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Walker's 90g - brb nuking algae


Walker

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It's time to start a build on my new system - a 90g 48"x18"x24"! I'm excited to get going. I got a deal on a tank, stand, and sump from a reefer getting out of the hobby.

 

First, the tank! It is predrilled with two bottom holes. The smaller 3/4" hole was used as a return, the 1" as a drain. The pipes were not removed nicely and I can see that the bulkheads need work, so I have taken them out and will replace them with slip x slip bulkheads and using them as a herbie drain (1" as the emergency). It should be a relatively straightforward plumbing job.

 

Current equipment list:

 

Eheim 1260 return pump

Reef Octopus Classic 152-S skimmer

ATI T5HO 6x54 Sunpower

MP10

MP40x2

Apex controller (2x EB8, WXM, pH and temp probes)

150W Eheim Jager heater x 2

Tunze 3155 Osmolator ATO

2x BRS dosing pumps (ESV 2 part)

1x Shlobster dosing pump (vinegar)

TLF Phosban 150 reactor (using MJ900) - GFO

Reef Octopus BioChurn 120INT with RO Biopellets

Vertex 1.5L Zeolite reactor

 

Livestock list:

2x Ocellaris clowns

Yellow watchman goby / tiger pistol pair

Yellow Coris Wrasse

Lubbock Fairy Wrasse

Yellow-Eyed Kole Tang

One-spot Foxface
Bartlett Anthia

 

My 35g has been transferred into this tank, and all of the inhabitants are happy (so far).

 

FTS 2014-02-23:

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FTS 2014-04-03:

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2014-05-02:

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2014-06-16:

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2014-07-03:

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2014-08-03:

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2014-09-07:

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2014-10-06:

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2014-11-10:

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2015-02-01:

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FTS 2015-03-05:

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FTS 2015-04-06:

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2015-05-04:

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2015-06-02:

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FTS 2015-07-01:

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2015-08-05:

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2016-06-06:

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2016-07-02:

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2017-03-28:

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Projected livestock list:

Existing:

2x Ocellaris clowns

Tailspot blenny

Yellow watchman goby

Cleaner shrimp

 

Additions (need to do more research):

Another cleaner shrimp

Kole or Tomini Tang

Bartlett's anthias

Blue reef chromis

yellow head jawfish

yellow coris wrasse

Solon or Lubbock fairy wrasse

Springer's Damsel or Orchid Dotty (maybe??)

 

I would like to add an angel or another tang in there, but I think I'll have to do more research on the more aggressive potential members.

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keithfullermusic

if you have a watchman goby, get a pistol shrimp. i have a pair, and they were instant buddies (like within 30 seconds). they are awesome together.

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The eheim compact 3000+ is a great alternative to the hobby pump if you're limited in sump space. I've been using the 2000+ and 3000+ for several years now. The 3000 is perfect for my 90 and is adjustable. Also the SCA 302 skimmer is a great fit if you don't want to spend that much on the skimmer. I originally had a MP40 and 2 MP10's and it wasn't enough flow IMO, it was also really loud with them all on near 100% NTM. I swapped them all out for a WP40 which has been perfect.

 

I love the dimensions on this tank, but it does present some challenge in that it is very deep. Working on the substrate is almost at my shoulder.

 

Springer's is on my must have list as well as royal gramma basslets. Kole or yellow tangs are good fish for this tank. I currently have both, 2 spot bristletooth, and they get along very well.

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keithfullermusic

i should also point out that pistols are great at preventing algae on your sand. they move it around so much that it doesn't have a chance to get a foothold.

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I added a Randall's before but the yellow goby didn't match up with him well. If I did get another pistol it'd be a tiger... but I'm concerned he'd lunch on my two porcelain crabs.

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keithfullermusic

I added a Randall's before but the yellow goby didn't match up with him well. If I did get another pistol it'd be a tiger... but I'm concerned he'd lunch on my two porcelain crabs.

 

i don't have porcelain crabs, but i do have 2 emeralds and a strawberry as well as a pepper mint shrimp. my pistol could care less about them. i know the porcelains are a lot smaller, but my pistol doesn't even go after my small snails or hermits. just make sure he is fed decently, and i don't think it will be a problem at all.

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Build is starting! Starting from the sump, of course.

 

Return pump and skimmer:

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I didn't like how the sump I got (an Oceanic 2, if I remember right) didn't have enough baffles and not of the height I wanted. I went to a local glass shop and got two glass pieces cut, 11 7/8 x 7 and 11 7/8 x 6. I've heard the ideal height of the Tunze 9410 is 7", which is why I went for that height. The glass was cheap and perfectly cut.

 

Prepositioning glass:

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In other news, my Sunpower is on order and will hopefully get here in two weeks' time.

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I was at a local club members house a few weeks ago and he was running 3 Ai Sol Super Blue's on a 6ft tank and he had by far the best SPS growth I've ever seen. I've been trying to figure out how to justify 2 of them since then. Truly amazing coloration and growth. I wouldn't hesitate to run a few of those which should be cheaper than hydras.

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I'm starting to dry-fit plumbing and I'm a little concerned about the weight of the PVC plumbing that I'm attaching to a 3/4" bulkhead. At first I thought I would be able to do a straight drop into the sump but I wasn't able to (off by about 2"). I also realized that the vertical drop didn't have enough length to accommodate a gate valve.

 

So, the first amendment to the plan was use a horizontal run that contains the gate valve, then drop into the sump. However, it seems like this is a likely failure point as all the fittings plus the valve (not to mention water when it is running) would put quite a bit of weight and lever-like pressure on one poor 3/4" bulkhead.

 

Two options I'm considering now:

1. Use 45 degree elbows to just clear the lip of the sump, then put the gate valve on the vertical run. Downside is it's a bit tight, and it still puts weight on the bulkhead. It's less, but it's still there.

2. Reverse the sump so that the skimmer is to the right (across from the drain lines). This will allow me to do a horizontal run that can be secured to the stand, and put the gate valve in a more accessible location. Downside is that I would have liked the return to be across from the overflow.

 

I'll likely do option 1 (or at least dry-fit it). Still thinking about it though.

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I have a third option - use flexible PVC. I found some flexible PVC connectors at the local Home Depot (strangely enough, they don't sell just flexible PVC pipe) and used that in sections to bend around the rim of the sump. That way, I'm a lot more comfortable that I won't use the pipe as a lever to break the bulkhead or glass.

 

I've fitted and glued all pipes now, except for the actual link into the bulkheads - that comes later when the aquarium is in its final resting spot. I still need to teflon and screw in the threaded fittings but this looks pretty good to me!

 

In case you're wondering, longest pipe is return, the short thick one without a valve is emergency (1") drain, and the other one is full siphon (3/4") drain.

 

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Pissed off at my online vendor (ReefSupplies.ca) right now. ATI lights are still backordered and will get there Tuesday, which means I don't get them until earliest Feb 17th. I'm already annoyed that they didn't ship last week (as per their website) and now there's another delay. It's annoying that they very readily process your credit card but they don't even follow up via email to say that it hasn't come in yet.

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Did a dry fit and it seems like the flexible pipe doesn't quite bend the way I want to for the return. Made a 45 degree bend with rigid PVC and I think we're good.

 

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Another thing you can do is transition from a PVC to barbed fitting and use either braided or normal vinyl tubing. Way easier to route and I've never had any problems as long as I'm careful not to run curves that might kink.

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Another thing you can do is transition from a PVC to barbed fitting and use either braided or normal vinyl tubing. Way easier to route and I've never had any problems as long as I'm careful not to run curves that might kink.

I would have probably done this on the drains if I didn't find flexible PVC. I don't quite trust barbed fittings for the return though, and I'm really only using flexPVC to absorb the vibrations of the pump. I do need to find a neoprene or silicone pad to put the return pump on still.

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EVA foam with acrylic glued to the top of it works really well. You can suction the pump the the acrylic side and the EVA sits against the bottom which eliminates a lot of the sound transfer. I also took a thick yoga mat and glued it to the entire bottom of my stand for further dampening.

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Why did you decide to use gate valves instead of ball valves? Just curious :)

I'm running a herbie drain - the gate valve apparently makes it easier to tune than a ball valve. From what I understand, ball valve = on/off, gate valve = fine tuning. I had originally planned to put a ball valve on the emergency drain as well but I decided it was superfluous.

 

I would have liked to put unions right after the bulkhead but they were too close together and too close to the side of the stand. If I do ever move or break down this build I will have to cut out the drain piping.

 

Most people also tell me not to solvent cement my standpipes as well. I'm a bit leery of that but I think I'll go with that suggestion for now. I just don't like the idea of the entirety of my overflow slowly leaking into the sump.

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Nice setup going here. I went with a herbie on my 90g too and ran the return over the back. Your right about the gate/ball valve. It's a lot easier to adjust a gate valve than it is with a ball valve. I went with hard plumbing on almost everything. The only thing I used spaflex (flexible pvc) was connecting the return pump to the hard piping.

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Finally, ATI fixture is shipped and on it's way. I think I'll try 1" EMT (instead of 3/4"). I've seen videos of people trying to bend 1 1/4" EMT conduit - that looks hella hard to bend. I would think that 2 posts (carrying 12.5 lbs) can handle the fixture.

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