Zechenia’s Upgrade to 90 Gallons!

First fixture complete!





Still need to get a few connectors and other accessories before I can get it connected to drivers and my controller. So Step 1 is just wiring up each fixture

 

Congrats and I am kind of jealous.

 

Teeth installed!


GFCI Outlet and plumbing (excluding bracing) done!


Fuge plumbing complete!


My weeks vacation has brought a lot of progress.

One more LED fixture to finish, then all I have to do is wait until I can order my rocks!

 

Got both fixtures put together (still have to adjust current, so I haven't "completed" each fixture yet).

Additionally, I picked up some quick connectors so I can make the fixtures easy to connect/disconnect from the drivers (and each other, in the case of the moonlights which have a single series between the two fixtures). Hoping to wrap it up shortly.

Hoping to order my rocks soon.... Then I am planning on starting my cycle while I save for MP40, then add a skimmer as I start to stock it.

 

More slow but steady progress...



LEDs are complete (excluding setting the current). My cheapo multimeter doesn't isn't going to cut it for doing this as it doesn't have a setting for 10A, but I have arranged to borrow one this weekend, so hopefully I get that all setup!



I have anchored the PVC so it's not relying on the bulkheads. One side uses zipties + screws, the other side has PVC that rests on the stand already.



Additionally, I got the tank level. I lucked out bigtime as I had a bunch of extra tile, and it was the perfect height to level out the side that was a little short. Plus, I know it'll be nice and sturdy with the tiles along the front.



My last area of concern I was working with had to do with my plumbing. I had a really tight fit to branch my plumbing to get it into the remote fuge as I desired, so the result was an upward angle on the pipe for part of the plumbing. I was worried that the water would get backed up there, and just take the more directly downward path into the sump. I tested it by just filling up my overflow box and letting it drain. Worked perfectly!



Next steps: Apart from finishing up the LEDs, I need to wrap up the canopy work. I've removed it from my tank and taken it to the garage. I need to install the mounting hardware for the LEDs. Additionally, I want to mount them very close to the top of the canopy, so I am going to drill out some holes above where the fans will go so I get great airflow. The last step is to staple netting over ALL the holes in the canopy. I have lost fish to jumping, and I'm going to do everything in my power to provent that!!



Additionally, I am going to be ordering my Rocks and Sand sometime soon, hopefully. I am going with 100 pounds dry rock, and 40ish pounds sand (I already have another 20 or so more). Going shallow sand bed in the display, Deep in the fuge. I anticipate needing to pickup more sand, but I'll buy that in smaller chunks as needed.

Edit: I folded. Rocks ordered

 

Great progress! Thank you for sharing your journey.....looking forward to seeing everything set up!

 

Turns out I have an older style Reef Angel Relay Box, so I had to order a PWM Booster to get the dimming signal in order to finish my LEDs. That should be here in the next day or so. I tested my LEDs using a couple AA's to act as the dimming signal, and I liked what I saw. SO ready to have them done though! Also, my rocks are scheduled to be here tomorrow.

The (future) in-laws will be in town starting tonight through Christmas, so I sadly won't get time to play with my tank. I am getting antsy though, so I tested the return plumbing last night (Didn't have tank full, just filled up the sump). After some initial leakage from the pipe leading from the sump to the external pump (fixed by just tightening it all down) I got it going. Surprisingly, I had no leaks along the return line! Plus, the pump churned away much quieter than expected.

I finished all the canopy work. I netted all the holes (though a couple on the lower portion in the back can't connect at the bottom, so I'm worried if something jumped OVER my overflow it might still hit it just right to not be contained :/). I added the mounting hardware for the LEDs and drilled 2 more holes for ventilation approx where my fans over my LED should be.

Last couple updates are that my local reef club was giving out some old unused equipment, and I scored an LED setup for my Fuge (for free! Can't beat that!). The owner had been using it to grow macro algae, but moved a couple anenomes into her sump and needed something stronger for lighting.

Additionally, I have a healthy tank lined up that will be used to "cook" a couple pieces of my live rock for a couple months. I didn't get much of the smaller fauna when I did my last dry rock tank, and I am hoping to get some of them (bristle worms, stars, spongs, ect) by letting it sit in a HEALTHY established tank for a while before adding to mine.

Slowly coming together.

 

Also, these have both already been posted, but a side by side is worth seeing

Started with:


Current:

 

SUCCESS!!!!!!



Sadly, the hanging kit is still way too low, so I'll have to figure something out with that.

 

Still waiting on half my rocks (custom cutting some, so it's taken a while).

One of my Koralia's on my 30 gallon died (I have had TERRIBLE luck with those things). I emailed their customer support, but if I can't get a replacement, I will probably be moving all the livestock and live rock over once I get the rest of my rock order. I've had all the stock move from one tank to another with the live rock without any major issues, so I think with moving ALL my liverock, I should have minimal issues from a cycle. I've also decided any rock with xenia on it is going into the fuge (one exception is I have a gsp and xenia will be placed in the display, AWAY from all other rocks). It is WAY too hard to control :|