New 75g Reef Tank

catlinth · Jan 31, 2015

This looks like a great build! Your build is giving me some ideas for when I put my 75 gallon tank together after I move this summer

SnakeBlitz33 · Jan 31, 2015

It's painful to watch this tank fill up so slowly.

The last tank took me a week at five gallons at a time. Lol, at least it's quicker.

The TDS coming out of the RO is zero but somehow when it gets to the tank it's reading eight. Now since its been diluted some, the TDS has dropped to one. I thought it was just an interesting observation.

SeahorseKeeper · Jan 31, 2015

SnakeBlitz33 said:
It's painful to watch this tank fill up so slowly.

The last tank took me a week at five gallons at a time. Lol, at least it's quicker.

The TDS coming out of the RO is zero but somehow when it gets to the tank it's reading eight. Now since its been diluted some, the TDS has dropped to one. I thought it was just an interesting observation.

What are your thoughts as to why it has gone up?

SnakeBlitz33 · Jan 31, 2015

The only reason I could find to do a coast to coast is "improved skimmer efficiency" and I weighed in on it and figured that it might not be worth all the extra work and money to do it. I like the black acrylic look of the glass holes overflow anyway and it's all about what I like. The only thing that I would really like to know is: will the bean animal overflow be dead silent like the videos I have seen on YouTube.

Still listening to the RO unit fill up the tank.

There are two things that I need for the tank in the coming weeks. One is a lighting system - I'm really considering those cheap chinese LED ebay lights. The other thing that I am going to need for the tank is a couple of powerheads. Right now I have two modified Maxijets, which will get me by for a few weeks until I can buy something better. I'm considering getting a couple of jebao powerheads - but if I can get my hands on an MP, or two that would be ideal.

SnakeBlitz33 · Jan 31, 2015

You know, I don't really know. I can guess that there was some kind of something- either leftover salt residue or something since the tank was used previously.

Fin · Jan 31, 2015

Yeah, if you are measuring the TDS after the water is in the tank, it could be dust or anything that may have been left in the tank mixing with the water. If it is 0 coming out of your resin, then you are good to go.

SnakeBlitz33 · Feb 1, 2015

Got any suggestions for an affordable skimmer?

SnakeBlitz33 · Feb 1, 2015

I decided to buy the skimz monzter 143 protein skimmer. It has a DC variable speed pump, so I can adjust it to suit my needs.

Looking at lighting systems now. I have a 2 bulb T5HO unit that came with the tank and I'm sure that could keep some mushrooms and polyps alive, but I need something much better then that. I've been looking into cheap Chinese LED units from eBay, but I just don't know about using a cheaper quality light over something I could buy in the states. I know some of these units that are being sold in the US are actually made in China though, so,... The cheap units can't be that bad, right?

I just want an LED system that looks good to my eyes.

SnakeBlitz33 · Feb 2, 2015

The tank is almost filled. The sump is well on its way. I'm hooking up the ATO system to safely fill the sump while I'm at work.

I mixed in a 50g bag of salt last night and it's clear this morning. Good sign that it's good salt. Since the total system volume is about 95-97 gallons, I'll mix in one more whole bag.

I guess I should have purchased that $30 bucket of instant ocean I saw at the pet store afterall.

SnakeBlitz33 · Feb 2, 2015

So this morning the sump was filled up some. I set up the auto top off unit and went to work. I came home and the airline tube that was suction cupped to the bottom of a ten gallon tank let the airline loose so the pump just pumped air most of the day. That was pretty disappointing to come home to. But I did get it fixed for good so I won't have any more problems with that.

I mixed more salt in the display tank and now the display tank is cloudy. I'm hoping that the next 24-48 hours will get it clear after running the return pump for a while.

I'm going to go ahead and buy some base rock and some live rock from the local fish store this coming weekend. I should have enough sand to finish the project.

Going to take some time to do the base rock structures though. It doesn't have to be perfect, but I want it to resemble something I have planned in my mind.

No one has wanted my drilled ten gallon tanks on Craigslist. For free. I'm disappointed.

I think it's a coffee night. Don't yall?

SeahorseKeeper · Feb 2, 2015

I think it's a hot chocolate night. :) It's FREEZING here.

As far as the lights, do you have a rough budget in mind?

SnakeBlitz33 · Feb 2, 2015

I'm looking at anything in the $500 or less range right now. I might go up to six, depending on the features.

I am going to get lights after the tank gets up and running and cycled and I add my last fish. The two bulb t5HO unit I got right now is good enough for beginner corals that my wife likes.

SnakeBlitz33 · Feb 3, 2015

That lifeguard aquatics quiet one 4000 pump I bought is loud!!! Wah wah wah wah wah over and over and over again. I'm thinking about replacing it with something more quiet. I tried to increase the flow- I tried decreasing the flow- and the noise level is the same.

The bean animal overflow I'm having a hard time adjusting. I need to figure out how to blow out the bubble in the siphon tube because it is a lot louder than I imagined it would be.

I think the durso pipe is also draining a little water. Is it supposed to drain any water at all?

SnakeBlitz33 · Feb 3, 2015

I turned on the return pump this morning. The bean animal overflow is working perfectly. The quiet one pump vibrates and makes more noise than what I thought it would. It's not completely dead silent because of the glass holes overflow on the front. I Took out the partition in the glass holes overflow and I'll be adding some filter floss to it will quiet it down a lot more.

The temp is staying pretty stable at 77.1 degrees. If it stays stable like this, I'll be happy.

There are three things I want to buy for this system that I dont have already:

1. Kalkwasser reactor
2. LED lighting system
3. Decent protein skimmer.

Of course, I have to buy rock as soon as I can.

SnakeBlitz33 · Feb 4, 2015

SnakeBlitz33 · Feb 4, 2015

I guess I didn't use the same paint as the original owner. That's fine though, I can cover it with coralline and corals.

SnakeBlitz33 · Feb 4, 2015

My return was blowing some micro bubbles. I tightened the union and the bubbles went away. I guess I fixed it.

My wallet is just about ready for some live rock and base rock this Saturday.

I hate the modded maxijets. I can wait to replace them, but for now they will do the job. I will probably end up with Jebaos until I can upgrade to a gyre or an MP40.

Anyways, much else to report at this time. I MIGHT go head and add sand to the refugium.