Alex's 75 gallon

[alexwbush]

WARNING: THIS THREAD WILL BE PICTURE INTESIVE
(3/8/2013) FTS:
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b55/alexwbush/20130308_120239_zpsaea171d6.jpg

(3/5/2013) FTS:
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b55/alexwbush/20130305_164432_zps4c8f2163.jpg

(9/6/2012) FTS:
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b55/alexwbush/20120905_180325.jpg


I just moved to San Diego and am taking the opportunity to upgrade from a 20" cube setup. I will use this thread to keep updates on my progress. It's always to see how you progress through a build. Feel free to tag along and comment.

Tank: Leemar Glass 75 gallon 36"x24"x20"
I bought this off of a guy on craigslist with stand. The stand is pretty sturdy, so I sanded and painted the stand black and the inside white.

Sump: 30 gallon acrylic with baffles
I replaced my original ~20 gallon acrylic sump-fuge with this awesome new sump. It doesn't have room for a fuge, but it doesn't splash like the last one and is virtually silent.

Refugium: TBD
I am looking, let me know if you have anything worth my time!

Lighting: 2x Ecotech Radions
I got an amazing deal on 2 of these from someone just happy to get out of the hobby. He even threw in the return pump (Eheim 1262) for free!! That's a $180 savings.

Protein Skimmer: Bubble Magnus NAC 3+
From my other setup. I'm betting once I upgrade my sump, I will be in the market for a beefier unit. Maybe one of those fancy ones with a swabbie.

Circulation: MP 10
From my other setup. We'll see how flow looks after my sand storm settles.

Return: Eheim 1262

Other equipment: BRS Carbon Reactor
I have plans to maybe do GFO, calcium, dosing, and kalk.

[alexwbush]

Here's some history before setup:

Here's roughly what it looked like when I bought it for $350 for tank, stand, and sump.
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b55/alexwbush/IMG_2860.jpg

Sanded and primed.
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b55/alexwbush/20120803_204622.jpg

Painted black. I completed a little more than a day before moving.
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b55/alexwbush/20120806_213252.jpg

Moving day!
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b55/alexwbush/20120807_131510.jpg

Scoping out a spot to setup in SD
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b55/alexwbush/20120825_103447.jpg

Move in day!
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b55/alexwbush/20120828_115406.jpg

And finally in its new home.
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b55/alexwbush/20120828_125315.jpg

[alexwbush]

And a little more to catch you up to present day...

I found the great resource of scripp water thanks to this wonderful board!
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b55/alexwbush/20120830_145636.jpg

I ordered sand and salt and I got a little antsy to setup. Before I could even find the boxes with my equipment and some plumbing parts (bulkheads, etc), I added water. But hey, I called it leak testing.
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b55/alexwbush/20120829_101021.jpg

And then I bought some live rock from HBOMB. Thanks! I thought my tank would be setup faster... low and behold it would take much longer.
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b55/alexwbush/20120829_225026.jpg

And later that day, my order from drs foster & smith arrived. Oops, crappy packing.
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b55/alexwbush/20120829_120841.jpg

So I decided to add the sand to the water... big mistake. Sand storm.
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b55/alexwbush/20120829_122119.jpg

Next came the plumbing... like big kid tinker toys
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b55/alexwbush/20120830_155957.jpg

So the water never cleared and I decided to drain it and fill with new water... yeah, it didn't help
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b55/alexwbush/20120831_001456.jpg

Not sure who decided a return in the the overflow should be this low and 1", but the return is 1" and drain 1.5"
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b55/alexwbush/20120831_162939.jpg

At work
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b55/alexwbush/20120901_211941.jpg

And after MANY trips to home depot and lowes a leak due to me rushing and then incorrectly gluing some pieces... well lets just say... I don't think I'm going to make plumbing aquariums my profession.
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b55/alexwbush/20120902_212001.jpg

And here we are today. I have hooked up a filter sock and am hoping it clears.
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b55/alexwbush/20120902_220928.jpg

[slicktoppomp]

Looks great! I really like those tank dimensions.

[seareef]

Nice Job Alex. Very clean setup.

[jmoney619]

Very nice start!

[mrchase74]

Nice, looking really good so far.

[JohnnyAirtime]

That's a great spot, for that sized tank... almost "made for it". :)

(dry) sand from a bag, should always be rinsed in a 5gal bucket before being introduced to the tank. If not, your problem is the result. Did it ever clear up for you?

[alexwbush]

That's a great spot, for that sized tank... almost "made for it". :)

(dry) sand from a bag, should always be rinsed in a 5gal bucket before being introduced to the tank. If not, your problem is the result. Did it ever clear up for you?

Well its supposedly "live sand" and "no rinsing necessary", but I'll do it a bit different next time. It's settled down mostly.

Added rock and rigged up my stand pipe. Keep in mind I have another 29 gallon tank packed full of rock and live stock, so I am going to wait on more rock.
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b55/alexwbush/20120903_164303.jpg

And programmed the radions. It's running 20k natural mode right now. I'll probably tweak it a bit more.
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b55/alexwbush/20120903_180022.jpg

Anyone know where I can get a new sump with fuge? This setup has way too much flow and sounds like I am running a fountain in the living room.
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b55/alexwbush/20120903_180543.jpg

[JohnnyAirtime]

Well its supposedly "live sand" and "no rinsing necessary", but I'll do it a bit different next time. It's settled down mostly.
............
Anyone know where I can get a new sump with fuge? This setup has way too much flow and sounds like I am running a fountain in the living room.
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b55/alexwbush/20120903_180543.jpg

Ahhh... ya, then no rinsing should be necessary with "live sand". However, even when they label it as live... I almost think it's just dry sand, with some bacteria and some saltwater to wet it down a bit. It creates such a cloudy mess, I'd almost rather buy dry... rinse it, and seed it myself.

You can use a CPR HOB type fuge, and not change the sump. I've done that with great results. Or do you have room for a 29gal glass under there? They're cheap, and you can make your own sections with glass cut from a local shop.

[alexwbush]

Actually, funny you should say that. My holding tank is at my girlfriend's 6 hrs north. When she moves in in a couple months after the tank has cycled... I am thinking I might baffle it. Good idea with the HOB fuge. That has briefly crossed my mind. I almost wish I left enough room behind the tank for it instead of hooking to to a sump. I always worry pods don't make it back up into the tank like they used to in my first real tank (20L with COR HOB fuge).

[JohnnyAirtime]

Actually, funny you should say that. My holding tank is at my girlfriend's 6 hrs north. When she moves in in a couple months after the tank has cycled... I am thinking I might baffle it. Good idea with the HOB fuge. That has briefly crossed my mind. I almost wish I left enough room behind the tank for it instead of hooking to to a sump. I always worry pods don't make it back up into the tank like they used to in my first real tank (20L with COR HOB fuge).

You can hang the HOB Fuge right on the sump (if it's large enough) for a small HOB fuge (CPR Aquafuge 2 - is what I'm thinking). Rather then on the tank, where it's ugly and can be seen.

[alexwbush]

Picked up a new sump! Thanks duecejt! My setup is now 20 times quieter! No more splashing water...
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b55/alexwbush/20120904_184812.jpg

Tearing it apart again
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b55/alexwbush/20120904_221039.jpg

All setup, super quiet, and so far leak free (cross those fingers!)
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b55/alexwbush/20120904_231319.jpg

[mcdonaldtj]

Nice gives you extra room for Auto top-off as well

[nanoreef1]

Its coming along real nice.Like how you did your pluming.

Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2

[alexwbush]

Nice gives you extra room for Auto top-off as well
yup, but I still need to figure out where a fuge goes! I think I am going to fill the right side with LR rubble


Its coming along real nice.Like how you did your pluming.
thanks! I am still trying to figure out how to tidy up some of the hoses. My Reef Angel controller upgrades come tomorrow, so I will be redoing electric then!

[alexwbush]

Setting up all of my controller...
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b55/alexwbush/20120906_211646.jpg

[alexwbush]

Added a net to keep in the jumpers
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b55/alexwbush/20120914_121639.jpg

And a clean up crew from reefcleaners
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b55/alexwbush/20120913_182715.jpg

And a couple more fish. But I will try to restrain from adding more until the rest of my other tank comes down.
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b55/alexwbush/20120916_145827.jpg
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b55/alexwbush/20120916_151103.jpg

[nanoreef1]

The tank is looking real nice man.I like that net you build for your jumpers!:D I mite build one for my cube.

Sent from my SGH-T989 using Tapatalk 2

[alexwbush]

I've been busy with work and travel lately. Thankfully my Reef Angel has kept up with my tank.

I did have a minor setback. I started dosing vodka and discovered I dosed 10x the amount I was supposed to because I didn't read the pipette correctly. And then I was lazy and didn't do a lot of water changes :crazy:. That left me with bleached SPS. So now I have to restart with SPS. I only has 3-4 pieces, but still a bummer! Especially since 2 of them were really small frags and had grown quite a bit.

My RBTA split twice. I sold one, still have two now.

Debating redoing the rock work. What do you think? I have a lot more rock than I think I need.

And pictures:
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b55/alexwbush/20130305_164432_zps4c8f2163.jpg

And I fragged some palys/zoas! Looking to trade these soon for some new coral. Sunny D's and a couple others
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b55/alexwbush/20130304_164510_zps92b095de.jpg
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b55/alexwbush/20130304_164526_zps448ea941.jpg

Any idea what the middle palys are?
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b55/alexwbush/20130304_164450_zps4588a9a7.jpg

[alexwbush]

Rearranged! Took out a lot of rock (enough to fill a 12g nanocube)
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b55/alexwbush/20130308_120239_zpsaea171d6.jpg

[Rob619]

nice rock work man!

[fresh2120]

Nice set up.