yet another 90Gal build

Ah yes...my 90G build starts today....
..The Goal: Mixed Reef Tanks with mostly sps dominated corals, some clams, some LPS, VERY few softies, sustainable/breedable fish (clowns, cardinals)

...side goals: purchase at least 50% of the stuff in support of the few remaining LFS (obviously you can't get, nor can they stock "Everything" but I'll purchase products within budget and thats reasonably "Competivley" priced)

...Design: I'm going to use BOTH conventional refugium-sump w/DSB/scrubber AND Bio-pellet reactor...(fully realizing that there is a decent chance the algae scrubber might fail) ...Also plan on purchasing a DA Reefkeeper controller w/all the goodies to control wavemaker functions, calcium reactor, et
Future plans therefore include a Calcium Reactor

Intially I'll be dripping Kalkwasser, with wave & light timming via X-10 modules or run-o-mill electronic timers

..I hope this won't bore ya'll to tears...I'm sorta using this post as a Journal/blog for this build...and because this could serve as a guide to a newbie undertaking this expensive task I'm sparring no minor details either...

The thing is: this hobby is potentially an expensive "marriage wrecker", and money is the most constraining variable; So I've broken my build down into "budget timelines" ... Fortunatley/recently I've had over 100 fish tanks and also saved lots of junk from my days of reefing back in the 80's & 90's, so I'll start off with stuff I already own

...Oh an BTW, feel free to offer any mods/suggestions/ideas to this build....(esp. livestock suggestions!!)

Equipment list (present or recently purchased junk):

• 4ea asst powerheads (to be replaced later)
• 6ft 3/4" I.D thick vinyl tubing
• 1" bulkhead
• Sump light
• Lifeguard Fluidized bed filter (for bio-pellets)
• Lifeguard Quiet One 220
• Little Giant 4MDSC
• 20L
• 30lbs coarse coral substrate
• approx 25lbs "decent" live rock
• pair of juvie Maroons (so far so good)
• Box of Instant Ocean
• Gianourmous jar of Seachem Phosphate remover
• Hanna pH & TDS pens
• CO2 bottle with regulator (no soleniod)
• 400W MH
• X10 modules & asst electronic timers

Budgeted Purchases Week 1-2

• Tank/Canopy/Cabinet
• Nitate test kit
• Cheato

* Note: Lighting will temporarily be via a 400W MH fixture (just to color up the rock a lil)

Budgeted Purchases Week 2-4 $650

• Reef Octopus 150
• Tek 6x54 light w/bulbs

Budgeted Purchases Week 5-6 $300

• 30lbs "dry" rock
• 30-40 "Tonga/Fiji/or whatever "premium" rock
• Upgraded "circulation" type powerheads

Budgeted Purchases Week 7-8 $300

• RK "lite" controller
• ReefMaster test kit or Equiv "Salifert"

Budgeted Purchases Week 9-10 $300

• $100 LPS corals
• $100 Fish/inverts
• $100 additional pH probe for RK Lite

Budgeted Purchases Week 10-11 $200

• ATO kit For RK lite
• Bucket of Salt, additives, Bio-pellets

Budgeted Purchases Week 12-13 $500

• Calcium Reactor
• Solenoid
• Salinity Probe

Budgeted Purchases Week 13-14 $300

Livestock TBD



...Hope I didn't miss anything

 

hey, good luck with this build and i like the budgeting strategy! is your tank glass or acrylic? built in over-flows?

 

OK, here is my sump build

I'm starting with a 20L drilled for a 1" bulkhead


next I've added the dividers/baffles (yes thats single strength glass...ooops!); I give it 2months before I break it, wish I had caught it when the Hardware store cut it...Dbl stregth glass would last longer ..oh note the "square" to keep things perpendicular



...and here is the sump design (plates are 9" high)
1 Skimmer chamber 9" (hope that reef octopus fits!!!)
2 Bubble trap 1.5"-1.5"
3 Refugium/Scrubber 12"
4 Outlet/Reactor Chamber 6"
...I'll find out fast if that design is jacked or not!



You'll notice the intake has a 90 fitting...hope that bend doesn't "Choke" my pump ...I had to go with a elbow to get the total length under 47" (I no it ain't much but I suspect external pumps transfer a "lil" less heat)

...now I'm gonna dry fit my pellet reactor....note how I straighten out the hose using PVC and hot water (yeah semi-meaningless drivel, but details details)



and here is the sump with the pellet reactor in place

 

It's one of those Marineland pre-drilled 90's,I'm sure you've seen them before .... Wife insisted on it looking sharp & insited on a primo stand/canopy combo (I cudda got the less "Geometrically" but more practical pre-drilled 100G w/pine stand for about $300 less new!!)

 

Looks good so far. I personally enjoy lots of detail... I'll be following along. Good luck on the build.

 

Looking goood, Doc!
Its great to be detail oriented when it comes to this hobby. And patience of course.

Make sure you check the 90 thread as well if you hadnt done so already

 

Looks good nice to see another 90.

 

Looking good, great strategy you have mapped out

If you do not run your flow above 10 times the sumps volume the baffles may last much longer than you think.

 

Thanks for the support & encouragement folks.... Right now I'm trolling here and on RC for ATS designs...wow am I out of it!!! My idea of a turf scrubber was intially 4-5" of DSB with rubble & tons of caulerpra...now it seems cheato has replaced caulerpra and "Vertical" scrubbers are replacing cheato....
....I'm sorta vasilating now because of that,,,,,so pardon me typing out loud <LOL>

...but then again; there are two things I hate/avoid with reef tanks: heat & complexity...

I'm sorta going through lengths to avoid as many powerheads/pumps in the water as possible, even going with a ole skool 4MDSC over the more up to date "modern" submersibles...

of course with a verticle ATS the additional powerhead looks like its a "wash" with the evaporative cooling of the ATS

...ahhh shucks...maybe I'll just do the cheato thing with a simple light over it for now and use the bio-pellets "in addition to"

...anyone running a ATA & pellets at the same time?

 

I am new to the ATS world as well and have had one set up on my tank now for almost 2 months. I think that they are really the way to go; they keep the aquarium cool, can replace a skimmer, and are cheap to make.

As far as the extra power head that is not needed if you are still in the planning stages you can just use your return pump to feed the scrubber. This will also cut down on electricity and temp since most of the system will be running off of one unit.

If you have any questions let me know, or you can go check out my 90 gallon build thread in my sig.

Good luck.