Top of the planet build

Andrew_bram

Tiger Shark
M.A.S.C Club Member
#1
Ok so here goes. Another build.

So the other day I had completely decided to get out of the hobby. I told a few friends that I was getting out. The reason I rationed this will be explained in detail.

First and largest reason was my yearly operation cost of the 150, 390, and basement sump. I easily exceed 3000 a year in operation cost and this doesn't even count price of what i spend in fish and coral. My powerbill from just the tank is 150/180 each month. So power is ruffly $1800 per year for aquarium power alone.

Salt cost is 1.4 boxes of salt at $50 a box is $850 a year. I do a 50 gallon water change once a week. Sounds good in theory until you realize that 50 gallons is only 7 percent water change. After receiving my triton test back I realized that 7% is just not sufficient for an sps dominated system.

Other cost.
Kalkwasser I bought a 4.4 pound tub off Amazon for 44 dollars on March 18th. First use was on April first. I use 3 cups every 2 weeks and am about to run out. $264

Food. Just in frozen I spend about 300 a year.

Corals well anyone that has seen me at a reef stock or the local store knows I am like a kid in the candy store. So we can only guess how much I spend there.


So that was the nuts and bolts of what got my gears turning and made me ready to get out. Also, I have a mini tank crash from unkown orgin and lost some masive colonys of my favorite sps. I was able to save some nice frags but it was pretty devastating.

So I looked at wife and say to her I am done with the hobby. Instantly my wife started balling. Not one of my friends or I thought my wife truly enjoyed the aquariums. Well we were wrong. After days of her trying to talk me out of it I began looking at other options.

Option 1 just keep 390 in basement with much smaller return.
Problem with this option was we do not spend enough time in basement as primary TV and entertainment of friends is upstairs. Between lack of visibility and cost to run 390 this was not the option we wanted to go.

Option 2 keep 150 cube and put sump underneath instead of having it plumbed into basement. The 150 is a very established tank and before the mini crash was grown in very nicely. My wife likes the placement, however, I had 3 issues. First being flow. Since this thing has grown in getting enough flow has been a challenge as it is against 2 walls. Secondly it's so grown in I do not have room to put frags from 390 or reef stock. Lastly maintenance, with the deminsions its very hard to get pumps out to clean. My wife is 4'9 and when I go out of town for work(months at a time) usually someone has to come help her. Biggest driver in this decision not to keep this tank was coral room and maintenance.

Option 3 small red sea reefer around 65 gallons. I really liked this idea but I was the only one. I will admit looking back now it was stupid choice. I like fish (big swimming ones) and lots of them.

Option 4 buy 150 gallon sca eurobraced aquarium.
So here comes a friend known for spending other peoples money. He says what about like a 150. I have a lot of the equipment already that can run a system this size. I talked to the wife and she lit up with idea but was worried about placement. I looked up the 150 dimensions and was like ok I could live with this with one problem front to back was 24 inches. The 150 cube is 36 and the 390 is 30. I began feeling like I was going to be crapped for space. The goal is to make a minimalist scape so the corals can grown in nicely. I am going to get rid of some weed corals and only put all my high end stuff in it. The yearly cost savings should be at least 1/3 of current setup.

Behold I have ordered a planet aquarium
60.5 x 30.5 x 24.25 eurobraced aquarium with grey stand and matching canopy.

Canopy will be floating and contain 4 xr15 gen 4 (with i already own) with 4 48 inch t5.

I already have the apex and trident for dosing and monitoring.

Flow will be 2 mp40 which is already owned. I currently have 6 total 4 new and 2 old. If I need more flow I will use the 2 older ones to supplement the ones on the side.

I will have to order a smaller skimmer and a sump. For the sump I went with a trigger system platinum 34.


There will be lots of equipment ie mp40, metal halides, xr15 pro,life reef skimmer, and frag packs coming up for sale. There may be a very large MRC calcium reactor for sale as well.

There will also be fish and 2 maybe 3 Colorado sunburst anemones for sale.

Stay tuned.







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Dr.DiSilicate

Great White Shark
M.A.S.C Club Member
ex-officio
#2
Perfect size IMHO. And yea, downsize a bit but no compromises. That 50 gallons a week can turn into 10 and have a good impact. More efficiency and less haste. This hobby should be fun, not stressful!!congrats.


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JuanGutz

Reef Shark
M.A.S.C Club Member
#5
Don’t have time to post but dibs on mp40’s! Full comment to come sorry haha. Out of all the options I for sure think you went with the best one for exactly what you wanted and need. The build time on the new tank should give you plenty of time to phase out the other two tanks and have your livestock really planned out. With room for the new goodies from shows. Where are you planning to put the new tank? Trying t think of the layout but having a little bit of a hard time remembering and thinking where it would go.
 
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flagg37

Anthias
M.A.S.C Club Member
#6
When I went from my 29 gallon to 120 gallon I decided it didn’t make sense to do regular water changes and instead made a custom sump and had a fairly large refugium and used chaeto as my main source of nutrient export. It worked so well that I turned off my skimmer. This was a pretty good cost reduction.

Of course then you have to supplement for minor and trace elements but it was much cheaper and way less maintenance to add a few drops a couple times a week.

Like you, I had been using kalk but have a carx that I’d like to switch over to which should be cheaper too.

My point is just that I think there are options for making things cheaper. It sounds like you’ve got a good plan though so it’s more just something to think about.
 

neil82

Sting ray
M.A.S.C Club Member
#8
I think you made a good decision with the size of tank you ordered. It can be difficult at times to justify the cost in this hobby. Your decision makes sense for reducing both cost and maintenance, since you travel for work.
Can't wait to see this build come together!
 

Andrew_bram

Tiger Shark
M.A.S.C Club Member
#12
Installment 2.2 and 2.3

All floors with exception of floor under appliances are removed and remainder of closet has been removed. Next step will be to lay floor.


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neil82

Sting ray
M.A.S.C Club Member
#15
A new tank build is about the best form of motivation to get some remodeling done. It usually makes the work a little more enjoyable. Looking good!
 

Cherub

Hey you
M.A.S.C Club Member
#19
Installment 2.2 and 2.3

All floors with exception of floor under appliances are removed and remainder of closet has been removed. Next step will be to lay floor.


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that first pic really messed with me lol. took me a minute to figure out where that extra wall was :p
 

Andrew_bram

Tiger Shark
M.A.S.C Club Member
#20
Ok so this has been a long time coming. There has been a ton going on and this really almost didn't happen. Last Sunday the neighbors around my father in laws house helped move the tank.

Next thing I know plumbing is going in thanks Mike.


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