My 75G Reef construction thread

[Azear]

So here I am today, Officially starting the thread for my 75G SW...Not much to say, but lots to ask to fellow reefers. First, I'm in the process of gathering parts and getting familiar with all this stuff (I've read alot but not completely sure about everything). I'm also planning to post lots of pictures/link to an external page I'm about to create especially for that. Sorry dial-up friends :)

Equipment so far:
* 75G Bare Tank (36"x18"x27")
* Instant Ocean Hydrometer
* RO system (5 stage)

Still needed:
* Powerheads/Controler
* Reactor(s)
* Lighting(s)
* Refugium/Sump
* Building the stand (planning to install everything down there)
* Live rock
* Protein Skimmer
* DI extra parts for RO system
* Sand (Aragonite?)
* macroalgae (cheato probably)
* AND more :D

So, as I said, I'm fairly new to this and I'm sure I'll have TONS of questions as long as you don't mind answering ^_^.

Humm, while I'm at it. I could ask a few right away?
- What would be a "good size" to use as refugium/sump ? I want to do like Bill on his 90G (1/3 refugium - 2/3 sump)
-Is it very frequent to have hitch hikers with the live rock ?
-Which kind of LR is the best ? Fiji ?
-Do I have to get the complete LR quantity I'll need in the end from Day1 ? or I can start low?
-Is protein skimmer rating the same as FW filter ? (2x size of tank as rating?)
-Is it very important to have the DI phase in a RO system ? at least at the begining?
-is it possible to have only Live rock in the tank without fishes/coral ? only lighting? or it require some ammonia from organism like in FW ?
-Would 1 Hagen GLO double 39W T5HO would be enough to start ? Or I'll need more from day 1 ? *I'm planning to keep some coral in that soup as soon as possible... and MH are just too expensive for now*

I guess that's all for now.... Oh and I don't have the 75G tank yet... but I'm getting it tomorrow (Saturday 26th)! YaY! and wish me best luck. Any info will help alot! Thanks again fellow reefers !

[coachfraley]

I can answer a few of your questions:

-Is it very frequent to have hitch hikers with the live rock ? Yes, assuming you have a good rock supplier, you should get plenty of hitch-hikers...hopefully they are the friendly variety.
-Which kind of LR is the best ? Fiji ?
Unless you order rock over the internet, your choice will really depend on what type of rock your LFS store carries. As far as what is best, it is really a personal preference thing. A good portion of it is aesthetic too.
-Do I have to get the complete LR quantity I'll need in the end from Day1 ? or I can start low? You are better off buying all of your rock at once, so that it all cycles together. Adding more later can create a mini-cyle or a full blown cycle, depending on how cured the rock is. If you really want to add rock gradually, you can set up a curing tank, and then add the rock when you want.
-is it possible to have only Live rock in the tank without fishes/coral ? only lighting? or it require some ammonia from organism like in FW ? You DO NOT need to add anything in the tank. The die-off on the LR will "feed" the cycle.
-Would 1 Hagen GLO double 39W T5HO would be enough to start ? Or I'll need more from day 1 ? *I'm planning to keep some coral in that soup as soon as possible... and MH are just too expensive for now* If your plan is to run that light in conjunction with a MH, then I would say that it is fine to pick it up. You will not need the strong lighting until you add corals that need high intensity light. I would suggest doing a lot of research on the light. You might be surprised at what you can find. I am sure Cocoa can come up with a good suggestion for you!

[Azear]

Ohhh this is great news ! Thanks alot coachfraley !


Do I have to get the complete LR quantity I'll need in the end from Day1 ? or I can start low? You are better off buying all of your rock at once, so that it all cycles together. Adding more later can create a mini-cycle or a full blown cycle, depending on how cured the rock is. If you really want to add rock gradually, you can set up a curing tank, and then add the rock when you want.

So I've hear that some people setup a huge plastic bin and cure rock in that... could that do ? since I don't really want to buy a 3rd tank (girlfriend will kill me since I'm getting 2 new already (reef & refugium/sump)).. Well, if that works, what is the "required" setup ? Bin, light, powerhead, heater... anything else ?


Oh and I'm so much waiting for Cocoa to log on and have a look at this thread... ;)

[spudbuds]

First off, congrats on the new setup. You are in for a lot of rewarding work. :19:
I agree with all the answers Coach gave. Here are a few more for ya.

- What would be a "good size" to use as refugium/sump ? I want to do like Bill on his 90G (1/3 refugium - 2/3 sump)
You usually want to target at least 10% of your water volume as the size of the refugium and at least 33% as the overall sump size. Bigger is always better. A nice 30G or 40G breeder size tank would work great. I think you'll at least want a tank that is 3 ft. long or you aren't going to have room for all the components in the sump.

-Which kind of LR is the best ? Fiji ?
As coach said, it's personal preference and what is available. If you want to be more environmentally friendly, try to find some aquacultured live rock. I was lucky enough to find some tufa rock (made of calcium carbonate just like live rock) for only $1/lb. I used that as my base rock and "activated" it with a product called Grunge. Not a spec of rock came from a reef.

-Is protein skimmer rating the same as FW filter ? (2x size of tank as rating?)
That would be a good place to start. Mine is rated slightly less the 2x the size of my tank, so I'll be watching it closely to make sure it's up to the task. Since you don't already have it (like I did), you can make sure you have enough skimmer for your tank and not have to worry about it.

-Is it very important to have the DI phase in a RO system ? at least at the begining?
The DI stage is responsible for removing trace impurities that make it through the RO membrane (such as silica, phosphates, nitrates, ammonium). The silica and phosphates will feed your nuissance algae and otherwise drive you nuts. IMO, DI is very important. I attribute my small diatom bloom and my lack of algae since to my use of a good RO/DI system.

-Would 1 Hagen GLO double 39W T5HO would be enough to start ? Or I'll need more from day 1 ? *I'm planning to keep some coral in that soup as soon as possible... and MH are just too expensive for now*
Yes it will be enough to start, but you'll want much more then that for any photosynthetic corals. First you should decide the type of corals you want to keep (SPS, LPS, softies) and that will determine that type of light that you need. You won't have to have MH on your tank, but the number of T5 bulbs will be determine by the corals you want to keep.[/QUOTE]
Again, congrats on the new setup! I'll be following along.
- Bill

[cocoa_pleco]

yep, i know lighting!

you have a taller 75g, so youre going to need slightly stronger light than needed on a standard ank. 78w of a hagen GLO is actually really about 90w, since they pump out more light. i had a 2x24w and 2x54w GLO on one of my reefs for a while and they worked awesome

if you have the money, metal halides are awesome, but otherwise i would personally use 4 65w PC. since its hard to find a 36" 260w PC fixture, you could retrofit

heres 442w for $300ish with shipping, i bought my 4x65w PC on my 55g reef from the same seller and its AWESOME for the price, my light was $90 and works as well as a $400 light

http://cgi.ebay.com/VHO-36-442W-Metal-Halide-Reef-light-Aquarium-Lighting_W0QQitemZ160233125933QQihZ006QQcategoryZ4 6314QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[cocoa_pleco]

read this over again, and i forgot to add, i dont think you have to double with the skimmer like FW, i have a 65g rated coralife skimmer on my 55g and everything is awesome, i think the only disadvantage of having a 65g rated skimmer on say a 150g, is it would skim ALOT

[Azear]

Woa ! Thanks for the link Cocoa!

I'm going to buy one of these when the credit card will be clean (mid of may) because I figured out that buying the GLO fixture + bulb would cost me ~ 260$ for ~80W ... compared to a 442W for ~300$... so I don't mind paying the extra 40$ to have 360W extra :D

And thanks Bill for the info! I will certainly look forward into getting a DI system asap but could it be possible to start cycling the rocks without the DI ? and when I'll be ready for the big tank, add the DI ?

[spudbuds]

read this over again, and i forgot to add, i dont think you have to double with the skimmer like FW, i have a 65g rated coralife skimmer on my 55g and everything is awesome, i think the only disadvantage of having a 65g rated skimmer on say a 150g, is it would skim ALOT
I kind of agree with this. Yes a smaller skimmer will work on a larger tank and it will skim a lot, but the issue is whether or not it can skim enough for the size of tank. It's certainly better then having no skimmer at all, but I would error on the side of too big rather then too small. And some skimmer manufacturers do over quote the capability of their skimmer (from some reviews I've read).

And thanks Bill for the info! I will certainly look forward into getting a DI system asap but could it be possible to start cycling the rocks without the DI ? and when I'll be ready for the big tank, add the DI ?
You can do this, but the rock will most likely absorb some of the phosphates in the water. The algae bloom will not be as bad as if you used RO to fill the tank as well, but it wouldn't be as small as if you only used DI. If it's a trade off you have to make, at least you know what you are trading off. You are about to get a bunch of suggestions and you'll have to decide which ones fit your unique situation.

Something you might want to consider is looking around to see if there is a SW fish club in your area. Local reefers may have some equipment and eventually live stock at a very discounted price. I ended getting my lights for less then half the price of brand new and they were only slightly used.

Bill

[cocoa_pleco]

Woa ! Thanks for the link Cocoa!

I'm going to buy one of these when the credit card will be clean (mid of may) because I figured out that buying the GLO fixture + bulb would cost me ~ 260$ for ~80W ... compared to a 442W for ~300$... so I don't mind paying the extra 40$ to have 360W extra :D

And thanks Bill for the info! I will certainly look forward into getting a DI system asap but could it be possible to start cycling the rocks without the DI ? and when I'll be ready for the big tank, add the DI ?

yeah, the GLO fixtures are actually pricey for what they do, the only advantage of them is theyre sleek and sturdy, otherwise i picked up a 2x54w T-5 for $100, while hagen GLO 2x54w T-5 are way more

i bought my 2 GLO fixtures when PJ's had a sale on them late '07, so it was worth it

[ILuvMyGoldBarb]

* 75G Bare Tank (36"x18"x27")
You are going to love aquascaping with that footprint. It's high enough and deep enough to give you a great looking reef.


* Instant Ocean Hydrometer
I'd encourage you to look for a refractometer instead. A refractometer is much much more accurate. You simply calibrate it by setting it to 1.000 using RO/DI water. Once you set it you rarely ever have to change it. The problem with most Hydrometers (especially the IO ones) is that they are innacurate. To give you an example, when I first set my tank up I used a hydrometer to set my salinity to 1.025 by the hydrometer. After observing the tank for a couple of weeks I decided to take a sample of my water to my LFS. They ran the whole range of tests on it, including testing the salinity with a refractometer. My store got a reading of 1.030 on their refractometer. They double checked it and even gave me a spare refractometer they had sitting around. All three tests with the refractometer agreed, my water was 1.030; not a good thing. Of course once I knew how far off my hydrometer was, I could simpley add the needed .005 to the reading to get an accurate one, but once I had the refractometer there was no point. You can get a refractometer for about $35-$45 of eBay. You'll see them for upwards of $200 but there's no point in wasting your money, a $45 refractometer will do just as good a job as the $200 one.


* RO system (5 stage)
The one downside to a RO/DI unit is the amount of waste water these units produce. However it is a far more economical option than a canti/anti system.


* Powerheads/Controler
Go for Hydor Korelia's if possible, you won't regret it.
What kind of Controler are you considering?


* Reactor(s)
Not sure the purpose behind getting any of these unless you are planning to have an all SPS system, in which case you will probably want a Calcium Reactor. Phosphate reactors are not necessary for most systems.


* Lighting(s)
This is where you could run into a couple of snags. You have a very deep tank so that will automatically increase the amount of light you will need. If you are planning on a SPS system then you should seriously consider metal halide lighting, and with a tank that deep it should be at least a 250w bulb. For tanks over 23" deep it is recommended that you go with a 250w MH for SPS corals. If, however, you are planning on LPS and Soft Corals then a T5 fixture is a much better option. I personally wouldn't use PC lights on a tank that deep as they will not penetrate as well as a T5 would. Corals near the bottom may have to produce extra zooxanthalae in order to produce enough nutrients.


* Live rock
For an option that won't break the bank, and won't harm the environment, you may want to consider getting dry rock. When you buy dry rock it is cheaper per pound, and you get more weight for your money. When you buy 100lbs of cured live rock you get about 80-90lbs of rock and the rest is water weight, however when you buy 100lbs of dry rock you get 100lbs of rock. To that rock you simply need to add 10lbs of live rock and it will seed the rest of the rock to make it live. This is what I did with my tank and I have had no problems whatsoever.


* Protein Skimmer
I always recommend going one size bigger than recommended for your tank. For your tank I would suggest a skimmer rated for a 125gal tank. I use one rated for a 250 on my 125. A skimmer is not an essential but it is something that I wouldn't want to do without. There is so much that it will remove that none of the other filtration you have will.


* Sand (Aragonite?)
Skip on the Aragonite, it's not really going to help you much. Aragonite does very little to keep Calcium and Alkalinity up. Aragonite will not dissolve in your water until the pH is already far lower for your fish than it should be. I used plain Playsand from Home Depot for mine. I would also encourage you towards a Deep Sand Bed. A deep sand bed is a great nitrate filter. The deep sand will allow for the formation of anaerobic areas where the nitrates are broken down as well as the surface areas where areobic bacteria will break down the ammonia and nitrite.

Sounds like you've done some good reading thus far. One book I would recommend you pick up if you can, is The New Marine Aquarium by Michael Paletta. That book is one of the most comprehensive guides to setting up a new marine tank. Hope all of this helps.

Brad

[spudbuds]

I agree with ILMGB's post. I didn't even think to look over your equipment list.

A couple of things I see missing right off the bat are a storage container for your mix water (along with a heater and powerhead) and a SW test kit (NH4, NO3, Ca, Alk, pH, Mg).

Also in regard to the refractometer, it appears that calibrating with RO/DI water is not the best choice (even if it's recommended in the instructions). Most refractometers sold to hobbyists are scaled for the refractive index of salt water (sodium chloride solution) and not seawater. However, you can calibrate them using a calibration solution at 1.0264 (35 ppt) and that makes them pretty accurate around that value. Of course this makes them read at less then 1.000 for RO/DI water, so if you happen to want to create a solution for hyposalinity (1.009), it's best to calibrate with RO/DI (and then recalibrate with the solution prior to mixing any new salt). Clear as mud, huh?

- Bill

[Azear]

I finally got my tank this afternoon ! it's not a 75G but rated as a 72G. 36x18x27 as promised! I love it but too bad I don't have a stand for it yet (Have to make it out of wood... Gna!)... but oh well, guess this is the first step out of a long long process. Oh and... Sorry for the TERRIBLY long post. I'm trying to reply to everything you guys said. Oh and I'll try to post a pic of the tank unpacked when I'll unpack it... :) It's sitting on the floor in the cardboard box now... but I guess I'll get it out pretty soon... (Oh and yes, I've checked for cracks before buying it and the seller (owner of the place) did too.



yeah, the GLO fixtures are actually pricey for what they do, the only advantage of them is theyre sleek and sturdy, otherwise i picked up a 2x54w T-5 for $100, while hagen GLO 2x54w T-5 are way more

i bought my 2 GLO fixtures when PJ's had a sale on them late '07, so it was worth it

I actually had a chat with the guy where I got my tank (the owner of the place actually) and he proposed me some Metal halide with T5 on it for 325$ instead of 599$... I might consider it really seriously since the one on eBay will cost me 300$US and I have to wait for it. Other hand, the one local have warranty and I get to encourage local stuff, So I might end up going local for this one. but still, thanks for the link Cocoa


I'd encourage you to look for a refractometer instead.

I'm probably going to buy one off ebay but is there anything specific I have to check ? cauz there's one I've seen at 20$ that test Salinity and Specific gravity. Do I need something else ?


Go for Hydor Korelia's if possible, you won't regret it.
What kind of Controler are you considering?

I was considering getting some Maxi-Jet since they don't cost too much (upgrade with a Sure-flow (not sure of the name, but the one Bill used)) but seriously, this is one step ahead I haven't checked yet. For the controller, I have 0 idea what is good and what is not so far... Some further reading is needed on that since I'm getting parts one by one... and I won't buy it right away anyways. But If you guys have some suggestion, Fire them.


Not sure the purpose behind getting any of these unless you are planning to have an all SPS system, in which case you will probably want a Calcium Reactor. Phosphate reactors are not necessary for most systems.

Well, this is something I know I'll need but no idea what I'll need. I've hear I need a Calcium reactor but that's pretty much of what I know about it yet... once again, it'll require more reading on this. Oh and I plan to keep some Soft coral, some Polyps (sorry of I mistype it) and some LPS.... SPS is said to be hard so I don't want to throw myself at it too soon.


you may want to consider getting dry rock.

I'm not sure where I could get some Dry rocks here... all the LFS I know only have (or show?) wet rocks... plus, I tought I could get some hitch hikers with my rocks... (which I'm not sure that might come with dry rocks). but if I seed my tank with 10pound of Live rock and the rest dry... will it take the same time to cycle? because I'm not sure I want to have rocks cycling for 2-3 months... lol :)


I always recommend going one size bigger than recommended for your tank

I was planning to get something rated for a 200g or something like that since I have a 72G + refugium/sump (that might end up being a 30ish gallon) which might be around 100-110g... so I thought that 200g rated protein skimmer would do the job ?


Skip on the Aragonite,

Well, I don't want much to skip Aragonite... First, I want something nice loking and playsand is brown... :( also, in every magazine I've read about sand, they are all saying that Aragonite is the choice to do. cost more but it's much better for the invert that are in it (reference: Corail Magazine, #04 Deep sand bed filter) And also, the guy where I bought my tank he told me that Aragonite was a very good choice and to never go with crushed coral (which I knew already). but I'm open to suggestion.


One book I would recommend you pick up if you can, is The New Marine Aquarium by Michael Paletta.

I'm definitely going to look into this one. But I'm not sure where I can find it. but thanks for the hint ;)


SW test kit

I was aware of this one, jsut that I haven't tought of writing it down. I already have a Hagen Master test kit. (test: PO4, CA, NO3, NH3, PH (low), PH (high), KH, GH, NO2, Fe) and it's said to be for Freshwater & saltwater. but, should I get some different test kit ? or this one is good and I should just get refill of what might be near of empty ? :)


Clear as mud

Not at all... lol but I guess I'll try to figure this out with a bit more of water added to that mud...

[Halelorf]

I'm probably going to buy one off ebay but is there anything specific I have to check ? cauz there's one I've seen at 20$ that test Salinity and Specific gravity. Do I need something else ?


Just make sure the it has Automatic Temperature Conpensation, or ATC. If it doesn't have this then you have to check the salinity at a specific temperature or the reading will be off.

[ILuvMyGoldBarb]

I was considering getting some Maxi-Jet since they don't cost too much (upgrade with a Sure-flow (not sure of the name, but the one Bill used)) but seriously, this is one step ahead I haven't checked yet. For the controller, I have 0 idea what is good and what is not so far... Some further reading is needed on that since I'm getting parts one by one... and I won't buy it right away anyways. But If you guys have some suggestion, Fire them.
You may want to check the prices. By the time you buy the MaxiJets and the mods you have spent as much or more than you would by buying the Korelia in the first place.



Well, this is something I know I'll need but no idea what I'll need. I've hear I need a Calcium reactor but that's pretty much of what I know about it yet...
You do not need a Calcium reactor at all, especially since you are only keeping Softs and LPS. A calcium reactor would be a big waste of money for you. My 125 has all softs and LPS and I have no need for a calcium reactor, my calcium is off the scale because of the salt I use. Unless you have no way to get rid of phosphates you don't need one of those either. I'm afraid you are getting hoodwinked by the people in the hobby that are all wrapped up in the fance complicated setups, they are just not needed for a reef like you are proposing. Save youself a lot of money and use Oceanic Salt and you will have more calcium than you need.



I'm not sure where I could get some Dry rocks here... all the LFS I know only have (or show?) wet rocks... plus, I tought I could get some hitch hikers with my rocks... (which I'm not sure that might come with dry rocks). but if I seed my tank with 10pound of Live rock and the rest dry... will it take the same time to cycle? because I'm not sure I want to have rocks cycling for 2-3 months... lol :)
You can get them online and you will save a fortune. The cycle doesn't take any longer by using them either. The only thing is, they just won't be the pretty purple right away, it will take a little while.


Well, I don't want much to skip Aragonite... First, I want something nice loking and playsand is brown... :( also, in every magazine I've read about sand, they are all saying that Aragonite is the choice to do. cost more but it's much better for the invert that are in it (reference: Corail Magazine, #04 Deep sand bed filter) And also, the guy where I bought my tank he told me that Aragonite was a very good choice and to never go with crushed coral (which I knew already). but I'm open to suggestion.
Your choice, but there's a reason all the big names in the hobby are going away from it. It's an added expense that you just straight up don't need.

[Azear]

Just make sure the it has Automatic Temperature Conpensation, or ATC. If it doesn't have this then you have to check the salinity at a specific temperature or the reading will be off.

Well, there's 2 that I was considering. Both are ATC but one is said 0-10% and the other one not. What's the best ? well, I might end up reading about it on Wiki or something like that.

And I might have a look at theses Korelia... but which one ? 1 ? 2 ? 3 ? 4 ? is Bigger better?

And the Calcium reactor is a great news... less cost = better ^_^ Oh and, does the Instant Ocean salt mix is a good one ? because my LFS only have this one and I don't want to go to the other end of the town to get some salt. well, I might if you guys tell me that IO salt mix is bad...

Also, do you have a good place where I can buy theses rocks online ? that ship to Canada?

and for the Aragonite, I might consider going to some alternative options. but is there anything that I could use that is White ? instead of the brown playsand... In my FW setup, I have some white sillica sand but I've read that sillica sand in SW setup is not very good.

EDIT: Added the pics of the tank... not unpacked completely but at least, it's a first pic !

[Halelorf]

I've heard that silica sand will leech phosphates into the water which would cause tons of nuisance algae. The tropical reefs all have aragonite sand anyways, so why change that? As for the refractometer as long as it can measure a specific gravity of 1.000 to 1.035+ and is ATC it should be fine. Mine reads from 1.000 to 1.075 which it says is 0% to 100% salt. I don't remember what website I ordered from but I payed something around $40 for it and it has worked great. Good luck with your reef!

[spudbuds]

First off, congrats on the getting the tank. Please tell me you grinned like a fool while you opened it (like I would have). :sbiggrin:

I think I'd lean toward the light from your LFS too. The warranty and supporting the local guy is worth the extra money. Do you know anymore about it (brand, wattage, spectrum, etc)?

I've never used the Hydor's, but they seem nice. I can say I'm not disappointed with the Maxi-Jets. I've ordered up wards of a dozen that I'm using in various capacities and I haven't had a problem with any of them. The two with the SureFlow Mod kits put out a ton of flow. I do agree with ILMGB that after the mode kit, they are not any cheaper then the Hydor's. And if you add a magnet attachment (which I highly recommend over the included suction cups), you may end up paying more. I think in general, you should just try to pick the product that fits your situation best and not judge too much on expense. From what I've seen so far, things in this hobby are usually expensive for a reason.

The New Marine Aquarium is a good book. Another good one is Natural Reef Aquariums: Simplified Approaches to Creating Living Saltwater Microcosms by John H. Tullock. I own both books and I don't think you'll be disappointed with either.

I don't know much about Hagen test kits, so hopefully someone else can comment. I started out using API tests. I then bought a Salifert Mg test because API didn't make one and I'm now switching over to all Salifert as my API tests are running out. Don't get me wrong, API are fine test kits. I just like the process of performing the test and clarity of the results better on the Salifert tests. Of course, buying an API test kit is much cheaper then the individual Salifert tests.

Instant Ocean is a fine salt. Very consistent from batch to batch. The only thing about it is it's low in calcium. In your case, it might not be a huge deal, but you may have to supplement calcium. If you went with a salt mix in that was high in calcium as ILMGB suggested, then the supplementing would probably not be necessary with your stocking plans.

As for the calcium reactor, agreed it's not necessary with your plans. It's not absolutely necessary even if you went with SPS, clams, or any other high calcium/alkalinity consumers. There are plenty of ways to provide calcium/alkalinity to your tank (two-part supplements, kalkwasser, etc). It just becomes a cost/convenience issue. If you went with a full SPS tank it would most likely be much cheaper to run a calcium reactor then dosing two-part. With the right salt and your stocking plans, you may not need anything but a regular water change schedule.

As Halelorf said, a refractometer with ATC should be just fine. I'm using this one (http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=9957).

Lot's of questions flying around. Hopefully between all the responses, you've got answers to them all. Keep them coming and welcome to the club (it's much more enjoyable if you don't look at the bank balance).

- Bill

[ILuvMyGoldBarb]

I just wanted to clarify something on the Aragonite. The only reason I suggested against it was for cost reasons. It's not something that is necessary for setting up a reef tank. Some people say you should use it to help keep the Ca and Alk levels up but it really won't do that. Let me just do a quick cost comparison for you. I have 250lbs of white playsand in my 125gal tank and that gives me a sand bed that ranges from 3-6 inches deep. So, that was 5 bags of sand at $3.23 per bag, after tax I spent $16.96 for my sand. Now lets look at what it would have cost me for aragonite. For that same 250lbs I would have needed 6 40lb bags at a cost of $30 per bag, total cost with tax, $189. That's a savings of $172.04. The cost savings is huge and the benefit difference is miniscule. It's not that Aragointe is a bad thing for your tank, it's just not necessary.

[Azear]

First off, congrats on the getting the tank. Please tell me you grinned like a fool while you opened it (like I would have).

You bet I was! It was like Xmas for me this evening :)! Only thing is that the camera didn’t work well so I had to take like 40 pictures of the box before I could get 1 working (camera just go offline when snapping a shot… I need a new one).


As for the refractometer as long as it can measure a specific gravity of 1.000 to 1.035+ and is ATC it should be fine.

Yeah, the kind I’m looking at say this:
Specifications :
- Ranges: 0-100 ppt of NaCl and 1.000 to 1.070 Specific Gravity (0-10%)
- Divisions: 1 ppt / 0.001 Specific Gravity
- Accuracy: +/- 1 ppt / 0.001 Specific Gravity (+ 0.10%)


Do you know anymore about it (brand, wattage, spectrum, etc)?

So farm No idea on what’s the deal… but I might end up going to see the guy really soon. And I’ll ask all the crispy details of the fixture at this moment. But I’m pretty sure it’s a 4x T5 (HO?,VHO?) with 1(or2?) 250w MH. But since I’m not sure if I want SPS, I’ve read something from ILMGB that : “If, however, you are planning on LPS and Soft Corals then a T5 fixture is a much better option. “ so I’m not sure if I want to get the MH yet. Maybe I could get a 8x T5HO fixture?

For the powerhead, I went to Big Al’s this Sunday and had a check on Korelia. They sure are expensive but look nice. I’ll have to double check which one would fit my need better. Still, I’ve seen a display tank at Big Al’s that had 12 powerhead in it. It this a normal stuff? or it’s a bit a lot ? Still, the tank was very nice looking with LOTS of flow. (and it was a 6feet long tank). So, how many should I get? Again, Bigger is better?


Another good one is Natural Reef Aquariums: Simplified Approaches to Creating Living Saltwater Microcosms by John H. Tullock.

Yeah, I’m going to try to get my hand on either one or both of theses 2 books you guys recommended. And I might try to buy it online for simplifying the thing (I don’t feel for funning around town to find a library that have it…)


Lot's of questions flying around. Hopefully between all the responses, you've got answers to them all.

Yup, lots of questions but at least, you guys are able to answer! Oh and I’m preparing another list of questions for you at the end of this post ^_^


I just wanted to clarify something on the Aragonite

Yeah, I totally understand the point of it. Aragonite is pretty expensive (I’ve seen some this Sunday) and I might want to spend the money somewhere else where I could really see a benefit. For me, the only thing that matter is that : Invert will be happy and able to dwell into the sand (clean up crew?), It’s white (I don’t like brown sand :( ) and it’s cheap. So If I can get some white playsand, I’ll be very happy if it does the job!

I also asked the guy at Big al’s if they had dried rock and he told me that they have base rock… which would be good but when he said the price I was like… “Well, I’ll get some LR instead”…. They are asking 5$/pound for some dry rock… geez, I can get some Haiti LR for that price… or evne some home grown LR from some local reefer.

So As I said, I got a few more questions to ask:
1-The refractometer I stated up there, is it good?
2- If I don’t want SPS coral, should I use multiple T5 instead of a MH ? and which one consume more energy out of the AC plug ? (I’m a bit limited in the apartment we are at the moment)
3- How many Powerhead should I get in a 72G? Bigger better ? (I have a stock plan above)
4- How many pounds of rock should I use ? I’ve read 1.25 -1.75 pound per gallon… is it true ?
5- With the above list of coral/invert/fish…. What kind of salt mix should I use ? calcium-enhanced salt ? or It’s not necessary ?

Stock plan so far:
Fish/invert:
1-2 Percula Clownfish
1-2 gobi (no idea which one yet)
few anemone (porcelaine) crab (If I can get my hand on them)
Bunch of starfish (about 2-3” wide one, no idea which one yet, depend on my LFS)
Bunch of hermit crab & turbo snails
Bunch of shrimps (no idea which one yet)
Bunch of feather duster

Coral:
1-2 Entacmaea quadricolor (Bubble tip anemone) (they are Polyps right?)
Some brain (optional)
Some mushroom
Some Zoa
Some LPS (maybe a Sun coral if I can get my hand on it)

Did I miss something? Or are they all compatible with each other?

And once again, Thanks for your answers guys!

[Tolley]

i will be here to see pics. I'm not even taking a second glance at all this sw talk! :11:

Tank looks nice unboxed! :D

:19:

[ILuvMyGoldBarb]

Skip on the Anemone for at least a year. You need to have a good stable tank for those, they are very finicky. Also, an anemone needs really good lighting. Power Compact lighting is the minimum for a Bubbletip.

Brain corals are LPS corals. :) LPS corals and most Softies would do just fine with the lighting you are planning.

[spudbuds]

So As I said, I got a few more questions to ask:
1-The refractometer I stated up there, is it good?
It sounds fine. I didn't see a spec for ATC, so make sure it has that. If it does, then it should work fine for you.

2- If I don’t want SPS coral, should I use multiple T5 instead of a MH ? and which one consume more energy out of the AC plug ? (I’m a bit limited in the apartment we are at the moment)
Multiple T5's will be fine and depending on how many, you may get away with some SPS near the top of your tank. As far as power consumption, that is more dependent on the wattage of bulb and the efficiency of the balast used. 300W T5 should consume the same amount of power as 300W MH.

3- How many Powerhead should I get in a 72G? Bigger better ? (I have a stock plan above)
Bigger is usually better, but if you stick a coral in front of the direct flow of a powerhead, it most likely will not like it. For your setup, I'd shoot for 1500 - 2000 gph, but you may need more. You can try to avoid the dead zones, but they are inevitable. You may want an area of lower flow for some of the softies. Unfortunately, you'll probably have to feel your way through it and make adjustments as you go. One trick I used for "seeing" the flow in the tank was to cause a bunch of bubbles to be sucked into my return pump. This causes a bunch of microbubbles to be shot into the display and I could watch the microbubbles to see what the flow looked like.

4- How many pounds of rock should I use ? I’ve read 1.25 -1.75 pound per gallon… is it true ?
This depends on how full you want the tank to look and how dense the rock is. If you target around 1-1.5 lb/g that should be enough. If you like more then that, add it. If you like less, it will probably be just fine.

5- With the above list of coral/invert/fish…. What kind of salt mix should I use ? calcium-enhanced salt ? or It’s not necessary ?
This is entirely up to you. Most major salt brands available will work just fine. Like I said before, if your salt mix is low in anything, it just means you have to dose. If you pick things that are too high in anything, the water changes will help replenish your tank.

Stock plan so far:
Fish/invert:
1-2 Percula Clownfish
1-2 gobi (no idea which one yet)
few anemone (porcelaine) crab (If I can get my hand on them)
Bunch of starfish (about 2-3” wide one, no idea which one yet, depend on my LFS)
Bunch of hermit crab & turbo snails
Bunch of shrimps (no idea which one yet)
Bunch of feather duster

Coral:
1-2 Entacmaea quadricolor (Bubble tip anemone) (they are Polyps right?)
Some brain (optional)
Some mushroom
Some Zoa
Some LPS (maybe a Sun coral if I can get my hand on it)

Did I miss something? Or are they all compatible with each other?
As ILMGB mentioned, the anemones are the most finicky thing you listed and they'll require good lighting and solid, stable parameters. They are not polyps as you suggested. Everything else looks just fine.

And once again, Thanks for your answers guys!
No problem. I do want to encourage you to continue doing a ton of research before you start. And don't take the advice you are getting as gospel. Follow it up with your independent research. It's the best way to understand what you are being advised and it may point out things you've not thought of and we've forgot to tell you (or didn't know ourselves).

- Bill

[Azear]

First, thanks bill! you've clarify some stuff

And, if I skip the anemone for a while, I'll skip the porcelain crab and the Percula Clownfish. Humm guess I gotta work on a new stocking list now. At least, I'll get some Starfish and other inverts !

Btw, what are common, easy to keep corals that I could get ? I want some colorful stuff but every single research I do on Google end up on the same thing. Oh and if you guys have any "have a look" suggestion, fire them up !

[travie]

You could still have the clownfish even without an anemone. A clownfish doesn't need one to survive and be healthy in a tank.

[Halelorf]

yea clownfish do not need a anemone to be happy. Although it is awesome when they host one, they do not require one at all. For some easy corals, any zoanthids are good and come in a bunch of really cool colors. Mushrooms come in every color under the sun. Softies like a kenya tree or a xenia. Green Star Polyps are another great easy one.

[cocoa_pleco]

some easy to keep corals are pulsing xenia, most polyps, most zoas, kenya trees, mushrooms, etc.

and yep, clowns dont need a anemone, theyre fine without it.

[Azear]

That's a good news but still, not sure if I want a clown yet. They are messy eater and I was getting some clown just because I wanted an anemone. sO... I've looked up your "easy-to-keep" suggestion and I'm very happy with it !

here's an updated stocking plan:
Fish/invert:
few goby (3-4?)
Bunch of starfish (about 2-3” wide one, no idea which one yet, depend on my LFS)
Bunch of hermit crab & turbo snails
Bunch of shrimps (might get some cleaner shrimps (3-4) )
Bunch of feather duster

Coral:
-Xenia (3-4 frag)
-Kenya tree (1-2)
-Neon green star polyps (1-2)
-Some Zoa
-Some Mushrooms

What do you think?

Also, should I order my frags online or I'd better get them from local reefer/store? because I've found a local reef club that could get me some nice frag/equipment for good price and I was wondering.

Oh and... I wanted to ask, I could get my hand on a used Gen-X GX-2400 sump pump for 30$Can, is it a good deal ? (no shipping, I'm going to get it... it's local)

[cocoa_pleco]

i would get frags from a local reefer, theyre more likely to give you deals and stuff, i buy from a local reefer a few hours away and he always gives me discounts, and sometimes gives me a few free extra corals. last shipment he gave me 5 free polyps and those polyps have spread to about 30 now

[spudbuds]

For fish, you should check out Marine Fishes: A PocketExpert Guide by Scott W. Michael. It's a good reference to skim through and pick out fish you like. Then you can do more research on them. You can fit more then 3-4 gobies in your tank and there are plenty of hardy species available to choose from. But, if all you want are a few gobies, that's fine too.

Your coral selections will make a fine display. Just make sure you leave room for new stuff. After you get started, I'm guessing you are going to want to try more then that. It's very addicting. :sbiggrin:

The local vs. online is your call. I prefer local if possible for a number of reasons, but sometimes they just don't have what you are looking for.

I'm not familiar with that pump, so I'm no help there.

- Bill

[ILuvMyGoldBarb]

I agree with Bill on the book recommendation. The only thing to be careful with that book is that Mr Michael is a little off in his minimum tank sizes. On the smaller fish he's not to bad, but on the larger ones he's a bit off. He goes a bit on the small side.

I would strongly encourage you to find a local reefer or a good source of captive grown corals. The world's coral reefs are being depleated enough without we hobbyists making it worse. Frags from locals or online friends is a great way to stock a tank with corals.

[Azear]

Thanks for the reply guys. and I've found a group of local reefer from whom I can buy cheap stuff (I.e. Frags at 5-10$, live rock at 3-5$, and so on :) ).

Also, today I've received my RO unit. DHL transport + ebay seller = no good. It took almost a month for this box to arrive and the seller has told me 6 days. But well, arrival of the unit is the good news... On the other side of the thing... I have no place to install the d*** thing in my appartment... This is *By FAR* the worst case of plumbing that ever has been made by human (consider that might be worst at plumbing out there...). There is No shut off valve on any sink except on the hot water on the main sink. The bathroom sink are straight line from the wall and the kitchen sink have the hot water on a valve. except that, no valve. I've hear that the shut off valves are in the garage of my neighbour... What? mean that If I have a problem with the sink in the middle of the night, I have to go wake that guy to open the garage door so I can turn the valve off? silliest thing I've ever hear. I might try to manage with my landowner so I can install it. I'm so going to ask for valves... at least on the kitchen sink. Oh well, here's a few pics for the curious (i.e. Ed ;) ) oh and btw, the system looks good but shipping wasn't good at all.

[Incredulous_Ed]

Thanks Azear! Im still thinking of buying from that guy, but only If i cant get a good deal. Those things are huge! much bigger than i expected. Keep us updated

[Azear]

Thanks Azear! Im still thinking of buying from that guy, but only If i cant get a good deal. Those things are huge! much bigger than i expected. Keep us updated

Oh yes they are huge... my system weight 12Kilo... mean around 26.5pounds... and it's about 15" high (ok, 26.5 pound = With storage tank). Also, instruction booklet is a bit confusing at some point. *might try to scan it to let you guys have a look*.

[Azear]

Ok, so long time no update !

I got some really good news today:

-RO unit installed
-Got some 19G plastic container for stocking stuff (water,parts,cycling LR, ... )
-Asked the guys at LFS and my tank is drillable (not Tempered glass)
-Seen a nice MH/T5HO fixture at LFS for 300$ (instead of 599$).

So, as I said, RO unit working... had some problem with it but oh well, guess it happen to the best of us. First, when I tried to hook-up the hose for water input, I screw up and water was leaking everywhere... so I managed to close the water and tonight, I've fixed it and installed the RO unit at the same time.

Got some nice beige plastic containers to hold various stuff. They were in special so I bought 2 hehe... for 7$ each instead of 15$... kinda good deal! and I'm already planning the cycling of some LR in one of the bin. Soon :P

Went to the LFS where I got my tank today during lunch. Asked if, for the tank I bought, I was able to drill in it to connect a sump. and The cleak told me that there was no problem with it so. awesome news ! (I'll start to plan the sump/refugium soon)

Also, today during lunch, I've spotted a nice 3' wide MH/T5HO fixture... for cheap price. Tho I'm not sure if I really want to go MH... but all the T5HO only fixtures are either WAY too expensive (giesemann) or just crappy.Only problem I noticed on that 300$ unit is that it's not fan-cooled. So, I'm a bit "Bleh" about it... Plus, it's a retro-lift kit ... and I wanted a legged fixture... so. bit of a turn-off. but Oh well, I'll see !

Oh and, I've updated my website in case you guys want to have a look. Even added some pictures of the 50g and blogged a bit on each one (or almost each one).

And here's a few pictures for the curious when I installed the RO and pic of the 19g Bins.
1st pic is the plumbing redone
2nd pic is wired RO unit
3rd pic is installed unit
4th pic is RO output (not from reserve tank yet)
5th pic is the 19g plastic bins.

[Incredulous_Ed]

Really cool! how does the unit work?

[Azear]

Really cool! how does the unit work?

First, it's hooked to the cold water line and the reserve tank will fill up. once you need water, you just lift the lever on the faucet thing and "Voila!". you got some RO water out of it!. Thing is that I would have been supposed to drill through the counter and install that faucet thing but I didn't wanted to have it that way so it's free to go where I want (within a ~ 4 feet radius of the unit) so I can easily fill up some bin I get near or fill up jars just by getting the container under the sink and lifting up the lever of that faucet thing. Way more handy that way vs. permanent installation.

Only thing I wonder is how good will be the flow with a full reserve tank... hummm guess I'll see tomorrow morning! (I have to purge the reserve tanks before using it).

[Incredulous_Ed]

lol actually i was asking more like, how is the quality of the system?

[Azear]

guess next step is to but a TDS meter ;)

according to the specs, it *should* be around 9ppm left after it... but I don't have the DI phase (which i'm planning soon) and with that, I should drop to 0-1ppm.

[coachfraley]

If you are still looking for a 36" fixture, have you looked at the sundial?

4x39 watt T5, fan cooled, integrated timers, individual reflectors, $250

http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem~SearchStr~sundial~action~view~idProduc t~CU01152~idCategory~FILTFIT56U~category~36_inch_C urrent_USA_SunDial_T5_HO_4x39W_w__Timers___LED_36i n_Units~vendor~.html

[spudbuds]

Nice RO unit, but (don't take this wrong), let's see the tank! :sbiggrin:

[Azear]

If you are still looking for a 36" fixture, have you looked at the sundial?

4x39 watt T5, fan cooled, integrated timers, individual reflectors, $250

http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem~SearchStr~sundial~action~view~idProduc t~CU01152~idCategory~FILTFIT56U~category~36_inch_C urrent_USA_SunDial_T5_HO_4x39W_w__Timers___LED_36i n_Units~vendor~.html

Yeah, I was considering some Current USA fixtures but I was wondering if I couldn't get something better locally. On the other side, I was looking at the Nova Extreme Pro. Bit more pricy but there's 6x 39w. But, it's 300$+ (around 400$ shipped here). So, I would end up with bit less than 240w for ~400$... when I can go with some MH/T5HO for 400+w for less locally. So that's where I'm wondering which way to choose. I've hear that More is always better when it come to lights but... dunno on this one :S


Nice RO unit, but (don't take this wrong), let's see the tank! :sbiggrin:

Yeah I know... but I doubt you want to have a look at a cardboard box ? :P The tank itself still in it box since I'm gathering pieces before starting it. (and I have to drill the tank anytime soon so, obviously don't want it full of stuff :P ). but I promise, as soon as I put water in it, you guys will be the first one to have a look at the pictures ! :D

[spudbuds]

If it were me, I'd spring for the MH/T5 option. If you do that, you'll have the flexibility to keep almost anything you want in the future. But with most things, you have to decide what fits your situation bests. There isn't a right or wrong answer.

I understand about going slow and getting things ready. I was just giving you a hard time. You're doing great so far.

- Bill

[cocoa_pleco]

i agree, go with the MH. i thought i would he happy with the 260w PC on my 55g but im upgrading to 2 150w MH

[Azear]

If it were me, I'd spring for the MH/T5 option. If you do that, you'll have the flexibility to keep almost anything you want in the future. But with most things, you have to decide what fits your situation bests. There isn't a right or wrong answer.

I understand about going slow and getting things ready. I was just giving you a hard time. You're doing great so far.

- Bill


i agree, go with the MH. i thought i would he happy with the 260w PC on my 55g but im upgrading to 2 150w MH

Guess i'll go with the MH/T5 then ;)

And sorry for the lack of updates... things are getting ready Really (should i say "Really" again 4-5 time ? :P) Slow here.... (not sure If I'll be able to finish the setup within 6-8 months) The tank is literally eating all my extra money theses days and I have to save a few hundred (about 200-300$) for new computer parts (Motherboard, CPU, Ram)... cauz mine is started to die off... :( so, next week, I'm getting the new parts and the tank might have to wait another 3 weeks before getting new components (everyone get his turn... lol Tank, Pc, Tank, Girlfriend, Tank... and so on ;) ). But next step is : lighting/TDS meter/Stand/Tank drilling/Sump-Refugium...

made me think... for TDS meter, should I get one that hook up to my RO system ? or a pen-type that I just put into the water ? any advices/hints/tips/experiences ? Because both run around the same price (30-40$ + shipping) and I wasn't sure which one to get... (and obviously I don't want to buy one and then realize I need the other one instead...

Thanks for your comments guys!

[Azear]

Got another question for you guys... Skimmer-talking....

What should I get ? any recommendations ?

I could get my hand on a used Coralife Super Skimmer 3000... but I think it's way to small for my tank (rated 65g) but it's really cheap (50$can)

or I could also get a Seaclone 150 (I'll perform the DIY modifications to "enhance" it for sure) for 200$can that is brand new (rated 150g).

Or... you guys might have another suggestion ?

I've been looking for skimmers because I've figured out that to be able to design the sump/refugium, I gotta know what kind of skimmer I'll get (external, in sump, and so on) and what dimension it have... Thanks for advices !

[cocoa_pleco]

dont get the seaclone, ive heard nothing but bad about them. apparently they need constant adjusting, lose flow randomly, and are garbage.

i would get a coralife, ive had no problems with mine and i rarely need to adjust it

[Azear]

I've checked the net and found out that Aqua medic Turboflotor are suposed to be awesome skimmers... and I managed to find one on ebay for really cheap (around 200$can shipping included)... it's a Turboflotor Multi SL (rated 120-250 g) so... it would be much much much better than the seaclone I was looking. Plus, it can go Insump, External, or HOB.... (why the Multi in the name). Still, it's not bought yet... just hope gf will accept that I spend 200$ on that... lol... only thing is that at this price, it doesn't come with the pump/powerhead... so I might try to get my hand on an ocean runner pump later... but they are pricy :S

oh and, I bought my refractometer today... gonna cost me 25$can (ship included)... which is pretty decent for a Salinity Refractometer 0-10%, ATC ^_^

Things are going well !

[Azear]

Soooo, bit of update here...

First, I should receive my skimmer today (YaY !... tho UPS is really bad on custom's fee... gonna cost me 40$ more... Gnaa!)... It's a Aquamedic Turboflotor Multi. It doesn't come with the OceanRunner2700 tho since it's the Stand-alone version but I couldn't afford the 100$ extra. I might try to find a used OR pump tho :) I've hear good comments on them.

Also, I might be getting a 33G already splitted for the sump. I'm buying it off a local guy for 20$ ^_^ heh what a deal ! Only thing is that I might modify it a bit to fit my wants... might add a bubble tower to it ^_^. oh and I'll probably receive the sump on June 14th.

what else ? still got outbid on refractometers... looks like it's not the right time to buy one :P

Oh and probably that next week-end, I'll manage to get my metal rack for the tank. a custom-made square-tubing rack. dunno the height yet but the sump must fit in and the skimmer too (minimum is 22" high... skimmer) but I want thinking of having the tank high enough to be able to look at it without bending. (mean I'll need a little step to clean the thing up).

hummm else? I'm trying to figure who do I know that could cut a few holes in my tank... and where to get the overflow box... but that's another story!...

btw, I'll post pictures of the turboflotor as soon as I'll get it :P

[spudbuds]

Sounds like you have a great start on equipment. Keep up the good work!

[Azear]

Sounds like you have a great start on equipment. Keep up the good work!
Yup bill, I'm starting to have piece of the tank a bit everywhere in the house now :P just hope to reach the moment where I pull everything together :D *Can't wait !


Got a few pics of the skimmer ! I should have posted them before but had some issues with old (insert bad word here) computer...

Oh and yeah... this thing is pretty tall ! with the skimmate container, it's suposed to be 22" high... but I'd say looks more like 24"..

[spudbuds]

That skimmer cup looks huge! I bet you can't wait until you can gag on the smell of skimmate. :sbiggrin:

[Azear]

That skimmer cup looks huge! I bet you can't wait until you can gag on the smell of skimmate. :sbiggrin:

Yup, it's huge (about 5" high) but i'm planning to add a waste collector module... tho not sure how I'll do it tho. but that's on the "next plans"... I want to get the tank setup before doing any DIY mods on it.

Also, a tiny update, I'm going to get my hand on some base rock in no long (~3$ / lbs)... I was planning to get 70% base, 30% live. Oh and... for base rock, there's no problem if I keep it dry until I have the tank set up ?

[Halelorf]

Perfectly fine to leave the base rock dry, there will be very little or no life on it. Your live rock don't let dry out keep it moist as possible transporting and get it into your tank as soon as possible from purchase.

[squirt_12]

The sad part of looking at the skimmer as it is now....knowing that this is the only time it is going to be that clean. lol.

Sounds like you are coming along very nice will all the supplies. Best of luck!

[Azear]

Perfectly fine to leave the base rock dry, there will be very little or no life on it. Your live rock don't let dry out keep it moist as possible transporting and get it into your tank as soon as possible from purchase.

Thanks, I was not thinking of letting any live rock dry out, no worry on that. but, how could there be a little bit of life on a dry rock ? just curious... o_O ?



The sad part of looking at the skimmer as it is now....knowing that this is the only time it is going to be that clean. lol.

Sounds like you are coming along very nice will all the supplies. Best of luck!

Yeah, but I don't mind much if it get dirty... That's the point of having a skimmer... the dirtier it is... the cleaner your water is ^_^ no ? and yeah, parts are starting to gather ... should have everything ready to put water in about... 1-2 more months... all that waiting is killing me... can't wait to get some rocks in the tank... :S


Oh also, I went to the LFS where I bought my tank and asked if I could drill the bottom of the tank (I asked at first time if it was drill-able... but didn't specified the bottom... cauz I heard that some tank have tempered glass bottom...

Also, I was wondering, I'm about to get my stand designed and I was wondering... would the bottom glass of a regular tank would hold 70g + ~100 pounds of LR + 50 pound of sand + extra ? or I should manage to get some extra support on the bottom glass ? I'll attach an image of what I mean. Either use the solution 1 (refer to image) that is flat and the rim rest on some flat metal square-tube. or I should go with solution 2 (refer to image) and manage to get the rim AND the bottom glass to rest on some metal square-tube ?

oh and, so far, I'm not sure of the size of the glass used. I'll probably check tonight.

Thanks guys ! you're really helpful here !

[Azear]

Ok, I did my homework. I managed to find out that with a rim, the bottom glass is all supported by this rim so no need of a riser or anything like that. Pfffieeww...

I should order my rack this week-end also but I'm trying to finish the details of it first. I really wish I could install a RDSB on top of the sump but it'll be a bit too tight... and I can't afford an extra piece of furniture right aside of the tank. or well, could I install a small DSP unit ? like a 12" x 18" x 7" size ? I read that I would need 3-4" of sand minimum for a DSP so i would have 3"-4" of water... is that enough ? because I could probably fit it up of the refugium but this remote tank require lighting too huh ? so it might be problematic. anyways, let me know what you guys think.

also, anybody got feedback on the turboflotor 1000 ? I've read it a good skimmer but I was wondering if any of you had experience with them.

[Azear]

nobody have experience with RDSB ? :S or even the turboflotor ?

also, any comment on a Titan 300w heater ? I'm about to get one used... but prefer to ask before.

[Azear]

no answer ? it's ok... :)

I got my sump yesterday. here's a few pics

btw, I bought it used for a few bucks and it had everything done in it. dimensions are great and my skimmer will fit perfect in it ! yay!

As you can see in pics, it's a 36" wide, 12" deep and probably 20" high. it'll fit perfectly into the stand bottom part ^_^... well, sliding from the side heh.

[Goshawk]

HOLY MOLY!!! That's a tall display tank. Better get a step ladder.

As for the sump, What's going in each chamber? Too me it looks like starting from the left skimmer. refug, then return pump, or refug, skimmer, return pump.

[kaybee]

Very interesting thread!


...for TDS meter, should I get one that hook up to my RO system? or a pen-type that I just put into the water ? any advices/hints/tips/experiences ? Because both run around the same price (30-40$ + shipping) and I wasn't sure which one to get... (and obviously I don't want to buy one and then realize I need the other one instead....

You had asked this a while ago, what TDS meter-type did you get (or is it still on the list of things to get)?

From what I've seen the inline TDS meters are more convenient.

I personally use one of the hand-held meters (which allows me to measure the TDS of the tap water and water after the RO membrane (which will give me indication as to when the RO membrane requires replacement) as well as the TDS of the water as it completes the final DI stage.

Multiple dual inline TDS meters can do the same function (provide TDS readings for all three stages of water filtration. For example, I've seen two inline meters used on a RO/DI system, with 1st probe before the RO membrane, 2nd probe after the membrane, 3rd probe after the 1st DI stage, and 4th probe after the final DI stage.

[cocoa_pleco]

looks good!

ive got a 250w Titan heater in my 90g thats about 5 years old, keeps the tank at a steady 84f

[Azear]

HOLY MOLY!!! That's a tall display tank. Better get a step ladder.
Yup, I'm planning to have one ! As I was thinking, the stand will be 36" high, and the display tank is 27" high, so... Even if I had long long arms & was very tall, it's still a high thing so, I'll just use a step ^_^


As for the sump, What's going in each chamber? Too me it looks like starting from the left skimmer. refug, then return pump, or refug, skimmer, return pump.
I was planning (from left to right) the following: Refugium, skimmer/other equip then Return pump.


You had asked this a while ago, what TDS meter-type did you get (or is it still on the list of things to get)?
Still on the list of things to buy... sadly, money ain't growing off on tree (I'd have a few thousands of theses if they would.... lol). :)


Multiple dual inline TDS meters can do the same function (provide TDS readings for all three stages of water filtration. For example, I've seen two inline meters used on a RO/DI system, with 1st probe before the RO membrane, 2nd probe after the membrane, 3rd probe after the 1st DI stage, and 4th probe after the final DI stage.
Yeah, I might get 2 meters and do as you said. So I'll know how each phases are performing :D Thanks for the hint!


ive got a 250w Titan heater in my 90g thats about 5 years old, keeps the tank at a steady 84f
I've emailed that guy for the 300w heater. Hope I'll have good news on it ! he's been selling it for a while and it's pretty cheap price... 25$can for a 300w. I've seen 300w for 60$ and up so... :) I just hope.

Oh and, I'm starting to have a look at some base rocks to buy them progressively... There's a place not so local that sell them for 3$/pound... thought I could get a few pounds once in a while till I get ~ 50 pounds of base. and I'll get another 50 pounds of live rocks... 50/50 should be good enough to have plenty of hick hikers & a good start for cycling ! :D

[Azear]

YaY ! update !

yesterday I met a local reefer to buy off his hand a used Titan 300w heater. at a pretty cheap price also ^_^. The guy said it's working perfect Tho haven't tried it yet (he said to contact him in case it's having some kind of problem and he'll probably give me back my $... but I doubt there'll be any).

Also, while I was there, I had hear from this guy that he had a *broken* coralife 24" 2x T5 fluo. light fixture for sale for 10$... So I asked to see it if it wasn't sold already... Wise choice of meh on this one... the guys shown me the problem... to start the lights, you have to gently hit the fixture & one bulb is dead. He told me it was the ballast who was defect but... I also read that the problem i'm facing is probably due to a simple need of bulb changes. and for 10$, i'm dead laughing.

But still, I got a question for you guys. I want to confirm that it could be only the bulbs that need to be replaced? or it's really the ballast that is dieing slowly ? Thanks for any advices on this one.

Oh and, here's a pic of the few goodies ! *Oh and I got my hand on 2 more T12 20w Gro-lux for my 50g ... pictured at the same time but that's another story...*

[Azear]

More update ! I got my fluorescent lamp for my tank ! well, a temporary solution I guess until I can afford a MH on the tank.

It's a barely used 36" Finnex 4x 39w T5HO fixture. I got it for a very good price considering that the 2 daylight bulbs are almost new (less than 6 months installed) and there's 1 "Giesmann" Actinic bulb that might need to be changed within the next year. Only thing ? there's an Actinic bulb missing but I don't care. I got it for 150$... and the fixture (not including the bulbs) worth 400$. And, that Giesmann bulb worth something like 75$... so, I'm pretty happy bout it. I tried it and it power up very fine. Only the fan might need a tiny cleaning.

Oh and I added 2 pics of it. First is the bulbs, and the second one is when I tried it on my sump... (this is very temporary... :P since the Sump is jacked up on the display tank... lol) . So now, only Big part left is to get the stand...

Oh and I'm going to get my tank drilled by that guy that own a Local reef store "not-so-nearby"... he's charging 30$ and he guaranty his work. He'll also make my overflow box that I'll need (all the kit together might result in a 150-200$ ;) but it'll be pro-made :) ).... I simply can't wait to put water in that tank.... :D

[spudbuds]

Coming right along now. Congrats on the new stuff and good plan on getting the tank drilled.

- Bill

[Azear]

Yeah long time no update.

Well, so far, I didn't got alot of improvement on the tank building but there a reason... *had to build a new PC... and you all know how costly it is to build a gaming computer...* so, probably that in a few weeks I'll be starting back again to accumulate parts for the setup.

Also, I got a very generous Offer from NanoTankGuy. He, without a warning, sent me a message asking if I was interested in a SW PH test kit. And he sent it and I received it the next day. Once again (I think I've said it like 1/2 a dozen time in the mails), Thanks a million NanoTankGuy !

Oh, well, actually, there's one new thing... I got my 2x t5 replacement bulb for the small fixture :P instead of paying 40-50$ like the local reef store owner told me, I ended up paying 15$ each... at big al's... Gotta LOVE big al's :P

So, that's it. I will post any news as they come in... but don't expect anything before a few more days...

[cocoa_pleco]

lol, he offered me the test kit but i have so many that i told him you could probably use it since youre starting a tank and live fairly close to him