Very new guy with new tank!

WoodRight · Jan 26, 2008

This Is My Stock Wish List

Ok I understand that I wont be able to fit all of this stuff in my tank. I have just made up a list of things that I like not only for how they look but also how they live and act on a reef.
I was wondering if any of them sound like they shouldn’t be put in a tank together and if so, why not. The 3* are the ones I really would like to have in the tank. 2* I would like but only if they get along with the 3*. 1* Are less important but like them. The things with no * maybe down the road.
First comes first Served!
The cleanup crew
? *** Blue Leg Hermit Crab (Not sure of what # yet)
1 *** Decorator Crab
1 *** Emerald Crab
1 ** Horseshoe Crab
1 * Porcelain Crab
Sally Lightfoot Crab
Scarlet Hermit Crab
First fish
1st *** Blue Reef Chromis (Not sure of what # yet)
2nd *** True Percula Clownfish (a pared set)
3rd *** Mandarin Dragnet - Green Gobe
Next fish not in the order as they appear
*** Lawnmower Blenny
*** Bangaii Cardinal (nocturnal)
** Pajama Cardinal (nocturnal)
** Black and White False Clownfish
Bicinctus Clownfish
Ocellaris Clownfish
** Green Chromis
** Blonde Naso Tang
*** Blue Hippo Tang
* Yellow Tang
Four Line Wresse
Six Line Wresse

Anemones
Florida Condi Anemone
Long Tentacle Anemone
Urchins
Bali Pincushion Urchin
Purple Urchin
Others
Feather Duster
Brittle Starfish
Corals
Brain Coral - Green Closed
Brain Coral - Maze
Brain Coral - Moon
Brain Coral - Red Open
Clove Polyp Coral
Fox Coral
Green Star Polyp
Hammer Coral
Leather - Magenta toadstool Coral
Mushroom Coral - Blue Spotted
Plate Coral - Green Long Tentacle
Sun Coral - Orange
Xenia Coral
Zoos - Green Eye
Zoos - Red

I still need to look at shrimp and snails!

WoodRight · Jan 31, 2008

Well getting closer to get things set up. I had some stuff come up that I had to take care of so it's taking a bit longer then I thought. I sould be building the base this weekend. I been reading alot about so many things from wet/dry filters to DSB. I still have so many questions. I would be happy to just getting it up and running. I know I am going to have to wait while it dose it thing. I think once I get the base done things will start to come together a bit faster.

Please feel free to give any thoughts about what you have read so far. I can use all the help I can get.

WoodRight · Jan 31, 2008

Well I got started building the base cabinet. There is still alot to do but it's a start. Also we got an old antique pinball game on Ebay and the bids are up to $610.00. There is still 20 or so hours to go and i think it might make it to $1,100.00. That means a the tank will be up and running in the next week or so. Now I feel like I have to read alot more to get this all right the first time. An suggestion would be great.

40galreefman · Jan 31, 2008

you should seriously think of adding some 2x4 framing to that stand, as when you finally get that tank full of water, LR, and sand it's going to be over600 lbs, and without proper support that stand will collapse, just speaking from eperience a me and my younger bro made one similar to yours, for a 55 gal, and the stand was ok for a few weeks, but then collapsed during the night. my bro wasn't appy when he went in the basement to a wet floor and a bunch of dead fish, well thats just my 2 cents, i'm sure somone else will say something about this also, but good luck with the tank, and keep us updated.

WoodRight · Feb 1, 2008

I know how it looks but it's not even close to being done. This is how much I got done tonight. Like I said in the last post I have alot of reinforcement still to do. There is no face frame, front beam and so on. I build cabinet and they hold large peaces of stone that are heavyer then the tank will be and never had a prob. I can understand why you would think that and thank you for saying so. I just put the tank on it for now to 1 get it out of the way and 2 to see how it was going to look where we are going to put it.

40galreefman · Feb 1, 2008

WoodRight said:
I know how it looks but it's not even close to being done. This is how much I got done tonight. Like I said in the last post I have alot of reinforcement still to do. There is no face frame, front beam and so on. I build cabinet and they hold large peaces of stone that are heavyer then the tank will be and never had a prob. I can understand why you would think that and thank you for saying so. I just put the tank on it for now to 1 get it out of the way and 2 to see how it was going to look where we are going to put it.

my bad, it was just something that really jumped out at me being in construction and all, and just figured i'd chime in, sorry bout that, but good build and good liuck with the whole thing hope to see pics when its all up ad running

Ace25 · Feb 1, 2008

Where do you plan on putting that mag drive 9.5 pump? The pump is 5.0" x 3.0" x 5.5". That last chamber seems pretty small. My recommendation would be a Mag drive 18 pump if your planning on a reef and add a couple sea swirls to the returns. You want around 20x water turn over per hour. On a 75G that would be 1400GPH, Mag Drive 18 pushes out 1375GPH at a 4' lift.

I strongly recommend you get an AquaC Remora or similar skimmer. I have gone through 5 different skimmers, instant ocean, red sea, and CPR, and the Remora is hands down the best skimmer by a factor of 10.

The divider between that last chamber in the sump should also have a cutout at the center/top so in case of blockage of holes it can't overflow.

Honestly, I think that sump is too small. I helped my neighbor with his 75G reef and we bought a 29G glass aquarium at Petsmart for like $40, got a few pieces of glass cut to size locally for around $25 and siliconed them in place to make a 3 chamber sump/refugium that was sized perfectly to fit a mag drive 18, remora urchin, phosban reactor, wet/dry chamber, and refugium. Saved a ton of money. I did like you, bought a pre-made sump.. and when I got it, realized how simple it was, I decided to help my neighbor with his.

It sounds like your definately on the right track.. not getting ahead of yourself, asking some really good questions. I wish you the best.

WoodRight · Feb 2, 2008

Honestly, I think that sump is too small. I helped my neighbor with his 75G reef and we bought a 29G glass aquarium at Petsmart for like $40, got a few pieces of glass cut to size locally for around $25 and siliconed them in place to make a 3 chamber sump/refugium that was sized perfectly to fit a mag drive 18, remora urchin, phosban reactor, wet/dry chamber, and refugium. Saved a ton of money. I did like you, bought a pre-made sump.. and when I got it, realized how simple it was, I decided to help my neighbor with his.[/quoye]

The sump is not pre made. We did like you said and made it out of a 20 gal tank. I am haveing second thoughts about the lay out so I'm going to rework it a bit. As for the Mag Drive pump they are submersible or inline. I plan on haveing the pump mounted outside of the sump and haveing only the inlet pipe in that chamber. That peace of plexy glass is getting changed out and a bubble trip put in it's place.

WoodRight · Feb 4, 2008

What has happen lately

I got to work on the cabinet a bit more the other night and got it all braced up. Tonight I built a fuge for a DSB, algae, pods and some more water. I have to do a bit more on that and the cabinet but it was rainning all day here so the cabinet had to wait. Here are some pictures of the cabinet.