120g mix tank - getting back in the hobby

[GuppyHJD]

Hello,
I have had aquariums for over 50 years. My last tank was a 180 Fish mostly SW tank. As I could I upgraded the lighting, etc and had some soft corals, etc. The for the last 12 years we lived on a boat and I just had to lean over the side to watch the fish, invertebrates and creatures slide by. Now we are back on land, I am looking to to setup a 90-120g system. The hobby and industry has changed ALOT. AIO, ATO, filter socks, LEDS, Rimless, RedSea, WaterBox, no more "wild live rock"..all new to me.
In an effort to save some money on the drygoods, I have been watching for a good deal on a used system that I can upgrade as needed. Unfortunately my timing sucks and the COVID19 has made alot of the inventories scarce and driven used system pricing up. So I am practicing patience. Being retired - I have time (unless I croak).
So...my BUILD is all on paper right now.

 

[WIReefer]

Welcome glad you got back into it! Welcome back to the salty side!

 

[Adam Schindler]

Welcome back!

 

[Parent_usmc]

I think I'm more interested to know about the 12 years living on a boat ! That sounds fascinating

 

[Nick Steele]

Keep an eye out my local OfferUp/craigslist always has good deals on used systems.

 

[GuppyHJD]

I think I'm more interested to know about the 12 years living on a boat ! That sounds fascinating

Hello,
Living on the boat - hard to describe like most of life's adventures. Several years living aboard in the Baltimore, MD harbor while I was still working. Can make for some very cold walks home. Then several years cruising the east coast - Florida in the winter, Canada in the summers. Great Loop was 10 months of cruising up the east coast, across the Great Lakes and then down the inland rivers. So many towns and places to see.

 

[GuppyHJD]

I think I'm more interested to know about the 12 years living on a boat ! That sounds fascinating

It was a great 12 yrs...moving the boat with the seasons mostly, from Florida to Canada, doing the Great Loop.

 

[GuppyHJD]

Ok...patience is not my forte so...I am buying a new Aqueon 120 RR tank. I am building a stand (wow, there are very few choices for stands and nobody uses teak or mahogany, so I am building one).

My question is - what sump? there are plenty of expensive and pretty sumps that nobody but me are gonna see...Eshopps maybe but the space for the return pump is only 4" wide?

Recommendations? I am thinking filter socks/cups, skimmer (not sure which on yet), maybe refugeum?

 

[Nick Steele]

Have you thought about doing a diy sump? A 40b I believe would be fine for a 125 and would cost about $150-200 to do vs the $300-600 for a premade sump

 

[GuppyHJD]

Have you thought about doing a diy sump? A 40b I believe would be fine for a 125 and would cost about $150-200 to do vs the $300-600 for a premade sump

I was just looking at a Fuji Cube DYI kit for a 40b...I am totally open to a diy sump...ideas?

 

[GuppyHJD]

Tank stand is under construction.
I thought I had found two 120g tank systems but both were over 7 yrs old, running T5 lights and the move process would be very expensive - renting a truck for the 100 mile transport.
Plan to order a 120g tank tomorrow and just wait for it's delivery.
I am on an email list at Petco on a 40g breeder tank for a sump.

 

[GuppyHJD]

The tank was delivered...next a sump, sand, rock, plumbing, etc

 

[GuppyHJD]

The Trigger Ruby 36S sump arrived...plumbing in the works. Researching skimmers...my LFS is recommending a Eshopps X-160.

 

[GuppyHJD]

The tank is filling with water, the plumbing is done and the Noopsyche K7 Pro II light is on schedule.

 

[KWT]

Looking good so far

 

[GuppyHJD]

Looking good so far

thank you...the rock goes in tomorrow and the pump starts

 

[Nick Steele]

Awesome!!!! Can’t wait to see your scape.

 

[GuppyHJD]

Awesome!!!! Can’t wait to see your scape.

Not sure about the scape...I do not have enough rock, only 50lbs, so the scape is gonna be "plop, plop, plop"...some day...going slow and being gentle on the budget.

 

[GuppyHJD]

Well...I turned the pump on tonight (Hygger HG-915) on my tank (Aqueon 120 RR, with MaxFlow drains) and there is a rushing noise like Niagara Falls. I have changed the pump down to F 035. The sump is a Trigger Ruby 36, so I extended the fittings into the filter socks with PVC, so they are below the waterline, but the durso style overflows are sending a lot of air down the drain. I am not 100% sure I have the durso at the right height. Some noise is coming from the weirs and the water falling into the sump.

Suggestions

 

[GuppyHJD]

Been playing with the MaxFlow drains and turned down the pump to 20%, still more noise than I was hoping. I might take out the MaxFlow drains and build some PVC "herbie" style...one overflow for the main drain and one overflow will have the emergency drain. ...I don't like the idea of not having water drained from both overflow or cutting back to only one return.