Pinocchio's ProStar 90 Build

pinocchio · Jan 20, 2023

My ProStar 90 will be arriving in the next few days so I figured now would be a great time to start my build thread. I’m super excited to get back into the hobby. It’s been about 15 years since my last tank and I’m looking to do things a bit different this time. This time around I want to go for a both fish and coral setup.

I’ve been lurking on the forums for a while now trying to figure out what equipment I will need for my specific setup, but to be honest there’s seems to be SO many different options now. When it comes to things like power heads, protein skimmers, lights etc. There seems to be hundreds of options. Im a bit lost and hoping I can get some feedback on the best equipment for my setup. The ProStar 90 is 90 gallons in total volume, but a 63 gallon display tank. It’s 36” long and 22” high. Going to be stocking the tank with 50-55lbs of live rock (Gulf or TBS).

So far this is the equipment I am thinking of getting, but am totally open for suggestions. Most of this I am referencing from other ProStar 90 members.

2 AI Prime 16s
300w THH Deluxe Aquarium Heater Bundle
Sicce Syncra Silent 4.0 Pump

Protein Skimmer? How do you determine which is best for your tank?
Powerhead? Hoe do you determine which is best? Is there a specific GPH?

Also looking for recommendations on the best parameters testing kit.

I know there are a lot of questions there, but I would love any and all feedback. Excited to get this tank up and running!

Gumbies R Us · Jan 20, 2023

Can't wait to see what you end up putting in the tank and when you get it running!!

pinocchio · Jan 20, 2023

I also bought a mat for my tank because I was reading that rimless tanks need a mat underneath for leveling. Am I supposed to put this inbetween the tank and stand, or under the stand?

afrokobe · Jan 20, 2023

pinocchio said:
I also bought a mat for my tank because I was reading that rimless tanks need a mat underneath for leveling. Am I supposed to put this inbetween the tank and stand, or under the stand?

between the tank and the stand. Looking forward to pictures. I almost pulled the trigger on one at the lfs

pinocchio · Mar 13, 2023

Well I have FINALLY started to setup the tank. It's looking pretty good overall. I've added some dry sand as I plan on purchasing live rock for all of the life. So far the biggest issue I have had is the noise. I started off with a Sicce Silent 4.0 return pump, but I am very aware of even the smallest of hums so I decided to swap it out for a Sicce SDC 6.0 since it seems like DC pumps are the quietest you can get. I can still hear the hum, but it's not as bad. Still no quiet by any means.

The sound of the water flowing over in the sump is the next issue I am trying to tackle and I am not sure if it's a pump flow rate thing, a water level issue, or something else. I have tried turning down the flow rate on the pump, but it doesn't make any difference. Attached is a video where you can hear the sound. Is this normal? Also, does the amount of bubbles coming down from the overflow look correct? @Anemone_Fanatic @robdallimore

I would love to talk with some fellow Prostar 90 members, so please reach out if you own this setup. Looking for any and all recommendations/feedback/comments on what you have found works both good and bad with this setup.

Anemone_Fanatic · Mar 13, 2023

pinocchio said:
Well I have FINALLY started to setup the tank. It's looking pretty good overall. I've added some dry sand as I plan on purchasing live rock for all of the life. So far the biggest issue I have had is the noise. I started off with a Sicce Silent 4.0 return pump, but I am very aware of even the smallest of hums so I decided to swap it out for a Sicce SDC 6.0 since it seems like DC pumps are the quietest you can get. I can still hear the hum, but it's not as bad. Still no quiet by any means.

The sound of the water flowing over in the sump is the next issue I am trying to tackle and I am not sure if it's a pump flow rate thing, a water level issue, or something else. I have tried turning down the flow rate on the pump, but it doesn't make any difference. Attached is a video where you can hear the sound. Is this normal? Also, does the amount of bubbles coming down from the overflow look correct? @Anemone_Fanatic @robdallimore

I would love to talk with some fellow Prostar 90 members, so please reach out if you own this setup. Looking for any and all recommendations/feedback/comments on what you have found works both good and bad with this setup.

Very nice! Happy to see that you've gotten your tank filled, can't wait for more updates. Unfortunately, I think everyone who has this tank that I know of has had the noise issue. It isn't a big deal, after a while you get used to the sound and it doesn't effect the actual functioning of the system. The amount of bubbles that you have is pretty similar to mine. It isn't supposed to have any, but their spiral silencer doesn't combat air getting into the plumbing like a conventional overflow does.

pinocchio · Mar 13, 2023

@Anemone_Fanatic Thanks! For what it's worth, it was just recommend to me to close that red gate valve 1/4 turn, and it DRASTICALLY improved the sound and bubbles. I know that people have said do not do that because you're just asking for trouble getting that drain clogged, but it does help a ton. Curious the likely hood of something making it through the weir, the additional fingered top to the spiral drain, and then getting stuck in a 1/4 turned ball valve.

Now the only sound I hear is from the spiral drain.

Anemone_Fanatic · Mar 13, 2023

pinocchio said:
@Anemone_Fanatic Thanks! For what it's worth, it was just recommend to me to close that red gate valve 1/4 turn, and it DRASTICALLY improved the sound and bubbles. I know that people have said do not do that because you're just asking for trouble getting that drain clogged, but it does help a ton. Curious the likely hood of something making it through the weir, the additional fingered top to the spiral drain, and then getting stuck in a 1/4 turned ball valve.

Now the only sound I hear is from the spiral drain.

Interesting... Did you find that you needed to turn the pump down after doing that? I might need to try that.

pinocchio · Mar 13, 2023

Anemone_Fanatic said:
Interesting... Did you find that you needed to turn the pump down after doing that? I might need to try that.

Nope, just turned the valve a little at a time to get the flow right.

docforestal · Mar 13, 2023

looking good, following along

Anemone_Fanatic · Mar 25, 2023

pinocchio said:
Nope, just turned the valve a little at a time to get the flow right.

@pinocchio I just tried this, and it works insanely well! Kind of incredible to be honest. I wonder what about turning the valve reduces noise.

Anemone_Fanatic · Mar 25, 2023

Any updates?

pinocchio · Mar 25, 2023

Glad it worked! I’m pretty sure it’s just allowing less water to flow through drain, thus removing extra air in the pipe by having the pipe contain more water than air. I’ll probably open it up all the way every once in a while to clean any debris that might be starting to build up.

Nothing new on the tank. I’ve been researching which live rock to go with and have decided on KPA. Going to place an order this week. In the meantime I’ve added an additional Ice Cap ATO setup, gyre, heater and skimmer ready to go.

pinocchio · Apr 4, 2023

My order from KPAquatics arrived last night, and I am super happy with all of the rock so far. I ordered 40lbs of their "Base Rock" and 10lbs of their "Premium". You can see which rocks are the premium version, but honestly I would be happy with either as they are all full of life.

Along with the rock came some hitchhikers. Lots of starfish, varying in size from palm size to the dime size. 2 shrimp or lobsters (can't really tell). Variety of worms, at least one snail, and some other random critters. I will post pictures as they come out.

Right now I just threw all the rock in the tank to see what I have, and will be aquascaping shortly.

Anybody know what all the bright orange and reds are? Are they coral? Also what is that cotton looking white one?

Anemone_Fanatic · Apr 4, 2023

pinocchio said:
My order from KPAquatics arrived last night, and I am super happy with all of the rock so far. I ordered 40lbs of their "Base Rock" and 10lbs of their "Premium". You can see which rocks are the premium version, but honestly I would be happy with either as they are all full of life.

Along with the rock came some hitchhikers. Lots of starfish, varying in size from palm size to the dime size. 2 shrimp or lobsters (can't really tell). Variety of worms, at least one snail, and some other random critters. I will post pictures as they come out.

Right now I just threw all the rock in the tank to see what I have, and will be aquascaping shortly.

Anybody know what all the bright orange and reds are? Are they coral? Also what is that cotton looking white one?

Very nice! I think the reds are a mix of coralline and sponges. I had a few patches of it come in on mine, but they went away after a month or two.

Phil413 · Apr 18, 2023

Can you post your setup in the back 2 sections of the sump? Did you put your ato setup to the sump or to your gravity ato? I have a sicce xstream sdc wave maker in my prostar it seems to be pretty good but I have thought about another.

jesus6645 · Apr 18, 2023

Hello, I also have the ProStar 90 set up. The main tank set up is 2x AI Prime 16HD, 2x AI Nero 3’s. 3 inches of sand for the bed. Around 50-60 pounds of rocks, Live Stock is 2 clowns, blue tang (getting re-homed when it gets too big for the tank), Tomini Tang, Lawnmower Blenny, Canary Blenny Mandarin Dragonet, purple fire fish, sharknose goby, cleaner shrimp, coral bandit shrimp, and handful of red/blue leg hermit crabs, urchin and a emerald crab. A good amount of coral as well. As for the sump, I swapped out the original with my own 29 gallon tank and Fiji cube Refugium baffle kit. I have a HOB Reef Octopus 100 protein skimmer, Aquamaxx Sigma 2 reactor as well. A bunch of pods and Chaeto in the refugium chamber with bio-media blocks for the bedding. As for the return pump I use a Orlushy-DC 12000 (use it on the low setting or else water is shooting all over the place)

pinocchio · Apr 27, 2023

Been a while since my last update, but in that time I’ve added a clean up crew (snails/hermits crabs/emerald and ruby crab) as well as 2 clown fish. Ordered my CUC from reefcleaners and I couldn’t be happier. If you do order from them, some of their snails are TINY so don’t be alarmed by how many they suggest you get. I ordered a size that was way smaller than my actual tank because I thought there would have been too many, but after getting the shipment wished I had got what they recommended.

I also have my rocks configured they way I think I want them. I haven’t glued them or anything yet in case I change my mind, but I'm not sure I even want to glue them.

pinocchio · Apr 27, 2023

@Phil413 here’s a picture. I basically have my protein skimmer in the back left, and my return pump in the back right. I’m using aice cap ATO that runs from a 5 gallon bucket to the ATO that comes with the tank. Filling up the 5 gallon every couple weeks is much easier.

Also, I got the Bubble Mangus 5 (non-elite version), and the sump cover won’t fit due to the shape of the skimmer. If I could do it again I would get the Elite version of the skimmer because it would actually fit.

Phil413 · Apr 29, 2023

I like the setup! How does your protein skimmer do? I ran mine for a little but it only worked well if I didn't run filter socks. I have a bunch of gear on the left side and thought about doing an ato on the outside. Seeing this I think I want to move my gear, change the sump for a custom 20 gal, and add the home depot bucket ato. Jesus6645 can you show us your setup with the custom sump?