My 240 gal. Salty Addiction

[Mark L.]

Update 09/16/12:

Next update. Spent today working on the electrical side of my build. I realized I need to get all the electrical mounted so I know where to run my plumbing. I got most of it installed and the wiring run. I just need to mount the right side Vortech controls and my Apex. Hopefully I can finish that tomorrow night.

Battery backups, left side Vortech's controls. Apex EB8.

 

[Mark L.]

Update 09/18/12:

Next update, All electrical is installed. Wires are run and secured. Lighting is complete, Vortech pumps installed, Apex installed, etc. Next is to do the plumbing and then I can start getting this thing wet!

Back side of tank showing all wiring secured to stand and off the floor

Right side of stand finished

Middle section of stand

Looking down from the end

C02 Scrubber installed. Will be hooked up to skimmer

More to come...........................

 

[KillerCoral]

One of the cleanest set ups ive seen

 

[Mark L.]

Update 01/01/13:

Next update, Made some progress on the plumbing. It's actually all finished now. These first pics are a bit older and I'm posting them to get caught up.

Chiller lines glued and mounted to wall. The chiller came with barb fittings so I decided to use them with short pieces of tubing.

A few new toys came in while I've been away from the thread. I originally bought the Vertex ZF-30 ZEOlite reactor. After attending MACNA and seeing the Vertex RX-Z 3.0 ZEOlite reactor I knew I had to have it. I mean, it matches my Vertex skimmer after all!

Speaking of skimmers. I upgraded mine with a new lid, motor, and wiper arm. This should optimize my skimming.

The new duo together.

More to come...........................

 

[Mark L.]

Update 01/01/13 Part 2:

Now that all the plumbing is done I tried to snap some pics. Had to use my iPhone so they aren't the best pics but they give you an idea. Everything is ran off my main pump. 2 1" return lines, chiller, 2 reactors, and UV sterilizer. I didn't really have room to make a manifold with the valves so I placed them in various locations. I also tried to snap a couple pics to show how I hung my UV sterilizer from the underside of the stand.

Now that the plumbing is done next on the list to complete my never ending build is installing the ATO switches, reservoir, and wiring, installing dosing pump and dosing lines, and then working on my aquascaping. I'll probably start filling soon to do a water test also.

Ignore UV power cord. Still need to run it and mount power supply. The colors are also messed up from my 100 gal moon lights being on.

More to come...........................

 

[Mark L.]

Update 01/02/13

Dennis called today and told me another small piece to my puzzle came in. After months of waiting, my dosing pump was finally released and shipped to him. A Vertex Libra w/stepper motor and 3 Vertex Vessels for Alk, Cal, and Mag solutions. I'll be Mounting these things outside of the stand next to the tank on the wall. Hopefully I can get this done in the next couple days.

Mmmm I love new boxes!

Libra Vessel 2.5S

Libra Doser w/Stepper Motor

More to come...........................

 

[Mark L.]

Update 01/08/13

I wanted to give a quick update and sneak peak at my dosing pump installed. This pump looks like it is going to be amazing. I connected it to my computer and updated the firmware first thing. That was extremely easy to do. No problems there. I then calibrated the touch screen, set the time, pump names etc. The software is very easy to use and the controls on the touch screen are very intuitive. The purge feature and quick dose feature is very nice. With a touch of a button you can purge all the air out of your lines. With the touch of another button you can manually dose any of your chemicals in 0.5ml increments. I have more updates to post but it was getting late and this was the only two pics I snapped.

I should be filling with water in the next couple days!!!



Mmmmmm ZEOvit!!!

Up close and personal with an awesome dosing pump

More to come...........................

 

[Mark L.]

Update 01/12/13

We have a heart beat!!!! I sense life in this thing!

Stand lighting installed and working. White LED light for working inside stand.

Dark blue LED light for night time ambiance lighting. I'm seriously thinking about either leaving the doors off or installing glass doors. This just looks too good to cover up! It's a lot darker in person. Camera makes it seem very bright.

All lighting installed!!!!!! Ignore wireless bridge sitting on floor. That will be mounted inside stand. Just hooking up the APEX to wireless network for a minute.

Installed AutoTopOff.com float switches, Probe holder w/probes, and dosing lines. I used all Vertex magnetic holders. Sorry completely forgot to take pics of them before installing. You can google to see what they look like. Very nice looking pieces.

AAAAAAaaannnndddd it's getting wet!!!!!!!!!! I love having a 300 gpd RO/DI unit. This thing is filling up really fast.

More to come...........................

 

[Mark L.]

Is it full YET?:rain:

It's getting there. I was a little nervous leaving the water running all night while I was asleep so I turned it off. I started it back up this morning when I woke up around 7am. Tank is 1/2 full now. :fish2:

 

[Mark L.]

Sneak Peak!!! Took a video with my iPhone to show my Vortechs running. They start off on the lowest setting and then I turn all 4 up to the highest setting. I have the worlds largest blender! Haha

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-mVt40tANU

 

[reefer55]

Dude i love this set up i wish i had the funds to this set up wow!!! I'm so impressed, other than all the Cowgirl stuff in the back ground its a sexy tank Go Pats!!!

 

[Mark L.]

Update 01/24/13

At long last, I've been waiting for this moment for the past 8 months. I can happily and somewhat sadly say MY BUILD IS FINISHED!!!!! This marks the end of a long chapter I dubbed Building my Salty Addiction. Tank, stand, and all electronics are installed and working correctly. There's saltwater, sand, and dead rock in the tank and aquascaped. I have programmed my Radions using Ecotechs online EcoSmart Live software. If you own Radions and you aren't using this software do yourself a favor and use it. I'm loving the interface and ease of use. I updated the firmware on all 5 Radions, grouped them together, and programmed them on a light cycle. So easy.

Next I have my APEX set up wirelessly and have all the basic programs set. I want to do a little tweaking here but nothing radical. I have my drains, reactors, returns, and UV sterilizer tuned since all are running off my one return pump. All I can say here is WOW! What a pump!!! This tank is pushing some serious water flow through everything and it's quieter than my 100 gal.

At this point everything is running and the water is circulating. I'm now waiting for Dennis at FJW to get my order of ZEObak in and I can officially start my 14 day cycle. After the 14 days is up it will be on to chapter 2 of my build. LIVESTOCK....

As for now I don't have any pics of the finished tank. I'll snap some tonight and upload them. I just wanted to get the official word out that I'm done with my build. I thought this day would never come. :faint:

More to come...........................

 

[Mark L.]

Update 01/27/13

Finally took some time to take some pics. Only camera I have right now is my iPad/iPhone so sorry about the quality. No matter what I do they come out blue. I'm on day 4 of my cycle now. With ZEOvit you go through a 10 day dosing cycle. On the 10th day you can add your first herbivore fish. I'll be adding my 4 purple tangs this coming saturday!! Can't wait. Hey Dennis, you better start catching them.

OK so on with the pics, here ya go! (Oh and yeah no doors yet LOL)

More to come...........................

 

[Mark L.]

Update 02/03/13

My cycle is finally over. I'm starting my normal ZEOvit dosing regime starting today. On to the good stuff. I've added my first fish! Thanks to Dennis at FJW I have 4 purple tangs breaking in the new tank and enjoying their now home. Thanks Dennis! I need to figure out what my next fish will be. I'm really wanting 4 yellow tangs next. What do y'all think? Should I go ahead and add them soon? The purples are pretty small and all hanging out together. I'm thinking 4 yellow would look cool.

My first babies....

More to come...........................

 

[Mark L.]

PHEW!!!!! So that is where I'm at now. Got my 4 purple tangs in and added 4 yellow tangs a couple days ago. I've also slowly started moving corals over from my 100 gal. From here I'll slowly keep adding live stock as my tank matures. I'll keep this thread updated as I go! Now I'll go back and see if anyone posted while I was moving posts over here.

Oh and sorry I know some things may not make sense in my posts. I was probably answering questions people were posting in the original thread. Hope you enjoyed.

 

[sexycorals]

very nicely done.. !! welcome to r2r! Truely a great example of "do it right the first time. "

 

[Mark L.]

One of the cleanest set ups ive seen

Thanks KillerCoral! I appreciate it.

 

[Mark L.]

Dude i love this set up i wish i had the funds to this set up wow!!! I'm so impressed, other than all the Cowgirl stuff in the back ground its a sexy tank Go Pats!!!

LOL! Thanks reefer55....I guess.

 

[Emoney]

Great pics, keep um coming!! Love the 4 purple tangs! and the clean set up

 

[Mark L.]

very nicely done.. !! welcome to r2r! Truely a great example of "do it right the first time. "

Thanks sexycorals! I hope to have a bunch of your stuff in my tank very soon. It's going to be predom SPS with a select few LPS.