90 gallon FOWLR into REEF (TN)

years ago, I made a semi-strong effort a 90g Cichlid tank into a FOWLR

It's been sitting for months , still operating, but barely maintained. water topped off, salinity checked but really nothing else as far as maintaining calcium, no dosing of any kind, just feeding a handful of community fish
an undergravel filter and a few inches of gravel left over from the cichlid build - I basically just added salt and LR from a 55gal and tossed in a few hardy small fish , continuing to run the undergravel filters

this 90 is weird. It's made by O'Dell. it has a 4" high trim around the tank. it's designed with only 2 small cutouts (big enough for a few return hoses only) I've had to cut off a section to accomodate HangOn devices like bio-wheels / HOB skimmers
the light kit I've been using is the original T-10 unit that is part of the design. 2 plastic strips hook into the front and back of the light strip (2 bulb) to form a canopy..... it's neat for freshwater, but highly inadequate for Reefkeeping


so ....... this is what I have now

- 50# of nice Live Rock - that has lost most of it's corraline a this tank recycles since I removed the undergravel filter and freshwater suited gravel and introduced:

- Sand. this sand at one time was teeming with life. but when I shut down the 55 I didn't add it into the 90g so I had been storing it in a 10gal tank and keeping it wet for awhile, but ultimately let it dry out.

-Aqua C Remora HOB protein Skimmer

-a 30L glass aquarium I will be putting under the stand for use as a sump (which I have yet to figure out how to set it up)

- 250w STEALTH Heater

ITEMS I AM CURRENTLY USING (but will discontinue soon at least in-tank)
-3 assorted powerheads (rio / penguin / Via Aqua)
-a 24w in-tank UV
-Cascade 1000 cannister pump w/o the bio balls / pads - using for phos-zorb and carbon only
-a cheap 2bulb T-10 light strip

doable for FOWLR, but inadequate for reef




worked with Triggers and Puffers (i miss them dudes) , mixed Angles / Tangs and the like, then onto a few soft corals, anemones ,inverts, etc...
each time I have I have had some success and some failure.
BUT THIS TIME , I"M GONNA DO IT RIGHT ;D

let me tackle each element one at a time .......

 

RO / DI system

I've been looking mighty hard at the TYPHOON EXTREME from AWI
now I am seriously considering the MaxCap from SpectraPure
it all started on ebay - TB Aquatics (lifetime warranty)
6 stage stuff from purewaterclub
online favorites Bulk Reef / FilterGuyz / Buckeye

I can spend $250 on a MaxCap or a few more on the Typhoon Extreme

 

LIGHTING

probably going to end up with a 6x54 T5 TEK_LITE
looked at everything from Current SunDial and Orbit Extreme to the ATI SunPower

 

POWERHEADS

most likely Hydor Koralia 4's
or possibly the ebay knockoffs from SunSun

 

SUMP

somehow make a 30L into a 4 chamber unit for In / Protein Skimmer / Refugium / Out

 

sounds like a fun project

 

welcome to 3 reef Sean

sounds like you are going to be happy,busy

Steve

 

thanks, I'll take advice on any of the topics

does it look like I'm heading in the right direction ?

 

hello and welcome to 3reef