New tank upgrade...130 gal mixed reef peninsula style

[Flexin5]

First off i'd like to thank this site, because of the info and helpful members here i was able to run a successful stocked 10gallon as my first tank for over a year. i recently broke it down and transfered everything i wanted to keep into this new tank.

 

as i was building this i had also purchased my first home, and finished the basement. this gave me the chance to add some little things to help life with such a (to me) big tank.

 

let's get some specs out of the way:

 

tank:

 

-100gal custom rimless, corner over flow, drilled. the tank is acutally used by a friend, but has been kept in extremely good condition.

 

L=60"

W=18"

H=22"

 

 

-40 breeder sump w/baffles

 

plubming:

 

2'' drain

1.5'' return

3/4th loc line

 

lighting:

 

AI Sol Super Blue x3

AI EXT mounting rail (short) x2

AI EXT hanging kit

AI new controller

*just waiting on AI to upgrade the middle sol to full spectrum and the wireless adapters*

 

other equipment:

 

-vortech MP40

-eihim 1262 return pump

-Reef Keeper light w/moonlight controller (used for sump light) and an extra PC4

-Vertex IN-180 skimmer

-BRS 75gpd 4 stage RODI w/inline tds meter

-jbj auto topp off

 

the start:

 

 

started to mock some stuff up, at this point i was planning on just putting the tank up against a wall.

 

 

layout of the sump, cleaned up some wires

 

 

Starting on the plumbing

 

 

 

added two sols, at this time i still had the 10 gallong going with one sol on it.

 

 

now came the time to start constuction on the basement. so i bubbled wrapped and saran wrapped it up. see you in 4-6 weeks!

 

 

construction on the basement was coming along....

 

 

it was killing me to have it sitting for so long..lol

 

 

now i was at the point where i could start to set stuff up. the view when you walk into the basement/man cave:

 

 

and the view from where the sofa will go:

 

 

i'm really glad i decided to do a peninsula style tank, viewable from 3 side instead of just one. don't mind the dirty glass. got everything setup, rock and sand going on. hung the lights, put on the MP40, wired everything up.

 

i was also able to put the tank on it's own seperate 15amp breaker while i was at it. i also ran an extra water valve in the laundry room specifically for the RODI machine.

 

 

WATER!!!

 

 

cycling time....i made a makeshift stand cover, it'll do until the warmer weather is here and i can make a skin with two flush doors.

 

 

finally got to the point where i can add the clowns from the 10 gal, and a blue tang that i had to house due to my uncle's tank breaking during transporting it. i also put the coral, a green hammer, frogspawn, and some zoas from the 10 gallon.

 

 

added some new fish and tore down the 10 gallon, so i added the third AI Sol

 

 

1 powder blue tang

-4 yellow tangs

-2 pink anthias

-cleaner shrimp

-strawberry conch

-couple of hermits

 

 

other side:

 

 

a little bit later added some other fish

 

full livestock list:

 

ocellaris clowns (orange) x2

ocellaris clown (black/white) x1

powder blue tang x1

blue hippo tang x1

yellow tang x4

flame angel x1

anthias (pink/purple) x2

anthias (pink/yellow) x2

firefish goby x2

 

and picked up some frags:

 

-large frag of red convexa

-1.5 polyps of candy apple red zoas

-ultra acans

-small frag of red planet

-small frag of a red/green millipora

-purple w/green eyes chalice?

 

 

the candy apple red's have been in the tank for two weeks and i have two new heads already! sweetttt

 

 

and that's where i'm at now with the tank. i'm being very picky with what corals go into the tank, it's easy to add alot of green stuff so i'm trying to stay away from it for the most part. i'm just going to get some select SPS to let them grow out aswell as some other designer zoas, just picked up a frag of fruit loops, just need some rastas. i

 

i'll probably add some nice acans, chalices and i've started a ricordia rock with only very vibrant pink, orange, and yellow ricordias. just waiting for AI to release the sol upgrades and continue stocking coral.

 

thanks for reading! :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Andynco]

Great build I will follow this it's just like what I am about to start a build like this

[mpsti05]

Looks great dude! Been waiting for you to start this!!

[patback]

Very nice. Can't wait to have a mancave of my own.

[bryantbfusho]

Looking pretty sick

[disaster999]

scared me for a minute there. i thought you had everything drain into the fuge and the return has a T off into the skimmer compartment.

 

just wondering, are you actually getting and flow into your fuge? from the looks of it and the size of the pipe you are using, to me it doesnt seem like you will be getting much flow into the fuge. even in your picture you have the valve opened all the way.

[Flexin5]

thanks everyone

 

disaster999 - i do have flow going into the fuge, it's slow, but i wanted that dwell time in there. on the T fitting i've added a longer pipe that goes under the water line, but i didn't cement it in place, i'm going to put another valve there so if i need more flow into the fuge i can close it 1/2 way and fine tune the drain flow.

[Lalani]

Watching this one!

[Lawnman]

Nice looking tank. I will be following along.

[Zer0]

Peninsula Pals unite!

 

Also, I'm super jealous of not just your amazing aquarium, but god that basement is sexy.

[najluni15]

Awese setup. Following

[Blubbernaut]

Those are some nice fishies and hammer coral you got going. I wish I could have a large tank, but.......Yeah, prolly wouldn't go well.....

[KSMART]

Peninsula Pals unite!

 

Also, I'm super jealous of not just your amazing aquarium, but god that basement is sexy.

 

amen

[Flexin5]

thanks very much everyone,

 

i decided to get a house without a finished basement, that way i could make it just how i like it.

 

 

i got a outbreak of ich that i'm dealing with right now. sucks...but the corals are doing really well so i'm happy about that lol

[Coolhandreefer]

Any updates? Looks incredible!

[K3nnyG]

Awesome set up!

[notwithit]

Love your setup. How do you like the AI Sols?

[Flexin5]

^I like the sols very much.

 

sorry i havn't thrown up an update in a while, been busy with starting up my own fragging business and summer.

 

the tank has been going good, i lost some fish due to that ick outbreak, started to feed food soaked in garlic and everyone who survived has made it through and is looking fantastic. i havnen't seen a sign of ich since march, and all fish have great color and are nice and fat, nobody fighting and it's a nice peaceful enviroment. i did have to get rid of my flame angel who was eating my sps. current list of livestock is:

 

hippo tang x1

yellow tang x2

fire goby's x 4

powder blue tang x1 (not in pics)

blue/green chromis x3

occ. clown x1

black/white occ clown x1

pink anthias x1

 

 

 

as you may see i have upgraded the middle sol to a vega, and it's growing out the zoa garden nicely.

 

and this is a pic of the frag tank setup. just a basic 10gallon with a par38 light.

[Flexin5]

[Blubbernaut]

9621325894_b3ecd9ecf5_z.jpg9621311720_26b84ea63e_c.jpg9621287140_4dce8ec3a4_c.jpg9621279478_ee60e5afc7_z.jpg9621273664_554636a3c5_z.jpg9618067895_80f5feef6f_z.jpg9618024305_ef326fe20a_z.jpg9618017323_d4905b5b67_z.jpg

Oodles of poodles! Nice firefish!