It’s time for me to build a new tank and here are the details on the new build. I’ll add to this page as I make decisions about the build.

FIRST: Why did I go with a rimless tank when I’ve said before I’m not a fan of rimless tanks?

 

Because of 2 things:

 

  1. Convenience.  Having no bracing on the tank makes working in the tank very easy.
  2. Resale Value.  Since this tank didn’t need bracing, I said it would be crazy to have a brace-less tank w/out it being rimless.  No one would want to buy a tank w/out bracing that wasn’t rimless.  So I went ahead and made it rimless.
I’m going to run the tank open top for a couple of months before I decide if I want to keep it that way.  I still prefer my tank to have a canopy on it to prevent light spillage and to keep jumping fish out of the tank.  At the same time, I have to keep trying new things.

 

SECOND: 

 

Details of the system…

Birth of Tank: February 27th, 2012

Tank: Dutch Aquarium Systems (60″ x 30″ x 30″, 152 cm x  72cm x 72 cm), 235 gallons. (886 L)

  • 2x 1.5″ drains (3.81cm)
  • 2x 1″ return lines (2.54 cm)

Stand, Stand cover, Canopy:

  • stand is a steel stand with minimal bracing
  • stand will be covered by a skin that will slide in front of the tank
  • for the moment I’m leaving the canopy off. (see above)

Sump: Custom built, approximately 50 gallon capacity.

Rock: Real Reef Cultured Rock, 240 lbs worth

Sand: Tropic Eden Reef Flakes 1.5″ deep sandbed

Tank Automation:

  • GHL Profilux 3

Lighting:

In-tank circulation:

  • 1 x EcoTech Marine mp60
  • 2 x EcoTech Marine mp40′s with battery backup
  • Tunze Nano Wavebox (tentative.  Will test to see if it make a decent wave in a 5′ tank)

Return Pump:  Reef Octopus Water Blaster HY-5000W

Water Processing:

  • Skimmer: Hydor Performer Series 2005 Skimmer After using pinwheel skimmers, I want to branch out and try a recirculating skimmer that I’ll drive off my return pump.
  • Bulk Reef Supply dual media reactor (GFO in the first chamber, activated carbon in the second)
  • 3x 100 micron filter socks

Dosing:

  • GHL 4 pump stand alone doser.  (For my review of the doser, watch this show)

Auto Top Off:

  • The Profilux 3 will handle the top off duties of my tank

LIVESTOCK

Fish: 

  • Lamarck’s Angelfish (Genicanthus lamarck)
  • Maldives Lyretail Anthias trio (1 male, 2x female) (Pseudanthias squamipinnis)
  • Midas blennie (Ecsenius midas)
  • White cheek Tang (Acanthurus nigricans)
  • Purple Tang (Zebrasoma xanthurum)
  • Pink Spot Shrimp Goby (Cryptocentrus leptocephalus)
  • Blue Green Chromis (Chromis viridian)
  • Leopard Wrasse (Macropharyngodon meleagris)
  • Bangaii Cardinal (Pterapogon kauderni)
  • White Stripe Maroon Clownfish & Rose Bubble Tip Anemone (Premnas biaculeatus)

Corals:

Tank will be a mixed reef SPS dominant tank. Exact corals I’ll be picking unknown at this point

Tank cycling data

All tests were carried out with the test kits on my recommended test kit list found here

NOTE:  My old 90g tank would often register nitrites between 0-6 parts per billion (PPB) even years after I set it up.  I mention this as a reference to the nitrites I’m measuring below.

Day 0 (right before fish were placed in the tank):

  • Ammonia:   0 ppm 
  • Nitrites:   6 ppb    NOTE: 6 parts per Billion is VERY small.  Any other test kit would register this value as zero.
  • Nitrates:  0 ppm

Day 1

    • Ammonia:   0 ppm 
    • Nitrites:   5 ppb    NOTE: 5 parts per Billion is VERY small.  Any other test kit would register this value as zero
    • Nitrates:  7 ppm

Day 2

    • Ammonia:   0 ppm 
    • Nitrites:   4 ppb    NOTE: 4 parts per Billion is VERY small.  Any other test kit would register this value as zero
    • Nitrates:  10 ppm

Day 3

    • Ammonia:   0 ppm 
    • Nitrites:   2 ppb    NOTE: 2 parts per Billion is VERY small.  Any other test kit would register this value as zero.
    • Nitrates:  7 ppm
At this point, I’m considering my tank cycled.  Heck, it was really cycled after day 2 as the nitrites were starting to drop.  I am considering adding some fish to “stress test” the tank.  I’ll keep checking the levels and updating them here.

Day 4

    • Ammonia:   0 ppm 
    • Nitrites:  12 ppb    NOTE: 12 parts per Billion is still VERY small.  Any other test kit would register this value as zero.  I have started feeding the 3 chromis in the tank a heavier meal to encourage extra waste (uneaten food and increased fish waste) in the tank.  I believe this increased nitrite number is due to the nitrifying bacteria processing the extra waste.  Keep in mind 12 PPB is still a very small number.
    • Nitrates:  40 ppm  Clearly the nitrogen cycle is in full force now as the food breaking down has been processed from ammonia to nitrites to nitrates.  I do not have a skimmer running on this system yet as Dr. Tim recommends waiting a week after adding the bacteria to start the skimmer.  This delay allows for the build up of nutrients that the bacteria can use to multiply.

Day 5

    • Ammonia:   0 ppm 
    • Nitrites:  14 ppb    NOTE: 14 parts per Billion is still VERY small.  Any other test kit would register this value as zero.  While the nitrites are up from yesterday a 2 ppb change is not much (and probably not significant) and likely attributed to variations in the test kit.
    • Nitrates:  15 ppm  The fish didn’t come out today (still no lights over the tank) so that might explain the drop in nitrates.  A little surprising to me.
  • Overall, the tank is clearly cycled and now I need to get serious about my fish selection.

Day 6

    • Ammonia:   0 ppm 
    • Nitrites:  10 ppb    NOTE: 14 parts per Billion is still VERY small.  Any other test kit would register this value as zero.  While the nitrites are up from yesterday a 2 ppb change is not much (and probably not significant) and likely attributed to variations in the test kit.
    • Nitrates:  10 ppm  I’m attributing the drop in nitrates due to the growth of different bacteria strains that are using the nitrates.  This bacteria likely came in the water that the fish were bagged in from the local fish store.  Clearly bacteria diversification can be achieved without live rock.
I’m stopping my logging of the tank parameters now.  As you can see, Dr. Tim’s One and Only Nitrifying bacteria clearly works as advertised.

{ 156 comments… read them below or add one }

david April 13, 2012 at 7:53 am

Hey mark great tank when can we expect new video updates of your new tank?

lewy April 15, 2012 at 7:51 am

hey mark nice tank, is it 235 gallons including the sump or 235 gallons in the display tank, if so how many gallons is your sump?
regards
lewy

Jonathan Harmantas April 20, 2012 at 10:51 am

His display tank is 233.8 gallons without the sump.
Height 60
Width 30
Tall 30
60x30x30 = 54000 cubic inches
5400 divided by 231 equals 233.8 gallons.

Here is a link to a tank calculator: http://www.firsttankguide.net/calculator.php

lewy April 27, 2012 at 8:34 am

hey mark, do you reckon youll be succesful with your leapord wrasse second time around

Mark Callahan April 27, 2012 at 8:41 am

Lewy…she’s eating like a pig and swimming around happily. Once you get a leopard wrasse eating frozen they usually do very well in tanks.

Randy May 3, 2012 at 8:51 pm

Where did you get the rock?

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