully tomorrow as well so that I can get this thing moved out of my garage.

Got some plumbing done last night, nothing is glued (had my boy with me and didn't want him inhaling PVC cement). I need to get the sump and pump in place before I start gluing anyways. Drain lines and return lines sketched out.

Also marked out where I want to bend the acrylic for my overflow. I decided not to put the Tunze pumps in the overflow since it would not be easy to remove them to clean them due to the eurobracing on the tank.

Found a use for my old T5s though.

They used to light my tank, now they light the stand.

[prof]

Hmmm, that stand looks familiar....

[+olaggie01]

Hmmm, that stand looks familiar....

It does?

[prof]

Yup. I built one very similar for another reefer. I thought that might be my work.

[+olaggie01]

Yup. I built one very similar for another reefer. I thought that might be my work.

Don't think so. Not unless your dad is Junior Savell.

[prof]

Nope. It looks good!

[Derekreefer]

Nice setup!

I have a Leopard Wrasse and she (they are all born female) is an extremely nice fish. Just make sure to have at least a1" sand bed as they sleep under the sand

[+olaggie01]

Nice setup!

I have a Leopard Wrasse and she (they are all born female) is an extremely nice fish. Just make sure to have at least a1" sand bed as they sleep under the sand

Thanks Derek. Do all Wrasse need a sandbed? I don't have a sandbed currently, but my Lubbock appears ok. Maybe I could put a little tupperware dish of sand in the back of the tank, as I was planning on going barebottom.

Chris

[pbnj]

I don't know about that. I had a Leopard Wrasse once and they way he shot under the sand was like a jet come down for a landing. In other words, I don't think a tupperware of sand is going to be enough "landing strip" space for them to get under there.

[+olaggie01]

Thanks Pat. Maybe I'll look for another wrasse that doesn't require a sandbed.

[mFrame]

Not all wrasses need sand. My mystery wrasse is one of my fav fish and he does fine with the coarse grain and tons of caves in the rock. I've never seen him try to burrow.

[+olaggie01]

Not all wrasses need sand. My mystery wrasse is one of my fav fish and he does fine with the coarse grain and tons of caves in the rock. I've never seen him try to burrow.

Thanks Mike. LiveAquaria says that a mystery wrasse prefers a sandy bottom. Guess that might be a catch all for wrasse' though.

I also heard that the Christmas Wrasse can be a bit aggressive, but they all appear to be semi-aggressive.

[Derekreefer]

Not all wrasses need a sand bed. The only one I know of is the Leopard Wrasse. Mine also dive bombs into the sand. I actually rarely see her do it. You just see a puff of sand. I do not recommend this fish for a bare sand bed. They are all wild caught as well. One funny thing I noticed about mine was her sleeping habits where not on this time zone. After a month or so she started sleeping at 10pm and waking up late morning (lazy fish..haha). She sleeps at the same time every night......amazing internal clock.

My wrasse could care less about the other fish. I do see her hunting for pods alot (also eats, pellets, rods, flake) so an established aquarium may be best. I may have gotten lucky as I have heard of others that wont touch pellets, frozen or flake.

[+olaggie01]

Not all wrasses need a sand bed. The only one I know of is the Leopard Wrasse. Mine also dive bombs into the sand. I actually rarely see her do it. You just see a puff of sand. I do not recommend this fish for a bare sand bed. They are all wild caught as well. One funny thing I noticed about mine was her sleeping habits where not on this time zone. After a month or so she started sleeping at 10pm and waking up late morning (lazy fish..haha). She sleeps at the same time every night......amazing internal clock.

My wrasse could care less about the other fish. I do see her hunting for pods alot (also eats, pellets, rods, flake) so an established aquarium may be best. I may have gotten lucky as I have heard of others that wont touch pellets, frozen or flake.

I'll keep looking for different wrasse species. Not 100% sure I want another one, but they are very nice fish.

I need to establish a decent pod population for the madarins and wrasse. My pygmy angel seems to clean my rocks as well, but will definitely eat anything else that is thrown into the tank.

Got a few packages in the mail today. I'll upload some pictures shortly.