Upgrade from 75 gallons sumpless to custom 110 gallons + sump

[Idech]

I must be mad… I was ready to throw in the towel just a few months ago but then corals started looking better, I added new fish, a few anemones and corals and the joy came back.

This will be my third build in three years. I started with a Fluval Evo 13.5 to see if I liked it. I did, so I transformed my 75 gallons M’buna tank into a reef saltwater tank, without a sump. Not too long ago I saw another reefer’s 120 gallons and really fell in love with it. I wanted bigger, and also experience the total reefing experience with all the convenience and flexibility of a sump.

At first I was going to buy used, but I am so anxious and paranoid, it’s just not an option for me. So I looked at my options to buy a brand new kit : waterbox, Red Sea (yeah, I know, but Gen2) or custom made. After much deliberation I decided to go with custom made, as I would have exactly what I wanted at a better price.

So here is what I decided on :

New equipment
48 x 24 x 22 high tank with Euro brace (110 gallons)
2 lids (one with a feeding hole)
Back glass painted in black
Corner protectors
White stand with cable management
Overflow with bean animal plumbing system
36 x 22 x 15 sump (51 gallons - exact design to be determined but there will be three media cups, a refugium and micro bubble management)
Vectra M2 return pump
Ecotech battery back-up
Booster for battery back-up
25 watt Aqua UV sterilizer
Seapora 10 gallon aquarium as the ATO reservoir

Equipment I already have
4 x AI Prime 16 HD
Tunze 9012 DC skimmer
Nero 3 powerhead
Nero 5 powerhead
Tunze 6015 powerhead
Koralia gen3 powerhead
2 x Eheim 200 watts heaters
Inkbird controller
Tunze osmolator 3155 ATO

It will take 4-5 weeks to build the tank. They will also test it for leaks at the store for at least 2 days. We still have to talk about the stand (also custom made) and the sump.

I received a wood sample for the stand and the color looks good and quality is awesome. Fingerprints don’t even show. I’ll see better tomorrow in daylight.

Since I have physical limitations, I will have the new tank delivered, installed and tested. They will also do the complete transfer of my 75 gallons into the new tank. All on the same day. Sand will be thoroughly rinsed and a little bit more added. Dry rock will also be added.

This is very exciting and I can’t wait to see what it looks like when it’s all set-up !

That’s it for now but I’ll update as things progress.

My 75 gallons :

 

[kevgib67]

Following, looking forward to seeing the new build!

 

[DarkReefer]

Congrats on the new tank !

 

[kevgib67]

You can throw in a bunch of bumblebee snails as a precaution. They cleared my tank of vermatid snails. I haven’t seen one in a year and a half.

 

[Birdman Broham]

I absolutely love this

 

[00W]

Following as well!

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Joining the crowd and following as well!

 

[Idech]

Just a quick update. I spoke to the tank builders two weeks ago and they said it would be ready around the end of this month. That’s 2 weeks later than expected but since I had a lot of demands, I understand.

The problem is I am going away for about a week during the holidays and do not want to leave a new system alone, for fear of something going wrong.

So I might have to postpone the installation and transfer until January. I’ll be calling them on Monday to know more and make a decision.

Meanwhile, my UV pump (in DT) stopped working and when I pulled the whole thing out, dirty water from the tubing went back in the tank. I had dinos for many months, so this dirty water was full of them and of course they spread in the tank. I’ve been dosing silicate and it’s getting better.

Not having the UV running also brought a bit of ich and I also had to deal with that.

 

[Idech]

They sent me an update. The tank is ready and has been tested in water. The sump is almost ready.

The stand was built but they are using a new supplier for the material and after they had built it, it failed their waterproof tests. Since it’s not up to their standards, they are going to build another one out of cherry wood, at no extra cost.

It’s going to delay everything more but I really appreciate their thorough quality process and would rather wait longer than end up with a faulty product.

Here is the tank without the plumbing :

 

[Idech]

So we spoke on the phone and I have decided to have the tank install and transfer done after the Holidays in January. It will be easier for everyone this way.

Here is the sump, almost done (media cups need to be hung). The white slides are to allow me to remove a section and have more space when I change my skimmer.

For now I will be using my Tunze 9012 DC, which requires 11 inches of water. It’s a good internal skimmer so if it works well in a sump, I’ll just leave it be.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Tank is looking great! Can't wait to see it in your home!

 

[Idech]

Not much to write about. I’m getting more and more impatient. Still waiting on the install date.

I decided to buy 20 lbs of live rock from them (not from the ocean, but it will help) and get 40 more gallons of Red Sea blue bucket at 1.026. I had already bought 50 and I was going to make 40 gallons myself but changed my mind.

It will be easier if they bring it all. I also changed to Instant Ocean salt and I’ve never tried it yet. I know it will raise alkalinity so I feel more comfortable not using 40 gallons of it at once.