Here against my will.

Peace River

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Welcome to R2R!!!

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ReefGrammie

Must...stay...away...from...live...sales...
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Welcome to R2R! I know it's overwhelming now and there will mistakes/regrets along the way, but just keep asking and we'll try to help! I started my first tank (FW) when my kids were about the same age as yours. That was 27 years ago and at one point, I had 4 tanks going (including 2 mantis shrimp tanks). Yes, I'm a crazy lady. ;Joyful I'm on my 2nd reef tank as of 6 years ago, which is a 90 gallon, so close in size to yours. I look forward to your progress!
 

vetteguy53081

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PPPPPP42

PPPPPP42

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I snapped quick phone pictures, these are not beauty shots so smaller size more compression and I didn't bother to fix the lights so that it wasn't both blue and blown out at the same time.

I wasn't so sure I liked her idea of the McDonalds reef but she wanted arches and bought specific pieces to make it work. I managed to make the right side look different enough that it didn't make everything so unnaturally symmetrical.
I personally think its a bit too tall because it is too much light on top, and not enough in a huge area underneath and the height really limits the coral that can be put on top. She probably should have gotten the taller 90 gallon version for the extra height but she is short and already can't reach the bottom very well.
The rock is all dyed, she bought live sand to use instead. The whitish rock plopped somewhat awkwardly in the rear corner was to try and stop that rear powerhead from hitting the overflow and digging a huge open spot down to the glass, now it digs a huge hole in a different spot. I'm almost thinking I should have dropped the wave makers 2 sizes (another 50% reduction I think it was) but I was afraid that down the road the coral would block so much current that I would need the big ones again and I didn't want to have to rebuy them. Hydrodynamics are a bit of a PITA.

The gobies moved in under the center column and I will probably eventually have to uproot it and put some thin tiles or something under there so they don't get crushed if (likely when) it shifts due to sand movement or cleaning knocking the arch around. I'm pretty sure its in the sand and not down to the glass.
You can see the photosythetic brown crap growing on the rock in the closer gobi pic. There was a ton more in the sand and on all the upper rock surfaces but it was mostly cleaned yesterday and is growing back today.
Just letting it go until the microscope gets here.

The plumbing was originally a soft return hose but it was way too long and made a trap shape so the water would pile up above the trap and then rapidly flush like a toilet until the pickup was out of the water and then start again, so I had to hard plumb it and height limits made it 2 90 degrees instead of 45's. I wanted the disconnects in case it has to be totally changed around or for maintenance.

gobi.JPG left.JPG right.JPG sump.JPG tank.JPG
 
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Mastering the art of locking and unlocking water pathways: What type of valves do you have on your aquarium plumbing?

  • Ball valves.

    Votes: 66 51.6%
  • Gate valves.

    Votes: 67 52.3%
  • Check valves.

    Votes: 32 25.0%
  • None.

    Votes: 29 22.7%
  • Other.

    Votes: 9 7.0%
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