GreenReefer's 125 Reef

greenreefer

greenreefer

Active Member
Well I've been all over the board in the last 18 months. 24 Aquapod, then 2 of them, then replaced them with a 72 bowfront, then replace that with a DIY 60 frag tank, which I really liked, but it split and now this is my new 125. Prior to the last 18 months I was away from the hobby for a couple years and then before that I had a 55 setup in a GARF style reef tank.
I bought a used setup. I kept the major components; stand, tank, canopy, and a 40 long without chambers they had as a sump. It came with lots of other goodies, but I've parted with most of them.
So far I've setup the tank and leveled it, built 3 chambers with baffles into the 40 long, plumbed the setup, filled it up 90% of the way with water (rest today), added LS and LR and aquascaped. Previously I've only used LR, but the guy had a ton of really nice large coral skeletons so this time I've used some of those and some LR (about 150 lbs).
I'm currently using a 48 inch nova extreme 8 bulb t5 fixture and plan to later add a MH retro on one end for an SPS patch. GrimReefer over on -- picked the bulbs.
I'm still shopping for a skimmer, hopefully will find a used Octopus NW200 or an ASM G3, otherwise I'll end up purchasing a new Octopus NW200 from Premium. I'm also planning on modding 2 maxijet 1200s to shoot across the front at each other. I have the return shooting across the back top and a maxijet 900 across the back bottom, opposite the return. I plan to also add 2 maxijext 900s with Hydor Flos on the back wall point toward the front for some randomness to the flow.
If you haven't see me around here before I for the mos part stick with zoas and rics, but I'm going to brach out a little in this tank.
Here are some pics:









 
addicted2

addicted2

Member
looks like you got yourself a bunch of mermaids/boy
.....
I'm not sure there's enough room for all of them tho'...(taking into account their tendency to double/triple in size..)
 
C

corinnebarth

Guest
The rock work looks super great. Keep us posted on each step.
 
michael1972

michael1972

Member
Originally Posted by ClownFiSH11
http:///forum/post/2753173
your gonna take hte bleached corlas o ut right?
WHY take it out? that is a good spot to grow some zoas. They will not be white or bleached for long
i like it keep it
The other rock is like boulders i don’t think i have seen rock that big. Peter is the rock realy that big how much do the boulders weigh?
I do like them mermaids very nice looking should of kept at least one of them
 
greenreefer

greenreefer

Active Member
Originally Posted by addicted2
http:///forum/post/2753142
what IS with the duck in your avatar???

like everything else there, just a bunch of random stuff. I figured I'm online and you can't really see me so why not be someone completely different :)
 
greenreefer

greenreefer

Active Member
I'm leaving the coral skeletons in. I had a ton of them to choose from and I picked out specific ones that would be good for holding frags. I'm actually thinking about planting a bunch of encrusting montipora frags on the large one in the center. I know the white will turn to brown/green first, but eventually they will be covered in zoas, sps, ric, and coraline algae. I'm still debating on whther to keep the red rocks. I think that were large pipe organ colonies or something like that.
The live rock "boulders" are that big, maybe 30lbs each. I have I couldn't use that is probably 50lbs. It's cooking right now. I figured I'd see if someone local wanted a big rock, otherwise I'd bust it up a bit and sell it.
 
michael1972

michael1972

Member
Originally Posted by GreenReefer
http:///forum/post/2753272
I'm leaving the coral skeletons in. I had a ton of them to choose from and I picked out specific ones that would be good for holding frags. I'm actually thinking about planting a bunch of encrusting montipora frags on the large one in the center. I know the white will turn to brown/green first, but eventually they will be covered in zoas, sps, ric, and coraline algae. I'm still debating on whther to keep the red rocks. I think that were large pipe organ colonies or something like that.
The live rock "boulders" are that big, maybe 30lbs each. I have I couldn't use that is probably 50lbs. It's cooking right now. I figured I'd see if someone local wanted a big rock, otherwise I'd bust it up a bit and sell it.
how big is it i am setting up my 235 and was thinking i have a lot of rock but not that big "boulderish" if you would like to trade LBS fro LBS that way you dont have to break up a big rock?? just a thought i have a lot of rock if you look in my past post you can see a pic of my reef tanks that i have two 125s that are cramed packed with rock and it is actuly comming out of the top on one of the 125. the bigist pice is as big as a basket ball half and some long flat pices. let me know. if you have some messurments i might drive down and do a drop off and pick up hmmmm i allredy know you have them nice frags "crack Zoes"
looking good need a new pic with the glass cleaned.
thanks
 
greenreefer

greenreefer

Active Member
I did get the tank filled last night and turned on the pumps and powerheads. I've a got a couple of more things to put in it tonight and then I'll turn the lights on, clean the glass and take a pic. Right now I've just got 3 maxijet 1200s and 2 maxijet 900s with hydor flos, but I'm hoping to add the sure flow mods to 2 of the 1200s that shoot across the front. I'm pretty happy with the flow though.
 
greenreefer

greenreefer

Active Member
So I've decided to build my own media filter cartiridge to hold phosban and carbon and place it in between the baffles. I have a 2 x 2 x 12 inch space in between the baffles and I'm planning on using cross stich plastic matting/canvas (sheet of plastic with small holes) to build it out of. I'll post pics as I assemble it.
I've always used Phosgard, but I'be been thinking about switching to GFO from BRS (bulk reef supply). It will save a bundle and I heard it works better. Any thoughts here?
I'm also planning on building a DIY ATO from Melevs reef. I'll post pics of that too.
So the final layout/design is that the left chamber will house an Octopus NW200, then my forced flow media cartridge thingy. The center chamber will house the return pump, heaters, ATO supply and float switch, and a frag rack. The right chamber will house mangroves, chaeto, and another frag rack. Next to the sump will be the ATO 5 gallon reservoir.
I've also decide to go with BRS's two part kit as soon as I've used up my Seachem stuff.
 
greenreefer

greenreefer

Active Member
Tested my params yesterday and
0 NH3
0 NO2
0 NO3
9 dKH
8.? PH (I need a new PH test it only shows 8 and 8.5 and I was closer to 8 than 8.5, any recommendations?)
I added most stuff from either my old tank or from the tank I purchased, but I'm still surprised that there wasn't much of a cycle. I'm going to keep my eye on it for about another week and if all is still the same then I'll start slowly.
 
greenreefer

greenreefer

Active Member
Working on my stock list, I'll go slow, but wanted to build a list and work on the order of adding them. Here's what I'm thinking so far
Clown Gobies - Citrinis and Green
Neon Goby
Two Spot/Four Wheel Drive Goby (maybe a pair)
pair of percs
sixline wrasse
hippo tang
yellow tang
3 anthias - either Bartlett's or Lyretail
Feel free to comment, please!!!
 
greenreefer

greenreefer

Active Member
I'm working on it. I had a small diatom bloom, but it is almost gone now and I've had 3 straight days with NH3 and NO2 at 0, minor reading of NO3. I've got snails and crabs, only a few so far, do well in there so next week I going to try a couple frags and maybe 1 fishy and see how it goes. Trying to be cautious since this was just a straight move from one tank to another. I had everything in rubbermaids for couple of weeks without a ton of light (not the frags) and I add the dead coral skeletons so i wasn't sure what kind of cycle to expect, but I'm pretty sure I'm in the clear.
I think this is the first tank that I've ever been happy with aquascaping and flow after the first try. I think using large pieces really helps with both.
 
greenreefer

greenreefer

Active Member
Readings are all still good, so I added my rics and 16 zoa frags (about 25% of my zoas). I'll take pics sometime in the next couple of days. I'm hoping to add more each day as long as readings stay in line. I'm hoping to add a couple of my old fish this weekend (wrasse and pair of percs). I keep working on my stock list and this is the updated list of things I want in there eventually.
2 Neon Gobies
2 Two Spot/Four Wheel Drive Gobies
pair of percs
sixline wrasse
yellow tang
3 anthias - Bartlett's
 
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