75 Gallon Build

[TomNeely]

Well I set up my 75 to take place of my 20 gallon. All of my SPS and my clam died in the move so I am starting from scratch.

Here is some information on the tank.

75 Gallon Tank
20 Long sump/fuge
Coralife Super Skimmer 125
5100K bulb above the fuge
Maxi jet 1200 return pump
80 lbs Live Ocean Direct sand from Carib Sea INC
40+ lbs ECO ROX from Bulk Reef Supply
VorTech MP40w

**Lighting is changing but for now I have a 48" double strip N/O fixture and old light from my old 20 gallon (New Wave 24" t5 with two 6500K and two ATI Actinic Blue+) That is why half of the tank is brighter... **

 

[TomNeely]

MORE PICTURES

 

[o0xerog0o]

Cool, keep us updated. I'm going to start my 75 gallon very soon, so I'm interested in seeing how yours pans out.

 

[o0xerog0o]

And I just checked out your pics in the link, your 20 gallon was amazing... Very nice.

 

[TomNeely]

Thank you, it was a horrible loss but it can all be replaced....just will take time.

 

[raynist]

Hey Tom,

How do you like the Vortech? Has the software been updated to 2nd gen?

Did you buy the little frag rack or make it?

--Ray

 

[cloakerpoked]

Sorry to hear about your loss Tom. Was it temp or ammonia spikes or what? I've moved my reef tank twice now with little or no losses, but I know you were in the midst of moving houses or something too so maybe it was something else. Just curious so I can avoid any mistakes. Again sorry bout the loss, good luck in the new one.

 

[TomNeely]

Ray: I LOVE the Vortech!!! It is the 2nd generation. I make those frag racks using mag clips and eggcrate, they can hold a lot of weight.

cloacker: All were around 3”+ to the size of a softball placed on eggcrate in the container. I woke up and put them in the container around 8am with a heater, put them in my car around 11am went 20 minutes down the road to our new house and then brought them inside and placed a heater and pump in the water. I checked the water temp all day and then around 9pm I noticed they were white and the water was not clear anymore. It smelled really bad!

 

[TomNeely]

I have the Vortech on Reef Crest (yellow) 3/4 of the way and then it switches to night mode from 12am to 10am.

 

[TomNeely]

**pictures do not show it but I have sand in the fuge area of my sump.

 

[raynist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13819513#post13819513 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TomNeely
Ray: I LOVE the Vortech!!! It is the 2nd generation. I make those frag racks using mag clips and eggcrate, they can hold a lot of weight.

cloacker: All were around 3”+ to the size of a softball placed on eggcrate in the container. I woke up and put them in the container around 8am with a heater, put them in my car around 11am went 20 minutes down the road to our new house and then brought them inside and placed a heater and pump in the water. I checked the water temp all day and then around 9pm I noticed they were white and the water was not clear anymore. It smelled really bad!

Can you get a better picture of the magnets you are using for the frag racks?

 

[TomNeely]

Zoo Med MagClip® Magnetic Suction Cups

They are great! I can look I may have an unopened package...

 

[Aqua-World PITT]

I can't wait to see what it looks like when it's all full of coral again.

 

[TomNeely]

Well just tested my water using the API Reef Master Test Kit:

Calcium CA2- 420ppm
Carbonate Hardness KH- 12ppm
Phosphate PO- 0.0ppm
Nitrate NO3- looks to be between 0 and 5ppm

 

[TomNeely]

I am having tons of green film algae on my glass that I remove with my mag float...

I think this is normal in the cycling process...it has been a long time since I started a tank. My 20 gallon was almost 5 years old...

I use RO water with a TDS of 0 after the DI and 13 after the membrane.

 

[raynist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13860715#post13860715 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TomNeely
I am having tons of green film algae on my glass that I remove with my mag float...

I think this is normal in the cycling process...it has been a long time since I started a tank. My 20 gallon was almost 5 years old...

I use RO water with a TDS of 0 after the DI and 13 after the membrane.

Hey Tom,

I setup my 40g breeder a few months ago and battled this for awhile. It is just now starting to clear up. Just the normal cycle I believe.

--Ray

 

[TomNeely]

Thanks Ray, that is what I thought. It has been a long time since I have gone through this process...

 

[TomNeely]

I think I may have to upgrade the skimmer someday. the skim is very very very dry and foamy.....unless this is normal? (I did not have a skimmer in the early days of my 20 gallon)

 

[raynist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13882990#post13882990 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TomNeely
I think I may have to upgrade the skimmer someday. the skim is very very very dry and foamy.....unless this is normal? (I did not have a skimmer in the early days of my 20 gallon)

What are you using as a skimmer now?

 

[TomNeely]

Coralife Super Skimmer 125

lastnight I moved the water in the skimmer so I would get a "wet" skim and filled almost a 1/2 a gallon of NASTY, dark brown water.

Maybe it is normal to get a dry skim during the cycle process. Like I said I never had a skimmer on my 20 gallon until it was 3 years old and then I introduced coral...