Neverlost 90 Gallon Reef Build Thread

Nice work,looks great.cant wait for water next...

 

sweeeeeeet.... lookin forward to some aquascaping and livestock

 

UPDATE: Aquascaping, Filtration Pics

Hey all. Here you can see the aquascaping/sand is finally in there. You can see the VORTECH MP40W on the left near the overflow and the main return on the right.


What do you think of the aquascaping??

Here is one of the side:


And here is one of the sump all plumbed up!


Let me know if you have any suggestions on how to better set up the sump, since there is no water in there YET. The Aquacontroller APEX is on the way so that will have its sensors in the sump there and the Korallin Calcium reactor has not been built yet (it is sitting down in the basement).

I also need to plumb the UV sterilizer in somewhere... I have to figure that out. I tried to put a tap in on the pump output for easy water changes, so hopefully that works out.

Comments/Suggestions??

 

Added water last night, just one tiny leak at the main pump output, will have to tighten it up tonight when I fill it the rest of the way. The pump I bought (thinking it was a Goby Gold) was actually a Reeflo Sting Ray, which is much more powerful, but I have it running my skimmer in addition to returning water to the tank, so I think I will be in good shape.

I need about 40 more gallons of RO/DI water to finish filling this thing, then I will begin adding salt into the sump once it is running and get that SG sweet spot! Then I need to add some live rock or live sand and cycle cycle cycle.

Im stoked, things are FINALLY coming together. The only change in plumbing that I am considering now is installing one of those Durso (sp?) overflow drains (I have all the parts) in the hopes that it will accelerate my drainage rate.

 

i really like your scaping lost. very original and cool looking. its all nice and secure i hope. thnx for the update and keep em coming.

guy

 

I must say that i really like the aquascaping especially the right side where did you find a rock like that?

 

that ONE rock cost a stupid amount of money years ago (back when I was in highschool like 1999), I then had to take down my tank to go to college, and I gave it to my older brother who had just started a tank. Well, I just bought my first house and he had a baby so he needed more time/money and I needed rock, so I took it back, so at this point that rock has been in my family for over a decade!

Everything is held together with Marine grade epoxy and seems VERY strong. (you can lift the entire structure on the right side up by grabbing the top piece, it all weighs a ton).

The left side is zip-tied and epoxied together as well. I wanted to go higher, but I needed to leave room for coral placement and growth!

Now I need to get some healthy and nuisance free LIVE rock or LIVE sand to start the whole bio-cycle in the tank...

oh yeah, and thanks to my girlfriend Kat for helping with the aquascaping. If you think you can epoxy multiple HEAVY rocks together in a neat shape yourself.... you're wrong!

 

wow i hope i have a house someday and i can do that type of set up there. PROPS!!!!

 

that is one hell of a sump. nice aquascaping.

 

I got the Apex controller all wired in. The skimmer is working well now, the Auto Top Off is functioning, and all of the lighting and fans seem to be working too! It is not super noisy (except for when the big fans kick on). And so far I only flooded the basement once when the skimmer decided it was time to go crazy-go-nuts and just blow water straight out its top...

Anyhow, pics to come tonight!