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fewskillz' 180 gallon adventure!


fewskillz

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Sweet vid. I really love all the movement in your tank.
Thanks! I'm pretty happy with my fish mixture. It's been pretty carefully thought out.

 

 

 

 

So I was explaining my Fuge/Sump setup to MJ earlier and realized I've never done one of those MS Paint Diagrams that everyone does of their tanks. So I did one at lunch.

 

180_diagram.jpg

 

The drain between the Fuge and the Sump is what is holding up the 100% operation of this tank. I have the larger drain built, I just have to empty the fuge and install it. Then I can fill the tank up all the way and let it run with all of the proper filtration. Then I can add a few more fish and start adding coral.

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Militant Jurist

Nice! This gives me a few ideas for mine. I'm curious though: for what do you use the ball valve on the drain to the 20 (or to the 30 for that matter)?

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Nice! This gives me a few ideas for mine. I'm curious though: for what do you use the ball valve on the drain to the 20 (or to the 30 for that matter)?
Just in case there's ever a need to stop the overflows from draining. Say one of the sumps starts leaking, I want the 180 to hold all 180 gallons, not 180 minus the volume of the overflows.

 

I can also use them to force more flow down one side or the other or shutoff the Fuge all together.

 

If you only have one drain there's nothing stopping you from having it all drain to the top tank, the 20H fuge in my case. My old 125 only had one drain and one return and used this same exact sump and fuge.

 

 

 

 

Nice Ideas!
Thanks! It works pretty well. I can't wait to get that intermediate drain fixed and get the skimmer running again.
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Militant Jurist
Just in case there's ever a need to stop the overflows from draining. Say one of the sumps starts leaking, I want the 180 to hold all 180 gallons, not 180 minus the volume of the overflows.

 

I can also use them to force more flow down one side or the other or shutoff the Fuge all together.

 

If you only have one drain there's nothing stopping you from having it all drain to the top tank, the 20H fuge in my case. My old 125 only had one drain and one return and used this same exact sump and fuge.

 

Yeah, I'm only using one drain, and I'm planning on it all going to the first sump. I'll just have to use a strainer of some kind to make sure the connection between sumps doesn't plug. That should be tough to plug up though, since something would have to make it from the tank, through a filter sock, and passed the equipment first. :P

 

I've heard other people fret about using ball valves on a drain line, but I think that's what I'm going to do. If just makes sense to be able to use the main tank to hold as much water as possible in the event the need arises. Glad to know I'm not alone in thinking this!

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Glad to know I'm not alone in thinking this!
Definitely!

 

Also, word of advice: use adequate amounts of Unions. I didn't show mine in my diagram, but there are 3 or 4 in there. I can't remember if you're drilling the bottom or the back. If you're drilling the back put a union on every line above the bottom of the tank. That allows you to unhook the plumbing at the union to sit the tank on the floor, or the back of a truck, or whatever, without having to undo all of the bulkheads.

 

I did my 125 that way and it was great when it came to moving time!

IMG_4241.jpg

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Militant Jurist

I'm actually not drilling mine. I'm using a LifeReef Overflow I got from Richie. It's been on my 20L for some time, and I just recently moved it down to the 75. The logistics of moving the 75 to my house just didn't allow time for it to be drilled.

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My little sister graduates high school next Saturday. As a present our Mom had me order her a new camera. I went with the Nikon L22 P&S, 12.0 megapixel, 3x zoom, plenty of settings for a college girl, AA batteries, and SD memory card. I had it shipped to my office. I had to bring it home to play with so I could learn the settings to teach my sister next weekend when she opens it. Here are the results of my "learning".

 

My female Occy, aka The Boss

DSCN0023.jpg

 

Jawfish and Falco Hawk

DSCN0027.jpg

 

Jawfish

DSCN0029.jpg

 

Lyretail Anthias, Blue/green chromis

DSCN0034.jpg

 

1 of 2 Skunk Cleaners, these guys hide on the back of the rockwork until feeding time

DSCN0038.jpg

 

1 of 2 YTDs

DSCN0044.jpg

 

PBT, Yellow Tang, YTD, Exquisite wrasse

DSCN0046.jpg

 

my 2 oldest anthias, the dominant/changing female is on the left

DSCN0047.jpg

 

my camera shy Coral Beauty Angel

DSCN0053.jpg

 

My yellow tang

DSCN0059.jpg

 

Exquisite wrasse, YTD, and Occy clown pair

DSCN0063.jpg

 

Bluehead fairy wrasse and male occy

DSCN0045.jpg

 

Anthias and redhead solon fairy wrasse

DSCN0032.jpg

 

Bicolor Angel

DSCN0062.jpg

 

Bluehead Fairy Wrasse

DSCN0035.jpg

 

Crappy FTS, but you can see the reworked rocks in the center, I moved 2 rocks and I love it.

DSCN0014.jpg

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OOOOOoooo....AHHHHhhhhh!!!!!

 

 

that scape is pretty awesome.

I thought you would like that. You've mentioned the open scape before. I took two rocks from the bottom left of the big stack on the right and added them to the center pile. It's much more open from all angles now. Its actually even more open than it looks in the FTS. I need to take another video showing the scape a little better.

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Militant Jurist
Crappy FTS, but you can see the reworked rocks in the center, I moved 2 rocks and I love it.

DSCN0014.jpg

 

 

Do you feed on the right side of the tank? Seems like that's a happenin' place!

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Do you feed on the right side of the tank? Seems like that's a happenin' place!
I was on that side trying to take close-ups right before I backed up to take the FTS. They follow me begging like puppies.

 

I feed all over, although that is the Auto-feeder on top on the right corner. I move the feeder around every few days so the stationary fish get a fair chance. The jawfish's burrow is in the center, the Bicolor Blenny is over on the left, and the Falco hawk has a spot on the right where he usually hangs out. The skunk cleaners are on the right too.

 

 

very nice. I like the scape. ahh, to have a big tank again.
Thanks. I would miss my big tank greatly if I ever had to get rid of it. I'm so spoiled to all the action. A nano with 3 fish just can't recreate this.
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  • 3 months later...

Powder Blue Tang

Yellow Tang

Bicolor Angel

Coral Beauty Angel

Exquisite Wrasse

Red head solon wrasse

Ruby Headed wrasse

Pearly Jawfish

Bicolor Blenny

Falco Hawkfish

pair of Occelaris clowns

pair of Yellow Tail Damsels

pair of Lyretail Anthias (male and female)

trio of blue/green Chromis

pair of skunk cleaner shrimp

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Thanks. I want to get my lyretail population back up (maybe 3 or 4 more) and then another wrasse or two. I could also use a cucumber to help with the 12 square feet of sandbed. I also would like a shrimp goby and maybe a few other small fish. It's cool when people are up close to the tank and then notice the little jawfish poking out of his hole or find the bicolor blenny peeking out of his cave. A few more fish like that would add some character.

 

I'd love to add another large fish, either a genicanthus angel or maybe a purple or hippo tang, but I'm afraid to upset the harmony I've got going right now with the tangs and dwarf angels. I'd probably only add another large fish if I find a reasonably priced adult sized one at the LFS or Divers Den. I really want a Naso tang, but they just get too big for a 180 and I don't know when/if I'll ever be able to do another upgrade.

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Yeah big fish are hard to get perfect harmony with. One small mistake can lead to terror.

 

I absolutely think you should get a shrimp/goby pair. They are amazing!

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