Adamc1303's 250 Gallon Reef Tank Build

[lnevo]

I keep the mesh covers on my mp40s. Gotta clean 'em every few days, but good peace of mind. If you have 'em, or can find something to use..

 

[Adamc1303]

I sold the anemone. Seemed too risky for to me.

 

[thirty6]

Just read your thread, sweet setup
Hope your feeling better too

 

[Adamc1303]

Just read your thread, sweet setup
Hope your feeling better too

Thank you! I'm doing alright.

 

[Adamc1303]

It's been a few days since I updated this thread so here goes. I have been adding allot of live stock lately, almost daily. I just can't get enough! I have to cool it for now though and let things grow out. Although my sand bed is empty so maybe i'll go on an LPS run. I still haven't found anyone to build my hood and skin the stand. Once that's done I want to add Reef Brite LED's to add more actinic lighting to the tank. I have 36" fixtures so I will probably mount 2 36" tubes to each fixture to give the tank a real pop. let me know your thoughts so far.

Thanks,

Adam

 

[nanoreefer22]

Wow Looks awesome!

 

[Adamc1303]

Thanks!

 

[SIReefer]

Really nice Adam. Keep those pictures coming.

 

[SPotter]

Looks amazing Adam!!!!!

 

[Adamc1303]

Thanks guys!

 

[Adamc1303]

I added VHO lighting to the tank two weeks ago and I absolutely love it. I totally forgot how nice the classic MH and VHO combo is. I did also have to add a chiller though. I still never got a hood and skin for my stand made. When i get the new hood I think I am going to get rid of my MH T5 fixtures and get SE pendants to go with the VHO's, I stopped using the t5's anyway. The frag swap today was really awesome. All of the vendors were great, I was specifically impressed with Dr. Mac, I am thinking of taking a road trip down to them. Anyway here are a few pics from tonight post swap.

 

[Zuska]

Nice! tank is looking great

 

[Adamc1303]

Thanks!

 

[Adamc1303]

It's been a while since I updated this thread. I had a mini crash a few months back and lost most of the SPS corals in the tank. I think it was due to the tank just not being mature enough at all for sps. I started mainly collecting LPS coral which were all really thriving until 2 weeks ago. I got a wrasse that looks like a cleaner wrasse except it's yellow not blue. I don't know the scientific name but it was sold to me as a "yellow cleaner wrasse". I added the fish to the tank I didn't really feel that a cleaner wrasse needed QT. I noticed that some of my prized welso's were dying for some reason. LPS brain corals dying? Everything else is fine, doesn't make sense! Anyway I spotted this SOB fish eating the corals! by the time I realized what was happening and got my hand on a fish trap he was onto acans as well! I pulled out 14 dead pieces this morning. It took me 5 days to get a trap and 10 min to catch him. Really weird. He's in my overflow box now. I'll take him back to the LFS. The fish may look like a yellow cleaner but after closer examination it looks to be similar to a coris.


On another note over the last few months I basically swapped out almost every piece of equipment I had. The following changes took place.

I switched out my vho's for 2 72" build my led actinic strips and they are absolutely awesome! Really bright. Anyone looking for great led's should check this site out. They are also controllable via APEX and a few others. I also got rid of the 250w HQI fixtures and got 4 PFO mogul pendants. These are monster reflectors. I'm running 4 x 400w 20k Radiums on M135 pulst start ballasts and I love them! I took par readings and you can grow sps anywhere in the tank hands down. I added an MP60 and finally got my stand skinned and canopy done. I also started using the new aqua trend doser which is phenominal and got rid of my calcium reactor. Now that I have all that extra room I am waiting for a BK supermarin 250 from another member and custom king fuge I ordered. When it does I will rip put my fuge and run it externally and not in my sump to make room for the BK! Oh I also got 2 huge GEO reactors for my carbon and gfo. I hated the ones I had they were really annoying to clean out. I'll post pics of the filtration when it comes in and I redo it. Here are pics of the stand and new lighting. Still waiting for one missing panel on my stand to come next week to cover the right side.

All and all it's been quite a ride with this tank from the start and things really took shape. I don't even care about the hungry wrasse incident i'll replenish in the next few weeks.

 

[Adamc1303]

one more

 

[Pseudo]

Looking damn good Adam. I like the stand. Where did you get the LED light strip from?

 

[Adamc1303]

Buildmyled.com it's not a diy led, you customize and they build it for you. I got the standard axtinic setup they offer. Knowing you it would be something custom!

 

[Pseudo]

Cool I am going to take a look now. Yep it will be.

 

[Adamc1303]

Come by this week you can check them out

 

[Adamc1303]

I made some changes to the filtration. I added an external fuge (made by custom king, awesome work!) so I can run an internal skimmer. I picked up a BK SM 250 from another MR member. I currently have both skimmer running but I will be taking the octopus skimmer off to make room for those GEO reactors that are currently in front of the fuge. I used tropic eden reef flakes sand and I ding that it's too coarse and gets supper clumpy, I want to swap it out with caribsea sand. That's the next major overhaul before I start stocking again. Here's the old and new setup.