Ults 90 gallon reef

Ults 90 gallon reef w/Updated lighting pics

So after months of reading these forums researching and dreaming, my wife gave me the thumbs up to pull the trigger and get the tank. Many people on this website have helped me and not even known, but for that my many thanks . Ive had a great time putting it all together and made my share of mistakes, but she's finally cycling! woot! So heres the breakdown.

90 gallon megaflow aqueon tank
30 gallon aqueon sump
TEk 48" 54wx8 bulb T5
2 Koralia #4's
900gph cal return pump
Vertex IN 100 protein skimmer
80 pounds of pukani base rock
60 pounds of fiji pink sand
DIY stand
2 phosban reactors (coming), 1 for carbon 1 for phosban
300 watt digital heater
75 gpd ro/di unit



















More to come as it progresses and I continue to let it grow. Thanks for lookin!

 

Looking good. keep us updated.

 

Welcome to 3reef, Ultraner!! That is a beautifully made stand!! Also, I love that live rock, I've never seen such rock before. It special for sure!

Looks like you're off to a very well-thought start. The TEK lights are very high quality, and a few members here have that skimmer and have only good things to say about it. That's a fine looking sump, too!

A few sources here that I trust state to only run the actinic lights while cycling (about 12weeks, maybe less), and not to start the skimmer until towards the end of the cycle, or after livestock is added.

Great to have you here!

 

Nice looking set up there Ultraner
getting the Phosban reactors in a set up early days, is a great idea IMO
prevention is better than cure, where Algae is concerned


Steve

 

Welcome with your wonderful tank.

 

Nice Set-up look forward to following this thread !!

 

this is your first reef tank ever???? By the looks of things I dont beleive it

 

Right on brother!

 

Exactly what I'm thinking, I wish i had started of that prepared. Great looking live rock too.

 

Ultraner, upon closer inspection of your stand, it appears as if you're using 4x4s as the verticals. It also looks like the two 4x4s in the back are from floor to tank, while the two in the front rest on the 2x4s that make up the bottom "box." This isn't typical, but probably not an emergency.

However, my concern is that the method by which you built your stand, it seems that the top "box," (the part that appears to be constructed from 2x6s) is constructed such that the screws holding the 2x6s to the vertical 4x4s in the back only--are going to bear weight. Put another way, If your 90 is typical in design, whereby the bottom plastic frame is the only part making contact with the stand, the tank is essentially resting ONLY on the top "box.

When constructing a stand, it's absolutely essential that only the vertical wood bears the weight of the tank. This is normally accomplished by the top box resting on top of the vertical members. If the top box is screwed to the sides of the vertical members (as I think I'm seeing in your design), then the top box supporting the tank can slide down like the lid of a shoebox as the screws deform and eventually shear. Between the 90 gallons of water, sand and LR, and the empty weight of the tank, we're talking a minimum of 1,000 lbs. here.

If this is the case (I hope I'm seeing it wrong), over time those screws will shear. At best, the tank will drop down, and the glass will rest on the 4x4s when the screws shear. At worst, when this happens, the bottom of the tank will break and that's a scenario you do NOT want to happen.

Again, I hope I'm just seeing this wrong. If that's the case, you have my apologies. If not--you're going to want to fix this NOW. :-/