Mav's 75 gallon reef

[Mav88]

Hello, after working with nano tanks I've decided to go a bit larger with a sump and better filtration.

I debated ordering a reef ready tank but decided to drill my own 75 gallon tank when I was able to pick one up from Petco for under $100 with discounts. Also picked up most equipment and plumbing during black Friday from BRS.
Equipment list:
Tank: Aqeon 75 gallon 4 ft
Sump: 20 long with Fiji baffles
Sand: 80 lbs CaribSea Special Grade (dry)
Stand: Random 75 gallon stand that I found online
Light: Aquatic Life DX18 48" with 2 AI Prime 16HD
Flow: 2 Icecap 2k
Overflow: Modular Marine 1600
Heater: BRS Titanium with Inkbird controller
Skimmer: Reef Octopus eSsence S-130
Return: Sicce SDC 6.0 WiFi
Return Nozzles: 2 Vivid Creative Aquatics 1" random flow generators

This is the first time I've drilled an aquarium and once you drill the first hole it is extremely easy. Plumbing is all 1" drains Bean Animal with 1" return line split to 2 return outlets.

Fish to be transferred in: 2 Clarkii Clowns and a Midas Blenny
Working out a stocking list to round out the tank this will be a mixed reef but mainly SPS, as of today.

Need to get some live rock from my LFS and then start filling with water.

 

[Nebunu]

Looking good, keeps us updated.

 

[Mav88]

The plastic ratchet clamps came in today so I hooked up my return line and set up my controllers on my stand door. Also my white worms came in today, threw them in a Tupperware with some cat food.

 

[Mav88]

Rinsed the sand and that took nearly a day itself. Filled the tank with water and started to dial in my overflow when I heard some dripping. I have a small leak at in the return at the T where the spigot is. I believe the spigot isn’t glued in and I will take it apart tomorrow. Put some of my rock in the tank along with some nice rock from my lfs and a pair of caribsea life rock caves. Transferred inverts and fish over. Also got my light mounted just need to get the primes in now.

 

[Nebunu]

Just a minor set back, put those lights on and its a reef tank.

 

[Mav88]

Fixed the return leak and had another leak that was difficult to find but water was dripping from between my overflow box and tank into the bottom trim then slowly down to the floor. Now I monitor the tank while the sump is on and turn it off when I’m away for a while, but haven’t had other issues. The gyres are still breaking in the one I’ve been running more (due to the noise) has now become silent at around 25% cranking it up further hoping it quiets down more at higher speeds. I think I’m going to have to call customer support about the other one as it hums a really high pitch.

 

[Nebunu]

A while ago I had same issue with one of my wave makers. And I was thinking it might be a problem with the propeler for making noise. I decided to take it out of the tank and when I moved the the magnet a bit, it stoped making the noise. It was a matter of positioning it and the noise went away. Try to move it or something, might work.

 

[Sean Clark]

I would say well done, but you are just getting started. Looking good.

 

[Mav88]

A while ago I had same issue with one of my wave makers. And I was thinking it might be a problem with the propeler for making noise. I decided to take it out of the tank and when I moved the the magnet a bit, it stoped making the noise. It was a matter of positioning it and the noise went away. Try to move it or something, might work.

Thanks, I will do this before I call them. I’ve seen other posts about impellers not being lined up and so on.

 

[Mav88]

I would say well done, but you are just getting started. Looking good.

Thank you.

 

[Mav88]

Been working on my stocking list looking to add 2 at a time every 2 weeks and will be using Drreefs. (Currently have 2 Clarke clowns and a Midas Blenny). Looking at adding in order:
Marine Betta
Longnose Hawkfish
Leopard Wrasse
McCoskers Wrasse
Diamond Sifter Goby (when sand is ready)
Spotted Yellow Eye Kole Tang

Any issues? Currently feeding LRS reef frenzy and will be adding the white worms.

 

[Sean Clark]

Been working on my stocking list looking to add 2 at a time every 2 weeks and will be using Drreefs. (Currently have 2 Clarke clowns and a Midas Blenny). Looking at adding in order:
Marine Betta
Longnose Hawkfish
Leopard Wrasse
McCoskers Wrasse
Diamond Sifter Goby (when sand is ready)
Spotted Yellow Eye Kole Tang

Any issues? Currently feeding LRS reef frenzy and will be adding the white worms.

I would hold off on Leopard Wrasse until much later. They do not do well in young tanks.

 

[Mav88]

I would hold off on Leopard Wrasse until much later. They do not do well in young tanks.

I’ll push that one back then. Most of my rock I’ve had for a few years but I’ll wait for the newer rock and sand to mature as well as my refugium balancing out.
Thanks

 

[Mav88]

Tank has settled in getting some micro bubbles but the skimmer isn’t overflowing anymore (maybe load up the bubble trap with filter floss?). I took some of my coral and moved it over. Also brought over my LTA that the clowns have been missing. I had to keep them away so it could settle in. Hopefully it opens back up soon I had a hard time with it in my holding tank. Saw a Bella goby at my LFS might grab that up as my sand is starting to bloom I have to do a bit of research.

 

[Mav88]

Set up the refugium with a cheap 12 watt grow light from Amazon and a small refugium pack from algaebarn using chaeto. Put the pods in with a dosing of phyto and have left my skimmer off since. I’m just going to see if I can get the chaeto growing before I turn the skimmer back on. There are only 3 fish in the tank so I don’t believe I’ll have a nutrient issue. Also put in my first order from Dr.Reefs for the marine betta and longnose hawkfish.

 

[Mav88]

Made some CUC additions and finished transferring snails over from old tank. I was waiting for algae to pick up first. CUC consists of a Coral Banded shrimp, emerald crab fighting conch and various hermits and snails. Picked up 3 peppermint shrimp that will hopefully help with aptasia and have been nuking that in sections. First livestock additions are in Diamond sifter goby and Carpenters flasher. I made a mistake and didn’t leave the wrasse in the acclimation box long enough I didn’t notice any aggression but when he went into the tank the clown harassed him into hiding. Was going to catch the clown in the morning but the wrasse has been out and they are eating together so maybe a pecking order thing instead of aggression. When my next fish come in I will put the clown in the box for a few days. Also got a small elegance and yellow Fiji toadstool from Tidal Gradens.

 

[Sgchick]

Great start!! Following along...I'm a big fan of the blue star leopard and will be adding one to my tank soon!!

 

[Fishfreak2009]

Looks like it's coming along nicely! I love your choice in clowns. I've been working on my 75 gallon as well, and also have a clarkii pair. Such underrated fish.

 

[Mav88]

I have hair algae almost all over my back wall it looks like non fluorescent GSP. I have also been treating aptasia. The fish seem to be getting along and the wrasse is everywhere in the tank. The LTA has been having a tough go of the new tank so I put it in an acclimation box and raised it up, seems to be coloring back up, I think he got beat down pretty good while trying to settle and may have been to much stress. Coral frags are growing skeletons and I ordered a Hanna phos ULR and Nitrate HR with more alk reagent. Looking into starting up Hydros control with the xp8 and trying to figure out what I’m going to do with my lighting. Either more prime 16s or 32s or just getting the current 48in double light I believe it would fit between the t5s.

 

[Mav88]

I’ve always added buffer to top off and never had an alk problem with my smaller tanks. Now that this one is running a full glass cover I am not able to keep the alk up with my top offs. Got my alk back up, now I’m going to have to get this figured out I don’t think full on dosing is needed right now. Ordered extra reagent for my alk checker to better see how much I’m losing so I can add more buffer. Worm culture has taken off split the worms into 4 separate containers in case a culture crashes. The blenny goes crazy for them eating most of them out of my hand as I’m dropping them in.