Zach's 75G Build

Well, I'm almost done with the build. I have a healthy new respect for plumbers as it's been a PITA getting the closed loop completed. But today I was able to fire up the Dart for the first time and dang, that thing cranks some water. It's going to do very nicely, I like it. I like being able to control the direction of the flow anywhere in the tank and fine tune the amounts of flow - something I just couldn't do with powerheads.

I do have a slight drip around the threaded PVC connector on the output of the pump. My LFS said don't put any pipe tape / etc. on the thread, but I don't see a way around doing that to stop the leak. Suggestions?

I must go coral shopping soon as all of my corals did not survive the move. Fish survived, corals no. BTA also blew up I just didn't have the time I needed to devote to getting everything up and going right when I got in. All should be complete by Saturday.

 

Finally got everything finished today. I replaced my 20 long sump with a 18g rubbermaid container (issues fitting pump, sump, and rack with supplies into stand). The rubbermaid container is taller and I really don't need baffles anymore with a drilled tank, no issues with siphon breaking and having to separate out the return pump. I'm going to separate return pump with a chunk of foam to break up bubbles, even though what's making it to the tank is very, very minimal. It's holding about 10-12 gallons of water. I'm thinking about using the 20 long as a frag tank using the T5's from my old 30 gallon.

First round of water testing seems to look good. I half filled the tank earlier this week and used the rock from my 30, and washed the old sand thoroughly before putting it into the 75. So it's been running with circulation, sand, rock, and fish for most of the week. I finished plumbing, and then topped off everything today. I need to obtain another 40 pounds of rock or so to fill out the tank.


Temp: 79
Salinity: 1.024
NO2 - 0
NH4 - 0
NH3 - 10
CA - 340 (low, raising)
MG - @ 1080 (low, raising)

I did have a brief ammonia spike earlier this week, but it dissapeared quickly and nitrates tested + today. I'm sure it's still cycling, but fish seem to be happier than ever. I have a good deal of flow from the Dart, no apparent dead spots and it's not overly strong. All the fish like to "surf" the currents - since the anemone's passing, the maroon is finally out and about and looking at his surroundings. I don't think I will get another one, it's nice to see him swimming about rather than rubbing the anemone all day long.

Skimmer is skimming nicely pulling quite a bit of crud, buildup of waste from throughout the week with no real filtration. I'm still using the Suncoast 125 from my 30 - rated for a 120 gallon tank, about 85 gallon current water capacity, so I'm borderline, I'm going to replace in the next few months with an AquaC EV-180.

Pictures will follow tomorrow!

I will need to go coral shopping online, as the LFS around here seem to suck. Closest one is 20 miles, others 40-50. I miss my frogspawn The ones I saw around here had very little color and the LFS wanted $80, highway robbery. Prices for everything were very high. I understand profit margins are very necessary, but $15 for a hermit crab? $45 for a small unhealthy patch of crappy halfway dead zoas? Yea, it's online shopping for me. Blarg.

 

it those damn west coast reefers lol, pick out all the good ones. ive heard 90% of corals come in on the west coast, that way we get left overs :-/

 

lol.

Dude, in Florida, I could go to the beach and pick up a hermit crab. Same with snails and urchins. I refuse to drive 50 miles to feel like I've been bent over the counter. I will buy corals from some 3reef sponsors and buy other dry goods from bulk reef supply or marine depot. Some equipment I will buy from a LFS in Tampa and have it shipped to me here. I'm pretty hacked about the situation around here.

 

Tank (actinics only)

Needs a good bit more rock, no real aquascaping done yet, just tossed it on in for now until I get more rock. Then I'll build it all up. The closed loop intake will be hidden soon behind the rockwork.





Surface flow (sump return)


I will be finishing the stand / cabinet when I'm done working on everything, attaching moulding and doors, etc. Easier to work on it without.

 

SWEET TANK!!!!!!!!!!! just be careful when you add more rock and watch your parameters very carefully! How did the move go?

 

Thanks! It went well, aside from losing my corals. The fish withstood the move very well and are doing nicely in their new tank, but the corals just didn't move well. When the BTA went it took out all corals in the tub.

 

I wish I could head to the beach for free crabs They cost roughly 2 buck a piece here. Great work so far!

 

Found some local reefers here in TN. Going tomorrow to pick up a whammin watermelon / hulk zoa frag (approx 13 heads total), some pulsing Xenia, and I'm waiting to see what another dude has, apparently he has quite a few to choose from.:trampolin

 

Scored me some beautiful "whammin watermelon" zoas (about 9-10 polyps), a decent sized frag of pulsing xenia, and a small Kenya tree frag today from a local reefer. Awesome price and the corals all are very healthy. Getting them acclimated now