My 75 Gallon Wallet Drainer!

[shanesauce]

Hello, nano reefers!

 

I was in the process of gathering all of the equipment needed to start my 40B tank when I saw that my LFS was getting rid of their overstock of 75's for $130. I pondered on the idea for a few days and even posted a thread on here, after a few days I finally decided and here we are!

Plumbing

- Glass-holes 700GPH overflow
- 40B sump

- Mag 5

Equipment

- Reef Octopus NWB150

- ReefBreeder LED's
- Eheim JAGER 150W
- Hydor Koralia 1150

- Hydor Koralia 1500

 

Livestock
- Bluethroat Triggerfish
- Yellowhead Jawfish

- Leopard Wrasse
- Fairy Wrasse

- Midas Blenny

- Ocellaris Pair

- Assorted CUC

 

Corals

- Acropora

- Montipora

- Birdsnest

- Acans

- Frogspawn

- Ricordea

- Zoas

Keep in mind the stocking list is not final, these are just fish that I would love to have in the tank.

Future Equipment

- Vortech MP10

- Vortech MP40
- Reactors

- Apex JR

Goals
- Actually do frequent water changes
- Figure out a proper ATO system

- Keep all my fish and coral happy

- Watch everything grow!

Any feedback positive or negative is very welcome here, I will do my absolute best to keep this thread updated. I work the midnight shift 6p-6a so my updates might be a bit sporadic!

 

 

 

 

 

[eitallent]

Sounds like a great set up!

 

I love your first little blonde frag in the tank already. Too cute!

[oldSWseamomma]

I wish I had the room for a 75! Sounds like a nice setup and will keep following. Miss E I think that's a curly-top peek-a-boo Nemofish

[fish__man]

I'll be following this. I like the inhabitant in the tank, it can survive without water or T5HO

[cadugauch]

i just setup a 75 at my house...love the dims on the tank

[shanesauce]

Yeah that would be my pride and joy! We fragged her a little more than 2 years ago and she has been the most expensive and time consuming frag I have ever had to maintain.

 

Seriously though she absolutely loves fish tanks, the other day at the LFS she was giggling in excitement when we pulled up. When I had my old tank set up she always told the fish goodnight when we went to lay her down for bed. I think she is just as excited as I am to get this thing up and running!

 

I had to sleep a little later than usual today to catch up on my sleep but tomorrow I will be finishing up the stand and drilling the tank. Wish me luck everybody, the next pictures you see will be of holes in the glass.

[shanesauce]

Okay, so I lied about the next pictures being hole in the glass because I drained my poor little cordless 12V Black & Decker just finishing up the stand so I am letting it get a good charge and I will be drilling later tonight!

 

A few update pictures from earlier.

 

 

 

 

[shanesauce]

I got the 1/4" glass drilled last night and man it took a while! The overflow box and drilled return look great though I am ecstatic.

 

Next on the list

- Get the stand skinned, trimmed, painted

- Paint the back of the tank

- Get the plumbing straightened out

 

Stay tuned for updates.

 

 

 

 

[RatWilly]

I'll be following this. I like the inhabitant in the tank, it can survive without water or T5HO

 

But it's A LOT more expensive.

 

I know, I got one too.

 

 

Looks great. I can't wait to start my 110.

[Chadf]

Wallet drainer? Startup costs are nothing compared to filling it with quality livestock. Add fail safes like a generator to keep your thousands of dollars worth of livestock alive and you haven't even started spending money yet.

[shanesauce]

Wallet drainer? Startup costs are nothing compared to filling it with quality livestock. Add fail safes like a generator to keep your thousands of dollars worth of livestock alive and you haven't even started spending money yet.

 

I was definitely not saying it is a wallet drainer at this point, but over the course of the next few months after gathering all of the equipment and starting to stock it will really be obvious!

 

I don't make the greatest salary but I am trying to get the best equipment I can a little bit at a time while taking care of my family.

[shanesauce]

I got the sump area primed and painted along with using Plastidip on the back of the tank. If I ever need to take the background off it will just peel right off!

I also picked up a T8 fixture for the sump area to make sure I have enough light to see what is going on down there.

 

 

 

 

[eitallent]

I cannot answer your plumbing question. Sorry.

 

I just wanted to drop in and say that it is all looking really good so far and that I like the way you are planning everything out. I am sure that your patience will pay off in the long run.

[shanesauce]

I cannot answer your plumbing question. Sorry.

 

I just wanted to drop in and say that it is all looking really good so far and that I like the way you are planning everything out. I am sure that your patience will pay off in the long run.

 

Thank you for the feedback, I feel much better about my build this time by taking it slow and making sure everything is lined up right where it needs to be!

 

[eitallent]

I am using an 6w 8000K white Ecoxotic Stunner strip and the chaeto in my fuge grows out really well. You will have to look at the bulb and see that it is at least 6500K.

 

This advice is from reefcleaners.org

 

For best results we recommend using 6500k bulbs that are powerful enough to give off 2-4 watts of pc or more efficient lighting per gallon of water in your aquarium for most macro species in a standard depth tank. (Some sea grasses like turtle grass require more light). While light intensity is measured in output rather than watts, it is often difficult to determine the output of a particular light source, and watts are sometimes a useful secondary measure.

[indyjaco]

Having kept a 75, I would go with the tang or trigger. It will be to small for both, triggers can take fish.

 

For an ATO, I would recommend a float. Kent makes a nice setup so you can avoid electronics. I used it on my last sump with great success. Now I use a Aqualifter and a switch from autotopoff on my 125.

[shanesauce]

Having kept a 75, I would go with the tang or trigger. It will be to small for both, triggers can take fish.

 

For an ATO, I would recommend a float. Kent makes a nice setup so you can avoid electronics. I used it on my last sump with great success. Now I use a Aqualifter and a switch from autotopoff on my 125.

 

I have been looking a bit more into my stocking list and it definitely seems like it will have to be one or the other. More than likely it will be the powder blue due to it being my wife's favorite fish.

 

The float seems like it might be the best way to go.

 

UPDATE: Trim is on the stand, sump is ready for water and plumbing is right behind it. I also found a TDS meter today at walmart for $12. My tap was reading 40 which is way lower than I thought it would be. Not that I am using tap but just for a reference.

 

Next on the list is get some doors on this thing, paint or stain it and get some freaking water in it!

 

 

 

[shanesauce]

Unfortunately this was my shifts weekend to work so Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night I was working 12 hour night shifts which meant I was getting nothing done but sleeping before going in the next day!

 

Small amount of progress done today, I painted the stand black and I picked up some salt that was on sale and a 15 pound bag of aragonite so I can see how much sand I am really going to need. I am not a fan of a thick sand bed so I am thinking 3 bags will suffice. I have the plumbing set up and ready for water so I hope.

 

Tomorrow will consist of me going to the reputable LFS and not just the local petsmart so I will be picking up my return pump, the rest of the sand and 2 more 5 gallon water jugs.

I have been chatting with a local guy that has about 60 pounds of dry rock that he is trying to get rid of for $50 so maybe I can grab that tomorrow while I am out.

 

I AM ITCHING TO FILL THIS THING WITH WATER!

 

 

 

 

[eitallent]

It is looking great! The stand turned out perfect.

 

Patience, grasshopper!

[shanesauce]

LET THERE BE WATER!

 

Man that took way too long, after messing with wood, trim, paint and leaky bulkheads for what felt like weeks I am ready to just sit back and stock this thing. Doors are finally on and I managed to pickup the return pump and a few other things. I would still like to place some sort of shelving on the inside of the stand to hold dosing supplies, refractometer, things like that.

 

I did manage to make a sort of light hanging apparatus that won't involve me drilling into the wall or ceiling. These will be for the LED's not the temporary T5 fixture over the tank now.

[eitallent]

Wow. Yes, very impressive. The stand looks great. I like the light apparatus also. I all ties in together very nicely.

[shanesauce]

Nothing much to update but I did grab a little dry rock the other day and a little inhabitant, funds are a bit low this week due to all of the bills being due this week.

 

Levels stayed at 0 for a few days after adding a dead shrimp so I am going to try and do this as slowly as possible to prevent a cycle, maybe a mini cycle when the bacteria starts to really populate but I think that will be it.

 

Forgive me for the horrible picture.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[shanesauce]

I have so much equipment left to buy!

 

- Reef Octopus NWB150

- Reefbreeder value (2)

- Carbon & GFO reactors

- Powerheads, notice the temporary koralia nano providing a little movement lol

- Apex Jr

 

I might shy away from a ATO because I have virtually no swing in salinity with my little bit of evap every few days.

 

Why is this hobby so dang expensive? hahaha

 

Here is the view right behind my head while on the computer, I can't wait to start filling this thing with livestock.

 

 

[eitallent]

Yes there is always more to buy. That is why I think your thread title is so right on the money (tee hee).

[Hook'Em2006]

Looks great! Only thing I noticed is you mentioned getting (2) MP10s. When I had my 75 setup, I tried 2 mp10s, wasn't enough flow to go to the other side. I opted to go with 1 MP40 and that was much better. I eventually added a seconded when I upgraded to a 105 and that is perfect for the 48" tank.