jahoban's 80 gallon reef

[jahoban]

This is an introduction to my newly filled reef tank, it is my third tank in 2 years, and will be my last upgrade until after I finish college. I started with a Biocube 29 which I did every available upgrade to and was never truly satisfied with. Next was/is my current 40Breeder frag/holding tank, merely a place to hold my fish and coral while I planned and bulit the 80gallon. I look forward to hearing people's thoughts and comments and I am always open to the opportunity to learn from fellow reefers.

 

 

 

Equipment

-Display Tank: Deep Blue Rimless 80 Gallon Frag Tank, 48"x24"x16"

-Lighting: 48" ATI Sunpower 6 bulb with NanoBox Retro replacing 2 T5HO bulbs with 6 11up LED chips, UV,

and moonlights all controlled by a Coralux Storm X, T5HO bulbs are ATI; 2 Blue+, 1 Purple+, and

1 Coral+

-Stand: DIY 2x4 and 2x6 frame, 3/4" Red Oak plywood, with 1x4 Red Oak trim, stained with a kona stain.

I painted the frame with Killz and then with a tan latex paint, the rest of the inside of the stand was

stained to match the outside.

-Sump: 40 Breeder with DIY baffles, BRS filter sock holder, and a Vertex Sensor-Mag XD

-Display Fuge: approximately 14 gallon section of the sump

-Display Fuge Light: NanoBox Mini Tide with custom Miami Hurricanes paint

-Skimmer: SWC Cone 160

-Heater: Eheim Jager 200W

-Return Pump: Sicce Syncra 5.0

-Circulation Pumps: 2 Ecotech Vortech MP40s and 1 MP10 in the display and 1 MP10 in the display fuge,

Ecotech Battery Backup

-Controller: Neptune Apex with Lab Grade pH probe, WXM module, and 2 energy bar 8s

-Reactor: BRS Deluxe Reactor with Cobalt MJ1200 for BRS GFO, I may add a second reactor if needed

for carbon

-Rock: Approximately 80-90lbs of Reefcleaners Florida Reef rock and around 20-25lbs of live rock from my

previous tanks. I am also trying out 2 8"x8"x1" Cermedia MarinePure plates in between the sump

baffles.

-Sand: Approximately 60lbs of CaribSea seafloor speacial grade

-ATO: Tunze Osmolator 3155 with 10 gallon tank as a reservoir

-Doser: Bubble Magus BM-T01, Sea Side Aquatics 1.5L containers, and a Sea Side Aquatics tube holder.

I will be dosing with BRS 2 Part and Magnesium as needed.

-Plumbing: All plumbing is schedule 80 and I am using the Herbie Method, with a 1" full siphon main drain

and a 3/4" emergency drain.

-RO/DI: BRS 6 stage deluxe upgraded to 150GPD with a second RO membrane and a booster pump

-Salt: Red Sea Coral Pro mixed to 1.026

 

 

 

 

 

Here is a better picture of the amazing light that Dave at NanoBox built for me. I cannot recommend him enough for his great lights and first class customer service.

The tank is currently on day 5 of the cycle so stay tuned for more pictures in the days to come.

 

jason

[jahoban]

Here are my clowns that will be moved into the new tank, I also have a Melenurus wrasse.

Any advice on other fish for this tank would be welcomed.

This is a better FTS, with only the white LEDs on.

What does everyone use for photo uploading? Photobucket is destroying the image quality of these as soon as I import them into my library.

 

jason

[jahoban]

Day 8 of cycle test results:

Ammonia: 1.2-2.0

Nitrite: 0.5

Nitrate: 5-10

 

I am using Red Sea test kits

 

Jason

[najluni15]

So far looks great! Have you thought of any tangs as far as fish go? And anthias are always fun. My melanarus wrasse was my favorite fish in my 120. Unfortunately I had to take the tank down and sell it due to law school.

[cment]

If you put a top on it maybe add a few wrasses like a fairy and/or flasher of some type, midas blenny are fun and Anthias are cool too. even a kole or bristletooth tang

[najluni15]

Good call. Your melanarus may not last without a top. You can make a decent top with bird netting and diy screen kit from Home Depot for like $15

[jahoban]

So far looks great! Have you thought of any tangs as far as fish go? And anthias are always fun. My melanarus wrasse was my favorite fish in my 120. Unfortunately I had to take the tank down and sell it due to law school.

 

Thanks for the compliment on how the tank looks, I have worked very hard on it.

I have been trying to decide if I want to get a Kole tang or stick with smaller fish, so many choices.

 

If you put a top on it maybe add a few wrasses like a fairy and/or flasher of some type, midas blenny are fun and Anthias are cool too. even a kole or bristletooth tang

 

I love the idea of adding some other wrasses, such beautiful colors.

I will definitely be adding a blenny of some sort. I had a lawnmower for almost 2 years and he was the coolest fish ever, so much personality.

I am leaning towards a starry blenny for this tank.

 

Good call. Your melanarus may not last without a top. You can make a decent top with bird netting and diy screen kit from Home Depot for like $15

 

I will be adding a screen top to the tank for sure.

 

Jason

[jahoban]

Cycle is moving along

 

Ammonia: 0.4-0.8

Nitrite: 0.5-1

Nitrate: 20-50

[DaveFason]

Awesome Jason! Shoot these over to me.

 

Mini will be arriving Saturday.

 

-Dave

 

P.S - Host your images on Flickr

[lokipsl]

Awesome tank! I just picked up a 80 rimless last weekend. The deep blue stand that came with it leaves a lot to be desired but hey, after 5 years of running a system sumpless I am not complaining lol. Following thread!

[jahoban]

Awesome Jason! Shoot these over to me. Mini will be arriving Saturday. -Dave P.S - Host your images on Flickr

I will send these and some pics of the fuge over to you in a day or two.Jason

 

Awesome tank! I just picked up a 80 rimless last weekend. The deep blue stand that came with it leaves a lot to be desired but hey, after 5 years of running a system sumpless I am not complaining lol. Following thread!

Thanks for the complimentYou will love the tank for sure. I built my own stand just so i could make it exactly the size i wanted it to be. My stand is 55" x 30" x 41" tall, it is quite large but the tank fits perfect on top and i have room inside for a 40 breeder sump.Jason

[jahoban]

Cycle is pretty mich finished up

Ammonia: 0

Nitrite: 0

Nitrate: 20-50

 

My fish order arrived from live aquaria/diver's den today.

I purchased a pair of ORA platinum percula clownfish, a starry blenny, and a sixline wrasse.

All the fish arrived in great condition, have already eaten flake food, and are in quarantine. I am planning on a 2-4 week quarantine but not really sure how long is the suggested time.

I plan on ordering the CUC next week sometime to really get this tank going.

 

Jason

[jahoban]

I did my first water change today, it was about 26 gallons total.

CUC from reefcleaners will be here tomorrow. I am really excited to get some activity going in the tank.

 

Jason

[Cameron6796]

I'll be here for the ride, its fun to follow a few of these biggest tanks, slower but more room for adventure and growth.

[Arkayology]

Well now, this is quite the build. I envy your lighting fixture!

[4x5]

Looking really good, that light is drool worthy and the scape is great. Looking forward to seeing more.

[D Z]

This one is gong to be one awesome tank. Some great components and I am in love with the Iight. Great idea retrofitting a sunpower. Tagging along.

[jahoban]

I'll be here for the ride, its fun to follow a few of these biggest tanks, slower but more room for adventure and growth.

 

Thanks for following along. I hope this tank is a little slower to fill up, that is the exact reason i chose this tank versus a smaller one.

 

Well now, this is quite the build. I envy your lighting fixture!

 

The lighting fixture is certainly something to see, I am very excited to see how it grows and colors corals over the next few months.

 

Looking really good, that light is drool worthy and the scape is great. Looking forward to seeing more.

 

Thanks for the compliments on the scape, I am very pleased with how it came out and it took me a few days at least to get it stacked in a pleasing way.

 

This one is gong to be one awesome tank. Some great components and I am in love with the Iight. Great idea retrofitting a sunpower. Tagging along.

 

Thank you, it is going to be an exciting time over the next few months.

 

 

 

Jason

[DaveFason]

Any more updates Jason. Check your email as well.

 

-Dave

[GoldenHawk]

That is a nice looking scape!

 

What settings are you using for your vortechs? I also have the 80 gal deep blue tank and one of the difficulties I have is moving the water throughout the tank and back into the overflow, but without blasting the sand, blasting a rock, or sucking in air from above.

[jedimasterben]

That is a nice looking scape!

 

What settings are you using for your vortechs? I also have the 80 gal deep blue tank and one of the difficulties I have is moving the water throughout the tank and back into the overflow, but without blasting the sand, blasting a rock, or sucking in air from above.

I have the same issues with my two MP40. It was better, though, when I used three MP10 instead, but they ran louder, hotter, and would pull in air from the surface.

[GoldenHawk]

I have the same issues with my two MP40. It was better, though, when I used three MP10 instead, but they ran louder, hotter, and would pull in air from the surface.

 

Do you set them up opposite each other? I currently have one MP10 and a handful of cheap Aqueons in the tank. I keep thinking about adding a MP40 or MP10, but 1) not sure where the optimal placement is and 2) Vortechs ain't cheap (my eyes may have bulged a little at 2 MP40's/ 3 MP10's in your post, lol)

[jahoban]

That is a nice looking scape!

 

What settings are you using for your vortechs? I also have the 80 gal deep blue tank and one of the difficulties I have is moving the water throughout the tank and back into the overflow, but without blasting the sand, blasting a rock, or sucking in air from above.

 

Thanks for the compliment on the scape, i am very happy with how it has turned out

 

Currently i have the mp40s on reef crest at about 50% power and the mp10 in on NTM at about 60%.

I put the mp40s into NTM daily as well to really stir things up but i have to turn the power down or they will blow water out of the tank.

I have no issue with sandstorms or them sucking air from the surface.

I think the placement of the powerheads is an important factor. I have the left mp40 more towards the front glass and the right mp40 more towards the rear glass and it creates a gyre effect in the tank. I designed the scape to be out of the way of the powerheads as well.

 

Jason