andrewjwatson's 85 Wide Reef

[andrewjwatson]

Hello Reefers,
After a ton of debate with myself, I have decided to do an upgrade from my current 57 rimless, to a 85 wide reef. I had originally planned to downgrade to a 50 breeder, but I broke the tank before it was set up >.<
My motivation –
• I will not be at this residence much longer, so even though this tank is bigger, it is still lighter than my rimless.
• The glass is not thick tempered glass which means it’s not very heavy, and my mp10 wont struggle to hang onto the glass as it does on my current
• The smaller Glass-Holes overflow won’t take up nearly as much real-estate as my current durso does.
There are many other reasons I am doing it, but those are a few larger ones.
Equipment
Eshopps PSK-150 Skimmer (mesh modded)
DeepBlue return about 900GPH (will be feeding algae scrubber as well, so less will be returned)
Vortech MP10
ReefKeeper Lite
150W Heater
DeepBlue 4 bulb 36” T-5 HO Lighting (2-420 Actinic,1-Figi purple, 1-10k)
85 Wide Tank 36X24X22 (Drilled for return and drain) • Glass-Holes overflow
DIY 19 LED fixture - Royal blues running off 2 meanwell D series drivers –Dimmed off POT.
37 Gallon Sump with flow through design
Fish/inverts
Tank bred Perc. Clown
Scooter blenny
Yellow tang
Blue/green cromis - 3
Firefish
Skunk cleaner shrimp
Lots -o- snails
Rose bubble tip anemone
Rainbow bubble tip anemone
Clown goby
Royal Gramma
Mccosker Wrasse
Corals
Brown/Green Digi
Blue/green flat brain
Green candy cane/ trumpet coral
Green polyp toadstool
Florida ricordia mushrooms
Green hairy mushrooms
Green stripped mushrooms
Green Tip Frogspawn
Purple tip/Green Hammer coral
Pink setosa
Blue/yellow scroll coral
Green/purple favites
Neon Green/red cap
Neon green Pavona
Butternut Stylophora
Blue hornet zoanthids
Rasta zoanthids
Mohawk Palys
Armour of God palys
Whammin' Watermellon zoanthids
Purple death palys
Nuclear Green zoanthids
Joker zoanthids
Kedd Reds zoanthids
Hollywood stunner Chalice
Blue/green Chalice
Spongodes monti
Blue/orange birdsnest

Might be missing some things....
Other life
About 85 pounds of live rock

This should be fun!

[andrewjwatson]

Big thanks to Calvin for moving the baffles in the sump. I know not many of us have much free time, so for him to do it for me is really a blessing.

First, a shot of the tank to be transfered.

[andrewjwatson]

This is what the sump design will kind of look like. This is a diagram of what my 20 long sump already looks like, and the new one will be. It's a flow through design, I think we are going to ditch the first bubble trap as it's not necessary, and just takes up extra space.

[andrewjwatson]

Well, all I can say is I have been super busy. Thanks to Calvin, the sump baffles have been re-done. Thanks to matt, the stand has made lots of progress. Everything was going perfect until today. Today I tripped and fell on the tank. I hit the bulkhead and cracked the back pane of glass. My heart sank into the ground when it happened. Im a believer that everything happens for a reason, so I hope something good comes from this. Just have to keep my head high and have hope. Here are pics of the progress then the destruction.







Old tank still kicking it

[andrewjwatson]

Well now, time for a tank update. Today Calvin and I (I meaning I ate skittles and watched nervously) drilled the tank today. The drain hole took probably a good 20 minutes or more. Dull bit, mixed with lower RPMS= fun. Better safe than sorry. It was a success, here is a picture of the progress.

[andrewjwatson]

Now for pictures of the tank. Its hard to see the depth on this tank but I tried to show it with a cat.

[andrewjwatson]

Now for paint. Used krylon semi gloss black paint

[Gyyro]

Looking good Andrew, can't wait to see it switched over....

[andrewjwatson]

Originally Posted by Gyyro

Looking good Andrew, can't wait to see it switched over....

Same here Matt. When I get back from PA tomorrow things will be full steam ahead. Let me know if you have any free time :-)

[cmaxwell39]

Looks like you made some headway. Looking forward to seeing this bad boy up and running.

[zac55g]

cool tank what are the dimensions?

[Jessemac]

Lookin good. I like the dimensions of the 85. I think you will be happy with a 24 wide versus the traditional 18 of a standard 90. I wish mine had similar dimensions.

[andrewjwatson]

Originally Posted by zac55g

cool tank what are the dimensions?

36X24X22 are the dimensions.

[andrewjwatson]

Originally Posted by Jessemac

Lookin good. I like the dimensions of the 85. I think you will be happy with a 24 wide versus the traditional 18 of a standard 90. I wish mine had similar dimensions.

Yea, depth is something most tanks lack. It makes a huge difference.

[andrewjwatson]

Update time. Got in all the valves I needed for no back siphons, a thread/slip bulkhead for the return, and a float vslve for my ro/di so no more over fills woohoo. Also got oak ply cut to the dimensions of the stand. Thanks to the KMRC reef club meeting I have decided to make the stand a have a clear finish and all the panels will be removable

Picture time







Note to Calvin, went with 2 45 bends rather than 90. Ide rather do it right and not have to fix it or risk the noise. So I took ur advice.

Side note: since all panels will come off the front panel will have trim and handles to imitate doors but the whole panel comes off. I love room to work under a tank..