CWatkins' 90 Gallon Reef

[cwatkins]

Hi All, just starting up a new Tank Journal thread. It's going to take me a bit to get it fully updated, so I'll reserve a few posts for the details.

WARNING: Under Construction!

Table of Contents:
Post 2 - The beginning
Post 3 - The equipment
Post 4 - The lighting
Post 5 - The controller
Post 6 - The dosing regime
Post 7 - The inhabitants
Post 8 - The corals
Post 9 - FTS Photos
Post 10 - Other photos
Post 11 - Reserved

Upcoming Plans:
-Investigating a DIY Led upgrade
-Convert to a Herbie Overflow, and then bring the return up over the back of the tank. Stil deciding if I want a split return on each side or not.

Full System - October 2011:
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-IXgl9xukXKA/Tq5CzT8MgOI/AAAAAAAAEBg/edMrGCSM5ZY/s1000/IMG_1602C.jpg

[cwatkins]

Post 2 - The beginning

[cwatkins]

The equipment

Tank: Marineland Perfecto 90 Gallon Reef Ready (single corner overflow)
Stand: Marineland Sedona (replaced door handles and knobs to be more modern)
Skimmer: Vertex IN-100 (impeller replaced once, pump replaced once)
Return Pump: Sedra KSP-7000
Powerheads: 2 x Ecotech Marine MP40W ES
Auto Top-off: Tunze Osmolator
UV: Coralife Turbo Twist - 18 Watt
Reactor #1: Two Little Fishes Reactor 150 (Carbon)
Reactor #2: Two Little Fishes Reactor 150 (Vertex Bio Pellets)
Dosing Pump #1: BRS Dosing Pump (Alk)
Dosing Pump #2: BRS Dosing Pump (calc)
Controller: Neptune Systems Apex Lite Aquacontroller (with WXM, Temp & Ph probes)

[cwatkins]

Post 4 - The lighting

[cwatkins]

The controller

I didn't really end up doing too much shopping for a controller since for some reason the Apex by Neptune Systems was always my favourite. In fact I wasn't even looking at controllers until I saw this one come out in the blogosphere. After careful consideration I decided to go for the "Lite" model, since I had no desire to monitor ORP. At the time I didn't see any need for the varible dimming ports on the full model, but now I'm kicking myself as I'm thinking LED lighting will be in the future, and it would be nice to have dimming control. Although, I can purchase a separte variable dimming module which will provide this for me.

I ended up purchasing it for my own Christmas present for Christmas 2010. I ordered it from TB Aquatics in the US, and they kindly sent it express at no extra cost, so that I'd get it in time for christmas!

A few months later I purchased the WXM module for it so I could also control my Vortech powerhead (at the time I only had one).

Controller, Dosing pumps, EcoSmart's, battery backup and WXM:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-gCdOLNz9w6U/Tq5C2ggdAWI/AAAAAAAAEBw/WCFRgTp7R0o/s800/IMG_1612I.jpg

[cwatkins]

The dosing regime

I dose both Ca, Alk and Mg using Randy Holmes-Farley's instructions (http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php)

Calcium and Alk are dosed automatically using BRS dosing pumps. I use 1.5 gallon plastic food grade jugs from Industrial Plastics in Surrey. Both Ca and Alk are dosed at the same rates, so I fill and empty the jugs at the same rate as well.

I dose Ca and Alk every two hours (alternating) for 10 minutes. This equats to 6 times per day (Alk) and 6 times per day (Ca). Each dose is 1.1ml/min x 10 minutes = 11.1ml, which equats to 66.6ml per day of both Ca and Alk.

I dose Mg during each water change, and I test using a Elos Mg testing kit.

Calcium
I purchase this in the form of Anhydrous Calcium Choloride (94-97%) from Ocean Aquatics. It comes in bags of 1Kg for under $5. I mix 2 cups of the CaCl pellets to RO/DI water, and it makes 1 gallon.

Alkalinity
I purchase this from Costco in Bellingham in the form of Baking Soda. It comes in a really large bag for relatively cheap. The bag is so large it looks like it may last me a few years. I take 2 and 1/4 cups of Baking Soda and bake it on a clean cookie sheet for a couple hours at 300-400 degrees F. Then I mix it with RO/DI water and it makes 1 gallon.

Magnesium
I purchase this from BRS in a ready to mix bag of Magnesium mix, specifically formulated for 2-part dosing. This ensures the ions are correct, etc. It mixes with RO/DI to make 1 gallon.

The BRS dosing pumps and the Food safe containers from Industrial Plastics:
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-U3QZmRwJi68/Tq5C6cfZXZI/AAAAAAAAEB4/P22OVBKUCZE/s800/IMG_1616M.jpg

[cwatkins]

Post 7 - The inhabitants

[cwatkins]

Post 8 - The corals

[cwatkins]

FTS Shots

Latest FTS - October 2011:
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-NXm7lWGfPOg/TqeeXvcOcEI/AAAAAAAAEAA/R47XMTBFgfA/s1000/IMG_1548.JPG

FTS - October 2010:
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-J81cwRHO09w/Tq5D0XY0s3I/AAAAAAAAECE/gWqa2N1wCmA/s1000/IMG_0872F.jpg

FTS - February 2010:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-rNARHcndjik/Tq8SkRB2zfI/AAAAAAAAECc/M2I3P7OtamY/s1000/IMG_0265A.jpg

[cwatkins]

Other Photos

Deep water Zoa's and Paly's:
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-m3-85oXlwhY/Tq49vWeRsOI/AAAAAAAAEBQ/-O72wvt-xJk/s1000/IMG_1555.JPG

Recently Split Toadstools:
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-BQUjVMqjaWc/TqefsoBD4GI/AAAAAAAAEAk/EjlXicexXtA/s1000/forsale4.jpg

[cwatkins]

Post 11 - Reserved