My setup

[FINWIN]

Been a while since I’ve showed any pics of my setups. Here is my 80 gallon bowfront reef tank. Had this tank setup for 3 years (1st pic before). When it was setup previously I did nothing to it. I was away on vacation frequently for months at a time. Never ran the skimmer. Only ever had the tank topped off and did a water change when I returned. Coral grew like crazy. Had over 200 heads of frogspawns which dominated the tank. I then moved 4 hours away and lost most of the stock as the tank was taken down the night before instead of the morning of (pic 2). Lost around $3000 in coral. Wasn’t to mad about it, I fragged easily $3000 worth over the time it was setup. Started restocking the tank around September/October 2018. The last couple pictures are where it’s at currently. This is only after 4 months.

This system is sumpless.

Here is some of the specs of the tank:
80 gallon bowfront:48x12-18x26” tall
Eheim 2075 filtration
EcoTech MP40WQD
Two EcoTech MP10WQD
2 radion g4 pros XR30s
Kamoer X4 dosing system
Inkbird temperature controller
Reef octopus BH2000 HOB skimmer
Water parameters: I don’t test Nitrates, phosphates, nitrites, ammonia. Alk, Ca, Mg, are all good. I normally just look at the corals and adjust if something is off. I test those 3 parameters twice a week. Couple hours after a water change and at the end of the week right before a water change.

Recently removed the apex system. Between the Reeflink for the Ecotech gear and the kamoer dosing system the entire tank is automated anyways so apex became a cluster of wires not serving a purpose.

Where I could have improved:
-Sump, I was given this tank for free years ago. Usually my reefs (mostly all tanks I keep) run a sump. Love having one. The clutter inside this tank irritates me.
-a wider tank. 12” width is brutal.
-ATO. Still don’t have one as I don’t trust them if I’m not home. Since I’m frequently gone for weeks-month at a time I don’t run one.


This system is currently for sale as I’m upgrading to a custom 360 gallon display. I will be designing my own sump, skimmer, and reactors for the new tank. It will be an amazing reef build and loaded with pics when I get to it. Skimmer I calculated should handle a 500-1000 gallon system. I will setup a 24 hour webcam and will get an apex system once again. I still don’t plan to run an ATO. I will use the webcam and the apex/Reeflink (with vectra pump) to start a pump through wifi and turn it off once the tank is at the level I want. Avoiding the chance of an ATO disaster.

View attachment 1355414 View attachment 1355416 View attachment 1355417 View attachment 1355418 View attachment 1355419 View attachment 1355420 View attachment 1355421 View attachment 1355422 View attachment 1355423

I really like the last 'color' shots. Never considered saltwater, seems like a lot of water chemistry work! Your scaping looks good, most SW tanks I see look boring with just piles of rocks. I think it takes a special touch to make reefs look good.

 

[Lepisosteus]

Sounds relatively foolproof, and especially if you have all the stuff already, I'd go for it! Though 1-2 gallons in an 80 does sound very manageable without one so I see why your not in a hurry

ATO will be a project for the next tank. Will post another project I’ll be working on shortly

 

[Lepisosteus]

I really like the last 'color' shots. Never considered saltwater, seems like a lot of water chemistry work! Your scaping looks good, most SW tanks I see look boring with just piles of rocks. I think it takes a special touch to make reefs look good.

Not to much chemistry at all. Keep less demanding coral then parameters don’t fluctuate much. With this tank completely stocked as it is, I barely add any supplemental calcium and magnesium. Everyone should give it a try at some point.

 

[Lepisosteus]

Beautiful tank and nice equipment! I may look more into the reeflink so I can get away from the Apex as well. I know very little about marine but can tell when someone takes pride in their setup. Well done sir

The reeflink is useless unless you are running all EcoTech gear. If you are running all EcoTech equipment I prefer it over the apex. If you are looking for a substitute to the apex controller check out Profilux. I may go with the Profilux next. The Profilux 4, KH director and dosing pump can self titrate to measure alkalinity and dose accordingly to maintain a set amount. After that it does everything apex does. (PH, ORP, timer controls etc). The new apex trident, if it ever launches (now proposed for 2020) will perform the same titration as the Profilux with the addition of calcium. Both can perform multiple titrations a day. Pretty game changing technology for the reef hobby. At that point everything is automated. Just clean the glass.

Personally I’m an equipment junkie. Have a deltec TC2060 skimmer as well as a reef octopus 200INT sitting here waiting for the next setup. The newest equipment I find just as amusing as the livestock in the tank.

 

[Lepisosteus]

Bump for an upgrade. Sold off livestock and some equipment yesterday. Can’t wait to get the new tank up and running