ReeferReefer's SeaClear System II - 95 gallon

[ReeferReefer]

Tank: SeaClear System II 95g
Skimmer: Reef Octopus BH-2000
Lighting: Tek 6 Bulb T5 36"
Refugium lighting: DIY Cree LED 10 Bulb from my 10g nano, LEDENET LED strip
Chemical Filtration: Carbon, Purigen
Powerhead: Crappy Aqueon Powerhead (Replacing with RW-8)
Fish: Magnificent Foxface, 2 Fire Fish, 2 Clowns
CUC: 5 Scarlet(Red leg?) Hermits, 2 Narrissus Snails (I need more snails!), Cleaner Shrimp, Peppermint Shrimp
Corals/Inverts: Toadstool, Xenia, Hammer, GSP, Green Leather, Palys, Mushrooms

 

 

FTS: Feb 14, 2016

FTS: Jan 17, 2016

FTS: Jan 15, 2016


FTS: Nov 21, 2015


Long time member here returning to the hobby and nano-reef with a bigger tank. I got my feet salty with a 10g nano-cube with a DIY Cree LED retrofit. Everything I did, I learned here on Nano-reef. Although my tank may be unconventional I thought I would share it with you since this is by far my favorite reef community online.

I have been putting off a tank thread for a while but I figured since I had trouble finding good information in the SeaClear System II being used as a reef other people might find it useful. My tank was used and must be over 10 years old and designed for a FLOWR tank utilizing bioballs.
While this could go in large reefs too I feel it fits best in AIO since I am running this sumpless with the back filtration compartment. Its essentially a giant biocube! There are a lot of these old SeaClear System II tanks floating around for cheap that can be easily modified as a reef tank. I was able to get the tank, stand and canopy for $150. I made a few modifications to the tank to bring it up to date. The tank had a bioball drip filter section in back that I replaced with a refugium.

The back essentially looked like this.


The overflow on the right has my hang on back Reef Octopus BH-2000 skimmer so that the return is going into the overflow so that the bubble trap stops the skimmer bubbles. The return pipe had to be angled to fit into the overflow area and some of the overflow teeth had to be broken to fit it. That goes to an LED lit refugium in the first bioball section. I have a combination of LEDENET LED strips taped to the back of the tank and my old DIY CREE LED array above with 10 leds. The refugium has a combination of Chateo, Grape Cap, and Fan Cap. I have rock rubble and a mean hermit in there too. There is a nice variety of microfauna in there since I got the macro from an established refugium. Second bioball chamber holds heaters, mechanical filtration clipped to the divider, more rock, Carbon and Purigen.

So now to the build evolution.

Here is my FTS on Sep 5, 2015, shortly after set up. Rock and sand was a CL buy and was actually basalt instead of limestone. Its pretty porus but I want to slowly replace it with real LR. I was using a single PC light that came with the tank from its flowr days. Its still cycling so no big deal.




Oct 13, 2015
Got 2 Fire Fish and a Magnificent Foxface after tank finished cycling.





Oct 15, 2015
Installed my Reef Octopus BH-2000 HOB Skimmer.



Oct 25, 2015
Two clownfish added


Nov 8, 2015
Live rock added with Sea Squirt, mollusks, feather dusters and some recovering stony corals of some kind. Refugium established with limited lighting.



Nov 14, 2015
Tek T5 6 bulb added to support new corals. Toadstool, Xenia, Hammer, GSP and Leather coral added






Nov 21, 2015
Hood modified to raise up T5s to increase their life and decrease heat in tank. I took the clam shell of the top of the hood and made a egg crate support for the lights. DIY Cree LED array added above refugium for increased light.

 

Jan 17, 16

Added many corals including a 20 head Acan and RBTA along with a flame angel. Getting Calc and Alk down pretty stable.

[ReeferReefer]

Planned upgrades: Getting off of tap water! I have a BRS 4 Stage Value Plus RODI unit in the mail from their recent sale which should vastly improve my water quality.

 

Potential upgrades: TLF Phosban 150 HOB reactor for GFO? DIY ATO (Looking for a strong pump to carry water 4+ feet up to the filtration area)? I want to start dosing two part but I might put off on it since I am growing mostly softies right now.

[ReeferReefer]

I have added some Palys and Mushrooms from a friend and they are pretty happy too. Not sure if they have a special name or anything like that but they are some good looking guys. Hope to have them grow in a nice large mat!

 

 

[Red_Blenny]

Are you pics private? I'm unable to see them.

 

 

Also, dat sig tho.

[ReeferReefer]

Are you pics private? I'm unable to see them.

 

 

Also, dat sig tho.

Thanks for letting me know. I reuploaded.

And Satsuski is lyfe <3

[ReeferReefer]

Update! Added many coral and the tank is doing well. Added GFO reactor. Got an Rodi unit from BRS and started dosing two part. The toadstool is the center piece of the tank but I love my Duncan too.

[ReeferReefer]

Tank is running well and thinking about adding more fish. Any suggestions?

I am considering a Flame Angel/Coral Beauty, Kole Eye Tang, Flasher Wrasse or other wrasse, Lawnmower Blenny/other Blenny, Royal Gramma.

What do you guys think?

[ReeferReefer]

Just a quick update. I lost a clown fish after coming back from a 2 week vacation. Tank sitter was giving a very light feeding by my instructions and he may have been a bit malnurished and dropped due to ich. Not sure. All my parameters are good.

In other news I got a flame angel from a local reefer and he is amazing! Such a charming personality and gets along well with my foxface.

 

The gsp and palys are spreading but my xenia are unhappy. Perhaps my tank is too clean for them since I am doing 15% weekly water changes? My hammer isnt having as good extension these days either. What kind of flow do you put your hammers in? He is right next to my very happy duncan!

[SunWyrm]

that foxface is adorable

[Red_Blenny]

Xenias are picky. I had a tiny frag of it once and it shrived up and died (and I feed heavy in my tank ). Can't really say about hammers though (The only LPS I have are Fungias and Acans).

[ReeferReefer]

that foxface is adorable

Yeah! He is my little buddy. Gets a little too friendly at feeding time. He will eat out of my hand but I worry about his sting!

[ReeferReefer]

Here are some shots of the updated filtration system for this giant AIO. The purple box contains my DIY CREE LED retrofit from my old nano, it serves as a refugium light now.

 

 

 

And here is a view of the back with the reactor, skimmer and fuge.

 

And my new friend the flame angel!

[SunWyrm]

I doubt he'll sting you purposefully during feeding. Just don't try to grab him. Mine would scrape by my hand during feeding and while i was working in the tank, but they never stuck me.

[ReeferReefer]

I picked up a ton of corals this weekend. Maybe a little overboard but I am sure you guys will understand. I got a Ricordia Yuma, 2 Rainbow Ricordia, 2 little orange green mushrooms, a neon green favia single head, some generic zoas, a single head blasto, a 20 head Acan and a rbta. Pictures to come since I am still having trouble uploading my pictures here since they are too large (I really wish I could post pictures here directly from google photos).

[ReeferReefer]

New FTS 1.17.16

 

[ReeferReefer]

A better picture of the Acan <3

[ReeferReefer]

Got some more snails and some radioactive dragon eyes. Still dealing with brown algae a bit.

[ReeferReefer]

Finally got around to feeding the RBTA. I am using raw shrimp from the grocery store and slicing small dime sized pieces for it. The nem has its mouth on the side of it from splitting (I bought it split from a local reefer) but seems to be able to eat well. Took about an hour to fully consume the shrimp though. I am going to start feeding it bi weekly and see where it goes from there. I don't really want him to split as much as grow but I know that I might not have control of that lol. Fish are doing fine but still show signs of Ich. Not sure if I am going to tear down the tank to treat it or not. Right now I am just waiting to see what happens and let the tank continue maturing. Brown film algae is still a pain and covers the glass though.

[ReeferReefer]

FTS: Feb 14, 2016