75g Fresh Start!

[LPStandard]

I've had a 55g for about 5 years. Lightly stocked with all HOB equipment. Was a pretty stable tank, but the rock was full of pests (hydroids taking over corals, aptasia that wouldn't go away no matter what I did).

Anyways, I started over this month with a drilled 75g that I picked up from a fellow R2R member. Nice to finally have a sump and a large skimmer!

Looking forward to building a nice, stable mixed reef. I like zoas, lps, really anything I can keep happy and growing.

Day 2 of the cycle was today. Started with all dry rock (reefcleaners) and about 50lbs of special grade reef sand. I'm using Dr. Tim's one and only and ammonia to dose and start things off.

Day1
Amm: 2
Didnt test nitrite
Nitrate: 0
pH: 8.2
SG: 1.025

Day2
Amm: 2
Nitrite: .2
Nitrate: 5ish
pH: 8.0
SG 1.025

Moving along!
Got my lights wired back up tonight, so turned the blues on super low for a few hours just for looks

 

[lacrosseboss18]

Congrats. Looks good, like your rock work. Staring at an empty tank is rough
Good luck. Look forward to seeing it come together

 

[LPStandard]

Congrats. Looks good, like your rock work. Staring at an empty tank is rough
Good luck. Look forward to seeing it come together

Thanks! They all stacked together quite solidly, and the two small islands in the center hopefully will let me isolate some corals from spreading too much.
It is better than the living room without a tank though! The house felt so empty without it.
My last tank was given to me already established, so I had some pests from day 1. Learned a LOT along the way, and I am excited for the process of building this tank.

 

[LPStandard]

Update: still cycling hahah as expected, but things are progressing. Dropping ammonia fairly quickly, but nitrites are lingering high, so everything is normal for 1 week in.

Got some new goodies today! Ive been meaning to pick up an RODI system so finally pulled the trigger on one, along with a new gravel vac.

 

[Cody.P]

Looks good so far man! We need more pictures though!!!

 

[SuperHaze57]

I've had a 55g for about 5 years. Lightly stocked with all HOB equipment. Was a pretty stable tank, but the rock was full of pests (hydroids taking over corals, aptasia that wouldn't go away no matter what I did).

Anyways, I started over this month with a drilled 75g that I picked up from a fellow R2R member. Nice to finally have a sump and a large skimmer!

Looking forward to building a nice, stable mixed reef. I like zoas, lps, really anything I can keep happy and growing.

Day 2 of the cycle was today. Started with all dry rock (reefcleaners) and about 50lbs of special grade reef sand. I'm using Dr. Tim's one and only and ammonia to dose and start things off.

Day1
Amm: 2
Didnt test nitrite
Nitrate: 0
pH: 8.2
SG: 1.025

Day2
Amm: 2
Nitrite: .2
Nitrate: 5ish
pH: 8.0
SG 1.025

Moving along!
Got my lights wired back up tonight, so turned the blues on super low for a few hours just for looks

What kind of lights are those?

 

[LPStandard]

What kind of lights are those?

Amazon special GalaxyHydros. They've been pretty reliable so far, no complaints.

 

[SuperHaze57]

Amazon special GalaxyHydros. They've been pretty reliable so far, no complaints.

I'm also building a 75 as my DT. I just finished my 20 frag / quarantine tank and have my build thread up First Ever Build. I'm still up in the air on lighting for the 75.

 

[LPStandard]

Looks good so far man! We need more pictures though!!!

My cat is easily as excited as I am for the tank to be ready! bwahaha

A fresh shot from last night, no change really but it is a better picture.

And some more pics of the aquascape I took before filling it. (apologies in advance for the white balance. I was just snapping quick shots)

 

[LPStandard]

Also, I am a bit bothered by the white PVC 90 on the return. I'm wishing I had ordered black/grey at least or done something to hide it. Maybe a future project.

 

[LPStandard]

I'm also building a 75 as my DT. I just finished my 20 frag / quarantine tank and have my build thread up First Ever Build. I'm still up in the air on lighting for the 75.

I love these for the price. However, they do have their downsides. Really depends on your budget I suppose. I'm into these for about $200 total, so not bad at all for what you get. I would like to upgrade at some point though.

 

[LPStandard]

Some progress on my RODI/Saltwater station today!

 

[LPStandard]

This RODI system is really working well! At 85 psi (minimum I can adjust the booster pump to), I'm getting great production (no real mesurement, but based on how quickly it filled that 32gal brute it's doing at least 6gph) and not a huge amount of waste. My tap's TDS is pretty low (great water here in the PNW, and we are on a dedicated well), and after an hour or so of running I was reading 1ppm or less coming out of the membranes before the DI stage. Not too shabby.

 

[BringingThatDottyback]

I've had a 55g for about 5 years. Lightly stocked with all HOB equipment. Was a pretty stable tank, but the rock was full of pests (hydroids taking over corals, aptasia that wouldn't go away no matter what I did).

Anyways, I started over this month with a drilled 75g that I picked up from a fellow R2R member. Nice to finally have a sump and a large skimmer!

Looking forward to building a nice, stable mixed reef. I like zoas, lps, really anything I can keep happy and growing.

Day 2 of the cycle was today. Started with all dry rock (reefcleaners) and about 50lbs of special grade reef sand. I'm using Dr. Tim's one and only and ammonia to dose and start things off.

Day1
Amm: 2
Didnt test nitrite
Nitrate: 0
pH: 8.2
SG: 1.025

Day2
Amm: 2
Nitrite: .2
Nitrate: 5ish
pH: 8.0
SG 1.025

Moving along!
Got my lights wired back up tonight, so turned the blues on super low for a few hours just for looks

How did you build that light hanger?

 

[LPStandard]

How did you build that light hanger?

I bought it mostly completed from @mfinn. It's 3/8" aluminum flat bar, bent with 2 45* angles to come up over the tank. I adjusted the height to suit my lights, had a 36" section of 3/4" square aluminum tubing welded centered above the tank and painted it flat black. The main flat bar is screwed to the top and bottom frame of the stand with a couple blocks of wood for spacing, and a small support block at the rim of the tank.
The lights are hung by the standard hanging kits, but using only 2 cables and wrapped 3x around the square tube.

 

[LPStandard]

 

[LPStandard]

I needed a new (well, slightly longer and different) bracket for my ATO float sensor, so a friend printed me one! It's good to live in the future

 

[LPStandard]

Here are a couple more pics of the 3d printed float bracket for the JBJ ATO sensor. I believe the project is on Thingverse if anyone has a 3d printer and would like to make one.

Also, levels were zeroed out today when I got home from work. Dosing back up to 2ppm Ammonia tonight and I'll retest tomorrow to confirm the tank's cycle. Then a big water change and moving some fish home!

 

[Skep18]

Looking good!

How do you like the Reef Cleaners rock?

 

[LPStandard]

Looking good!

How do you like the Reef Cleaners rock?

I'm loving it! 50lbs made a nice amount of rockwork. Not overcrowded, but room to add if I feel like it down the road.
I just asked for "stackable pieces" and he delivered. The islands are very stable with no glue or rods, took some doing to get shapes I liked that were stable but in the end it worked out great.