MonkE and Neoh's 180 Reef Build
When me and Ryan decided to go splits on a house it was immediately clear that we would go splits on a large tank. We've both been aqua nuts forever and Reefers for the past couple years so we've collected plenty of gear. We purchased a tank off another Canreef member and started the planning. I had a 125 gallon tank running and he had a 75 gallon, so we also had a full supply of LR and livestock.
Step 1: Plan We wanted to make the tank easy to work on as well as be functional. We'd put in the biggest skimmer we've got as well as a fuge for some algae control and pod farm. Also we needed to be 100% sure that there would be no leaks because the tank would be on very nice hardwood floor and our secuirty deposit on this house is huge. We figured that we'd set the whole tank up in the garage and then when it was planned and tested, we'd dissassemble it and move it on upstairs. Leak test: http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/a...pscd46fdf4.jpg Step 2: Get it upstairs After a couple cases of beer and a few tanks full of water we got the returns and overflows sorted out. Time to move the tank upstairs... grrr... should have thought of this earlier... http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps21c79626.jpg Step3: Setup 2 more cases of beer and a long weekend later.... First get the stand in place and start the plumbing on the sump http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps0f92e383.jpg Had some LED light strips lying around... perfect :) http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps7ea21dd4.jpg Got the skimmer and fuge set up and started with the reefkeeper wiring http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps32044eb4.jpg http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/a...pse77259da.jpg http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/a...pse630037a.jpg http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/a...psbfd0ab2e.jpg http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/a...psf1e6c130.jpg http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/a...psf3aea023.jpg |
Time for the real fun!
Lamp posts from Home Depot make a great light hanger for a decent price - we're running a 4 foot vertex illumina fixture and it's suprisingly heavyhttp://i966.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps9354456d.jpg we wanted to limit the amount of LR in the tank to provide a lot of swiming room for the fish - we're going for a few larger tangs that will grow into the tank. http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps5f42c920.jpg http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/a...psb6b394ce.jpg YAY for water!!! I wish i took pictures of all the RO/DI buckets we had going downstairs... there's a video that i'm going to have to figure out how to put onto here http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/a...pscca9ab0b.jpg |
<iframe width="853" height="480" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/n9zig5hGaJQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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Congrats on the tank and the house. Long way to go for the RO.
Did the 2 of you get the tank up the stairs okay? Or were additional people needed? The reason I ask is I just picked up a 180 myself while it was HEAVY i was able to manage it okay but my friend had some trouble. It's now sitting in my garage as I try and convince 2 more people to help bring it up the stairs into the house and then down the stairs to the basement. |
Nice, i really like those stairs!. Tank looks good.
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well we did it just the two of us... but i wouldn't say we were OK! lol Ryan you want to field this one ;) I would definitely recommend more people although in our situation it wouldn't have mattered as our back patio stairs are quite narrow and there would not have been room for any extra bodies. |
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Nobody would help. We grew impatient.
Half way up the stairs, my arms gave out. Then we swapped sides and went up and left it at the top of the stairs until we could regain our strength, then attempted it again. Never under any circumstances do I recommend two people moving a 180g tank on their own. Worst idea ever. |
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Tank looks great, love the computer setup next to it. Looks super advanced!
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One more question I'm pretty sure I know the answer but just want to confirm. You have no foam or plywood under your tank between the stand correct? |
You had me at lamp posts!! :)
Got any close up shots? I need some light mounting ideas, and that looks cool. And I'm looking forward to moving my 180 out with 2 people. I remember it coming in lol |
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here's the home depot link to the posts http://www.homedepot.ca/product/alum...oss-bar/935138 |
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I've had a NET module for the reefkeeper for about 6 months now, and still haven't booked it up. Still trying to figure it out. Probably picking up a router that allows wireless bridging so I can hook it up directly to it then bounce to the router in the other room wirelessly.
Though we did hook up remote access to the ReefPC, which is connected to the reefkeeper via MyReef 2.0 and the Vertex Illumina's software - so we know what the lights are doing, and can control everything from our phones. But to top it off, we also added security cameras to the sump, side of the tank and in front of the tank, so when we get a text message regarding something going wrong in temperature, pH, or the float switch in the skimmer or sump - we can turn anything, or everything off remotely - and we can see it! http://i1056.photobucket.com/albums/...ps28f60e44.jpg http://i1056.photobucket.com/albums/...psacd5c317.jpg http://i1056.photobucket.com/albums/...ps270d9be9.jpg http://i1056.photobucket.com/albums/...ps840f8713.jpg http://i1056.photobucket.com/albums/...psd5d3ad61.jpg http://i1056.photobucket.com/albums/...ps2ed70869.jpg |
the cameras are also infared and weatherproof. So we can see it in the dark, too!
http://i1056.photobucket.com/albums/...ps1cc72be1.jpg |
Thats awesome! I'm going to do that too with my new build. It'll be awesome to view the tank when i'm at work. The best is that you can hopefully catch potential disasters before they happen.
Looking great! |
looks great man
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Loving the remote cam setup that Ryan hooked up for us.
Here's a couple tank shots from today fts http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps0l8yrfu8.jpg middle secton - the green monti fell on the lobos and got burnt pretty bad as you can see - should recover ok http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/a...psgeyvhcpr.jpg newly rescaped right side http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps4p5l9jjg.jpg giant toadstool http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/a...pskhf1x9al.jpg left side http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/a...psguoputab.jpg rock flower closeup - love these guys http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps77estdza.jpg duncan colony http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/a...psd1ottvab.jpg ausie duncans dwarfing the button polyps http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/a...pscp64wogl.jpg http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/a...psvwgl5wzt.jpg happy torch http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/a...psxplr2wew.jpg cloves and small acan garden http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/a...psufkzhxva.jpg another fts http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/a...psk5xzoahs.jpg |
Looks great! I'm looking forward to the day I start my upgrade :)
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Tank looks great wish my system was that automated great work guys. By the way your anemones are borneman anemones not rock flowers watch out they can reproduce fast but pretty cool looking.
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Right side..
http://i1056.photobucket.com/albums/...psfd2be139.jpg Paly garden http://i1056.photobucket.com/albums/...ps8d2139d7.jpg Zoo mountain http://i1056.photobucket.com/albums/...psac3d7595.jpg |
man I need a better camera... haha
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Love it
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Lookin' good guys :)
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http://i1056.photobucket.com/albums/...ps82e696ff.jpg
We added "the monster" last week. It's a XXL long tentacle anemone. Our tomato clown has chosen to take host, but for some reason it's only during certain parts of the day. We may take it out and start a new tank for our two false perculas to attempt to host. http://i1056.photobucket.com/albums/...ps1d1ba7e3.png The anemone is bloody massive! It took two hands around the bag to take it home from the LFS. It's about 20x20" - we're still looking for a good spot for it where it could stretch out, because that's only about 50% of it. It decided to stay in the corner. |
started using Reef Crystals for salt and dosing Aquavitro fuel. I've seen good health, but very slow growth out of all of the corals. Not to mention the gonipora never opens, and I believe it might be from a iron deficiency. Hopefully fuel will give it a boost.
Anyone else dose fuel with positive results? I took a before photo. Going to use the bottle and take weekly photos to see if there is any change in polyp extension and overall coral health. |
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