Backbay’s 450gal SPS & Angels

[bakbay]

Moving my build thread from R2R to here.

450gal Main Tank
Tank/stand/canopy: custom-built, steel-welded, euro-braced 450g tank (96x36x30, 3/4" glass) by CDA
Sump: custom-built, PVC/Acrylic sump (66x28x18) by Advanced Acrylics
Heater: (2) 600w titanium heaters by BRS
Light: (12) Orphek OR3 120, (4) Orphek UV = 16 lights, managed by 2 Osix controllers!
Ozone: Avast Marine Mutiny Ozone Reactor
UV Light: (2) 57w Classic UV by Aqua Ultraviolet
Return Pump: (2) Abyzz A200 by Abyzz
Skimmer: Bubble King Supermarin 300 by Royal Exlusiv
Calcium Reactor: Dual Chamber CR5000D by Reef Octopus
Controllers: Apex PRO + Trident + Trident NP
Wavemakers: (4) Ecotech MP60s
Denitrator: CR618 by Geo's Reef
Reactor (carbon): FMC415 by Geo's Reef
Chiller: 3/4hp commercial chiller by Tradewind

Fish List
Angels: Blue, Blueface, Passer, Imperator, French, Swallowtail
Tangs: Gem, Blonde Naso, Naso, (3) Blue, (3) Yellow, (3) Purple, (2) Sailfin
Misc: (2) Fox face, Copperband Butterfly, Kleine Butterfly, Six Line Wrasse

 

[thresher]

Yeah! Go big or go home. Is this sitting there ready to be assembled or parts are filtering in?

 

[bakbay]

This is the continuation of the other thread.
https://www.socalireefs.com/index.php?threads/need-advice-nothing-is-growing.117657/

 

[bakbay]

Love the rainy weather - staying home and work on the tank: cleaned the skimmer cup, replaced fleece roller (getting stinky in here), and took out 10 large turbo snails!

Yup - the big Blue Angel is still in timeout in the sump.

 

[bakbay]

Dead snails: this was likely a sign of the metals in the tank. I used to have 15’ish giant turbo snails. Looks like most of them are dead except 2. The little snails are fine though.

Poly-filter update: after 3 days, it turned brown but not gray/black due to Tungsten.

Speaking of Tungsten, looks like I found the source of the contamination!!! Check this out

 

[bakbay]

@Jimbo327 — highly suspect right? Fish splash onto these and I can definitely see the rust. I’ll need to find replacement for most of these canopy doors.

 

[Jimbo327]

Looks like a likely suspect. I have similar latches, probably most CDA tanks use the same ones. Hmmm...I'm thinking we should put some polish on it so that doesn't corrode as badly.

 

[DanK.Reefer]

Dead snails: this was likely a sign of the metals in the tank. I used to have 15’ish giant turbo snails. Looks like most of them are dead except 2. The little snails are fine though.

Poly-filter update: after 3 days, it turned brown but not gray/black due to Tungsten.

Speaking of Tungsten, looks like I found the source of the contamination!!! Check this out
View attachment 131666

I have some hinges like that on my tank in the living room. They are nice for that clean flush look but mine are doing the same thing. Rusted like crazy. Even though it's not the most popular option this is why I went with external hinges on my new build.

They actually didn't look as bad as I had expected. When I painted the stand I just sprayed right over them.

 

[gveng]

I have some hinges like that on my tank in the living room. They are nice for that clean flush look but mine are doing the same thing. Rusted like crazy. Even though it's not the most popular option this is why I went with external hinges on my new build.

They actually didn't look as bad as I had expected. When I painted the stand I just sprayed right over them. View attachment 131668

Great idea! I have the same euro hinges that are already starting to rust. I guess I need to budget replacing them every year or so.

I may need to go external in the future.

 

[Willieboy240]

Put a small coat of vaseline on them. It will prevent the salt from penetrating the metal.

 

[bakbay]

Thanks guys.

Looks like CDA just used regular cabinet latches and obviously not 316 Stainless Steel. Let me fine 316 SS equivalent replacement parts (likely way too expensive) or apply marine grease on the new latches.

 

[bakbay]

PO4 is bottom’ing out and getting close to 0.01ppm. I’ve just manually dosed 50mL of NeoPhos and hooked up the DOS to dose 30mL/day to bring PO4 up.

 

[bakbay]

For those who carbon dose, what do you do in this situation in attempt to drive down NO3 without bottoming out PO4? For me, I’m actually decreasing vodka (down to 15mL/day) while increasing BW NeoPhos. Will let you know in a few days…

In other news, I’m slowing seeing slight LPS tentacle extensions, perhaps placebo effect? My litmus test coral is the red monticap - it turned darker color when water params are bad. It’s still dark currently though.

 

[All Delight]

I really like the blue face and passer. My old blue face, just annihilated my LPS.

 

[bakbay]

I really like the blue face and passer. My old blue face, just annihilated my LPS.

Thanks - the BF is by far my favorite fish. He’s actually very friendly. The Passer is a jerk though - he killed (yes, killed) my Goldflake!

All my angels don’t nip at hammers/torches but will go after softies, acans, chalices, etc..

 

[All Delight]

Thanks - the BF is by far my favorite fish. He’s actually very friendly. The Passer is a jerk though - he killed (yes, killed) my Goldflake!

All my angels don’t nip at hammers/torches but will go after softies, acans, chalices, etc..

Yep my Blue Face ate acans, chalice, and elegances. Sometimes took a nip a mushrooms.

Passer is beautiful tho.

 

[ndrwater]

Thanks guys.

Looks like CDA just used regular cabinet latches and obviously not 316 Stainless Steel. Let me fine 316 SS equivalent replacement parts (likely way too expensive) or apply marine grease on the new latches.

As far as I know, there isn't a stainless version of these hinges... I'm a cabinet guy, so I have been looking forever..
I cant tell you how many hinges I have supplied to other reefers needing to replace rusted hardware. Know that there are two pieces to each hinge. the cabinet side, and the door side. Looking at your picture above, the cabinet side are 0mm plates. The hinges arent universal, but common enough to be easily replaced.
DM me if you want some more info/help..
By the way, remember the dripping rust story from HedgeDrew's tank..... Sometimes the needle in the hatstack isn't as hard to find as initially thought. Glad you seemed to have found the source..

 

[bakbay]

As far as I know, there isn't a stainless version of these hinges... I'm a cabinet guy, so I have been looking forever..
I cant tell you how many hinges I have supplied to other reefers needing to replace rusted hardware. Know that there are two pieces to each hinge. the cabinet side, and the door side. Looking at your picture above, the cabinet side are 0mm plates. The hinges arent universal, but common enough to be easily replaced.
DM me if you want some more info/help..
By the way, remember the dripping rust story from HedgeDrew's tank..... Sometimes the needle in the hatstack isn't as hard to find as initially thought. Glad you seemed to have found the source..

Thanks, Ben - much appreciated.

I found the parts via Amazon and will try them out first. Will apply some sorts of marine grease (or something) to prevent (more like resist) rust.
https://a.co/d/0cSGwmLl

Hope it’s that simple (fingers crossed).

 

[ndrwater]

Thanks, Ben - much appreciated.

I found the parts via Amazon and will try them out first. Will apply some sorts of marine grease (or something) to prevent (more like resist) rust.
https://a.co/d/0cSGwmLl

Hope it’s that simple (fingers crossed).

Looking at those, they may(probably) have a different overlay. Those you listed are "inset" meaning they will put the edge of the door inset to the edge of the cabinet. Your photo above would be "full overlay" meaning the outside edge of the door overlays the outside of the cabinet.
Most "Euro" hinges look similar at 1st glance, but they all are designed for a different overlay on the cabinet they are on. I hope they work as intended, but hit me up if they don't.
There are many different configurations for different situations.

 

[Jimbo327]

Thanks guys.

Looks like CDA just used regular cabinet latches and obviously not 316 Stainless Steel. Let me fine 316 SS equivalent replacement parts (likely way too expensive) or apply marine grease on the new latches.

Let me know if you find the SS ones.

I think when I had my stand repainted by CDA to white (remember I bought my tank and stand used, it was black stand). The reefer I purchased from lived near CDA, so it was moved to CDA and repainted. They basically just sprayed everything....and did not prep at all. All of the hinges were sprayed too. So their laziness actually offered some protection. LOL.