Sean's 90 Gallon Dream Tank - LPS and Softie

Sean W.

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Hi Everyone,

I am very excited to start the build thread for my new 90 gallon dream tank. This is going to be a heavy LPS and softie tank, I personally don't feel myself drawn towards SPS coral. I like things with flow and movement and character.

This build process actually started months ago as I started to piece together the hardware I was going to need as I came across good deals on equipment. I feel I am far enough along to formally start a build log.

I have been keeping fish tanks for over 20 years now, but always fresh water tanks. As I progressed on that side of the hobby, found that I mastered the high tech planted tank part, and to me that really is about as far as you can go with freshwater.

This was my completed 75 gallon high tech planted tank.
nHXctrf.jpg


aEvz5JQ.jpg


When the pandemic started I found myself having a little bit of extra time and money, so I thought I would give a reef tank a try. I really did not commit to it fully, only using the cheapest kit I could find incase I wasn't successful, I didn't want to waste a lot of money. Luckily I was sucessful and after having my 55 gallon up for a little over a year, I bought a house and had to move, so it was torn down.

This is how it looked towards the end of its life before it tore it down.
5E7u0wA.jpg


With the trial 55 gallon reef a success, more space and money, it is now time to move onto the big time.

From here I will be documenting the process of my 90 gallon reef tank!

Please join me for the ride!

I scored a brand new 90 gallon tank off OfferUp for $80, this has the dimensions of 48" x 18" x 24". I would have liked to go with a 120 for that additional depth, but it just didn't fit in the space I had set aside for a tank, so 90 it is.

With that I started building the stand. I like my stands very high so I can get the tank as close to eye level as I can, I think this stand is 37" tall. This is the first stand I have built that I went through the additional time and effort to build a proper cabinet around it. Usually I just wrap it in a black sheet and call it done. This was a lot more work, but I am very happy with the result, it was worth the time and effort.
7Qj30a4.jpg


Got it all painted up
t93iEWs.jpg


After redoing the floors in the new house, it's in it's home
jMcHHqt.jpg


Fast forward here a bit, we have the tank in place, overflow and return drilled, and plumbing done
FcHuMUh.jpg


Went with a Fiji Cube 20 sump, a bit anemic for this size tank, but I needed the space under the stand for something else, we will touch on that later.
9peCcOc.jpg


With the plumbing done, I built the floating canopy and got it into place and this is how it sits for now!
CvBwEDx.jpg


I was getting a lot of light bleed into the room with the Kessil A360X's with 55degree reflectors mounted at the BRS suggested mounting height of 13", so I found these movie light style shades to absolutely cut down on the light bleed on the walls and into the room
KgWieQK.jpg


K3ji5Sk.jpg


And that's where we're at now! Next up is to build an HNSA scape, get the scape into the tank, fill it with sand and water and get the first fish in there (after a proper QT of course).

Please join me in sharing your thoughts and suggestions, and I'm happy to answer and questions you have!

-Sean
 

CoralCandyAqua

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Your experience really shows! Nice work! I really like how you did a very small part of the plumbing with flex tubing to cut down on vibration. I may have to copy your design! Really cool Build
 

Devaji

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Dude. nice set up and welcome to the salty side of life. I almost started a high tech FW tank basically i have one cyceld and ready for plants but i decided to go another way at the last moment.

your set up look great man I think you will do just fine. I agree LPS and softies are nice!
 

A Young Reefer

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Hi Everyone,

I am very excited to start the build thread for my new 90 gallon dream tank. This is going to be a heavy LPS and softie tank, I personally don't feel myself drawn towards SPS coral. I like things with flow and movement and character.

This build process actually started months ago as I started to piece together the hardware I was going to need as I came across good deals on equipment. I feel I am far enough along to formally start a build log.

I have been keeping fish tanks for over 20 years now, but always fresh water tanks. As I progressed on that side of the hobby, found that I mastered the high tech planted tank part, and to me that really is about as far as you can go with freshwater.

This was my completed 75 gallon high tech planted tank.
nHXctrf.jpg


aEvz5JQ.jpg


When the pandemic started I found myself having a little bit of extra time and money, so I thought I would give a reef tank a try. I really did not commit to it fully, only using the cheapest kit I could find incase I wasn't successful, I didn't want to waste a lot of money. Luckily I was sucessful and after having my 55 gallon up for a little over a year, I bought a house and had to move, so it was torn down.

This is how it looked towards the end of its life before it tore it down.
5E7u0wA.jpg


With the trial 55 gallon reef a success, more space and money, it is now time to move onto the big time.

From here I will be documenting the process of my 90 gallon reef tank!

Please join me for the ride!

I scored a brand new 90 gallon tank off OfferUp for $80, this has the dimensions of 48" x 18" x 24". I would have liked to go with a 120 for that additional depth, but it just didn't fit in the space I had set aside for a tank, so 90 it is.

With that I started building the stand. I like my stands very high so I can get the tank as close to eye level as I can, I think this stand is 37" tall. This is the first stand I have built that I went through the additional time and effort to build a proper cabinet around it. Usually I just wrap it in a black sheet and call it done. This was a lot more work, but I am very happy with the result, it was worth the time and effort.
7Qj30a4.jpg


Got it all painted up
t93iEWs.jpg


After redoing the floors in the new house, it's in it's home
jMcHHqt.jpg


Fast forward here a bit, we have the tank in place, overflow and return drilled, and plumbing done
FcHuMUh.jpg


Went with a Fiji Cube 20 sump, a bit anemic for this size tank, but I needed the space under the stand for something else, we will touch on that later.
9peCcOc.jpg


With the plumbing done, I built the floating canopy and got it into place and this is how it sits for now!
CvBwEDx.jpg


I was getting a lot of light bleed into the room with the Kessil A360X's with 55degree reflectors mounted at the BRS suggested mounting height of 13", so I found these movie light style shades to absolutely cut down on the light bleed on the walls and into the room
KgWieQK.jpg


K3ji5Sk.jpg


And that's where we're at now! Next up is to build an HNSA scape, get the scape into the tank, fill it with sand and water and get the first fish in there (after a proper QT of course).

Please join me in sharing your thoughts and suggestions, and I'm happy to answer and questions you have!

-Sean
I Know that's its called high tech for a reason, but would that tank run without co2?
 
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Sean W.

Sean W.

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After over 9 hours of work, the majority of the HSNA aquascape is put together. I actually really really enjoyed the process. I really didn't make any mistakes and I would say more or less the whole thing really came together.

I really did not plan on doing an entire 9+ hour uninterrupted session gluing rocks together, but that's what happened.


I am VERY happy with how it turned out. There is loads of habitat space for the fish and more spaces for coral that I can probably afford to fill it with haha

I cannot stress this enough, and I'm not just saying it because I built it, but it looks SO MUCH BETTER in person.

Anyway, tomorrow I will finish epoxying the gaps and let that dry, then go over all the seems with watery glue and rock dust to hide the seems, let it dry for a good couple days then figure out how to get it in the tank haha

pALiGdb.jpg


FwxEmTu.jpg
 
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Sean W.

Sean W.

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Okay the rock work is officially done! I added a few more pieces of rock, nothing major, just some flare pieces.

After that I went back through and reinforced everything with epoxy. I used 9 tubes of epoxy, I ordered 11, so I have a couple extra.

It's amazing how sturdy the whole thing feels.

The last thing I have to do once the epoxy has had the rest of the day to harden is to go back over the epoxy seams with water like superglue and rock dust to hide the epoxy.

Then I need to get another pair of hands to help me figure out how to get into the tank!

FwxEmTu.jpg

pALiGdb.jpg

lsFGr8g.jpg

4Qrl5vR.jpg

sVBazLe.jpg

E73izDr.jpg

5GsswoW.jpg
 

Sink_or_Swim

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1. I'm loving the reef tank build - it's looking awesome. 2. Can we talk about how stunning your planted tank is? I last had one almost 5 years ago, and I miss it so much. That aquascaping is just gorgeous! 3. I feel an honorable mention is in order for the cute little dog yawning in one of the pics, lol.
 

doubleshot00

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I have the same tank. I wish i would have plumbed it for a sump and thought out my rock work a little more. looks good,
 
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Sean W.

Sean W.

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This is a great looking start!
How's the tank coming along?
Tank is good! It's pretty much done... First fish are stuck in quarantine, two clownfish and a royal Gramma...

This is the first time I've QTd fish and I gotta say it's been a pita... Frustrating
 

Oldsman

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Really like the scape ! Plenty of hideouts and openings for flow

Quick suggestion about the steel hose clamps, brs suggested swapping them w plastic clamps
 

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