Starting on a 92 gallon Pony tank..... (Project)

[OldDawg]

Ok folks after months of indecision on what to do with our spare 92 gallon Bowfront & acquiring parts to build the ultimate ( In my mind) Reef Tank. It has been decided that we will be giving our 5 Reidi's a new home, complete with aquascaping , & seagrass & all other things that captive SH dream of ...

We will be starting the build up of this tank starting tomorrow mid day with plans to complete it by Monday evening January 2nd.

Breakdown of equipment & plans are listed below.

So here is a breakdown on the system as I see it now..

92 gal. Oceanic Bowfront tank with in tank Overflow.

30 gallon sump ( I will be using a mag 24 pump on this but will be directing the return to multiple spraybars around the tank)

Corallife 220 Needlewheel Protein Skimmer

Fluidized Phosphate/carbon reactor

Ozone reactor

200 mg. Ozone generator controlled by a Jenco PH/Orp controller

set at a ORP of 380

Chiller will be added in a couple months so I will have plumbing for it already in place. ( temp will be kept at 76 degrees)

Lights will be 2 110 watt VHOs both of these will be 10k daylights
I will also be using 4 65watt PC bulbs these will be a mixture of 10k & actinics

If required I will be able to install up to 3 250 watt metal Halides ( think this will be overkill & would require me to have OAKLEY make some Custom sunglasses for the Seahorses) Hmmmm that would be kind of cute

All systems Lighting, pumps & such will be controlled by a Reefkeeper system control panel this will control sunrise & sunset by turning on or off the bulbs one @ a time over a 2 hour period. Also I will be using a lunar Tracker moonlight that simulates the lunar period from full moon to new moon every 28 days.

As far as Substrate I plan on having a 3" to 4" DSB using Live sand from one of my existing systems this should speed up the cycling.

I will also be adding about 50lbs of live Rock that will be divided into 2 rock faces on either end of the tank that will be a mixture of Branch rock & normal Reef Rock , This should allow the Horsies to hitch at different tank levels using the branch rock, & also allow the placement of Mushrooms, Polyps,Zenia & other Low risk Corals ... My wife will also be making some custom hitches using 1/4 & 1/2 inch PVC twisted & bent with a Heat gun before being covered with concrete to make a one of a kind hitching post to be located in the calerpa bed amongst the macro algae & sea grass


I will be leaving a roughly 2 foot by 2 foot sandy area in the middle of the tank that will be planted with macro Algaes & seagrasses , This will also be the location of the feeding coral

I will keep all posted with Daily posts & pictures of this build up ( this will be a Journal of sorts)

Please post any ideas or modifications that you have as I may incorporate as I build this up.

Thanks & happy Reefing ( let me have it........)

 

[Seahorsewisprer]

Let you have what?!! This sounds like the ultimate TimTheToolman setup!! I am really going to like watching this thread. Thanks for including us!

Are you going planted? Be sure to peruse the macro forum. There are some really smart plant gurus there.

Who knows, you might even get even green stuff to turn off the PO4 reactor!


I really like the idea of sunglasses! I think my puffer has cataracts...

 

[pledosophy]

The Mag 24 return is 2400 gph. On your 92 factoring in head you will be getting at least 2000gph on a 92 g tank. That is a little much IMHO. You will need to attach a ball valve to the pump, to turn down the flow, or get a smaller pump.

I don't think you will need the hailides. They might be overkill

The moonlights sounds cool.

 

[OldDawg]

Yes I plan on building a manifold with 5 or 6 seperate outlets each with a ball valve that will go to spraybars located around the tank. Also will be splitting off about 300 gph to the carbon reactor & 200 gph to the refuge.

Thanks for the advice & here we go I am off to the hardware store.

 

[rulesmith]

I am speaking completly out of ignorence here. but, I thought that I read somewhere that seahorses liked the water temp higher then normal, did I get it backwards?

 

[OldDawg]

Some pictures

Some pictures

A couple of the seahorses soon to be housed in the 92 gallon tank. There are 5 in total, we still have to give them names and identify them as male or female.

Small beautiful pistol shrimp lives with his goby in the seahorse tank.

 

[OldDawg]

OK a quick update .... will post pics in a few...

So far I have drained & removed all equiptment from the 92 gallon tank, Cleaned all said equiptment , I currently have the fish that where living in that tank in a 50 gallon garbage can while I get a new 20 gallon tank running which I have already clearing up, this fish only tank will have black Calcite for substrate & will be running a refugium with 2 65 watt PC. I will have the fish in this system by the AM.......

I broke the 30 gallon sump while removing it from the stand ........... Guess I will be using a rubbermaid sump & fuge I have always liked this idea anyway as it allows some neat options as far as sizes. I will use bulkheads between the tubs ... will post pics once i get this set up ( OFF to wally world)

Once I get the sump taken care of i will build the spray bars & manifold bank ... Should have that sdone by AM.


Well will post pics shortly........

I am off.


PS .... Seahorses are staring at me thru the glass wondering what the h... I am doing..............

They are all lined up in a little line....... How cute... I sure hope they will love the new tank.

 

[pledosophy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6387405#post6387405 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rulesmith
I am speaking completly out of ignorence here. but, I thought that I read somewhere that seahorses liked the water temp higher then normal, did I get it backwards?

It depends on the species. Most tropical speciments do best when kept at cooler temperatures which slows the growth of bacterias that cause infection. A good tropical temp is 74ish, dependin on what you have.

Old Dawg, I feel like Dejavu reading the same post from you on two sites. :eek1:

 

[Glove]

hows tihs project comming? spraybars done and your flowing water right?