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TJ's Bust'em Up Custom Reef - Big News!


TJ_Burton

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TJ's Bust'em Up [and go] Custom Reef!

 

Welcome to my build thread! Well, rebuild thread I suppose... or maybe upgrade thread?

The Details:
This thread is going to follow me taking my very new reef, and completely redo the guts of the aquarium. This will include the sump, plumbing, skimmer, fuge/frag lighting, etc. and I am going to go custom with all of it! Or nearly all of it. The sump is being built by Pro Clear Aquatics, the light by Dave @ Nano Box Reef, and I am going to use colored plumbing to match it all up and take the vanity side of this build to the next level.

The Livestock:
As with all of my builds, I am planning to go primarily with colorful sticks and clams. I really can't help myself... I just can't reef any other way and feel satisfied. The tank was originally set up with LPS and Softies to keep things simple and look full as fast as possible for a video shoot. With that concluded, I am moving over to sticks ASAP! As you read on through this thread you'll see I've already begun to move out softies and bring in SPS. Nothing too fancy just yet, but as things settle in I will get my hands on some more impressive pieces. I am not necessarily going to be chasing down "designer corals" because they tend to be heinously over priced, but rather just focus on getting some nice colors from the LFS or trade with other hobbyists for nice frags. For fish, the tank is currently home to a pair of Percula Clowns, Starry Blenny, and a [likely cyanide caught] Convict Tang. 

Details on the system can be seen in the original post below.
 

------------------------------ Original Post Below ------------------------------

 

Alright folks, I'm just going to leave this thread here...

Lots to do before I start really posting about what is happening, but lets just say I have a new reef, its already set up, but I think I am going all out custom for the sump / plumbing etc. and will kick off the thread once everything arrives!

And yes, I will probably go crazy with sticks like I did last time. This time I will hopefully avoid any mass die offs caused by acro specific viruses that can not be controlled... Sad times.

THE FUN BEGINS IN 10, 9, 8...

 

About the tank:
European tank, low iron glass, holes drilled at the top of the rear panel, utilizes XAQUA INOUT overflow system, grey stand with removable front panel for a ton of access. Dimensions are 70 x 50 x 50 cm (roughly 27" x 20" x 20")


About the scape:

I used CaribSea Life Rock to give the corals something to grow on. Mix of the standard boulders and the branches paired with a bit of smashing, stacking, and putty eventually lead me to this scape.

 

20170121_141734.thumb.jpg.bc54ea07bd2555d5a3f3f362054a55b0.jpg


How far along is the build?

So this reef was hastily assembled for a video shoot (not for a build series, but rather for a commercial of sorts to introduce a new product/line from a well known company) and was never intended to hang around. Once I got it up and running with corals and a few fish, my daughter became quite drawn to it, and my wife doesn't hate it, so I figured it should stay. ;)
Of course, I should have known that the second I set up a reef I'd be bitten by the bug... 

 

16667647_10154666543098283_1665741480_o.thumb.jpg.97254ceb0ae4bca0d69acf1f20563658.jpg


What are the plans?

I am planning to change up most of the corals and go heavy on the SPS, but more importantly, I want to completely redo the guts of the system. I slapped this together with great equipment, sure, but I want to go custom and really make the system my own. I have already gotten in touch with Pro-Clear aquatics who have ordered my custom acrylic and will be building a sump for me based on a modified design I sent them yesterday (23/02/2017) and I will be getting some pretty plumbing to really turn this system into a hot rod ;) (no flames though...) :P

 

So, if you stick around, this thing should get pretty interesting relatively quickly! I assume the sump will be at my place in a few weeks, and that is when we can really kick things off!!!

  • Like 11
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Just now, teenyreef said:

Wait, what? Didn't you just carefully explain in your huge FW tank thread all about how you're not doing a reef tank? :lol:

 

Following :)


Hahaha, yeah... but I just broke the 3000 posts mark and had to celebrate somehow... just seemed fitting, you know? :P

  • Like 2
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1 minute ago, TJ_Burton said:


Hahaha, yeah... but I just broke the 3000 posts mark and had to celebrate somehow... just seemed fitting, you know? :P

Hmmmmm, I just noticed I'm coming up on 9,000. Which is kind of embarrassing, come to think of it. But for a new tank I'd be willing to post more :D

  • Like 2
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10 hours ago, Rehype said:

Awwwwwwwwwww snap.... He's baaaaaacckkk! 

 

Can't wait to see what you have planned. 

 

:D Honestly, it isn't anything super crazy... No drop offs, no cutting edge tank dims or shape. I actually got a European aquarium that was imported as a sample. Its low iron, and the footprint is in the neighborhood of 30 x 20  an is probably close to 20 tall. I will dig up a photo and update the first post with it. Most of my customness is going to be under the stand ;)

 

9 hours ago, Nola Bear said:

Well....let's go already. 


Its going! Just don't want to rush the posts... hahaha. Soon!
 

8 hours ago, braaap said:

 

Harold has like 18 trillion in less than 2 years.


Harold has lots to post about! :P
I have been slacking on the community interactions by taking silly hiatuses... Shame on me.

  • Like 2
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1 hour ago, basser1 said:

Good to see you back TJ. I always enjoyed looking at those fuzzy colored sticks!!

Thanks :) no fuzzy sticks yet unfortunately, but I'm thinking pretty soon!

 

 

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On 2/24/2017 at 8:03 AM, TJ_Burton said:

 

:D Honestly, it isn't anything super crazy... No drop offs, no cutting edge tank dims or shape. I actually got a European aquarium that was imported as a sample. Its low iron, and the footprint is in the neighborhood of 30 x 20  an is probably close to 20 tall. I will dig up a photo and update the first post with it. Most of my customness is going to be under the stand ;)

 

Well it looks great so far...love the scape. Now show us whats under the hood B)

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Christopher Marks

I'm looking forward to seeing this tank get built! What an interesting story for how you came to have it. Will you be able to share the commercial with us one of these days? :)

 

Is the sump the only major piece of new equipment you're waiting on?

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3 hours ago, TJ_Burton said:

In celebration of this new reef, I purchased my daughter some rad kicks!

I must say they look pretty amazing under the Radion.

 

20170225_093350.thumb.jpg.9d84794efc3fede704b3c3d4867e7224.jpg

 

Never liked the disco ball effect of the radions :lol: I say go nanobox.........

  • Like 1
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8 hours ago, spectra said:

 

Never liked the disco ball effect of the radions :lol: I say go nanobox.........

 

I'm actually really digging the gen 4 pro I have on there, but it's funny you mention nanobox because I was just chatting with Dave about a custom fixture. 

  • Like 3
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Just a quick snap as the lights start coming on. Keep in mind it's only 4 or 5 weeks old at this point, and mostly softies and LPS. Going to fix that in the near future!

 

FB_IMG_1488110323757.thumb.jpg.f02958552e8404174dee8e91cfbcff45.jpg

  • Like 9
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I really like how the corals and the scape fit together. It's hard to tell from the picture, but it looks like you still have a fair amount of room up top for sps growth?

  • Like 1
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