75gal mixed reef budget build

[tothpl]

Hi, your title caught my eye because I also have a 75g budget build. Mine is a year old this month. Your build is much more sophisticated compared to mine however. I decided not to go with a sump this time and to use a canister filter for a much simpler system. I do more softies and LPS though so I don't really need skimmers, and more elaborate equipment. I have a few SPS but they are the more hardy, sturdy type, .
I am really enjoying the dimensions of a 75g and the flexibility of fish I can have in it.
Best of luck to you with your new tank!

This is my first sump tank. I like the clean lines in the display and extra space in the sump, so far!
Just getting all the equipment hooked up over the next few days, Ato, proper skimmer, filter socks, mega return pump, heaters and inkbirds, etc.
After that’s done, I’ll need to mount the power bricks and tidy the wires…..not looking forward to that.
I plan to make this a larger version of my biocube mixed reef.

 

[tothpl]

Nice thread made. Looking forward to progress!

I appreciate it! especially since I took some inspiration from your build!!

 

[tothpl]

The water is clearing up nicely. Here’s the first look at the aquascape……

I think I’ll call it ‘Serenity reef’. Not entirely in love with the large structure on the left. I really wanted a big dramatic overhang, and the rest was trying to disguise a large slanted rock with a shelf sticking off it.

Let me know if you understand the reference?!

 

[strich]

A Firefly fan I take it?

A little bit hard to get a proper feel while it's still cloudy. My mind says swap the positions of the 2 right side rocks so they flow from the tip of the out hang better, but it's just a feeling.

 

[Fish Fan]

A Firefly fan I take it?

Ah! I was just thinking about this show the other night, but did not get the reference at all

 

[tothpl]

A Firefly fan I take it?

A little bit hard to get a proper feel while it's still cloudy. My mind says swap the positions of the 2 right side rocks so they flow from the tip of the out hang better, but it's just a feeling.

This is correct!

 

[tothpl]

Been testing daily for the past week:
Nitrates - 1
Phos - .04
Ammonia - 0
Alk - 7.5
Cal - 480
Mag - 1350

All very stable so far, very little change.

I’ve got my two clowns moved over at the beginning of the week. I pulled the yellowtail tamarin wrasse from observation due to stress, and put it in the display. A little risky but he’s settled down and happily pecking at the rocks. I don’t think he was eating very much as he’s quite skinny. He doesn’t eat anything but pods so far, but is at least showing interest in the different frozen foods I offer.
I’ve also moved some tester corals over. Forest fire digi, minty toadstool, a plug of Zoas, and a green spongegodes. All are doing well so far.
I’ve got a healthy bit of diatoms dusting the rocks. Im going to let it go from here. I don’t like the uglies but I know it’s better to not fight it. So I’m going to let them ride!
Clean up crew has been started as well. A few hermits, a couple astreas, and a couple trochus. And about $100 worth of pods. (Mostly dosed near the tamarin wrasse to help him eat)

Better full tank shot. Still playing with power head locations and flow.

A little mod I did to the light shrouds, I lined the insides with Mylar. Not a huge difference but a noticeable decrease in shaded areas. Also mounted some actinic led bars from @21ledusa on some custom printed hanger mounts.

 

[tothpl]

Update on the yellowtail tamarin wrasse, I don’t think he’s going to make it. He pecks at the rocks all day. I’m squirting BBS in his face which he slowly eats one by one. But he’s still skinny. He is now taking breaks, lying on the sand or under a rock for a few minutes a couple times a day. I’m thinking parasites.
How do I get him onto prazi if he’s not eating prepared foods?

 

[tothpl]

Update time:

Got quite a few corals moved over from the biocube. They’re settling in nicely. Still playing with final positioning, so I’ve only glued in a few of them.
Parameters are spot on! N - 7.3, p - .05, alk - 8.3, sg 1.025.
Doser
I recently got a brs single doser for the biocube for my all for reef. I had been putting a splash of AFR into the 75g every few days to keep alk and trace nice and strong. I wanted to run kalk on this tank so I got a simplicity 4 head doser and got it all set. Currently dosing half strength kalk at 25ml overnight. Still pretty early to see where my alk has leveled out.
Lights
I added 4x 21led bars to my 2 smatfarm lights. Like the extra blue during sunrise/sunset. I also bought the $50 controller from smatfarm. It’s pretty rudimentary, but it allowed a few QoL settings you don’t get on the lights themselves. So far it’s working well. A little overpriced for what it is, but better than the name brand alternatives!
Sump
Got my uv plumbed into my manifold and running well. The skimmer is finally broken in and skimming. I swapped the filter socks for 3d printed cup with a few add on spots. I really like them! I do notice that it gets clogged pretty quickly. I’m changing floss about every 3-4days.
The wiring is still a rats nest. Because I very much don’t want to do that job, I’m using the fact that it’s now behind my Ato and kalk resvr as justification to keep on ignoring that problem……..!!
Livestock
One spot foxface, tomini tang, and yellow Coris wrasse made it through observation with flying colors and were added to the main tank. My Melanarus has taken issue with the foxface and will try to shoulder charge him. The foxface just points his flared spines at him and goes on his way. No serious aggression yet.
I also took delivery of a thumbnail sized regal angel from biota. I was nervous about getting him eating due to his size, so I took another calculated risk and put him in the biocube with a tail spot blenny, kupang damsel, yellow watchman goby, and a royal gramma. They all showed interest the first day but now are playing nicely. @Biota_Marine had included a little vial of pellets!! Great idea!! Except my little fella has shown zero interest in it. The main reason I put him right into the biocube is because it’s WELL established. He has been happily picking away at the rocks, very actively. I also put a squirt of live BBS once a day, which he gladly pecks at.

Pic for posterity

So far so good with the ugly stage. Had a quick flare of diatoms, but went away just as fast. The rocks are weathering nicely. All the prep work seems to be paying off!

 

[BostonFisher]

Tank, plumbing and sump are lookin good. Sounds like you are making great progress! Keep us posted.

 

[Fish Fan]

Looking great, I really like the aquascape!

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Update time:

Got quite a few corals moved over from the biocube. They’re settling in nicely. Still playing with final positioning, so I’ve only glued in a few of them.
Parameters are spot on! N - 7.3, p - .05, alk - 8.3, sg 1.025.
Doser
I recently got a brs single doser for the biocube for my all for reef. I had been putting a splash of AFR into the 75g every few days to keep alk and trace nice and strong. I wanted to run kalk on this tank so I got a simplicity 4 head doser and got it all set. Currently dosing half strength kalk at 25ml overnight. Still pretty early to see where my alk has leveled out.
Lights
I added 4x 21led bars to my 2 smatfarm lights. Like the extra blue during sunrise/sunset. I also bought the $50 controller from smatfarm. It’s pretty rudimentary, but it allowed a few QoL settings you don’t get on the lights themselves. So far it’s working well. A little overpriced for what it is, but better than the name brand alternatives!
Sump
Got my uv plumbed into my manifold and running well. The skimmer is finally broken in and skimming. I swapped the filter socks for 3d printed cup with a few add on spots. I really like them! I do notice that it gets clogged pretty quickly. I’m changing floss about every 3-4days.
The wiring is still a rats nest. Because I very much don’t want to do that job, I’m using the fact that it’s now behind my Ato and kalk resvr as justification to keep on ignoring that problem……..!!
Livestock
One spot foxface, tomini tang, and yellow Coris wrasse made it through observation with flying colors and were added to the main tank. My Melanarus has taken issue with the foxface and will try to shoulder charge him. The foxface just points his flared spines at him and goes on his way. No serious aggression yet.
I also took delivery of a thumbnail sized regal angel from biota. I was nervous about getting him eating due to his size, so I took another calculated risk and put him in the biocube with a tail spot blenny, kupang damsel, yellow watchman goby, and a royal gramma. They all showed interest the first day but now are playing nicely. @Biota_Marine had included a little vial of pellets!! Great idea!! Except my little fella has shown zero interest in it. The main reason I put him right into the biocube is because it’s WELL established. He has been happily picking away at the rocks, very actively. I also put a squirt of live BBS once a day, which he gladly pecks at.

Pic for posterity

So far so good with the ugly stage. Had a quick flare of diatoms, but went away just as fast. The rocks are weathering nicely. All the prep work seems to be paying off!

Those new lights look great on your tank! Glad to see all of your fish and corals are doing well in your tank!

 

[tothpl]

Those new lights look great on your tank! Glad to see all of your fish and corals are doing well in your tank!

Thanks! As most of have probably experienced, it’s a balance of excitedly doing it all at once vs forcing yourself to slow down, make sure everything is stable first, and plan for future growth.
I just want to do it all right now!!