Michael's 168 build

[H2OPlayar]

Nitrates? Got em! If anyone is dosing nitrates or phosphates to your tank, I'll sell you my water for cheap!

I like the Nyos kit, it works well and is easy to read.


Things have been pretty tight under my sump, and I am into this reefing thing for a little while longer, so I called up my friend Jesse at Buildsmith Construction and decided we could take over the linen closet behind the tank for electronics. I picked up a controller board when there was a big sale and we got to work.

Take the doors off for better access, and rock that ponytail!

See the vision?

Figure out the layout.

Flush mount some hinges, so our electronics cabinet can swing open for easy access to the rear, and modify the controller board to mount into the new cabinet.

Here you can see the hole we drilled through the wall, and lined with PVC pipe to make our wire passthrough.

And...after a little organizing, we get this.

Which closes and reveals this.

We are looking at some shelving and possibly an exhaust fan into the attic for all of the electronics in here. Since we had everything apart, I thought this would be a good time to add my 2nd Tunze wavemaker, for more controllable flow.

 

[H2OPlayar]

I got the new Red Sea 4 channel dosing pump for my trace elements to save some space, and the side wall is much cleaner without the batteries and 30+ outlets underneath.

I wanted to be able to access my main pump and skimmer controller without walking around the wall, so we created a mini controller board for these two. And yes, those C-clamps have held just fine for over 2 years, and yes, I have the screws in my garage to mount it, I am just waiting to get a friend over to help catch the steel shavings from the self tapping screws.

 

[musclebenz]

Nice setup. I wanted to put mine on a swinging hinge too but couldn't determine the best way. So for now mine is hanging on the wall. Next time I come by your place I would love to check out the finish solution and get some ideas.

 

[nanoguy]

Looking good Michael. It’s nice to have all that real estate for equipment storage. I’m still eagerly awaiting an update from you regarding the living wall build. I can’t wait to see that thing up and running! Let me know if you need help setting that up.

 

[Reef-Geek]

Great tank(s) Michael, here is the review you wanted:
Thanks for the frags!

 

[H2OPlayar]

Oficially got the last RBTA out today. Thanks @Arvin R for chatting with me while I got the nem out and did a little fragging.

 

[musclebenz]

Hey Michael:

What method did you use to the the RBTA out? I have one to remove and it's attached in a crevice.

 

[Coral reefer]

Hey Michael:

What method did you use to the the RBTA out? I have one to remove and it's attached in a crevice.

Pull the rock

 

[H2OPlayar]

Hey Michael:

What method did you use to the the RBTA out? I have one to remove and it's attached in a crevice.

I used a zip tie to upset the foot, and patience. It took me not much time today, but I have been at them for 20 minutes and not been successful before. It all depends on if the nem wants to let go.

 

[ashburn2k]

I used a zip tie to upset the foot, and patience. It took me not much time today, but I have been at them for 20 minutes and not been successful before. It all depends on if the nem wants to let go.

And who you are chatting at the moment.

 

[iani]

We are looking at some shelving and possibly an exhaust fan into the attic for all of the electronics in here. Since we had everything apart, I thought this would be a good time to add my 2nd Tunze wavemaker, for more controllable flow.

I have a couple media closets at my house with a panasonic bathroom exhaust fan on a Ranco temp controller. It has worked well for over 7ish years so far.

 

[Arvin R]

Oficially got the last RBTA out today. Thanks @Arvin R for chatting with me while I got the nem out and did a little fragging.

Thanks @H2OPlayar for the nem and all the frags! Going to finally have some fun with alk/calc levels. Seeing your tank is a huge inspiration and I can't wait til mine is half as full as yours. Also it makes me realize I should've started bigger than my 45G. Lol. I'll get a short update on my journal today but haven't had a chance to snap pics of my tanks yet with the new additions.

 

[H2OPlayar]

10-1-21 Full tank from the cutaway

10-1-21

Thank you @Danhsj for getting me some cool sps at the farmers market for me since I couldn't make it this time. It might be almost time to frag those GMM zoas.

The Two Bar Rabbitfish is always happy to show off for the camera

The mushroom that "slid" off the colony rock is sluffing off babies as well.

The softer side

The sticky side

Not just a nori hog, but a camera hog too

If anyone was curious what "biofouling" was. How many "pests" can you see? The squishy guys are all aptasia. The some of the pokey ones are vermetid snails, and there is a bristle worm hanging on there for good measure. I harvested the aptasia for @JVU 's berghia growout tanks.

 

[H2OPlayar]

Some interesting grow shots on the monti/encrusting section of the tank.

7-2-21

10-1-21

10-8-21




Time for some rescaping. I need to get those fancy sps onto my display archway, some things fall off that need to be moved or reglued, and I want to get my green slimer colony up top and growing with the green slimer frag I have been growing and encrusting on the base rock.

It might need a little more glue/epoxy putty, but I like how the cony looks up top, and it should be a fast grower there.

I moved most of the Miyagi Tort over on top of the green Chilli Pepper Monti colony, which freed up space for the Beefy Blue Stag from @Thales (giving the "V" symbol for peace before it takes over) as well as some of the other designer sps, which I can't ever remember the names of, but they are pretty under blues.

The Blue Stylo is sending growth nubs out from its encrusted base. Lots of other LPS like it up here too.

The Carnation Coral has attached to more rubble and sends feeders out. I have been making a point of using the powedered coral foods, phyto, and amino acids to keep the nutrients high for the NPS in my tank, and the SPS don't seem to mind.

The short side of the tank getting some sunlight.

 

[H2OPlayar]

My mom isn't a huge fan of the internet or technology, so I'll post a couple pictures of her tank here. It is an Evo 13.5 AIO, and we are on our 3rd or so pump as the tank is a year older than mine. She's really proud (and for good reason I think) of her tank which she maintains with water changes every few weeks.

I had the opportunity to buy a used Kessil H380 and it is my new favorite refugium light (if I can find it at half price). It puts some serious grow power out and the small form factor allows air from my cooling fan to pass around it and hit the water for evaporative cooling. It also runs cooler than the large, cheap, cobb style lights. Those work great for growing cheato, but the big one blocks too much airflow and gets too hot for my sump, so my cooling fan was always on. The cooler months are helping, but the other factors help a lot.

 

[iani]

See if you can get Hui to print you a shield for the H380.

 

[H2OPlayar]

See if you can get Hui to print you a shield for the H380.

I was thinking about that, if I want to grow as much algae as possible, why would I want a shield? I already have my skimmer blacked out. I was actually thinking of picking up another, or a 350 at the right price to really turn my algae growth up.

 

[iani]

No reason then since you have the skimmer blacked out. How many hours a day are you running it. I have one on my tank as well.

 

[H2OPlayar]

No reason then since you have the skimmer blacked out. How many hours a day are you running it. I have one on my tank as well.

Right now, 5pm to 10am, so 17 hours a day.

 

[H2OPlayar]

11-21-21 Full Tank shots

More Monti growth over other montis

Two of my Mummy Eye chalices, one of them has a blue wedge growing

The SPS side has some nice growth. I am keeping an eye on the bleaching on the underside of the Cali Tort. It is very slow growing, and only where the lights don't shine. It was spreading fast enough on another piece that I cut the stalk, glues that down on its side, and glues the rest to the main colony.

The LPS side of the arch has filled in nicely.