Setting up a NEW 90 gallon...noobie seeks guidance

I

Island EMT

New member
Hi all

I've been learning quite a bit from reading this forum. The amount of information is amazing. Please bear with me...I want to do this right and take my time.

I'm currently setting up a 90 gallon sw and plan to have live rock, live sand, and fish. I've just started researching fish so thats not even on the table yet.
This is what I have so far:
a drilled 90 gal with bulkheads installed
30 gallon for sump

What I need to do next (I think-please feel free to correct me)
partition the 30 for sump use
buy a pump (recommendations? used is ok)
buy heater
buy pvc for plumbing
light (again-recommendations)
skimmer eventually

once I have that in place I believe I'd be up to the live rock stage. If I read correctly its ok to use some dry rock as the base?

I have a basic idea how to plumb everything from reading here, but I do have a question. The bulkhead that leads to the sump measures 2". What size pvc should I get?

I appreciate any tips/advice.
I have pics-not sure how to post though.
Rod
 
Sounds like you have the basics of what it takes. Your information of what you need is correct. (dont forget the salt LOL) As far as lighting goes you have to ask yourself what you plan to keep and what you want to keep in the future. For a FOWLR fish only with live rock most any lights will be acceptable. If you plan on keeping corals...well know were in the big boy ballgame. You will want to look into metal halide lighting, HO t5 lighting 4+ bulbs is a must. 6 bulbs would be preferred, and then there is LED. LED is new and it's starting to come around and getting less and less expensive. It's a nice substitute and requires less power to keep them going. Although they are $$$. There are many advantages to both. Halide can pretty much grow anything and it gives your tank a nice "shimmer" affect, t5's you can pretty much put any color combination together and make the tank look the way you want it too. LED's dont give you much color options or really any besides blue but they are nice and also give you the shimmer. Dont go cheap on the lighting.

Dont forget to get a protein skimmer. dont skimp on it either.

Yes dry rock mixed with live rock is perfectly fine. Once you get everything in there and filled with SW your tank will begin to cycle. You need to read up on how to cycle your tank...or for the better explination..how your tank cycles. Usually takes 6+ weeks. sometimes less but dont rush it.

Most of the info your looking for is already here on RC. Read the stickies at the top of each page to help you out. Research before you buy and have patience as this hobby requieres it. Nothing comes fast (nor cheap). Good luck and happy reefing.
 
you have done some research haven't you...you are on the right track. As far as lights you need to consider what you want in your tank now, and in the future. Most of us get bit by the coral bug, so maybe spend a little more now to get better lighting such as metal halide. If you think you will never want to grow coral than power compacts are great choice, and some corals do fine under those too, such as mushrooms and zoanthids. I suggest getting the highest output lights you can because it will leave you with more choices in the future. T5's are a happy medium and will allow you to keep anemones later for your clowns (if you choose clowns) although you do not need a nem for the clowns (but it is really cool to watch these guys live with a nem)...
Pump...research how many gpm you will need for your future livestock...there are too many rules of thumb on this subject for me to list but there are some real experts on this site that can help with that. As far as brand, I always use Iwaki...there are two types of Iwaki, made in USA and made in Japan...In my experience the made in Japan models run much more quietly...
Skimmer...One thing everyone seems to agree on is buy a good skimmer that is over rated for your system...good brands include reef dynamics, reef octopus, bubble king ($$$)

As far as starting with dry or uncured rock, it is fine. just don't put any livestock in your tank until you are totally cycled. Some people claim that starting your system with uncured rock will actually jumpstart your cycle. I have never tried it but it makes sense

When you first start it seems like you can't get a straight answer from anyone. This is because everyone does things a little differently, and as long as you follow the fundamental rules, design a system that works for you
 
Yes I've been doing a lot of reading on the subject. I'm reading the stickies now. Thank you for your advice. Does the lighting and skimmer need to be in place to cycle the tank? Power heads?
I've read either on here or another forum that this company marco rocks is a good source for dry rock. Does that sound right? I have a local source for live rock-pricey though.

Is an overflow needed for a drilled tank? I haven't found a clear answer to that one.

I'm not sure if I'll be doing corals....def a clown and anemone though.

back to reading. :-)

yes add salt to the list. lol
 
IMG_20110209_173124.jpg
 
I thought I'd chime in on a return pump. Alot of people use submersible mag drive pumps for their return. I use a Mag 9.5 on my 90g, and I dial it down with a ball valve. If/when I have to replace it, I will either use a Mag 7 or more likely an Eheim 1260. I think the Eheims are a bit quieter (although the Mags aren't exactly loud) and use a little less electricity. They are more money though. You can't go wrong with either.
 
Island EMT said:
Yes I've been doing a lot of reading on the subject. I'm reading the stickies now. Thank you for your advice. Does the lighting and skimmer need to be in place to cycle the tank? Power heads?
I've read either on here or another forum that this company marco rocks is a good source for dry rock. Does that sound right? I have a local source for live rock-pricey though.

Is an overflow needed for a drilled tank?
Click to expand...


yea live rock is very pricey no matter where you go...I went on craigslist and found people selling their systems and asked if they were willing to sell just their rock. I got some real nice seeded rock for very little money...Dry rock? IDK where to get that...

I can't picture a drilled tank without an overflow of some kind so i would sau yes you need one. You can make one very easily, or buy one, either way bust out the silicon. A lot of people say that any 100% silicon is fine (as long as there are no antibacterials in it) but I use the stuff that says aquarium use right on it. Any LFS will have it, even petco carries it. you only need one or two tubes probably for just the overflow

woops didn't see your pic...it is drilled very high so you may be able to get away without an overflow but I have no experience with a setup like this
 
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mrbill24 said:
I thought I'd chime in on a return pump. Alot of people use submersible mag drive pumps for their return. I use a Mag 9.5 on my 90g, and I dial it down with a ball valve. If/when I have to replace it, I will either use a Mag 7 or more likely an Eheim 1260. I think the Eheims are a bit quieter (although the Mags aren't exactly loud) and use a little less electricity. They are more money though. You can't go wrong with either.
Click to expand...

+1...When i mentioned Iwaki i was speaking of external pumps, IDK if they make submersibles...if you go submersible MRBILL is on the money with those brands
 
You will definitely need an overflow in front of that bulkhead. You might consider enlarging the hole on the other side and running two overflows. There are a couple threads about overflows in the DIY section. The way your tank is drilled, I would look at BeanAnimal's system: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1541946.

As far as equipment, your lights and your skimmer are probably your most important purchases. I have a Vertex IN100 on my 90 and I've been pretty happy with it. You might also consider the Octopus NW 150, or better yet, the Octopus Extreme 160. The more you put in the tank, the more you'll need out of your skimmer.

Finally, when it comes to lights, plan ahead. If you are like me, and most of the people here on RC, you will suffer a debilitating addiction to reefing. Even though you are planning for fish and liverock now, you will almost certainly want to add corals or clams down the road. I would recommend at least four t-5's. Four would be more than adequate for fish and allow you to keep most softies and even some LPS. With six, you could keep just about anything. I have a six bulb t-5 fixture that I've been pretty happy with, but I'm contemplating a move to LED's. Metal halides are a proven favorite as well. Keep in mind, if you go with a powerful lighting system, you may need a chiller as well (especially if you mount them in a canopy).
 
I'd really recommend adding an RO/DI unit (Reverse osmosis/Deionization) so you can start with pure water. You can buy the water from your LFS, but it is painful and an RO/DI unit will pay for itself quickly. Especially when you figure in the time and gas to get the water from the LFS and perhaps the cost of livestock you may lose due to poor water quality. Not to mention the headaches caused by high phosphates from tapwater.
 
My big 3
1) Get ro/di unit start with the purist water you can get ( the filter guys do a great job)

2) get the best lights you can afford for reef keeping ( For me LED technology hands down is way to go. I own AI Sol Blue but Vertex and Maxspect and Orphek make great lights

3) get the best skimmer you can afford ( i have a BK 180 mini on my 90 )
There are great skimmers out today as crazy as it sounds read as much as you can and the skimmer brands you keep seeing mentioned by reef keepers who have lots of experience..... Pick one. rule of thumb it will cost more than 300.00 bucks

Reef keeping is evolving and is really a very new hobby.30 years ago keeping a reef was unheard of. We are truly attempting to create a very complex environment and you will find it is an expensive undertaking. Not only that there aren't too many luxury items on the shopping list.I gave you the big 3 for me but frankly you need to have so many things that you can't live w/o.
Heat, maybe chiller, rock, movement-pumps, wave boxes, timers, salt, additives, pails,
thermometers, test kits, glass magnets, reactors, filter media.... I missed 50 incidentals and you haven't bought a QT tank a sump or your first fish! If cash is tight the DIY threads have some great projects from guys building their own tanks to lights! Better than most manufacturers too! there are some brilliant folks on here but never take anything anyone says on here for gospel without understanding why they are saying it and why you are doing it. Always buy stuff with the end in mind...... what kind of animals do u want to keep. Husbandry and biology .... Good luck
 
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Island EMT said:
Yes I've been doing a lot of reading on the subject. I'm reading the stickies now. Thank you for your advice. Does the lighting and skimmer need to be in place to cycle the tank? Power heads?
I've read either on here or another forum that this company marco rocks is a good source for dry rock. Does that sound right? I have a local source for live rock-pricey though.

Is an overflow needed for a drilled tank? I haven't found a clear answer to that one.

I'm not sure if I'll be doing corals....def a clown and anemone though.

back to reading. :-)

yes add salt to the list. lol
Click to expand...

Marco rocks are nice but I prefer bulk reef supply eco rock over marco. Alot more pouros than the marco. (get more for your $) plus better filtration. A drilled tank is an overflow...in a sense. You will need an overflow box though. Not a HOB style like you may see being sold. Those are syphon type overflows. With drilled tanks you dont need a syphon. An anenome will require higher lighting. On a side note...once you see all the pretty little corals...you'll buy some..I promise.
 
dublo8 said:
Marco rocks are nice but I prefer bulk reef supply eco rock over marco. Alot more pouros than the marco. (get more for your $) plus better filtration.
Click to expand...

I ordered the eco rock from BRS and couldn't be happier with it.

Here's a tip; watch the BRS sponsor thread and get in on a group buy (seems to always be at least one going on) and you will save quite a bit of money on your rock and whatever other supplies you may need, such as an RO/DI unit.
 
Coralation said:
I've seen others' ideas, but what would you say makes LEDs the best? Do they really produce much cleaner light? (That is, to justify the $$$.)
Click to expand...

LEDs are definitely more expensive at the outset than the MH or CFL, but they theoretically last for up to ten years before needing to replace diodes, they use less electricity than MH, and they run MUCH cooler than MH, often allowing you to run a tank without a chiller. This all can lead to savings down the road if you factor in the other costs associated with MH fixtures.

In addition, they are more flexible in offering programming options such as gradual sunrise/sunset, changing wavelength, and even simulating the movement of the sun across the sky as well as thunderstorms, cloud cover, etc. (At least with higher end systems like the ReefTech Prometheus).
 
Thanks everyone for sharing your tips, advice, and knowledge. Thanks for the BFS tip. I really like the ro/di idea especially since the idea of transporting water from my LFS to my second floor condo is not too appealing. BFS has one on sale that has excellent reviews...and I'm seriously think I'm going to order. (75 GPD RO/DI 5 Stage *PLUS* System). I really don't want to lug water home.
I'm going to try and find a place to cut the partitions for the sump and the overflow box.

keep everyone posted.
 
so exciting!!!!

+1 on the ro-di filter for your water. at first it seems like a lot of money to invest on something boring like a water filter but its worth it.

i likey likey the drilled tank. i wish mines was drilled. i would get or make an overflow box/surface skimmer thingy. they're ridiculously expensive to buy for a piece of plastic so if you're handy, just make one.

if i were you, i would take PDAlber's advice and use the two drilled holes to make 2 overflows for safety (i.e., if one overflow fails, or if something gets stuck and clogs the drain, the other one will save you from a huge flood)

are you planning on having powerheads or setting up a closed loop for flow?

i agree with everyone's general recommendations on where to put your money: 1. ro-di, 2. skimmer, 3. lights. don't cheap out on any of these, you will regret it as i did.

i didn't buy an ro-di, had algae problems for yrs. i bought a cheap skimmer, i had to fiddle and mod the thing a million times before i just gave up on it. and finally i bought cheap PC lights based on the advice from LFS, had to upgrade slowly and DIY my own T5 lights out of the PC fixture. my last and final regret was not drilling my tank, which you have so smartly have done!!

looks like yer off to a good start reading and researching.
 
So far its been an awesome learning experience for me. As for a second overflow hole, I'm sort of stuck with what I have. It would be too much work getting help to bring it back to the LFS to drill another hole.

I've been reading about making overflow boxes all night and plan on making one. Maybe by this weekend I can have sump done and overflow box made.

thanks for comments/advice
 
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