75g Reef Build

Apercula · 11/16/2007, 12:26 AM

I've been accumulating parts for a 75g reef since July and finally have the tank assembled and aquascaped.

75g all glass tank, single 1.5in (inside diameter) drain hole drilled upper left corner of back.
50lbs Marco dry rocks
60lbs mostly Fiji live rock
40lbs Aragalive sand
30lbs Aragamax sand
Allglass pine stand Oak Finish
20g sump
ASM G1 skimmer (will be gatevalve modding)
Rio 2500 in sump return pump ~800gph
16in x 46in x .25in sheet of acrylic in tank on bottom to protect bottom glass from rock tumbles (insurance)
2 x 175w Metal Halide with Hamilton 10k bulbs
100w heater

I set the tank up bare bottom with my live rock and marco rocks in it and ran it for 4 weeks with no lights on, at that point ammonia and nitrites were 0 and nitrates less than 10. Lights were then run about 6 hrs per day for next 3 weeks or so while I continued accumulating equipment, also discovered at this time that the hang on overflow box I have couldnt handle the flow from the Rio, and decided to get the tank drilled.

Last night I moved the tank to the room it is going to be staying in (cured rock in the basement), plumbed the overflow and return, put the sand in the tank, aquascaped, and filled the tank with water. Today I set up the light fixture, did some minor adjustments to rock stack and drainage. Since the Aragalive sand is supposed to come with live bacteria, I will be expecting a small cycle over the next couple weeks, at which time I hope the tank will be ready for some live stock. I have 2 True Percula clowns in qt atm (1 week in) and a few assorted snails in main tank (brown diatom was going well before the tank move).

Future plans include building a canopy for the lights (currently in a diy fixture for a 36in tank), adding 2 Hydor Koralia 3 powerheads for circulation, making a spraybar for behind the rockwork that will be powered by return pump(with siphon break at surface level), and putting a cabinet beside the tank at one end that will have a refugium (probably a 10g tank).

Part of the delay in getting tank into room it is staying in was getting an electrician out to run a dedicated GFCI circuit for the tank.

11/16/2007, 12:26 AM	#1
Apercula Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 707	75g Reef Build I've been accumulating parts for a 75g reef since July and finally have the tank assembled and aquascaped. 75g all glass tank, single 1.5in (inside diameter) drain hole drilled upper left corner of back. 50lbs Marco dry rocks 60lbs mostly Fiji live rock 40lbs Aragalive sand 30lbs Aragamax sand Allglass pine stand Oak Finish 20g sump ASM G1 skimmer (will be gatevalve modding) Rio 2500 in sump return pump ~800gph 16in x 46in x .25in sheet of acrylic in tank on bottom to protect bottom glass from rock tumbles (insurance) 2 x 175w Metal Halide with Hamilton 10k bulbs 100w heater I set the tank up bare bottom with my live rock and marco rocks in it and ran it for 4 weeks with no lights on, at that point ammonia and nitrites were 0 and nitrates less than 10. Lights were then run about 6 hrs per day for next 3 weeks or so while I continued accumulating equipment, also discovered at this time that the hang on overflow box I have couldnt handle the flow from the Rio, and decided to get the tank drilled. Last night I moved the tank to the room it is going to be staying in (cured rock in the basement), plumbed the overflow and return, put the sand in the tank, aquascaped, and filled the tank with water. Today I set up the light fixture, did some minor adjustments to rock stack and drainage. Since the Aragalive sand is supposed to come with live bacteria, I will be expecting a small cycle over the next couple weeks, at which time I hope the tank will be ready for some live stock. I have 2 True Percula clowns in qt atm (1 week in) and a few assorted snails in main tank (brown diatom was going well before the tank move). Future plans include building a canopy for the lights (currently in a diy fixture for a 36in tank), adding 2 Hydor Koralia 3 powerheads for circulation, making a spraybar for behind the rockwork that will be powered by return pump(with siphon break at surface level), and putting a cabinet beside the tank at one end that will have a refugium (probably a 10g tank). Part of the delay in getting tank into room it is staying in was getting an electrician out to run a dedicated GFCI circuit for the tank.