nbd13’s return...150g Custom Barr-bottom SPS/Angel/Modified Triton Method Reef

Hi everyone,

I am not sure how active the forum is anymore, but I remember how active it was 10-15 years ago. I was a long time contributor here and over on RC many years ago. I started this hobby in high school with a 70 gallon mixed reef tank, upgraded to a 180 gallon SPS tank in high school and then in college upgraded to a 250 gallon custom SPS tank. Due to life events and having to pursue educational interests, I got out of the hobby about 12 years ago. I knew I would be back, just unsure when...

Well fast forward to the present, my oldest son (3 1/2 y.o.) has been fascinated with BBC's documentaries Blue Planet, Blue Planet II and many more. So much so, he would rather watch these than cartoons. Needless to say this was the perfect excuse for me to get a tank. Something we could do together and I could teach him things along the way. It was an easy sell to the wife!

BUT, WOW! Have things changed in the hobby! Equipment, methods, forums and jeeze have prices skyrocketed! So, I started researching equipment again and was going to go with a standard 120 gallon, but convinced the wife another foot wasn't too bad. Just before Christmas I ordered a SCA 150 gallon starfire glass tank. Here's the list of what I have going:

Tank:
SCA 150g (5'x2'x2'), starfire glass
16" Synergy Ghost Overflow
2x 3/4" Return Bulkheads
Black starboard bottom

Canopy/Stand:
Custom, made by me

Sump:
Synergy Triton TS44 with refugium section

Automatic Top Off Reservoir:
Matching Synergy 10 gallon tank

Skimmer:
LifeReef SVS3-30 powered by a Neptune Cor20 Pump

Return Pump:
Neptune Cor20

Water Movement:
EchoTech MP40s x3
EchoTech MP10 x1

Main Tank Lights:
Radion G4 Pros x3

Refugium Light:
Kessil H380

Controller:
- Neptune Apex System
- 2 x EB382's
- 2x DOS/DDR setup for dosing Triton Core Elements
- FMM x3 (ATO, Leak Detection and Flow Monitoring)
- Lunar Simulator Module
- WXM
- MarineDepot Controller Boards x2 (Regular and Deluxe Models)

Automatic Top Off:
Neptune ATO

UV Sterilizer:
Pentair Aquatics Smart 40w
Ran with Cor20 with flow sensor to adjust flow

Heaters:
Eheim Jager 250w x2 controlled by Apex

Method/Goals:

So, with my profession, I am pretty busy with that and family life. Hence, I wanted a tank that was low maintenance and gave me peace of mind. Right before I got out of the hobby "Zeovit" was just coming into play, I toyed with that and did 10% weekly water changes and had a huge calcium reactor...this go around I am going to give Triton Method a go.

I've also learned from my time in the hobby previously, good equipment cost money. With my limited time, I can't have equipment breaking and going down. So, I took my time and complied a pretty decent list. Hopefully, with the Apex controlling it all this will help.

My goal is a low maintenance SPS tank, going to give it a go with a calcium reactor. Also, one of my other passions if anyone from the old days of here and on RC still remembers me, is ANGELS! I love them! I also learned the importance of quarantining properly as I lost many fish back in the day, an expensive lesson I would like to avoid making again. So, I will be following HumbleFish's methods.

Honestly the best part has been watching my son enjoy this, he loved helping paint the stand and canopy! Actually, did a pretty decent job for a 3 year old.

Here's where I'm at today:
- Plumbing 90% done, waiting on a few parts to be here this week
- Apex wiring and system setup
- Have LifeRock that's been cooking in a tub for 4 weeks and in water for 8 weeks prior at the LFS
- Have 2 Davinchi clowns and 3 Borbonius Anthias in QT, doing great and have another 3 weeks to go
- Goal is to get the tank wet next weekend, get the rock in there!

More to come, but first some pictures of the process so far, should have taken more, but oh well...

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