Dvanlier05's 120 SPS Garden

dvanlier05

Active member
I never started a build thread when I got my tank going so why not start one now. The tank was started on September 17 2017, about 16 months ago with Dr Tim's fishless cycle, took about 8 days. I use BRS for my 2 part, Red Sea Coral Pro salt, Reef Roids, and FUEL.

Equipment
120 gallon display on DIY stand
60 lbs pukani dry rock
5 lbs real reef shelf rock
40 or 60 lbs fiji pink live sand
40 gallon DIY sump
2 radion XR15 gen 3 w/ wide angle lens
4 4' HOT5 fixtures-2 ATIcoral+ 2 ATIblue+
2 MP40 w/battery backup
Nyos Quantum 160
2 BRS 1.1 ml dosing pump
Smart ATO with DIY 8 gallon hidden reservoir
Jebao 1200 return pump
LED hydroponic grow light-$30 Amazon
5 lbs Miracle Mud
Marine Pure Brick and spheres
4 stage RODI unit with booster pump

Livestock
Moyeri leopard wrasse
Pintail wrasse
Red Line wrasse
Red coris wrasse
Yellow coris wrasse
Orange diamond goby
Blue hippo tang
Pair black clownfish
5 chromis
Flame hawk fish
Falco hawk fish
2 sand sifting starfish

There are too many corals to name them all off. It's a mix of softies, LPS, and SPS. SPS were added over the last 6-8 months with great growth so far. My tank is usually at 420 Cal, 8.9 Alk, 1350 Mag, 0.025-0.05 NO3, and -0.03 PO4 with salifert test kits.

Start on September 17 2017
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Sump
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Today January 3 2019
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dvanlier05

Active member
Your tank looks amazing. Good job.

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Thanks. I wanted to do a zoa and a acan garden of each of the lowest shelves but that didn't work out. The zoas lived but didn't grow until I moved them up higher. Some acans do fine and others melted away right next to thriving ones. My mushrooms will eventually be put there I'm thinking
 

dvanlier05

Active member
Stopped by TSA in Orlando yesterday before flying home with a few frags. Thanks to Dave I was able to get some gems. Hope to see u and the guys in October.


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1. New releases- Fifth Element
2. New releases- Carolina Reaper
3. RMF Acid Trip Mille
4. TSA Princess Peach
5. TSA Optimus Prime

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1. Bubblegum Digi
2. Cherry Tree Monti
3. TSA Smurfettes zoa
 

dvanlier05

Active member
Beginning of the week we got some more TSA corals. The frag rack is looking pretty good. Ready to start placing some on the rock this weekend. L to R- Bubblegum digi, TSA Princess Peach, TSA Titan: fish broke it into 3, TSA Smurfettes zoas, TSA Carolina Reaper, TSA Optimus Prime, WWC Christmas Mirabilis, RMF Acid Trip milli, TSA Blooming Rose, TSA Fifth Element, TGC Cherry Bomb, and UC Dippin Dots.

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dvanlier05

Active member
Quick update on the tank. It's been on autopilot lately and growing in nicely. I finally did a PAR test and found out I was way under lighting the SPS. Prob the reason they were only basing out and not braching up. Ive increased my lights and am now seeing more vertical growth. My only problem is I've caught the SPS bug and have no room for more sticks. I'm thinking about going all SPS. I'm talking to a few people about some possible custom work and depending on the prices, will determine if I go through with it.
 

dvanlier05

Active member
The re-scape is on! It will probably happen the end of August, if life doesn't get in the way. Still finalizing the last details but wheels are already in motion. Will update as things progress.
 

dvanlier05

Active member
Nice tank! Sps love light, what were some of your par readings?
I run 4 T5 bulbs with 2 XR15'S. XR15's were at 35%,lol, so about 65 on the sand and 175 at the top of the rocks. I have upped it to 80% so about 175 on the sand and 275-300 at the top of the rocks. I went up 5% every other week to limit stress and everything did great. That's still a little low for acros but better than it was.
I will be getting another pair of XR15's or XR30 to up PAR and increase spread. Want to add more flow off the back wall too. I have a 3rd MP40 I can use or may look into 2 Nero 5's. All depends on how many open plugs I have.
 

dvanlier05

Active member
With this new re-scape, were doing all SPS. I may tie in a smaller tank to do LPS and softies in the future but until then, they won't like the higher light and flow well be throwing at them. Tonight or later in the week I'll be listening them for sale, starting with what can be easily removed. OG bounce, Bio-hazzard bounce, CC 21 Tails torch, Holy Grail torch, Blue hammer, a big ole meat coral, lobos, and zoas to name a few.
A little hint to who is doing my custom work.20190712_075724.jpg
 

dvanlier05

Active member
Plans have been finalized. My buddy heard about the re-scape and made me an offer I couldn't refuse for all my LPS/softies.
Were going to be adding an additional XR30 to the lighting and 2 Nero 5 on the back wall for more flow. Everything should be here by mid August. I'm sticking with my 2 part dosing for now. I don't have the room under the stand for a calcium reactor and demand is not that bad yet. When that time comes, I'll extend the stand to house it. Then I can plumb in frag/grow out tank.
 

dvanlier05

Active member
We decided to get a custom rock scape done by AquaRocks, and just got word it's done. A few pics he sent me. Absolutely blown away by how it came out. 20190809_113708.jpg
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I do have to go out of town next weekend so planning on the last weekend in August to add everything.
 

dvanlier05

Active member
Rock got delivered yesterday just in time for me to see it before I headed out of town. HOLY S!@# it looks so good I wanted to cancel my trip and start the swap. Also Tuesday took advantage of TSA's Fire Sale and picked up a few frags. Love those guys, their going to hold them for me while I'm gone and deliver them when I get back.
 

dvanlier05

Active member
My TSA order arrived this morning. Not even 20 minutes after adding and polyps are out.
L to R: TSA Fuzzy milli, TSA Bill Murray, JF Solar Flare, TSA Rockstar, TSA Confession-new releases, TSA Carolina Reaper, Ultimate Strawberry Shortcake, RR Angry Birds, TSA Fruity Pebbles.
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Back row: TSA Twisted Sister, Ultimate Strawberry Shortcake
Middle: TSA Dan Aykroyd
Front row: Vivid's Rainbow, UC Dippin Dots
 

goat585

Administrator
Wow this is really cool. I have wanted to see a tank with the prefab rock work like that. It will be interesting to see how it looks when it progresses.

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dvanlier05

Active member
Quick update on the tank. Everything is looking good and slowly growing. Up to about 40 different SPS frags and there are about a dozen more frags to add. Hopefully I'll be able to get most of them at RAP in 2 weeks.
 
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