Journey of my 120

[eidillitih]

I beginning a new set-up. It's a Oceanic with a DIY stand and canopy. I know lots of people have logs but I wanted to start one because I have questions that I would like suggestions. I'll give you a update of where I've come from.
I made the decision to start a 120 after an attempt to set up a 210 in the garage was really unsatisfying. I couldn't really enjoy it in the house and was just to big for the space. So I sold it and bought a 120. Now, I actually built the stand and canopy 3 months ago. Decide not to go that route, tried to sell it, no takers so it just sat in garage. Well, after decide to go smaller last week I finally got around to staining it.



How's it look?

I painted the back ground blue. turn out pretty good. I put about 5 or 6 coats on it.



Wednesday I moved it in the house and finish plumbling it. I filled it with water and now doing a freshwater run.







So far so good.

I recieve my halide today. I went with 2 Icecap 250 with 10k reeflux and pfo pendents and 3 110w super actinics. I wanted to go with 4 110 super actinics but thought that may be too much.

I have 2 tunze 6100 in the tank, seems to moving lots of water. Does a multi-controller allow one to be on at a time? cause both at the same time with the returns and seio 1100 is alot. Also, I have a mag 7 on one return and mag 9.5 on another return. Do you think, it'll be less heat with just 1 mag 18. My tank temp is 78 with no light and it's the dead of winter. I have a 1/4 jbj chiller but man, I thought that was high.

Well thanks for looking and Happy Reefing

[msuzuki126]

Looks awesome, definitely going to be a nice setup.

[frederickk]

Nice set-up

[piscivorous]

What skimmer are you running?

[eidillitih]

Thanks fellow reefers. Piscivorous it's a ASM G3, I love this skimmer. I need to mod it with a Gate valve though.

Update: I have wash the sand and have placed it in the tank. Will be adding Rock and water soon. Pic to come

[drummereef]

Looks sweet! Keep us posted on the updates.

[Racenrich]

i have a 120g as well....center overflow....i'm running 2-250-10K XM's and 4-03 super actinics-VHO's.....Here is a pic for reference.
4-VHO's looks great IMO.......
Cheers,
Rich K.

[eidillitih]

Racenrich, Thanks for the reference. That looks awesome!!! I've already put the 3 actinics on and don't feel like adding the other but heres a picture with the actinics on



Can't really tell HOW blue that is but none the less is blue. After allow the tank to run two days with freshwater. I drain the freshwater and add the sand and rock. I have a sand storm right now. Check it out:



Yeap, can't see a thing, sure it'll clear in a day or two. I have about 150lb of Like Rock in the tank. Coming from the 210 I have at least 150Lbs of rock in my 100 gallon stock tank in the garage.

As I mention I recieve my Halide, it's kinda funny being a grown man and feeling a kid in the candy store when you get the new equipment. Yeap, I bought equipment before but it's the same thing every time. I just get excited. I'm like Tim Allen on "Tool Time" start grunting and stuff.



So hopefully it'll clear in a few days and I'll post clear picture. Until then Happy Reefing.

[ozzmosis]

eidillitih, I'm in the process of building a 120 right now too. However, I just haven't gotten as far as you have. I am doing some things the same as you, but some a little different. I am building a stand very similar to yours, of course with a few little differences, but overall very similar in design. I elected to go with the AGA 120 non-RR so that I could customize the tank better. I am building a custom overflow and also installing a huge closed loop on the tank. Of course, that meant a lot of drilling. I drilled 7 holes in the back of the tank today. That was a little nerve racking of course, but it is done. I guess the real test will be when I fill it up with water. :-D Anywho, I'll keep an eye on how your thread progresses. So far, you tank and stand is looking good. I am anxious to see how yours turns out. Keep the pics a coming and keep us updated. I am going to start a thread here soon on how my tank is progressing. Feel free to stop in and give advice if you see me doing something you aren't sure about. Good luck and happy reefing!

[eidillitih]

ozzmosis, thanks for the response. I did the close loop on my old 210, I like it but with this tank I wanted to go real simple. I had the two tunzes already so their was really no need for close loop. But I do wish I would have went with a calflo overflow to save on space but I got a deal on the Oceanic. I'll be sure to look out for your thread. The best part about this hobby is putting it all together, and watching it grow. It's the Journey that makes the Destination so sweet!!!!

[ozzmosis]

I couldn't agree more.

[ozzmosis]

racenrich, your tank is looking awesome! I only hope that my tank will turn out half as good as that!

[CletusKlump]

more pics.......lookin good

[eidillitih]

Okay guys well, it'll be a week tommorrow that the system has been up and running. I've install my reservoir, I've put a gate valve on my ASM skimmer, and I've added cheato to my sump. I tell ya, man I have this sugar fine sand that is ticking me off. It continues to get on my rock. I didn't think it was so fine before I put it in. but the Tunzes are having a field day. Heres a picture of a couple days after.



heres a picture 5 days later



Tanks doing alright, I test the water today. Everything was good except Phospates 1 ppm and Alk. 6 . I don't understand why the phospates are so high, strange. What do you think? I was hoping not to get much of a cycle since the Rock was moved from my 210 and was well seasoned. I have a few coral on some rock that are looking okay. I'm in no hurry. I've been in this hobby a long time now and will not ruch anything, when I know that giving it time is one of the major keys to success. My nano has been up for 5 months and it still have no fish in it. Just shrimp and crabs and corals.

I'm waiting for my reeflux 10k to come in. Should be any day now. Heres a couple of random picture just to look at.






Happy Reefing.

[ozzmosis]

Well, I would guess that your phosphates are probably leaching from your rock that you had in your old tank. Your old tank tests probably showed that you had no phosphates, but in reality you probably did, but your rocks were absorbing it. Now, that you have water that has no phospates in it, they are leaching back out, as if they are balancing out with the rest of the tank. I hope that makes sense. I think it does to me anyway. :-D Anyway, I am jealous of you, because you have your tank up and running. I'm still waiting on things to come in, but it won't be long before I am joining you. It's looking good, keep up the good work and keep us updated!

[eidillitih]

Thanks, I figured it was the rock also. That is the only thing it could be. But I'll be doing water changes to bring it down, I don't want it to be absorbed by the system. unless by the cheato.

[eidillitih]

Well, my bulbs has came in 10k reeflux. David of coralvue is a cool guy. Been knowing him since he first got started doing reef lighting, first it was just MH ballast and bulbs, now he has a hold line of coralvue products.



Wired the ballast and the pendent and did a test fire.



I install the pendents, looks clean but I think they are a little low, what do you reefers think? I think I'm going to raise them today.



Here is a picture of the tank with MH on. What do you think? I think it's bright but I usually perfer a little more blue.



I had a sand problem. With the 2 tunze 6100's screaming across the 4ft tank. It began to dig a hole in the front middle of the sand bed and I didn't like the look so I added more coarse substract. What do you think? With all the flow hitting this area, detrius should settle here at all. Working great so far.



Thanks for looking fellow reefers

[SaltyNovice]

I think it looks really great (for what that's worth). I too have the sugar fine sand and have that same problem (although my ph's are maxijets not the tunze). I like your answer to the problem - using the coarser substrate. I'll have to consider doing that. I wonder if the sand and the coarse stuff will intermix and kind of hold down the fine stuff for you after some time? Anyway good luck with your set up - I'll be tagging along with you. I just love these build threads. I wish I had a camera and the know how to post pics. I've got some issues I could really use some help with from time to time - guess I'll put that on the list of other things to do as I get time.

[eidillitih]

Thanks. yea pictures truly help, when can't figure some thing out and hard to explain. don't need a real good camera either. I found it to be a great investment.

[Hop]

it's kinda funny being a grown man and feeling a kid in the candy store when you get the new equipment

Don't worry The feeling never goes away in this hobby!



Nice start BTW.

And PS, "feeling LIKE a kid in a candy store". What you have typed above could get you arrested

[eidillitih]

Originally posted by Hop
Don't worry The feeling never goes away in this hobby!





Nice start BTW.

And PS, "feeling LIKE a kid in a candy store". What you have typed above could get you arrested

Funny!!!!

[eidillitih]

Well, not a lot is going on with the tank. Just trying to cycle. I'm getting algae growth and I've been trying to increase the calcium and Alkalinity to get it right. My chiller popped on yesterday, very disturbing considering it's 32 degrees outside. I know my house is much warmer, but I think it was due to the sump light I left on along with the light for the cheato. I think I will run the cheato light reverse of the MH so that it will be less heat added.



here is a picture of full tank shot, you can see tha the algae is growing preety good. I think it's beginning to die off already.



I bought a Ocean Runner to replace the two mags I have running now. Ocean Runner is surpose to be quiet and less heat I hope. AAlso recieve my ph probe for my ph monitor. Ph seems to be fine. I'm hoping to be able to add a coral next weekend. I already have piece of corals in the tank that opens up when the lights are on. So, I'm hopeful.

Thanks for looking Reefers!

[ozzmosis]

Looking good eidillitih! I can't wait to see the end result. I'll try to get my build thread started tomorrow. I'm starting to get to the critical phases now where everything is coming in and things just need to be finished and put together. I'll keep an eye on yours as I begin the journey with you!

[eidillitih]

Well, I hooked up the Ocean Runner 6500. Man, that bad boy moves some water. Would you believe that the temp. went down three tenths of a degree after I hooked it up.

[eidillitih]

Well, it we'll be a months Friday and the algae has began to grow and some is begun to die off. I've added two coral just to test it. One is Green Dig.



The Other is an Orange Cap



They need to adjust to the Halides being that they were in my Nano with pc's



The tank is coming along good. Finally got the skimmer dialed in. Pulling out green tea, with no fish, must be the algae that's dieing off



I'm going to waite another month before I add any fish. But I will begin to add corals

Left side



Right side



Image of the two Corals



Okay that's it for now, thanks for looking and Happy Reefing.