New Build Help - Input Needed!

[Shughes22]

Hey all!

Been probably close to a decade since I was on R2R and had my last tank. Previous was a 40B with a 20L sump; was up for about 2-3 years - plenty of Fresh/Salt tanks when I was a kid, but I still have a LOT to learn! That tank was dismantled and sold as I kind of moved out of the hobby and into a different stage of life.

Now, me and my Fiancé are looking to buy a house in the next 6-8 months (wedding in 9 months); and we made a deal that if she gets a French Bulldog, I can get back into Saltwater Reefing again! So obviously a little ahead of the game here, but as we all know, nothing happens quick with Saltwater; and I'm excited to be planning a little bit.

So here's my thoughts on what I want long-term:

A mixed reef tank with moderate stocking, heavily softies/LPS/possible SPS later down the road, and a fairly simple design/functionality.


Thoughts on a build:

We are very good with anything DIY, and since we are looking at a house, I'll have the option to provide some plumbing to wherever we have the tank. I think that's important for me, as I HATED doing water changes and carrying 5 gallon buckets everywhere. Also for easy of maintenance and longevity, I think this is critical for our next build. I will also be doing a custom cabinet/support system for it. Built some before and think the custom look really makes a tank.

Thinking of a 75gallon tank. The 40B was great, but it can quickly be outgrown. Hoping that the 75 will be a good mix of available space, and lower cost overall.

Also thinking of not doing a Sump for a few reasons. Upfront costs, ease of maintenance, and simplicity. Thinking of doing a DIY custom AIO to allow for storage of equipment and filtration. Loose some tank space, but I think it will help with the complexity of the whole system.

Help/Advice/Input Needed:

Do you think the jump from a 40B to a 75 will be enough? I know that's open ended, but trying to make sure I get into a size that is manageable without being cramped.

How to minimize evaporation? Evaporation was also an issue for my 40B. It was an open top so that didn't help! But I am sure that a 75 will be even worse. How much can you close it off without having issues in the tank?

Bottom substrate? I love sand, everyone does. But the work of keeping it clean is time-consuming. I don't want to go BB, but what are some other options that y'all have used? I saw calcium reactor used on some of WWC's tanks and thought that looked cool. Not sure if that will still trap debris just as good or with increased flow it will be reduced?

Anyone have experience with the AIO on a 75? Likely not doing a peninsula tank (although TBD), so I was thinking of a tower in the middle of the tank for the AIO. Thoughts?

Appreciate the help! Looking to try and plan this tank out as best as possible and take it super slow!

 

[mike550]

@Shughes22 welcome back! Just a few reactions to your questions.

I started with a 120G and think it’s a great size. You can build some nice rockwork to place a lot of coral and still have lots of room for fish. As you probably know larger water volume helps with stability as well.

I use glass lids and a canopy so I don’t get a lot of evaporation and the canopy keeps the light contained. In hindsight I wonder if I painted the inside or the canopy white then maybe some of the light could be reflected back towards the tank.

As for water changes, I make new saltwater in the basement and then have a pump to bring the water up to my tank. Basically, my process is to clean the sand with a python during the water change. Then I use the same python hose but connect to PVC connection that is tied back to the new saltwater which is pumped up to the tank.

Two things I would do differently if I had the chance. First, I would have moved the sump out from under the tank if possible — either to an adjacent room / shared wall or plumbed all the way back to the basement. It can be a pain to service the sump and all its parts even though my stand is 36” tall. Second, I would have planned from the beginning for a controller. I didn’t want to keep my controller in the cabinet so I needed to find a better way of running all of the power cords etc back to the switch.

Just my thoughts. Hope they’re helpful.

 

[1ocean]

welcome...I started with a 100 gallon 20 years ago in NY and was importing fish . Moved to AZ and started with a acrylic 140 gallon in 2021. Now have a 300 gallon custom built up and running a little over a year since Jan 22. Been building acrylic sumps and ato containers for friends and a few clients. Have a table cnc router and lazer cutter. Soon we will begin to make stuff for expanded client network...Still working on prototypes and client feed backs.

 

[Bruttall]

Since you are in planning stage, what i did is way larger than anything you may have considered, but I urge you to peek my build thread. Since you will own the house, this opens up possibilities you may not have considered, like a dedicated fish room. I am also really proud of my water change system, no buckets at all, open a couple of ball valves and watch it happen.
My first salt was a 75g, and I migrated everything into a 8-foot 300g a couple months later. Really ponder just how satisfied you were with your first tank, the size, etc. Which displays really draw your eyes at your LFS, etc. Is a 4 foot DT going to have the WOW Factor you desire, or would a 6foot tank be more appealing?

I do like the suggestion above to look at a 120g instead of a 75g, I'd even look at a 6ft 150g or 180g tank.

Only other thing I have to add, is I'd reconsider a sump, Dilution is KING and sumps add a lot more water volume, making toxin build-up occur at a much slower pace lending itself to a much more stable environment inside the glass cage.

Good luck to you on whatever you choose, I look forward to watching it.