Small Alien's 75 gallon tank build

[small alien]

Well, here goes...

I'm setting up a 75 gallon reef. Here's my equipment list.

75 gallon All Glass Reef Ready tank, black
Custom Stand, all wood
Eshopps ADV-200 Sump/Refugium w/ light
Vertex IN-80 Protein Skimmer
Eheim 1260 Return Pump
ATI Sunpower 6 bulb 48" T5HO Fixture, wall mounted
Redundant 200 W Heaters
2 Koralia 4, for now
100+ lbs. TampaBaySaltwater Live Rock

Here's my stocking list.

Harem of Ocellated Dragonets (1 M/ 2 F)
Pair of Bangaii Cardinals
Tailspot Blenny
Trimma sp. Gobies
Green Banded Goby
Rainford's Goby
Pair of DragonFace Pipefish
Pair of Jans's Pipefish
1 Sunburst Anthias
Pair of Jawfish
Pair of Purple FireFish

This is a general and evolving list. About half of the fish I already have.

Here is my neighbor Steve who's building my stand along with the 4 legs.

And here's the mahogany top being laminated. We're using up some scrap wood here in a lovely way.

Cheers!

 

[fox2589]

you better be putting pods in that tank and have a refugium with all those dragonettes in there..the rainsfords goby also needs pods..one dragonette would be ok in there..but pods wise your gonna need ALOT..JMO..good luck-drew(and if occelated means reared to frozen foods then my bad lol)

 

[Acan Lord]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15587763#post15587763 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fox2589
you better be putting pods in that tank and have a refugium with all those dragonettes in there..the rainsfords goby also needs pods..one dragonette would be ok in there..but pods wise your gonna need ALOT..JMO..good luck-drew(and if occelated means reared to frozen foods then my bad lol)

Those are scotor blennies there scientific name has occcelated at the end

 

[coral_lagoon]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15587763#post15587763 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fox2589
you better be putting pods in that tank and have a refugium with all those dragonettes in there..the rainsfords goby also needs pods..one dragonette would be ok in there..but pods wise your gonna need ALOT..JMO..good luck-drew(and if occelated means reared to frozen foods then my bad lol)

The TB rock is full of pods. So I think he's off to a good start..

 

[small alien]

I've kept the male Ocellated in a small tank with no pods for nearly two years. I have the Dragon Pipes now in a 10 and they're eating prawn roe and cyclopeeze with vigor. I plan to feed the tank very heavily.

 

[small alien]

Here are the Dragon Pipes

 

[small alien]

Here's the Rainford's in QT with the pipes.

 

[small alien]

I can't believe how well the Rainford's is eating. I was lucky enough to get one with good body weight. And it's eating really well. Much better than I thought it would. It sifts some sand, eats a little hair algae and also takes prawn roe and cyclopeeze from the water column. I'm very happy about that. It's a gorgeous fish.

 

[small alien]

I'm wondering if I should go with the next size up skimmer or stick with the 80. I want to feed a lot, but I also want to have a system with sponges and other filter feeders along with LPS and softies so I don't want the water totally stripped clean. I want balance. Thoughts on that are appreciated, especially if you've had a Vertex skimmer on a 75. Thanks.

 

[small alien]

Well, we're back at it. The stand from the mighty Steve did not materialize and I ended up having one built locally. I really like how it came out.

Unfortunately, AGA has moved the location of their over-flow at some point relative to the measurements the stand builder used. It's closer to the corner now so I had to hack out a bigger hole. I use the word hack for a reason. All is well.

 

[small alien]

Here's the tank on Steve's bones for a leak test. No leaks!

 

[small alien]

The Gear

The Gear

Eshopps ADV-200 sump/refugium
Vertex IN-80 Skimmer
Eheim 1260 return pump
CPR fuge light
Via Aqua 350W heater

 

[small alien]

The tank on the stand.

The obligatory "daughter in the tank" shot.

 

[small alien]

Sand and water.

 

[small alien]

Future inhabitants.

 

[Lyfey]

awesome start! Is the refugium behind the skimmer?

I also have a 75 and I think its a great medium sized tank for saltwater.

-Chris

 

[small alien]

Schweeeeet avatar Lyfey. Fuge is in the back of the sump.

Here's the tank in action now.

<object style="height: 390px; width: 640px"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/mwvFbmO6Dtg?version=3"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/mwvFbmO6Dtg?version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="640" height="390"></object>

Cheers.

 

[Lamball1]

really nice. although now i know why u painted your background black lol. I mean who would want a PINK background lol.

 

[razataz5]

Your 75 looks really nice I hope mine will look like that in the future

 

[iwishtofish]

It looks very nice. I wish I could have followed along with cycling, stocking, etc. Are those dragon pipes in there? Steve's stand looked great - how come it didn't work out? I'm sure you found another use for it...