thre3leven's 65G [02/01/16 breaking point/tear down]

[thre3leven]

FTS 09-23-14


After keeping my 10 gallon tank running for over 2 1/2 years without crashing I decided to upgrade.
My co-worker was moving and wanted to get rid of her tank so I offered her $120, not expecting her to accept it, but she did. I ended up with the 65 gallon drilled display tank, stand, sump, return pump, and light fixture.

I set it up in my back yard, taped it off, and painted the back black and touched up the stand. I also filled it up outside to make sure there weren't any leaks, and that the return pump was working.

Everything checked out so I moved it inside and started writing down everything I needed to get it running. The closest fish store is about a 20 minute drive, and without a truck, transporting 80+ gallons of water just to set it up wasn't appealing. I decided to purchase a BRS RO/DI Reactor. We don't have to pay for our water, as it is included in our HOA, so filtering water day and night wouldn't cost anything aside from the filter replacements.

I purchased an ottoman to hide a 20G Long tank in next to the display. It has a heater and powerhead so I can pre-mix saltwater to the perfect salinity before pumping it to the 65G. I am going to set up the reactor plumbing so I can direct the water to the sump or the ottoman. That way I can either open the valve to do top-offs, or close it to mix some saltwater. I will eventually install an auto top-off.

This is my equipment list as of today:

• 65 Gallon Drilled Display w/Overflow Box
• 20 Gallon Sump
• Current NOVA Extreme 39W X 6 T5HO (3 Actinic/3 Daylight)
• RIO 1400 Return Pump
• Maxi-Jet 900 Power Head
• Hydor 300W Heater
• Reef Octopus NW-110 Protein Skimmer
• 20 Gallon Long (in ottoman) with heater and powerhead for mixing water

I am still debating on whether to go bare bottom or sand. I started my 10G with sand, but when moving it from my parent's house (they took care of the tank while I was travelling overseas for 14 months) I took it all out. The 10G is doing better than ever now, and is very easy to maintain, but I love the look of a deep sand bed. What to do...

I ordered 50lbs of dry rock from Reef Cleaners, and hope to get that in the mail the next few days. Once the cycle is done and all the parameters are perfect I will move over the 25lbs of live rock along with the livestock that is in the 10G now.

Here are some pictures of what has transpired so far. Please feel free to give me feedback, suggestions, opinions and such.

I am really looking forward to getting this tank moving along.

[thre3leven]

I am also looking for suggestions for rockscapes. The tank is a blank canvas at this point.

[Chew_Magna]

I am also looking for suggestions for rockscapes. The tank is a blank canvas at this point.

With the height of that tank I'd go for a more bonsai look.

 

And gj on scoring the tank and equipment for that price. And I LOVE the ottoman idea.

[Spirofucci]

Nice set up! Especially for that price! I have a 65 gal FW african set up. That 65 will make a nice deep reef tank.

[thre3leven]

Thanks guys! If I didn't get the amazing deal, this tank would on the back burner. My fiancee mentioned something about a wedding coming up.

 

I like the bonsai idea. There are definitely going to be two sections. I'm not a fan of the pile of rocks look. I requested at least one pillar from John at reef cleaners, so I will use that to branch out with some drilling and acrylic rods.

[thre3leven]

Received my rock order from ReefCleaners. Im pretty happy with the rockscape. Left plenty of room for coral growth and homes for fish.

 

 

 

[thre3leven]

I set it up in my back yard, taped it off, and painted the back black and touched up the stand

I don't think your comment posted right.

[thre3leven]

Put in 60lbs of natures ocean bio-active live aragonite tonight. I also threw in a piece of live rock from my other tank that is covered in Coraline with the hopes of seeding the dry rock.

 

Two questions: should I be running the skimmer while cycling, and what (if anything) should I throw in the tank to feed the bacteria ie: shrimp?

[thre3leven]

Worked on the sump tonight. Added a digital thermometer, built a rack for the power supply and timer, and tried to make sense of all the cords. Skimmer hasn't broken in yet. The cloud after adding the sand took over 24 hours to clear, so here are some shots after the dust settled.

 

 

 

 

[thre3leven]

Alright a lot has happened since the last update. After the cycle completed, and all tests were at 0, I did a 20G water change. I then took a chisel to the 20lbs of live rock I had in my 10G and did my best to break it up to still look presentable in the 65G. Set up the new rock scape, moved over the fish, shrimp and corals, and let the dust settle.

 

Meanwhile I moved the peppermint shrimp into the sump because he was chompin on the coral I had in the display tank. I also built a refugium with chaeto in the sump, and installed a BRS reactor to run carbon/GFO.

 

Throughout the next few days I slowly added the following corals:

• Toadstool Leather
• Xenia w/mushroom
• Frogspawn
• GSP
• Zoa Colony
• Blue Chalice
• Warcoral
• Yellow Finger Gorgonian

The following pics were taken right after the lights came on, and the gorgonian was just put in. The gorgonian has since opened up completely.

 

I need help with the Xenia though. I can't get it to open up at all. Any suggestions?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[thre3leven]

What should i do for the xenia? Everything is at zero, temp is at 80, good flow and lighting. Everything else is fully open. Feeding oyster and phyto feast.

[thre3leven]

Picked up a cleaning crew and some pajama cardinals over the weekend. Xenia seems to be doing a little better. It isn't fully open, but it has spread onto the nearby rock.

[thre3leven]

Moar pics!

 

FTS 6/13/13

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[BattleAthletics]

That gigantic overflow box.

[sunburn]

Very nice!

[frostyjay1]

I love the rock scape you went with. I have to ask is that a ATO tank in the ottoman?? if so I absolutely love the idea. As for the xenia, it grows like crazy eventually. IMO get rid of it now before it takes over and kills all your other cooler stuff. I know someone that let it grow and when he went to get rid of it, it wiped out his entire system. Best of luck with the larger endeavor

[thre3leven]

The Ottoman is where I pre mix my saltwater, so i always have 20 gallons prepped and heated with a powerhead ready to transfer water over whenever it is needed. I ran a split from my ro di reactor so I can fill up the 20 long in the Ottoman, or do a top off in the tank by simply turning on our kitchen faucet. We are in a small condo so anyway to save space helps.

 

Thanks for the xenia tip. I have moved the frag to an island to keep it under control.

[thre3leven]

Here's a video of the tank running. The 65 gallon is silent. The background noise is my 10 gallon needing a serious top off.

[thre3leven]

Full Tank Shot 08/28/13

Full Tank Shot 11/20/13 (w/phone camera)

 

[thre3leven]

Corals:

Frogspawn

Toadstool Leather

Hollywood Stunner

Warcoral

Blue Chalice

Xenia

Mushrooms

GSP

Torch

Kenya Tree x11

Zoas

 

Fish:

Paired Clowns

Pajama Cardinal x2

Damsel x2

Blue Tang

Goldenhead Goby

 

Inverts:

Cleaner Shrimp

Emerald Crab

Blue-legged Hermit

Misc Snails

[thre3leven]

Just bought some new T5 bulbs to replace the stock Current ones. Here is what the new bulb setup will be:

 

(4) ATI BLUE PLUS

(1) KORALLEN-ZUCHT FIJI PURPLE HO T5 LAMP

(1) KORALLEN-ZUCHT CORAL LIGHT II NEW GENERATION T5 LAMP

 

I am hoping this setup will get the color and growth I am looking for. Will post pics after they are installed.

[thre3leven]

Received the new lights in the mail and love them. Perfect balance of blue and purple. The colors really pop. I will try to post pics tomorrow. Working two jobs 13+ hours a day, by the time I get home the lights are off already so haven't really had a photo op .

 

Emerald crab has cleared all the bubble algae like a champ, and goldenhead goby has the sand sparkling white, without a trace of cyano. Couldn't have asked for more.

[thre3leven]

Tank is just over a year old now. Here is the most up to date FTS:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[thre3leven]

Inhabitant update:

Lost the goldenhead goby a few months ago. Tried supplementing his diet but no luck. Cleaned out a bunch of the kenyas and donated them to a fellow reefer. Purchased a nice rock with several mushroom colonies, a ton of GSP and a two patches of birdsnest from Jesse at Diablo Corals. The birdsnest has really taken off.

 

Corals:

Birdsnest

Frogspawn

Toadstool Leather

Hollywood Stunner

Warcoral (Melting or Recovering: TBA)

Blue Chalice

Xenia

Mushrooms

GSP

Torch

Kenya Tree

Zoas

 

 

Fish:

Paired Clowns

Pajama Cardinal x2

Damsel x2

Blue Tang

 

Inverts:

Cleaner Shrimp

Blue-legged Hermit

Misc Snails

 

Is there such thing as a miniature tang? I purchased the Blue Tang about a year ago, expecting it to outgrow the tank, but it hasn't really grown at all. Is that normal?

[Coolhandreefer]

I really like this tank a lot! Its simple and looks beautiful.