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View Full Version : 90 gallon build thread is so da kine


dakineacct
07/05/2010, 08:15 AM
Been working on my build for about 6 months, and finally found some time to start a build thread. Little background: kept FW tanks for years and about 10 years ago, I had a poorly thought out, poorly maintained 55 gallon FOWLR, with a couple of corals thrown in the tank to struggle. After about 12 months of having the tank, I moved from NJ to Hawaii, so I broke down the tank and sold it.

Moved back to NJ a couple of years ago (thanks for your sympathy), and after visiting a couple of local stores, my interest in the hobby was sparked again. I began reading here and a couple of other sites, and began checking craigslist for equipment.

Lastly, thanks to everyone who offered advice and answered questions along the way and helped get me to this point, this truly is a great community.

dakineacct
07/05/2010, 08:17 AM
So I picked up a 90 gallon tank, stand & canopy, with a Rena XP3 canister filter, and a 6x54w CFL from a guy who upgraded to a 125.

dakineacct
07/05/2010, 08:24 AM
So before I even really get started, I get slighty off track.

My wife feel in love with a fully-stocked 3 gallon nano, and I liked the idea of having a small tank until I got the big tank up and running. The tank is pretty heavily stocked, zoas, mushrooms, GSP and a blue velvet damsel.

The maintenance of a 3 gallon without an ATO is a bit difficult, there are considerable temp and salinity swings to contend with, so I was topping off at least daliy in an effort to keep the tank stable.

On the up side, maintaining the nano, got me in the habit of testing, and being mindful of changes in the tank, which will hopefully help me with the big tank.

James404
07/05/2010, 08:24 AM
Lookin good so far!

dakineacct
07/05/2010, 08:44 AM
Make my list, check it twice and place some orders:

Reef Octopus Extreme 200
50 lbs of base rock Bulk Reef Supply
Aquamend epoxy
Quiet One 3000 return pump
80 lbs of live sand
Test kits
PVC and Fittings
Powerhead x 2
Powerstrip
Refractometer
CFL Bulb

So I replaced the bulbs in the CLF fixture that I got used with the tank, one light wouldn't work, so I replaced the ballast. In the process of replacing the ballast, I broke another bulb. So I probalby spent more than 50% of the cost of new T5 fixture getting the CLF up and running. Penny wise, pound foolish.

dakineacct
07/05/2010, 08:52 AM
Lookin good so far!


Thanks, James.

So I picked up a 30 gallon tank for a sump, and using glass baffles built a 3 compartment sump, Skimmer on the right, return in the center and fuge on the left. Not really sure what I will run in the fuge at this point, but for now it just serves at extra volume which I figure cant hurt.

After I siliconed the baffles in place, someone pointed out that the baffle configuration between the skimmer and return sections would be better if the baffles were opposite.

dakineacct
07/05/2010, 09:13 AM
I was buying RODI and pre-mixed saltwater from the LFS, but that certainly is not feasible for a 90 gallon tank. I deciced to get the 75 gpd 5-plus RODI from BRS.

Water out of the RO is 2 ppm, and 0 ppm out of the DI. Overall, the system seems pretty good, although I am using DI resin very quickly. I would say I only make between 100 and 125 gallons of water per DI resin package. Not sure if that is normal or not.

dakineacct
07/05/2010, 09:20 AM
Time to place some rock and add water. I went with 2 islands for the base rock, I am aware that the it looks pretty empty, live rock to follow.

dakineacct
07/05/2010, 09:23 AM
It took a couple of days for the sand to clear, when it did, I could see that having my return line from the sump pointing straight down into the tank wa creating a large crater in the sand between the rock island at the bottom of the tank. I put a 'T' at the end fo the return to divert the flow, so far so good.

dakineacct
07/05/2010, 09:34 AM
I added about 25 lbs of live rock and allows the die-off to initate the cycle. The tank cycled in about 2 weeks. I believe it was sort of a soft cycle, my max ammonia readings were 1 ppm, but I was away for a few days of the cycle, and may have missed testing at the peak.

dakineacct
07/05/2010, 09:41 AM
So the tank is in a room which we now call the 'Reef Room', however before the tank, this was our library/den/home office. It was a quiet place, somewhere to go to retreat from the noise of the TV in the living room, or the dishwasher in the kitchen, or whatever. The sound of the waterfall in the overflow (Eshopps 800) was really too much.

Some searching on RC lead me to the Hofer gurgle buster. It was easy to build, takes a little time to get it "tuned", but really makes a big difference in the noise level.

dakineacct
07/05/2010, 09:50 AM
Shortly after the cycle was complete, I added about 10 small crabs and I moved some GSP from the nano to the big tank.

Also, I added an automatic topoff from Aquahub with a Tom aqua lifter pump. Considering the reltively low cost, amount of effort saved, and the stability it provides in tank salinity, I think an ATO is must. Also, I have recently started adding Kalkwasser through my ATO.

dakineacct
07/05/2010, 09:57 AM
The GSP looked much better in the big tank than in our nano. I was having trouble keeping the nano stable, and lost some clove polyps and zoas. I decied to move all of the contents of the nano to the 90 gallon.
We also added some feather dusters and a couple of frags, all which seem to be doing pretty well.

dakineacct
07/05/2010, 10:01 AM
Our newest additions, a pair of semi-snowflake ocelliras and a yellow tang, sorry the tang is a little camera shy. Have been in about 2 weeks, everyone is eating well and getting along OK. The blue velvet damsel that moved up from the nano to the 90, had some issues the first day with the clowns, and I tried to trap the damsel, but no luck. After a couple of days, he calmed down and now the pair of clowns, the damsel, and the tang always seem to be together.

dakineacct
07/05/2010, 10:08 AM
Wow, the last 6 months condensed to like a dozen posts, it seemed like a whole lot more work than that.

Anyway, my next projects are:

1. Lighting: Looking to upgrade to a 6-bulb T5 fixture.
2. Water change/mix station. I currenlty have my RODI in the basement, would love to make this easier and would appreciate and suggestions on how best to make the process of making, mixing and changing water as easy a possible.
3. Increase livestock, I would like maybe 1 or 2 more fish, something that hangs by the sand, maybe a goby, not really sure. Would love suggestions. I also need to get more coral.

Indymann99
07/05/2010, 10:46 AM
To make WC easy here is what I have.

RO system plumbed into Mix Tank (Brute).
Mag pump in Mix Tank to mix SW
PVC plumbing from Mix Tank to the Sump.

Steps for WC.

1. Turn off Return pump in sump (let water drain till stops at overflow level in DT).
2. Turn on WC pump in sump ( pumps water OUT to drain in floor of basement)
3. Turn some valves to use the same Plumbing to send new SW to the sump
4. Turn on Mix tank pump and pump ~25 gal into sump.
5. Turn return pump in sump back ON
6. re-fill Mix tank with RO.
7. open beer... waterchange done. :beer:

Takes less than 10min. :smokin: The powerheads in the DT remain ON so the fish hardly notice and the DT waterlevel drops about 1 inch.
I also clean the skimmer cup, shop vac detris from sump, and clean DT glass each week but WC are every 2-3 weeks. AND I always have 30g of mixed ready to use SW for an emergency change if necessary.

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn10/Indymann99/MixRoom.jpg

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn10/Indymann99/MixStorage.jpg

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn10/Indymann99/DSC_0098-1.jpg

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn10/Indymann99/waterchangevalve.jpg

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn10/Indymann99/Indymann99BWCsystemjpg.jpg

hope it helps your planning.

dakineacct
07/05/2010, 06:47 PM
Thanks Indyman, looks like a really good system. Is the mag pump in the sump dedicated to the water change system or do you use the return pump to pump out the change water?

Also, Do you have a float valve and a auto-shut off for the RODI?

Indymann99
07/05/2010, 07:11 PM
Mag 5 in sump is dedicated f wc, it was easier to plumb that way. Return in sump is separate mag 9.5.

The Mix tank pump is a Mag 9.5 as a spare for the return pump.

dakineacct
02/10/2011, 05:50 AM
http://i1235.photobucket.com/albums/ff434/dakineacct/3kc3m33o25V15T45U2b28b628b71f57201773.jpg

Test

dakineacct
02/10/2011, 05:51 AM
no post