New House...New Build!

Sump Builder

  • Stock brand -non custom.

    Votes: 1 25.0%
  • LifeReef

    Votes: 2 50.0%
  • Local suggestion - please post in thread

    Votes: 1 25.0%

  • Total voters
    4

ShroomLagoon

Registered Users
M.A.S.C Club Member
#1
Hello Everyone-

Been in the area about a year now, been laying low with a shroom lagoon pico. About to close on my first house, so a tank build has to be in the works. Figured I start the thread in the design phase, might be a fun way to get to know everyone.

Plan is a split system in my office and the main room. Planning on the office having most of the plumbing, the main room would house most electrical. Would be a 3 tank set-up, mixing and matching pieces from old builds or designs. Just want a set-up to can enjoy, will be stacked with plenty of toys to assist with low maintenance. Never was good with water changes so will be going Triton method this go round.

Office - IM Nuvo Black (25g) & PicO Manta Ray (10g)

Nuvo will get drilled, need to decide on an overflow. Display will move from PicO, mushroom tank currently, looking at adding maybe some zoas & acans.
  • Lighting - XR30 w/diffuser (gen 2)
  • Flow- MP10
  • Filtration- Lifereef with Reef Savvy
PicO will be converted to an isolated QT tank, just a frag rack as display.
  • Lighting - XR15 w/diffuser (gen 3)
  • Flow- MP10
  • Filtration- MarinePure spheres & Mame Skimmer

Main - Reef Savvy

Will be a new tank, currently thinking 48" by something. Wanting to do a full mixed reef, probably something between 125 - 175g.
  • Lighting - Three XR30 (gen 4)
  • Flow- Maxspect XF230
  • Filtration- Lifereef with Nuvo

Current plan is a custom project with Lifereef for the Savvy and Nuvo. I'll save that for another post.

Any suggestions for local frame makers and cabinet work is appreciated.

Looking forward to meeting everyone!
 
Last edited by a moderator:

halmus

Registered Users
M.A.S.C Club Member
ex-officio
#4
This will be a fun project to watch.

Did you pick the house based on future aquarium plans (like me) or more adult considerations (like my wife)?

Pictures and or drawings of the layout will help us give you ideas on how to spend more money building out the system. :)
 
#7
Will be a new tank, currently thinking 48" by something. Wanting to do a full mixed reef, probably something between 125 - 175g.
Look forward to seein this.
I really like deep tanks. Not tall.... but deep as in front to back. Didn’t realise this till I saw an Elos 160xl in person. It’s 30” front to back.... really nice.

Have you get in the 1 year wait list for Reef Savvy yet?!



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

ShroomLagoon

Registered Users
M.A.S.C Club Member
#8
This will be a fun project to watch.

Did you pick the house based on future aquarium plans (like me) or more adult considerations (like my wife)?

Pictures and or drawings of the layout will help us give you ideas on how to spend more money building out the system. :)
I had a system in mind when purchasing, this system will be totally different from what I first thought. I'll get the sketches up sometime, I'll get into drawings when things settle down.

Awesome! Following along. Be sure to check out @halmus ‘s build thread for some drool worthy inspiration.
That is quite an awesome project! Were some room improvements already plan, so double the inspiration.

Look forward to seein this.
I really like deep tanks. Not tall.... but deep as in front to back. Didn’t realise this till I saw an Elos 160xl in person. It’s 30” front to back.... really nice.

Have you get in the 1 year wait list for Reef Savvy yet?!
I'm a big fan of shallows so deep is a serious consideration, 28" was tossed out at one point. Not on the waitlist yet, but that year will fly by for me and my pocket book. Shallow also presents difficulty with a mixed reef, hence the plans for 3 XR15's so I can set-up 3 zones high, medium, & low light.
 

ShroomLagoon

Registered Users
M.A.S.C Club Member
#9
My how times flies with a new house...

So working through some ideas. I'll try these one or two at a time.

Filtration

Planning a manifold in the sump. Would love it to feed- LR SVS2-24 skimmer, Avast small Spyglass, Pax Bellum N18, and in time a CaRx. Would use gate valves and Apex flow meters to set each to its desired flow rate.

Eventually I would run the CaRx output into the N18, then only needing a single return. Spyglass would run minimal carbon and the skimmer would connect to a small Davy Jones' Locker. Interested if anyone has experience with a Swabbie? Add in some Marinepure or similar bio media and some return pumps and that should be that.


ESV B-Ionic

I've been a long time user of ESV salt, when I had tanks with heavier demand I used their 2 part. Currently running the nano on their salt and Transitions Elements Plus+.

Is anyone else an ESV user or former user?

In many way I see similarities with the Triton Method, curious if anyone else was familiar with both.

Even the use of the TE would match one of the additives from Pax Bellum, iron & manganese.


Look forward to the responses.
 

halmus

Registered Users
M.A.S.C Club Member
ex-officio
#10
I’ve been using the Davy Jones locker and Swabby for over a year now. I’m happy with both.

As far as the manifold feeding the CaRx, I have a hard time seeing that working out well. The rest of the manifold all sounds good. I’m just imagining the steady flow rate you’ll need through the CaRx. The problem with a manifold is that it’s a multi-variable equation. Change one gate valve and you’re essentially messing with all of them. In my experience, a more stable flow rate on the CaRx is critical.

I went with a dedicated peristaltic pump feeding my CaRx this time around and will never go back. A reliable peristaltic changes everything and keeps Ca and Alk at very stable levels. It isn’t prone to changes in flow rates due to crud in the impeller either like a more typical setup using a dedicated maxijet feed pump. That’s just my advice. There’s no single right way to do it.

Good luck and keep us posted.
 

DyM

Sting ray
M.A.S.C Club Member
#11
  • Lighting - XR15 (gen 3)
Not sure what your end goal is, but I have a 155, kind of in the middle of what you mentioned as far as gallons, and light it with 3 XR30 G4 pro's. Not sure you'll get the coverage with the XR15's.

To me, Triton means having a balanced system to where water changes are not needed for export or import. That same outcome can be achieved without necessarily following the name-brand triton. However as the tank is being established, changing, and growing - water changes seems inevitable. Automatic water changes was the single best 'convenient' upgrade implemented in my new system. I hope to get to doing very min water changes in the future, but can say initially it's been great to have it on auto pilot.

I agree there is no single way to get stability - enjoy the journey.
 

MuralReef

Administrator
Staff member
M.A.S.C Club Member
M.A.S.C. B.O.D.
MASC Vice-President
#13
I wouldn’t run anything off of my manifold that requires consistent flow. My CaRx runs off a mag 3 I think. I use a pinch valve on the return line to adjust my drip rate, but it gives me the consistency I need for a large tank.


Sent from my iPhone using MASC - Marine Aquarium Society of Colorado
 

ShroomLagoon

Registered Users
M.A.S.C Club Member
#15
I’ve been using the Davy Jones locker and Swabby for over a year now. I’m happy with both.

As far as the manifold feeding the CaRx, I have a hard time seeing that working out well. The rest of the manifold all sounds good. I’m just imagining the steady flow rate you’ll need through the CaRx. The problem with a manifold is that it’s a multi-variable equation. Change one gate valve and you’re essentially messing with all of them. In my experience, a more stable flow rate on the CaRx is critical.

I went with a dedicated peristaltic pump feeding my CaRx this time around and will never go back. A reliable peristaltic changes everything and keeps Ca and Alk at very stable levels. It isn’t prone to changes in flow rates due to crud in the impeller either like a more typical setup using a dedicated maxijet feed pump. That’s just my advice. There’s no single right way to do it.

Good luck and keep us posted.
Well Plan B was a Kamoer FX-STP, guess we aren't far off. Appreciate the advice.

  • Lighting - XR15 (gen 3)
Not sure what your end goal is, but I have a 155, kind of in the middle of what you mentioned as far as gallons, and light it with 3 XR30 G4 pro's. Not sure you'll get the coverage with the XR15's.

To me, Triton means having a balanced system to where water changes are not needed for export or import. That same outcome can be achieved without necessarily following the name-brand triton. However as the tank is being established, changing, and growing - water changes seems inevitable. Automatic water changes was the single best 'convenient' upgrade implemented in my new system. I hope to get to doing very min water changes in the future, but can say initially it's been great to have it on auto pilot.

I agree there is no single way to get stability - enjoy the journey.
Oh guess I missed that typo, agreed on the need for XR30's.

That's a great point. I already have a DOS that I used for AWC, no reason to dose early on in the tank so that could continue that for another year or two.

Thanks for the suggestions.
 
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