Saint's 75g

saintsreturn

Well-Known Member
Tank as of 8/14/2018

ee9381d684898217540cf782224e6ef5.jpg


Original post:
Alright guys, after watching your tanks make awesome progress I just couldn't take it anymore. My other build thread will stay alive for now as I am going to run both systems and transition slowly, but here is the first shot of my new 75gallon.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1448656561.499792.jpg

Clearly still have some work to do, but I will post as I go and ask a lot of question, such as,
How do I decide which way to go for filtration. I want a refugium but I am not drilled and have never had one. I know I don't want a hang on back again... So.... Any thoughts?



Update:
Shopping List
Marineland 75g tank and stand
Marineland Canopy
Aqueon 20g sump tank
Sump glass from Home Depot
AI Prime lights
6" Blade refugium light
Switched surge protector
Aqueoun Pro 200w heater
Octoplus 110 skimmer
Sicce 2.0 return pump
PF800 overflow box
Egg crate
Black plastic mesh





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Last edited:

saintsreturn

Well-Known Member
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1448660664.790477.jpg well I got her home and we need to figure something out with the height. We want to make it about 8 inches taller and look like it's supposed be that height.

Well now it's researching time


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saintsreturn

Well-Known Member
Alright guys, turns out I need help. I have been searching and reading for hours. I want a sump but don't have the coin. I am thinking about a canister filter. I already do work on my 30g with a HOB so I don't anticipate an issue for now. Is a canister sufficient until I build a sump later?

Here is the plan so far:
1) two power heads
2) canister filter
3) setup and buy a protein skimmer once the sump is done
4) boring in tank heater until sump is done
5) led lighting
6) DSB
7) 65 lbs dry rock until the tank cycles
8) add my existing dry rock
9) fish
10) corals
11) invertebrate transfer from tank
12) TBD

Thoughts or input?


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Tru2nr

Well-Known Member
Sump is cheap honestly, when I had my 75g I ran a 20L($30ish) plus a few(6) baffles at about $1 a piece...don't rush anything don't waste your money on a canister filter if you're going to sump it. Simply save n than spend; anything good in this hobby is not going to be cheap unless it comes from a friend.


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saintsreturn

Well-Known Member
Sump is cheap honestly, when I had my 75g I ran a 20L($30ish) plus a few(6) baffles at about $1 a piece...don't rush anything don't waste your money on a canister filter if you're going to sump it. Simply save n than spend; anything good in this hobby is not going to be cheap unless it comes from a friend.


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Where do you get sumps at that price?


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saintsreturn

Well-Known Member
Uhhh petco and ace hardware for the baffles that's what I've always done


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Ok so I must be looking it up wrong. Nothing came up for sumps ok petcos site. Do y'all buy something else and turn it in to a sump


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DaveK

Well-Known Member
Alright guys, turns out I need help. I have been searching and reading for hours. I want a sump but don't have the coin. I am thinking about a canister filter. I already do work on my 30g with a HOB so I don't anticipate an issue for now. Is a canister sufficient until I build a sump later?

Here is the plan so far:
1) two power heads
2) canister filter
3) setup and buy a protein skimmer once the sump is done
4) boring in tank heater until sump is done
5) led lighting
6) DSB
7) 65 lbs dry rock until the tank cycles
8) add my existing dry rock
9) fish
10) corals
11) invertebrate transfer from tank
12) TBD

Thoughts or input?


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Your setting up a larger tank. I would skip the canister filter and go right to a sump. Many people build sumps out of a smaller tank. You can often find smaller tanks on sale at $1 a gallon.

For powerheads, get what is know as circulation pumps. They will give you a lot more flow.

Consider lighting, especially LED lighting, carefully. It is critical to understand what your trying to do with the system. LED lighting can get expensive fast, and you only want to buy it once.

There are also pros and cons to a deep sand bed. Keep in mind that there are all sorts of great reef systems out there, some use a DSB, some use a minimal sandbed, others are bare bottom. Again, this all comes down to what you want out of the system.

As for fish and corals, this comes down to what you want to keep in the tank. After all, it's your tank. My thoughts are that you want to select each item as part of how it will fit into your reef plan. Often one choice will exclude others. Also choose each item for how it's going to look in the tank. You want everything to be a "real gem".
 

Oxylebius

Well-Known Member
Petco has sales a couple times a year where they sell tanks at a price of $1/gallon. So a 40g breeder would end up being a $40 tank.
 

saintsreturn

Well-Known Member
Thanks guys. I have a DSB now and have about 20 nessarious snails so I want to keep them busy with another DSB. I currently have star polyps, mushrooms, and... I always forget the name but a common softy. I think I will scale them back and isolate them to their own rock until I am ready for what I really want. I love the mushrooms and star polyps for their movement but hate how fast the mushrooms grow. So I may just do a rock of polyps and then work in a couple of always wanted such as wall hammers and brain coral. Lots of research before I go that route but thank you as a sump is what I will do


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saintsreturn

Well-Known Member
Two more questions:
1) if I drill my tank and add an overflow box, how do I get water back in the tank? Is it as simple as just a down pipe into the tank?

2) how can I be sure the tank will support a custom built hood that hinges and holds my LEDs?


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Last edited:

saintsreturn

Well-Known Member
So forget question 2 for now. I am going tomorrow to a LFS and checking out the matching canopy to the setup I just bought. More to follow as I have an amazon list full of stuff and don't know if I will be able to stick to the "one piece per paycheck" plan the wife and I agreed to.... Come on promotion, I just want to set up my new tank :D

PS: I almost have her talked into one of my favorite fish The Achilles tang
 

saintsreturn

Well-Known Member
Hahaha no it was my wife. I guess she wanted something to look at while I got all the pieces put together :)

Thanks for the comment. I am excited to hide everything with it and all ready designed a way to put light diffusers in it without blocking my light output. Lots of little projects coming about!


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