It's official... Kodadad's 125 Starphire Upgrade

[koda_dad]

Well I ordered my tank today.... I decided to pay the extra for Starphire glass option but decided I didn't need to spend another $200 on Eurobracing as I would never see it anyways.... (I plan on having a wooden canopy)

It is 5'x18.5"x26" Custom Starphire Miracles Tank. :bounce::bounce:
The tank will have dual factory overflows (not corner)

The stand/canopy is being custom made for me as well....

Other gear I have purchased so far....
Lights
2 - IceCap 250 MH ballasts
2 - Spider Reflectors
XM - 10K Bulbs
1 - IceCap 660 Ballast
3 - VHO hardware
3 - Super Atinic Bulbs

Powerheads
2 - Vortech MP40W's

Heaters
2 - Fluval E-200 Digital Heaters

Skimmer
TBD - but I am leaning towards the Vertex IN-250

Reactors
TBD - leaning towards either BRS Dual GFO/Carbon or a the SWC Reactor (I want to run Zeovit rocks in one, and carbon in another)

Return Pump
Eheim 1262

Tunze ATO Unit

6 stage RODI unit

Controller
TBD - Currently trying to decide between a) none b) used profilux 2 Ex Plus, or c) Neptune Apex or put this extra $$ into a better skimmer (bubble king 200)

Custom Sump
Details to be worked out....

Please offer thoughts on any of the TBD items :)

All this good news....you know there is bad news.... The tank is going to tank 6-8 weeks before its ready.

 

[reeffreak]

What did you mean ''euro-bracing as I would never see it''

I like the added safety and convenients of a controller.Wavemaker control,controlling the lights, and heaters,handy temp and pH probes that displays the reading.I don't know which controller is better,though.I heard good things about the Profilux and Apex as well as the RKL/RKE.

 

[koda_dad]

What did you mean ''euro-bracing as I would never see it''

I like the added safety and convenients of a controller.Wavemaker control,controlling the lights, and heaters,handy temp and pH probes that displays the reading.I don't know which controller is better,though.I heard good things about the Profilux and Apex as well as the RKL/RKE.

If I paid for the Eurobrace you lose the standard trim package. Which is replaced by Eurobracing around the top. You also lose the standard black center brace and get a much wider clear eurobrace one.

I wouldn't see it because my canopy is going to cover the trim anyways :)

I have a lead on a used profilux II EX now... I am leaning towards it..but damn the add-ons are expensive for that system.

 

[reeffreak]

I understand.You will still see the glass(eurobrace) going around the tank.

 

[ggNoRe]

Sounds like it will be one amazing setup. I like! :mrgreen:

 

[Jmck]

awesome :D cant wait to see it happen, im planning a 5' as well, so this will be a good thread for me to follow :D

 

[Vincenzo]

Wow this is going to be epic. Cant wait to see the whole thing come together!

 

[coolhandgoose]

Congrats on the new tank (and thread) Look forward to seeing the pics!

 

[koda_dad]

Well the move has started into the temporary 58 gallon... I put water and new sand in the 58 2 days ago..... amazingly I still cannot see into the tank through the sandstorm.... I have a water clarifying pad in the skimmer....and still super cloudy. #@$*&$

 

[Leslee]

Congrats on the upgrade!!!:Cheers:

 

[Bifferwine]

Well the move has started into the temporary 58 gallon... I put water and new sand in the 58 2 days ago..... amazingly I still cannot see into the tank through the sandstorm.... I have a water clarifying pad in the skimmer....and still super cloudy. #@$*&$

Not too amazing... It can take a long time for the water to clear up!! Hang in there... If you have to move your fish over before it's clear for some reason, that's okay. Cloudy water from sand won't hurt them.

 

[d2mini]

Awesome!

I have one XM 10k with 4 T5's. I started with Super Actinics and they weren't very blue and the XM is very white, so I had to switch two of the Super Actinics to Blue Plus. Just a heads up.

 

[koda_dad]

Awesome!

I have one XM 10k with 4 T5's. I started with Super Actinics and they weren't very blue and the XM is very white, so I had to switch two of the Super Actinics to Blue Plus. Just a heads up.

Thanks for the tip...I have the XM 10k's now but I haven't ordered the other bulbs yet so that is good to know.

FYI - your tank has cost me a lot of money. Honestly, your tank made we want to upgrade.... badly :)

Now its just a waiting game....waiting for everything to show up.

 

[koda_dad]

Well... I purchased the Profilux Plus II EX today

1 x ProfiLux Plus II EX aquarium controller
1 x 6 Way Digital power Bar
1 x pH probe
1 x Temperature probe
1 x RS232 cable for p.c interfacing
1 x pH 7.0 & pH 9.0 calibrations
1 x PL-Cali 220mV
2 x float switches
1 x USB 2.0 to RS232 hookup
1 x REDOX (ORP) Electrode
1 - Iphone software too :)

Since I did this...I am now selling the Tunze ATO I had...so I can even recoup some $$$ :)

The worst part is.... now I want a doser pump to go with it.

 

[koda_dad]

More good news!
My stand is almost done :) I should have the custom stand and canopy this week early next.

 

[koda_dad]

Wow.... serious stress. Moving a tank is not fun at all.

The first move into the 58 gallon is complete... the 33 gallon is now empty.

So far everything appears to be surviving the move. My toadstool looks the worst I have ever seen it... My open brain falling a close 2nd in terms of how bad they look. The sps look ticked off....but no more so than I have seen before.

I guess time will tell....I am soooo not looking forward to moving this again...but after that it will be the forever home.

I had a few problems... the first was keeping the tanks temp the same. I just didnt have enough heaters...and the crappy ones I had (not my main ones) were just not reliable enough.

I also for some reason had a terrible time getting the base rock work in... I am okay.....with it now...but unfortunately, it is a tiny bit off center. (but who cares....I am moving it in a month or so)

Since I added the purple tang a few days I have not seen my purple firefish... well...after taking all the rocks out I still did not find him. Until... he fell out of one of the rocks as I was moving it to the new tank....thankfully....alive.

Now the big question....will I have a cycle? Thoughts?

I put one bag of store bought live sand in the new 58.

I also added about 7 cups of the old sand from the 33 a few days ago to the empty 58. I tossed the rest of the 33 gal's sand. I have also been dosing zeostart and zeobak to give it a bit of a boost. Lastly, all of the existing rock from the 33 is in the tank.

Here is hoping there is no cycle...

 

[x19]

This looks great, can't wait to see it come together.

 

[koda_dad]

Well things are mostly recovering well so far.... the toadstool is by far the worst hit, followed by a colony of zoos.

On a positive note....I just found out that the temporary 58 gallon tank is also a starphire tank :) That should help in the resale for sure!

I decided to take some photos as I know how everyone here is about photos...

 

[d2mini]

That looks pretty dang awesome for being temporary. :D

 

[BL1]

I wish my tank looked half as awesome as your temp tank