New Set Up 4 x 2 x 1

[nicreef]

Just came back from vincent office and feeling a little jittery....somehow nervous about starting this new tank. Would really want to get this right as this is and will probably be final tank in office. Specs as follows:

Display tank: 4.35 ft (52 inches) x 2 ft (24") x 1.2 ft (14") (10 inch 3 side crystal) : 245 Litres

Sump: 3.2 ft(38") x 1.6 ft(19") x 1.25ft (15") : 112 litres

Total capacity: 357 litres

Lighting: 2 x AI Vega colour

Stand: 75cm

Skimmer BM curve 7

Chiller: Hailea HS 28A (changing to teco: cant rmb what model from vincent using this as back up after that since it's specs state up to 400litre).

Additional FR: Biopellet and PO4

Return pump: Waveline (again vincent recommandation..leaving this to him..suppose to be a new model coming in next mth).

sump plan as of now:

rough feel of how tank should be like (this is vincent 6ft display tank mine. main difference is mine is smaller. beside that the stand and material are about the same).

[nicreef]

Life rocks:

beside those in my current tank, life rocks which i just got for this tank is:

20 inches long

52 inche - 26 inches(overflow + this life rock) = 26 inches left to cover (ie: liferock for half the tank completed).

just saw this at irwana today: dam tempted to get.....got to go down with measuring tape tml to measure:

[Admiraltian]

Camping here.

[sunnymau]

What r u intend to keep? 2 al vega don think will give u good coverage for such a big tank. I would say at least 3 sets, unless u r keeping Lps or soft only.

[Kayakkite]

Bro. Your tank height about 1.2 ft height, but the rock scape might be already 1 ft.

[Evolutionz]

looking good! one problem with such shallow and big tank is scaping.. my tallest rock is only 2cm away from the water level. think i can grow even the highest light demanding corals there. why not get razor instead? 2 120w Will be good for mixed reef. 2 160W will be perfect for mixed reef or SPS tank. im upgrading my tank to a single 160w razor soon. with such shallow tank, we can hang higher to get the coverage of whole 4ft.

[nicreef]

looking good! one problem with such shallow and big tank is scaping.. my tallest rock is only 2cm away from the water level. think i can grow even the highest light demanding corals there. why not get razor instead? 2 120w Will be good for mixed reef. 2 160W will be perfect for mixed reef or SPS tank. im upgrading my tank to a single 160w razor soon. with such shallow tank, we can hang higher to get the coverage of whole 4ft.

hmm actually i got consider too...but i already have 1 AI and i love the look it gives + i want the light to ramp up and down in same sequence and colouring...if use different light set dont think it is possible.

Bro. Your tank height about 1.2 ft height, but the rock scape might be already 1 ft.

Yup rock scape is already close to top....trying to figure out what i can grow on top....the guy i bought this rock from was suggesting to try making a mangrove at the top but i no experience in this lol read up the mangrove section only know need slow water flow...

What r u intend to keep? 2 al vega don think will give u good coverage for such a big tank. I would say at least 3 sets, unless u r keeping Lps or soft only.

actually i cut down from 5 ft to this size partly becoz i dont want to spend another 700 on another set....coz AI website states 2 x 2 coverage per set. so area less the overflow would be 4ft.

intendin to keep mixed: lps and softie for 1st 6 month or followed by sps (should also be ok. another AI user managed to keep sps on his tank (which i recall is not a shallow tank). in fact for SPS on AI, need to dim the light using coral acclimation mode) + 1 or 2 clams (which should be ok coz my blue squamosa was doing ok on my current AI till the electric failure over the weekend caused a tank crash).

[HappyReef]

Very nice rock scape u have bro

[nicreef]

Very nice rock scape u have bro

haha those are at irwana i havent buy yet prolly not buying liao as i realize i have enough rocks as of now.

[nicreef]

Finally got my tank today.

spent the evening back in office to do rockscape. Hope for more feed back before i start to epoxy and glue them soon.

Basically i broke them up into 3 island:

island 1:

island 2

island 2 and 3 (realize no pic of island 3 only)

Top view:

Need to think of a way to hide the ugly pipes would epoxy work? also need to shorten the long protruding rock...goes above water line liao...or maybe just let it remain...something different...? if remove use what tool to cut ar?

Sump:

[Evolutionz]

interesting scape! since its dead rocks, i suggest you epoxy them if not you may know them off when trying to glue corals and that'll give you problems.

[Kayakkite]

Using aluminum profile for rack. Nice.

Remember to put end cap as the edges will be very sharp.

[Admiraltian]

Nice 3 islands scape.

[nicreef]

interesting scape! since its dead rocks, i suggest you epoxy them if not you may know them off when trying to glue corals and that'll give you problems.

thx. ok preparing to do so. got 2 tubes of epoxy 6 tube bsi gel n 1 more dunno what glue from irwana on standby.

Using aluminum profile for rack. Nice.

Remember to put end cap as the edges will be very sharp.

mmz what is end cap? the edges seems ok so far think vincent might have done something to the but if the end cap can cover the ugly hole why not

also actually wanted to change to wood for feng shui reason but than the stand was already ordered..so no choice stick to aluminium.

Nice 3 islands scape.

thx.

next step:

1. gonna epoxy and glue all together.

2. remove them in 1 whole piece hopefully wont destroy the scape and add tap water.

3. Running rasin via a fr to get them to 0 tds than add in DD salt mix

4. add in live sand and add back rocks.

5. for cycling would it be ok if i use my expired reef nutrient actic pods?

6. after cycling end, WC 50% than add my current bio sphere and bio pellet to new tank (or should i add them in earlier?)

[Kayakkite]

Normally, we will thread the center hole and bolt through. This will ensure very strong joint.

How's the bottom secured? I don't see any angle brackets. Profile 40x40 can be added to the side to reinforce the structure.

[Kayakkite]

Profile 40x40 end cap.

[kirbysjb]

Nice!! Another shallow reef.

[james72]

looking forward......

[nicreef]

Normally, we will thread the center hole and bolt through. This will ensure very strong joint.

How's the bottom secured? I don't see any angle brackets. Profile 40x40 can be added to the side to reinforce the structure.

going to the hardware store near ML to source for the profile 40x40 later.

secured by this:

Nice!! Another shallow reef.

Yup joining the shallow reef club...maybe moderator should add in a shallow reef thread like pic hehe

looking forward......

going to be slow on this tank...becoz of budget

[nicreef]

1st casualty of tank....turbo snail which was stuck onto a life rock from my old tank that i took out to dry

dint realize it till i smell a foul smell within my rocks...

[nicreef]

Finally got my TDS down to 1 (was waiting for 0 when bro evo inform me no need wait till 0 haha).

Salt mix in today morning

began mixing sand with bacteria bought from ML following the instructions of henry to mix them with the sand.

sand was poured in around mid noon. Water is cloudy now.

did a quick check of parameters since its my first time using the DD H20cean Salt

ph 8.3
salinety: 1.025~1.026

mg 1140 (salifert)

ca: 370 (salifert)

dkh: 12.768 (hanna: may not be accurate since instruction says clearly free of debris but my test sample is the cloudy tank water.)

ammonia: >0.25 (kickstarting my cycling with my expired reef nutrition actipods. half bottle left. empty 1/4 of it into tank).

a little low on the ca and mg...will do a test again once cycle end and wc is made. Currently in sump is some live sand and crush coral from old tank, bacteria king as well as bio spheres.

Kinda tempted to add redsea coraline gro which i used for my old tank but than decided not to as it messes with the parameters a little. thought i will just let my coraline grow the natural way (maintaining good parameters).

As a side note since i am free:

My reefing adventure has made me re consider my time balance in life. Never have i been this engaged in something this tedious and time consuming. The rewards are nevertheless worth it. I apologies to the bros whom i couldn't visit. I believe: jxlex, ngmengyeo, evolutionz as my time is a bit messed up (i am free mostly 9.30am - 11am and 10pm onwards from sengkang to clement) due to as above time balancing with work and relationship (usually the later case).

My GF has been against my reefing hobby due to the time and money spent as such i had to devote time to assure her that i can balance things out. So far things have been good. Only comment when she saw my tank was: crazy ar such a big tank. After which she just let me carry on with my activities. Another thing i have to balance with (which i tend to fail) is my work. Since the tank is in my office and after office hours on week day are usually devoted to GF, my time spent on my tank comes out of my working hours.

I also have to tank bro cedricang for his guidance on testkits and sps (ya i suck at it) and evolutionz (trying to copy his tank since we are both shallow mix reef tank) and many others whom have guided me. Bro CFOh and Kayakkite for their help on feng shui.

Tank is finally almost 90% ready. Awaiting chiller pipes and my AI LED.

Probably my last and final tank for a few years, hopefully i would be successful with SPS in this adventure.

[Evolutionz]

Great start! very exciting journey from today onwards.. buying and buying corals and fishes for sure! and good luck in your venture to SPS.. i am in very deep posion liao.

[nicreef]

Great start! very exciting journey from today onwards.. buying and buying corals and fishes for sure! and good luck in your venture to SPS.. i am in very deep posion liao.

yup can see lol. Been quietly monitoring your thread. since same size tank and LED too

using yours as a model tank =p .

[mafacifa]

hi .. looking great the setup. may i know where did u get the aluminium profile?

[nicreef]

its from vincent of AA

hi .. looking great the setup. may i know where did u get the aluminium profile?