Evolution of the 36g: Retro-Build

sirvine24

Non-member
My 100g build is under, so I'm throwing this up there since my 36gal bowfront's days are limited. It's technically my second saltwater tank, but my first learning about reefing.

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The madness began with this 9 gallon BiUbe that housed 2 clownfish (unfortunately only one is remains in the current tank).

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I upgraded to a 36 gallon Sea Clear acrylic aquarium on a stand that I found at an antique shop.

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I had to spruce up the stand a little bit by highlighting some of the details.
 
Overflow/Sump:
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First water test with the overflow, which I drilled into the back. It is a “Herbie” style drain with a main drain and an emergency. Only the main drain is shown, the second emergency was added soon afterward. I used a corrugated plastic black sheet to make an overflow cover to prevent algae and critters from entering.

The stand houses the 10 gallon DIY sump. I coated everything with weatherproof sealer and added Styrofoam sheets that I had laying around to hopeful help dampen noise.

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The 10 gallon sump initial testing.

Equipment list:
  • Skimmer: Reef Octopus BH-50
  • Return pump: RIO Plus 1400. Replaced later by Sicce Syncra 2.0
  • Light: Worklight w/ CFL bulb: Soon replaced by Wave-Point Micro Sun LED
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The sump layout with was designed to maximize refugium space. I used ¼” acrylic baffles. There is a notch cut out of the bottom to allow water to flow under the skimmer section, into the media section.

The drain is from a Herbie overflow. The main drain is ¾” tubing, the emergency is ½”. The return is ¾”. All tubing is black vinyl to keep light out.

In the media section, I experimented by running carbon, I got GFO to tumble (it’s an upflow section), and ran filter floss. Eventually I got a dual media rector and started running a filter sock. Here is a more recent iteration.

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I now fill the media section to run Marine Pure balls. I use a corrugated black plastic sheet as a light shield between the refugium and other sections. I also used the plastic and a piece of glass to make a sump cover. This contains light to the refugium, so no algae gets on the equipment. Also, I was worried about salt creep and evaporation. With this and an acrylic cover on the display, the tank evaporated less than 1 gallon a week.

This approach has changed a bit as the tank demands have evolved. Namely, I use a net to cover the display and removed the sump cover. The black baffle alone does a good job of containing light to the refugium. Salt creep hasn’t been an issue. Evaporation helps keep the tank cool in the summer. With more corals now, the higher evaporation helps my kalk ATO keep up with calcium and alkalinity.
 
Display:
Getting Started – Cycling:
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Saltwater, sand and the first iteration of the aquascape added. This is live sand and mostly live rock from the LFS. I used those black film sheets with gel that you can get at the pet store. This was a waste of time and money. It was messy to apply and time consuming. It worked for a few months before bubbling up. I then painted the back and that was quicker, cleaner, easier, and cheaper to do. It also looks much better. A Hydor Koralia 850 was added for flow.
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Next iteration, I added some branches and the “condo” in the middle. That’s by far the most popular rock to the inhabitants, especially the starry blenny.
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Another iteration after the tank cycled and I added Bruce (Wayne), the black clown from the old tank. A new Tony (Stark) was introduced to be the new mate, but unfortunately it took 3 attempts.

The initial light was a Current Orbit Marine Led light. It was sleek looking and it grew softies and LPS. It also had some cool features with its remote.
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Another aquascape iteration with more rocks and some of the first corals. I added another Koralia and a Smart Wave to alternate flow. The new fish is a McCoskers Wrasse.
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I added more corals started getting LPS. This is still under the Current Orbit LED. Also, I added a Randall’s Goby and it’s pistol shrimp buddy. At this point, I was feeling good about my handle on the reefing thing.
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Still cruising, I got a rose bubble tip anemone. One hope was that the clowns would host it and not harass the wrasse so much.
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I’ve since replaced it with a Maxspect Razor. Not really for any good reason. The Current Orbit worked well. But, I convinced myself that I needed new toy and a high-end light. The Razor was the closest in form factor that I liked. Bluefish released a wi-fi controller for the Razor so I installed it. It works very well and modernizes the user interface.
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I introduced Grandpa (Starry Blenny). It quickly has become one of my favorite fish. This is a one of the times it’s not darting into or out of the Condo.
 
Equipment:
The tank kept cruising of for few months including adding my first SPS which are a green and a red monti cap. Then came algae.

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This was about the worst stage. Green hair algae began to take hold. This was also just before moving from an apartment into my current condo.

In the move, I was able to remove a lot of it physically. The McCosker’s didn’t take the move well, and only lasted a few weeks after. It has been replaced with a Yellow Coriss Wrasse, who has been going strong for about 1 yr. After the move, I was manually removing algae regularly. I added a GFO and Carbon in a BRS dual reactor. But the algae persisted.

The corals were still growing and the existing kalk ATO wasn’t keeping up with the calcium and alkalinity. I added some vinegar to the ATO hoping to increase the kalk potency and start carbon dosing. Soon after, I did notice the algae started to recede a bit, and the chaeto in the refugium stopped growing. My nitrates and phosphates went to 0. This definitely helped fight algae. I continued with vinegar and added NoPox a couple times a week. The algae receded mostly except the two corners of the tank. I did have to remove algae monthly from around the tank. I also started two-part dosing to supplement the kalk ATO.

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I’m fortunate to have a part fish closet in the new place. It’s in a bedroom adjacent to the tank. This door is to the closet directly behind the tank.

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I get the two bottom shelves for my toys. This holds some supplies, my ATO, most electrical, dosing pump/containers, and the media reactor. The 5 gallon glass Carboy jug is my ATO. These are pretty cheap because they’re common for homebrewers. It works via vacuum, no switches, valves, or pumps are needed. There’s a rubber stopper on top that holds two tubes, water and air. It’s elevated above the sump, so it allows water to syphon into the sump. The Air Line goes to the return section and is placed at the desired water height. The Water Line goes anywhere in the sump.

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How it works:
  • Water syphons into the sump
  • Once the return section water level raises to the air line, it “plugs” that line
  • Since no air from the air line can enter the glass ATO the syphon stops
  • As water evaporates, the return section lowers below the air line, allowing air to enter through the Air Line into the ATO
  • The syphon starts back up drawing water through the Water Line into the sump
  • Cycle repeats
At some point, I got my hands on an aqua-lifter pump, which I use only to start the syphon after ATO refills.

More of the fish partial closet:

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The media reactor is plumbed off a T valve from the return pump through the wall.

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The Dosing setup with the Jebao DP-4. I found that Arizona Iced Tea jugs make great 1 gallon containers. They’re much stronger than water or other juice containers. I auto dose calcium, alkalinity and magnesium.

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The dosing lines flow into the tube holder into the return section.
 
Tweaks:
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One day I noticed that sunlight hit one corner of the tank at dawn, then the other end right at sunset. So, I adjusted the binds to prevent the direct sunlight. I also added marine pure balls in the media section. About a month or two later the algae greatly receded. I’ve since stopped with the vinegar.

I also stopped NoPox. The chaeto has started to grow again, but I read 0 Nitrates and 0 Phosphates. Now there is hardly any more hair algae, and the remaining patches disappear every week.

Current state of the tank.

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One note, the front panel has developed a bit of crazing (may be other terms for it). That’s the micro stress looking cracks. My understanding is that they don’t affect the integrity of the tank, and are just cosmetically unappealing. They can probably be buffed out, but it’s another reason to upgrade tanks.

Current inhabitants:
  • Black and regular ocellaris clown pair
  • Starry Blenny
  • Yellow Coris Wrasse
  • Randall’s Goby and Pistol Shrimp Pair
  • Fire Shrimp
  • Cleaner Shrimp
  • Emerald Crab
  • Many assorted snails and hermit crabs
  • 2 Rose bubble tip anemones
Corals
  • Toadstool
  • Hammer
  • Acan
  • 2 Favias (I think?)
  • Green and red monticaps
  • Assorted mushrooms
  • Trumpet
  • Orange Plate
  • Duncan
  • Assorted zooanthids
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Nice progression. It's a nice final aquascape. I enjoy your ATO - simplicity is so very nice.

I also use Arizona gallon jugs. Mine have been going strong well over 10yrs :)
 
Thanks! It's surprisingly hard to find 1 gallon containers, but those Arizona jugs do work perfectly.
 
Great progression! I like the ato design.


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