Doing it in the corner...

[JP-79er]

Hi, Thought i would start myself off my tank build thread on here...a year late so here it is retrospectivley... http://www.reefersparadise.com/smf/Smileys/SoLoSMiLeYS1/cheesy.gif

But I will kick it off with a breif history lesson about me, and how i arrived at my tank build..

After spending many years as a kid looking at awe at my Dad 6' trops tank i have always been fascinated with fish, but this tank was shut this down when we moved house. But about 8-9years ago my Dad started it up again and moved on to Disus fish, but found everytime I looked at them there was alway something missing. Then one day looking around mt local LFS about 8 years ago (LFS were places i rarely visitied back then) I spotted what was missing from my dad's tank. Corals and fish of every colour you could imaging, Nems, seafans, GSP, Coco worms, Clown fish, Tangs, Mandarins. All the stuff you see on TV but never though imaginable in your front room. So after a pestering my fiance (back then, now wife), she agreed I could get a Marine reef tank. Think she now regerts saying yes to the tank as I spend more time with the tank than the wife... http://www.reefersparadise.com/smf/Smileys/SoLoSMiLeYS1/laughing.gif

So I sought advice from some books from a libary and LFS and brought myself a Juwel rio125, and got her up and running and after nearly 6 years a total disater. All my hard efforts, coupled with poor advice and poor knowelge was caused the tank to fall in to complete disrepair. Couldn't understand why i was struggling and my knowelege was poor to rubbish on how deal with effectivly a tank crash and major hair algea and diatom outbreak, all seem totally uncontrollable and disheartended me to the point of giving up. http://www.reefersparadise.com/smf/Smileys/SoLoSMiLeYS1/embarrassed.gif

But about two years a go I meet a chap Tony Brazaro and along with my Dad giving up his Chilid tank (My current Trigon 190) and giving it to me. Joining the Anglian Reef Club, Essex Reef Club, a.n.other fishsy forum's (UR & RP) one where I created the `Trigon owners club' now 184 members strong and now been running just over a year (This was so I could pull all the Trigons together so i could see what can or an can't be done, this was a great pool of inforamtion and now helping others set their up and offering advice).

So armed with renewed vigiour, entusiam and huge pool of good solid advice, to start over (of sorts), now its time to do it properly. Hopefully a modest but respectable SPS masterpeice..In time.

[Tangman]

When i saw the thread title i was worried what it was about thought we had one of those doggy stories coming up LOL. It sounds like you have been through it all keeping marines. If you get bad advice it can be a nightmare to recover and get it right. The worst thing is there are a lot of so called experts out there that start up with a marine tank and after a month they know it all, they put pics up of there tanks to reveal an algae ridden load of rock in a tank of water with some inappropriate fish in it. Then they get remarks from other members who know about as much saying what a stunning tank you have there m8 its great. Most people move on from freshwater to marines and fall down as they are completely different fish to keep and end up with the tank full of large fish and loads of algae, they then go the the LFS and tell them there problem and get sold a load of so called remedies which cost a fortune and dont do any good, so then they give up after spending a small fortune they try and recoop there money by asking a fortune for a pile of crap which they have created. Please post some pics up as we all like pics on here. Twiggy

[JP-79er]

Don't worry the only thing dodgy on this thread will be my photgraphy...LOL

Right enought about me, on with the build. I will be doing this retrospect as it is nearly a year old now although still not fully equiped (Yet).

The tank in question is a Juwel Trigon 190. This was used previously as a Discus tank so first things first was to give the tank a good clean out as I knew my dad had had copper treatments in there. So over a period of week or so i get a bucket of RO and set about scrubbing serveral times over a period of a week.

My original plans for the tank was to sump just behind the cabinet and use a OFB, but to get it up and running using my HoB fuge, but in a discussion with the wife I convinced her that the best option was to drill the tank and pipe the water under the stairs and into the garage for a remote sump. (Incredabilily she agreed) But i did have to comprimse and deorcate the Lounge and dining room first before i started.

So not miss an oppertunity I set about planning the build and decorating (before she changed her mind) and after making a large hole for the pipes (Not best pleased when she saw it....ha ha ha) it was full steam ahead.


So i trawalled the papers, ebay, internet, UR etc for equipment and stuff and purchased:
VDL pipe work and all the needed fittings
Glass for the weir
Acrylic to face the weir
OR2500 return pump
Weir combs
Glass drill bits
Heaters
Egg crate
Substrate
and lots of other goodies sourced here there and every where and ended up with this Here is a selection fo build photos for you:

[JP-79er]

errrrmmmm Tangman that was me once `If you get bad advice it can be a nightmare to recover and get it right. The worst thing is there are a lot of so called experts out there that start up with a marine tank and after a month they know it all, they put pics up of there tanks to reveal an algae ridden load of rock in a tank of water with some inappropriate fish in it. (and heres the proof).

Now for the embarassing part, and TBH this is the first time I have ever posted piccies of my old tank due to embarressment. But every time i see these pictures i find it quite sad and reminds me of how not to do it and importance of careing and consdieration of the environment of what we are keeping after all these are animals and living creatures that soley rely us.

Regal was re-homed at my LFS and given a better life.

[JP-79er]

So here is the best bit.

Time to put every bit of bad advise in the bin, put down the out of date book i was reading, and bin off the rubbish LFS i used shop at.

It was time to carry out the tank transfer, so set about breaking down the Rio125 and transfering the LR and some of the livestock over i only kept my 2 Common clowns and flashbck dotty back all the rest were rehomed, but what a ordeal that is with two 2 1/2year olds charging about.

In my old tank I had large quanitites of GSP and various other soft corals, so decided to take the action of removing what i didnt want and sorting out and weighting out my LR as i had way too much of it. So in the main tank I added 15kg LR the remianing 3-4kg which was carpeted in GSP and other softs went to my LFS. With a bit if jigging aroung and cleaning the LR of all the crud and detrious build up and ended up with this see below photo:

10570

[JP-79er]

Now the lighting system is currently the Arcadia Ibar 2x24w T5's at the moment but after a bit of deliberation and thought i had decided to go Halide, as the location of the tank is under the stairs the sloping ceiling will not support a hanging unit so I went clamp on and with a 150w unit, 2x55w PC's and T8 18w to use as a night light. Nice and bright.. http://www.reefersparadise.com/smf/Smileys/SoLoSMiLeYS1/cheesy.gif

Also the circulation needed bulstering, so i decided to mod my Hydor K1 and then added a K3 , tied in with my OR2500 return pump, this is giving me x40+ turnover without being too brutal.

Next in line of attack was water stability, so after a bit of reseach i have settled on the balling classic and got hold of Aquamedic Reefdoser 4 to do the duties of this. I did do this manually but glad i have the dosing unit, just getting used to setting up and running it at the moment but first impressions are that i am happy with it and levels have never been better.

That bring me quickly up to date and will post full equip spec and introductions to the tank mates.

This is the latest shot i have of the tank but do need a more upto date on, still not been with out its hiccups along the way but certianly a vast improvment from my darker days of reef keeping. All that LR is the green coverd stuff from my old tank, i have not brought any new LR for it.

[JP-79er]

Full technical list and spec sheet to date:

Tank Side:
Tank: Trigon 190 (190ltr), modified for twin 32mm stand pipe and corner weir
Lighting: BioPro 150w halide, electronic ballast with iQuatics 14K bulb - Running for 8.5hrs (12:30am - 9pm)
Arcadia T8 18w (nightlight) - Running for 10hrs (12 - 10pm)
Power Compacts: Interpet 2x55w with Daylight blue plus bulbs - Running for 7.5hrs (1pm - 8:30pm)
Circulation: Return Pump (OR2500)
Hydor K1 - Modified
Hydor K3
Estimated tank volume turn over around x40 per/hour
LR: 15Kg (stabilised with eggcrate)
Substrate: 1 - 2" Red Sea Reef base

Sump Side:
Sump: 90ltr tank (80ltrs running volume with 10/15ltr back syphon capacity)
Return Pump: Aquamedic OR2500, 25mm return pipe
Heaters: Aqua One 300w (Lead heater)
Visitherm 200w (Slave heater)
Skimmer: TMC V2 400 with standard Rio2100 pump
Filtration: Cheato only
Lighting: 15w T8 White 3,500k tube on reverse lighting cycle
Dosing: Aqua Medic Reefdoser 4
Reators: Heath Robinson style reactor (with RowaCarbon & Rowa Phos)
Evap topup: Manual

Other bits:
Total System Vol: 270liters
Dosing: Balling `Classic' (Sodium Hydrocarbonate, Calcium Chloride, & NaCI Free Salt) the `Reefkeeper stuff'
Salt: D-D H2Pro
Salinity: 35.5ppt
Temp: 26-27 deg C
W Changes: 10% 2/3 weeks

Balling parameter is work towards keeping for the system (Not always successful but my target)
Mag: 1350 - 1380
Calcium: 400-420
dkH: 9.5 - 10

[JP-79er]

Stocking List todate:

Fish:
2 x Common Clowns
1 x Bi-Colour Blenny
1 x Flashback Dottyback
1 x Coral Beauty

Inverts:
1 x Cleaner shrimps
1 x Tuxedo Urchin
1 x large hermit crabs
5 x Turbos
1 x Narcarcis Snail

Corals:
Pink hysterix (One is pink and the other is reddy/brown in colour) TBH Stuggling with colouring
Green Bullseye mushies
Hammer coral
Green Star Polyp
Pulsing Xenia
Leather Coral - Home of the clowns
Finger leather coral
Pink Star Polyp
Torch Coral
Yellow Polyp
Blue Tonga Mushies - Multiplying like crazy.
Pink Zoas
Red Plating Monti
Purple Plating Monti

Am looking to get rid of Leather Toadstool and Figer Coral for fear of health to my SPS but at the moment its all fine.

[Tangman]

Looking good but its a slow process getting it all right, the SPS will be holding back because the softies will be sending chemical stuff out to kill them. If you are going down the SPS route you will need to watch the phosphates and nitrates as they dont like them and just go brown. Also the softies will cause a problem with the SPS stopping them growing.Keep up the good work and take it slow dont overstock with to many fish as it will bring your nutrient load up. You could do with a bit better skimmer as the V ones are not that good and dont pull much out. Eric

[JP-79er]

The softs will be comming out at some point soon but i ensure i run carbon 24/7 to reduce the issues associated with them.

I don't believe i have overstocked the tank and the fish i have is the fish i'll stay with.

Pleased to report Nitrates 0 and Phostphates 0 (Even on the Merc kit) and intending on keeping it that way.

The V2 is on the hit list to go. Looking at replacing with either a:

Bubble Magus NAC6
Turbofloator 1000 Multi SL
Deltec AP600

Also after adding Ozone too but that will be much later on, always need a project to look foward to.

It is slow process as i don't want to mess it up, it has taken a year next month to get me to this stage. But i am certainly enjoying it alot more and also have arranged a meet for my reef club to come round in July next year so that is my target to really get it going will not be fully grown out by then but a good start can be made to show case my efforts.

[reefergeek]

i do light the set up might get a corner tank like this, have given that many tanks away in the past i should of kept hold of a few

kev