My "hey what's another tank" 72 bow reef build.

[southerntnreefer]

Update. No Leaks Knock on wood since i did that. ill ramp up the pump a bit later to double check, but just brought the heater controller online to start heating to desired 78. ive got a overheat warnings on the unit, and on the Reef Angel, as well as low heats. If it gets below 75 ever, the reef angel outlet kicks on. The finnex controller is set to turn on at below 78 and maintain 78. The reef angel will cut off at 83, but the finnex cuts at 82.

 

[southerntnreefer]

Working on some heater kinks as we speak, but man I can't tell you how nice it is to have control!

 

[southerntnreefer]

And it starts! Shrimp in the tank, and a bottle of biospira in! Fixed the heater controller probe issue and got the tank in the range I wanted, and got the little leak sorted in the sump. Now the wait begins. Doing the BRS/WWC 4 month cycle I believe.

2 months before lights, 4 months rush before coral.

I still need to program the lights, but I've got 2 months before that matters. Next up is configuring the 0 to 10 control on the powerheads. I did also get the ATO situated. Now we wait to make sure my codes good.

 

[anthonygf]

And it starts! Shrimp in the tank, and a bottle of biospira in! Fixed the heater controller probe issue and got the tank in the range I wanted, and got the little leak sorted in the sump. Now the wait begins. Doing the BRS/WWC 4 month cycle I believe.

2 months before lights, 4 months rush before coral.

I still need to program the lights, but I've got 2 months before that matters. Next up is configuring the 0 to 10 control on the powerheads. I did also get the ATO situated. Now we wait to make sure my codes good.

I don't know how you guys can be so patient, I am trying to go from my 46bowfront to 75g and want to get it done as soon as possible. My living room is in disarray and need to get the swap done and remove the 46, get my living room in order. Also I don't have high tech equipment so it should go faster.

 

[southerntnreefer]

I don't know how you guys can be so patient, I am trying to go from my 46bowfront to 75g and want to get it done as soon as possible. My living room is in disarray and need to get the swap done and remove the 46, get my living room in order. Also I don't have high tech equipment so it should go faster.

Thats how it was when i went from teh 125 to the 220 in the basement, but i also had livestock like you do to move. With this tank build, i was given paramters from my wife. ( first off she bought me the tank as a christmas gift so i was totally cool with parameters)

They were must look good to the eye, and not like a science experiment. I went a bit higher end on the equipment, but a lot of that was just research here and BRSTV where things fell in my lap and were the better way to go at the time. Knowing my parameters, i also had a room to refinish, thanks to covid ( silver lining eh?) we got antsy and got the rug up and new floor in before summer, which sped the process up for sure. This is the last tank for a long time. Heck this is likely what ill call the " dream tank"

I went professional sump, professional ato container, cheato reactor etc. I planned each step out. I cant explain why i did any of this, other than it felt right.

Dont get me wrong, i loved loved loved my 90, and I love Diy, as it saves me money, and i learn something too. Living within my parameters of a tank that looks like furniture in a room, and not a science experiment i think i pulled it off pretty well.

I only call my 90 a science experiment, as it had a DIY sump, Hob overflow box, home built light mount, and the Ato bucket had to sit next to the stand in plain site. It looked like an after thought to the room.

Id love to tell you where the patience came from, heck i dont even know. When i got the 90 it was all about getting it upstairs, getting water in it, and getting that cycle done so i could have fish.

This time around i guess i had plenty of distractions. There was the room remodel, then my Niece and Nephew were here, and they kept us busy. I started working on it again when we got back in late august, and here we are a month and a half later we have water finally.

My overall goal when she bought me the tank was water by this Christmas, maybe life. Im a little ahead of that, as i should have at least my first pair of fish and some CUC by Christmas, and ill be just getting lights configured and on just prior.

The filling of this tank went quicker than I anticipated, which my wife was a fan of, as it got all my crap out of her dining room area. Now we can get the house sorted again, as all my brute trashcans and water containers are back downstairs where they belong ha!

 

[southerntnreefer]

So I might be crazy, but i may not be. This came to me in the night. Setting up a new tank is kind of like a relationship. Now that I've got water and its turning over and cycling I'm in learning mode.

I'm learning its noises, its nuances etc. I still have the cheato reactor, skimmer and dosing pump off line for the time being as i don't need them during the cycle process. I'm tuning the tank., What's acceptable noise? What noise cant i eliminate etc. Part of me knows you adjust and such, as my 90 wasn't exactly quiet, and this tank is lightyears ahead of that in the quiet department, but its a learning time. I'm courting my tank for lack of a better term. I'm discovering the start of it all. As i bring each part of the filtration on line as its needed, and then lights after month 2 of the cycle, ill learn more and more.

Having a controller is a wonderful thing, and to be honest, i likely wont do it without again.

Last night i put the shrimp in to start the cycle... I must of introduced air to the overflow, so i got a gurgle, i was able to shut the return pump off from my chair, give it a second, restart, and boom no gurgle, Maybe I've learned something here? If I'm going to be in the tank, maybe placing coral or something, do i need to kill the pump to prevent that? leave powerheads for the fish, but maybe my tank has told me something already?

I kind of like this stage as its FREE!! I'm learning. I'm coming up with the next batch of things i want the controller to do ( Skimmer cut off when the cup is full via float switch) and other items as i wait the cycle out. There are plenty of things to do on this tank while it cycles, so its not like ill be bored!

 

[anthonygf]

Thats how it was when i went from teh 125 to the 220 in the basement, but i also had livestock like you do to move. With this tank build, i was given paramters from my wife. ( first off she bought me the tank as a christmas gift so i was totally cool with parameters)

They were must look good to the eye, and not like a science experiment. I went a bit higher end on the equipment, but a lot of that was just research here and BRSTV where things fell in my lap and were the better way to go at the time. Knowing my parameters, i also had a room to refinish, thanks to covid ( silver lining eh?) we got antsy and got the rug up and new floor in before summer, which sped the process up for sure. This is the last tank for a long time. Heck this is likely what ill call the " dream tank"

I went professional sump, professional ato container, cheato reactor etc. I planned each step out. I cant explain why i did any of this, other than it felt right.

Dont get me wrong, i loved loved loved my 90, and I love Diy, as it saves me money, and i learn something too. Living within my parameters of a tank that looks like furniture in a room, and not a science experiment i think i pulled it off pretty well.

I only call my 90 a science experiment, as it had a DIY sump, Hob overflow box, home built light mount, and the Ato bucket had to sit next to the stand in plain site. It looked like an after thought to the room.

Id love to tell you where the patience came from, heck i dont even know. When i got the 90 it was all about getting it upstairs, getting water in it, and getting that cycle done so i could have fish.

This time around i guess i had plenty of distractions. There was the room remodel, then my Niece and Nephew were here, and they kept us busy. I started working on it again when we got back in late august, and here we are a month and a half later we have water finally.

My overall goal when she bought me the tank was water by this Christmas, maybe life. Im a little ahead of that, as i should have at least my first pair of fish and some CUC by Christmas, and ill be just getting lights configured and on just prior.

The filling of this tank went quicker than I anticipated, which my wife was a fan of, as it got all my crap out of her dining room area. Now we can get the house sorted again, as all my brute trashcans and water containers are back downstairs where they belong ha!

When I started my first reef tank I basically new what was needed from researching online, but still it took me over a year of experimenting and fine tuning. That is why I ended up with a sump almost as large as my DT, and is sitting outside the tank on the floor.

Well my wife had enough and finally let me get a bigger tank so I can hide the sump(that is what sold her on the new tank). I am retired and make enough money to live well but I just cannot afford all that equipment to maintain it. So I will have to do water changes manually, no lifting buckets I have pumps for that, manually dosing when needed so far alk is the only one I have to dose daily.

My biggest purchase was the Kessils (2) 360WE tuna blue. More than what I need for present tank but was thinking ahead when I do get a larger tank I will be glad I did. I also have a black box Viparspectra 300 watt that still works great but is in storage for now, that is also a very nice light.
Happy Reefing

 

[southerntnreefer]

When I started my first reef tank I basically new what was needed from researching online, but still it took me over a year of experimenting and fine tuning. That is why I ended up with a sump almost as large as my DT, and is sitting outside the tank on the floor.

Well my wife had enough and finally let me get a bigger tank so I can hide the sump(that is what sold her on the new tank). I am retired and make enough money to live well but I just cannot afford all that equipment to maintain it. So I will have to do water changes manually, no lifting buckets I have pumps for that, manually dosing when needed so far alk is the only one I have to dose daily.

My biggest purchase was the Kessils (2) 360WE tuna blue. More than what I need for present tank but was thinking ahead when I do get a larger tank I will be glad I did. I also have a black box Viparspectra 300 watt that still works great but is in storage for now, that is also a very nice light.
Happy Reefing

That is kind of how the 72 came to be. My wife was sick of the HOB overflow noise( I didnt know how to configure one silent at the time) and the ATO bucket on the floor, so she decided when we re did the room, we would put another tank, and this one would be drilled etc. She was on bored the whole way.

Ill have auto dosing, but i didnt go apex, so ill have to monitor and adjust, but that to me is part of reef keeping. It keeps me in tune and in relationship with my tank.

I almost went Kessil on this build, as they are amazing, and super easy to tune in. I fell on a good deal from my LFS for hydras, so i went that way, supported small buisness, and got a deal. I do WC the same way. I mix it in the brute, dump bad water in one, and pump in the good. I may adjust this, and do a hybrid auto water change. Im considering getting a couple single head dosing pumps, that i can can configure and then set up 2 brutes in front of the tank.. One full and one empty. Pump out a certain amount of water, and then pump back in. Saves my back and allows me to tinker on other things. Im always looking for ways that wont cost me a fortune, and make things easy.

 

[anthonygf]

That is kind of how the 72 came to be. My wife was sick of the HOB overflow noise( I didnt know how to configure one silent at the time) and the ATO bucket on the floor, so she decided when we re did the room, we would put another tank, and this one would be drilled etc. She was on bored the whole way.

Ill have auto dosing, but i didnt go apex, so ill have to monitor and adjust, but that to me is part of reef keeping. It keeps me in tune and in relationship with my tank.

I almost went Kessil on this build, as they are amazing, and super easy to tune in. I fell on a good deal from my LFS for hydras, so i went that way, supported small buisness, and got a deal. I do WC the same way. I mix it in the brute, dump bad water in one, and pump in the good. I may adjust this, and do a hybrid auto water change. Im considering getting a couple single head dosing pumps, that i can can configure and then set up 2 brutes in front of the tank.. One full and one empty. Pump out a certain amount of water, and then pump back in. Saves my back and allows me to tinker on other things. Im always looking for ways that wont cost me a fortune, and make things easy.

I will use cannister filters until I am able to transfer sump over. I just had to buy the new Oase BioMaster 600 for my 75g fresh but will try it on new tank for now. I have a Current USA dual waver maker and 500w heater coming today. Still waiting for salinity to get up there and then do a complete water test to get as close to 46.

 

[southerntnreefer]

I will use cannister filters until I am able to transfer sump over. I just had to buy the new Oase BioMaster 600 for my 75g fresh but will try it on new tank for now. I have a Current USA dual waver maker and 500w heater coming today. Still waiting for salinity to get up there and then do a complete water test to get as close to 46.

All in due time! Share a photo when your up and running! Exciting for sure! Today i need to clean the stand, and glass, as the dog shook and got crap all over it, and now that im done getting sand and water in, i can get it cleaned up.

 

[anthonygf]

All in due time! Share a photo when your up and running! Exciting for sure! Today i need to clean the stand, and glass, as the dog shook and got crap all over it, and now that im done getting sand and water in, i can get it cleaned up.

I am going to try with water first, get it to proper parameters, a few green cromis, then some or all of my live rock & corals, then sand after it is washed, then my fish. Then sump and all equipment. This should work.

 

[anthonygf]

I am going to try with water first, get it to proper parameters, a few green cromis, then some or all of my live rock & corals, then sand after it is washed, then my fish. Then sump and all equipment. This should work.

I have bare bottom behind rocks with powerhead for flow to keep detritus down and half sand in front for sand sifters.

 

[southerntnreefer]

Used my lunch break today to clean up my mess LOL cleaned the stand, glass and canopy. Man she's beautiful already!!

 

[Daniel@R2R]

Great start!! Following!!

 

[southerntnreefer]

Great start!! Following!!

Thanks man! Were getting there! They say Patience is the way in this hobby, and i showed it with this one. Lots more to come though as i start to learn my new tank.

 

[southerntnreefer]

Took a few photos tonight as Im settling in.
I'm pretty proud of how it turned out.
Can't wait for the next 2 months to go by so we can enter the lighting. Tested it last night and got great shimmer!!

 

[southerntnreefer]

A view from my chair.

I can't wait until life and au h is in there, and light cycles etc. I'm already in love...

 

[anthonygf]

A view from my chair.

I can't wait until life and au h is in there, and light cycles etc. I'm already in love...

I would put the chair where the table is

 

[southerntnreefer]

Checked just ammonia to make sure my shrimp was doing it's job, and it was. Plenty of ammonia. Dosed today's dose of stability, and of microbacter 7. I did a bottle of biospira when this all started. This is the exciting part...

 

[anthonygf]

All in due time! Share a photo when your up and running! Exciting for sure! Today i need to clean the stand, and glass, as the dog shook and got crap all over it, and now that im done getting sand and water in, i can get it cleaned up.

Here it is, first day with my new 75.
I posted this on another thread, someone commented on me keeping a YT in my 46g bowfront.
You can all cancel the Tang Police. This is the first day of my 75g. All that you see was transferred from my 46g bowfront that I had running for four years now. Yellow is super happy and was exploring every inch of tank. I can't believe all this was in a 46. I have to use a cannister filter until I clean my sump and get that back together. Oh I added 5 Green chromis before adding rocks, corals and other fish. Eventually I will raise the rocks with coral on them somehow, to make room for more.