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Jimsflies' Reef


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  1. #1
    jimsflies - Reefkeeper
    Admin/Founder

    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Michigan
    Posts
    11,467
    First Name
    Jim

    Default Jimsflies' Reef

    My tank is fairly small compared to many of the great systems that folks have. I enjoy the smaller size tank because of the challenges presented by fitting all of the necessary components neatly into a foot print of 30x18-inches. I have had fun tinkering and trying to find clever solutions to problems that I have encountered with this hobby.

    SYSTEM SPECIFICATIONS
    Born On: July 7, 2005
    Display Tank size: ~50 gallon
    Lighting: 250 watt double-end halide on an Ice Cap ballast & four HO-T5 actinics on a Work Horse 7.
    Sump size: ~15 gallon
    Sump flow rate: ~500 gph
    Refugium yes or no & size: integrated compartment with sump about 7 gallons w/deep sand bed
    Filter type(s) & flow rate: Euro Reef RS-80 skimmer
    Total flow rate: 3300 gph
    Pump types: Closed loop, Eheim 1262; Return, Eheim 1262; two Tunze 6055's controlled via an Aquasurf
    Other equipment: Neptune AC3 Controller, Tunze Osmolator, Korallin Calcium Reactor, UV sterilizer, phosban reactor, DIY kalk reactor, Tripp-Lite battery backup, Super Feeder

    FLOW
    I have a closed loop with an Oceans Motions Squirt which had two ports closed. I have also added two Tunze 6055's on an aquasurf running in resonate wave mode. My total flow can be as much as 4800 gph, but I typically don't run the tunzes wide open and often don't use the close loop. Here is a photo of my plumbing right after completion:

    Just home from being drilled:
    new tank2 - Jimsflies' Reef

    Leak testing in the garage:
    tank plumbing back sm - Jimsflies' Reef

    SUMP
    I designed the sump using concepts from Marc (aka Melev) Levenson's website and had it built through Preuss...known on R2R as Crazy Ricks. I have done some minor modifications to it over the past couple years, but I think it does a good job of performing everything I need in a 30x18-inch space. On modification I did was removed a baffle to accommodate a larger skimmer (Euro Reef RS80) and also added a UV Sterilizer and phosban reactor. Here are some photos inside of my stand:

    sump flow - Jimsflies' Reef

    As it sits today:
    2009 03 22 sump - Jimsflies' Reef

    LIGHTING
    My canopy is fairly unique. A good friend helped me design and build the canopy and I couldn't be happier with how it turned out. It utilizes a single 250 watt double ended halide and four HO-T5 actinics. At some point, I would like to add some LEDs for a moon light.

    canopy - Jimsflies' Reef


    CONTROLS AND AUTOMATION

    Neptune Controller
    The "brains" of the tank is a Neptune Aquacontroller III . This unit acts as a controller and processes signals from pH, ORP, and temperature probes. I have it setup to send an email to my cell phone if there is a problem. The controller is also integrated into my website to provide real time tank status. Which is handy if I am out of town to keep tabs on the tank.

    controlpanel - Jimsflies' Reef

    Here's my current tank parameters:
    rc jimsflies sig - Jimsflies' Reef

    Battery Backup
    The Tripp Lite UPS (AP-512) automatically senses a power failure and switches to battery backup mode. In turn, the controller will also detect a power failure and it will switch everything off except the return pump to conserve battery life and send an email alarm. Although I can connect additional battery capacity, the current battery will allow the return pump, controller, and cable modem/router to run for more than four hours giving me time to connect a generator.

    ups - Jimsflies' Reef

    Automated Fish Feeding
    To feed the fish, especially when I'm out of town, I use an automatic fish feeder made by Super-Feed. The feeder is made by Super-Feeder. Besides being a very well constructed feeder, the cool thing about the feeder is it plugs into the Neptune controller. This allows me to easily program feedings or even initiate a feeding over the internet!

    superfeeder - Jimsflies' Reef

    Automated Top-off and Kalkwasser
    The tank uses a Tunze osmolator to maintain water and salinity levels by pumping RO/DI water into the sump to replace evaporated water. A DIY kalk reactor is connected to the osmolator and mixes RO/DI water with quick lime to make kalkwasser.

    kalk reactor online - Jimsflies' Reef


    As part of the description of my system. I thought I would include some of the other solutions to problems that I have encountered. These have all been previously shared here on R2R and I have created links that you can click on for more information.

    Corian Bare Bottom
    If you haven't noticed, I run a bare bottom tank...many people don't realize it at first. In considering various options for the bottom, I liked the black sand beds. Starboard isn't available in black. So I came up with the idea to find a piece of corian countertop material to protect the bottom and give the tank the look I wanted. The photo below was taken right after the tank was first set up. Now I have corals covering up much of the bottom.

    50 corianbottom - Jimsflies' Reef

    Clear Mesh
    Having an open top design canopy means that fish can jump out. Glass tops hold in too much heat and block light from getting to the corals. With halide lighting egg crate blocks a lot of the light as well. I found some clear plastic mesh and mounted it in a window screen frame. This has been the perfect solution. Virtually no light is blocked, air exchange is still excellent, and best of all no fish have jumped since I have used the mesh over three years ago now. Link to more info.

    screen - Jimsflies' Reef


    Integrated Eggcrate Shelf
    The only downside to a small display tank is that I have run out of space for new corals. To clean up the sidewalls of my tank. I had an idea to integrate the eggcrate shelves right into my rock work. So I took small sections of black eggcrate and glued or zip tied them onto the live rock. This works great for frags mounted on frag plugs. More info.

    The shelf is invisible once filled with frags:
    fragrock1 - Jimsflies' Reef

  2. #2
    jimsflies - Reefkeeper
    Admin/Founder

    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Michigan
    Posts
    11,467
    First Name
    Jim

    Default

    Here is a full tank shot from July 7, 2005...livestock was moved from my old 29 gallon system:

    50 july2005 sm - Jimsflies' Reef


    Here it is today:

    2009 03 22 wholetank - Jimsflies' Reef

    The current FTS: (click here for full res image)

    2009 03 22 fts - Jimsflies' Reef

    Center
    2009 03 22 front1 - Jimsflies' Reef

    Left Side
    2009 03 22 front2 - Jimsflies' Reef

    Right Side
    2009 03 22 front3 - Jimsflies' Reef
    Likes Rpalt1 liked this post

  3. #3
    The Rugger - Reefkeeper CR Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    JAX, FL
    Posts
    439
    Awards Monthly Giveaway Winner

    Default

    Wow. This setup dwarfs anything I could even hope to have. Nice work. It is easy to see the time and effort invested. The color selection and distro is very nice. Why did you choose bare bottom?

  4. #4
    Rook - Reefkeeper CR Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Grosse Pointe Park
    Posts
    199

    Default

    Looking good and nice description.

  5. #5
    jimsflies - Reefkeeper
    Admin/Founder

    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Michigan
    Posts
    11,467
    First Name
    Jim

    Default

    Thanks guys.

    I went with barebottom for a couple reasons, it seems like tanks with sand seem to get scratched quicker and I don't like that grungey look that you can see through the glass under the sand.

    I may end up going with sand on my next setup again though. I'm still undecided. I think a small school (3-4) of jaw fish poking their heads up out of their holes would look cool.

  6. #6
    The Rugger - Reefkeeper CR Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    JAX, FL
    Posts
    439
    Awards Monthly Giveaway Winner

    Default

    I am a big fan of Jaw Fish myself...

  7. #7
    Mike - Reefkeeper CR Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Michigan
    Posts
    1,281

    Default

    Jawfish are awsome especially the blue spot. That is a nice set up Jim.
    anacroporamademepoora
    --Lifetime member of the "No Mud Club".:

  8. #8
    speedstar - Reefkeeper CR Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Michigan
    Posts
    330

    Default

    Are jawfish gonna fit the can't frag em better be under $30 motto?

  9. #9
    The Rugger - Reefkeeper CR Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    JAX, FL
    Posts
    439
    Awards Monthly Giveaway Winner

    Default

    Blue spotted Jawfish won't, or at least I have never seen them that reasonable. If some one knows where they are please let me know. The Pearly or Yellow Jaw fish would be sub $30...

  10. #10
    jimsflies - Reefkeeper
    Admin/Founder

    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Michigan
    Posts
    11,467
    First Name
    Jim

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