75 gasp with a canister! build

[Extremeengineer]

Thought I'd log this journey here, as it helps me to write things out, and of course getting advice and constructive criticism from those more knowledgeable here. As I humorously alluded to in the title, no sump, using an FX6, I have done it before on FOWLR tank, do not mind upkeep, enjoy the lack of mess and noise. I'm listing out things so those doing searches would find the thread where I hope to document how everything goes.

75g Seapora
Fluval FX6
Chemi-pure Blue and Seachem Matrix in media bags
2 Vortech MP10mQD
2 Radion XR15 G6 Pro
Innovative Marine Helio w/2 300W Ti BRS elements 350W IM Helio elements(House is kept cool in winters)
Tunze Comline DOC 9004 in tank protein skimmer
CaribSea Fiji Pink reef sand, 80lb.
Planning on about 80lb. of rock, will update as I get a total.
Red Sea blue bucket salt
Battery back up for 1 Vortech & heater

Planning to eventually do corals in this tank, along with dwarf angel (eibli or coral beauty current thoughts), clown (black ice or snow onyx), orchid dottyback, royal gramma basslet, maybe trio of yellowtail damselfish (concerns about aggression there), shrimp, and ??? that I haven't been drawn to yet.

Hoping to get water in next week, new DO/RI coming on Wed. Excited to get things cycling.

 

[1112-425XL]

Following...

I had to remove my Eibli Angelfish. Not reefcsafe at all. He enjoyed munching on anything with small polyps.

 

[FUNGI]

Following.....

 

[Extremeengineer]

I had to remove my Eibli Angelfish. Not reefcsafe at all. He enjoyed munching on anything with small polyps.

Thanks, good to know, fortunately I am not stuck on any particular Angel. I know sizewise the dwarfs will be better, but I really like some of the full size angels, may get a juvenile and then use that justification for a larger tank down the road lol

 

[FUNGI]

My 120G running 3 FX6's HOB skimmer. FX's are full of LR rubble. Excuse the dirty front glass...was away for 2 weeks

 

[1112-425XL]

Thanks, good to know, fortunately I am not stuck on any particular Angel. I know sizewise the dwarfs will be better, but I really like some of the full size angels, may get a juvenile and then use that justification for a larger tank down the road lol

Female Japanese Swallowtail

She's been a model citizen. Completely reef safe.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Following along!

 

[jft]

I have run reef tanks since the 80s with eheim canisters , Don t believe you cannot!

 

[sfin52]

Running an fx4

Added a sump using the fx4

 

[VintageReefer]

+ 1 on the swallowtail angel, I had one for several years in a reef, never caused an issue

+1 on the canister. My LFS main coral tank is 8 feet long and runs on a single canister and the tank is always pristine and corals healthy. Theres several large fish in there also. I need to ask them what magic they have stuffed inside it lol

 

[Extremeengineer]

Thanks for all of the positive comments! Glad to see some others with tanks clearly doing well on canisters, that is encouraging.

I'm just a couple of miles from the tornado that went through Portage, MI. We were fortunate in that we did not lose power, but some are still without as of this morning. Made me think about this build, and the fact I do not yet have a whole house generator. I was thinking if I added the Ecotech battery back up, which they say will run one of my MP10s for days, that would at least give me surface agitation and movement through the tank. Would not solve potential temp issue, so I am considering some sort of APC for that need. We live in a full masonry house with plaster walls inside, and Anderson's most efficient windows, so temps do not move as fast away from norms, but I am certain I'd need a heater solution.

The tornado also put a damper on my plan to get live rock from my local shop, as they got hit pretty hard, so I've reached out today to some places an hour or so away to come up with a new plan.

 

[VintageReefer]

Don’t get the outdated old tech proprietary overpriced ecotech backup.
It’s a 30$ lawnmower lead acid battery selling for almost $250

Get this instead. Life-po4 battery, Built in inverter, leave it plugged into ac outlet and plug your pumps into this. If power goes out it switches to battery power in a fraction of a second. Plus you get extra outlets for other things, digital screen with hours to empty prediction, battery level, etc.

It can’t power a heater long but neither can the eco tech option

40$ coupon at the moment you can get this for $260

I have two of these for power outages, i hook them up to my tanks and several smaller ones for around the house. This one however is the best value

https://a.co/d/3mEimFJ

As for customer support, it’s great! I have one of these and 1 USB port on it stopped working. I emailed the company and they sent me an entire replacement unit under warranty, no charge, showed up in a week. So that’s how I have 2

 

[Extremeengineer]

@VintageReefer thanks! Yes, that looks far superior, and much more versatile.

 

[VintageReefer]

If you’re going to spend $250, spend it well.

Techie Engineer here. Has my approval. That ecotech is a dinosaur design from 2013 or older, has never been modernized to lithium batteries, and it still is over 200$. If it was 50$ sure. But for 220-250, you can get way better.

The one I linked can run my nano tank 60+ hours (I tested) including lights and pumps if you have bad weather frequently I suggest you start buying these as they go on sale when you can. I’ve been building my collection and ideally want one per tank + 2-3 for lamps, charging phones, my router, tablet etc

 

[sfin52]

Thanks for all of the positive comments! Glad to see some others with tanks clearly doing well on canisters, that is encouraging.

I'm just a couple of miles from the tornado that went through Portage, MI. We were fortunate in that we did not lose power, but some are still without as of this morning. Made me think about this build, and the fact I do not yet have a whole house generator. I was thinking if I added the Ecotech battery back up, which they say will run one of my MP10s for days, that would at least give me surface agitation and movement through the tank. Would not solve potential temp issue, so I am considering some sort of APC for that need. We live in a full masonry house with plaster walls inside, and Anderson's most efficient windows, so temps do not move as fast away from norms, but I am certain I'd need a heater solution.

The tornado also put a damper on my plan to get live rock from my local shop, as they got hit pretty hard, so I've reached out today to some places an hour or so away to come up with a new plan.

Thats where I'm from. My folks and 3 siblings live there

 

[VintageReefer]

@Extremeengineer

Went to LFS today and took pics for you

This whole setup has two eheim canister filters on opposite sides. There is a massive sump below but it’s bone dry and not connected to anything. The canisters have been the only filtration on the coral tank since the store was built over a year ago

 

[Extremeengineer]

@VintageReefer thanks. I’ve been reading extensively on the rock from places like KP Aquatics, I think that will make more of a difference than which filter method I’m using. Just need to plan a best cure for it.

 

[VintageReefer]

I have a sump but it’s really only used to hold additional live rock and my algae scrubber. You could always have more rock in the tank or have a canister with rock in it. You could add a magnetic glass mounted algae scrubber down the line if you need help with phosphate and nitrate management. You have a in tank skimmer already. Really no reason to have a sump unless you wanted more water volume and space to get equipment out of the display area

 

[Extremeengineer]

Alright, removed the Eibli from the list after several suggestions to do so here and lfs. I picked up 2 of the new black pcb for the MP10s so I can use them on Mobius, it may not be the best, but I can program the lights and pumps from one place. RODI was delivered yesterday.

Wife is still in the moving furniture stage, we have a large LR, around 23'x14', and while I was not planning on having it in there, we do have a nice wall away from windows where she said we should put tank. So I 've got to install a GFCI there on that wall after we find a place for the 2 pieces that are there now.

Honestly I do not mind that it is going a little slower than I planned. It has given me time to really think about what I want to do with rock. My initial plan was a mix of live rock from lfs, and dry rock, like the aragonite arch and other like dry rock. Then I thought I'd go with KP Aquatics for all of the rock. But I decided no on the first option because I'd have very mismatched rock and go through the ugly rock phase on all the dry, very noticeable on the white dry rock. Then I decided no on the second option because I just don't think I'm OK with all the hitchhikers. I do not know enough to identify what's good, bad, or not good for me, and once in there, I know some things are a real pain to deal with. So now I am on all live rock from 2 different lfs. While I know that has it's own risks and faults, at least I have a better chance of controlling hitchhikers, still get a reasonable bio-diversity, and be up and established fairly quickly.