75 gallon reef build
- Thread starter Nonameben
- Start date
Nonameben
New member
Yes, I got around to it late today! My dad's 54th birthday was today so I've been a little bit busy. However, once things settled down we worked on the plumbing togeter which was time well spent.
Replaced the flex tubing with pvc:
Glued those suckers together, smooth sailing start to finish
Finally went to the lfs and got my water and 80lbs live rock. Busy day for them, I got the last bit of their saltwater and actually have to go back tomorrow to get 10 more gallons for the sump. Ugh I was a little disappointed that I wouldn't be able to see my plumbing in action until the morning.
Get home and start the aquascaping....Why didn't anybody tell me this can be extremely frustrating? I still don't even think I have it in a way that I like it. I think I'm going to get some stuff to hold the rocks together like putty or something. I'd have one side finished and work on the other side and move a rock that would knock down the finished side. Well I finally get it in a way that I like (sure I'll change it tomorrow though) and add the sand. Now I'm just waiting for it to clear!
A little aggitated, but I still had fun. I'll try again in a little bit, post some pictures when it isn't cloudy and see what y'all think!
iwishtofish
Active member
I can't figure that out about the sticker. Mine just peeled off, I think...
I'd avoid using a metal razor blade. One slip and that's a scratch, IMO. How about a product such as:
http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1443572
I'd avoid using a metal razor blade. One slip and that's a scratch, IMO. How about a product such as:
http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1443572
Nonameben
New member
See I thought mine would too, but nope. That thing is determined to be a pita. That's exactly what I need, what would I do without you Fish? Thank you!
jayjigga
Active member
I can imagine it'd come right off with a razor blade as long as you use it with Windex. A little trick my boss showed me to remove the city stickers we buy every yr. Just spray a buch of Windex and the blade just eats away at the adhesive. Keep the blade flat, and you have nothing to worry about. Just another alternative to buying more crap
wrxreefer823
New member
Woah! Love rock work! Great work 
Nonameben
New member
Woah! Love rock work! Great work
First, I'd like to say that it's really funny that I go to check "MY RC" and you have commented on my build thread because I literally just got done reading through yours! Hahaha!
Second, thank you so much! It took forever putting those rocks into the right places, some would keep falling. Ugh it was a pain for a while but now I'm very satisfied! Just waiting on my cycle to start and finish!
Nonameben
New member
Thanks man!
wrxreefer823
New member
Lol I know what you mean. I often get confused between your thread and mine when I check My RC because we have the same title. It's even worse when I get emails with responses to yours and think to myself, "I don't remember writing that!" I've actually been following your thread for a while. I like to see how others are doing their 75 gallon tanks.
Rockwork seems to be the hardest thing for me to do nicely... I definitely have to thank my girlfriend for that one. She more or less aquascaped my tank blindly since the tank was cloudy because it was all transfered over from my 56 gallon column. My tank was literally bought and set up in a matter of 4 hours. It was a bit stressful!
Nonameben
New member
Haha seriously, I have to double check and make sure which 75 gallon reef build I'm writing on! Well I'm glad you have been following along! Unlike your 4 hour build, mine has taken a few months! But I'm finally getting there, just started the cycle today. 2-3 weeks and it should be good? That's what I'm thinking atleast.
My girlfriend wasn't as hands on as yours, but she did give some tips and a few "interior design" lessons. Then she was asking how long until she can pick out a fish haha.
wrxreefer823
New member
Lol, Gotta love girlfriends... wondering when they can pick out fish. Fortunately mine has been in the pet business for 10+ years so she knows the in's and out's and knows that this hobby CANNOT be rushed!
Even though my build was only 4 hours, it did have a cycle of brown algea for a bit... I wasn't sure if it was going to happen since all my rock and livestock was coming from my old tank, but it still happened.
Nonameben
New member
Haha, lucky for you! We are equally new to this, and as soon as I find new things out I have to explain them to her because she wants to be able to care for the tank as well.
Brown algae doesn't sound fun, how did you get rid of it? I just got the rock yesterday, 80lbs liverock from the LFS. Only hitch hiker I've seen is the possible zoa/aptasia on my cliff :worried:
wrxreefer823
New member
Well, first off, don't be suprised if your zoa (if it's a zoa) dies off during the cycle. If it's the latter, well they would probably live through, but nothing a cleaning crew wouldn't be able to take care of. The cyano (brown algae as I call it) bloom is just something that happens during the cycle. It will spike up around the first week, and a few days later it will go away almost as fast as it appears. I went out to get a decent group of crabs and snails, and they got right to work! Nothing to worry about.
I've been in this hobby for 4 or 5 years now, but about 2 of those years were spent without a tank, so I'm still a bit rusty yet. It definitely helps having this site as an excellent resource of (mostly) friendly information, as well as friends (and in my case a girlfriend) who have been in the hobby for numerous years. One of the things I have learned is to be patient, and keep an open mind to what people have to say. I'm sure you've heard it before, but things will certainly not happen over night in this hobby, but patience, common sense, and research can certainly go a LONG way!
I've been in this hobby for 4 or 5 years now, but about 2 of those years were spent without a tank, so I'm still a bit rusty yet. It definitely helps having this site as an excellent resource of (mostly) friendly information, as well as friends (and in my case a girlfriend) who have been in the hobby for numerous years. One of the things I have learned is to be patient, and keep an open mind to what people have to say. I'm sure you've heard it before, but things will certainly not happen over night in this hobby, but patience, common sense, and research can certainly go a LONG way!
Nonameben
New member
I was kind of hoping if it was a zoa that it might pull through. Wishful thinking, I know. Good to know that a CUC will take care of it if it turns out to be bad! I've got to get a scarlet red hermit (girlfriend's request) before anything else!
Wow, that's a decent amount of time. I'm sure you've gathered a lot of information and gotten some great experience along the way. I started actively reading this site when I first started my research. Bought a book, and read a whole lot. There is still so much information out there though! For example, I'm not sure how to dose for calcium and alk, but I've been doing my reading on it. I love this site. It's literally one big aquarium book with instant feedback when you have aquestion.
Oh yes, I've heard and read about patience numerous times. It's funny though, I saved my money and spent it patiently. Budgeted pretty well too. But now that I've got everything really started, I just want to jump right in to it! But I know i've got to wait, in the end it will be worth it!
wrxreefer823
New member
Keep an optomistic outlook in the hobby. If it looks like a so, "flows" like a zoa, it probably is
In all seriousness though, it definitely looks like a zoa or some type of polyp. I love my scarlet hermit crabs. Cheap and colorful. I also like the blue legged. Personally I like a 50/50 mix of the two.Yes this site definitely is one giant book on aquarium keeping. There is some misinformation here, but for the most part, people have no problem calling said misinfromation out and correcting it on the spot. I blame my entry into this hobby on Finding Nemo. It was always one of my favorite movies. Well it was about time for my birthday, and I was adamant on getting a clownfish. Just a clownfish. Well a quick call to a LFS and I learned that keeping just a clownfish was not so simply done! The conversation between myself and the manager when I visited the store left me a bit discouraged as I didn't realize how much was involved with the start up equipment. But a few hundred dollars later, I had my 29 gallon, live rock, sand, HOB skimmer, and a handful lof mistakes
I'll be the first to admit that the 29 gallon was an absolute nightmare... In my mind I thought 29 gallons was big! Needless to say, it's been a long journey since then
Nonameben
New member
Keep an optomistic outlook in the hobby. If it looks like a so, "flows" like a zoa, it probably is
Yes this site definitely is one giant book on aquarium keeping. There is some misinformation here, but for the most part, people have no problem calling said misinfromation out and correcting it on the spot. I blame my entry into this hobby on Finding Nemo. It was always one of my favorite movies. Well it was about time for my birthday, and I was adamant on getting a clownfish. Just a clownfish. Well a quick call to a LFS and I learned that keeping just a clownfish was not so simply done! The conversation between myself and the manager when I visited the store left me a bit discouraged as I didn't realize how much was involved with the start up equipment. But a few hundred dollars later, I had my 29 gallon, live rock, sand, HOB skimmer, and a handful lof mistakes
Optimistic outlook noted
I'm really hoping it is, and I was so excited when it came out of the rock! When we went to the LFS, Alex saw a scarlet upside down. She watched him for about ten minutes until I finally came over and asked what she was doing. "Ben, he can't roll himself over! What if he dies?!" The worry in her voice was absolutely adorable. Long story short, we had to stay there until the little guy rolled himself over and Alex was sure the hermit would live.Hahaha, whenever I describe the types of fish I'll be getting in my tak, I use finding nemo as an example. "You know the yellow fish that was obsessed with bubbles? Thats a Tang, I'll be getting on of those"
The reason I went with the 75 was because of water volume. This being my first tank and all, I didn't want to make a mistake that couldn't be corrected quickly. I almost went sumpless, which now that I've learned a bit more would have been a huge mistake. I'll be adding a HOB refugium soon, but I'm not real sure about a few things. I know it can grow macro algae and pods and such, but how do I get those into my DT? So much to learn!!!!
