Soon I expect to receive a 72”x30”x24” Crystal Dynamic Aquarium 225 gallon tank with steel stand with a custom bar top built into the front of the stand on which I hope my family and I will eat breakfast often or have a drink with family and friends. I saw stands with bars once or twice and always thought it would be the last thing needed to take my dream reef from my dream to my family’s as well when we could all sit with our scaly or slimy pets many mornings or evenings.
For background on my construction preparation for the tank or my own personal story see my other thread: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/225g-cda-sps-dream-build-construction-background.888267/
For bait to continue on, here is a picture of my current lagoon of 24g.
Stealing an idea I saw @LVReef do in his build thread here‘s a table of all the components I will keep updated as I invariably change equipment.
On stand
Above tank
In stand
CaCO3 maintenance
In shed outside
Below is CDA‘s current plans to build the stand. It will be steel with a Malibu-style wood wrap in a grayish brown color. You’ll notice it’s tall as I dont want to crouch to look at the tank and this fits bar stools well.
As for the tank, I selected starphire with a fully reinforced starboard bottom as I plan to go bare bottom, though I may add sand if I can’t bear the look. Alternatively I may add tiles of encrusting corals.
More on livestock and anything else I’ve missed to come another day.
For background on my construction preparation for the tank or my own personal story see my other thread: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/225g-cda-sps-dream-build-construction-background.888267/
For bait to continue on, here is a picture of my current lagoon of 24g.
Stealing an idea I saw @LVReef do in his build thread here‘s a table of all the components I will keep updated as I invariably change equipment.
On stand
Tank | 72”x30”x24” CDA starphire with fully reinforced starboard bottom and holes drilled for powerhead cable pass through in corners |
Overflow | 30” modular marine external with beananimal plumbing |
Power heads | 2x MP40wQD and 2x Maxspect Gyre XF350. Perhaps 2x AI Nero 3 for spot flow |
Rock | Marco rocks in NSA styling. Lots of branching mimicking a wild staghorn coral reef loosely |
Above tank
Canopy | CDA matching 16” flip up front canopy in Malibu style |
Lights | 6x Radion XR15w and |
Fans | TBD |
In stand
Stand | CDA Malibu style wood-wrapped steel stand, custom bar top built into front extending 13”, 40-3/4” tall, acrylic drip tray with high contrast interior and electrical panel |
Sump | Trigger Systems CR44 Sapphire 44” filter sock refugium sump |
Skimmer | Reef Octopus 200 INT |
Refugium | no plans to use at first but either frag system on reverse photoperiod or chaeto if nutrients rise |
Return pumps | Dual COR20s |
CaCO3 maintenance
Dosing pumps | Neptune DOS for alk and Ca Kamoer X1 for Mg |
CO2 reactor | Not decided but may employ as system matures |
Kalk stirrer | Not decided but leaning heavily for pH boost edit: leaning towards a kalk drip from a large brute |
In shed outside
Auto Water Change | DOS hooked up to 100g Norwesco tank and draining straight to sewer |
ATO | Tunze 3155 running out of large but low to ground water storage TBD |
Saltwater mixing | Dual 100g Norwesco 28”, one for RODI one for salt and an Iwaki MD-40RXT to mix and do manual water changes |
Below is CDA‘s current plans to build the stand. It will be steel with a Malibu-style wood wrap in a grayish brown color. You’ll notice it’s tall as I dont want to crouch to look at the tank and this fits bar stools well.
As for the tank, I selected starphire with a fully reinforced starboard bottom as I plan to go bare bottom, though I may add sand if I can’t bear the look. Alternatively I may add tiles of encrusting corals.
More on livestock and anything else I’ve missed to come another day.
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