My First Build: 75 Gallon

[count krunk]

Yes when you glue together it will sink all the way to the lip.

Yes you want to cut as 90 degrees as possible. Pretty much impossible until you're using a miter saw, which is the way to cut PVC if you have one.

I have my drain lines running into bulkheads in the sump. Allows for a very clean and controlled drain line situation.

BRS did a test and found that the difference between 45s and 90s is pretty much nothing, as far as what we use it for anyway. I have used only 90s and things run great.

I will be building a manifold on my return with three outlets that are closed for now. Just some future planning in play.

As you know by now, you need threaded bulkheads to attach threaded loclines or fittings to. If slip you can pipe right into it, or if your locline is threaded and your bulkhead is slip you would use a fitting that is threaded on one end and slip on the other. You would use a pipe that is the length of the lip depth in each fitting (bulkhead and fitting to locline) to join The fitting to the bulkhead. So it would go bulkhead>pipe>fitting>locline.

 

[markysgirl]

Thank you so much for all of the help!
One more plumbing question before I get started glueing all of these pieces together, which I am pretty terrified to do, do I need the special cement to glue the PVC pipe to the ABS bulkhead?
I know I saw something about this somewhere in my research travels however, now I cannot find it for the life of me. I also can't remember exactly what it says about fastening PVC to ABS.
Can anyone help me out?
Thanks again for all the help so far, and I really hope everyone is having a great holiday season!

 

[thaistalyn]

I just use the standard primer and pvc glue for ABS to pvc. I just plumbed my drains today and leak tested. It held up great.

 

[markysgirl]

Hi everyone!!!
I feel like I've been MIA for awhile!
I've been feverishly working on the tank build and have made some really great progress.
The plumbing went pretty well and is 98% complete. I made a total noob mistake and glued two pieces that shouldn't have been together. And of course these pieces were both schedule 80 street 90's that I e only been able to find on BRS. So I had to order those and now I'm waiting for them.
Meanwhile, I got the electrical all figured out and the hubs helped to get it all mounted and run in the stand. I've included some photos, so I would love some feedback!
I also started work on an aquascape I would love your feedback on that as well.
I hope all of you are having a great holiday season!

 

[MrWheelock]

Scape looks great! Only suggestion I have is to maybe separate the right smaller structure by removing the one rock if you can glad to see progress and yay for your hubby helping!

 

[markysgirl]

I've been making water since noon on Friday and had the tank full enough to spill into the overflow tonight only to find out the primary drain had a leak!!! Ugh!
I apparently forgot to glue two pieces together.
Thank goodness I put unions in. We were able to close the gate valve, remove the piece apply glue and now it's drying. I'll try again tomorrow.
Right now the DT is nearly full and the powerheads are moving water around. I put a heater in the display tank so it can heat overnight.
Here's a pic with the aquascape, sand and some water.

 

[markysgirl]

I got another snag this morning.
A part of the return line I thought was iffy turned out to be bad.
So I've had to order more parts to fix it. Those should be here sometime next week.
I'm thinking about putting a powerhead in the sump, mixing salt in the tank and sump separately and letting the cycle get underway while I wait for those parts to fix the return line.
Do any of you think that is a bad idea? It seems such a waste of time to let the freshwater just sit there moving around.
I'm daydreaming about adding copepods!

 

[thaistalyn]

I got another snag this morning.
A part of the return line I thought was iffy turned out to be bad.
So I've had to order more parts to fix it. Those should be here sometime next week.
I'm thinking about putting a powerhead in the sump, mixing salt in the tank and sump separately and letting the cycle get underway while I wait for those parts to fix the return line.
Do any of you think that is a bad idea? It seems such a waste of time to let the freshwater just sit there moving around.
I'm daydreaming about adding copepods!

I see no reason at all to get that beautiful tank cycling. It is no different than putting a power head in a 75g tub and cycling the rock. I'd even say add Dr. Tims, Biospira, or Brightwell 7 to the tank with a round of ghost feeding to get the cycle moving and bacteria populating the rock.

 

[sp1187]

very nice build.
so while we are waiting for it to cycle, what are you thinking for inhabitants?

 

[markysgirl]

These are the critters I am considering for now. Honestly livestock seems so far away to think about too much now.
I am seriously considering only housing aqucultured specimens.

Clownfish pair
Midas Blenny
Royal Gramma (or 2?)
Pearly jawfish
Diamond watchman goby
Orchid Dottyback
Bristletooth Tang
Yellow Tang
Coral beauty angel
Mandarin after tank is established
Emerald crab x2
Urchin.... not sure what species
Snails, not sure what species yet

Corals

Zoa garden
Elegance Coral
Frogspawn
Hammer Coral
Torch Coral
Leather coral
Bubble Coral
Duncan Coral
Maybe a Xenia?
If I decide to keep sps I'll try a birdsnest coral and I love the way montipora looks.

 

[markysgirl]

I have a minute so I thought I would post a little update. The tank and sump are finally connected and it is running! I am having a little trouble with the overflow but it is getting worked out. The fishless cycle is going well, I have a little (1.5) NH3 NO2 is at 2ppm and NO3 is at 50ppm as of yesterday.
I have 22 gallons of water cooking to fill up my quarantine tank and do the first water change on the DT followed by as many as it takes to get the nitrates down after the cycle.
My first inhabitants will be some copepods from Algae barn and some phytoplankton to feed them as well as some macroalgae. I want to make the refugium kinda pretty and I would like to harvest the algae to feed fish. So I am going to start with a red ogo and a ball of chaeto. I am only turning the lights on at this point to bask in the glory of my progress, so just a couple of minutes at a time.
Once the cycle is complete and I have the biofilter for the QT I'll get it going, make sure it is safe and then GO BUY SOME CLOWNFISH!!! I am so excited to get some critters! In the meantime,

I'll start adding a CUC as there are things to clean up.

 

[Just_Pete]

Nice build.

 

[markysgirl]

I've added my very first inhabitants today!!!
Copepods!
I figured it would be good to add them first and see if I can get them established before I start adding fish later this month.
I also got some phytoplankton to feed them since the tank is so new. I'm going to get my quarantine tank set up this weekend, seed it with bioballs from my cycling tank and make sure it doesn't have a mini cycle.
I think I might be able to get some baby clownfish next weekend!
So excited!

 

[markysgirl]

Just wanted to leave an update.
I did a 20g water change and I was able to get my skimmer going for the first time yesterday afternoon. That changed a ton of stuff with the tank.
There was a gross odor off and on for about an hour after I started the skimmer and this morning the tank looks amazing!
The water has cleared up, it's not smelly and my numbers are finally moving in a direction that makes sense.
NH3 0.5
NO2 0.1
NO3 100
The little Seachem badge is turning yellow (safe) as well.
I wonder if there was inadequate gas exchange going on?
Anyway. The cycle continues, I've turned the lights on and have some macroalgea in the refugium. I'm adding phytoplankton to the sump once a day (when I remember) to feed pods.
My QT tank is continuing to cycle and I'm hoping to be able to get some next Saturday, we will see.

 

[markysgirl]

Hi, fellow reefers!
I apologize for being one of those that start a build thread and then disappear off the face of the earth forever, but times are crazy and I got busy.
Besides the tank has been pretty boring.
I've been slowly adding fish and more recently corals.
The tank went through the worst of the ugly stages and some nutrient swings but now it's become fairly stable and is starting to look pretty cool. I have a pretty solid maintenance schedule that seems to be working for me and the tank. I am learning new stuff through research and trial and error all the time and it is really starting to pay off.
I'm including some photos of the tank for your viewing pleasure. I apologize for the photos, I took them with my cell.

 

[markysgirl]

Current stock list:
Fishes:
Yellow Tang (kind of a crazy little dude)
Blue Eyed Kohl Tang
Midas Blenny
Purple Fire Fish
Bangaii Cardinal
Siz Line Wrasse
Yellow Watchman Goby
Mocha Clown Fish Pair

Clean-Up Crew:

Nassarius snails 15 or so
2 Emerald crabs
6 Red-legged hermits ( and two in the sump)
Trochus snails 6 or so
Tuxedo Urchin
Sea Hare
2 Cleaner shrimp
Pistol Shrimp
Fighting conchs (one in the sump)

 

[PTXReef]

More pics pleaaaase ;Joyful