New project is underway:180g SPS w/ 150g macro sump

[aquavista99]

My 75g and 90g reefs will be shut down soon with all the livestock going into our new system. We decided against an in-wall aquarium because we will be moving in a few years to another house and my wife figured the next owner would not want a saltwater pond as a basement.

Here are a few pictures of the transition. With the help of an electrician, we recently added 3 new 20 amp circuits to run the new reef project. My unfinished, custom solid oak stand and canopy arrived on Thursday. More updates and pictures to follow.

[Reefinmike]

lookin nice. what are you doing for filtration, lighting and flow?

[aquavista99]

lookin nice. what are you doing for filtration, lighting and flow?

4 tunze streams; 3 400 watt metal halides w/Icecap electronic ballasts and 14 k Hamilton lamps; either a EuroReef or Deltec recirculating skimmer (I decided against going with a larger AquaC) ...not sure about the return pump. We plan to purchase a GEO calcium reactor soon as well. The 150g macro sump will have 1 250 watt metal halide w/ Icecap electronic ballast and a 10k lamp. I already have the tunze streams, just need to purchase the sump, lights, skimmer, ballasts and calcium reactor.

[ohioreef]

Nice canopy!

[aquavista99]

Nice canopy!

The canopy is 21" tall which will allow more than enough room for the Lumenarc III reflectors. However, I think I may just leave the top cover of the canopy off and have the reflectors hang from the ceiling. I plan on staining the stand and canopy this weekend.

[micki]

Looking Good!

[bigfalcon36]

Very, Very nice.  Obviously this is in your basement.  What is the silver liner on the basement walls?  I am starting to finish my basement and want to add a moisture barrier, but am unsure of what to use.

[aquavista99]

Very, Very nice.  Obviously this is in your basement.  What is the silver liner on the basement walls?  I am starting to finish my basement and want to add a moisture barrier, but am unsure of what to use.

The silver liner is insulation with a protective outer shell, similar to aluminum foil, but stronger.

[aquavista99]

I took this picture today under 10 K 250 watt MH lamps (no supp lighting). Looking forward to moving all the livestock over to the new system.

[aquavista99]

Just finished the first coat of stain on the stand. The canopy is next. I purchased the stain today from WoodCraft Furniture in Centerville. The stain color is called warm cherry.

[aquavista99]

Stain project is now complete. May add a second coat in 24 hrs or so.

[ohioreef]

Looks nice.

[verper]

Stain project is now complete. May add a second coat in 24 hrs or so.

And then 2-3 coats of poly 

[aquavista99]

I finished the second (and final) coat of stain today........the top coat is next.

[Secondgen]

Lookin good.

[aquavista99]

Lookin good.

Thanks! I am almost finished with the stand and canopy project. Here are a few updated pictures.

[bigfalcon36]

That's unbelievable...great work.  This should be really nice to see once you get water in it.

[Joel]

Looks great!!!!

Did you seal the inside of the stand? In the pictures that showed the inside, it still looked bare. If it is bare, it wont hold up real well against the moisture and salt creep.

[aquavista99]

Looks great!!!!

Did you seal the inside of the stand? In the pictures that showed the inside, it still looked bare. If it is bare, it wont hold up real well against the moisture and salt creep.

I used an outdoor Olympic brand clear waterproofing sealant (designed for fences and decks) for the entire inside of the stand and canopy. I used this product before on my last stand and canopy with very good results.

[aquavista99]

I removed all my livestock from my 75g & 90g reefs this weekend. My 180g is still not ready (IE, I still need to add a skimmer, new lighting system, calcium reactor, return pump, sump and do the plumbing) but the fish and corals all made the transition well. Right now, I am skimmerless and sumpless and the tank is being powered by just two 250 watt MH lamps, two heaters and four Tunze streams. 


Anyone else notice my little green clown goby in the first picture?

[micki]

Tim just curious, why did you move them if it's not ready? 

[ohioreef]

Yup, I found him! Our own version of "Where's Waldo."

[aquavista99]

Tim just curious, why did you move them if it's not ready? 

It's kind of like, in order to buy a new house, you have to sell your old house first type of deal.My reef, right now, is ready to hold live stock.
 
 Just look at it as a skimmerless SPS system. I have lots of flow (about 10,000 gal/hr), 500 watts of metal halide lights, and plenty of mature liverock (over 250 pounds) to serve as natural filtration. In a few weeks, I will have more flow, more intense lights and skimmer.

[aquavista99]

Yup, I found him! Our own version of "Where's Waldo."

The green clown goby came in as a hitchhiker on the first Acropora coral I purchased by mail order in the Summer of 2005. The coral didn't last long, but this fish is really neat (moves from coral to coral all day long).

[micki]

It's kind of like, in order to buy a new house, you have to sell your old house first type of deal.My reef, right now, is ready to hold live stock.

Gotcha.  That makes sense. 

We had a yellow clown goby and pulled it out of the tank because it was bothering the acros too much.  I put it in the 40 gallon and it jumped out.