Nathan's Starfire Stick box 6ft TOTY 2014

[ssscuz]

Nathans Bigger Reef

Introduction:
After getting the offer of a lifetime from Brett (gwithian). I will be starting up a new tank, the old tank will be torn down and this one will replace. I have had ups and downs with the last tank. I am hoping this time around it will be easier and that I can put the knowledge that I have learnt over the last year and a half.

System Objectives: I said mixed reef last time and turned into a fairly SPS driven setup, this time I hope I can keep sps with some fish that I just couldn’t have in the 4fter.

System Type: SPS dominated, Mixed Reef

Display System:

Strike up Date: 15th September 2013
Display Tank: 6ft x 2.5ft x 20” full starfire viewing and rear overflow.
Display Lighting: Ati powermodule 10 x 80w
Stand: Steel
Hood: Steel frame with melamine doors
Sump: 1200 x 800, three partitions with in built frag tank
Refugium: section in sump
Refugium Lighting: DIY Led/t5 hybrid


Support systems:

System Water: ASW red sea blue bucket
Display Water circulation: 2 vortech mp40w back wall and maxspect gyre xf130. Mp10 will be used in the frag section
Return Pump: Royal exclusive speedy 75w
Skimmer: vertex 250
Evaporation Top Up: avast marine peristaltic pump, controlled by apex, pumped from the garage

Other Goodies
Geo 818 carx with marine sources add on chamber
Diy led/4x24w t5 for frag tank
De bary 25w uv sterilizer


Chemical Support:

Calcium, alkalinity and magnesium Addition: calcium reactor, coral bones
Other Chemical Maintenance: vodka/vinegar for carbon dosing, lanth for phosphate
Current Water Chemistry: If applicable
Nitrates: 0.00ppm
Phosphates: 0.03ppm
Alkalinity: 8.0dkh
Calcium: 400ppm
Salinity / Specific Gravity: 1.026
Magnesuim: 1240 ppm


Images:
Fts
20/8/16

14/5/16

1/7/15

12/04/15

17/2/15

28/9/14

4/8/14

1/6/14

1/5/14

26/4/14

1/4/14

3/3/14

26/12/13

7/12/13

16/11/13

Heres the baby, previously Brett's(gwithian) and pre that Scotto's

Sump plans

Stand that should be built this weekend

sump 1

[culturedreef]

Yeah for you, I think this will really cement you into the reefing world.
I have a couple of spare eheim 5000 return pumps that you can have, the bubble king can handle the extra load.
Give me a call when I get back on the 20th aug.

[Bandit]

Hope you don't beat me to getting it wet...lol

[ssscuz]

Thanks John, yeah I'll speak to u once your back

And Jamie u better believe I will beat u to it ha ha

[damer]

Thanks John, yeah I'll speak to u once your back

And Jamie u better believe I will beat u to it ha ha

Im pretty sure you have me covered!!

Stand done that quickly? Who is making your stand?

[ssscuz]

I'll be welding it up on the weekend.
That's the benefit of your father in law owning an engineering company.

[Bandit]

I might still beat ya

[ssscuz]

I might still beat ya

I doubt it, this thing could have water in it before u get back from vegas

[damer]

Patience grasshopper

[Bandit]

Damn, moving real fast

[ssscuz]

There's no patience damer, it's a race to beat Jamie and u ha ha

[happy1]

cant wait to see this wet again it better stay at this address longer this is its 3rd home 3 x lucky

[damer]

Damn, moving real fast

Yep ,quicker than you or I can move let alone get a tank going.

[ssscuz]

What size ATO reservoir do you think it will need? I currently have a 1ft cube for ATO on the 4ft
Thought maybe I'll need about 50 litres a week? So maybe I'll need a 2ft x 1ft x 2ft

The 4ft x 1ft behinds not really going to work. So think I'll use a 3ft I've got there for a frag tank behind and a 2ft for ato

[Bandit]

I've got a 3x18 looking for a new home

[damer]

I've got a 3x18 looking for a new home

And I've got a few of them if you need more

[ssscuz]

Thanks for the offer, think ill need a 2fter, won't be enough room for another 3ft under there.

[ssscuz]

well after looking at it and designing the stand a bit more, trying to fit two 4fters next to eachother was going to be harder than i though.

I think im not set on this design, where the 3 foot behind will be the frag tank, there will be a tee off the return to the frag tank and then ill put two bulkheads into the tank to drain over into the main sump. I had a little two foot lying around so ill use that for RO top up until i get something bigger. should hold 50 litres which im hoping will last a week.

Changed the design of the stand a bit to encorporate the size of the sump change etc. Still not sure what to use for under the tank between tank and stand and also under the sump. Marine ply was rediculously priced and then i would have to paint it. my current tank has paint under the sump and im less that impressed with how that has worn. I thought maybe melamine sheet, what are peoples thoughts?



think this is where ill put the wp40. its a good place in the sense that it hides the cord and i can run it thru the overflow so it runs down rather than around the euro braces.


heres the tank lifter that masov now own 4 of. These things made it so much easier to move the tank.

[happy1]

heres the tank lifter that masov now own 4 of. These things made it so much easier to move the tank.
good to see these in use & that they made lifting go smooth for you
don t forget i have that water trailer you can borrow any time

[damer]

Don't go melamine unless you can seal the edges. marine ply shouldn't be all that much, but its been a long time since I bought any.

Good thing we got four of those!! I can't wait to use them

[ssscuz]

Don't go melamine unless you can seal the edges. marine ply shouldn't be all that much, but its been a long time since I bought any.

Good thing we got four of those!! I can't wait to use them

See this is why I put my dumb ideas up!
My mate that's a cabinet maker said he can get HMR (high moisture resistant ) melamine. He has an edger at work but won't be able to seal the round holes so I'd have to paint them.
Think this will work?
Marine ply was $80 a sheet and had to be painted.

Chris I'll def be hitting u up for the trailer, thanks mate

[happy1]

Re: Nathan's Starfire Stick box 6ft x 2.5ft x 20

Postby ssscuz » Wed 07 Aug, 2013 9:43 am

damer wrote:Don't go melamine unless you can seal the edges. marine ply shouldn't be all that much, but its been a long time since I bought any.

Good thing we got four of those!! I can't wait to use them



See this is why I put my dumb ideas up!
My mate that's a cabinet maker said he can get HMR (high moisture resistant ) melamine. He has an edger at work but won't be able to seal the round holes so I'd have to paint them.
Think this will work?
Marine ply was $80 a sheet and had to be painted.

this is what i have above the 10 ft tank sealed with paint it was light & the builder suggested it .
where i have it it is easy to replace should i have too . 8 months & no problems so far

[damer]

What about formply Nathan?

[damer]

Just went to search for a topic I remember seeing, but you have already found it

[ssscuz]

Yeah thanks mate.

That formply stuff looks good. Think ill be heading that way and just painting the cut edges.

[ssscuz]

been flat out at work.... so have had some time to think a few things thru.

Would there be any point in me hooking up my current chiller to the new tank? its a hailea hc250a so 1/4 hp.... for the new tank i would need maybe 3/4 hp.
I need to work it out before the tank goes in as i want to hard plumb it to outside if i do.

Last summer the chiller seemed to come on a fair bit on the other tank but the chiller was inside. i think this worked against me and i was trying to use the air con to cool it down even more. surely more water volume will take longer to heat up so i may be able to get away with just fans and the air con?

[coral1]

this is soo exciting Nathan gonna be following your progress

[Thommo01]

Looks like this is going to be a good setup. Also interested in how your sump all plans out.

Tagging along

[ssscuz]

Today was build the stand day. Lucky my father in law is in structural engineering.
Made it cake walk with the help of these two, mate Simon and father in law Vlasta

Here's the steel cut and ready 50 x 50 gal (3mm) used a total of 32 meters for the stand

Setting up the jig


Frame without the detachable hood fitted, made it with 40mm legs on it so that it can be moved to different heights or be fully removed if needed.

Here's it all tacked up, great shot of me in the dirty work gear. Just need to head back tomorrow and finish off the welding and grinding. Not to bad for 5 hrs work.

[chromus]

Looks great Nathan, will the Lights be light enough not to flex the overhead rig?