Baykes
Supporting Member
So it's time to create a journal for my "new" tank. "New" because I was given this tank from @hyacinth a couple years ago. I have slowly been acquiring equipment for this build and finally had some time to work on it during the winter break. I really wish I would have taken more pictures of the process such as the plumbing and such but I did not. I will try my best to write down some of the big things I learned during this process.
Here is a current FTS:
The first thing that I started on was the plumbing, coming from small AIOs previously this was the first time I hard plumbed a tank... and all I can say was that it was an experience! After reading threads and watching some of the BRS videos, I drew a rough design and bought the supplies. The overflow was already configured for a Herbie style overflow so that is what I went with. One thread on here had a comment from CoralReefer about marking with sharpie all of the pipes when test fitting the pipes. This was a super useful tip that made the process pretty smooth. However on the initial pipe tests, I got tons of leaks. After tightening the threaded fittings, the leaks stopped to just on of the unions, the one that I connected last to connect the overflow to the sump on the main return. It appeared that while the union was connected, it was off just enough that a tight seal was not being created at the union and thus causing the leak. After readjusting the main return pipe by adding a little more length of pipe, I was finally leak free!
After the pipes were set, I started on scaping. I used Emarco Mortar for the rock structures. Fortunately I took at least a few pictures/videos of this process:
Initial "dry scape":
Supports removed ~24 hours after adding cement:
This was the first time I used Nitrifying Bacteria cultures to cycle. I used 64 oz. of Fritzzyme 9 and Fritz liquid Ammonium Chloride. I will never cycle another tank without bacteria cultures again, tank was cycled in just over a week!
Now I will write a little about the equipment:
105 Gallon AGE Tank 40x28x22
2 MP40wqd
Eheim 1262 Return Pump
2 Finnex 200w Titanium Heaters
Trigger Crystal 30 Sump
Tunze ATO
AquaticLife 36 T5 Hybrid 4 Bulb
2 Kessil a360we
Apex EL
Kessil Spectral Controller
10lb CO2 Tank
Custom Dual Stage Regulator (Planning for a Calcium Reactor down the road when adding more stony corals)
As for Livestock:
FISH:
Current:
None
In Quarantine:
Melanurus Wrasse (Sushi)
Sunburst Anthias (Fanta)
Wants:
Yasha Goby Pair
Blue Tang
Midas Blenny
Tailspot Blenny
Carpenter Wrasse
Picasso/Onyx Clown Pair
Blue Mandarin (After a few months)
Purple Tang (Last due to potential aggression)
INVERTS:
Fire Shrimp
Tuxedo Urchin
CORAL:
Current:
WWC OG Bounce
Sunkist Bounce
Rainbow BTA @Klems
Green Nepthea @Jonathan Chia
Toadstool @Jonathan Chia
Koji Wada @Jonathan Chia
Here is a current FTS:
The first thing that I started on was the plumbing, coming from small AIOs previously this was the first time I hard plumbed a tank... and all I can say was that it was an experience! After reading threads and watching some of the BRS videos, I drew a rough design and bought the supplies. The overflow was already configured for a Herbie style overflow so that is what I went with. One thread on here had a comment from CoralReefer about marking with sharpie all of the pipes when test fitting the pipes. This was a super useful tip that made the process pretty smooth. However on the initial pipe tests, I got tons of leaks. After tightening the threaded fittings, the leaks stopped to just on of the unions, the one that I connected last to connect the overflow to the sump on the main return. It appeared that while the union was connected, it was off just enough that a tight seal was not being created at the union and thus causing the leak. After readjusting the main return pipe by adding a little more length of pipe, I was finally leak free!
After the pipes were set, I started on scaping. I used Emarco Mortar for the rock structures. Fortunately I took at least a few pictures/videos of this process:
Initial "dry scape":
Supports removed ~24 hours after adding cement:
This was the first time I used Nitrifying Bacteria cultures to cycle. I used 64 oz. of Fritzzyme 9 and Fritz liquid Ammonium Chloride. I will never cycle another tank without bacteria cultures again, tank was cycled in just over a week!
Now I will write a little about the equipment:
105 Gallon AGE Tank 40x28x22
2 MP40wqd
Eheim 1262 Return Pump
2 Finnex 200w Titanium Heaters
Trigger Crystal 30 Sump
Tunze ATO
AquaticLife 36 T5 Hybrid 4 Bulb
2 Kessil a360we
Apex EL
Kessil Spectral Controller
10lb CO2 Tank
Custom Dual Stage Regulator (Planning for a Calcium Reactor down the road when adding more stony corals)
As for Livestock:
FISH:
Current:
None
In Quarantine:
Melanurus Wrasse (Sushi)
Sunburst Anthias (Fanta)
Wants:
Yasha Goby Pair
Blue Tang
Midas Blenny
Tailspot Blenny
Carpenter Wrasse
Picasso/Onyx Clown Pair
Blue Mandarin (After a few months)
Purple Tang (Last due to potential aggression)
INVERTS:
Fire Shrimp
Tuxedo Urchin
CORAL:
Current:
WWC OG Bounce
Sunkist Bounce
Rainbow BTA @Klems
Green Nepthea @Jonathan Chia
Toadstool @Jonathan Chia
Koji Wada @Jonathan Chia
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