New 90G Setup

J

JeffMW

New member
Hello all. I have been poking around here for some time now just learning and reading up on different aspects of this new hobby that I have picked up. I love it already and don't have anything in my tank other than sand, water, and salt. I am getting much closer into actually stocking this tank up and would like to ask for opinions on where to go next, what can live and prosper well in my tank setup, maybe some changes I should make, and just some overall coverage of how I am doing and where I should go next with this project of mine.

Oh yeah...I love this site. I have not found so much information in one spot as I have here on this hobby as I have done here.

Well lets get to it shall we...below is my setup.


- 90G All Glass MegaFlow Overflow Aquarium with 2 returns and one drain.

- LifeReef Wet/Dry Trickle Filter System with bioballs removed and an added carbon mat. (Interested in doing a Berlin next.)

- MagDrive 500 in sump pump. (Handles the return.)

- ASM Mini G Skimmer in sump with pump included.

- Marineland Stealth 250 Heater in sump and Stealth 100 in tank. (Maintains consistent temperatures between 76.8 and 77.2.)

- Lifegard digital thermometer in tank and generic one in sump.

- Coralife PowerCenter with 8 outlets. (4 on timers and 4 constants.)

- Seio M620 Super Flow Pump. (Debating on grabbing another for the other end of the tank.)

- IceCap Industries Inc Model 430 Electronic Lamp Driver. (I believe this pumps out over 300 Watts of power to the two bulbs.)

- Lighting -- Ultraviolet Reources International
Super Actinic/VHO-1 S136
Aquasun 4/VHO-1 S176
(Both are 4ft bulbs.)

- Indo-Pacific Black Sand (60lbs.)

- Oceanic Natural Sea Salt Mix with a salinity level of 1.026 to 1.028

- My Premium Fiji Cured Live Rock (150lbs. over a 2 day delivery.) will arrive this Thursday from premiumaquatics.com

If posting links to other sites is wrong please forgive as I am unaware if that is the case here at RFC.

Well that is about it. I dump a few drops of Genesis into my water whenever I top it off to remove the chlorine and at this point have done nothing to ensure that the alkaline, calcium, nitrate, and other levels are to their correct levels just yet since I was waiting for to add the rock before doing that. I am also planning on ordering a calcium reactor, but I am unsure if that is necessary for me or which route to go with that endeavor at this time. Some information in that regard would be great.

I plan to do a full blown coral/invert/live rock/all the cool stuff tank. The fish will not be the primary focus of my environment and I am very eager to learn more about what my setup will be able to handle. I would love to do clams and other stony corals that just look beautiful, but would like to first ensure that my setup will handle the environment that I would like to build. If it will not then upgrade what I need to make it work basically.

Well I look forward to seeing where this community can take me and this thread and look forwarding to meeting some folks here. Thanks in advance and for all the information RFC has already given.

Jeff

Also if pictures are needed/wanted please let me know and I would be happy to take a few and post them.
 
I'm not familiar with all the equipment you have listed, but I did notice a couple things:

1) Why are you putting one of the heaters in the tank? Part of the purpose of a sump is to have your equipment in it.

2) Are you going to have a refugium in your sump?

3) A mag 5 is going to be underpowered I believe. With your headloss, you will be lucky to push 200 gal/hr. I used a mag12 on my 95 gallon. I wouldn't go any lower than a mag7.

4) If your going to have any stonies you will need at least 4 of those powerheads, or 2 bigger powerhead, or a closed loop.

5) I'm not familiar with the light, but you would want to make sure it's enough for stonies and clams.

Good luck and happy reefing!!!
 
1) Why are you putting one of the heaters in the tank? Part of the purpose of a sump is to have your equipment in it

you can also put them in the overflow
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9517296#post9517296 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by amike5
I'm not familiar with all the equipment you have listed, but I did notice a couple things:

1) Why are you putting one of the heaters in the tank? Part of the purpose of a sump is to have your equipment in it.

2) Are you going to have a refugium in your sump?

3) A mag 5 is going to be underpowered I believe. With your headloss, you will be lucky to push 200 gal/hr. I used a mag12 on my 95 gallon. I wouldn't go any lower than a mag7.

4) If your going to have any stonies you will need at least 4 of those powerheads, or 2 bigger powerhead, or a closed loop.

5) I'm not familiar with the light, but you would want to make sure it's enough for stonies and clams.

Good luck and happy reefing!!!
Click to expand...

1) I put one of the heaters in the tank directly because I was having an issue with keeping the water warm enough. My basement stays rather cold and I figured that was the problem so I went ahead and put one into the tank. I was not as concerned with the looks being that the rock will most likely cover it. Is that an issue at all?

2) I don't think I will do a full blown reefugium or know exactly what all that would entail, but I do plan on dropping a few bits and pieces of my LR into the sump beneath the carbon mat.

3) The MAG5 was recommended by my LFS and I did actually have a MAG7 in the tank before, but it was for some reason too powerful and was draining my sump too quickly which is the reason I went with their advice and DGed it. Was this a bad move IYO or will it be ok?

4) I am glad you said that about the PHs. I was unsure how many pumps I would need to simply move water around so I will be sure to pick up some more this week. Any opinions on the placement? Maybe one high and one low on both the left and right rear sides of the tank? Would it be more efficient to pick up two larger ones and just place those in the left and right top sides of the tank?

5) According to a write up on this site I read the section regarding lighting and the VHO in the lights I have stands for Very High Output. That with the lamp driver I was hoping would do well for some clams and stonies, but will upgrade if necessary. I definitely want to do what is best for the environment growth. According to the article it stated that VHO lights are best for most life in the aquarium if I read it correctly.

Thanks for your inputs and I will definitely be enjoying this hobby the more I dive into it.

Do you have any experience with the LR from PA? Just curious as to whether or not they are as good as they boast on the site. From the pictures and feedback I thought they would be a great selection for LR and other products.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9517513#post9517513 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by scrmbld33
1) Why are you putting one of the heaters in the tank? Part of the purpose of a sump is to have your equipment in it

you can also put them in the overflow
Click to expand...

Now that I did not know. I was nervous about doing that with the PVC and overflow casing so close that I was unsure if the heat would be a problem for those materials. If that is a safe thing to do then I will definitely stick it into the overflow casing to hide it.

Great tip!
 
I missed one thing in your post. Where you talked about the powerheads and said "or a closed loop." Is that not what my setup is considered currently? I was assuming that meant that the overflow and everything being inside the tank with the predrilled holes in the bottom for return and drain was considered a closed loop system. Is this an incorrect assumption/statement? If so what would a closed loop setup be considered?
 
4) I am glad you said that about the PHs. I was unsure how many pumps I would need to simply move water around so I will be sure to pick up some more this week. Any opinions on the placement? Maybe one high and one low on both the left and right rear sides of the tank? Would it be more efficient to pick up two larger ones and just place those in the left and right top sides of the tank?

2 of these korilia 4 PH's would do great, i love them

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=15955&inm=1&N=2004+22788+2035
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9517681#post9517681 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by scrmbld33
i have the titinium part in my overflow, no melting to date
Click to expand...

Sounds like a plan then. I have the heater in the picture below.

heater.jpg


Question...Is it ok to link to offsite pics here? I have this pic hosted on one of my domains, but I just wanted to be sure before I post anymore pics that are not being hosted on RFC.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9517700#post9517700 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by scrmbld33
4) I am glad you said that about the PHs. I was unsure how many pumps I would need to simply move water around so I will be sure to pick up some more this week. Any opinions on the placement? Maybe one high and one low on both the left and right rear sides of the tank? Would it be more efficient to pick up two larger ones and just place those in the left and right top sides of the tank?

2 of these korilia 4 PH's would do great, i love them

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=15955&inm=1&N=2004+22788+2035
Click to expand...

Nice. I like the price on those as compared to the Seio's. I will have to pick some up after I get the rock placed into the tank.
 
Question...Is it ok to link to offsite pics here?

yes and links to sites as long as your no profiting from them

closed loop would be seperate from your over flow, basically a pump taking water out and pumping back into the display, some people drill holes in the back wall of the tank for this or get spray bars
 
Thank you for the clarification on the closed loop system. I think that will have to wait until I upgrade to a 200 something gallon setup. Once I get the hang of it with this and learn by trial and error then I plan to step it up a bit. Of course that will be after I purchase my home.

Nice smilie and thank you for the welcome. It appears to be a great community here and I am glad that I found it. Much better people it would seem then some of the folks I ran into during my days web designing for PHPNuke and other web graphical art.
 
the best tip i can give you is research first, buy second, always ask about equipment/livestock on here, someone on here probly has or had it and can tell you if its crap or not
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9518110#post9518110 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by scrmbld33
the best tip i can give you is research first, buy second, always ask about equipment/livestock on here, someone on here probly has or had it and can tell you if its crap or not
Click to expand...

The biggest questions I have right now are...

A) Calcium reactor or no? If yes then which one would you all recommend? I have looked through a magazine that I am subscribed to and there are so many to choose from it can be confusing. If I do get one will it sit outside of the sump?

B) What is my current lighting setup right now good for? How far can I really go with what I have?

Those are my two biggest concerns right now. I am doing a lot of reading on reef safe inhabitants and the levels that everything needs to be at for a reef tank so I think I am getting a good handle on that, but will definitely post what I come up with BEFORE adding inhabitants to the environment.
 
A) I would wait on a calcium reactor. It will be a little while before you have significant calcium depletion in your tank. This will give you a chance to try other methods such as Randy's 2 part and such for dosing calcium and alk.

B) Do you have a link for the light you are looking at? If you are going to have stonies or crocia clams, Metal Halides are your best bet.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9518852#post9518852 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by amike5
A) I would wait on a calcium reactor. It will be a little while before you have significant calcium depletion in your tank. This will give you a chance to try other methods such as Randy's 2 part and such for dosing calcium and alk.

B) Do you have a link for the light you are looking at? If you are going to have stonies or crocia clams, Metal Halides are your best bet.
Click to expand...

A) Do you have a link to that 2 part on dosing calc and alk? That would be great.

B) I have broke down exactly what is running right now.

Lights -

LIGHT URL

Super Actinic R (VHO)

FR40T12/03/VHO 40/03/V 110W 48"

Aquasun (VHO)

AQUASUN 4/VHO 4/AQ/V 110W 48"

Ballast -

BALLAST URL

I have the model 430 with 2 lamps right now.
 
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