Howdy ...

[mpwolken]

Don't know why I haven't been around reefland.com before. I'm getting sick of reef central though, so here I am.

I'm from Houston and am building a 180G system. This is what I'd call my third system. I had a 72 bow that was my "learning" system that unfortunately crashed during a 17day power outage caused by hurricane Ike. The next system was a 33G cube that I kept while preparing to put up the 180G. It became pretty stunning.



I say "building". It's actually up and running with livestock now, but the process isn't quite where I'd say that I'm in the maintenance phase.

This is my system as it sat a few weeks ago...


The small tank is a QT (but that's turning into a fiasco) at the moment. So, here's what's involved...

• Standard 180G "reef ready" display (bare bottom, about 120lbs live rock)
• 30" long Precision Marine (PM) sump
• 40" tall custom powder-coated steel stand
• PM Bullet XL (Beckett skimmer) powered by an Iwaki 40RT (out of production)
• Closed loop using the 1" SCWD powered by an Iwaki 55RLT
• 2x Koralia Magnum 8, 1x Koralia 4 & 1 MJ1200 for additional circulation
• Interim lighting system (I've got 3 IceCap 400W ballasts, but no fixutres yet)
  • Aquactinics TX5 + Hamilton Reefstar 250w MH
• Spectrapure Litermeter III dosing Recipe 1 from BRS
• Spectrapure MPDI 90 + Chloramine Removal add-on RO/DI
• Teco Seachill TR20 (1/3 hp chiller)
• Emergency backup system
  • Xantrex Freedom HF 1000 inverter/charger + 2 large marine batteries (for evacuations)
  • 2 of the 5 bulbs powered in my T5 fixture
  • A PM Redline RL100 needle wheel skimmer
  • 1 of the Magnum 8's goes on the inverter/charger
  • Secondary return pump (not added yet)
  • 8000W Briggs & Stratton gas generator (for outages without evacuations)

Livestock (of course)

• Various SPS (including ORA red planet & purple plasma)
• Various LPS (including Acan Echinata, 3 varieties of Acan Lords)
• Various Zoanthids (nice colors mostly)
• Chocolate, Sohal and Regal tangs
• Few Chromis
• Solomon Islands Anemonefish
• Green LTA
• Purple Firefish
• Crocea Clam

Feeding

• Mysis
• Nori
• Dainichi Reef Veggies (baby size)
• Cyclops
• Rotifers

[*some of it you can't see because I've installed since I took the photo]

Anyway, nice forum you've got here. Let's keep it from going south!

[Zach]

Hey there, welcome! Beautiful looking tanks. Sucks that your first one got wiped out though...stupid hurricanes. That must've really hurt.

Anyways glad to see you here, hope you like it and please keep posting updates!

[Parrothead]

Nice tank, thanks for the pics,

We work hard to keep it nice here



Welcome to reeflands

[zhenya]

Hi mpwolken,



You are right, your 33 was really nice looking tank.
What's the issue with the Q-tank? You know, you don't necessarily need to run it 24/7 (less maintenance overall). That size you can simply set up as needed using a sponge filter that you keep in the sump of your reef set up. I have a 10g that I use when needed, and simple aquaclear filter that I remove sponge from and throw it in the sump of my 110g tank. Works real well.

Good luck with your new set up, and sorry to hear of the loss of your 72. That Ike storm was really something...

[Doodaa]

Just curious...why did you decide to go bare bottom?

[gregr]

New tank looks superb. Great looking setup that you obviously put a lot of thought into.
I got tired of RC too

[mpwolken]

zhenya: What's the issue with the Q-tank?

The issue is not with the tank, but my plans for its use are always getting screwed with by reality. I wanted to keep some fish in there when I purchased them, but it turned out that that tank is just too small for the livestock purchase I make. It's well cycled and everything, but the thought of leaving 3 tangs in there even overnight is no good to me. I don't know if it has the capacity to handle those guys. I have a very aggressive Sohal tang that makes it impossible for me to add other fish one at a time or he harasses that fish endlessly.

Right now the QT is hostingn LTA that found my closed loop intake strainer!

[zhenya]

The issue is not with the tank, but my plans for its use are always getting screwed with by reality.

Oh, I see what you mean.
Sohals such a beautiful fish but I wouldn't keep one if you pay me money for it because of the reasons you stated. Maybe in a 500g tank or something, and if I add one it would be the last fish. The same with A.lineatus, when small it is a fun fish to observe but as soon as it gets to 3-4 inches look out.

[ToddTT]

zhenya: What's the issue with the Q-tank?

The issue is not with the tank, but my plans for its use are always getting screwed with by reality. I wanted to keep some fish in there when I purchased them, but it turned out that that tank is just too small for the livestock purchase I make. It's well cycled and everything, but the thought of leaving 3 tangs in there even overnight is no good to me. I don't know if it has the capacity to handle those guys. I have a very aggressive Sohal tang that makes it impossible for me to add other fish one at a time or he harasses that fish endlessly.

Right now the QT is hostingn LTA that found my closed loop intake strainer!

You need more than one QT.

And it sounds like no more tangs for your display tank, according to your Sohal at the very least.

[mpwolken]

You need more than one QT.

And it sounds like no more tangs for your display tank, according to your Sohal at the very least.

The Sohal has calmed down (took about a day). The tangs are living peacefully together. I'll be focusing on anthias soon (2-3 months from now is "soon"). The plan is to have 1 male and 4-6 female square spot or queen anthias. I haven't quite decided which.

I do need more than one QT to support this system. I have plenty of tanks and equipment around. I just need to make a plan. I really should get something like a 40 breeder for fish and keep the small tank as an invert QT. I like shallow systems when I have to do a lot of livestock interaction.

[mpwolken]

That size you can simply set up as needed using a sponge filter that you keep in the sump of your reef set up.

That's pretty much the same way I got this system going, except it was live rock from the sump rather than a sponge. I've got a fluval in tank filter filled with ceramic media in the QT that will be the main source of filtration. The rocks were a "booster".