Curren's 180G Build

Wow, that's pretty hot. But better than adding all that heat to the tank I guess.

You've really been doing a lot to get this new tank online, it'll be worth it when you're enjoying life in the tank.
 
Wow, that's pretty hot. But better than adding all that heat to the tank I guess.

You've really been doing a lot to get this new tank online, it'll be worth it when you're enjoying life in the tank.

Thanks, it will definitely be nice to set back and enjoy it!


I'm moving all my fish and coral to their new home this Thursday. I have one very stressful day a head of me!
To save time my plan is to break down the sump, plumbing, and clean my equipment the night before while keeping a heater and power head in the 75G tank.
Packing up all the live rock and coral first and then the fish into 5G buckets with lids.
Scooping the sand, loading up the Jeep with the buckets and needed equipment/supplies then hitting the road.
Planning on going back for the old tank, stand, and left over furniture later in the weekend.
They'll be a 2-3 hour drive to my house and the new 180G set up.

Checked the parameters on the 75G yesterday and found the dKH and Ca2 were pretty low. Trying to boost both up to par before the breakdown to help transition everything smoothly.
Once I get all the fish and coral to my house I'm emptying out the 5G buckets into a 44G Rubbermaid bin with a small heater and air stone then setting up a drip.
This way all the fish and inverts can hopefully acclimate with minimal stress and I can take my time aquascaping.

I'm all for any suggestion!
This will be my third tank move now, but the most stressful for me.
I've been lucky enough in the past not to loose anything in the transitions.
All my fish and coral have grown so much I'd hate to loose any of them.
 
Regarding: "I had the water delivered, the tank's filled up with 300G of water,"

Where did you get your water from? At some point in the near future, I will be filling my new 210G with water, and I am considering what my options are.
 
Regarding: "I had the water delivered, the tank's filled up with 300G of water,"

Where did you get your water from? At some point in the near future, I will be filling my new 210G with water, and I am considering what my options are.

Check online to see who's local near you. Pool & Pond water delivery companies can purchase filtered water in bulk suitable for an aquarium.
You'll have to plan ahead though, most companies don't renew their truck's registration until April now however some may still be on the road supplying water for ice rinks.
Also you end up paying the trucking fee regardless of the quantity.
 
Full Tank Shot
Courtesy of my terrible phone camera.

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So it was finally time to upgrade my skimmer.
I lazily let my Reef Octopus 1000INT ride for as long as I could, with a few modifications to enhance skimmate output.
But my water quality and clarity was suffering, damn filamentous hair algea was unsightly lingering in the water column, and all over the rocks and sand, driving me absolutely nuts.
I upgraded to a Reef Octopus 5000SS and holy crap is this thing huge! I can literally fit the reaction chamber over my head.
I love the space saver design puts the pump in the skimmer and the whole thing can be fully broken down for cleaning.
With the new purchase I decided to make some modifications to my 20G Rubbermaid Tote skimmer compartment.
I'll me replacing the Tote with my old 29G custom sump I previously used on my 75G system to use as a full mechanical filter system.

My two 1-1/4" drain lines from my 180 will empty into the first chamber of the sump, where I'll add various media in filter bags.
From there water will continue through two baffles with a 1" gap where I'll have packed with filter floss blankets, and then continue to the main skimmer chamber.
I need to remove an old baffle from my previous design and also I'll be drilling two openings in the bottom of the tank for stand pipes to control the water level accurate in the chamber for the skimmer, which will then drain into my 150G refigium.
Its a 29G Aqueon tank so the bottom is not tempered! My GFO reactor can easily mount to the side of the tank as well.
My hope is through various filter media, pads, continued GFO phosphate removal, the upgraded skimmer, continued vodka dosing, and continued manual removal I can FINALLY and BRUTALLY murder this god damn hair algae which has single handedly been the bane of my very existence! :mad:
 
I believe the source of the excess phosphate/nitrate feeding the hair algae is from my unfiltered well water I have to use to top off the tank.
Even though neither NO3 of PO4 show up on tests you know its there if there's this much hair algae.
Unfortunately I am unable to filter enough water through the RODI unit to use for both weekly water changes and to top of twice a week, damn shallow wells.
I use the RODI water for a weekly 10G water change but the water for top offs is essentially straight from the tap.
 
Made a guide to start the cuts, then used a puddy damn to hold water in while I drilled. Went pretty smoothy, got a little careless towards the end but the bulkead gaskets sealed nicely.

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Here's a before and after shot. Gotta say, the new skimmer is a beast!
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New aquascape!
With the new filter did a major overhaul inside the tank.

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Also built a 2" PVC cave system and burried it in my sand bed for this new guy!

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Congrats on the new sweet setup. I'm new in the hobby, and can hardly imagine a CAD-designed dream setup like yours. Well done!
 
Haven't posted a tank shot since the Summer of Misfortune.

Could a mod please move this thread from DIY to Reef Talk? Thank you kindly.

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How's the skimmer's performance during the last few months. Do you still like it? I have been thinking about upgrading skimmer for my 120 gallons sps tank but still not sure what to get.
 
I haven't posted any pictures in a while.
My luck seems to have turned around since the Summer of Mistfortune.
Here's hoping things continue to prosper.

New Ruby Headed Wrasse "Dash"

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New Frog Spawn

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New Red Monticap

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Pocillo Growth

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Cabbage Leather Growth

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Red/Blue Mushroom Growth

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Surviving Larry Jackson - Main colony died over the summer.
Some algea seems to have repurposed it, it use to be tan base with purple tips now its green.

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Survving Kenya Tree - Unintentially killed this thing twice, somehow it always regrows.

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Surviving Anthelia - Sailfin decided to chow down on the original colony.
One polyp survived and formed this new one.

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Zebra Moray Eel "Rex"
"Feed me!!!"

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