Patricks 75G Mixed Reef

PatrickM · May 11, 2018

Okay, so a little bit of an intoduction,

This is the third tank I have started in my approximately 5 years of reef keeping.

I started off in freshwater with a 55G tank I got as teenager. I kept Cichlids in this tank into my twenties and until, thanks to some extensive water damage in my basement, I had to tear down the tank to replace some flooring.

I took this opportunity to do something I always wanted to do and started a reef tank.

After a few years of successfully keeping a mixed reef I decided it was time for an upgrade.

So that brings us to where we are today!

Tank Specs
-75 gallon Deep Blue display tank - drilled with overflow installed by myself
-Custom stand I built out of 1" steel tubing
-Custom Sump I built out of a 30 tank
-55lbs of BRS Reef Saver Dry Rock
-Marinepure Ceramic 1-1/2" Biomedia Cubes in sump
-80lbs Carribsea Special Grade Arag-Alive! Reef Sand

Current Equipment List
-2x Ecotech Vortech MP40WQD
-ATI Dimmable Sunpower 6x54W
-Neptune Apex w/ PM2 Module
-2x Jebao DCT4000 Return Pumps
-2x BRS Media Reactors (for Carbon and GFO)
-Reef Octopus Classic 160INT 6" Internal Protein Skimmer
-2x Cobalt Aquatics Neotherm 300W Heaters

Future Live Stock
-1-2 Benggaii Cardinalfish
-1 Starry Blenny
-1 Kole Tang
-Clownfish Pair (possibly - I have a pair in my office tank and they are so aggressive that I am turned off to clownfish atm)
-Possibly some Anthias - I need to research them some more
-Mixed Softies, LPS, and SPS coral
-Inverts tbd

Okay, with all that having been said, here are some current pics of my setup!

Display

and Sump

Suspect · May 11, 2018

Impressive! I really like the sump. What did you use to paint/cover the trim?

Chef Tommy · May 11, 2018

Looks great! I too have a 75 and built the overflow and did a sump out of a 20L. It was fun to build out everything!
I just added the display refugium a few weeks ago.

You did a nice job with the stand. This was my first build & I did not think about space underneath. I ended up having to build a side door as well! Lol awesome job on everything!!!

Chef Tommy · May 11, 2018

Btw, I had a kole but he started beating up my foxface, & 2 clowns. I added an Anthias last week and it's so amazing watching them swim and eat. The certainty do eat a lot, I'm doing 2 feedings per day but it's totally worth it. Easily my favorite fish I've ever had. I'm going to try a different tang soon though, really bummed because the kole was so pretty. I'm thinking about a Tomani this time around.

PatrickM · May 11, 2018

Suspect said:
Impressive! I really like the sump. What did you use to paint/cover the trim?

For the sump I covered the entire front pane in tape and then cut around all of those windows each section has. After that I painted the entire outside with ACE primer and then a few coats of ACE white spray paint. I really wanted to go with the look of a professionally built system with out spending 100's of dollars.

PatrickM · May 11, 2018

Chef Tommy said:
Looks great! I too have a 75 and built the overflow and did a sump out of a 20L. It was fun to build out everything!
I just added the display refugium a few weeks ago.

You did a nice job with the stand. This was my first build & I did not think about space underneath. I ended up having to build a side door as well! Lol awesome job on everything!!!

Thanks!
I really enjoy building sumps. This is the third one I've built so far, and also the most ambitious lol

PatrickM · May 11, 2018

Chef Tommy said:
Btw, I had a kole but he started beating up my foxface, & 2 clowns. I added an Anthias last week and it's so amazing watching them swim and eat. The certainty do eat a lot, I'm doing 2 feedings per day but it's totally worth it. Easily my favorite fish I've ever had. I'm going to try a different tang soon though, really bummed because the kole was so pretty. I'm thinking about a Tomani this time around.

How many Anthias did you add and what type?
I will definitely be waiting till I have an auto feeder before I add any!

Chef Tommy · May 11, 2018

PatrickM said:
How many Anthias did you add and what type?
I will definitely be waiting till I have an auto feeder before I add any!

I just got the one they had, a red lyrtail I believe. Hopefully the other 2 are in stock soon. I wanted 3 together because I enjoyed my chromis together and think my experience is ready for Anthias, they are just beautiful fish.

PatrickM · May 11, 2018

Here are some progress pictures from when I was building my sump.

PatrickM · May 11, 2018

Chef Tommy said:
I just got the one they had, a red lyrtail I believe. Hopefully the other 2 are in stock soon. I wanted 3 together because I enjoyed my chromis together and think my experience is ready for Anthias, they are just beautiful fish.

Very Nice! I think I will be going either with Bartlett or Carberryi Anthias.

Chef Tommy · May 12, 2018

Building my second sump for Triton was super fun and my overflow too. You did a great job as well!!

Here is the Anthias too

Great fun to build out your own system and yours is awesome too!

Chef Tommy · May 12, 2018

Wanted to share the refugium section too, I used smoked glass to keep algae from growing elsewhere and so far it's doing a great job. I did also add the second display refugium last week and the manifold has a line off it to that tank.