I tore down my tank because of a range of problems that I couldn't control with huge water changes. There was simply no point fighting a lost battle. I lost most of my livestock in the old tank or during the transition 
Here is my teardown thread.
And here is rebuild tank thread. The tank is fully cleaned and sanitized, and now I'm starting the process of filling with RO/DI water. Almost there! 8) The rebuild process was extremely tiring, but it was totally worth it. I'm geeked up about the new (old) tank. I only have 100 lbs of Totoka rock curing as I am aiming for a very open, zen-like aquascape. I'll update this thread (I promise!) as I make progress.
Here's a link to my first build thread.
latest full tank shot (11/8/09)
Tank Specs:
(last updated 12/13/11)
Aquarium: 52x28x28" Aquarium Obsessed. Three sides and the eurobracing are starphire glass. The back is painted black and I decided to go with black silicone. Glass is 1/2" all around.
Furniture: BRI Aquatics "Signature" oak stand and canopy (red mahogany stain).
Main Lighting: 2 x 250W Lumatek multiwattage (using HQI setting) electronic ballast driving Radium 20,000K SE bulbs. 2 x Lumenarc reflectors
Supplemental Lighting: Icecap 660 driving 4 x 75W VHO actinics. Angled, side-mounted aluminum reflectors. 2 x PFO blue moonlights.
Sump: 36x15x15" acrylic made by Lifereef. DIY slotted/removable baffles (currently using three ... have up to 9 slots available).
Return Pump: Eheim 1262 (1" plumbing to two 1" Oceans Motions 2-way Omni Flex Nozzles)
Chiller/reactor Pump: Eheim 1262
Additional Circulation: 2 x Tunze 6105 + Tunze 7096 controller
Controller: Neptune Aquacontroller 3 with two DC8s
Protein Skimmer: Vertex Aquaristik Alpha 200 with DIY auto-shut-off waste collector and Vertex Vectra self-cleaning collection cup
Media Reactors: 2 x TLF Phosban Reactor 550 (fed by Eheim 1262, split from skimmer),
Media: None (discontinued use of GFO and GAC)
Calcium Delivery: Two part solution (CaCl + Na2CO3) dosed via LiterMeter3 remote pumps. Hybrid Barr Aquatics KR1220 kalkreactor chamber with Ecotech stirring base.
Topoff: Litermeter 3, pulling from 10 gallon FW resevoir (feeds kalkreactor which tops off the tank)
Temperature Devices: Aqualogic Delta 1/3HP chiller and Visitherm Stealth 250W
Substrate: 100 lbs Totoka live rock + 90 lbs Caribsea Sugar-sized Aragmax sand.
Accessories: Avast Marine Works probe and dosing line magnetic holders
Husbandry and Maintenance:
(last updated 1/5/10)
Foods: (fish fed twice daily; corals fed 1-2 times weekly)
Water parameters:
(last updated 8/4/10)
specific gravity: 1.025
temparture: 74.5 to 79.0 Fahrenheit (winter to summer)
pH: 8.10 to 8.30
ORP: ~300
alkalinity: 12+ dkH
Ca: 380+ ppm
Mg: 1250+ ppm
NH4: 0 ppm
NO2: 0 ppm
NO3: <0.1 ppm
PO4: 0 ppm
Livestock:
(last updated 12/13/11)
Fishes
Here is my teardown thread. And here is rebuild tank thread.
The tank is fully cleaned and sanitized, and now I'm starting the process of filling with RO/DI water. Almost there! 8) The rebuild process was extremely tiring, but it was totally worth it. I'm geeked up about the new (old) tank. I only have 100 lbs of Totoka rock curing as I am aiming for a very open, zen-like aquascape. I'll update this thread (I promise!) as I make progress.Here's a link to my first build thread.
latest full tank shot (11/8/09)
Tank Specs:
(last updated 12/13/11)
Aquarium: 52x28x28" Aquarium Obsessed. Three sides and the eurobracing are starphire glass. The back is painted black and I decided to go with black silicone. Glass is 1/2" all around.
Furniture: BRI Aquatics "Signature" oak stand and canopy (red mahogany stain).
Main Lighting: 2 x 250W Lumatek multiwattage (using HQI setting) electronic ballast driving Radium 20,000K SE bulbs. 2 x Lumenarc reflectors
Supplemental Lighting: Icecap 660 driving 4 x 75W VHO actinics. Angled, side-mounted aluminum reflectors. 2 x PFO blue moonlights.
Sump: 36x15x15" acrylic made by Lifereef. DIY slotted/removable baffles (currently using three ... have up to 9 slots available).
Return Pump: Eheim 1262 (1" plumbing to two 1" Oceans Motions 2-way Omni Flex Nozzles)
Chiller/reactor Pump: Eheim 1262
Additional Circulation: 2 x Tunze 6105 + Tunze 7096 controller
Controller: Neptune Aquacontroller 3 with two DC8s
Protein Skimmer: Vertex Aquaristik Alpha 200 with DIY auto-shut-off waste collector and Vertex Vectra self-cleaning collection cup
Media Reactors: 2 x TLF Phosban Reactor 550 (fed by Eheim 1262, split from skimmer),
Media: None (discontinued use of GFO and GAC)
Calcium Delivery: Two part solution (CaCl + Na2CO3) dosed via LiterMeter3 remote pumps. Hybrid Barr Aquatics KR1220 kalkreactor chamber with Ecotech stirring base.
Topoff: Litermeter 3, pulling from 10 gallon FW resevoir (feeds kalkreactor which tops off the tank)
Temperature Devices: Aqualogic Delta 1/3HP chiller and Visitherm Stealth 250W
Substrate: 100 lbs Totoka live rock + 90 lbs Caribsea Sugar-sized Aragmax sand.
Accessories: Avast Marine Works probe and dosing line magnetic holders
Husbandry and Maintenance:
(last updated 1/5/10)
Foods: (fish fed twice daily; corals fed 1-2 times weekly)
- Reef Nutrition Mysis Feast
Hikari Mysis Shrimp
Piscine Energetics Mysis Shrimp
Hikari Spirulina-enriched Brine Shrimp
- Biweekly cleaning of skimmer collection cup
Monthly 25% water changes with Instant Ocean mix
Monthly manual cleaning of algae on back glass
Yearly replacements of light bulbs (staggered)
Water parameters:
(last updated 8/4/10)
specific gravity: 1.025
temparture: 74.5 to 79.0 Fahrenheit (winter to summer)
pH: 8.10 to 8.30
ORP: ~300
alkalinity: 12+ dkH
Ca: 380+ ppm
Mg: 1250+ ppm
NH4: 0 ppm
NO2: 0 ppm
NO3: <0.1 ppm
PO4: 0 ppm
Livestock:
(last updated 12/13/11)
Fishes
- 1 x Zebrasoma rostratum Black Tang (Christmas Islands)
1 x Apolemichthys arcuatus Bandit Angelfish (Kaua'i, Hawaiian Islands)
2 x Cirrhilabrus earlei Fairy Wrasse pair (Marshall Islands)
1 x Odontanthias borbonius
2 x Cirrhilabrus rhomboidalis Golden Fairy Wrasse pair (Marshall Islands)
6 x Chromis nitida (Australia)
- Original Mummy Eye Chalice
Emerald Eye Chalice
Vivid's Riddler Chalice
Aussie Duncanopsammia axifuga
ReefExotic's L.A. Lakers Turbinaria peltata Scroll Coral (GO LAKERS!)
Orange "Fungia" Plate Coral
Green with purple rim Fungia concinna
Indo Open Brain Coral (Trachyphyllia radiata)
- Klyxum sp.
Capnella sp
Lobophytum sp.
-
Tyree Ultimate Blue Staghorn
Tyree's Lime in the Sky Acropora
Tyree's Season’s Greeting Montipora
Tyree's Montipora setosa
Tyree Mindfield Cyphastrea
Vivid's Gatorade Acropora
Vivid's Rainbow Delight Acropora
Vivid's Neon Acropora carolinia
Atlantis' Shades of Fall Acropora nasuta
Atlantis' Ultimate Stag Acropora
Atlantis' Red Star Cyphastrea
Atlantis' Meteor Shower Cyphastrea
UlimateFrag’s Watermelon Acropora
Aquascene's Ice Fire Echinata
FragFarmer's Red Robin Acropora
Billy's Ultimate Montipora undata
ReefExotic's Mint Cherry Acropora
ReefExotic's Water Melon Acropora millepora
ReefExotic's Strawberry Field Montipora capricornis
RockyMountainFrags' Blueberry Special Acropora
RockyMountainFrags' Ice Age Acropora granulosa
RockyMountainFrags' Diablo Acropora millepora
RockyMountainFrags' Raspberry Limeade Acropora hyacinthus
RockyMountainFrags' Aussie Heavens Gate Acropora
RockyMountainFrags' Biohazzard Acropora
DFS Strawberry Shortcake Acropora (aka Northwoods Pink Lemonade A.microclados)
DFS Purple Paradise Acropora horrida
ORA's Blue Iris Acropora
ORA's True Blue Oregon Tort Acropora
ORA's Bellina Acropora
ORA's Red Planet Table Acropora
ORA's Pearlberry Acropora
ORA's Bird of Paradise Seriatopora caliendrum
Bali maricultured Acropora jacquelineae
Bali maricultured Acropora efflorescens
Bali maricultured Acropora acuminata
Cali Tort Acropora
Superman Montipora
- 4 x farmed Tridacna maxima "ultra" clams
2 x Cleaner Shrimps
3 x Peppermint Shrimps
2 x Emerald Crabs
3 x Red Tuxedo Urchin (Mespilia cf globulus)
1 x Tuxedo Urchin (Mespilia globulus)
