LanksTank 90 Gal Mixed Reef Build

[LanksTank]

Hey guys,

 

I am new to the club, and decided to start a build thread on my 90 gal mixed reef tank.  I plan on writing a series of posts to lead up to where I'm at now because I've been working on this tank build for a little over a year now in my spare time, and putting all that in one post would be annoying.  This is my first saltwater tank and I've learned a lot in the past year.  I've recently made the jump to purchase the rest of my equipment this Black Friday and start cycling my tank by the beginning of the new year!  I am super excited as I've been waiting for a long time to set up my tank, and when I haven't been working on my tank I've been doing research on the hobby.

 

Please feel free to provide any input you may have!  I've made a few judgement errors along the way with planning out my tank, but I am a fast learner.  Its definitely true what they say in this hobby, and that is to take your time and don't rush things.  The following are my plans so far;

 

90 Gal Mixed Reef

 

Ordering Black Friday:

 

1. 2x BRS GFO/Carbon Reactor + Pump

2. All test kits, media, and other maintenance items

3. Refugium Mud

4. Aquascaping Epoxy

5. Refractometer

6. Filter Socks

7. Ecotech MP40wES pump

8. Vortech Battery Backup

9. Neptune APEX Lite controller

   1. PH probe

   2. VDM Module + AI interface cable

   3. WXM Module

**Certainly if someone knows any upcoming deals for these items let me know!  

 

Already Have:

 

1. DIY Black Light Canopy

2. DIY Fish Screen

3. Mag-Drive 18 Return Pump

4. 2x AI Sol LED Fixtures

5. Trigger Systems 36E Sump Refugium

6. Reef Dynamics INS 135 Protein Skimmer

7. BRS 4 Stage Plus RO/DI System

8. 90 Gal Oceana Tank w/ Built-in Overflow

9. DIY Black Aquarium Stand

10. Hard Plumbed Sump and Return

11. 2x 32 gal Rubbermaid Containers for RO/DI and Saltwater

12. 2x 200w Eheim heaters

13. 100w Eheim heater

14. 15 inch Refugium LED Light (White)

15. 80 lb of ReefCleaners Sand

16. 100 lb of ReefCleaners Dry Rock

 

 

Tank and Stand:

 

The following are some pictures of my tank when I bought it summer 2012.  The overflow wasn't cleaned after the tank was used so I gave the whole thing a vinegar bath.  I also did some demo to the stand, as the front support was annoying and limited my access to the sump.  I reinforced the stand, sanded it, and re-stained it.  If I could go back, I probably wouldn't stain it black again... wood is a beautiful material and I wish I would've used a lighter stain to really make the grain pop.  But.. it was such a pain to get all that black off the first time, so not going to cry over spilled milk.  I made new doors as well!  Instead of reinforcing the stand I wish I would've just made a new one cause I didn't realize at the time that its a bit on the short side...

 

90 Gal Oceanic Tank w/ Built in Overflow

 

Demo!

 

Reinforcement and new doors.

 

Completed product with shiny new handles.  Also applied silicone to all cracks in the interior to prevent water penetration into wood and light coming out of tank.  I cut a rubber mat to put underneath sump to prevent water penetration and to reduce vibrations from pumps. 

Edited November 23, 2013 by LanksTank

[matt]

nice work! looking forward to seeing this up and running

[LanksTank]

Thanks matt!

 

Sump and Skimmer

 

So in my infinite wisdom as a newbie I prowled Craigslist in 2012 for equipment.  I found what I thought was an awesome deal; a Reef Dynamics INS 135 skimmer for $200 ($400 retail)!  Reefer claimed it was several months old and in perfect condition. I was like great, so picked it up came back home, plugged it in, and was like great it works.

 

This past summer, I decided to test it out again while I was setting up plumbing and realized something didn't sound right with the pump.  I decided to investigate and found the the ceramic rod was shattered and the housing of the pump was completely worn down from the pieces grinding inside..  Not only that, but it appeared that the person who sold me the pump knew about it cause he tried to open the pump with a screw driver and broke a piece off when you were just suppose to turn it...  I was played the fool..  A new pump from reef dynamics cost $190 (including shipping); so much for my deal..

 

Reef Dynamics 135 INS skimmer

 

Ceramic rod and pin wheel 

 

My next purchase was a custom Trigger Systems 36E sump I got for a great deal!  Or at least a lot better deal than my skimmer  .  It has a built in refugium, skimmer section, and return section.

 

Skimmer in sump. Tight fit!  I want to put a lot in my tank so I wanted a big skimmer.

 

Testing out my Eheim heaters and new $12 aquarium LED I got off eBay for my refugium. Hopefully it will be enough light..

[sachabballi reef]

if you dont find a steal on a battery backup for the vortech let me know...I have a brand new in a box one for you...I have never even opened the box lol

 

shoot me a PM

[LanksTank]

Thanks Jenn!  I'll definitely let you know if I don't find something.

 

btw love the Einstein quote!

[LanksTank]

Plumbing

 

This past summer I worked on plumbing my tank.  I went through some trial and error before I found something that worked.  I used both PVC and reinforced flexible tubing to plumb my tank, and connected a Mag Drive 18 for my return.  I made 2 DIY dorsal standpipes and put them in my overflow.  One goes to my refugium and the other goes to my skimmer section due to the peculiar configuration of my sump.  I would've liked to add more valves but the height of my stand sort of limited me on what I can and cannot do..  If you have any suggestions I would love to hear!  My return splits off after a check valve and shut off and goes to 2 hang on returns on either side of my tank to provide some variable flow.

 

 

 

[LanksTank]

DIY canopy, fish screen, and AI SOL

 

I had some free time at work one day and decided, why not build a canopy?!  I used a 3D rendering program called Inventor and designed a set of blueprints to go with my tank, ran to Lowes, and got to work!

 

Basic frame.

 

I used all white pine to help reduce the weight on top of the stand.

 

Unstained finished product. Also had a ton of holes to fill in from nail gun 

 

I later added aluminum rails to hold a DIY fish screen I made from a screen kit at Lowes and the clear mesh you can find on BRS.  I also added rails along a shelf I put in the canopy to hold my AI SOLs.  Because the light fixtures are hanging on a slot along the module it allows me to slide them along the rails and position them where I need to.  I have 2 AI SOLs running parallel to the front of the glass approximately 12-14 inches above the water line.

 

Canopy and stand after they were stained.  Forgot to add earlier that I sprayed inside of canopy and stand with water resistant exterior spray paint.  I know the picture isn't very good..  Lighting wasn't right.

 

That's pretty much up to date on everything!  I am currently filling up on my RO/DI in 2 32 gal BRUTE trashcans I bought.  I plan hooking some PVC together at some point to make the process more automated.  Right now I just have the containers sitting next to each other with my RO/DI system standing up on a file cabinet lol.

 

Expecting my shipment of 100 lb dry rock and 80 lb sand from reefkeepers.com tomorrow.  Fingers crossed  ...  Can't wait to check out the rock and I'll definitely be posting what I think!  For $1.8/lb and free shipping, idk if I've seen a better deal.  They claim to have already cured the rock after they dug it up so all you have to do is stick it in your tank and let it cycle; same with sand.

[sachabballi reef]

so refreshing to see a newbie that has obviously done  extensive homework......congrats you are off to a solid start!!!!!

 

I am really looking forward to your journey...I have a feeling its going to be amazing....it better be or momma is gonna kick you out

[Shoelace]

+1. Great work. Love what you did to the stand. Doesn't feel newbie at all!

[YHSublime]

Most excellent. Looking good!

[Origami]

Nice job on the stand.

 

I don't see a Vortech on the list anywhere but I see the backup battery. Are the pumps a planned addition for later?

 

The magnet on the impeller looks a bit scratched up, but it's not horrible. Can you just get another ceramic shaft for the pump and get it going again. If not, do you know what pump is on that skimmer? It looks like an old Euro Reef - maybe an RS80 by the size. If so, that's a Sedra KSP-3500 on it probably. If it is, then a Bubble Blaster HY-1000 might be a good, more up-to-date replacement.

[LanksTank]

Ah you're right Tom, I missed that one.  I plan on getting an MP40 and a battery backup.  I had one that I bought used, but it was broken so I sent it back for a refund..  I plan on running 1 pump initially and then installing a 2nd on the opposite side later on when I start adding corals.

 

The pump used on the skimmer is an EcoPlus 1056, but it was modified by Reef Dynamics specifically for their skimmer.  I tried looking into alternative replacements or just buying and replacing the pieces that were damaged, but feared that down the road that may not be the best idea.  The motor to the old pump is still in good shape minus a few scratches in the housing for the magnet.  I ended up just buying the pump from reef dynamics and now the skimmer runs like it should..  A lot quieter now too lol.

 

I think replacing all the pieces would've been roughly $50 less and therefore I decided to purchase a new pump.

[Cliff Puckstable]

Awesome job, mate. Your tank looks fantastic.

[Incredible Corals]

so refreshing to see a newbie that has obviously done  extensive homework......congrats you are off to a solid start!!!!!

 

I am really looking forward to your journey...I have a feeling its going to be amazing....it better be or momma is gonna kick you out

 

+1

 

 Great work!

[LanksTank]

Bought the rest of my equipment last week!  Just waiting for all of it to get to my house through the mail...  I started cycling my dry rock in a 32 gal Rubbermaid thanks to Origami's and Orion's advice.  I just received my test kits today from BRS so I've been checking the water parameters and everything is good.  Going to speed things up when I pour in some Dr. Tim's I bought at a LFS on Black Friday, only I'm waiting on the ammonia chloride solution to ship since they didn't sell it at the store...

Edited December 3, 2013 by LanksTank

[lnevo]

so refreshing to see a newbie that has obviously done extensive homework......congrats you are off to a solid start!!!!!

 

+1

 

Looks like a great build. Love the canopy. That is one of my future projects. Can't wait to see this thing up and running. Plumbing looks great too. Nice work!

[LanksTank]

Started setting up my main display over the holidays and got quite a bit done, after I wrestled a few problems..  Got my APEX up and running and updated firmware, but only have my lights programmed at the moment.  I was hoping that Fusion would've been released by now.  Transferred my rocks to the display and put my sand in.  Not sure what happened when I transferred my rock from my Rubbermaid container..  Nitrites were almost at 0 and for the past week have slowly climbed back up to 1 ppm and have not gone away..  Maybe the transfer killed some of the bacteria?  Put some chaeto in that had some pods and mini brittle stars thanks to Bruce.  I also added 2 small pieces of live rock from LFS.  Yesterday when I was moving the pieces of LR, 2 small shrimp like creatures swam out.  They looked like tiny shrimp and were less than a centimeter in length.  I was afraid they might be mantis shrimp and not amphipods so I tried taking them both out, but one got blown into my overflow box and disappeared when I was trying to inspect it  ...  I forgot to take a picture, but if I see another one that will be the first thing I do.  Hopefully they were in fact amphipods.  Trying to get my nitrite problem figured out before I do anything else.  I've just been ghost feeding the tank in fear that if I added ammonia solution it would kill all the critters.  Yesterday I tested my parameters and got:

 

Ammonia 0

Nitrite 1 ppm

Nitrate 16 ppm

Temp 80 F

Salinity 35 ppt

PH 8.16

 

Some pics:

 

Putting water in.

 

Display.

[bravanc]

Great start and every things looking good.  i would suggest you mount your electronics outside of the hood as the evaporation and humidity could cause premature corrision on the electronics components and connections.

[monkiboy]

Great start and every things looking good.  i would suggest you mount your electronics outside of the hood as the evaporation and humidity could cause premature corrision on the electronics components and connections.

neat start indeed and looks clean! i defintely echo the above sentiments. that set up makes me incredibly anxious more so for even the smallest chance of one of those modules or your apex brain falling in the tank but especially for how fast they'll deteriorate from all the humidity of a closed canopy, salt creep, splashing while feeding or maintenance, etc.

[LanksTank]

Great start and every things looking good.  i would suggest you mount your electronics outside of the hood as the evaporation and humidity could cause premature corrision on the electronics components and connections.

Thanks, I'll try to see if can move everything to the rear of the canopy.  I was sort of worried about that too but wanted to be able to access and see everything.

 

 

neat start indeed and looks clean! i defintely echo the above sentiments. that set up makes me incredibly anxious more so for even the smallest chance of one of those modules or your apex brain falling in the tank but especially for how fast they'll deteriorate from all the humidity of a closed canopy, salt creep, splashing while feeding or maintenance, etc.

The entire top of the canopy is open to allow for evap.  I haven't had any problems with humidity in the canopy so far.  But don't want to risk something getting splashed and shorting out.  I'll see what I can do when I get home later.

 

I have been thinking of putting some kind of cabinet next to the tank so maybe I can transfer electronics to there.  Need something to hold RO/DI water.  Tired of running up and down the stairs 

[LanksTank]

Came home and found diatoms!

 

 

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[hawkfish01]

Oh goody,things moving along well? I know when i was cycling my nano i was tickled to see bloom come and go..being smart with this tank..going slow... Good luck...8)

[YHSublime]

Looking very good! I'll double echo everything said about those electronics being stored in your hood like that! I'm a pretty easy going guy, and it even makes me a bit anxious seeing them up there. I would suggest doing it ASAP! My canopy is completely open, and I even get some salt creep  from the evaporation on my LED glass, fwiw. For alternatives, try the side of the your stand, or a cabinet next to your tank is an option for some.

 

Although the aquascaping is not my style, I'm really digging it, I'd like to see some more angles if you can post some up! I bet the fish will really enjoy that cave.

[LanksTank]

Looking very good! I'll double echo everything said about those electronics being stored in your hood like that! I'm a pretty easy going guy, and it even makes me a bit anxious seeing them up there. I would suggest doing it ASAP! My canopy is completely open, and I even get some salt creep  from the evaporation on my LED glass, fwiw. For alternatives, try the side of the your stand, or a cabinet next to your tank is an option for some.

 

Although the aquascaping is not my style, I'm really digging it, I'd like to see some more angles if you can post some up! I bet the fish will really enjoy that cave.

Tackling issues one by one.  One of my bulkheads was leaking very slowly so I figured that took priority.  I fixed that up tonight.  I bought a small cabinet to go next to the tank, and I'm going to transfer electronics over to there.  I have to paint it black at some point though to match stand cause they only had white...  I currently have my battery backup and display unit on the non-visible side of my stand so not much room there.  I was going more for coral placement instead of looks in my aquascape and figured mountain style gave most surface area.  I plan on covering every inch of my rocks   Lots of small caves and stuff for fish to swim through! Here's some more pics.  My camera phone isn't very good at adjusting to my LEDS.

 

 

 

 

[LanksTank]

Spotted a small asterina star on my back glass!

 

 

In other news, there are small bubbles forming on my brown algae. Would this be nitrogen?

 

 

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