Bloke's 90g Build Thread
- Thread starter Bloke
- Start date
Everything is starting to arrive. I recieved the three fans Friday, my T5 retrofits will be here Tuesday. The only thing left to grab is a heater, a few Koralias, and a 700+ gph pump for the skimmer.
I finished the last coat of varnish on the stand & canopy today. I will start to bring the pieces into the house and position them in a few days after I caulk them. I need to paint the back of the tank with the Krylon Fusion and get to plumbing things.
Things are progressing swimmingly.
I finished the last coat of varnish on the stand & canopy today. I will start to bring the pieces into the house and position them in a few days after I caulk them. I need to paint the back of the tank with the Krylon Fusion and get to plumbing things.
Things are progressing swimmingly.
Here is a picture of everything together. I painted the back of the tank with black Krylon Fusion spraypaint.
Also, notice the height - from the floor to the top of the canopy it's right at 72.5" or basically 6'. And being only 5'10", I will finally have a tank that I can view while standing, instead of assuming the umpiring position.
Also, notice the height - from the floor to the top of the canopy it's right at 72.5" or basically 6'. And being only 5'10", I will finally have a tank that I can view while standing, instead of assuming the umpiring position.
I got a lot of work done today, so here goes...
I got everything plumbed and filled the tank and sump with hose water. I started everything up and watched to see if there were any problems:
Once everything was good to go, I drained the 90g (this tank and stand were still in the garage, and began to take down the 55g in the family room. I started by removing the rock and then the fish and finally drained the water. I used the sand from this tank to fill the fuge of the new sump. Once it was finally taken down, I moved it out and brought the new stuff into the house.
I began by getting the sump filled with the sand and Fiji Mud from the 55g and slide it into place. I also glued all the PVC to finalize all the plumbing. The mud sure does make the water look healthy!
While I will probably use a little bit of the water from the 55g, but I made sure that I started to mix up saltwater a week ago making ready for this transition! Always plan ahead.
Here is the little princess modeling for her application for Future Reefkeeper of America!
I got everything plumbed and filled the tank and sump with hose water. I started everything up and watched to see if there were any problems:
Once everything was good to go, I drained the 90g (this tank and stand were still in the garage, and began to take down the 55g in the family room. I started by removing the rock and then the fish and finally drained the water. I used the sand from this tank to fill the fuge of the new sump. Once it was finally taken down, I moved it out and brought the new stuff into the house.
I began by getting the sump filled with the sand and Fiji Mud from the 55g and slide it into place. I also glued all the PVC to finalize all the plumbing. The mud sure does make the water look healthy!
While I will probably use a little bit of the water from the 55g, but I made sure that I started to mix up saltwater a week ago making ready for this transition! Always plan ahead.
Here is the little princess modeling for her application for Future Reefkeeper of America!
I cut a piece of eggcrate to fit the bottom of the tank and began to fill it up. I am using Aragonite Special Grade for the substrate and will end up using about 80lbs. The DSB will be in the fuge and not in the tank, but I will add another 40lbs after the rock is in place.
The last thing I got done this evening is the line for the auto top-off. I drilled a small (1/4") hole in the baseboard and ran the line from the basement (where those trashcans full of water were) to the new tank and connected it to the float valve.
Tomorrow I hope to start the aquascaping, will connect the Coralife Turbo Twist UV after I get some 5/8" vinyl hose, and will pick up another 40lbs bag of aragonite. Whew... I'm tired. Oh, btw, the fish were moved to a precycled 29g tank where the Desjardin's Tang and True Percula Clowns have been. Hopefully I can get some of them into the tank by Saturday.
The last thing I got done this evening is the line for the auto top-off. I drilled a small (1/4") hole in the baseboard and ran the line from the basement (where those trashcans full of water were) to the new tank and connected it to the float valve.
Tomorrow I hope to start the aquascaping, will connect the Coralife Turbo Twist UV after I get some 5/8" vinyl hose, and will pick up another 40lbs bag of aragonite. Whew... I'm tired. Oh, btw, the fish were moved to a precycled 29g tank where the Desjardin's Tang and True Percula Clowns have been. Hopefully I can get some of them into the tank by Saturday.
Well, I did not get as much accomplished today, but I did manage to fine tune a few things.
On the return line, I did not like the hole drilled in the 1" to 3/4" reducing elbow, so I replaced it. It was spraying water through that hole into the tank and making a lot of noise. I know the hole is drilled in the elbow to act as a back syphon, but the sump I am using was originally used on a 150g tank and even if the 90g does back syphon to the bottom of the locline, there will still be plenty of room in the sump in the event of a power outage. Oh, I also bought some new locline and swapped out the fan nozzels for straight nozzels. No pics.
Second, I bought some 5/8" vinyl hose and plumbed in the UV. I bought a Coralife 9w Turbo Twist. I can only guess, but I am running around 200-250gph through it.
Lastly, I managed to get 125lbs of rock into the tank. Don't mind the lights - that's 300w and will be replaced with the retrofits mounted into the canopy, but as you can see (barely) this round of aquascaping is done.
I have no doubts the look will change as I can see more clearly what is in there. I am not extremely fond of what I see right now, but you can only do so much with round Fiji rock. In any event, as the tank begins to clear I will continue to shift and shuffle the rock to get something a little more appealing. Oh - the MaxiJets are coming out too. They are there for circulation right now. I will be using two Koralia #3 pumps (850gph each).
I did manage to check the water and everything looks good. Every bit of the rock that went into the tank was cured and 75lbs of it came from the 55g, therefore, along with the sand and mud from the 55g, I hope to not have much of a cycle. I will add the fish slowly beginning tomorrow (maybe) and will use Seachem's Stability as I add new fish.
On the return line, I did not like the hole drilled in the 1" to 3/4" reducing elbow, so I replaced it. It was spraying water through that hole into the tank and making a lot of noise. I know the hole is drilled in the elbow to act as a back syphon, but the sump I am using was originally used on a 150g tank and even if the 90g does back syphon to the bottom of the locline, there will still be plenty of room in the sump in the event of a power outage. Oh, I also bought some new locline and swapped out the fan nozzels for straight nozzels. No pics.
Second, I bought some 5/8" vinyl hose and plumbed in the UV. I bought a Coralife 9w Turbo Twist. I can only guess, but I am running around 200-250gph through it.
Lastly, I managed to get 125lbs of rock into the tank. Don't mind the lights - that's 300w and will be replaced with the retrofits mounted into the canopy, but as you can see (barely) this round of aquascaping is done.
I have no doubts the look will change as I can see more clearly what is in there. I am not extremely fond of what I see right now, but you can only do so much with round Fiji rock. In any event, as the tank begins to clear I will continue to shift and shuffle the rock to get something a little more appealing. Oh - the MaxiJets are coming out too. They are there for circulation right now. I will be using two Koralia #3 pumps (850gph each).
I did manage to check the water and everything looks good. Every bit of the rock that went into the tank was cured and 75lbs of it came from the 55g, therefore, along with the sand and mud from the 55g, I hope to not have much of a cycle. I will add the fish slowly beginning tomorrow (maybe) and will use Seachem's Stability as I add new fish.
Well, I am not thrilled about the aquascaping, but I moved a few things around and tried to get things looking as natural as possible. It has always been my opinion that if you stack too much, it gives it less of a "natural" look and that is not my goal. For example, the top left of the rocks is BUGGING me! 
However, like I mentioned earlier, it is sometimes difficult to get something natural when all the rocks are round...
Anyway, here is Aquascaping Round 2. Rather than build a rock wall in the back like others seem to do, I tried to build depth to the rock. I like it to come towards the glass as well as have caves. Of course, when things get purple it always looks so much better
Any ideas or suggestions are definitely appreciated!
However, like I mentioned earlier, it is sometimes difficult to get something natural when all the rocks are round...Anyway, here is Aquascaping Round 2. Rather than build a rock wall in the back like others seem to do, I tried to build depth to the rock. I like it to come towards the glass as well as have caves. Of course, when things get purple it always looks so much better
Any ideas or suggestions are definitely appreciated!
Well, today was dedicated to getting the lighting installed into the canopy. Again, I was planning for 4x54w Actinic T5 to supplement 2x250w 10k MH along with three 3" Sunon fans to keep things cool.
DNGSPOT offered his help and even though we started late, ate a liesurely lunch, made a trip to Lowe's and two trips to Home Depot, we managed to get everything working.
Here is a shot of the project once completed:
DNGSPOT offered his help and even though we started late, ate a liesurely lunch, made a trip to Lowe's and two trips to Home Depot, we managed to get everything working.
Here is a shot of the project once completed:
Also today, I managed to quiet EVERYTHING down quite a bit. The return line was burping and about every 15 seconds a large bubble would come out of the drain line making a loud... well, bubble sound. Anyway, while at Lowe's on one of the trips, I picked up several PVC reducers to get the noises stopped.
The drain line is 1.5" PVC and here are three reducers getting it down to 1". It's pretty cool in that it creates a funnel and the water sort of spirals out of it.
The drain line is 1.5" PVC and here are three reducers getting it down to 1". It's pretty cool in that it creates a funnel and the water sort of spirals out of it.
Overall, except putting the side paneling back on, the project is done!
I have fish and a few corals to put in over the course of the next few weeks, but now I can sit back and look at the tank and enjoy the hours of my labor. Of course, there will always be another project, but now this thread and change from "build" to "progress." YEAH!
Here's a shot - lights on and plumbing running! It's amazing how the water clears up in a day or two!
And here is a shot of the first occupant. I have been checking my water over the last few days to make sure my pH and dKH were right as well as reverifying my gravity, etc. Things looks great and again I don't expect much of a cycle, but I'll watch it. (Also, king oz, since you were so critical of my last picture, I tried to get EVERYTHING in focus this time.) This Desjardin's Tang has been setting in QT for about 2 weeks.
Here he is making a pit stop to the Cleaner Shrimp:
I have fish and a few corals to put in over the course of the next few weeks, but now I can sit back and look at the tank and enjoy the hours of my labor. Of course, there will always be another project, but now this thread and change from "build" to "progress." YEAH!
Here's a shot - lights on and plumbing running! It's amazing how the water clears up in a day or two!
And here is a shot of the first occupant. I have been checking my water over the last few days to make sure my pH and dKH were right as well as reverifying my gravity, etc. Things looks great and again I don't expect much of a cycle, but I'll watch it. (Also, king oz, since you were so critical of my last picture, I tried to get EVERYTHING in focus this time.
) This Desjardin's Tang has been setting in QT for about 2 weeks.
Here he is making a pit stop to the Cleaner Shrimp:
Thanks man! It's definitely been a job - but it feels good as it all comes together. And you should DEFINITELY try to build your own stand. For the money you pay for a Perfecto, AGA, etc. stand, you could make something far better with better woods and much more stable.
I, personally, will never buy another stand. For the wood, the stain, the varnish, and the hardware, I might have $250 in this stand including the canopy. There is no way you could buy something like this for 4 times that amount. Think about it!
And you should DEFINITELY try to build your own stand. For the money you pay for a Perfecto, AGA, etc. stand, you could make something far better with better woods and much more stable.I, personally, will never buy another stand. For the wood, the stain, the varnish, and the hardware, I might have $250 in this stand including the canopy. There is no way you could buy something like this for 4 times that amount. Think about it!
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$200 for the canopy?!
I remember walking into the LFS and looking at a 90g tank. They had the cheap little Perfecto canopy on it with a sign saying "Add the Cap for $175."
I built this canopy out of scrap pieces left over from the stand. Well, I am by no means a carpenter, but there are plenty of people who would be willing to share plans/ideas when you're ready. Let me know if I can help.
I remember walking into the LFS and looking at a 90g tank. They had the cheap little Perfecto canopy on it with a sign saying "Add the Cap for $175."
I built this canopy out of scrap pieces left over from the stand. Well, I am by no means a carpenter, but there are plenty of people who would be willing to share plans/ideas when you're ready. Let me know if I can help.
By the way, my lights have been on since 12:00 and it's about 3:00. I put my hand on top of the canopy and it wasn't very hot. In fact, it was about as warm as the back of your computer monitor. The fans I am using do a fantastic job of pushing air. I think these are fans I purchased: http://www.alliedelec.com/Search/Pr...1A-1123HST.GN&R=997-0190&sid=4699638039AEE17F. They are far better than the IceCap or Coralife fans sold by most aquaria vendors.
Look at the specs... Coralife Fans (3" push 31 CFM and the 4" push 67 CFM) Cubic Feet per Minute https://www.aquarium-supply.biz/ordering/lighting_fans.html. These Sunon fans push 105 CFM. They have a metal fan instead of plastic and they spin incredibly fast; so fast the finger guards are not a suggestion, but a requirement. If you get your finger cought in these fans, it might take it off! With three of them pushing air in, it keeps things fairly cool.
My temperature hasn't raised a degree in the three hours my lights have been on, but I'll watch it to see what happens.
Look at the specs... Coralife Fans (3" push 31 CFM and the 4" push 67 CFM) Cubic Feet per Minute https://www.aquarium-supply.biz/ordering/lighting_fans.html. These Sunon fans push 105 CFM. They have a metal fan instead of plastic and they spin incredibly fast; so fast the finger guards are not a suggestion, but a requirement. If you get your finger cought in these fans, it might take it off!
With three of them pushing air in, it keeps things fairly cool.My temperature hasn't raised a degree in the three hours my lights have been on, but I'll watch it to see what happens.
