JKreef's 75 Gallon Project

[Newt]

Updated quite a bit throughout the entirety of the contents, so expect major changes in equipment, and livestock. But hey,,,that's half of the fun

So the quest starts here. Well in reality, this tank has been a long time coming. I started planning for the tank in late December and early January after having a struggling 10 gallon nano in my college dormitory. I moved home to attend our local community college. So that is when I decided that it was time to upgrade.

The first purchase was in early January when I went to my LFS and picked up the 75 gallon AGA aquarium (48x18x20). The next purchase that I made was the stand (AGA pine stand w/ oak stain) which was also from the LFS because the price was right. And the last purchase was the 6 stage 100gpd RO-DI unit which I picked up because of a bad bout with hair algae due to tap water.

I often ask myself what have I gotten into? But then I just look around in many books, and forums such as this and see the beautiful systems that many others have created, so I see eventually it will all be worth it. I have set this project up as a goal for myself and a design project to acheive a stellar system on a very low budget, run on semi-simplistic :turntable equipment.

To start my tank off cycling I am going to use this offer for new tanks from ReeferMadness If I purchase one or more boxes of LR (which I will) from them then when my tank is cycled I get 10% off of my Clean-up Crew, and a discount when I'm ready to add livestock. So I'm looking forward to saving some money.

Here is what I have planned for this system:
75g AGA
75g AGA Pine Stand
2x SEIO 1100s
2x Reef Star 2 MH 175w Pendants
2x 14k SE bulbs
LR: approx 90lbs. Fiji
LS: 2-3"
CPR Overflow 600gph
Coralife Turbo Twist 3x: 9w UV sterilizer

10/15g Sump/Fuge
Mag Drive 5 Return Pump
Turboflotor T1000 skimmer
w/ Ocean Runner 2700 pump
250w Visitherm Heater
Live Rock (undecided on amount for sump/fuge)
Live Sand: 3-4"
1x 65w Power Compact
Various Macro Algae

Clean-up Crew: After the tank is setup and done cycling, I'm going to purchase the clean up crew (Monty's Helper for 75g) like stated above from ReeferMadness. It consists of the following:

10 Turbo Snails (Turbo fluctuosa) 1"
and
10 Margarita Snails (Margarites pupillus) .5 to .75"
and
10 Cone Trochus Snails (Trochus sp.) .5 to .75"
and
10 Cerith Snails (Cerithium sp.) .5 to .75"
and
10 Astrea Snails (Astraea tecta) .5 to .75"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
4 Scarlet Reef Hermit Crabs (Paguristes cadenati) .5"to .75"
and
10 Red Leg Hermit Crabs (Clibanarius sp.) .5"
and
10 Hawaiian Left Handed Hermit Crabs (Calcinus laevimanus) .5"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
6 Pacific Super Nessarious Snail (Nessarious sp.) .5" to .75"
or
6 Tonga Bumble Bee Snails (Pusiostoma mendicaria) .5"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

1 Mithrax Crab (Mithrax sculptus) .5"
and
2 Tonga Fighting Conch (Strombus sp.) 1"
or
2 Queen Conch (Strombus sp.) 1"

Fish:
So now onto my fish list, it has been in progress since before planning for this tank started and narrowed down from a huge list of fish that I had come up with. But here are the future inhabitants of my tank:

3x Amphiron Percula (True Percula Clowns)
1x Centropyge loriculus (Flame Angel)
3x Pseudanthias squamipinnis (Lyretail Anthias)
1x Ctenochaetus strigosus (Kole Tang)
1x Acanthurus leucosternon (Powder Blue Tang)

I plan on adding the fish in three steps.
1. The group of 3 Percula Clowns
2. The group of 3 Lyretail Anthias
3 The Flame Angel, Kole Tang, and Powder Blue Tang

Hopefully adding them in this order will be easier on the biological filtration, and on the fish to keep down aggressiveness, and help the least aggressive fish establish some territory.

Invertebrates:
My invert population will consist of:

"Monty's Helper Package"
2x Skunk Cleaner Shrimp
1x Orange Linkia Starfish- I love the Bears!
1x Blue Linkia Starfish- Orange and Blue!
1x Bubble tip Anemone (Not set in stone)
1x Maxima Clam

Corals:
Zoanthids (Wide Variety)
Mushrooms
Purple Encrusting Montipora
Plate Corals (influenced by beautiful reproducing plate of Member on RL )
Open Brain Coral
Candycane Coral
Assorted other SPS not decided at this time.

I'm sure that I'll think of more corals that I desire as the tank is set up and running a while.

My main goal in this tank is to provide a colorful array of corals with a healthy environment that will thrive and reproduce readily. :bigbounce

I know that the best is yet to come. But as of now there is still a lot to do, and I'm not even halfway done, but I'll post some pictures of my tank soon, the battery is charging on my digital camera, so be patient everyone. :bouncer:

Questions and comments are welcome.

to be continued...

 

[Newt]

Leak Testing the Tank

Began filling up the tank yesterday afternoon with RO-DI water to test for leaks, I ran out of water when it was about 1/3 of the way full, so I have to wait for more. But so far it's a good sign, no leaks for the first bottom third of the tank!

I'll update more later, and post those pics of my tank that I promised.

 

[cheeks69]

Boy you have this planned out very well
Great selection for your LR they have great stuff !

On your cleanup crew I have heard that Margarita snails do better in cooler water, I know mine didn't last very long my tank is usually about 82 degrees. Also since your gunna be stocked a bit on the heavy side I would recommend more of the Nassarius snails they're awesome at maintaining a SB keeping it nice and clean also Fighting Conchs do a great job. I have read that Bumble Bee snails are not exactly reefsafe so I would do a little more research on them before adding.

Also one potential problem with adding 3 Percs is if they pair up they may kill the third one, so I would keep an eye on them, just my opinion. Hope to see pics soon

 

[Newt]

Cheeks69
Thanks for all of the information about the snails. That is really the one area of reef keeping that I do not know so much about. All I knew is that it is good to keep a variety of snails to do various tasks throughout the tank. But I had no idea about the margaita snails being best in cooler water, or that bumblebee snails are not ideal for reefs.

Also I definitely plan to keep an eye on the trio of perculas, I've read in many instances where they can be sucessfully kept in groups of one larger female and a few smaller males, but like you said, I have also read that if two pair up they can bully the lone perc. If two beat one up too bad I will remove the lone percula, or possibly ( i don't really want to add anymore fish) add another perc. But I'm thinking they should be okay, with percs being one of the least aggressive clowns. Fingers crossed

 

[mikej11]

I can't wait to see pics. Have you looked at a Coral Beauty Angel (Centropyge bispinosus) instead of a Flame Angel. I love the colors of the Flame Angels, but do not like their temperment. Also have you looked at a Six-line Wrasse (Pseudocheilinus hexataenia). Now these guys have a great personality. I just loved mine. He would always come twitch at me when I was around the tank.

HTH and Good Luck.

Mike J.

 

[Newt]

Mike thanks for your thoughts on the Flame Angel, for some reason I don't really find myself drawn towards the Coral Beauty Angel, I also love the colors of the Flame Angel, and I like their personality, I think they are very bold. They really are my favorite fish, so there was little debate when it came to making a stock list whether or not to include it. I know that they can be aggressive, but I've decided if that should come about to replace him with a Potter's Angel. They also have some crazy colorations, and and outgoing personality.

I'll agree with you on the Sixline's personality, as I had one for approximately three months in my 10 gallon before a huge hair algae epidemic broke out and he died when I was gone on the weekend. He had great personality, always swimming about the tank, and great color, but he also seemed very shy towards my other fish. I don't know if I'd want to get another, even though they are great fish. But nonetheless great suggestion. :turntable

Well that time is here! The pictures that I promised you all. Not much to look at now, but you can see the potential. :bouncer:

Hope you like the room, just got done refinishing it.

 

[mnreefman]

my only concern is 2 tangs in a 75 gal... other than that bol

 

[Newt]

I figured it would come up eventually but I want to thank you for not starting a tang debate and just wishing me luck, no need to get nasty right?

I've thought about it myself for a long time, and I've decided that it should be okay for both tangs to be in my tank, until they either:
1.) Show signs of severe aggression or
2.) Show signs of poor health

If one of those two situations arise I will promptly return one of the tangs. I don't want to stress my fish to the point of poor health because I want them to not only survive but thrive.

 

[Gina]

You can sure tell alot of planning went into this one! Excellent job!!

Try to go with the biggest sump you can!
Waiting to see it filled w/rock!!

 

[Woodstock]

Excellent planning JKreef! Sounds like you have your tax return spent. LOL~

 

[Newt]

Thanks Gina and Woodstock. I can't wait to see it filled with LR either

Sounds like you have your tax return spent.

Yep that's already been spent, it went towards the stand and RO-DI. I need to find that summer job now so I can spend some more

I'll keep you all posted as I slowly get more stuff purchased/set up, and put in/on.

 

[mnreefman]

I figured it would come up eventually but I want to thank you for not starting a tang debate and just wishing me luck, no need to get nasty right?

I've thought about it myself for a long time, and I've decided that it should be okay for both tangs to be in my tank, until they either:
1.) Show signs of severe aggression or
2.) Show signs of poor health

If one of those two situations arise I will promptly return one of the tangs. I don't want to stress my fish to the point of poor health because I want them to not only survive but thrive.

you got an action plan, and thats deffinatly nice to see... im in no way the tang police, just like to see healthy tanks.. i cant wait to see this as a finished project... lots of planning has gone into this.

 

[Newt]

There sure has been a lot of planning. Many times stressful, but it will all be worth it for a healthy tank and inhabitants.

Tank is completely full of water now, and no leaks!

I may possibly be getting a job at my LFS, I have an interview tomorrow. So if I get hired I will have a 20% discount on everything in the store, which will help me save up some money so I can finally getting everything for my tank. :turntable

Just for kicks I set up my PowerQuad 96w PCs on one side of my tank. And frankly I like the look of it, so I may use it for supplemental lighting with my MH setup. :bigbounce

 

[mnreefman]

where abouts in mn are you. im in stillwater till may 13th then i will become a resident of baldwin wisc

 

[Newt]

I'm in Rochester.

 

[Newt]

To update:

I got the job at my LFS, so now this project should get moving along a lot faster than originally thought out, so that should be nice.

 

[Gina]

Wow! Congrats on the new job!!!!
Can't wait to see the goodies you get to bring home.
What will your job be there?

 

[Newt]

I'll be doing general sales at first, but I was told possibly helping with saltwater because I'm one of a few people there with saltwater knowledge. No matter what I do though It should be a fun job.

 

[Gina]

Don't spend all your salary! LOL

 

[Woodstock]

Excellent!! Gotta love employee discounts!!