My 1st Reef tank w/pics

3n1 · 06/21/2007, 09:14 PM

Specs:
110 gal wide ( 48x24x22 )
29 gal refuge
Two 250watt Stealth heaters ( in fuge )
Mag 12 return pump
4x65 PC lighting with moonlights ( Not using yet )
CSS 220 ( not hooked up yet )
Calcium reactor ( not setup yet )
Two Koralia 4's
PinPoint Salinity Meter
Magnum HOT 250 for water polishing and carbon
Bunch of other stuff I cant remember

First we were going to have this in the livingroom. After I bought the tank and iron stand, we decided to move the tank in the spare room we used for storage and just cut a hole in the wall so we can see it in the livingroom. This keeps busy little fingers of the Grandchild out of the refuge, and helps cut the pump and water noise down to bearly noticable. I havent finished the walls or trimmed it yet, but heres what it looks like:

Same wall as the TV:

The storage room ( now I guess it's the tank room ) I installed 2 new eletric lines, each on their own 15 amp breaker. Each line is on a GFCI with 2 outlets daisy chained above each GFCI:

Closer look at the refuge. Is my plumming simple enough?

Rock was bought from another reefer, so it was cured. My parameters after 8 days:
PH 8.2
Ammonia 0
Nitrites .25
Nitrates 20
Phos 1
kh 179
Calcium 300
Salinity 50.0 ms ( 1.0242 )
Temp 78

Just added a MOlly to the tank, to keep the cycle going good.

Cost so far ( including test kits, wiring, drywall, ect ): $2400

Never in my life would I have thought I'd spend so much on any pet. I remember laffin at my sister for paying $2000 for a dog. Guess I wont do that no more. I dont even have fish in my tank yet.....

Comments welcome, good or bad.

drummereef · 06/21/2007, 09:16 PM

Sweet, an in wall! Looks like you are still cycling so take it slow. Looks good and will be fun to watch the progress.

DaltonJames · 06/21/2007, 09:17 PM

nice tank it looks like it is going well

kclauser · 06/21/2007, 09:26 PM

I love "in-wall tanks", tv looks good too

onecrzyboi4u · 06/21/2007, 09:59 PM

I have a question.. maybe it's just me.. but 3N1 are you going to create something to to block water from getting in those outlets.. cos i know sometimes my fish will make the water splash.. Hate for that to happen to ya and cause damage..

3n1 · 06/21/2007, 10:06 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by onecrzyboi4u
I have a question.. maybe it's just me.. but 3N1 are you going to create something to to block water from getting in those outlets.. cos i know sometimes my fish will make the water splash.. Hate for that to happen to ya and cause damage..

Never thought of that. I'll see what I can figure out, thanx.

jer77 · 06/21/2007, 10:10 PM

Nice job 3n1! I like the tank size. Nice setup too. What do you plan on putting in it?

AquaReeferMan · 06/21/2007, 10:15 PM

Your sump/fug looks like it is holding a lot of water. Will it be able to handle the back flow if your power goes out? I would double check. Just unplug your return pump and see how much water drains from your display. Everything is looking good. I cant wait to see it booming with life. One of these days I will put a tank in my wall.

3n1 · 06/22/2007, 12:03 AM

Quote:

Nice job 3n1! I like the tank size. Nice setup too. What do you plan on putting in it?

Going to look into a small cleanup crew in a week or 2.

Royal Gramma
Coral beauty
Fairy Wrasse ( Scott's, Finespotted or Solar )
Lawnmower Blenny
Yellow Watchmen Goby
Yellow Tang
Pair of Perc Clowns

Of course, not all at once.

Not sure what I want to keep for corals. I know I am going to start out with the easy softies first. A fellow Michigan reefer offered me a few frags to get me started when I'm ready. Gunna wait a three/four weeks first.

Quote:

Your sump/fug looks like it is holding a lot of water. Will it be able to handle the back flow if your power goes out?

Yes, I have done that. Got my fill line established. Also placed a weep hole to prevent backflow syphon from the lockline returns. I have about 1" of room left before it flows over.

onecrzyboi4u · 06/22/2007, 03:29 AM

sorry i seen the outlets made me wonder.. you have a very nice setup.

Dubbin1 · 06/22/2007, 05:08 AM

Make sure you cover that tank really well when you finish the drywall.

t-bone2 · 06/22/2007, 05:19 AM

great start good luck

3n1 · 07/07/2007, 03:09 PM

UPDATE:

Here is my tank, front view, with my removeable black background.
Thats 115 lbs of LR. I am thinking of buying another 50lbs from a and fill in the left side:

Pics of removable background. I did it this way instead of painting it,
so I could remove the background if I needed to look for something in the rocks, ect.
Its held on by HD Velcro at the corners on the top tank trim.
It is a heavy vynl material, something like what would be used to cover bar stools, ect:

And, my 1st tank guest's ( I know their everyday run of the mill fish, but I like them ):

2 Clarkii's:

a Royal Gramma:

and a Lawnmower Blenney:

As you can see, I have a bit of hair algae, but the LM Blenny doesnt seem to make much of a dent into it. I think I'm going to order some snails to do the job. Oh, speaking of snails, I also added 1 Queen Conch.

06/21/2007, 09:14 PM	#1
3n1 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 80	My 1st Reef tank w/pics Specs: 110 gal wide ( 48x24x22 ) 29 gal refuge Two 250watt Stealth heaters ( in fuge ) Mag 12 return pump 4x65 PC lighting with moonlights ( Not using yet ) CSS 220 ( not hooked up yet ) Calcium reactor ( not setup yet ) Two Koralia 4's PinPoint Salinity Meter Magnum HOT 250 for water polishing and carbon Bunch of other stuff I cant remember First we were going to have this in the livingroom. After I bought the tank and iron stand, we decided to move the tank in the spare room we used for storage and just cut a hole in the wall so we can see it in the livingroom. This keeps busy little fingers of the Grandchild out of the refuge, and helps cut the pump and water noise down to bearly noticable. I havent finished the walls or trimmed it yet, but heres what it looks like: Same wall as the TV: The storage room ( now I guess it's the tank room ) I installed 2 new eletric lines, each on their own 15 amp breaker. Each line is on a GFCI with 2 outlets daisy chained above each GFCI: Closer look at the refuge. Is my plumming simple enough? Rock was bought from another reefer, so it was cured. My parameters after 8 days: PH 8.2 Ammonia 0 Nitrites .25 Nitrates 20 Phos 1 kh 179 Calcium 300 Salinity 50.0 ms ( 1.0242 ) Temp 78 Just added a MOlly to the tank, to keep the cycle going good. Cost so far ( including test kits, wiring, drywall, ect ): $2400 Never in my life would I have thought I'd spend so much on any pet. I remember laffin at my sister for paying $2000 for a dog. Guess I wont do that no more. I dont even have fish in my tank yet..... Comments welcome, good or bad.

06/21/2007, 09:16 PM	#2
drummereef Team RC Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: STL Posts: 14,754	Sweet, an in wall! Looks like you are still cycling so take it slow. Looks good and will be fun to watch the progress. __________________ -Brett 180g Marineland Starfire In-Wall 278 gallon system

06/21/2007, 10:10 PM	#7
jer77 Phish Lover Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 2,642	Nice job 3n1! I like the tank size. Nice setup too. What do you plan on putting in it? __________________ - Jonny -, 120g 5 Year Old Reef w/ SPS, BTA, Zoos & some Softies. 40g Frag Tank. 40g Sump. Super Reef Octopus XP 3000 External Cone Skimmer. 250W Radiums. TaoTronics LED. PanWorld 200PS w/SQWD

06/21/2007, 10:15 PM	#8
AquaReeferMan Got Reef? Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Under the Sea, Pa Posts: 4,593	Your sump/fug looks like it is holding a lot of water. Will it be able to handle the back flow if your power goes out? I would double check. Just unplug your return pump and see how much water drains from your display. Everything is looking good. I cant wait to see it booming with life. One of these days I will put a tank in my wall. __________________ Couple SPS/Zoanthid tanks and a couple of FW planted tanks. Current Tank Info: 5 pieces of glass with some silicone and plastic frames holding them together

06/22/2007, 05:19 AM	#12
t-bone2 Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: wrong end of the stick Posts: 577	great start good luck __________________ It's all smoke and mirrors Current Tank Info: 210gal becoming reef 90 reef going away

06/21/2007, 09:17 PM	#3
DaltonJames Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: novi,MI Posts: 325	nice tank it looks like it is going well

06/21/2007, 09:26 PM	#4
kclauser Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Florida Posts: 79	I love "in-wall tanks", tv looks good too

06/21/2007, 09:59 PM	#5
onecrzyboi4u Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Lexington VA Posts: 1,893	I have a question.. maybe it's just me.. but 3N1 are you going to create something to to block water from getting in those outlets.. cos i know sometimes my fish will make the water splash.. Hate for that to happen to ya and cause damage..

06/22/2007, 03:29 AM	#10
onecrzyboi4u Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Lexington VA Posts: 1,893	sorry i seen the outlets made me wonder.. you have a very nice setup.

06/22/2007, 05:08 AM	#11
Dubbin1 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Findlay, Ohio Posts: 11,540	Make sure you cover that tank really well when you finish the drywall.

07/07/2007, 03:09 PM	#13
3n1 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 80	UPDATE: Here is my tank, front view, with my removeable black background. Thats 115 lbs of LR. I am thinking of buying another 50lbs from a and fill in the left side: Pics of removable background. I did it this way instead of painting it, so I could remove the background if I needed to look for something in the rocks, ect. Its held on by HD Velcro at the corners on the top tank trim. It is a heavy vynl material, something like what would be used to cover bar stools, ect: And, my 1st tank guest's ( I know their everyday run of the mill fish, but I like them ): 2 Clarkii's: a Royal Gramma: and a Lawnmower Blenney: As you can see, I have a bit of hair algae, but the LM Blenny doesnt seem to make much of a dent into it. I think I'm going to order some snails to do the job. Oh, speaking of snails, I also added 1 Queen Conch.