DepT's 90 gallon mixed reef build

[DepT]

Hello WAMAS! This build thread has been a long time in the making, and unfortunately, I'm more or less done at this point. But I wanted to do a thread anyways. I'll add more pictures as I get them, but I'm at work right now so I'm limited there (sorry, they're all cell pics). Anyways, I had been keeping a 29 gal Biocube for the past couple of years and after buying a house, I wanted something bigger.

 

Here is the 'Cube before tear down last week:

 

 

It had 35 lbs of LR, a few pieces of LPS, some candycanes, frog spawn, various zoas, mushrooms, Acans, star polyps, etc as well as Clown, Yellow Watchman Goby, Six Line Wrasse, and Royal Gramma.

 

I scored a 90 Gallon reef ready tank, stand, hood, SWC 160 skimmer (new), Air Water Ice Typhoon 4 RO/DI unit, 30 gallon sump, Mag 9 return, BRS Reactor, and various plumbing pieces and small pumps for $600 off of Craigslist. It felt like a decent deal at the time. SO:

 

Flow: 3 Koralia 1050's, 2 Koralia 750's, and my Mag 9 return.

 

Lighting: 48" Teklight 6 bulb T5. I also got an Aquamedic dual 250W MH/ T5 setup for $50 thanks to the guys at Incredible Corals....but it still needs some work :(

 

Skimmer: SWC 160...an awesome skimmer so far. Pulls out loads of nasty gunk.

 

Sump: 30 gallon long divided into 3 areas. Fuge on one end fed by a T and ball valve off of the return line. Lit by a 6500k LED floodlight (grows chaeto like there's no tomorrow). 2 200W Jager heaters. pics to follow.

 

I built a water changing station with a 30 gallon brute on top, and a 44 gallon on the bottom. The RO/DI unit feeds water into the top can for top offs. A valve can then be turned to dump it into the lower can where salt is mixed in. Mixed water is then pumped out of that can and under the house, through the floor and wall, and into the sump. 30 gallon water changes take about 10 minutes!

Sorry about the crappy pic, its a cramped and messy room.

 

I stained the stand and cabinet a dark dark brown and added some doors to the hood as well.

 

 

 

About 6 weeks ago, I received 80lbs of Fiji rock from LiveAquaria. It's nice rock and the color is really starting to come out:

 

 

The first aquascape, with actinics..eww

Edited March 20, 2013 by DepT

[DepT]

After a couple of weeks, the cycle was complete (greatly sped up by 15 lbs of rock from the Cube) and I was ready to ready to add some livestock. Problem was, trying to catch fish in a packed Biocube was not easy. Not even traps worked. I went to BRK one day and decided I was going to buy another fish to throw in the new tank. And there she was, still in the bag. A fish I have wanted to keep for 10 years. A Hippo Tang...After some convincing that she would do fine from John and one of his employees, I bought her. A month later, and she is thriving.

 

Last week, I finally tore down the biocube and rescaped. Everything is doing great so far and is opened up and healthy. It is a much nicer color in person, but cellphone cameras can only do so much:

 

 

 

It took 5 months to get everything together, but I definitely think it was worth it. Now that it's done, I want a 120+...sigh...Maybe in the next house.

[surf&turf]

Looks good!!

[Coral Hind]

Nice job!

[DepT]

Here is an more recent pic from about 5 weeks ago...a decent amount of growth over the last year.

 

And the latest addition!  Picked it up for a great price at Aquatic Obsession last week. And don't worry Tang Police...I'm upgrading to a 125 soon.

[DepT]

Excuse the pic quality...taken with a cellphone :(

 

FTS from last night

 

Birdsnest that started as a 1" frag 12 months ago

 

Some Zoas

 

Feed us!

 

Actinics

 

Diamond Goby in front of a pineapple under the sea

 

Sump

 

 

Who wants some chaeto???

 

[YHSublime]

Im a big fan if the rock work you settled on, well done! Tanks looking good!