New 90 Gallon HELP.....

Kalied20

Kalied20

New member
OK.....I did it today! I bought a 90 Gallon that is pre-drilled for reef with a nice cherry stand and canopy. Now the help I need is what all else will I need to run a complete reef system. I did buy the plumbing package too. Think about it this way: I have had two NANO's this past year but I have not setup a large tank and have no idea about what is needed and how it all runs and works together. It is on layaway and will have it all in about 6 weeks.

I know that I will be running MH lights with 50/50 PC's too. But how much and what kind will fit under a canopy? The tank is the standard glass 90 gallon and the base and canopy is the one at Critter on the right as you walk in to the front desk.

ANY and all help welcome....plus when I get everything together anyone wanting to come and help setup will be treated to a little dinner and beer. Maybe make it a meeting at my house in December / January to put it together????

Robert & Lupe

PS: My email is kalied201@comcast.net you can add it to the MTRC site.
 
The most important factor in deciding what equipment you want is deciding what types of corals and fish are you going to keep in it. After you decide that.......
For the big ticket items:
What Kelvin halides do you want to run? DE or SE? I would definately suggest VHO atinics over PC's if you run a lower kelvin bulb and need/want supplimentation. If you keep the PC's I would use atinics not 50/50's.
What type of skimmer do you want? Needlewheel or beckett?
Do you want a submersable or external return pump?
Do you want to do a closed loop or do you want to use powerheads.
FWIW typically when I am planning a tank I spend A LOT of time in the equipment forum. Mostly good info there but keep in mind people usually suggest what they have or want so you really have to make up your mind:)
hth, Chris

Edit: I allmost forgot..how much do you want to spend?
 
Last edited:
OK..Here's my best bet for stocking. I am going to take most of the Fish out of my Nano's.

2 - false perc's
1 - Japanese Swallowtail Angel
1 - Golden Headed Sleeper Goby
1 - Hippo Tang
3 - Green Chromis
1 - Coral Banded Shimp
1 - Cleaner Shrimp (if compatible)
I bought a Rainford Goby today but not sure if I am going to put him in the big tank for a while. He is happy in the 20 gallon.

I do want to add either one more tang, a larger wrasse and a set of Anthias.

Corals:
I am transferring most of my softies to the bigger tank along with a couple of small blastos, and I have an orange and green monti cap. I will want to add some SPS's later.

Lights:
I want to stick with 14K Mh halides. I was thinking a long strip with maybe three 150's or two 250's. The T5's I don't know much about.....will research that one.

Plumbing:
This is where I need the most help. I don't understand much about the differences in systems. I do know that I want to have a SUMP with all the equipment under the tank in the stand. The tank I ordered is predrilled and reef ready with a corner overflow.

Money to spend....about 1500 on setup.....700 already spent on 90 gallon glass tank reef ready, very nice Hardwood Stand and Canopy, and a plumbing kit.
 
Re: New 90 Gallon HELP.....

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8233710#post8233710 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Kalied20


ANY and all help welcome....plus when I get everything together anyone wanting to come and help setup will be treated to a little dinner and beer.

Click to expand...

i like both of those. You have a pm sir.
 
A sumpless system with routine water changes is extremely easy to set up with minimal money compared to a sump based system imo. IMO it's like a large nano, as oxymoronish as that sounds. You can focus on water changes exclusively for your water quality control, with the amount of time spent for the changes at the very least equal to or less than the time you will spend cleaning your skimmer so it works properly (believe me, you will clean. Ever break down an mr-2 from your sump, plumbing and all, clean properly, and then replace? Fun fun.) and upkeep of the sump/overflow components, not to mention the collateral benefits of the water changes lessening your need for additives. Everyone has an opinion, but a sumpless based system has freed me from so much maintenance i will never go back.
 
Last edited:
I definitely agree with fishdoc about replacing the PC's with either VHO's or T5's. The super actinic bulbs for those types of lighting kick the pants off of PC's for getting some really nice blue in the tank and making the corals pop. I just switched from PC's to a VHO/Actinic combo a few months ago and couldn't be more happy. I also agree that there's probably not a very good reason to use lower kelvin bulbs if you've got the halides (i.e., no need for 50/50's), just supplement with high K bulbs.

I've been told that generally a coral banded shrimp is not to be placed with other shrimp or another coral banded shrimp (unless they are a mated pair). This probably depends on how aggressive your coral banded shrimp is (and you might get away with it), but I'd hate to risk a cleaner shrimp to find out. I have a coral banded in one of my tanks and would like to add a peppermint or two to control a few aptasia (literally two, but I don't want them to become a problem) I have in there. Peppermints are a dime a dozen compared to cleaners, but I still hate the idea of possibly sending one of the little guys to their death.

As far as the sump, I don't have a whole lot of experience, but here is one place where I think it is safe to say that bigger is better.

I would add an auto-topoff to your list of equipment (or for very near future purchase). It isn't absolutely essential, but moving from a nano to a 90 (especially with a sump) you are going to be surprised (terrified?) by the amount of water you are going to lose to evaporation. I lose at least 15 gallons/week and without daily replacement, that can make a big difference in your sump levels and salt concentration. The auto-topoff has been my most worthwhile non-essential investment in terms of saving me time, hassle, and actually helping to stablilize the tank.

Finally, I think that the sand sifting gobies (including the gold head) are really cool and fun fish, but here are a few things to think about before you get one (I'm not talking you out of it, but this is just my experience). 1) You need to have a pretty deep sandbed for the critters that they eat to grow in. 2) They then eat the critters that grow there. These critters help aerate the sandbed and help to otherwise "make it work" in the way that a sandbed is supposed to. 3) They carry sand all around the tank. This includes often dumping sand on the corals that are low in the tank or the ones sitting on the sandbed. They are fun to watch and definitely do a good job of "turning" the sand bed, but they are eating things while they do it. Anyway, talk to others and come to your own conclusion about it. I prefer (and the corals that are low in my tank) a couple of sand sifting cucumbers for moving sand and eating detritus (although people have their opinions about them as well).

Sorry about the book. Just because I can type pretty quick I think I often forget how much I'm writing.
 
I have not been in this hobby for a long time, but I do prefer a sump. Setting up a sumpless system is simpler by an order of magnitude than setting up a system with a sump, but once set up it is actually easier for me to maintain than I think it would be without a sump. Water changes, for instance, are a breeze with my sump, and would be harder without. Some other benefits of a sump are that it provides a place to keep things out of the display (like the heater, bags of carbon, skimmer), and a place to top off with kalk that keeps the main display params much more stable than if I added things directly to the display. The drawbacks are more complex setup, and it is yet something else that can break. For example if my return pump goes south at the wrong time, I'd have trouble keeping the tank warm (no heaters in the main tank). So there are pros and cons each way.
 
I didn't chime in on the sump argument because the tank already has an overflow (so I assume you guys are planning a sump). I'd agree with Jack on almost all accounts. I moved up from a 60 to a 90 more because I wanted the benefits of a sump than because I needed the bigger tank. It's all opinion, and I'd agree with danieljames that I don't think it cuts down all that much on overall maintenance, but it definitely lets me put larger chunks of time between doing maintenance (which is the biggest benefit to me) and let's you keep a larger bio-load in a smaller display tank.
 
umm....Mr. Guinness and I seem to get a bit opinionated in the evening, don't we?. Excellent points for a sump. Either way, with $800 left, you should be able to get up and running decently. Chris' first line is right on.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8240219#post8240219 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by danieljames
umm....Mr. Guinness and I seem to get a bit opinionated in the evening, don't we?. Excellent points for a sump. Either way, with $800 left, you should be able to get up and running decently. Chris' first line is right on.
Click to expand...

LOL. I just realized your Guinness post was at 2am -- and on a week night!
:beer:
 
Thanks for all the opinions....keep them coming. I am still not sure of whether "Sump" or "No Sump". I am not sure which way I will go. I had the overflow done and the tank predrilled so that I cold put everything under the tank in the stand. If I don't go with a sump then my thought was that all the filtration and pump goes under the tank. This is possible right?

I was up most of last night reading as much as possible about the plumbing subject. If I do not use a Sump then it is possible to have just a "Trickle Filter" Correct? With a pump moving the filtered water back to the tank. Also I want to use as little equipment in the display as possible. This is why I was thinking Sump. AWWWWWWW........OK I am still undecided.....thinking out loud didn't help.

OK...I am going with a "SUMP" I do want to hide everything and I like the idea of bigger bio load with more fish.

Ok:

SUMP (Check)
Auto Topoff (check)
Kalk Reactor? Looking into....
Skimmer (need advice on good one to put in sump)
Heater (about a 400 for the 90?)
With a tank this size is a chiller a necessity?

Lighting...I was looking at these http://www.marineandreef.com/shoppro/metal_OuterOrbit3.htm.



Sand Sifting Goby...Already got one in my 24 gallon Nano. He is quite the sand mover. He likes to pile sand in one place and I have to move it back about once a week. You are right though about the bigger tank. I got 4''-6'' of sand in my nano and I don't want that much in my new 90. He is great fish. I love his attitude and he keeps the sand bright white on top, but I think I will leave him in the nano.
 
refugium? Can I set up a SUMP with a Refugium (kind of a combo). I would like to have a small Refuguim under the tank for plants, copods, etc....

I see a few places where people have done this....good or not?
 
Here is a geat page on sumps to help you get some ideas about layout/dimensions etc....and how you would like to incorporate a fuge.
http://www.melevsreef.com/allmysumps.html
My first sump I built out of a 30 long aquarium(unnder my old 90) with acrylic baffles and it worked great. You can really save some money building your own sump.
You can wait on a kalk reactor IMO.
Do you want your skimmer in sump or out? Either way figuring out where you want to put it and the dimensions of the space will help a lot in deciding which one. Basically most people like needlewheels(Euroreef, ASM and Pacific Coast ostopus are all supposed tpo be good) because they are easy to use. You will get more for your money out of a beckett though... http://www.myreefreations.com is a great place to get a quality beckett at a good price. Getting a used skimmer will often times save you a good bit of money. It's a good idea to get a skimmer rated for at least twice your tank size.
That's more heater than you will need. 2 smaller heaters instead of 1 large one also help with redundancy.
Whether or not you get a chiller depends on how you ventilate your hood, what types of pumps you use, how cool you keep your house in the summer and what type of lighting you use etc....
hth, Chris
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8241373#post8241373 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Kalied20
refugium? Can I set up a SUMP with a Refugium (kind of a combo). I would like to have a small Refuguim under the tank for plants, copods, etc....

I see a few places where people have done this....good or not?
Click to expand...

I've got both. I like the pod farm for my mandarin. Most don't maintain sumps as they should (I'm guilty from time to time), but they can provide a nice haven for no predation and a hiding place for equipment.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8241573#post8241573 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fishdoc11
Here is a geat page on sumps to help you get some ideas about layout/dimensions etc....and how you would like to incorporate a fuge.
http://www.melevsreef.com/allmysumps.html
My first sump I built out of a 30 long aquarium(unnder my old 90) with acrylic baffles and it worked great. You can really save some money building your own sump.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the link.....that is some great information. I really like the setup of a sump and the refuge under his 55 gallon. Beautiful work...wish I was a great DIY person......
 
greystreet has some 175W DE's with PC's and moon lights. he hasn't gotten the color out of the acros he's wanted, but that may just be the 175 vs 250W. The moon lights were wired into the MH, so when the MH go out, so do the moonlights (they should come on when the MH go off or have a switch). I think his fans quit working, too, but I could be wrong. There was a discussion about the Odyssea fixtures catching fire, but I think that was on units with ballasts mounted into the fixture (not remote ballasts). They may have improved on alot of that since he got his, though. I use Odyssea PC bulbs for my frag tank. They give the best blue I've found from PC bulbs (50/50 and Actinic bulb together). I've had no problems with those. Check out aquatraders.com for Odyssea pricing to see if the ebay price is where it should be.
 
I looked it up and they are about the same price, but the one's there are 175 watt each. I think I am going to try the one on EBay. It seems like a good deal and if not lesson learned. I will let eveyone know when we get everything setup and going. Now all I need is a good place to buy a Sump/Refuge. Anyone?
 
I don;t know about pricing, but glass cages sells sumps. I usually buy a tank and put a few baffles in and am done with it (by far the cheapest way).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Markk96
Free 90 Gallon Reef Ready Tank.
Replies
3
Views
435
griss
griss
8
What am i looking at here ?
Replies
5
Views
836
griss
griss
T
Kessil A360XE TUNA BLUE Setup Help Please
Replies
2
Views
615
tgurske
T
K
Red Sea Reefled 90
Replies
1
Views
365
Reefing102
Reefing102
J
I want to build a 90 Gallon Tank. I'm New New.
Replies
4
Views
553
albano
albano
Back
Top