45G Cube Build - SPS & LPS

Began my build this week - a 45 gallon marineland cube (24" x 24" x 18"). This is my third tank, the last one being a Red Sea Max 250. After the Red Sea, I really wanted to do everything right - better lighting, better filtration (a real sump), all dry rock (had bad experience with fireworms hitchhiking on LR), etc.

Equipment so far:

• 45 Gallon Marineland Cube
• DIY Stand
• BRS Value Plus 4-Stage RO/DI
• Eshopps RS-75 Sump
• EHEIM Compact Plus 2000 (528GPH) Return Pump
• 65lbs BRS Reef Saver Rock
• 15lbs Special Grade Sand (Dry) - very shallow sand bed so I used plastic grate on the bottom of the tank
• BRS Single Media Reactor w/Marineland 1200 (Empty at the moment, plan to run carbon/GFO blend)
• Marineland 1200 Circulation Pump (Just for now until I pick up an MP10, using during cycle to make sure there are no dead spots in tank)

Equipment I will acquire over next 2-3 weeks:

• Reef Octopus NWB150 Skimmer
• 1x Ecotech Vortech MP10 (Anyone thing this won't be enough? Planning on mounting it right in the center of the left glass pane)
• Ecotech Radion Gen 2 (Was planning on DIY for a while but everyone keeps saying that DIY never ends up looking as good as a Radion...)

Equipment I will acquire over next 2 months:

• ReefKeeper Lite (if I go with Radion, will really only need it for dosing - that is why I plan to save money rather than going with Apex)
• BRS Dosing Pumps

Livestock will include: 4-5 small fish (clown, purple firefish, basslet, wrasse, goby), a shrimp or two, and heavy SPS with a few LPS.


Right now the tank is cycling with Amonium Chloride solution and Dr. Tim's One and Only Nitrifying Bacteria.

I would welcome any tips/comments/criticism/etc. Thanks!

 

Pictures of build so far

 

love cubes cant wait to see how this one turns out. do you still have the other tanks and are you seeding it with water from the old ones? tagging along to see how this works out... I like how your saying you want to do it right. I learned the hard way that rushing is no good. take your time and you will be happy... took me a few years to finally feel happy about my tank

 

Looks like a good start. I'm very happy with my reef octopus skimmer.

 

I also used dr. tims one and only. My tank cycle in about 10 days.

 

No I got rid of the Red Sea Max a few months ago. I'm not seeding with anything at all - just Dr. Tims. I've had good luck with it in the past and plan on going very slowly with adding livestock so I'm not concerned.

 

Thanks! I have heard great things about this skimmer - seems like the best value out there.

 

Oh I love cubes!

Congrats on the new tank, now if you can just get if vertical.

 

I have a question for the group:

I have a strict $200 budget that I set for myself for powerhead(s). Given that this is going to be a heavy SPS tank, I am starting to get concerned that a single Vortech MP10 might not do the trick. And given that I may be heading in the DIY light direction as well, I will likely be picking up an Apex JR which would perform the same functions as the Vortech controller.

With that said...what would people recommend I do? Single MP10? Single Hydor ____? Dual Hydor ______? Tunze?

Thanks!

 

i would save up for two mp10s if you are not in a hurry.