90G slow, patient, "budget" build! Lots of DIY!

[Richard ML]

2020-10-05 Livestock:
Fish:
- Two Ocellaris (one regular, one probably Wide-Bar Mocha Gladiator)
- One-spot Foxface

Cnidarians:
- Rose/Rainbow? BTA
- Green actinodiscus
- Tangerine dream? zoas
- Mystery zoas
- Wee lil' patch of GSP

2020-10-05 equipment list:

• 3x Kessil A160WE
• Kessil spectral controller
• Tunze 3155 ATO
• Jebao DCP-5000 return pump
• SWC sump with integral skimmer, Reef Octopus needlewheel
• Eheim 250W heater
• 90 lbs of rock
• 60lbs carbisea Fiji pink sand
• Crappy aquatop powerhead til I get a better wave maker

2020-09-24 FTS:

Hi!

I've been putting things together for my first reef tank over the past month or so and I'm about to start my build today with a modified version of Rocket Engineer's stand. My plans (much of it not set in stone) so far are:

• 90G DT with centre overflow (waiting for build at LFS)
• Sump built at LFS as well
• Filter floss
• LFS rock and sand
• Seachem Impulse 800 return pump
• Coralbox wavemakers (probably qps9 units x2)
• Whatever quality heaters I can get my hands on for cheap. Preferably titanium but likely Eheim glass units just due to cost.
• Lighting: Trying to find Euroquatics Angel A1P's - Really love the hackability of these guys, they're just near impossible to find. If I can't get my hands on those, I'll probably put together a DIY solution with eBay LED cobs. I'm in no rush for the lights as I plan on just lettin' her cycle real slow - the main thing is that I need controllability by... Edit: Ended up getting a nice deal on 3x Kessil A160WE + the controller.
• ReefPi - To be used for temperature, lighting, pH, on-off outlet control for non-controllable devices, ATO, and a camera. I'm a CS major so I love this stuff.
• Chaeto fuge
• No skimmer to start, but I'll keep my eye out for a secondhand deal.
• No chiller - my house is a constant 21.5° C (~71° F) year round with central AC and heating.

Livestock plans:

• Black ocellaris x2
• Tomini or Kole Tang... I can't decide!
• Maybe a Yellow Tang. We'll see.
• Some kind of blenny
• Tuxedo urchin
• Other CUC of course
  
  
• Eventual must-have corals (pending further research into compatibility):
  • Isolated GSP colony
  • Several types of Euphyllia
  • Duncan
  • Elegance
  • Zoas
  • Pulsing Xenia (to impress guests of course)
  • The rest will be whatever suits my fancy (after doing research on each specimen)
• I'd also really like an LTA but that's further down the line.

I've also installed an RO system via the LFS made by Waterite, a local Winnipeg company. I'll add on a DI resin cartridge to be used for aquarium water only once the tank is here:

Drilling through that quartz counter top was a pain! Ended up biting the bullet on a $35 5/8" diamond hole saw to get through it. Incidentally, that's now up for sale locally for $20 if anyone needs one to drill their tank.

We have fantastic tap water in Winnipeg, but after doing an A/B taste test with RO water, wow - the tap water is rather bitter.

Now, as I said, I'm starting the actual construction of the stand today, using this modified version of Rocketengineer's stand with extra cross-bracing:

I'm going to be countersinking the deck screws and covering with wood filler rather than using pocket holes just to save time. I also plan on having the front panel held on by neodymium magnets rather than adding doors for a cleaner look. I have a big ol' sheet of marine plywood at another location just waiting to be cut.

Here's my current mess of a pile of lumber and tools (and misc scrap from ongoing home improvement projects):

I'm hoping to get the stand completely built tonight, and will post updates once I'm done! Wish me luck!

 

[hdsoftail1065]

Following along!

 

[creativeballance]

I'm interested in how that return pump turns out. How did you go about deciding to use that pump?

 

[Richard ML]

Following along!

Glad to hear it!

I'm interested in how that return pump turns out. How did you go about deciding to use that pump?

LFS has it for a nice price - I'm trying to go with them for stuff when I can. I don't even mind compromising on a few things here and there if it means I can help them stay afloat through this covid madness. However, I don't think this pump is a compromise.

I've looked into it quite a bit and from what I understand it's a rebranded Sicce with a few little changes and upgrades, so for that reason I'm fairly comfortable going with such a newly released and untested product.

 

[Richard ML]

Update:

Built the frame for the stand. Just needs to be skinned and painted and she's good to go:

(pardon the mess - renovations are ongoing and the room isn't the cleanest...)

Turned out OK considering I'm very much not a carpenter. It's square (lol) and seems sturdy enough.

Also got a really nice deal on 3 Kessil A160WE + the spectral controller locally, so lighting is taken care of. Everything's beginning to come together!

 

[Richard ML]

• Coralbox wavemakers (probably qps9 units x2)

I'm still waiting for the tank build to be finished, but I'm looking for some opinions before I pull the trigger on wavemakers.

For a tank this size (48x18x24), what does everyone thing about using 2x standard propeller wavemakers (Coralbox QPS9) vs a single gyre-style (Icecap 4K)?

It'd be around the same price. I like the idea of gyre flow, but I feel like the two coralbox pumps would be a more flexible solution.

 

[Richard ML]

Update:

The tank will be ready some time this week, so it'll be situated and plumbed to start filling by this weekend.

In the meantime, I've reinforced the floor directly under the tank:

I made the beam from 3 SPF 2x6's, 66" long, sistered with 1/4" carriage bolts and a ridiculous amount of wood glue. It spans 5 joists total (16" o.c.) which means it covers an extra joist on each side of the tank. The beam is supported by teleposts, which are directly on the concrete basement floor. Assuming that the posts are supporting 50% of the load of the tank, and assuming 2000lbs of total tank weight, the teleposts should be imparting a mere 24 PSI to the 4+ inch thick concrete. The floor is definitely way more solid-feeling in the tank room now, too.

Protecting my house was definitely worth the $200 (CAD) (teleposts are 85 dollars each nowadays! what the heck!?). Can't put a price on peace of mind.

Additionally, since the tank is above the laundry room, I have the option of plumbing down to a basement sump/auto-water-change system in the future.

Fill day is getting close! So excited!

 

[Richard ML]

The tanks is going to be delivered on Tuesday - here it is in the store. I knew the measurements already, but seeing it in person is a different story:

It's pretty large! Very excited. Updates to follow as filling/scaping begins later this week.

 

[Richard ML]

All right! Tank is filled and cycling!

Here it is, a little cloudy, just after adding sand:

And today, two days later, nice and clear:

I'll grab a magnet later today to clean off that salt residue, but it's finally starting to shape up!

I ended up going with a Hydor Seltz D DC 1200 return pump for the equivalent of $105 USD, and it has plenty of flow, but it's super loud. I'm probably going to exchange it. I'm also waiting for one of the nearby LFS's to get Coralbox wavemakers in stock.

There are a bunch of interesting hitchhikers in the tank, including a GIANT 9+ inch bristleworm:

There are also at least 3 different species of sea star including Asterina and two different types of brittle stars.

Pardon the potato quality on that one.

There are also a couple of neat little zoa or paly polyps on one of the rocks:

There is also a bit of very nice iridescent coralline algae which I can't really capture with a camera. So far very happy, and it's somehow very enjoyable to watch a nearly-empty tank!

 

[Richard ML]

The cycle is progressing nicely and is just about wrapped up. I have had the lights off for the past 3 days to nip a bit of hair algae in the bud and will be running 3h/day just to sustain the corals from now on. I'm picking up two Nassarius snails today, and I've already added:

- 7 Blue legged hermits
- 2 Pink turban snails
- 2 Yuuuge turbo snails
- 2 Astrea snails

Here's some more build info (including a neat controller organizer - note I will be hiding the ATO and controllers in a cabinet eventually):

Herbie overflow:

Tunze ATO setup with second sensor just above the max waterline (with pump off) in my sump:

Posh ATO reservoir using an aquavitro salt bucket, 6 gal, with a lid to prevent evaporation:

Fantastic idea my fiancée had for organizing controllers/cables using a SKADIS pegboard from Ikea:

And a few shots of critters including nice Zoa growth (and two budded polyps that you can't really see in the pic):

 

[Reef Box]

So much fun.... it almost seems (to me anyway) that it is more fun to build the tank than keep the tank.. Looking nice!

 

[Richard ML]

So much fun.... it almost seems (to me anyway) that it is more fun to build the tank than keep the tank.. Looking nice!

It's definitely been fun, but I'm getting impatient for the end of the cycle so I can add some real livestock! Getting close for sure. Thanks for the reply!

 

[SMSREEF]

Looking Good! Awesome setup. Your cat up on the ladder looks excited about the setup too.
But that dang bristle worm gives me the heebe jeebies.

 

[Reef Box]

It's definitely been fun, but I'm getting impatient for the end of the cycle so I can add some real livestock! Getting close for sure. Thanks for the reply!

Can't stress enough.......GO SLOW! So many hobbyists quit because they get over excited and add too much, too fast then have issues. Over 20 yrs in the hobby, I've been guilty of it many times over. Enjoy!

 

[Richard ML]

Looking Good! Awesome setup. Your cat up on the ladder looks excited about the setup too.
But that dang bristle worm gives me the heebe jeebies.

Thanks! He stares at the tank a lot. Loves all the tiny critters moving about the rock. And yeah that worm is disgusting. I found another that is about the size of Cthulhu's tentacle too. Thanks for the reply!

 

[Richard ML]

Can't stress enough.......GO SLOW! So many hobbyists quit because they get over excited and add too much, too fast then have issues. Over 20 yrs in the hobby, I've been guilty of it many times over. Enjoy!

For sure! Just gonna start with a couple of clowns and will add one more fish every month or two. Patience has been my mantra since I ordered the tank back in June.

I'm most excited for corals though, to be honest.

 

[Richard ML]

Update:

Had a nice pod explosion. Very happy about that - should keep the feather dusters happy.

Nitrites are near nil and the tank is basically ready for fish. Waiting for the LFS to take delivery on two black clowns.

Swapped the return pump out for a Jebao DCP 5000 (an awesome hobbyist-run LFS nearby carries them) and I did black vinyl hose rather than hard plumbing this time. Wow... This thing is quiet! And strong!

I've hidden my ATO bucket inside a wicker thing. Way nicer.

I'll have to figure out a way to hide my various controllers too.

I've had a couple of trochus snails die and I have seen what I believe to be Oenone Fulgida swinging its body around looking for food. Yellow worm with two beady little eyes, disappears like a bullet if you shine a light anywhere near it. I'll probably have to catch it soon. Part of the fun of the hobby though, eh?

 

[Richard ML]

Also, forgot to mention - safety first!

Weird to have a GFCI outside of the bathroom, but saltwater is rather conductive.

 

[Richard ML]

Update:

OK so the cycle is complete so I did a WC and pulled the trigger on some livestock. I don't have space for a QT setup right now, unfortunately, but everyone is behaving normally and eating like a champ.

Two ocellaris clowns (one regular, and one that I *think* is a Wide-Bar Mocha Gladiator). These guys go nuts on the pods non-stop all day. They're gonna be fat. They also pal around constantly, but of course not while I'm trying to get a picture of em.

And peeking out from the rocks is their stalker, the One-Spot Foxface:

I neglected to take a good picture of him and the tank is sleeping right now, but I'll post another soon. For now, here he is. I'm hoping he'll colour up - he sometimes shows a lot more yellow - once he's more settled in.

And here he is in sleep mode (floor lamp on, tank lights out, was much dimmer than it appears in the photo):

This guy was super skittish for the first few days, as expected for a Foxface, but has eaten like a champ from the morning after he was introduced. He demolished ALL the hair algae (a lot...) in under 4 hours and stuffs himself on nori all day. Annihilates mysis with gusto. The clowns have really helped him come out of his shell since I added them, and he doesn't flee to his cave when I approach the tank any more.

I also found a super nice, nearly-new SWC sump (remember them? All their stuff was built here in Winnipeg) with a built-in skimmer, so I'll be switching to that soon. For now, water changes are more than enough to keep up with 3 fish in this ~110G total system.

Lastly, I've noticed a new patch of purple coralline on a live rock that had only had green! After a mere 5 weeks! LUCKY!

 

[Richard ML]

Quick little update... this is coralline, right? (under the diatoms, lol)

I had found a new patch on a piece of well-established live rock, but it's spread over my fresh marco rock like wildfire! Just over 5 weeks in right now; that seems pretty quick, right?