Neo's 180g tank and build thread

[Neogenesis]

Hey everyone,

I'm not sure why I never started a build thread on here, so I thought it was time. 

I started with a 46g bowfront with a 55g sump as my first tank.  The sump sat on the other side of the wall, which made it nice as I could keep a fairly larger volume of water.  The larger tank bug soon bit and found my current 180g tank and stand for $400.  I spent a good deal of time stripping and refinishing the stand, which I'm glad I did as it turned out great.  I't plumbed into a 125g sump and I'm using a Reef Octopus recirculation skimmer. A Reeflo Barracuda is used for the return and powering other accessories. I'll let the pictures speak for the rest.

Tank after being refinished


I picked up this RO/DI for $75


Plumbing the tank through the floor, through the wall, and then into the basement.



Preparing for the sump


Skimmer Stand


Everything coming together


Comparing PC light to a single LED light that I made


Tank with 2 LED fixtures


Tank shaping up


I eventually tried to switch to a smaller pump to save on electricity, however the Reeflo Barracuda hybrid didn't stand up to the test.


After nearly a year it was time to build out a frag tank system.  Here is the start with one of my helpers


Starting to take shape


Done...just need to finish the plumbing


And a current FTS


That's pretty much it, we are up to date, just trying to figure out the cause of my cyano outbreak and the best way to beat it.

[lazylivin]

That is a sweet setup. Looks like you got plenty of room for expansion. Nice job and the Carpet Nem is sweet!

[Seano Hermano]

Awesome.

That's a big carpet 'nem. 18-24" across? 

[Seano Hermano]

The tank stand looks great, btw. 

[Neogenesis]

Ya the nem is around 18"+ depending on the day.  I can't get the damn thing to stay in one spot for long, so it my not be in my tank too much longer.

Here is where it has put itself for the moment.........way up in the corner of the tank, right where I like to sit in my chair and look down the length of the tank.

[micki]

Wow looks great! 

[slandis3]

Nice looking setup.

[HUNGER]

tank looks great

[Neogenesis]

Thanks for the comments everyone.  The tank really has come together nice in the little over a year that it's been running.  Here's a pic of the nem when it's nearly fully open.  As you can see it's quite a large one.  The hammer to the left of it was well over the size of a softball.

Now....who knows the most about cyano here, and why I'm having such a bad outbreak?  I realize it's bacterial related, nitrates and phosphates aren't supposed to be feeding it, but what could have caused the problem?    Last check put my water specs right where they need to be, Alk was a little low, but that was checking with a Hanna meter so accuracy is really unknown.  I upped flow to no effect, my chaeto is growing like crazy, 0 nitrates, RO water checks good with a very low TDS number.  I'm just stumped.  Part of my philosophy when running a tank is not to just throw chemicals in your tank to bandaid your problems, rather fix the problem to relieve the symptoms that your seeing.  BTW the cyano outbreak was just starting in that pic, you can see a little on the sand.  It's much worse now.  I'll post up some better pics tonight.

So...thoughts on how to rectify the situation???

[Todd W.]

There are many solid reasons that cyanobacteria will grow in a tank, and several theories.  I took a quick look and one of the theories is slime from critters in the tank.  Seeing as how large your anemone is, do you see much slime coming off of it? 

Is there any correlation to the location of the cyanobacteria and your anemone?

[Neogenesis]

I don't see much slime come of the nem at all, if any.  I feed sparingly, and have backed off the amount I was feeding the fish as well.  The Cyano is the length of the tank, and seems to be along the front glass more than in the back where the flow is lower.

[lazylivin]

Solution is easy. Add chemiclean and it will be gone in three days.  Follow the directions!

[Neogenesis]

Solution is easy. Add chemiclean and it will be gone in three days.  Follow the directions!

Does anyone know what sparks a cyano outbreak?  I would like to fix that problem before I have to keep dumping chemicals into my tank to take care of it.

[HUNGER]

i do know if u add more flow it will help remove it to

[Neogenesis]

I had tried it, had the flow increased for about a week until a I found a leak in one of my overflow boxes.  Waiting on parts to fix it, so in the meantime I've had to back my flow off as I've only got one box running.  Maybe I'll kill the wave makers so I get a more linear flow through the tank and it's not going dead and restarting the other direction every few minutes.  I wonder if that'll help.

[Wall_Tank]

I had tried it, had the flow increased for about a week until a I found a leak in one of my overflow boxes.  Waiting on parts to fix it, so in the meantime I've had to back my flow off as I've only got one box running.  Maybe I'll kill the wave makers so I get a more linear flow through the tank and it's not going dead and restarting the other direction every few minutes.  I wonder if that'll help.

More flow than just turning up your return pump.   Like upgrading from Maxijets to Vortechs.    What are your wavemakers?

[HUNGER]

like walltank said add more power heads to that tank ether with vortechs or korilals

[Neogenesis]

For flow I'm running 2 K4's, which help circulate the rear of the tank, and for the wave makers I'm running the JBJ powerheads, rated at 1200gph.  They are stong enough to alter the flow in the tank.  Remember that I'm running a Reeflo Barracuda "4600gph" which is only running at about 50% regularly.  I opened that up to around 75% which didn't affect the cyano.  Do you thing 2000gph to 3000gph isn't enough flow?  There are 4 return into the tank that mix and make the flow turbulent.

Thoughts?

[Neogenesis]

Just 2 pics of what I'm dealing with.

[HUNGER]

try and move the power heads to where the cyno is growing alot of time thats the dead spot of no water flow

[Wall_Tank]

For flow I'm running 2 K4's, which help circulate the rear of the tank, and for the wave makers I'm running the JBJ powerheads, rated at 1200gph.  They are stong enough to alter the flow in the tank.  Remember that I'm running a Reeflo Barracuda "4600gph" which is only running at about 50% regularly.  I opened that up to around 75% which didn't affect the cyano.  Do you thing 2000gph to 3000gph isn't enough flow?  There are 4 return into the tank that mix and make the flow turbulent.

Thoughts?

That sounds like enough flow.   It could have been triggered by anything, something like a snail dying can do it.    I would just do what lazy suggested, or just syphon it out for a few days, and it should clear up.

[Todd W.]

+1 on siphoning it out.  I lost a couple pounds of sand doing so but took care of the problem.

[Reefpete]

That sounds like enough flow.   It could have been triggered by anything, something like a snail dying can do it.    I would just do what lazy suggested, or just syphon it out for a few days, and it should clear up.

+1

How are your return nozzles configured? I couldn't tell in the pictures. Even with the putrid bacteria outbreak, You still have an amazing looking tank/setup! 

[Neogenesis]

Thanks Reef,

There are 4 nozzles are evenly spread across the back of the tank, pointing toward the front, but they criss cross and are at different elevations.  I get a strong flow across the front glass, and throughout the entire tank to be honest.  I have a hard time keeping my sand in place.

[Reefpete]

Thanks Reef,

The nozzles are evenly spread across the back of the tank, pointing toward the front, but they criss cross and are at different elevations.  I get a strong flow across the front glass, and throughout the entire tank to be honest.  I have a hard time keeping my sand in place.

Okay rules out that possibility.