180 gallon set up

[razermouse]

Hi everyone,

I've been keeping a small 28 gallon reef set up for the last 5 months. My kids and I love looking for new things in the tank. I like so many others here, decided to buy a larger tank so I can keep more livestock, etc. I struggled with "how big should I go?" and the question was decided by my happening across this tank posted for sale on Craig's List. It also just so happened that Janine lives in Spring Branch (about a 20 minute drive for us) and was super cool. She and her son-in-law were so nice that they even delivered the tank and stand to us. You don't meet people like this everyday!

By the way, thanks Marc for the new RO/DI unit! My family and I (and our tanks) enjoy the clean water.

Here are some pictures for those interested:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2230/2113479594_419e9f789b.jpg
Above: Sump drain/refugium

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2244/2113478246_9d85631e4e.jpg
Above: Another shot of the sump/refugium. The manifold distributes water to the bar in the refugium and then when the water reaches the top, it spills over the causeway to return back into the sump.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2321/2113478596_efd4ce48f8.jpg
Above: Pumps and plumbing

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2205/2112698639_47d0c2d3b2.jpg
Above: Ballasts for my 250 watt MH / T5HO lights. The lights were damaged in shipping by UPS and another unit is on the way. What can Brown do for you?

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2320/2113475116_93ed42016c.jpg
Above: Tank on the stand being filled with fresh water for the eventual leak tests. Yes, several leaks were found and fixed. I have not included pics of my skinned knuckles, bruised fingers, etc for all of your enjoyment. Thanks for the heavy lifting from Jason and Ross of Aquarium Designs! It's great to live close to a great LFS.

The stand was a lighter color but turned this darker brown after I put several coats of polyurethane on it. I also installed the little handles on the doors. I saw some starfish handles on someone else's stand that I'd like to find.

If anyone wants specific shots, let me know.

[clone]

thats a really nice set up.keep on updating. i would love to see the rock work

[clone]

also what are you planing on keeping in their?is going to be a fwlro or reef.if a reef what domanance/what type of fish.

[copperband]

thats a nice setup keep us updated

[razermouse]

I have a Sun coral, fox coral, mushrooms, Fire and Ice zoantid polyps that I'll move to the 180. Eventually I want to keep SPS. I like the colors and shapes of acropora, montipora, pocillopora, porites, disticophora, etc. For now, while I'm still learning, I'll stick to the easier to keep corals. Maybe another sun coral or two, more zoas, ricordia and shrooms.

We like blennies, gobys, true percula clowns, and various tangs. I also like anthias and wrasse but haven't kept any of them yet. Since this is a fairly large tank the kids and I are interested in having a small school of some species.

[fishcrazy]

Get yourself a little handheld TDS meter to test your water! People get RODI units used all the time and don't realize it but the water there putting in the tank isn't much better than tap water. Relatively inexpensive piece of equipment and will save you a lot of headaches!

[clone]

yes im with fishcrazy,i won mine at a maast meeting brand new but after awhile you need to change those filters.
so far im falling for your setup

[razermouse]

I'm pretty certain that the units Melev sells are new. I bought a RO pitcher that came with a TDS meter free! My wife wrapped it to go under the X-mas tree.

There is a float switch in the sump that triggers an external MaxiJet 900 in a 20 gallon aquarium for top offs. I'll take some close ups of the sump area later tonight if I can get the camera working again.

[razermouse]

Greenmako,

Would you mind telling what tags you used to have the images display in the post instead of as links?

[hobogato]

img tags. it should look like this minus the "$"

[$img]yourpicaddresshere[/img]

great looking setup btw!

[erikharrison]

Man, that setup looks really great!!! If you don't have a CA reactor, you should ask Ace (aka hobogato) ^^ up there.

Ohhhh, yeahhhhhh,
WELCOME TO MAAST!

[razermouse]

I don't have a CA reactor yet. From what I've been reading, I think I'd prefer to run a reactor than dose Kalwasser.

... and thanks!

[clone]

any updates?

[RayAllen]

Nice find! very interesting sump setup. Ive never seen that before. Where does the skimmer go?

[razermouse]

I'm interviewing for a job in Houston next Friday. I've bought 300 gallons of Marine Environment salt but I'm waiting to see if I get an offer or not before I doing anything else.

In my 28 gallon, I've got 30 pounds of Tampa Bay live sand 60 pounds of live rock. Fantastic stuff... I had almost no cycle and I love the look. There was very little die off and there were some really nice hitch hikers (including an unidentified almost transparent and black striped fish). There's been a bunch of bad ones too like the mantis and tons of crabs. However, I believe the mantis has taken care of the crab issue. I will take care of the mantis when I tear down the 28. He might go in either my refugium or my 6 gallon.

The skimmer is fed with its own external pump. You can see it to the right of the pumps. I'm going to go buy a new battery for the camera in a little while today and I'll update with some better pictures.

[razermouse]

Ray,

It looks like you may live close to me. We are at 281 and Evans. If you're interested in seeing the set up in person, PM me and you can come by.

[clone]

im perty intrested in seeing your set up.ive been in the hobby for 3 years naw and for some reason i really like your set up.i cant get over it

[razermouse]

RO/DI water top off tank:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2032/2131654166_05dde51737.jpg

Sensor and probe mounts:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2302/2131653724_9cc3118ce5.jpg

Closer shot of the pump and skimmer plumbing:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2010/2130875339_e37c6e6943.jpg

Corner overflow:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2403/2131652724_46e31ed1cd.jpg

Refugium water return:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2050/2131652220_d828de707e.jpg

Skimmer:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2294/2131651826_4d62e00505.jpg

[razermouse]

I don't know why the pictures won't display in the post. I used the img tags...

[LoneStar]

....you just needed to drop the ?v=0 at the end of the picture url

Nice setup btw!