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Grigor's 75g Soft Coral Dominate Tank Build (1 Viewer)

So appears Saturday is the big day. Upgrading from the 75g to James/Lowersmybp old 120g.

It will be just a straight move, no new aquascaping or anything just a swap out. I don't expect the process to take more than a couple of hours. The time will likely be spend just replumbing the 120g to match my sump etc. All the rock is roded so transporting will be easy. I did order a 32" Photon light to add to the 48" Photon I have now. The 32" will go in the back and doesn't need to be as long becuase of the corner overflow. I have a height constraint that I can't just try to reuse by 48" and mount it higher because the basement is only 7' Ceilings and the tank is located just under the duct work where clearance is barely 6'. I will have to make a simple canopy to set them on and it will be pretty low profile about 6". Something in front to block the light is a must becuase the TV is on the same wall as the tank, I don't want to see a bright light in the corner of my eye when watching TV so suspending lights isn't an option.

Step 1: 90g of freshly mixed saltwater ready to go.

Step 2: Drain the 75g tank down as low as possible to scoot the tank to the middle of the room. Refill it back with water from the 180g show. Fresh mixed will go to the 180g tank. I will then be ready to put the 120g tank in the spot the minute I get it home.
 
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Good luck with the transfer!
Are you transferring the sand bed? Or "manning up" and leaving it out? ;)
 
jlanger said:
Good luck with the transfer!
Are you transferring the sand bed? Or "manning up" and leaving it out? ;)
Click to expand...

Touche` Shallow Girly Substrate.

I siphon it weekly so there is no real risk of any anerobic zones to possibly disturb and "Should" be fairly clean. That does remind me though I need to pick up a 20lb bag to account for the larger footprint.
 
Hey, I like sand!

I have read on the internet (so it is true) that the structure of the reef is such that the majority of the sand is not out near the corals. The progression from the water into shore is something like, reef wall, flat reef, back reef, lagoon and then the beach.

Sand is most concentrated on the beach (for girls) rather than out on the reef wall or flat reef.

I just didn't want sand killing my acros when/if they fall.
 
LowersMyBP said:
the structure of the reef is such that the majority of the sand is not out near the corals.
Click to expand...

Parrotfish and other stony coral eating fish do not digest the calcium carbonate of the coral's skeleton and it's gotta go somewhere. It's pooped out all over the place. I saw one figure that an average parrotfish can produce over 800 lbs of calcium carbonate sand in a year.
 
Move has started.

The drain and scoot is done. Ready for the 120g to be put in it's spot.

View media item 7673
Scooted it across the floor into the middle of the room, refilled with about 30g of water from the 75g the rest was filled from the 180g show. Added freshly mixed to the 180g so the 180g gets an extra water change:

View media item 7674
 
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Let the fun begin!!!
And what is that I see on the chair??? ;)

Good luck with the move.
We expect it to look nothing less than spectacular!
 
Wow, you got my attention. When I saw the tank photo I immediately thought it had blown out as the type was off the top of my computer screen. After I read that you had started the move it all made sense. Looks like you have everything under control, good luck.
 
I'm pooped. Everything is done except for the light/canopy. I have just the 75g canopy and light on it for now. While watching football on Sunday, I hope to build the new one and have it ready to go. The additional photon 32" arrived so it's just a matter of putting it all together. I'll snap a pic in the AM. The 120g dwarfs my rockwork. After the christmas break, I'll tweak it some but fine for now.

I had just the moonlights on and the tangs were definately checking out the new swimming room.
 
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I hear ha!

Very impressive turnaround. Did you try those couplings, what did you think?

I hope your wife likes it.
 
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Yes I did do the couplings. Worked fine, the line that feeds the ATS is a bit lower with the coupling. Works for now but if/when I rebuild the ATS took take advantage of the extra height I will likely have to remove it on the 1 line. Emergency there is no need to change.

Ideally, If I could have built the new sump/ATS combo ahead of time then there would have been much of a time crunch. I had to dissamble the old 75g to get the sump out so really could do much pre-plumbing work until everything moved over. By that time you were commited and had to finish what you started. Had I not needed the same sump, I could have taken more time and not as nerve racking.
 
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Stupid timeout double posting!

But let's see some new pics of the bigger tank.
 
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Quick Pics. Still have to get the lights permanently mounted. Another trip to the hardware store needed.

Haven't done the final rearrangement. Still have zoanthid collection in the 180g to move over now that I have more room.

Only casualty has been 1 green chromis. It was dead sometime after the drain/scoot but before moving corals to the 120g. My guess it was in the hiding in a rock when drained for the scoot and without water just a bit too long.


Full Shot:

120g_soft_upgrade_full.jpg

120g_soft_upgrade_full.jpg


Left End:

120g_soft_upgrade_left.jpg

120g_soft_upgrade_left.jpg


Right End:

120g_soft_upgrade_right.jpg

120g_soft_upgrade_right.jpg

 
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Awesome looking tank! The way you setup your rock work is genius even after a full tank move you can barely tell(other than the new room to grow) since your structure came out in one piece

How do you like your convict tang? Would you reccomend one for a 90gallon mixed reef?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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Got that from James/Lowemybp. I probably would never have chosen a convict tang myself but now that I have it I really like it. Never seen any ich or anything on it. It was finicky at first would only eat nori and pellets. It's a pig now. May eventually outgrow a 48" tank though. Keep open rockwork will help greatly though. If/when the time comes, I'll toss it in the 180g.
 
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Or my 300 if I don't have one in there already. :)

Glad to see that fish have more room to move!
 
Well the Bangaii's must like the new digs. Male has a mouthful of eggs this morning. He is still much too young and can barely fit them in his mouth as is so I don't see how could ever carry full term.

lights are mounted and centered. The top is done except for staining but is fully functional.

Did some minor moving things around, Added most of the zoanthid colonies from the 180g. I'm a bit disappointed the Reefbreeder Photons dont make the zoanthid color pop as well as in the show tank.

New full tank shot after minor tweaking and adding zoanthids from 180g ( Pardon the aptasia, got to get off my lazy rear and nuke'm ):

120g_soft_round1_full.jpg

120g_soft_round1_full.jpg


Up close center of new zoanthid island:

120g_soft_round1_center.jpg

120g_soft_round1_center.jpg


Closer shot of left side:

120g_round1_left_side.jpg

120g_round1_left_side.jpg


Closer shot of right side:

120g_round1_right_side.jpg

120g_round1_right_side.jpg


Boy it doesn't take long to fill it up. I may have to pull a James get a 300g show and upgrade this one to the 180g.
 
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