saltyboy84
01/24/2009, 04:08 AM
hi, im wanting to start a 75g reef tank im not sure what i will put in it at this time as i am still planning out the system, i would like it to be 100% automated, so i have a few question, oh also before i forget i would like to keep most of this as DIY as im not one that has money to waist, but i want this tank to be perfect in everyway, and ill need your help so any ideas or comments about my ideas would be great, because i am still some what new to this hobby and i have to say that when i first started my nano i should have gone bigger, but anyways to my designs for this tank.
1. the tank will be 75g with a 55g sump im planning on haveing all equipment in the sump.
2. for the sump i have some question on filtering the water, i am planning on using several types of sponge filter starting from very large porse to very small to keep the water clear of junk.
3. as for setting up the sump, and i mean baffles where this should go and that should go. my plan was to have the water dump into the sump then have to pass threw 6 baffels ( I DONT LIKE MICRO BUBBLES) the this is where i got to thinking, should i have the skimmer first or cheato, or some sort of algea, that is one thing i will need ideas on because by having the skimmer first that will remove all the stuff that the cheato would eat or whatever you want to call it, so my question to you is cheato first or skimmer, im my opinion im thinking cheato first then skimmer sheato will help to remove about 30% of unwanted elements and the skimmer will handel the rest.
4. back to the tank. im not sure what the bulkhead sizes are for a 75 because as i said before im planning this system but will be setting up in maybe 3 to 4 months so my plan is to just buy a 75g, i would like to make one but im not that good with making tanks, so i quess the question is here is how much flow would be good for a 75g and i know most will say that it all depends on what type of corals you plan on keeping but lets just say im going to keep every kind of coral, but i would like to refrane from useing a lot of powerheads in this tank, so this does make it some what of a challenge because of the 75g i have see in store they dont seem to have the big of a bulkhead, maybe 1 to 1.5in at the max, and thats only one and the other is for return or just in case your pump is to fast for that 1 to 1.5in drain to keep up.
5. well this is the one thing i will need help on the most because this is the one thing in this hobby that i just cant seem to figure out and that is lighting. now i would like one anwser on lighting because i have ask before and i get 30 to 40 anwsers from everyone so i would like to know the best light for keeping all sorts of corals under that is well priced and remember that i would like to keep the cost down on the lighting so i will be doing it DIY and if anyone has any links to help a reefer do his own lighting.
6. now this is a big thing for me and i was always wanting to set one up and that is a ATO and this is one thing i would like to be DIY so agian any links to sites will help, also going along with that subject i would like to know who has a salt mixing station that all they have to do is open and close a ball valve, because im not so big on water changes.
7. wow, sry for all the words flying around but like i said i want this to be a perfect system so dosing now iv never did any dosing of any sort and i was told with my systems i didnt have to because i did my water changes the where under stocked and they where small and never had a skimmer, so thins is a big one. so the question is with a larger system is it a good idea to dose and with what also i know this is depeneding on what is in the tank but this is ok just say what you dose with and why and what corals you use that dose for, also how does it work for you.
8. sand bed, now i never really like the idea of sand in a sump but it has its reasons but those reasons arnt for me so im thinking of having a deep sand bed but this also is a problem for me because that means i have to give up space in the display tank, so the question is how deep and why. now i was thinking of adding about a 2in sand bed to this tank and that still gives plenty of up and down room for fish/corals to be placed.
9. haha this is the best part of setting up a reef to me and that is rock. now i must say im not very good at setting up rock it always seems empty to me, so the question is how much rock and if possible could i see some of the rock work that you have setup in your tank no matter the size i just need some ideas. ok so my plan was to have about 100lbs of LR in this tank and that seems about right to me i could go 150 but i can play it by ear, and i was planning on getting rock that has good shape and is a good size to give a natural feal to this tank, also if anyone has any links to sites thats sell good LR at a great price plz tell me, lol no really cuz i dont want to pay 15 bucks a pound at my LFS.
10. hmm well im not sure if there is anything else that i would need to thinki about before setting this system up so plz feal free to throw thos ideas out there to help me make this a perfect 75g.
11. also i know that this is where most of the large tank reefers are so this tank maybe small but iv never had a 75g before so i really cant wait to get started, but i must take my time and ask question before anything happins, so that means no pics but i promise when i am setting up this system there will only be pics and a little info, hahahaha, thx to everyone who helps and has ideas.
MATT
1. the tank will be 75g with a 55g sump im planning on haveing all equipment in the sump.
2. for the sump i have some question on filtering the water, i am planning on using several types of sponge filter starting from very large porse to very small to keep the water clear of junk.
3. as for setting up the sump, and i mean baffles where this should go and that should go. my plan was to have the water dump into the sump then have to pass threw 6 baffels ( I DONT LIKE MICRO BUBBLES) the this is where i got to thinking, should i have the skimmer first or cheato, or some sort of algea, that is one thing i will need ideas on because by having the skimmer first that will remove all the stuff that the cheato would eat or whatever you want to call it, so my question to you is cheato first or skimmer, im my opinion im thinking cheato first then skimmer sheato will help to remove about 30% of unwanted elements and the skimmer will handel the rest.
4. back to the tank. im not sure what the bulkhead sizes are for a 75 because as i said before im planning this system but will be setting up in maybe 3 to 4 months so my plan is to just buy a 75g, i would like to make one but im not that good with making tanks, so i quess the question is here is how much flow would be good for a 75g and i know most will say that it all depends on what type of corals you plan on keeping but lets just say im going to keep every kind of coral, but i would like to refrane from useing a lot of powerheads in this tank, so this does make it some what of a challenge because of the 75g i have see in store they dont seem to have the big of a bulkhead, maybe 1 to 1.5in at the max, and thats only one and the other is for return or just in case your pump is to fast for that 1 to 1.5in drain to keep up.
5. well this is the one thing i will need help on the most because this is the one thing in this hobby that i just cant seem to figure out and that is lighting. now i would like one anwser on lighting because i have ask before and i get 30 to 40 anwsers from everyone so i would like to know the best light for keeping all sorts of corals under that is well priced and remember that i would like to keep the cost down on the lighting so i will be doing it DIY and if anyone has any links to help a reefer do his own lighting.
6. now this is a big thing for me and i was always wanting to set one up and that is a ATO and this is one thing i would like to be DIY so agian any links to sites will help, also going along with that subject i would like to know who has a salt mixing station that all they have to do is open and close a ball valve, because im not so big on water changes.
7. wow, sry for all the words flying around but like i said i want this to be a perfect system so dosing now iv never did any dosing of any sort and i was told with my systems i didnt have to because i did my water changes the where under stocked and they where small and never had a skimmer, so thins is a big one. so the question is with a larger system is it a good idea to dose and with what also i know this is depeneding on what is in the tank but this is ok just say what you dose with and why and what corals you use that dose for, also how does it work for you.
8. sand bed, now i never really like the idea of sand in a sump but it has its reasons but those reasons arnt for me so im thinking of having a deep sand bed but this also is a problem for me because that means i have to give up space in the display tank, so the question is how deep and why. now i was thinking of adding about a 2in sand bed to this tank and that still gives plenty of up and down room for fish/corals to be placed.
9. haha this is the best part of setting up a reef to me and that is rock. now i must say im not very good at setting up rock it always seems empty to me, so the question is how much rock and if possible could i see some of the rock work that you have setup in your tank no matter the size i just need some ideas. ok so my plan was to have about 100lbs of LR in this tank and that seems about right to me i could go 150 but i can play it by ear, and i was planning on getting rock that has good shape and is a good size to give a natural feal to this tank, also if anyone has any links to sites thats sell good LR at a great price plz tell me, lol no really cuz i dont want to pay 15 bucks a pound at my LFS.
10. hmm well im not sure if there is anything else that i would need to thinki about before setting this system up so plz feal free to throw thos ideas out there to help me make this a perfect 75g.
11. also i know that this is where most of the large tank reefers are so this tank maybe small but iv never had a 75g before so i really cant wait to get started, but i must take my time and ask question before anything happins, so that means no pics but i promise when i am setting up this system there will only be pics and a little info, hahahaha, thx to everyone who helps and has ideas.
MATT