Paul's 90g "Cube"

[pdogg77]

All,

I've been lurking a while and started posting in the WWC tax time live sale thread. So while I wait for that to start again for today :) I figured it was time for a build log.

I've kept saltwater/reef tanks off and on for a while now. I've had nano tanks and a decent sized one in our last condo. Kind of took a break for a while but finished a new "Man Room" and decided it was time to hop in again.

Equipment list:
SCA 90G "Cube" (36x24x24)
DIY stand
Trigger Sapphire 34 sump
ATI 36" 6x Dimmable Sunpower T5
Kessil H80 fuge light
Maxspect Gyre powerheads (2x XF230)
Skimz SM167 DC Skimmer (started it with an older Vertex skimmer which promptly died)

Using Reef Chrystals salt and dosing BRS 2 part

I started this tank in November of 2017. One of the decisions I made early on was I was going to try this time with the TBS package. Part 2 went in 11/20/2018

Overall the TBS package was great. I've never had a tank start up as quick. There was zero ammonia registered on by RedSea test kits and the tank is full of amazing life from day 1. As far as hitchhikers go they were definitely present :) Good ones include a TON of black spine urchins (I've given away at least 12), lots of porcelain crabs, a couple decorator crabs, various worms, sponges, clams etc and a tiger goby ("Lucky"). Bad ones would be gorilla crabs (a bunch), and I gave some rock to another reefer who reported an isopod (I have seen none in this tank). Best one was a mantis shrimp "Smashy"

"Smashy" now lives in a 10g in the basement with "Lucky" the goby. Very interesting animal. It eats LRS chunks and all the gorilla crabs I can catch :)


I have a clownfish that has been with me since the beginning (see avatar) My intention is to move everything into this 90G and stock it as a mixed reef. I was taking it really slow (in case of any fish diseases or really bad hitchhikers imported on the rock) for the first few months so far so good and I'm going with some coral frags now and shortly the fish.

All this WWC sale stuff will go into the frag tank for a little observation and then we're off to the races :)

FTS as it stands now in Feb 2018

 

[KJ]

Nice looking tank @pauldrapeau

 

[pdogg77]

Here's this tank at the 6 month mark. So far so good... Taking it slow. Yes I know I need to scrape the glass :)

TBS rock was definitely a success. I would certainly do it again!

 

[pdogg77]

Resurrecting this thread because I've been digging in to the tank lately. Perhaps it will be a fun turn around story. Also it is a data point for people looking at "long term" particularly on equipment. This tank is still running. It has been up for 9 years now, several ups and downs, currently in a down. All the downs have been my fault. Lazy, not doing what I need to do, "life". All things considered it is not in horrible shape for how bad I've been. I'm committed to trying to make it as good as I can. Why? Because this clown fish is still with us and he is going to have a functional home as long as he is. He's probably the only reason I haven't torn the tank down.

I've had this fish since at least 2008. He's lived in 4 different systems and doesn't tolerate tank mates very well.

I'll put in a "FTS" below but for anyone keeping track at home the following equipment is still on the tank and has been running flawlessly even with horrible maintenance on my part.

TBS Rocks and Sand - Loved them. Would not do it any other way. If I build a new system at some point here they are my first call.
SCA 90G Cube - looks good aside from a scratch or two and some silicone that may be showing some age
DIY Stand - I built this myself and overbuilt it. Still level and stable and holding up well.
Plumbing and Trigger sump - All good no issues.
ATI Sunpower T5 - Works but needs resetting in power outages etc. - Will probably replace soon
Eheim 1260 - This pump is FREAKING AMAZING. It ran 24x7x365 for almost 10 years and I NEVER cleaned it until just this past weekend. Don't be like me... but if you do... it will run.
Bubble Magnus dosing pump - Offline now while i fix things but it has also run for the life of the tank with a few head replacements.

Aside from that I've been through a few sets of power heads and two ATOs, a couple heaters, and a heater controller. The tank is a keep it simple stupid as possible. It has "run" fine... again the fail is me :)

Here's to trying to get it nice again! FTS and some nice corals that have been around through all the phases...

Right now I'm beating back some GHA and Cyano. MY FAULT. I'll keep you updated if you're interested! :)

 

[pdogg77]

Here's an update... if anything to keep myself accountable...

This tank was a picture of neglect when I started working on it hard about a week ago. The algae was much worse than the above pictures. I got all new test kits, new reagents for my Hanna checkers etc. I'm shocked as much survived as did.

I've been doing ~12gal water changes about daily, got my dose pump back online and I've done a LOT of algae cleanup, siphoning, ripping, pulling out rocks and scrubbing.

When I started the salinity was about 38 (my refractometer had been out of calibration, of course, why not?) it is now down to about 36. Cal and Mg were literally undetectable with Salifert kits. They are now detectable but extremely low. I'm dosing and changing water to bring everything up but doing so SLOWLY since it was so bad so long. Nitrate and Phosphate are both undetectable (I'm assuming the algae and refugium were / are just using what is there). Clean up crew additions do seem to be doing relatively well, active etc.

I've got an emergency/temp frag tank going so that if something goes south fast or if I need to move out some corals to clean I've got a spot.

Don't be like me :)

Something slightly more interesting and fun of note. This tank was started with TBS @LiverockRocks rock and sand only. I pulled a rock out of the sump to start my emergency/frag system. This thing was on it. It appears to have a hard skeleton of some sort and there is a smaller one branched off of it. Was living unknown in the sump since the beginning. It is quite cool. Eats pellets...