90 Gallon Mixed Reef

[JusMeJim]

I should of started this last week, so I'll get started tonight and try to get caught up. I can remember my Dad always having an aquarium as I was growing up and I've had at least one most of my adult life (I'm 66), up until about 10 years ago. At one time I had a roomful of tanks, but that's another story for another day. About 25 years ago I started my first saltwater aquarium (55 gallons) and had it for about 15 years until a power outage wiped it out one weekend when we were gone. I took it down and haven't had anything since. The previous saltwater tank was just a basic tank with live rock, skimmer, a filter, and fish only, no RO/DI water, no corals.

So that brings us to the present.

I ordered a 90 gallon Marineland tank and stand about 10 days ago. While waiting on those to arrive I had an electrician come over and add some new dedicated GFCI outlets. Two quads, and then I'll also use a power strip. This is a totally new dedicated line that has it's own dedicated breaker. Also while waiting I had the floor "reinforced". We did some major remodeling last summer/fall and had floors leveled up but the living room floor where the tank will be located had a bit of a shake in the center of the room.

I just kind of guessed at a budget of $4K, but it looks like once everything is said and done I'll be at about $5K. This includes the electrical and floor work. Once I get everything set up and cycling I'll post a more detailed accounting of what was bought and the cost for anyone interested.

I guess I'm old school and have no desire to mess with a sump, refugium, or canister filter. I'm too old to mess with floods, and my wife would kill me if I flooded the house after our remodel last year.

I'm going to post this, and then make a few more posts with some (boring) photos.

P.S. I know the stands now-a-days hold up pretty good, but I also reinforced the stand with some 2x4's when I received it.

 

[JusMeJim]

This is photos of where the tank is going to be located. You can also see the two new sets of outlets (the ones up higher). In the photos under the house, in the first photo the cinder blocks are located under the wall where the tank is being placed (they were already there). The second photo shows the 2x (whatever it is) that he added. It's located 2 ft. out from where the wall would be at.

 

[design.maddie]

Dang! How old school are you? I swapped from canisters/HOBs to sumps in the early 2000s. That was 20 years ago. What do you plan to use for filtration then?

 

[JusMeJim]

The tank and stand finally arrived after about ten days. After spending a day making the stand stronger (as mentioned above) it was time to start filling it. That's bucket number one of about 20 or so to fill it about 2/3's of the way. My wife wasn't interested in having the RO/DI hooked up permanently so the other photos show my makeshift hookup in the shower. Actually a pretty simple setup that quickly disconnects and connects back. The 75 GPD RO/DI system from Bulk Reef Supply took about 18 hours over two days to get about 60 to 65 gallons to get started. Saved some room for the live rock and sand.

 

[JusMeJim]

So these bring us up to tonight. Ignore the cords everywhere. I pick up live rock and sand tomorrow morning at the airport (ordered from Gulf Live Rock). I had no worries about the parameters, but checked them this afternoon. Unfortunately (that I couldn't get it all at the same time) I'll also be adding more live rock in a couple weeks from Tampa Bay. I also have 40 pounds of the CaribSea Arag-Alive to add tomorrow.

One early disappointment has been the Eheim Jager, which was going to be a backup so far has been worthless and will be going back as soon as my other heater show up. This thing has a temperature swing of about 3 degrees. It'll run until it's about 1.5 degrees higher than what it's set for, and then will shut off and not come on until it drop 2 or 3 degrees. So anyhow. I'm done with it. My main heater will be Innovative Marine Helios PTC's, and a backup will the Bulk Reef Supply Brand.

So tomorrow I add some live rock, and live sand, and throw one of my wife's shrimp in the tank and see where we go.

 

[JusMeJim]

Dang! How old school are you? I swapped from canisters/HOBs to sumps in the early 2000s. That was 20 years ago. What do you plan to use for filtration then?

I'll be using an AquaClear 110 HOB filter and a Tidal 110 HOB. I'll be adding a skimmer if needed.

The 55 that I had for about 15 years done great with one HOB filter, and one Skimmer. I forget the brands. I used tap water, had plenty of live rock, and never had any trouble at all in 15 years. It was fish only though. No Corals.

I guess when I started the other salt water tank 25 years ago sumps or refugiums were not a big thing, or maybe I just didn't read enough back then to realize it if they were. I just have no desire to risk a flood, and I've read where several people do just fine with filters and skimmers.

 

[dschuffert]

Your setup looks good. I look forward to seeing it as time goes on.

 

[JusMeJim]

I picked up 35# of live rock and 25# live sand from Gulf Live Rock, at the airport yesterday (11/25/25). I added it along with 40# of CaribSea live sand (and a raw shrimp). There was 8 bigger pieces of rock and 1 small one. By early evening there was no noticeable spikes for ammonia yet.

 

[JusMeJim]

A few more pictures taken today (11/26/25) once the "dust settled". Readings this afternoon was Ammonia .50, and pH was at 8.0. Everything else was 0 (zeroes).

We've seen two very small (I think Cerith's). When I first unboxed everything there was also two bristle worms, and one brittle star, that didn't seem to be in very good shape, but maybe it's just how they are. Some of these photos are not very good. I was wondering if anyone knows what any of the "plants" are, or if I need to be getting rid of them?

 

[JusMeJim]

Also today (11/26/25) I received my Helio PTC Titanium Heaters 400W system (2 x 200W redundant). My original plan was to use these along with a Eheim Jagar as a backup. The Eheim Jagar has been a huge disappointment so it's going to be sent back. I know packaging really means nothing but the Helio put the Eheim Jagar to shame.

 

[JusMeJim]

I added Live Rock, and Live Sand on Tuesday 11/25/25. Temperature has been a consistent 78, Salinity has been 1.025/1.026, and pH has been 7.8 to 8.1. The first readings to start showing anything else were on 11/26/25.
11/26/25 PM - Ammonia .5, pH 8.0, Nitrite and Nitrate 0 (zero).
11/27/25 AM - Ammonia 2.0, Nitrite .25, Nitrate 5.0
11/28/25 PM - Ammonia 2.0, Nitrite .50, Nitrate 10.0
11/29/25 PM - Ammonia 1.0, Nitrite 2.0, Nitrate 20.0

 

[Sam7]

I'll be using an AquaClear 110 HOB filter and a Tidal 110 HOB. I'll be adding a skimmer if needed.

The 55 that I had for about 15 years done great with one HOB filter, and one Skimmer. I forget the brands. I used tap water, had plenty of live rock, and never had any trouble at all in 15 years. It was fish only though. No Corals.

I guess when I started the other salt water tank 25 years ago sumps or refugiums were not a big thing, or maybe I just didn't read enough back then to realize it if they were. I just have no desire to risk a flood, and I've read where several people do just fine with filters and skimmers.

My reef is smaller but it is sumpless and running on a aquaclear 70 so it works just fine. OLD school is the original school that started it all. Looking good there, cant wait to see it going

 

[Sam7]

Dang! How old school are you? I swapped from canisters/HOBs to sumps in the early 2000s. That was 20 years ago. What do you plan to use for filtration then?

The old schoolers were the original pioneers of reefing, where it all started and still works today

 

[Sam7]

I picked up 35# of live rock and 25# live sand from Gulf Live Rock, at the airport yesterday (11/25/25). I added it along with 40# of CaribSea live sand (and a raw shrimp). There was 8 bigger pieces of rock and 1 small one. By early evening there was no noticeable spikes for ammonia yet.

Your rock looks nice......cant wait to see you all setup

 

[Sam7]

So these bring us up to tonight. Ignore the cords everywhere. I pick up live rock and sand tomorrow morning at the airport (ordered from Gulf Live Rock). I had no worries about the parameters, but checked them this afternoon. Unfortunately (that I couldn't get it all at the same time) I'll also be adding more live rock in a couple weeks from Tampa Bay. I also have 40 pounds of the CaribSea Arag-Alive to add tomorrow.

One early disappointment has been the Eheim Jager, which was going to be a backup so far has been worthless and will be going back as soon as my other heater show up. This thing has a temperature swing of about 3 degrees. It'll run until it's about 1.5 degrees higher than what it's set for, and then will shut off and not come on until it drop 2 or 3 degrees. So anyhow. I'm done with it. My main heater will be Innovative Marine Helios PTC's, and a backup will the Bulk Reef Supply Brand.

So tomorrow I add some live rock, and live sand, and throw one of my wife's shrimp in the tank and see where we go.

Thats a nice deep tank. I like it....

 

[JusMeJim]

I added Live Rock, and Live Sand on Tuesday 11/25/25. Temperature has been a consistent 78, Salinity has been 1.025/1.026, and pH has been 7.8 to 8.1. The first readings to start showing anything else were on 11/26/25.
11/26/25 PM - Ammonia .5, pH 8.0, Nitrite and Nitrate 0 (zero).
11/27/25 AM - Ammonia 2.0, Nitrite .25, Nitrate 5.0
11/28/25 PM - Ammonia 2.0, Nitrite .50, Nitrate 10.0
11/29/25 PM - Ammonia 1.0, Nitrite 2.0, Nitrate 20.0

I added the above for reference.
11/30/25 PM - Ammonia .25, Nitrite 5.0, didn't do Nitrate (Many on here say not too while cycling)
12/01/25 PM - Ammonia 0, Nitrite between 2.0 & 5.0
12/02/25 PM - Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0.5, Nitrate 40
Since Ammonia has been 0 for a couple of days now, and Nitrites has dropped to 0.5, I added enough Dr. Tim's Ammonium Chloride to bring the Ammonia up to 2.0
12/03/25 AM - Ammonia has already dropped to .5, Nitrites have risen to 2.0
12/03/25 PM - Ammonia 0, Nitrites 2.0, Nitrate 80. I've included a photo of the readings since I could be misreading something. So Ammonia dropped from 2.0 to 0 in a 24 hour period. Nitrites rose, and Nitrates are pretty high, so I am going to be holding off on any more ammonia, since I'll be adding more live rock and sand next Tuesday.

This live rock will be coming from Tampa Bay Saltwater fully submerged in water so shouldn't have a huge effect on parameters but we'll just have to wait and see. Hopefully Nitrite and Nitrates will be more in line by then.

 

[JusMeJim]

A few hitchhikers/oddities. The "growth" is about 1" wide and maybe 1/2" to 3/4" high. The "blob" is on the front glass and does move a bit. We set here and watched it going up the glass a few days ago, and it's stayed in about the same place now for a couple days. It's about the size of a pencil eraser, very thin, at times you can see what appears to be a couple of tentacles. The photo makes it appears to be in a shell, but if it is, it's a soft shell.

 

[JusMeJim]

Ammonia and Nitrites are both down to 0, but I've not been adding any ammonia or food. Nitrates are still high. Hoping they'll come down before adding the new live rock next Tuesday. 45 pounds live rock and 25 pounds of live sand. Hopefully this won't have much "die off".

 

[JusMeJim]

Pretty sure I saw a mantis shrimp today. It was right up against the front glass, but I didn't have my phone to get a picture. At first I thought it was a worm, but then just as I noticed it had some weird stuff on the front of it....(didn't really have time to see if it was clubs or clippers....) It was just gone in a flash. Literally the fastest moving thing I've ever seen in a fish tank.

 

[JusMeJim]

Not the greatest photo, but I just happened to look into a nearly dark tank tonight from a distance and noticed "something". I went and looked closer and discovered a small black sea urchin.