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Building our 75G reef...and updates

5K views 43 replies 5 participants last post by  DisneyCoralReef 
#1 ·
Here we go!

After reading A LOT over the last few months and getting a lot of great advice from our lovely forum readers, we have finally taken the first step into our new adventure of building our first saltwater tank :-D

Hoping to start up this thread and post some regular updates as we get our gear together. No pictures of the new tank yet as it was ordered this afternoon. It should take about 3 weeks to come in. The stand in the pic below is the one that is coming in. We ordered a 75G reef ready tank with a stand that will be able to accommodate a sump. (The pic below shows a 90G tank).


Keep an eye out on our blog(my signature)as I'll be posting updates there more frequently. We have nothing else at this point, but I think we're heading in the right direction!
 
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#2 ·
Hey Disney,
How exciting for you. I look forward to watching your tank progress. Congrats and good luck with your new tank. :)
 
#8 · (Edited)
Reef, you are my savior. Where do I mail cookies to?
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UR too funny!LOL I'm in Maimi Florida but i rarely eat anything sweet. the only thing i do with sugar is coffee :lol: anything to help another reefer. BTW not all T5's are made equal so there are differences to look for. getting individual reflectors for each bulb is real important so dont just run out and get a fixture. there are some cheap lights out there that you want to avoid.
 
#10 ·
the light you are probably talking about u can aaaa ddd anian. LOL is probably this one


i would gowith the other one i mentioned before and you definitely don't want the bulbs thats included with that fixture. IMO, sumps are nothing more than a tank to hold your filtration equipment under your stand. there's nothing magical about them. you could even go to a container store and by a leak proof container that can fit under your stand and use that.
 
#11 ·
Definitely on it reef. You are correct, those were the ones they showed me. Will go to the ones you told me about. As fir the sump...I'm really pulling the hair out of my head with that one. I do have a 20 gallon tank but I have zero confidence in my skill right now. I think I rather spend(or waste good money into a ready to go one. I'm pasting the links you've given me and going to research where to get the right now. I'll post links.
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#12 ·
Noooo not the hair! lol what dimensions is the 20 gal tank? ttake a good look at how i use a diy filter sock on my sump. i sew together a sock and used clothes pin to clip it on my sump. other than that i have a skimmer then liverocks in it. you probably dont even need baffles in the thing if you lower the return pump and rely on the powerheads in the tank to do the water movement.
 
#13 ·
I'm sure that once I start up and understand sumps I will probably kick myself for not putting my own dump together. I honestly rather get one that's already ready to go because I think it will take me some time to even understand how they completely function.
What size should I be looking for? Should I be looking for a sump before a skimmer? Or a skimmer then a sump as I would have to make sure it fit?
You mentioned 2 powerheads for the tank, how do you determine the GPH for a reef? Are there specials features that make certain powerheads better than others? Sumps? Skimmers?

Also...stupid question...but what is a RODIN system?
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#15 ·
as for t5s i personally like the icecap retrofits but only if you have a canopy to mount them in.. it also involves another DIY project.

as for filter socks and having to much live rock in a sump, i feel this is the same concept as having a filter floss/bio balls. the rock in a sump is a slow flowing area so debris is allowed to catch, build up and then break down into nitrates/phosphates.. and the sock needs to be cleaned constant, just like filter floss would. they do "polish" the water though, as long as you dont mind frequent cleaning of them.

its pretty easy to silicon baffles into a used tank.. they wouldnt even need to be 100% water tight ( as long as the actual tank is ) although i make mine with a complete seal. its also pretty easy how they work too. water goes in, flows into area with skimmer, flows over then under then over ( bubble trap ) before going up the return pump. the bubble trap keeps bubbles from entering the display. you could also add a refugium to the sump to, which i personally would.
i did
inlet/ refugium | bubble trap| return pump | bubble trap | skimmer/ inlet
so i had 2 inlets and the return pump in the center. the refugium sides inlet goes into a small box to prevent the deep sand bed from being disturbed.
the bigger the sump the better. this means more water volume for your tank. i had a 46 bowfront w a 40 breeder sump once. granted i also knew i was upgrading the display tank at the time of constructing a 40 breeder sump, but it made the 46 run so much smoother having double its volume. ofcourse you dont need a sump this size but bigger is better when it comes to sumps. keep in mind your skimmer, carbon/phosban reactors, heater(s), and possibly a return pump will be inside the sump. you may also want a refugium section with sand and a macro algae ( which i suggest chaeto )

the hydor K powerheads are pretty good IMO. if you like the look of these, want to spend alittle more money and get something alittle better, look into tunzes. if you want to spend even more money you can go with a vortech but these cost an arm and 2 legs plus they cant be angeled and only "aim" straight. ive also heard people say they're noisy if not lined up straight but they do look pretty cool. honestly the hydors would fit you perfectly, which i suggest. 2 is ideal, one on either end of the tank. back when i had the 46 bowfront, which was a mixed reef i had a mag9 on the return pump from the sump, 2 hydor K #2s and 1 or 2 #4s going. thats alot of flow but it worked well for me. id say 2 #4s would make a good start for you.

a RO/DI system is a reverse osmosis filter that removes chlorine from the water. a TDS ( total disolved solids ) meter will tell you how filtered it is, and the closer to ( if not ) 0 the better.
 
#16 ·
a sump or skimmer doesn't really matter which one you get first but just make sure that the skimmer of choice can fit into the sump of choice. the sump also needs to fit under the stand too. I personally recommend a skimmer that is at least 2 times bigger than your tank. for example you have a 75 gal tank, i'd recommend a skimmer that is rated for 150 gallons. The RO/DI is a water filter that you use to clean the water that comes out of your home plumbing . That water is what is used to make new saltwater and for freshwater topoff. you can also drink the water coming out of the RO but before the DI section. That water coming out of the DI is typically Chemist grade H2O and nothing else. There should be no phosphates, chlorine, or any other impurities in the water after the RO/DI.

I personally have live rocks in my sump and have no issues as far as phosphate or anything else. to me it just another place to put rocks in the water because i don't like too much rocks in the display. if you are concerned about debris then throw a power head in there along with the rocks.
 
#17 · (Edited)
Powerhead and other equipment

Alright, so I decided to buy the rest of the stuff now while I can. It looks like we are going to be moving a little sooner than originally planned. That means off shopping we go!

So now it comes down to WHAT DO I NEED? I need to find something that's either local to me, or within Canada(for online orders). I realized Big Al's has an online website for some equipment.

Taking a look at the Koralia powerheads and not seeing the model I was suggested to get. Can you guys take a look and tell me what you would recommend for my tank? I really like the looks of them over some of the ones I have seen online. I'm not sure how much flow I should be looking for tho.
http://www.bigalsonline.ca/BigAlsCA/ctl3664/cp56976/cl0/powerheads

Now for the skimmer, the one I was recommended has absolutely fantastic skimmer and I should have any problems ordering it online(the ones online really seem to be cheap and suck), even with the S/H fee so I am willing to do that. The sump on the other hand...I contacted the online company I found and saw how much it would cost to ship(now I knew it was going to be to much, but thought I would ask). Again, if anyone local to CANADA who's bought a good sump either online or in stores, is willing to pm me, it would be really help.

I just put my list together of everything I needed and yep as expected being an american dealer, they are charging me through the nose for shipping.

Here is the only other online store we have here:
Skimmer
http://www.aquariumsupplies.ca/protein-skimmer-p-1151.html

Powerheads
http://www.aquariumsupplies.ca/koralia-evolution-1400-p-5673.html

Pump?
http://www.aquariumsupplies.ca/aquarium-drive-1600-p-3025.html

RODI System
http://www.aquariumsupplies.ca/four-stage-maxpure-rodi-system-p-2574.html
 
#20 ·
IMO, everything you posted above looks fine and will allow you to keep just about anything. That skimmer, lights, RO/DI, and powerheads can do the job. Are they the best products? no but they can do the job. The only question is on the pump. i would go with this one instead. http://www.bigalsonline.ca/BigAlsCA/ctl3664/cp57002/si1317166/cl0/eheimhobbypump1260. it's only 80 watts instead of 120 watts and this pump is considered to be one of the better pumps on the market and imo its enough turnover from tank to sump. sometimes if the pump is too big you will have microbubbles and not be able to stop them from returning to your display tank.
 
#21 ·
IMO, everything you posted above looks fine and will allow you to keep just about anything. That skimmer, lights, RO/DI, and powerheads can do the job. Are they the best products? no but they can do the job. The only question is on the pump. i would go with this one instead. http://www.bigalsonline.ca/BigAlsCA/ctl3664/cp57002/si1317166/cl0/eheimhobbypump1260. it's only 80 watts instead of 120 watts and this pump is considered to be one of the better pumps on the market and imo its enough turnover from tank to sump. sometimes if the pump is too big you will have microbubbles and not be able to stop them from returning to your display tank.
Absolutely respect your opinion. Thanks for the suggestion of the pump. Ideally I would have liked to stick to what you suggested, but the shipping is way to much! those buggers use the boarder to jump up their shipping despite the fact that I am actually closer than a lot of states.

If there is anything that you think is better quality(even if it costs more), on that BigAl site, let me know. I tried to use the suggestions item info that came with each to try to find what the closest thing I thought I could find.

Thanks again.
 
#23 ·
this is what the hydrometer looks like. it's accurate enough to start keeping lps and softies.


make sure when you use it there are no micro bubbles on the swing arm because the swing arm is calibrated to float and give you te readings of the salinity of the water. . i used one for years then when i went to sps i use a this which is way more accurate

http://akamai.edeal.com//images/catalog3684/folder24579/img4738833med.jpg
 
#28 ·
Question, heading out today to shop some more. Do I need to get a heater for my reef?
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your water temp will need to be stable between 76 to 81 degrees. the more stable the better
 
#27 ·
One more thing, the quote shows: stability 500ml, and prime 250ml. What is this and is it something I need to get? Or is he trying to make a bigger sale?
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if you are going to get a ro/di you don't need prime. if you are going to use live rock you dont need stability. i would recommend the ro and live rock as basic building block to a successful reef. if you go diffrent it will be alot more complicated to be successful.
 
#30 · (Edited)
Voila

Here we go, went out tonight to get a few more things. Unfortunately after contacting some suppliers, I'm going to really be restricted as to what to get and from where I can get it. I called the only other good store in our area(which is 3 hours away), and they didnt have what i wanted.

So for the sump, I have to get it here locally, tho we did do measurements and the octopus skimmer I'm going to be ordering online, will fit in the sump. I will also have to order the lights, because to get them here at the local Aqua shop, you are looking at nearly a thousand dollars for a T5, 6 bulb set up :shock:

So...I ordered the sump, heater, and refratometer(spelling?). I bought the pump, salt and thermometer in store. So all that stuff should be arriving at the same time as the tank and stand(woot!).

Im not sure what Im going to do for the RODI system. It was sooooo expensive in store. I nearly chocked when I saw what it was here. I didn't buy it and wondering if there is a way around it? It's just to expensive. I could get one online for a much better price but now not sure as to how I'm going to set it up on my own if I do, and I dont know how I would check as to how compatible it would be with the rest of my equipment.

My other issue was the pump. Because of weight with shipping, it's going to also cut back on what I am going to be able to order. This pump below was also ridiculously expensive AND the only review I found on there was a 3/5 star rating with a noise related comment. I could still return it at this point, but I dont know what I can find a replacement for it without losing an arm in shipping. All thoughts welcome. I guess this hobby kind of sucks when you're Canadian!





 
#31 ·
yes there is a way around the RO/DI expenses a few of them actually and before it happens i know i am going to get some strong feed back but these are options not LAW
1) get a RO/DI system some where else (Home depot has them for half the cost of fish stores and they are the same)
2) buy all your water bottled
3) buy all your water from a store that letts you full buckets
4) (here comes the pain) use tap water and treat with start right or another product that removes chlorine and chloromine. i know this seems off but its what i have been doing since my start up and have had great results. after talking with a number of people it turns out i am not the only one who uses this method and has had many years of success...
 
#32 ·
that pump moves alot of water. remember that when we move alot of water microbubbles may become a problem. make sure your sump is as big as possible, keeping in mind that eventually you may want to add some automation to the tank requiring some space under the stand.
 
#33 ·
I did notice it was more powerful than what he had suggested. Should I go see what the step below it is? And replace it with a smaller one?
This is the only one they had in store but if you suggest to get smaller, I will go do that even if I have to order.

Thank you so much about the RODI system. It never crosse my mind it would be such a price jump here. Thank you so much for the advice.
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