New 75g reef build.

[JustinSmi86]

Hello all. I noticed a lot of build threads and decided to add one since I started mine yesterday.

Got a great deal on a 75g with stand... all other included items were junk so picked up some upgrades.

I guess I’ll start with initial pics and then follow up with what I have and what I’ll be getting.

I’ve been out of the hobby for a decade so please feel free to stop me from doing something stupid!

I currently have emperor 400 filter(will be upgraded to something else in near future... sump maybe)
Cheap lights that came with aquarium (new light below will be in tomorrow)

80lbs live sand
40lbs dead dry base rock
50lbs fully cured live rock from established tank
Koralia 565 power head with another arriving tomorrow.

In addition tomorrow I will be adding addition live rock 20-40lbs with corals attached. Probably introduce clean up crew(suggestions needed) and a couple clowns from same tank live rock came from.

All my water seems to be within range and I already have some starfish, snails, shrimp, etc from the live rock.

 

[Peach02]

Hello all. I noticed a lot of build threads and decided to add one since I started mine yesterday.

Got a great deal on a 75g with stand... all other included items were junk so picked up some upgrades.

I guess I’ll start with initial pics and then follow up with what I have and what I’ll be getting.

I’ve been out of the hobby for a decade so please feel free to stop me from doing something stupid!

I currently have emperor 400 filter(will be upgraded to something else in near future... sump maybe)
Cheap lights that came with aquarium (new light below will be in tomorrow)

80lbs live sand
40lbs dead dry base rock
50lbs fully cured live rock from established tank
Koralia 565 power head with another arriving tomorrow.

In addition tomorrow I will be adding addition live rock 20-40lbs with corals attached. Probably introduce clean up crew(suggestions needed) and a couple clowns from same tank live rock came from.

All my water seems to be within range and I already have some starfish, snails, shrimp, etc from the live rock.

looks good. You already seem to have enough rock I wouldn't add 40 pounds more rock to that scape but its up to you.

 

[JustinSmi86]

looks good. You already seem to have enough rock I wouldn't add 40 pounds more rock to that scape but its up to you.

Well it not really for the rock but for the established corals on the rock...

 

[JustinSmi86]

Just added my new lighting. Big difference! Look at that coralline.

 

[Peach02]

Just added my new lighting. Big difference! Look at that coralline.

Looks great what lighting did you add?

 

[JustinSmi86]

Looks great what lighting did you add?

Current USA 36inch loop

 

[RomoFL]

Good luck with the new tank!

 

[JustinSmi86]

Started adding live stock and coral today... fish guy had a buy one get one free day so went a bit overboard...

Mated pair of cleaner shrimp
2 brittle star
Fire shrimp
2 clowns (one morphed)
Regal tang
Watchman goby
Corals

 

[JustinSmi86]

Got the plugs put in. Does placement look ok?

 

[JustinSmi86]

Only blues... now I need more corals lol

 

[JustinSmi86]

looks good. You already seem to have enough rock I wouldn't add 40 pounds more rock to that scape but its up to you.

Ended up only adding 10lbs

 

[JustinSmi86]

24 hour update. Corals are opening up nicely and all fish seem to have settled in and are happy. No change in my levels either.

 

[Lorenzo Angotti]

Welcome and nice tank good job

 

[JustinSmi86]

Another update. I added clean up crew... bought a 75gallon package... turned out to be way to heavy! 100 various snails, 3 emerald crabs, 3 brittle stars.

I also added a purple fire fish and orange branch. I did have one clown (whyoming white) die on me today(no idea why and it happened so quick I watched the whole process helpless) everything was stable and in range on tests.

I also got a foxface, Midas Benny, imperator tang, and yellow tang which are in quarantine today. Will add to display in another update.

 

[JustinSmi86]

All new additions are in. These are my last inhabitants going in outside maybe a few more corals (tbd).

Have a 20 gallon sump being delivered and setup Tuesday. Ordered a 2nd 36” led, 100 gal protein skimmer, 1200 gph powerhead,
Light mounts, custom screen top. I think that is all for now lol

 

[living_tribunal]

Started adding live stock and coral today... fish guy had a buy one get one free day so went a bit overboard...

Mated pair of cleaner shrimp
2 brittle star
Fire shrimp
2 clowns (one morphed)
Regal tang
Watchman goby
Corals

As Maxine Brown said, "One step at a time boy, you're moving too fast boy."

QT your goods before adding to tank.

 

[JustinSmi86]

As Maxine Brown said, "One step at a time boy, you're moving too fast boy."

QT your goods before adding to tank.

I am moving pretty fast... hope I don’t pay for it soon... however all corals, sand , rock, cake from sale system so didn’t feel need to QT long as they would all probably be infected.

I did start seeing a diatom outbreak but the CUC, tang and fox face cleaned that up quick.

 

[JustinSmi86]

Got a deal on apex system... and some apex controls powerheads... now to hide it from the wife haha jk
Apex Wi-Fi head unit

Apex old style head unit

2 EB-8s power strips

1 EB-4 power strip

1 PM1 ph/orp module with probes

1 PM2 salinity module

1 ATK ATO system with pump and sensors

1 1Link module

1 Controler

4 leak detection sensors 2 are new and two were installed but never hooked up.

 

[juanrmattos]

Best of luck with your reef tank

I do agree, you are moving way, "way", way too fast; your setup is 20 days old, the readings still show ammonia and the dots visible in the rock are diatoms about to explode... REMEMBER, the key in reefing is patience.

 

[JustinSmi86]

Best of luck with your reef tank

I do agree, you are moving way, "way", way too fast; your setup is 20 days old, the readings still show ammonia and the dots visible in the rock are diatoms about to explode... REMEMBER, the key in reefing is patience.

Diatoms did explode a bit however CUC and tang took care of it pretty quick (less than two days) ammonia is zero... I think it’s just this API test kit showing this reading... even fresh saltwater reads at this level.