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ADA 90P 48g -> Now 90g Rimless


jestep

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I figure I'll start a build thread for a new aquarium I'm setting up.

Started this a few months ago. It's already been a bit epic. Bought it used at a good price from another local reefer here in Austin. I'm using vidarock ceramic features from cerameco in this. This was a really hard decision since I really like the creativity of scaping myself. I really like the idea of using completely sustainable rock in a tank. Even more so than fish, I don't want to contribute to any hardscape being taken from nature at this point.

First problem, the existing horizontal overflow was made of acrylic. Was doing my initial leak testing and noticed that the overflow was leaking. Gave it a slight pull (very slight) and the whole overflow ripped off the tank... Being a bit stubborn, I didn't want to drain and remove all the sand, so I fitted a new glass overflow vertically. Took some serious clamping and tape, but it's solid and doesn't leak.

Next hurdle was wanting to switch to a drilled return line so I could use locline. Again not wanting to drain and empty the tank, I drilled it vertically. Took a bit longer than I was expecting, but went smoothly. Decided to drill a second drain line as well just as a precaution. Went smooth as well, and was able to drill it much faster after gaining a bit of confidence with the first one.

So the specs:
Tank: 48 gallon ADA rimless starfire
Sump: ~15 gallon acrylic sump/fuge
Water flow: 2 Vortech Mp10's
Return: Eheim 2000+ compact pump
Substrate: 40# special grade reef sand
Lighting: Outer Orbit 250Mh + 4x24 T5HO

Here's the initial pictures:
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At the first half fill with sand:
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After redoing the overflow and drilling additional holes:
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Should have the pump and temporary heater out in the next week. Tank is being seeded with existing rock from another display. Once it's stable, will start moving coral and livestock.

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Probably going to remove or replace the black film as well. I didn't put it on, but it's pretty torn right now and definitely detracts from the tank.

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Probably going to remove or replace the black film as well. I didn't put it on, but it's pretty torn right now and definitely detracts from the tank.

 

Thats what black spray paint is for.... :)

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Got the lighting on last night. Have a broken bulb so not running all the T5's yet. 250Mh + 48W T5. 48 more T5 when I get the replacement bulbs in. Picture came out with a heck of a lot more blue than it really is.

 

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  • 2 weeks later...
Added some coral this weekend.

 

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Wow this looks really nice.

 

What type of rock is this again I didn't understand what you said about it.

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Yeah. Tempered bottom. Couldn't figure out another reasonable way to get a overflow on it. Would have preferred an external calflo or something similar.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Just a few updated pictures. Still taking these with my phone, so the quality is pretty poor which you can tell by the bad contrast and pixelation. Need to get my camera back...

 

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Wish I could show the real colors here. This hammer is bright pink/orange which took me a heck of a long time to find, and the digi, scoly, and the BTA are all bright red.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Here's a few more phone pictures. Coming along. Still not satisfied with all the placement, but most everything seems happy right now so I'm letting them grow until something inspires me to move something.

 

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Frag rack...

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  • 2 months later...

They were around $35 - $40 each. The one on the left is fairly typical of what they have available. The one one the right is pretty unique from what I've seen from them. I jumped on it when I saw it as it was exactly what I was after. They were both from www.aqua-tecture.com.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Just got some new reef brite actinic LED's. Colors are absolutely incredible. Having a bit of a time getting accurate photos, as the image sensor saturates on my camera, but these are pretty close.

 

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Just got some new reef brite actinic LED's. Colors are absolutely incredible. Having a bit of a time getting accurate photos, as the image sensor saturates on my camera, but these are pretty close.

 

P8071098.jpg

 

This piece is amazing!

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This piece is amazing!

 

It doesn't look quite as impressive under normal halides. Pretty amazing how much lighting makes a difference on color.

 

acan-small.jpg

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It doesn't look quite as impressive under normal halides. Pretty amazing how much lighting makes a difference on color.

 

acan-small.jpg

gotta love actinic lighting

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  • 1 month later...

Moving to a new stand as this one is falling apart. Waterproof my A**.

 

Setting up a rimless display refugium on the same stand. Plan to plumb from the main tank, to the refugium, to the sump which will still have a ton of chaeto in it.

 

rimless-refugium-1.jpg

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