New 75 gallon tank. Lots of questions.

porkins · Feb 23, 2023

Intro

Brand newbie here. Through some fortunate FB marketplace sleuthing, I just acquired an acrylic 75 gallon tank, light strip, solid wood cab stand, 4 wave makers with loop, and purple rock. Then in another win found a 40 gallon breeder tank with the sump baffle glass compartments glued in. Atop that, I was able to get a Bubble Magus Z-6 skimmer, then ordered a fresh Syncra Silent 1.5 pump, and a Theilling Rollermat Compact. Bought enough CarabSea special grade sand to fill the tank. After purchasing a glass buffing kit, I’m down about $800 overall. The seller also gave me tons of chemicals, salt, and test tools. The tank does not have any holes aside from ones on top. I want to put in the appropriate holes. I’m not interest in using a hang-behind external overflow box for the tubing unless convinced otherwise and definitely want to implement a fuge.

Questions

1. In order to get going, are my remaining parts needed the following: hoses/tubing/fittings, fuge light, chaelo, trash can for salt water, backup pump, ATO tank + kit, internal overflow column box, heater bars, and R/O system? Am I missing anything else important to consider?
2. What hoses/tubing/fittings do I need? Can you recommend any videos for how to install them and where to drill the holes.
3. Generally speaking, how do I avoid flooding on power outages?
4. Do the backup pump and main pump need to be the same power? What is recommended?
5. I have a whole house water filtration system already. Is there a water test that I can do to see if the water is pure enough to not have to get an R/O system?
6. The previous owner gave me his canister filter. Is it worth incorporating into the system as an additional media filter? If so, what can I put in it that is low maintenance? Carbon?
7. Do I put any media in particular in the bubble trap?
8. Previous owner gave me a JUP-01 sterilizing UV filter pump. What do I do with this? Can it act as my backup pump in the last compartment?
9. The previous owner’s tank definitely had some sick fish in it due to the crazy amount of chemical he gave me in order to treat different diseases, parasites, etc. I assume part of his problem was that he used a canister filter. Does this mean that all the dry purple rock that he gave me is infected with bad bacteria and parasites? If so, is it unusable or can it be salvaged somehow by a chemical bath of sorts?
10. Are there any other things that I need to consider before getting started? I’m going to go through the 52 weeks YouTube videos, but am preemptively getting things ready as much as possible.

blaxsun · Feb 23, 2023

1. More or less, but it also depends on the equipment you want to run.
2. Depends on the tank and equipment.
3. Two overflow pipes (main and emergency).
4. If you're running them in tandem, yes.
5. You can get a TDS meter. It should read 1 or ideally 0.
6. Generally no (unless you like unnecessary maintenance).
7. No.
8. Not familiar with this one; does it contain the UV bulb as well? I wouldn't use it in that capacity, no.
9. You may need to run your tank fallow if you're bringing across any live rock, etc.
10. Whatever you're budgeting - double it.

porkins · Feb 23, 2023

blaxsun said:
1. More or less, but it also depends on the equipment you want to run.
2. Depends on the tank and equipment.
3. Two overflow pipes (main and emergency).
4. If you're running them in tandem, yes.
5. You can get a TDS meter. It should read 1 or ideally 0.
6. Generally no (unless you like unnecessary maintenance).
7. No.
8. Not familiar with this one; does it contain the UV bulb as well? I wouldn't use it in that capacity, no.
9. You may need to run your tank fallow if you're bringing across any live rock, etc.
10. Whatever you're budgeting - double it.

Thanks for all these answers. I got a new UV bulb for the filter pump unit. I’ll researcherunning the tank fallow. I’d assume the UV light would be good to run in order to kill parasites, no?

blaxsun · Feb 23, 2023

porkins said:
Thanks for all these answers. I got a new UV bulb for the filter pump unit. I’ll researcherunning the tank fallow. I’d assume the UV light would be good to run in order to kill parasites, no?

Yes, UV is highly recommended.

bradreef · Feb 23, 2023

9. The previous owner could have used the medications to quarantine. Most of us have at least a couple chemicals to quarantine . I would ask the previous owner if he ever used copper in the tank because that can stay in the rock. Or you can fill and test for copper. If it has been over 75 days since there were fish in the tank i wouldnt worry about fish pests.

bradreef · Feb 23, 2023

2. Can you show us a picture of the tank, typically in 75 gallons you will have 2 1 inch overflows. 1 main overflow and 1 emergency. Either 3/4 inch return or 1 inch.
4. You typically want 400- 750 gph in return flow. I would aim for 500ish personally. Pumps dont have to be the same.

Side note- what is your end goal? Coral tank, what types of corals?

I would also search polishing acrylic tank before you set it up. This is your chance now to remove scratches

porkins · Feb 23, 2023

bradreef said:
2. Can you show us a picture of the tank, typically in 75 gallons you will have 2 1 inch overflows. 1 main overflow and 1 emergency. Either 3/4 inch return or 1 inch.
4. You typically want 400- 750 gph in return flow. I would aim for 500ish personally. Pumps dont have to be the same.

Side note- what is your end goal? Coral tank, what types of corals?

I would also search polishing acrylic tank before you set it up. This is your chance now to remove scratches

- I've added the photos below. There are only holes on the top of the tank, but I am willing to drill the proper holes in the bottom. I would prefer to keep the tank flush with the wall and am going to get rid of the pictures. They are hiding some holes in the wall at the moment. So the question is how many holes and where can I find good instructions. Preferably videos as well.
- I would like to have a mix of soft coral and LPS in the tank with some beginner fish.
- Already went ahead and bought acrylic tank-safe glass cleaner and a buffing kit.
- I got a Syncra Silent 1.5 Pump (357 GPH) - Sicce, so it is sounding like I should just get another of the same.
- How powerful a fuge light do I need? Looking to save on energy costs and overall price of the unit if possible.

porkins · Feb 23, 2023

bradreef said:
9. The previous owner could have used the medications to quarantine. Most of us have at least a couple chemicals to quarantine . I would ask the previous owner if he ever used copper in the tank because that can stay in the rock. Or you can fill and test for copper. If it has been over 75 days since there were fish in the tank i wouldnt worry about fish pests.

The reef rock has been sitting packed in the seller's garage for presumably quite some time. It sounded like more than 75 days. Judging by the sheer number of chemicals that he gave me, I would just assume there was some copper in there. If so, would that get corrected in a fallow period as well. I don't mind waiting several weeks to ensure that I've reset everything between the tank, rocks, and sump. The sump had crap in it still and smelled terrible, I cleaned it out with water and vinegar, but would want to avoid contaminates from that as well.

PotatoPig · Feb 23, 2023

Comparative newbie also fresh off some of these lessons:

For plumbing seriously consider clear pvc tubing. Quick, easy, forgiving, adjustable, readily replaceable.

Flood prevention: Have the return pump behind a baffle that limits access to water. If there’s a drain line failure this should prevent it from pumping the whole sump to the tank. Make sure the tank typical fill level has enough spar to accept this extra water. It should.

Next - when you turn the pump off the return line turns into a siphon. It will drain water until the head breaks the surface. Set the head of the return only a little below the surface so it can only siphon a limited amount of water into the sump.
Test while observing to make sure neither condition can cause an overflow.

steveschuerger · Feb 23, 2023

Well I can’t really add anything except to say it’s a very nice tank (I have an AIO tank). And I don’t know if I’d use the rock unless you thoroughly clean it. Recommend getting some new base rock to seed the tank and add biodiversity.

bradreef · Feb 24, 2023

Ideally, you would want to drill the back vs the bottom. If the bottom fails or leaks that is 75 gallons on the floor vs maybe 10

porkins · Feb 24, 2023

steveschuerger said:
Well I can’t really add anything except to say it’s a very nice tank (I have an AIO tank). And I don’t know if I’d use the rock unless you thoroughly clean it. Recommend getting some new base rock to seed the tank and add biodiversity.

bradreef said:
bradreef said:

I would ask the previous owner if he ever used copper in the tank because that can stay in the rock.

Click to expand...

The previous owner gave me about $250+ worth of purple rock and I'm doing my best to be thrifty about all this with the understanding that it is a hobby that requires some investment. I'd prefer to try my hand at cleansing the rock and tank of copper. Have you heard of people having success with a muriatic acid bath for the rocks? I was thinking of doing that, then cleaning the canister filter he gave me with bleach and filling it with carbon, DI Resin, cuprisorb, purit, and a polyfilter and letting the bath cycle for a long while. Is that overkill? If the copper is stuck in the acrylic, how can I safely get that to leach out ahead of having life in the tank?

@bradreef

bradreef · Feb 24, 2023

Im not sure on how long it could stay in the rock. I would fill a garbage Can with rock and salt water . Throw a heater and cheap power head. Let it run for a few days and test for copper.