LVReef's CDA 225 gal 72x30x24 tank upgrade!

[LVReef]

I finally got the OK to upgrade from a 40B tank to my dream 225G 72x30x24 tank.

I've had my 40B for 2.5 years now and since I'm still hooked to this hobby, I'm going to take it to the next level. Please take a look at my proposed build and make suggestions. It will be a mixed tank with SPS, LPS and softies.

TANK

CDA 225g 72X30X24 with Cardiff white semi-gloss stand. 2x1" return bulkheads	Should arrive in April
Modular Marine 24" Overflow 3x1.5" drains	Ordered through CDA so hopefully it's not affected by the temporary closure of Modular Marine
Aragonite Special Grade Dry Sand 160Lbs (4 bags)	Aiming for 1.5-1.75in. Should keep by sand sifting goby happy.
Marco Shelf Rocks (100lbs)	I like Bill's aqua scape so this seems like a good starting point
Marco Foundation Rocks (6)
Marco Dry Rocks (150lbs)	For the "islands" and building an arch
Marco cement grey (2 buckets)

Sump

Synergy Reef SK-60	Mainly because it's compatible with the ClariSea SK-5000
10Gal ATO Container	25% off when purchasing the sump. I currently use a $5 bucket outside the cabinet. Is it a hassle to pour water from a bucket to an ATO container under the sump?
2x ClariSea SK-5000 Automatic fleece	Max flow per ClariSea is 1320gph. The sump is build for 2 anyway...
Regal 200SSS Skimmer	Very not sure about this. I have an Essence S-130 and it doesn't pull much since there's a compact roller mat. Since I'll have a similar setup, I figured I can downsize the skimmer? I really wanted a 200EXT but my skimmer area is 18.75x17.5 and an external skimmer is 15.7x13.8. This limits other stuff I can put in... Any ideas?
2x VarioS-8 Controllable DC Pump	Currently have the VarioS-4 and love it. I think the Maxspect Jump 8k is also popular and cheaper so not sure if the VarioS-8 are really worth it.
Lifegard 90W UV sterilizer	Bought based on positive feedback from the community. Will run at 466gph for protozoans
Syncra Silent 1.5 Pump for the UV	A dedicated pump from the skimmer chamber to the UV sterilizer. Where should the water from the UV sterilizer go? I was thinking back in the skimmer chamber so it doesn't affect the sump flow but will is recirculate too much? I did some back of the envelope math and it seems like it wouldn't change things much...
Tunze OSMOLATOR UNIVERSAL 3155 ATO	Have it on my 40B and it's really good. I'll move it to my 225G and use a spare tunze nano on the 40B during the transition.
VarioS-4 for reactors + Chiller	Straight from my 40B tank. I found that as carbon clogs, the water takes the path of least resistance and will increase the flow to the chiller; which is fine. I won't use this pump for the UV sterilizer since I want a constant flow.

Dosing

Neptune DOS (Alk+Ca)	Thinking that I can do magnesium manually? I currently have BRS peristaltic pumps but they don't integrate with the Trident. Same the Ecotech, which I heard are even better than the DOS...
BRS 2 Part + Mg	Currently running this on the 40B and happy. Calcium reactor sounds cool but harder to dial in. No integration with the Trident.
Tropic Marin Pro Reef salt	Not dosing but kind of... I'm buying this salt because everyone swears by it. The low alk is annoying but it doesn't make calcium deposits in my bucket so maybe that's a good thing. Some brown floating stuff in the mixing bucket (clay?)...
Reef Energy A+B (All in One)	AquaSD, where I bought corals, recommends this. Seems to work OK.

Lights

4x Radion X30 Gen5 Blue	This got positive reviews and they are easy to mount.
Mounting system	RMS with the arms that fit on the tank?

Temperature

InkBird Wifi heat controller	Plugged in an Apex energy bar just in case.
2x 300W Titanium Heater Element	Can I get away with 2x200W? Less stress on one apex power module plug (400w vs 600w), less chance of doing damages if it's running wild.
JBJ Arctica Chiller 1/10 HP	It's undersized but that's what I already have. My house has AC. I understand that the perfect way to run a chiller is to pull from the sump and push directly to the tank. In-line plumbing is out of the question since it reduces the flow too much. Would pulling from the skimmer chamber and outputting in the return chamber bad? What about pulling from the skimmer chamber and dropping there? I'm thinking if the sump has a flow of 200gph, the skimmer chamber won't have time to get cold enough that the chiller constantly stops&starts?

Powerheads

3xMP40	Should provide appropriate flow. I always have the option to add one more. I had Crystal Dynamics drill to holes in the back eurobrace if I want to add gyres.
2xGyre XF350	Not at the beginning. Discouraged by the maintenance and noise.

Controller

Apex	Already have
Trident	Already have
Seneye Reef	Already have. I don't see much value in it. Might stop buying slides...

Misc

Net Cover	Lost a firefish and a six-line wrasse in my 40B. I heard euro-braced tanks are kind of immune to that but it can happen. It's jus a big hassle when feeding frozen every night...
TurboStart	Recommended by a local expert
Rectangular 5" thick shelf rock from BRS shipped by mistake	To be used instead of marine pure due to aluminum leaching reports.
VAR Flow accelerator	Will fit my 1" returns.

Fish

2x Clownfish	Have
1x Hawaii Yellow Tang	Have
6x Green Chromis	Have
1x Royal gamma	Have
1x Sand Sifting Goby	Have
1x Blue Tang	Want
1x Powder Brown Tang	Want
1x Purple Tang	Want
1x Coral Beauty Angelfish (Dwarf)	Want
1x Emperor Angel	Want
1x Copperband Butterflyfish	Want
1x Firefish	Want
1x Six Line Wrasse	Want
1x Cleaner Wrasse	Want
4x Zebra Barred Dartfish	Want

Food

Hikari Marine S	What I'm currently feeding in the morning with the auto-feeder
Hikari Seaweed Extreme	What I'm currently feeding in the morning with the auto-feeder
Hikari frozen Spirulina Brine Shrimp	All my fish absolute love this. every other night
PE Mysis	Fed every other night. Fish don't love it but eat it
Ocean Nutrition Green Algae Seaweed	Tang loves it. Snails are all over it at night.
Reef-Roids	2xweek directed at corals with a pipette

 

[Billldg]

Gonna be a great build!!! ;Woot;Woot;Woot I had them drill 2 1.5 in holes in the back corners of the Eurobracing for the wires of my Gyre pumps.

 

[phillybean]

Look's like you have everything pretty set up. I'm going to go with 4 MP40's on my 220 (72x24x30), just because I hate cords in the tank. I like the idea of being able to move 4 power heads to adjust flow, instead of just 2 if I went with 2 MP60's.

For the UV sterilizer to be most effective, try to plumb the return directly into the display, if you put in back in the sump, have it drain in a compartment after where it draws from. You can lose quite a bit of the performance by having it pick up the water it just sterilized. Here is how I did mine:

 

[LVReef]

I had them drill 2 1.5 in holes in the back corners of the Eurobracing for the wires of my Gyre pumps.

That's a great idea, I'll ask Zoya to do the same!

For the UV sterilizer to be most effective, try to plumb the return directly into the display

Is your tank in-wall? I'm trying to avoid PVC sticking up on the side of the tank. I was thinking, if the skimmer compartment has 2500gph and the UV is at 250gph, then I'd lose perhaps 10% efficiency? Maybe less if I put the intake close to the back and the output near the front of the skimmer chamber?

 

[phillybean]

That's a great idea, I'll ask Zoya to do the same!

Is your tank in-wall? I'm trying to avoid PVC sticking up on the side of the tank. I was thinking, if the skimmer compartment has 2500gph and the UV is at 250gph, then I'd lose perhaps 10% efficiency? Maybe less if I put the intake close to the back and the output near the front of the skimmer chamber?

Yeah it's inwall so not as much of a concern. If the tank is drilled for more than one return, you could plumb it thru there. I'm not sure on how much you'd lose, I've never run one before so watched every BRS video on them when I set it up.

 

[LVReef]

Ended up changing the rock order a bit. 100lbs of shelf rocks and 150lbs of normal rocks, with the planned 6 foundation rocks. I'm hoping to make an arch or two.

One thing that I'm considering is a CW-200 algae scrubber. It's on sale at BRS today but out of stock. I just need to figure out how to mount if property on a synergy reef sump.

 

[Billldg]

I purchased the Clearwater CW-200 and I will mount it on the side of the sump. I will just feed it off of one of my returns with a flow sensor to dial it in.

Also, did you get the acrylic drip pan inside the stand?

 

[LVReef]

I purchased the Clearwater CW-200 and I will mount it on the side of the sump. I will just feed it off of one of my returns with a flow sensor to dial it in.

Sounds like a good idea. I'll feed it off my VarioS-4 manifold. How are you mounting yours?

Also, did you get the acrylic drip pan inside the stand?

I was going to get a shower pan but didn't settle on the size (Slightly larger than the sump I assume? I have a TAP Plastic near my house so I can have them build something. What did you get?

 

[Billldg]

On a platform on the right side of my sump in my stand. It may be a pain to get the screen out, but it’s possible. As long as the return is higher than the sump you can do it.

I ordered a acrylic drip pan from CDA that becomes part of the stand. Page 25 of my build you can kinda see it, though it’s hard as the stand and tray are both black.

 

[LVReef]

Got my first big shipment from BRS. About 500 lbs of rocks, cement and sand.

What do you have in there, rocks?! *chuckles* - UPS driver

Pretty good mix from BRS and they arrived mostly in good shape. I'm dipping them in 45 gallon brute containers filled with RO. They are cycling since I'll need to do my design and they'll be out of the water for long time when I do. This is mostly to get rid of phosphate...

I'll need to call BRS because one "shelf" piece they sold me is 17.5 lbs but doesn't look like a shelf. It's like the end piece of a shelf section they cut off.

I'm hoping they will be able to send replacements since I can't think of way to use this as a shelf (I have plenty of normal rocks for supports and caves).

 

[LVReef]

I'm also wondering if people have experience with aquacave.com and if they are any good? I like BRS but they charge sales tax in California, which is nearly 10%. Aquacave has the same products at the same price but I'd end up saving 10%. It might be worth it for the bigger ticket items like the skimmer, power heads and the VarioS-8s.

 

[Camaro Show Corals]

I'm also wondering if people have experience with aquacave.com and if they are any good? I like BRS but they charge sales tax in California, which is nearly 10%. Aquacave has the same products at the same price but I'd end up saving 10%. It might be worth it for the bigger ticket items like the skimmer, power heads and the VarioS-8s.

I have used aqua cave before overall good but I ordered 2 bashsea reactors and they only sent me 1 but they sent the second out as soon as I notified them.

 

[LVReef]

BRS came through

Thanks for bringing this to our attention and sorry for the inconvenience. While we’re not able to guarantee any specific measurements on rock due to different size, shapes, and densities, we went ahead and created replacement order XXX and will ship out shortly for 18lbs of Shelf Rock. Along with that don't worry about sending anything back to us and please let us know if you have any further questions. Take care!

 

[LDog74]

I have a 225 gallon CDA, love it! ( See build thread). In regards to water movement I started with 3 Red Sea 45 Reefwaves. I added 2 MP40's on the back for additional flow. The MP40's run at 60% & Reefwaves at 100%. If I did it over again I would run 4 MP40's which I will go to once the RW's decline. The MP40's are just so easy to clean vs gyres.
Trent & Zoya are great to work with! You will love the tank. I should have went even bigger LOL... I also need to update my build thread which I will soon.

Good luck & congrats!

 

[LVReef]

Thanks, good call about the MP40. How big are your return holes and what did you use? Locline seems to be 3/4" max

Love your canopy

 

[LDog74]

Thanks, good call about the MP40. How big are your return holes and what did you use? Locline seems to be 3/4" max

Love your canopy

Thank you! All plumbing is 1". They provided the locLine

 

[LVReef]

I don't think locline does 1". Did they put a reducer?

 

[LVReef]

Got my first shipment from BRS. I'm also expecting a DOS dosing pump from a different vendor soon. I just need the tank to be here.

 

[Rickyrooz]

Any updates?

 

[LVReef]

I wish I had an interesting update but CDA is still building the aquarium. Wood shortage, then "rim" shortage, etc...
They told me they are one week from shipping a week ago.
I was quoted a lead time of 3 months early Dec. 2020. I wonder if all their builds have been taking 9+ months or if I should've been bothering them more (the squeaky wheel gets the grease).