New 90 gallon

[mogurnda]

Hey WAMASers!  I still can't believe I won the 90 in the raffle.  It will finally push me to have a "real" tank.  I'll start with the equipment and the plan, and end with some specific questions.

 

What I'd like is a reef, with some nice SPS, maybe even a few acropora, on one side, soft corals on the other, plus a few clams on the sandbed.  

 

The equipment

90 gallon reef ready tank

Cabinet stand

Canopy, extended 8" for metal halide (have the lamps about 12" from surface)

Halides: 2X250 watt Iwasaki, Electronic ballasts (1 icecap, 1 blueline), icecap sockets/reflectors

2X96W PC actinics from AH supply

20 gallon long sump/fuge

EuroReef ES5-3 skimmer

DIY calcium reactor

Return pump? Iwaki 30RLXT

Topoff reservoir.  I was hoping to do something simple, like a float valve and gravity feed.

 

3-4" bed of playsand

40 lbs Florida live sand

60 lbs lace rock

120 lbs TBS live rock (80 new plus 40 from 20H)

 

The plan

Modify canopy for metal halides: halides 12" from water, PCs 4" from surface, add 2X4" fans

Paint canopy and stand to match decor

Buy, drill, and partition 20L for sump/fuge

Install plumbing

Wet test

Fill with salt water

Get the tank cycled with the sand, lace rock and rotting shrimp, innoculated with sand and rubble from the 20.

Add live sand and live rock.

Wait a while.

Have a blast.

 

This is the perfect time to tell me what looks bad (or good), since I only have the tank, stand and a ballast.  I also have a few specific questions.

1.  Do I really have enough room for a skimmer and decent fuge in a 20L?

2.  With the 20L in the stand (about 45"X16"), any ideas about topoff reservoirs?

3.  Is the Iwaki a good choice?  It's nominally 960 gph.  Is there a more reliable or better pump to use?

4.  Where can I get decent base dead rock locally?

[Guest clownfish4]

Does 20L mean 20 liters or a 20g long tank?  If it is only 20 liters, my opinion is it is way to small.

[mogurnda]

Sorry, it's a 20 gallon long.

[Guest clownfish4]

Ok, that will be perfect.  Everything sounds good to me, but I am no expert.

[Guest clownfish4]

Also, might consider making your own base rock.  Just make some pourus rocks out of cement and put the live rock over it.  It will become live with time and is VERY cheap.

[HowardofNOVA]

David,

I'm Howard who won the Scuba Certifications!

Congrats to you as well!

First of all, I just setup my 90g this spring. More than welcome to see my setup, been working on it since Feb & add fish the first week of April.

first the tank, not sure if it already has out flow holes or internal overflows, but if the first, go to The Reef Tank. Mike, Grim or one of the guys can drill holes for 1" bulkheads in it for $10. each. I had 3 done and strongly recommend that many as well. I use a Mag12 and it works beautifully.

Actually recommend a second Mag12 as a backup (probably won't need-very reliable) but use as a closed loop if you like.

I have a 20g sump and working fine, BUT if your cabinet will allow, a 20g long or 30g will be even better to allow more room or do the 20g and a refugium beside it.

I use a Turbofloater 1000 Skimmer and works fine.

LR I recommend either TRT or Roozens, can get a nice selection for around $4 a pound. I sure there are others though.

Fischers Hardware in Springfield handles alot of the plumbing fixtures you need and actually sell PVC by the foot!

Not sure what you mean by lace rock or using rotten shrimp for cycling, but the LR above will do a nice job of that.

I've got about 130# of LR in my system and works great!

Remember while cycling to leave the lights off until ready. If not, you get the pleasure of me with a nice algae bloom early!

ALSO,

I constructed my own live rock using 5 parts Aragonite and 1 part Portland Concrete. I have 3 tripod creations as my base and work great. It takes about 2-3 MONTHS for it to cure and be ready to go into the tank, but you can get pretty creative.

Talk with Luke, I gave him my directions and between the 2 of you, you can create your own. I probably saved about $150 on the 3 tripods.

Good luck!

Howard

[mogurnda]

Thanks for all the input!

 

It's drilled and ready for overflows but I had been thinking of having a second closed loop for more circulation.

 

I'm still wondering if I can stick a 29 or a 30 in there.  More fuge is better.  Also, I have a 55W PC hood that will light the fuge.  Maybe a second tank for the fuge will be the answer.

 

You both seem keep on the DIY rock, which sounds interesting.  Does it reall take 2-3 months to cure?  

 

I'd love to have a look at your tank, Howard.  Not sure how soon I'll be able to get out to Vienna, though.

 

And congratulations on you SCUBA certs!  It's a great combination, being able to see the reefs in the living room and in the ocean.

[michaelg]

More flow in the tank- somehow.  Some recommend not running too much through the sump, as the skimmer doesn't get as much contact time this way.  I would design the sump around the skimmer, as it is the hardest piece to fit in.  Will a 20L leave enough room for a reactor and top off in there?  There are knockoff euroreef skimmers- check out jeff's exotic.  Iwaki pumps are a good choice for the return- never heard a reliability issue with them.  I personally love external pumps, but- you need to leave space in the stand for them.  Check out the blueline pumps from champion.  If you haven't picked up the PC actinics, I personally would go with VHO's or T5 lights.  Retros are cheap these days.  If you are going to segragate the corals.  Plan the side nearest the overflow for the softies.  Yucky stuff will go down the overflow rather than passing over the sps.

Build the rockwork Open, but High.

[HowardofNOVA]

Yes it will take at least 2-3 months, I did water changes quite reqularly and it was still 2 months before I dared to put into the tank.

I agree with Steve on setting the coral high, but on a slight slope to allow plenty of room for goodies later.

I use a Rio2600 I believe to pressure more water into my Turbo Skimmer, It makes a ton of difference and bubbles!

I use a Mag12, but an external IWAKi is better, just purchase the Japanese version, not the US, better internals from what I remember! I got my Mag on ebay for around $70.

As I mentioned, the closed loop is a cool way of going for adding movement, plus a nice quick backup, in case the main goes down.

Something else to consider on your stand, do you have a middle support board? My stand does and sucks!

If I had it to do over again, I would cut it out and add a heavy cross board to allow more room to squeeze in OR out later a bigger sump.

Howard

PS, Michael, Someone mentioned to me a while back when I was looking at the T5's, that bulb replacement cost where so high that they recommended just going to MH instead, do you agree?

[Guest clownfish4]

Howard, from what I have heard, T5 bulbs last so long that it is worth it.  Correct me if I am wrong.

[mogurnda]

Oof!  Thanks!  Now I need a little time to rethink and absorb!:D

[mogurnda]

One quick question: why VHO rather than PC?  Based on PAR values, it looks like you get twice as much usable light per watt from PC.

[Guest cjm033]

vho hodls color longer and the spectrum doesnt shift as quick, and i think you get brighter colors from it and better water penetration.

 

-Chris

[mogurnda]

Michael, you say I could use more flow, but it sounds like I should reduce the flow in the sump.  What if I just used a mag7 coming out of the sump, and used the Iwaki for a closed loop/SCWD?

 

I'll probably have to move the topoff out of the stand.  Maybe put a potted plant on it or something.  :p

 

For actinics I'll probably change to T5s.  

 

I like the idea of putting the softies in front of the overflow to minimize chemical warfare.

[mogurnda]

Just a little  bmp]]

[michaelg]

A mag 7ish type pump or slightly larger would be fine, then use the iwaki to split to 2 3/4" sea swirls if you can afford them- else try to get one now, and upgrade on you birthday for the other return line.  You would really only need 1 hole drilled for the closed loop- that being the water intake.  Go over the top with the return lines- may need to jig out some small holes in the canopy.  Also, really think about keeping that puppy cool.  Allow for a fan or 2 blowing in your sump, and a couple in the canopy.  Make some other openings in the canopy as well to let the heat dissipate out.  Funny what you said about the plant to cover the topoff- Mindy took a small table and went out and bought a cloth for it then put it over all my electronics and CO2 tank so she didn't have to look at it any more.  Must admit, looks alot better now.  Finally to split the iwaki- I think marine depot has Y barb fittings as opposed to using a t.  Reduces head loss this way to keep more of the flow from the pump.  If you can, plumb the pump- bulkhead-ballvalve-union-pump.  thus you can turn off the water in the sump if you need to work on the pump without draining the sump.  Oversize the bulkhead for the pump (use 1" if for a 3/4" fitting).

[mogurnda]

I had been thinking about using a 1" seaswirl, but your idea of a Y to two 3/4" sounds better.  More chance for turbulence.  Given how much I am spending, one more seaswirl won't break me. 71]

 

I am thinking of using the mag in the sump, instead of external.  Save drilling a hole, and will save a little room in the stand.  

 

I'll definitely be installing two 4" fans in the canopy, and it's quite open.  Will probably get a little clamp-on fan for the stand.  Maybe two.  It would be very nice to avoid a chiller.

 

Instead of drilling, can I just use a PVC u-tube as the intake for the closed loop?

[michaelg]

yes- the pvc u-tube is how many people have put them in for the closed loop.Fan plan sounds like it should work without a chiller- will partly depend on interior temp.  Mag pump in the sump is probably are real good idea- I know when I use them for my calcium reactor, they leak a little.  One place recommends that they only be used submerged.  Just remember- you will still need a skimmer pump to fit  I am able to get my topoff res in the stand- but it is a narrowish rectangle and tall.  It needs water added morning and evening before bed.

[mogurnda]

I've been using a mag5 for a closed loop on the 20, and it aways leaks a little after cleaning.  Salt creep usually plugs it within a few days :D

[wirick21]

Dave

 

I was just wondering if you had got the 90 going?  My favorite part is setting up new tanks.  Good luck with the tank and hope all is well.

 

Brian

[mogurnda]

It's up and cycling with rotting seafood.  That's given me some time to experiment with the sump and redesign the canopy a few times.  I have been meaning to post a thread with photos, but the rest of life has been getting in the way.  Just need to find time to resize and upload.