Tank setup thus far...

[Gettin'Tanked]

Ok guys and girls. Here's what I have so far.

75g All- Glass aquarium (drilled)

Store bought stand and canopy

2x250 watt MH, 4x65 watt blue actinic and 6 bluemoon LED's, (the lights came as a plug n play set, and are now mounted securely in the canopy about 10" above the waterline). All lights are on a multi outlit timer.

The sump is made out of a 20g (long) All-Glass aquarium. It has 4 basic compartments, one for the drain pipe, one for the skimmer, a small fuge in the middle (with a 13", 18 watt 50/50 light), and one for the return pump. There are also three bubble baffles after the skimmer compartment. I made the compartments with acrylic, super glue, and silicone. It's not real purdy, but it has been stress tested, and will do the trick I think. I do plan on getting a bigger one when I find one I like.

In the sump: Mag Drive 9.5 return pump, custom acrylic skimmer (for up to 125g tanks) with a maxi jet 400 pump.

I also have 4 more maxi jet 900's and a CurrentSea wavemaker for the tank to get more current.

I am sure I need more, so feel free to make suggestions.

Thank you all for the warm welcome.

 

[Don Lino]

Any Pix?? Try here www.photobucket.com

 

[Gettin'Tanked]

RO/DI filter is on it's way

 

[plyle02]

Gettin'Tanked,
Nice choice on your next investment....RO/DI.... Your setup sounds just fine, looks like you have done your homework. Make sure and get a TDS meter, and test your RO/DI water @ zero only. Now that you know your water is cool, get a quality skimmer, if you don't already have one. With your lighting, and good water quality, you should be able to keep anything you want in your tank.... Good luck.....
Perry

 

[Gettin'Tanked]

Thanks Plyle.... I am a bit concerned about the temp. I have four 5" fans if it heats up. I will mount them in the open back hood and canopy if I need to. Also... do I need a calcium reactor? It is not in my budget at this time, but has been bugeted in for the near future. I figure a few months. If I am correct, I may need a calcium reator for the SPS?

 

[plyle02]

75 reef here, no reactor, except for phospates.... I use Oceans Bleand 2 part. With all that light over a 75, if in canopy, temp maybe a concern. Make sure to have fans blowing, and keep an eye on your temp. Calcium Reactors are great if you want peace of mind, but if you are a diligent reefer, it would not be necessary to have with a 75 gallon SPS tank. My only advice as far as calcification goes, is to test, test, test.... Invest in some good test kits(Salifert), and get your params in check. Take it slow, have a plan, and take my advice, don't rush things.... The equipment is expensive, but pales in comparison to putting expensive livestock into your tank, only to lose lots of $'s due to rushing things, or not knowing the demands of what you are putting into your tank. JME.....a hard learned one....LOL...Good luck...

 

[SoundsFishy2me2]

Good Equipment!

Good Equipment!

I second that notion-- Like "plyle02" said buy it right or end-up buying it twice and paying more later! We all have our moments of getting a cheapo something but try and ask what others here suggest! You sound as if your starting out on a good foot. I agree the calcium reactor can wait for now, you'll have other issues to battle to start with but definitely will want to have a cal reactor at some point (I think the DIY's people built here are better then some store models!)-- A GOOD skimmer is important! Good luck!

 

[Gettin'Tanked]

What do I look for in a TDS meter?

 

[plyle02]

Just to get a reeding, I have one that was about 30 bucks, actually a bonus with my RO/DI purchase. Just want to make sure it tests, I occasionaly test my waste water and tap, to make sure mine gets another reading besides zero.....
Perry

 

[Gettin'Tanked]

Thanks Perry. I was just wondering. The prices I have seen range from 20 to 90 bucks. I will pick one up from my LFS tomorrow.

 

[plyle02]

Good luck, Let us know if you need anything else..... BTW, what salt have you decided to use? I have been using Reef Crystals for over 6 months, and real happy with the switch....

 

[Gettin'Tanked]

I havn't got that far yet. It seems Reef Crystals is very popular though, so I will check into it. thanks again Dave

 

[Gettin'Tanked]

Just a quick update. My Ro/DI filter will be here tomorrow. I picked up two 60g barrels today for RO water. I'm taking off next week to hook up the RO filter, fill the tank, mix the salt, and do some more shopping. My shopping list so far consists of Salifert test kits (nitrites, nitrates, amonia, calcium), a TDS meter, a refractometer, 100lbs of live rock, and 80lbs of sand. I plan on mixing the water sunday, fishing monday and tuesday, and setting up the rock and sand the rest of the week. I am also prepared to run another 20 amp curcuit if I need more power, but I am hoping it will work without it. Once it is up and running I will know what I need for power and fans. I have 4 very nice 8" fans I will mount in the conapy and the stand if I need to. I will also take some photos and get them posted this weekend. If anyone sees anything I may have missed please let me know. Dave