About to assemble my setup - Looking for some feedback

[apstreck]

For the past two months, I have been collecting my equipment, researching, and planning my first reef tank. It's almost time to put it all together. I wanted to detail my plans and get a little bit of individualized feedback, especially on a few key sections that I'm still on the fence about.

The Basics:
DT - 75 Gallon
Sump - 20L
Lighting - 6 Bulb T5HO
Skimmer - SCA 302
Return Pump - Eheim Compact+3000 (792 gph)
Sicce Voyager 2 Powerhead x2
60 lbs live sand (aragonite fiji pink)
100 lbs dead live rock (may use less than what I have but I got it bulk for great price and had to buy 100 lbs)
Salinity for Reefs - to start, again got it at a deep discount, will probably end up using RC or Kent's

I'm going to use a beananimal overflow with a 20" glass internal overflow (big thanks to @Mrramsey for sharing his designs and blueprints with me... HUGE help). Its gonna be plumbed with 3/4" pvc, likely going rigid all the way. Looking for lower flow through sump in the 3-5x range and getting my DT flow from the powerheads.

Here is what I'm still debating on:
1). To fuge or not to fuge - I know its a hotly debated topic, and my fuge will definitely be on the small side for my system. 12x8x10 so roughly 4 gallons. Plan was LR with chaeto, no dsb, no mud.
Pros - opposite lighting to help with pH swings, nutrient export, proliferation of pods
Cons - another thing to clean, less room for skimmer and pump, possibly ineffective at my planned size

2). Media reactors. One thing that I don't have on my setup is media reactors. I'm actually leaning toward using the BRS double reactor. I will be running carbon 24/7. If I use the reactors, should I run them off the Eheim, or get a separate pump? My pump, after head loss, will be around 500 gph, and I don't want to lose too much more, so would running a separated pump be the better option?

3). How do you all suggest running my return from the sump? I was thinking a PVC spray bar to agitate the areas behind my rocks.

4). I bought the dead rock specifically, not because it was cheap... I wanted to start dead because I have seen some tanks with out-of-control hitchhikers. But should I put some LR in the sump to help seed the dead rock in the DT? I was told that the live sand would do that for me, but it seems iffy to me. I also thought about some Bio-Boost but I've also read that bacteria in a bottle is a waste of money.

I apologize for the long read. I'm trying to make sure I do it right the first time.... I'm actually impressed with myself because I am normally not very patient and just do things on impulse, but I've had great self control with this project. Please feel free to point out any problems you see, or input on my questions, I can use all the advice I can get!
Thanks!

[Mashtun]

Have you cured your rock? I don't know what kind you bought, but since you are still in the planning stages it would probably be a good idea to start curing it right away so you don't have to wait longer on your rock once everything is set up.

I've read in several places (and it is hinted at by BRS themselves) that the double reactor can be finicky to adjust well for both chambers since they require different flow. Also, as the media gunks up the flow will be affected and you will have to adjust some more. I am setting up a tank now as well and I decided to go with one single reactor and mix GFO and carbon. it is not the most efficient method, but, I am leaving room for another single reactor in the future. Plus, I dont know if you've played with the BRS calculator or not, but the amounts of media needed for my 65 gallon tank were very small. Like, 1/2 cup or something like that, so it will fit in a single reactor with ample room to spare. just something to keep in mind.

I decided to plumb a manifold from my return pump to feed the reactor, but I've read good and bad things about doing so, so I can't advise either way. I'm hoping it works out for me.

Finally, as a heads up, I'm rather new myself so keep that in mind when you weight my advice.

[apstreck]

Well I was thinking that I would just let me rock cure in the tank during the cycle. Is this a bad idea?
I have seen where people cure rock in rubbermaid tubs with a powerhead and a heater, but I thought that was more for re-using dead rock, not starting with brand new rock. Since the tank isn't established at all, I was going to just put the dry rock into the tanks, adjust salinity, add live sand, and wait.

[Mashtun]

Hopefully someone else answers, but I think it depends on the rock you have. If it has any dead matter on it I think you would be better off curing it separately. I'm not sure if it matters though on a rock that doesn't have dead stuff in it. I bought pukani, so I know that should be cured on its own, but I couldn't tell you about anything else.

[pyithar]

Originally Posted by apstreck

Well I was thinking that I would just let me rock cure in the tank during the cycle. Is this a bad idea?
I have seen where people cure rock in rubbermaid tubs with a powerhead and a heater, but I thought that was more for re-using dead rock, not starting with brand new rock. Since the tank isn't established at all, I was going to just put the dry rock into the tanks, adjust salinity, add live sand, and wait.

you don't need to cure dry rocks. only freshly harvested or liverocks that are put out of the water for a long period of time need to be cured because of die offs. just rinse the dry rocks well and put them into the tanks. also don't forget to put a couple of raw shrimps to start the nitrogen cycle.

[Pife]

Some dry rocks have been know to leach P04s. Research where you bought them and I'm sure you'll find some threads about what to do with your rocks.

[igot2gats]

You can give your dry rocks an acid bath. If you do, you're guaranteed to have nothing leaching from your rock.

As far as a fuge - it's not really beneficial if you don't have a big enough one. Since you stated that it would be rather small, I would vote not to have one.

[apstreck]

Yeah all my rocks got a muratic acid bath, now they are drying in the sun. I was just gonna use a few pinches of fish food rather than a raw shrimp, either that or dose ammonia ( I work in medical field so I have access to 100% pure ammonia)

[intyme]

Do you think your return pump will have too much flow the ought the sump? I have a mag 7 on my 65 with a 20L sump and I had to install a gate valve to slow it down to get rid of micro bubbles

[apstreck]

The eheim pump is adjustable from ~400-800 gph.

Also, is the general consensus that I should not bother with a fuge? Anyone think its a GOOD idea?

[intyme]

A little fuge is better than no fuge. So I've heard. Mine is small I grow cheato and seems to be doing well. Same as you LR in it

[Insported]

Your setup sounds similar to what mine is. I had 60 pounds of dry rock which i let cycle for a few weeks in a bin with a pump. Then i had 100 pounds of arag-live sand. Put all of it together about 3 weeks ago. Water test are coming out fine. Put a Chromis and blue leg hermit in to see how they do and all i can say is they look extremely happy. But i agree, why not have a fuge. Its more water for your system and gives you rooms to keep your display clean.

[IMG]http://i59.*******.com/3481sus.jpg[/IMG]

[apstreck]

Yeah, I don't really know what else I would do with the space besides just having a big section for the skimmer.

My thought was the the fuge, if nothing else, will be a place for pods to breed. I was going to use LR rubble on top of some egg-crate so I can see when detritus is building up, maybe ill put some hermits or something down there since I don't want them in my DT... my only concern is that I don't see how the pods will even make it to the DT. The EHEIM pump I'm using has a sponge insert that goes under the slotted intake. So won't the pods just get stuck in the sponge? Or should I remove it?

[apstreck]

This is what the pump looks like

[Mules1]

Remove the sponge.

[Neptune 555]

Re: cycling the rock... I did a test with cycling rocks.. I did one rubbermaid with 40 pounds of Pukani dead rock and one rubbermaid with Figi dry rock. They booth took the same amount of time to cycle BUT the rubbermaid with the dry figi rock was disgusting and Nitrates were super high after cycle. The Pukani dry rock faired better... but after the cycle still had high nitrates. If you cycle that in your tank with live sand.. I propose it will be harder to remove the nitrate and start with pristine water parameters. It is super easy to just move the rock and dump the dirty water.

Neptune