New LPS Build - Looking for Recommendations

[LPS_Blasto]

I've been out of the hobby about 6yrs. Just bought a 90g Reef Ready Aqueon with the 600gph center overflow. It came with a BRS media reactor and a Reef Octopus 150 skimmer.

I still have a 30L sump, an Odysee skimmer, a large CPR HOB refugium, and a handful of different return pumps that I saved all these years. I'll have to look, but pretty sure they are Mag 5 and Mag 7, and a large Rio pump.

I want an LPS dominant tank with a few zoas. No softies or SPS of any kind.

I've forgotten a lot about water chemistry. Need some help with equipment and design. I expect to have a lot of LPS and I know my alkalinity, calcium and magnesium will all need to be steady.

I used to dose a Seachem product. I think it was reef builder (not the reef buffer). That kept my old 29g frag tank pretty stable.

I'm sure things have changed.

How would you set up a new 90g LPS reef? What types of equipment would you use? What chemicals do you recommend?

Thanks in advance.

 

[bertoni]

The basics for water parameters are calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium, as you've stated. I'd start with a 2-part, probably DIY given the tank volume, but some people prefer a calcium reactor. Bulk Reef Supply and other vendors sell bulk chemicals for DIY 2-part. You might start there. Some tanks need magnesium supplementation and others don't. Only time will tell for your tank.

'You didn't mention ATO (automated topoff) specifically, but I'd definitely use an ATO to keep the SG stable with less trouble. I suspect you might already have been considering one, though, given that you were in the hobby previously.

 

[homer1475]

Agreed with Bertoni....


ATO is a must, and I dose Bulk Reef Supply bulk chemicals for Calcium and Magnesium. Plain old Arm and Hammer baking soda for ALK.

Google Randy's DIY 2 Part.



You also didn't mention lights? While Most are going LED's these days, I still prefer T5'sa s they are simple on and off. I think quite a few newbies get these fancy LED's and constantly play with their values, and end up killing their corals because they never get adjusted to a value.

 

[LPS_Blasto]

I kept my auto top off from before. It's a DIY model that uses a 10g tank, latching relays, float valves and a solenoid or two.

Still need to buy a new RO unit.

The tank came with a media/carbon reactor. Not sure where or how to use this. Never used one in the past.
https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/brs-gfo-carbon-reactor-single.html


The tank also came with a pair of LED lights. They work, but one or two of the cooling fans are not working. Supposed to be 10k and 14k colors. They're old and not sold anymore.
http://cuttingedgeaquarium.com/taotronics-tt-al01-coral-reef-tank-led-review/

I will probably try to replace the cooling fans and run these lights. I'd rather have T5HO, and may buy a set in the near future if these LED's give me any problems. I know how to select bulb color with T5. Never really been a fan of the colors you are stuck with, when purchasing a China made LED.

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

AS far as the reactor, it is made to use either carbon or GFO.
You really do NOT want to run both @ the same time because they require different flow rates. LPS like lower lighting & the led will be adjustable in power to dim the lighting down
so they might be fine, your call here.

 

[LPS_Blasto]

I have no experience with reactors. Never used them in the past. Thanks for the pointers.

No dimmers on the LED lights. The low light requirements of LPS is one reason why I wanted to build this tank for those types of corals. It's cheaper to buy and operate a smaller wattage light. Cheaper on my central AC power bill as well. Electricity is NOT cheap here.