75 Gallon Build/ Stocking ideas

[TaNuki]

I will make this my New Guy welcome thread/ an introduction to the tank. I will update this build as I go (I am hoping I have the right section of the forum of this). I have a few years of history with Cichlids, but this is my first SW tank. I hope to learn a lot, and be careful with the lives of the fish as I build!

The tank has been up and running for exactly a week now.

I was debating if I wanted to go for the reef or not, but am pretty sure this is what I want to do. I am still waiting for my ammonia spike, though Ammonia and Nitrite have both sat very low.

Tank is a 75g acrylic. Here is what it has so far:

Tank:
2 t12 40w lights (I am looking at picking up a 6 bulb t5 set up this week)
2 ZOO-Med Power Sweep 228 PS40
Tank Thermometer
16lbs live rock (still looking to add more)
40lbs aragonite sand


20gallon hybrid Pro Clear Sump:
250 Watt Heater
Rio 1400 Return
BIG Skimmer (Not sure on brand) rated at 350gph
7lbs live rock
filter pad
CPR Overflow Box

http://i813.photobucket.com/albums/zz55/CelestialBeingExia/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_4713.jpg

http://i813.photobucket.com/albums/zz55/CelestialBeingExia/Mobile%20Uploads/P1030865.jpg

http://i813.photobucket.com/albums/zz55/CelestialBeingExia/P1030849.jpg

I did my first 10gallon water change yesterday.

So far my testing shows:

Ph- 8.0
Ammonia-.5
Nitrite- 0
Nitrate- 20
Temp-78

These have been my findings basically for the past week checking every other day.

Anyway, I am new, so be patient with me. Any advice/ criticism is welcome. Open to ideas on what to fill it with too.

Thanks!

[Prairie Reef]

Nice tank - looks great. I've got a 75 as well - and I'm just getting over the hump on my diatom bloom. Regarding stocking - I find it is a moving target as I learn more and more. You can see what I'm planning on at my homepage (http://prairiereefproject.wordpress.com/current-stock-in-tank/). It has been through many, many revisions. Looks like we'll be learning together from folks here. Have fun!

[ludiNano]

Welcome to RC.

Looks like its coming together. Im not trying to be negative in saying these coulple things, but u will end up being very disappointed with the power sweeps, they dont put out very much flow and the sweeping always gets gunked up with sand and what not and stop sweeping.

Your skimmer looks like an ASM and is probably far too over sized for your tank, it will have trouble keeping a stable head of foam and lack in skimmate production you could get with a smaller skimmer.

Welcome to the hobby, and open the pocket book. : ) If i could give one piece of advice buy the higher end equiptment first and save your money and avoid the cheeper stuff.

[TaNuki]

Prairie Reef, Looks like a good start and interesting build!

Ludinano, I am here to learn. I bought the tank used, so the power sweeps came with it. I am going to phase in some koralias soon. The Skimmer is an ASM G2 (Rated for 200 Gallons) but I have seen a few people running them on 55gallon tanks, so I may just run it and see how it goes. I put it up for sale locally, and a few of the local people told me to keep it/ it would work well for the size as well. I was thinking more along the lines that you mentioned though. I have been trying to buy nice stuff as I go. I agree with you 100%. I will still buy smart though as well. Hopefully I can get my tank up to everyone's expectations one day :)

Today I bit the bullet and spent the $500 to get my rock purchased. A new reef/ Rock shop just opened in town a week ago and they have the best rock options hands down. Every other LFS I talked to only offered me the live rock from their tanks and really nothing interesting at all. This shop had 4 giant tanks full of rock to pick through. Also they have some extremely LIVE rock as well.

I got:


41lbs of Florida Live Rock


4 lbs of Fiji Branch Live Rock


20 lbs of the PRIMO Fiji Live Rock

(I Think these were the names of the rocks I got, but I need to double check so I can update my journal)


Pictures? Glad you asked...


This is the Primo stuff:

http://i813.photobucket.com/albums/zz55/CelestialBeingExia/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_5622.jpg


And the set up...


http://i813.photobucket.com/albums/zz55/CelestialBeingExia/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_7071.jpg


http://i813.photobucket.com/albums/zz55/CelestialBeingExia/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_6895.jpg


http://i813.photobucket.com/albums/zz55/CelestialBeingExia/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_8017.jpg