malawian Posted May 2, 2012 Share Posted May 2, 2012 Welcome to The Athenian Reef! This build has been a very long and bumpy road (with a year long pit stop somewhere in the middle) but it is coming along! This design has gone through so many different ideas and phases its scary but everything is set and ready to go now. Enjoy! Current Status: -still battling some algae in the BC29 but it is much better than it was. I think moving things to the 75 will improve everything a lot, there will be almost 0 bioload and I can leave the tank in darkness for as long as it takes to kill the algae. -new sump installed and plumbing completely redone -75g is doing well and ready to receive coral and livestock from the BC29! The Essence of the Idea: This system will span two tanks which will share one sump and refugium. A 75g display will be the primary tank while a drilled BC29 will house a display frag tank. I used to keep African Cichlids (thus the name Malawian) and got into reefkeeping when my parents got me the BC 29 and liverock. Of course, eventually the BC29 just didn’t take care of everything I wanted to do and my old cichlid tank became my new reef tank! Livestock: Fish:-Mated Pair of Black Darwin Clowns (Boris and Natasha) -Bi-color Angelfish (Sven) -Yellow-eyed Kole Tang (TBA) -Flame Angelfish (TBA)Coral:-Green Branching Hammer -Mutant Inverse Frogspawn -Green Hydnophora -Super Nuclear Green Acropora -Branching Frogspawn -Torch Coral -Green Star Polyps -Pink Millepora -Montipora Digitata -Tyree Grape Monti Cap -Brown Staghorn Coral -Aussi Duncan -Bali Green Slimer -Some blue-notsoblue Acro -a beautiful SPS I dont know the name of... Inverts:-Fire Shrimp (Jacque) -Pencil Urchin -3 Peppermint shrimp -Serpent Star -2 Emerald Mithrax Crabs -Red Leg hermits -scarlet hermits -blue leg hermits -Astrea Snails -Turbo Snails -Cerith Snails -Nerite Snails -Nessarius Snails -Bumble bee snails Lighting: The lighting for this system is 100% LED. BC29: 27 Cree 3-watt LEDs at 700ma (longer lifespan and cooler running) 75g: 48 Cree 3-watt LEDs along with supplementary RGB and Violet. Fit into a hood of my making. The BC 29 LEDs are retrofit into the hood The 75g lights are planned to be something like this Here are the plates built, testing the white channel Plumbing and Filtration: Both BC29 and 75 drain into a 30g Eshopps RS-200 sump. It goes through filter socks and into a Reef Octopus XS-160 Skimmer. Then it goes back out through a Mag-Drive 18 (1800 GPH) which powers the returns for both tanks as well as 4 reactors: Carbon, GFO, Biopellets and Seachem Matrix Bio-Media. Control: Everything is controlled with a Reefkeeper Elite housed in the stand of the BC29. A NET module lets me check stats anywhere in the world where there is an internet connection. Thats it for now. Look through the thread for more specific information on whats going on now! Thanks for looking! Link to comment
malawian Posted May 22, 2012 Author Share Posted May 22, 2012 out of school, back from vacation and working on the tank. most of the parts are in, with any luck she'll be getting wet tonight :wink: ill be getting started on the light tonight as well. hopefully within a week this will have the 29 moved in it. Link to comment
malawian Posted August 19, 2012 Author Share Posted August 19, 2012 OK, the monster is growing...and it is nearly ready to break loose. What began as an emergency build to help a dying tank became a meticulous creation once the 29g finally turned a corner. The 75g and the BC29 will join forces to become the Athenian Reef. WORK IN PROGRESS, UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED lol seabass! LIGHTS She will run TWO 18" aluminum plates each mounted with 3 LED clusters, each cluster has: 1 RGB 3-up LED 1 TV LED 3 Cree XP-G Neutral White 5 Cree XT-E Royal Blue This is similar in principle (and uses similar LEDs/manufacturers) to the Ecotech Radion, but I didnt spend 1500 on my lights . Radion (x2) 16x Cree XP-G Cool White LEDs run at 5W each 16x Cree XP-E Blue LEDs run at 3W each 20x Cree XP-E Royal Blue LEDs run at 3W each 8x Cree XP-E Green LEDs run at 3W each 8x Osram Oslon SSL Hyper Red LEDs run at 3W each Me (both plates) 18x Cree XP-G Neutral White LEDs run at 3W each 30x Cree XT-E Royal Blue LEDs run at 3W each 6x Red at 2W each 6x Blue at 2W each 6x Green at 2W each 6x TV at 2W each Similar number of white LEDs, 16v18 (they run 5w though) and similar number of Blues (36 B + RB vs 36 B + RB), although I use nearly all Royal blue. They have a lot more RGB ability than I do, although Ive got some TV. NW instead of CW helps bring out more bottom end as I cant compete with the amount of red and green LEDs they use. The added blue helps compensate for the yellow-ness of the whites. Radion is still better (clearly) but it served as a good template. The fixtures will be hung from the ceiling, the [insane quantity of] electronics for the fixtures will be routed to the [dry, cool] cabinet of the BC29 once it moves to join the 75g. A total of 72 LEDs powered by 3 Drivers (Technically 6 drivers as each color is on a separate channel) all dimmable, the white and blue channels will be controlled by the RKE for sunrise/sunset. Separate moonlights, also controlled by the RKE, accurately simulate lunar cycle. The Fixture with correct light angles/cones. By peluche399 at 2012-08-20 Both arrays, the right shows the modified design, stretched to the edges of the plate. the left shows the original. correct light cones included. By peluche399 at 2012-08-20 This gives an idea of aproximate coverage. By peluche399 at 2012-08-20 and proof that they are coming along...worst project ever, hate working on it, but hey, ill live. By peluche399 at 2012-08-21 75g+29g? The 29g will become a dedicated display frag tank. I hope to have the tank full of frags at any given time to make a few dollars back on the tank! The 29g will be drilled and will run an overflow to the primary sump. A single pump (Mag Drive 18, 1800 GPH) drives water to the 75g display, 29g frag tank, 10g refugium and an escape/return. Sump and Refugium The sump is a 20g acrylic piece carrying a filter sock, live rock rubble, and the primary pump. being fairly small space is at a premium and other than the rock and pump, this sump carries only heaters and probes. There is a dedicated 10g refugium which flows back into the sump via gravity. Dual BRS reactors run GFO and carbon to keep quality up. Electronics and Water Movement The sump and fuge keep the stand of the 75g a bit more humid than I would like for a huge cluster of electronics. All electronics will be routed to the stand of the BC29, once it is relocated next to the 75g tank. This way, all the water stays in one place, and the expensive blinking lights stay elsewhere. An RKE keeps everything running, NET, ALC, and SL1 help out. This is a mock up to test everything, sets of shelves in the BC29 will help keep the clutter out and the cables clear! By peluche399 at 2012-08-19 On the plus side, it works, and I can control the tank from anywhere, on my iPad! or even edit, say, pump settings from my iphone! By peluche399 at 2012-08-21 The system has been tested on various networks and works perfectly! In the 75g, three Koralia 1050 gph pumps keep things moving, set to a wavemaker on the RKE. The 29g is moved around by a Vortech MP10-ES. THE END OF THE 29G here is the BC 29, soon to be dismantled, then drilled and added to the primary system. She's bursting at the seams with corals intended for the 75g! She may be covered in coraline but the coral in here are growing so fast I cant keep up (which is part of why I cant keep up with the coraline either!). but before I do here is how it stands now. Everything will move to the 75g! By peluche399 at 2012-08-19 By peluche399 at 2012-08-19 THE 75G now the 75 is nearly done, she still needs a new return pump, the refugium needs to be added, the returns re plumbed, and the lights must be completed (trust me, shes getting there!). Then the BC 29 will migrate into the 75 and eventually become a frag tank in a 130g system! still dirty, BRS groupbuy will bring me a pump and a glass cleaner! I wanted plenty of food for the new clean up crew to enjoy. By peluche399 at 2012-08-19 By peluche399 at 2012-08-19 getting everything tested, while I wait, here are a couple new inhabitants, a linkia and a rose urchin! By peluche399 at 2012-08-19 By peluche399 at 2012-08-19 Everything is still in the testing phase but is moving along nicely. more updates soon as the build nears completion! Link to comment
Hexadron Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 How are the lights coming along? Link to comment
imadams Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 Dayum!!! Lookin sickly my friend! I will def be taggin along on this one. Cant wait to see what you do with it man, and best of luck Link to comment
malawian Posted August 20, 2012 Author Share Posted August 20, 2012 How are the lights coming along? First plate is nearly done, all parts are here just waiting on assembly Wont take long, just havent touched it in a while, other tank things need to happen first. debating buying a bunch of LPS from divers den and putting it in the 29 until the 75 is ready...bunch of hard to find stuff too... this is what im looking at By peluche399 at 2012-08-20 By peluche399 at 2012-08-20 By peluche399 at 2012-08-20 decisions decisions...those purple torches arent easy to find... Link to comment
Edzo Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 Wow, that's impressive. What type of application are you using to control everything via IPad? Best of luck with everything btw, going to look amazing judging from your layout. Link to comment
malawian Posted August 21, 2012 Author Share Posted August 21, 2012 Wow, that's impressive. What type of application are you using to control everything via IPad? Best of luck with everything btw, going to look amazing judging from your layout. well there is an app called ireef, convenient for checking params at a glance. the neat screen I showed up above is from the digital aquatics web app. this is actually generated from your NET module. any browser will connect you. to get to it outside of your home youll need to do some port forwarding but nothing too hard. that same app allows control of your modules (except for advanced lights it would seem, those need to be programmed at the module). ireeef cannot control modules. Link to comment
I<3SPS Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 Dude, Malawian, I'm from Athens as well. Let me know if you need any help setting up anything (though it looks like you have it under control ) and at the least let me see this setup once it's finished....its gonna be so sick!!! Link to comment
fretfreak13 Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 Tagging along! This is going to be wonderful <3 Link to comment
malawian Posted August 21, 2012 Author Share Posted August 21, 2012 Thanks Everyone! My dad always said to do it right the first time, it will end up saving you money in the end, and it will always save you some time, which in the end is more precious. One could say thats the motto of this build, do it right the first time! as such, not going with vortechs was a hard choice...but this worked out nicely! waiting on BRS for the next step. need to start rebuilding the returns with the new pump. then I need a bunch of lumber. I need to build a stand for the 10g so it can overflow-feed back into the sump. I<3SPS, you wouldnt happen to own a truck would you? if not i need to rent one from uhaul, 20 plus milage if i can keep it under 2 hrs. then its enough lumber to raise 10 gallons 8 inches. maybe enough to put together a work table and make my life easier... anyhoo, after a 3 day journey onto the vertical, Phineas, the rose urchin (named after that guy from a separate peace, not the guy who got a spike through his noggin [p.s. if she cares enough to name it, ill take that as a small victory])...phineas the rose urchin finally made it back to rock! hes so cool...can you tell im kind of bored today? (waiting for groupbuy to start!) on another note, tested the webservice outside of the house today. This came from my laptop at school, miles from my house! Link to comment
I<3SPS Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 Thanks Everyone! My dad always said to do it right the first time, it will end up saving you money in the end, and it will always save you some time, which in the end is more precious. One could say thats the motto of this build, do it right the first time! as such, not going with vortechs was a hard choice...but this worked out nicely! waiting on BRS for the next step. need to start rebuilding the returns with the new pump. then I need a bunch of lumber. I need to build a stand for the 10g so it can overflow-feed back into the sump. I<3SPS, you wouldnt happen to own a truck would you? if not i need to rent one from uhaul, 20 plus milage if i can keep it under 2 hrs. then its enough lumber to raise 10 gallons 8 inches. maybe enough to put together a work table and make my life easier... anyhoo, after a 3 day journey onto the vertical, Phineas, the rose urchin (named after that guy from a separate peace, not the guy who got a spike through his noggin [p.s. if she cares enough to name it, ill take that as a small victory])...phineas the rose urchin finally made it back to rock! hes so cool...can you tell im kind of bored today? (waiting for groupbuy to start!) on another note, tested the webservice outside of the house today. This came from my laptop at school, miles from my house! I unfortunately do not have a truck, sorry man. Hope all goes well though. Tagging along fo sho Link to comment
malawian Posted August 21, 2012 Author Share Posted August 21, 2012 ah well, it was worth a shot right? well hey when the day comes ill need an extra set of hands to hang the lights from the ceiling! p.s. I heart your avatar ^ p.p.s BRS ordered! Ill share in a few days what BRS-Santa brought me. BRS should hire me considering I think I spend enough to pay for someones sallary... Link to comment
malawian Posted August 22, 2012 Author Share Posted August 22, 2012 how I kept my plumbing order straight... By peluche399 at 2012-08-21 no nipple jokes... It allows for me to disassemble it almost totally so I can easily remove the pump, the unions will actually be after the gates so I can disconnect a section of the system and still run the rest. the return allows me to blow off any extra that the pump makes. edit: i think i need 14 nipples...doesnt matter because they only had 10. I can get a few things here, not the same quality as BRS stuff but it will work. oh also, to prove these mythical lights do exist... By peluche399 at 2012-08-21 HUGE PITA! but workable, and better than paying 1500 for lights. Im bored and Ill keep posting via edit to no unnecessarily inflate my post count... I want to offer help to anyone who is having trouble using port forwarding to access their tank from the internet. it can be a little tricky depending on who you listen to! awfully rewarding though. this is from my iphone, I can control from here as well, anywhere I have a connection. By peluche399 at 2012-08-21 From this interface i can control my pumps (for example), still from my iphone By peluche399 at 2012-08-21 last edit on this post...i edited some of these pictures into the primary build post up above...dont be confused. that is all. Link to comment
malawian Posted August 24, 2012 Author Share Posted August 24, 2012 So there wont be any major updates until monday when BRS comes in (yay!). but in the mean time I have put GFO and Carbon back on the tank, I have given the tank plenty of time to grow stuff without it, its time to start getting this water mega clean in preparation for the transfer. the CUC has done a good job of cleaning the glass, here are some pics of the 75. These are taken with my phone cuz my real camera has a WB set for the 29g. Taking my time with this build Ive had the luxury of just waiting out lots of the little blooms new tanks get. Ive got some diatoms and some strange snail atm but theyre balancing out. in case you didnt notice, this is Phineas, named by Rachel (my fiance). hes pretty neat! By peluche399 at 2012-08-23 By peluche399 at 2012-08-23 Just by the way the moon lights are up to 36% and theyre bright! i can turn them down of course but i want to see where this goes. Ill only have two "pods" each with two LEDs for now. Eventually Ill get the MLC and have 6 pods. Also I think I figured out my pump setup, the left pump stays on all the time while the right two use the wavemakers (each pump uses both channels). the result is that left is always on, the other two are both on most of the time, one on some of the time and both off infrequently. It works quite well, flow in the tank is RANDOM! and here are a bunch taken with the DSLR in the 29g, cant wait to get all these corals into the 75g! By peluche399 at 2012-08-23 By peluche399 at 2012-08-23 By peluche399 at 2012-08-23 By peluche399 at 2012-08-23 Ill be out of town until monday, when I get back there will be more action! Link to comment
Hexadron Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 Did you get your BRS order in? Link to comment
malawian Posted September 4, 2012 Author Share Posted September 4, 2012 I did! Ive been meaning to do an update, however my other obsession has dominated my time this week! trying to get my car ready for running the tail of the dragon with a group of similar cars. free coral to whoever can name the engine/car these belong to! these are all the parts that have been going on my car. By peluche399 at 2012-09-03 and dont worry, im not one of those kids (im 25, married and in law school) with an insanely loud car and a booming trunk. My car is nice and quiet and I, like a real car nut, listen to the engine. I rode 700 miles last weekend without turning on the stereo once! and the only racing I do is on a track, this car is set up for autocrossing which is a small track set up in a large parking lot. modifying cars is just another expression/product of my own making just like my tank. Link to comment
Josh11915 Posted September 5, 2012 Share Posted September 5, 2012 K20/24 Honda Civic. What type of corals do I get? Lol I'm a car nut as well.. And a motorcycle nut, and a gun nut.. And a lot of other things.. I did! Ive been meaning to do an update, however my other obsession has dominated my time this week! trying to get my car ready for running the tail of the dragon with a group of similar cars. free coral to whoever can name the engine/car these belong to! these are all the parts that have been going on my car. By peluche399 at 2012-09-03 and dont worry, im not one of those kids (im 25, married and in law school) with an insanely loud car and a booming trunk. My car is nice and quiet and I, like a real car nut, listen to the engine. I rode 700 miles last weekend without turning on the stereo once! and the only racing I do is on a track, this car is set up for autocrossing which is a small track set up in a large parking lot. modifying cars is just another expression/product of my own making just like my tank. Link to comment
malawian Posted September 5, 2012 Author Share Posted September 5, 2012 K20/24 Honda Civic. What type of corals do I get? Lol I'm a car nut as well.. And a motorcycle nut, and a gun nut.. And a lot of other things.. yup! and hey I was in the gun store yesterday! seems we would get along. my car will be a firespitting beast by the time im done with it... oh and pay shipping and Ill send you a frag of anything i have Link to comment
Josh11915 Posted September 5, 2012 Share Posted September 5, 2012 Ha, same here.. I almost made a purchase on a sweet Remora holster for my Taurus TCP but I got side tracked and forgot about it so I'm going back again tomorrow lol. And I'm sure we could get along. Oh and what school are you going to up there? I need to get me a sweet car again.. I would not mind paying shipping.. I would really like some SPS, surprise me? yup! and hey I was in the gun store yesterday! seems we would get along. my car will be a firespitting beast by the time im done with it... oh and pay shipping and Ill send you a frag of anything i have Link to comment
malawian Posted September 8, 2012 Author Share Posted September 8, 2012 Im actually up at the dragon as we speak! not ALL those parts made it on the car, but all the important ones did! Shes performing beutifully...so happy (the last two weeks getting cars ready has been awful). btw josh, I am at UGA Law. as for the corals, I can send you some nice birdsnest, a bit of staghorn, probably some bali green slimer, and a bit of pink milli if youre feeling adventerous! btw, very stoked, just checked on the tank from 200 miles away! all is well! love this system so much... Link to comment
Josh11915 Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 Im actually up at the dragon as we speak! not ALL those parts made it on the car, but all the important ones did! Shes performing beutifully...so happy (the last two weeks getting cars ready has been awful). btw josh, I am at UGA Law. as for the corals, I can send you some nice birdsnest, a bit of staghorn, probably some bali green slimer, and a bit of pink milli if youre feeling adventerous! btw, very stoked, just checked on the tank from 200 miles away! all is well! love this system so much... Lucky you! Wish I was there on my bike! Lol And good, I love modding my cars and I have been considering getting a s2k and doing a big turbo kit on it.. That would be INSANE! My girlfriends parents graduated from UGA, that is why I asked and I just assumed that you where going there anyways lol. But hey, I will take ANY of the coral that you want to give me lol. My tank is bare right now because it is only 3 months or so old.. Lol. How are you checking on the tank from 300 miles away? I really want to do this because I will be traveling often here for the next 3 months or so and I need to be able to check on my tank babysitters work ha. Just let me know your Paypal and how much to send for shipping. Link to comment
malawian Posted September 10, 2012 Author Share Posted September 10, 2012 the car was pretty sick out there, race header and exhaust along with new engine management made for a hell of a ride. as for S2ks...I love em! but dont blame me for wanting to be an S2k killer of course, not one with a big turbo on it...thats kind of a different story... since your tank is only 3 months old I would probably wait just a bit longer before adding SPS (IMHO). that works out though! because im not going to frag my corals until I move them to their new home in the 75. when the time comes ill let you know what shipping will be. as for how I can check on my tank from miels away, look up above about the information on the Reefkeeper elite, it transmits all my information over the internet. I also plan on using icam and a webcam to watch the tank visually as well. Link to comment
jball1125 Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 Nice, look forward to seeing this progress Ha, same here.. I almost made a purchase on a sweet Remora holster for my Taurus TCP but I got side tracked and forgot about it so I'm going back again tomorrow lol. I have been using an IWB Remora for EDC with my PM9 for the last year or so. Great little holster, I highly recommend it. Link to comment
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