Great North 75G Reef Build

[TripsterAK]

Not sure what happened to this first post. Mods Please Delete

[TripsterAK]

First off id like to Introduce myself. Names Dustin and I'm in Anchorage, Alaska Im new to the Salt World and to RC. Iv been browsing around here for a little over a month gathering info along with stopping into my LFS every other day lol.

Potential Stock List.
1x Baby Hippo Tang
1x Yellow Tang
2x ocellaris clownfish
1x Pink spotted Watchman Goby
1x Pistol Shrimp

Suggestions for CUC?

Constructive Criticism is always welcome because there is always more to learn.

Here is my build so far.


Picked up This Tank and a Home built stand for $150 off Craigslist. I hated the way the stand looked so i stripped it of its siding and decided the Skeleton was good. Here it is with the new siding.

All Stained.

Building the Cabinet Doors.

Completed Stand

Close up of the Trim

Picked up a used CPR 102 Overflow from my LFS along with my PVC Return.

Picked up a Catalina 1800 Return Pump and Got the flow nozzles for my return and proceed to do the leak test.

Everything went well with the Leak test. Picked up 2 Hydor 3 Powerheads from my LFS put them in. I have Decent flow, thinking about a 3rd.

Adding the Instant Ocean Salt. Sticky note so i know how many cups I put it.

80Lbs of Live Reef Sand.

[TripsterAK]

Here is my Sump set up.

Finally Here the Tank is after it has been Aquascaped. 150bs of Total LR.

I am waiting for my LFS to get in the ATI Blue Plus and Coral Plus Lights so i can put them in the Fixture i have. Im going to be building a Canopy for this as well. Waiting to get my Lighting situated first so i can build it into the canopy.

[NanoReefWanabe]

looks good...how big is the tank? looks pretty small for a hippo and a yellow tang...rock looks great...i was going to suggest you put those locline fittings up to the top of the tank, otherwise your power out scenario would have drained a 1/3rd of your tank...but i see you have already figured that out (hopefully not the hard way)

the stand looks very nice, well done with the trim work...

it is hard to see the return plumbing in the pics, but it looks as though the return is split to either corner of the tank, but the feed pipe doing so is directly below the return on the left side of the tank...if that is the case you should add a ball or gate valve to the left return above the "T" that way you can equalize the water returning from the two nozzles..

otherwise keep up the good work....Welcome to RC

[robertcedgar]

Looks good! Consider a background of some sort to hide all of your equipment. IMO, that would make your tank even better...

[MaxxedMan]

Is there room for your mag float between the rock and glass?

[TripsterAK]

Nanoreefwanabe - The tank is a 48x18x21 75g I know its a smaller tank for keeping Tangs. I don't plan on having this tank for more than a year and a half then I'll be upgrading to a 150 at least. I didnt find out the hardway looked at it and thought about it for a minute and adjusted it. The Pumps are actually on a Battery Backup so if there is a power out I'm okay. Only thing is pump failure to worry about.

Robertcedgar - Tank you, I am planning on getting black Vynil to place on the back.

MaxxedMan - All but a small portion on the far right side.

[randomfishguy85]

since you do not have any fish in there you may want to consider drilling your tank or getting a better overflow. the design of the cpr overflows is flawed just based on the fact that you need a aqualifter pump. Most u tube designs work with a siphon and although they arent the best they work for the most part. If you drill the tank, you never have to worry about overflow failures, because its all gravity. you can get a good kit at glass-holes.com. just something to consider

[TripsterAK]

Originally Posted by randomfishguy85

since you do not have any fish in there you may want to consider drilling your tank or getting a better overflow. the design of the cpr overflows is flawed just based on the fact that you need a aqualifter pump. Most u tube designs work with a siphon and although they arent the best they work for the most part. If you drill the tank, you never have to worry about overflow failures, because its all gravity. you can get a good kit at glass-holes.com. just something to consider

I am unable to Drill this tank. It is an older Aqueon and is all tempered.
I have the whole system on a battery back up unit so the pumps won't turn off due to power outs and I have a 2nd aqualifter just in case. I actually unplugged the aqualifter to see what happened an it continued to work great.

[TripsterAK]

Any suggestions for a CUC?

[TripsterAK]

Here are some more Pics with my new Lighting. ATI Blue Plus and Catalina 10,000K(LFS didn't have ATI 10k)

My First Coral

[ReeferHead92]

Maybe I missed it somewhere but what kind of lighting are you using? Is it just a two bulb fixture? If so it wont be enough to keep much more then softies a zoas.

[TripsterAK]

Currently it is just a 2 bulb. Ill be going adding 2 more for a total of 6 shortly when i build my canopy.

[TripsterAK]

so with the lights on for only about 10 min when i took that first picture of the FrogSpawn nearly 2 hours later it has now doubled in Size! Lighting is Def Key I have learned today.

[TripsterAK]

FTS

I was given the Foxface and the Maroon Clown.

Also was given a 28G JBJ Nano Tank with a Marineland c3 Sump

[TripsterAK]

Purchased My First Tang. Here is a Video of my tank. The Kole has decided he loves the Fox and Follows him everywhere lol

http://s45.photobucket.com/albums/f9...t=58d2bc67.mp4

[TripsterAK]

Here are some New Pics.






FTS

[lotsoftats]

NIce tank so far....I am working on a 75g as well.

[TripsterAK]

Thanks! I like the 75 I'm glad I got this size for my first tank. I am wanting a bigger tank already though. LOL